Guys Who Do Stuff

2020 was a year filled with ups and downs for RoadRUNNER magazine, but 2021 begins on a big note for our guest, and new editor and chief, Florian Neuhauser.Florian breaks down why RoadRUNNER is continuing to grow while many other competitors in their industry are closing their doors.They consider themselves a travel magazine, they don't just focus on the machines. Reviews have become an online resource for many motorcycle enthusiasts where travel content and tours are evergreen content.We also talk about the navigation app called RoadRUNNER rides. This allows users to take part in the many tours that you have read about in the magazine over the years.Florian shares about the history of the magazine. His parents were photographers and avid motorcycle riders in Austria. When they moved to the US, they found themselves shooting weddings. His father noticed a lack in the market for a different kind of magazine and decided to launch it (even though English is not their first language.) RoadRUNNER is a premium magazine and they attribute their success to avid fans and readers."People that want to work, put forth a completely different effort than people that work just for a paycheck."

John is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ablr, he and his team are focused on helping organizations become more inclusive by making digital content accessible for people of all abilities. John's passion comes from the fact that he is blind himself, and was often locked out of opportunities in my education, career, and daily life, because of digital accessibility barriers. Hear some amazing stories of entrepreneurship, inclusion, and overcoming in this episode.Ablr was born from an exciting joint venture between LCI and Walk West. Its story began in 2017 when I joined LCI, one of the largest employers of Americans who are blind, when I was asked to start a new business focused on technology services – which resulted in the launch of LCI Tech. When websites and applications are designed with inclusion and accessibility principles, the result is a more usable and enjoyable experience for everyone, and benefits businesses with a larger market, lower legal risk, and greater brand value.To learn more about Ablr at https://ablr360.com/ 

Kevin Dunn has been in the motorcycle industry for over 35 years. He is currently general manager at Capital Powersports. His first bike was a Yamaha Riva 180 scooter. He grew up in Northern California, moved to southern California to be an actor/model, but after a while, he started working at a Suzuki Kawasaki dealership. It was three months before he was the sales manager and ended up working there for over six years.He shares his knowledge of motorcycles and the industry he has come to love in this episode as well as sharing some tips and tricks he has learned managing people and running a business. When asked what advice to give to business owners and entrepreneurs, Kevin says "Don't overthink it. Stick with the basics, is your business clean? Professional? Invest in your staff both in recognition and wages and offer them the ability to make more if they do more. And care a lot about customer experience."Kevin shares about the effects COVID-19 had on the motorcycle industry and their record-setting sales in the Triangle. We spend some time talking about the ever-changing persona of a typical Harley Davidson rider.  Josh talks about the joy of riding and the ritual of going on a ride. We talk about the experience of riding and the sense of community between other riders.

We only briefly touch on the social media incident that happened to Johnny at the beginning of the Summer. To hear the whole story listen to the Girls Who Do Stuff episode from last week.The inspiring thing about this situation is that Johnny has turned this negative attention into positive attention using his platform to bring attention to Black Lives Matter, and spotlighting local black-owned businesses. We get into the weeds with Johnny about growing his social media following. At what point did he bring in help. What was his experience growing his followers, and the strategies he has used to effectively engage using that platform. It takes an incredible amount of work to reach that level of success, don't be fooled that it is all dumb luck or a viral post, it is work.He shares about the phenomena of working hard on a post only to have it flop, and the ones you spend less time on are the ones that often go viral. Isn't that just the way it goes?Johnny also shares about why he is passionate about speaking in schools and other places, his addiction recovery story.Like many entrepreneurs, Johnny remembers the time when his company was growing and he had to embrace the transition from doing it all by himself to having a team that helps him.We also discuss Instagram scams to grow followers, bots, and other mistakes people make when trying to grow their network.Johnny shares the candid story about how he lost his first pizzeria, and the struggles he had to overcome to relaunch. Johnny defines success as "family." We asked Johnny if he would ever consider franchising. His response, "I will never do a franchise." We also talk about how COVID-19 has impacted the restaurant industry, the dine-in experience, and the future of how we experience restaurants. Johnny's Pizza will soon have a food truck! We talk about how that decision came about and what's next for Johnny's Pizza.You can learn more about Johnny's pizza on their websiteFollow them them FacebookTwitterand Instagram

