Founder Interview
Reinventing cookware for the modern Home chef with Goldilocks
When it comes to cookware, the market is saturated with gadgets, legacy brands, and a whole lot of noise. But for Minsuk Shim and Jessica Sheft-Ason, co-founders of Goldilocks, the answer to better home cooking starts with something simpler: thoughtfully designed, high-quality kitchen tools that don’t break the bank and don’t overwhelm the cook.
We sat down with the founders to talk about how their shared values led them from roles at Glossier to building their own bootstrapped cookware brand, why they’re so committed to educating customers, and what it means to build a good business in every sense of the word.
How did your personal journeys lead to starting Goldilocks?
Minsuk: Jess and I met while working at Glossier. I led digital marketing, and she was on the product side. We quickly found that we shared a lot of values when it came to how a business should operate. Before Glossier, I worked at Refinery29 and Warby Parker, which really cemented my belief in e-commerce and customer-first brand building. Those experiences showed me how powerful a direct relationship with your customer can be.
Jessica: My path started in tech consulting, and my first real exposure to e-commerce was with Domino’s Pizza. I loved seeing how digital could streamline something as everyday as ordering food. Later, I worked on the digital team at Claire’s, which was a great experience but also showed me the challenges of modernizing legacy brands. Eventually, I joined Glossier in 2014. I'd been a fan of Into the Gloss and was excited about the DTC world. That’s where Minsuk and I connected and started imagining what building something of our own could look like.
Why cookware? Was there a specific “aha” moment?
Minsuk: My family owned a restaurant, and I spent a lot of time in kitchens growing up. One thing I always noticed was how different professional tools were compared to what most people use at home. When Jess and I started thinking about a business, we realized the cookware industry focused too much on gimmicks, gadgets, and endless SKUs. We wanted to do the opposite: simplify and serve the home cook with thoughtfully curated tools that actually work.
Jessica: We also talked a lot about how overwhelming the category can be. If you’re just starting out, it’s hard to know what you really need. We saw an opportunity to create a brand that removes the guesswork and helps people build confidence in their kitchen, no frills, just essentials.
Goldilocks strikes a unique balance with design, function, and price. Was that always part of the mission?
Minsuk: Absolutely. We wanted to lower the barrier to cooking well at home. That doesn’t mean making fancy meals every night, it means having the right tools to do something that’s better for your health, your wallet, and your sense of joy. We saw a lot of noise in the market and wanted to create clarity. That’s why we focus on offering just the core pieces, made to last, at a price point that surprises people in a good way.
How do you differentiate Goldilocks from legacy brands?
Minsuk: A lot of the legacy players are building for retailers, not home cooks. Their product decisions are influenced by big-box buyers and merchandising calendars. Because we’re direct-to-consumer, we’re only designing for one person, the home cook. That relationship helps us refine our assortment and keep it focused on what actually gets used in the kitchen.
Jessica: We’re obsessed with value. It’s not about being the cheapest, it’s about creating the best possible product for the price. We constantly hear from customers that they can’t believe how good our products are for what they cost. That’s what success looks like for us.
You don’t offer non-stick pans. Tell us more about that decision.
Minsuk: Non-stick pans, whether Teflon or ceramic, all have short lifespans. They wear out, flake, and eventually need to be replaced. We believe with the right technique, home cooks don’t need non-stick. Our stainless steel cookware is made with tri-ply construction, steel-aluminum-steel, which means it’s super durable and conducts heat beautifully. We back all our cookware with a lifetime warranty. And we’ve found that when people take the time to learn how to use it, it becomes a rewarding experience. Honestly, it feels like magic.
Education seems to be a core part of your brand. How do you approach it?
Minsuk: A lot of our customers are switching from non-stick to stainless steel for the first time, so we know we can’t just hand them a pan and walk away. Whether it’s through direct support, our social content, or working with creators, we try to make education a big part of our message. We want people to feel empowered, not intimidated.
Jessica: There’s a learning curve, sure, but it’s worth it. And in an age where you can learn anything on TikTok or YouTube, we think of our brand as one of the voices helping people level up their home cooking skills.
You mentioned you’re a bootstrapped company. What has that experience been like?
Minsuk: We intentionally chose to bootstrap Goldilocks. We’ve both worked at companies that raised a lot of money and saw how that pressure to grow at all costs can really shift priorities. For us, it was important to stay close to the customer and build a business with integrity from the start. That meant growing slowly, focusing on profitability, and staying lean. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been incredibly rewarding.
Jessica: It definitely makes you scrappy. But it also gives you full control over your brand, your product, and your mission. That’s a huge part of why we’re still here, six years later.
Any exciting product news or collaborations we should know about?
Minsuk: We’re always refining our existing products, but we’re not looking to expand the catalog too much. We’re really strict about keeping our assortment tight. That said, we’ve been experimenting with collaborations that bring in a little joy and personality. One of our favorites was with printmaker Anastasia Inciardi. She designed a Dutch oven inspired by tomatoes her Italian ancestors brought to the U.S. through Ellis Island. Her family still grows them in Maine today, and customers really connected with that story. We’re hoping to do more like that soon.
What do you hope Goldilocks ultimately changes in the world of home cooking?
Minsuk: We want people to enjoy cooking again. It’s not about being fancy, it’s about taking care of yourself and finding satisfaction in the everyday. If we can make that easier, then we’ve done our job.
Jessica: And if we can do that while building a business that treats people right, customers, collaborators, and ourselves, then we’re proud of what we’ve created.