An Inspired Chat with Sydney Poll

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Sydney Poll. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Sydney, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
It’s taken 35 years to become the person I am today, and the journey has been anything but easy. There have been plenty of bumps in the road, personal challenges, career pivots, and moments of doubt, but each step has shaped me. I built a business that many said wouldn’t be sustainable. I built a family during a pandemic. And through all of it, I’ve learned to remind myself that every tear, every late night, and every setback was worth it.

Five years into SydPlayEat, my son now recognizes our products on store shelves, something I never could have imagined a decade ago. That moment represents more than business growth; it’s a reflection of resilience, belief, and love woven together.

They say the version of you from years ago couldn’t handle what you’re capable of now. Every twist in my non-linear path led me here: to a family I adore, a growing business I believe in, a nutrition degree I worked hard for, and a future that feels wide open. The hardest part was realizing I wasn’t fighting the world. I was just learning to stop standing in my own way. Once I let go of that, everything started to unfold.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: if you want to share something with the world, don’t overthink it, just do it. And here I am, five years later, still building, still believing, and still proud of the journey.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My path has been anything but linear. I started my career as a preschool teacher and later moved into the restaurant industry. When my father became ill, it sparked a deeper curiosity in me about how food and lifestyle choices affect our long-term health. I wanted to understand how to help people heal from the inside out, so I went back to school and earned my degree in nutrition.
SydPlayEat began with a simple idea: to create a cleaner, better-for-you chili crisp made with extra virgin organic olive oil and black truffle salt. What started as a small side project quickly turned into something bigger when I was furloughed from my restaurant job during COVID. I wanted to create food that felt good to eat—flavorful, nourishing, and guilt-free. Healthy doesn’t have to be boring, and I wanted to share that with the world.
Our first product, SydSauce (mild), started in our home kitchen, just six bottles at a time. Today, we produce out of a shared commercial kitchen and sell through retail stores, online platforms, and even large corporate orders. We’ve earned awards and grown step by step, learning something new every day along the way.
Running a business while raising a family means there’s always a lot on the line, and there truly never seems to be enough time in the day. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’m proud of what we’ve built together as a family, and I love watching my son see the effort behind our dreams—how hard we work to reach our goals, and how those goals evolve as we do.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I used to think the world was against me. As a kid, I believed that if you just followed the rules and did what you were told, everything would fall into place. I remember feeling stuck a lot of the time, wanting to feel passion for something but not knowing what that was. I thought fulfillment came from doing what everyone else was doing, but it wasn’t until I faced real challenges that I realized I had choices. I didn’t have to follow a set path.
I also learned that the people I thought would judge me for taking a different route really weren’t paying attention. Everyone is focused on their own lives, and that realization gave me so much freedom. For a long time, when I was having a bad day, I thought I somehow deserved it. That shifted once I started taking control of my life and stopped avoiding the things that felt hard. I still fall into the trap of doing what feels easy first, but I try to remind myself that doing the hard thing upfront makes everything smoother later. It feels good to feel good.
I’ve never been a perfectionist, but I used to be scared to try, scared of failing, scared of what people might think. Now, through building my business and my family, I’ve learned that all you can do is try your best. If it doesn’t work, it’s not the end of the world. You can’t feel bad for putting your all into something.
I wish my younger self had known that confidence comes from trying, not from waiting until everything feels perfect. And now, as a parent, that’s something I hope to pass on: if you try your best, that’s enough. Keep going, keep growing, and don’t lose momentum because when you stop, everything else stops too.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
I recently changed my mind about how I see people who think differently from me. I was listening to a podcast where someone said there’s a reason we all have different perspectives. She used the example of a dinner table, saying she wouldn’t want everyone to agree on every topic, how boring that would be. That really stuck with me. I used to feel uncomfortable when people had beliefs or opinions that were very different from mine. It was easier to keep my world small and surround myself with people who thought the same way I did. But now I see things differently. I’ve realized that we can disagree and still connect, still learn from each other, and still share space with respect.
There’s a time and a place for everything and everyone, and as long as conversations come from a place of kindness, empathy, and truth, there’s always room for different ideas. My mom used to say, “That’s why there’s chocolate and vanilla,” and I think about that often. It’s a simple reminder that differences make life and people so much more interesting.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m genuinely terrible at pretending to be someone I’m not, you’d know right away if I were faking it. It actually takes more energy for me to not be myself, so I’ve learned to lean into authenticity. I love being real, honest, and fully me, and I thrive in environments where I can show up that way.
Years ago, a boss once told me I came across as skeptical of people and maybe a bit closed off. That comment really stuck with me because I had always thought of myself as an open book. Over time, I realized I am an open book, but only when I feel safe and sense genuine energy in return.
I love connecting with people and finding common ground in unexpected places. But if I feel someone isn’t being real with me, I tend to hold back. My energy is precious, and I’ve learned to protect it and share it with people who value it.

So yes, the version of me you see on Instagram, on podcasts, or at school pick-up, it’s all the same person. What you see is what you get.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When have you had to bet the company?
I bet on the company about a year in. I started SydPlayEat while I was furloughed from my full-time job. In the beginning, I was mostly selling to friends and family, delivering orders myself and growing through word of mouth. About a year and a half after COVID started, I was offered my full-time job back. At that point, I was pregnant and already deeply invested in building my business.
It was a big decision: go back to a steady paycheck and benefits, or take a chance on myself and go all in on SydPlayEat. It felt risky, but I knew in my heart it was the right move. The safe route would have offered stability, but it wouldn’t have allowed me to grow my business or myself. It almost felt like going backwards.
I chose to trust my gut and bet on what I had built. Five years later, SydPlayEat is still growing and thriving. That guaranteed, consistent paycheck will come one day, but in its place came something even better, a company that continues to evolve as I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sydplayeat.com
• Instagram: @Sydplayeat
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneypoll/
• Other: tik tok: @syd_play_eat