Zooey Deschanel and Ex-Husband Jacob Pechenik Talk Running Lettuce Grow During Their Divorce
“I was a little worried [employees would] be scared," Pechenik told Inc. Magazine
Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik managed to keep their company growing years after their divorce.
The business partners in Lettuce Grow, which sells vertical farmstands, split in 2019 and launched the company that same year. They opened up about the unique situation in a new interview with Inc. Magazine.
Deschanel and Pechenik were married for nearly four years and share two children: daughter Elsie Otter, 7, and son Charlie Wolf, 5.
“Zooey had done a lot of work in terms of getting people excited,” Pechenik, 51, told Inc. of Deschanel's work for their company.
“I was a little worried [employees would] be scared, wondering what this meant for the company and me," he added of their divorce. "Would I be heartbroken?”
Courtesy of Lettuce Grow
Lettuce GrowPechenik and Deschanel, 43, created Lettuce Grow to help consumers grow fresh vegetables at home. As Inc. notes, their self-watering, self-fertilizing towers took off as the former couple separated and then finalized their divorce in 2020, which left Pechenik concerned about Deschanel potentially stepping back.
“There was a time when I was asking less of her,” said Pechenik. “Part of it was because of our ex-wife, ex-husband relationship and the kids. I didn’t want to strain the relationship. And part of it was that the business was taking off without needing to lean on her.”
Pechenik now runs the day-to-day operations of the company and Deschanel continues to spread the word of the company with her social media following.
“I mainly enjoy telling people about Lettuce Grow because I’m proud of the company,” Deschanel told Inc. “I think my enthusiasm becomes infectious because it’s genuine.”
Deschanel and Pechenik even go on family trips with Deschanel's Property Brothers star fiancé Jonathan Scott and the kids, the outlet reported. "We just did a holiday shoot," Pechenik said. “Our relationship is a 10 out of 10.”
Stefanie Keenan/Getty
In October, Deschanel and Scott, 45, caught up with PEOPLE to discuss their love story, for what marked their first interview since their surprise engagement in August.
During the conversation, Deschanel explained that their "personalities are so compatible."
“We identify as nerds, we’ll have you know,” she said. Scott also described himself as a "bonus dad" to Deschanel's children.
"Our family is very deeply rooted and very blended," Deschanel added.
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