Less than two weeks before we sat down with local pizza entrepreneur, Johnny, from Johnny's Pizza, his company was engulfed in a suspicious and racist post that went viral. This post spread quickly.Although initially dismissed by Johnny as a joke, in reality, a fake account was created with his profile picture and screen captured with hate speech against black people. Johnny talks about what happened, the FBI investigate, out of state death threats, and Facebook subpoenas, and the fallout that has impacted his family, (which is staying in a separate hotel because of the death threats), his business, and the platform that this situation has afforded Johnny to talk about these issues.Johnny is 10 years in recovery and has had some run-ins with the law. We talk about how people in that situation are "damned if you do, and damned if you don't" when it comes to being given the benefit of the doubt by public opinion.Johnny answers the question: "What do you say to people who want proof?" Hear Johnny's thoughts on what he believes is next for the future of dining. What the changes forced on businesses due to COVID-19 caused many restaurants to pivot to offer curbside that has fundamentally changed the dining experience."All that did is take fast-casual, and now we're competing with Chick-fil-A. The mom-and-pop-pizzeria-experience is gone.""Executing on the quality of food that is delivered, that is the niche. That's what's going to be the difference-maker for people who are still going to want the dining out experience. I just think that they're going to have to tweak it and say, I want the food of the dine-out experience, not the actual dining experience."

Your Pie was the original fast-casual, pick your own topping pizza chains. Efrem shares the story of how the founder started the company. Efrem Yates has always been interested in owning a franchise. He was inspired by some mentors early on and knew that was where he was heading. Now he has his first franchise in Cary and in progress on his second at the time of the episode.Your Pie, like many restaurants, had to quickly adapt to curbside pickup and delivery during COVID-19 to remain open. Efrem talks candidly about his struggles and successes in launching this new part of his business. With restaurants only allowed to open at 50% capacity in North Carolina right now, we talk about how it's time for many to adapt or go out of business.One of the most rewarding parts of the work for Efrem is investing in the lives of his employees. Many of them are in high school, and just starting out their working careers and at a time where it is critical to learn work ethic and other key life lessons.Efrem points out that "Nice is free" when it comes to training his staff. It is their only unlimited resource and should be given generously to their customers.We also spent time talking about the recent protests and their effects on local business owners. We discuss what justice looks like as a result of the racial tensions and the work he puts into place to create a safe place for his employees during this crisis. COVID-19 has given him and all of us an opportunity to grow in our compassion.Your Pie focuses on helping people in the community and giving back. Efrem describes what success looks like for him is not just chasing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but chasing the feeling that gives him purpose.

Some people are born with green genes or a knack for nature in their blood. More than two decades ago, Keith Ramsey started a landscape and design firm in Cary, NC. From the ground up, the firm–then known as Environmental Design and Management–transformed from a small, three-man business to what it is today. In a grassroots effort to provide their community with garden supplies, plants of every type, landscaping services, home decor, boutique gifts, and interior design, the Ramsey’s changed their business name, purchased six acres, one building, and a small shed. Today, Garden Supply Company celebrates over 20 years of growth and employs more than 40 team members who share their passion for all things green.We talk shop about what it was like for him finding his passion for plants and turning that into a job which led to a career and how he became a business owner. Gardening is scientifically proven good for your mental health and Keith has experienced a large influx during COVID-19 of people looking to do some self-care. At the same time, Keith experienced a loss of 50% of his staff and has been rebuilding his team. His love of gardening started when he was a kid and he soon came to decide that it is what he wanted to do with his life. At 13 he started selling plants to a local nursery and that was the beginning of his career.The garden supply company has about five acres and does more than you would expect in a local nursery. In addition to having all the supplies for your garden or landscaping, they also sell baby chicks, have driftwood and salvage items, a wood fire pizza oven, and a partnership with Bond Brothers to sell their beers. Joe and Josh took advantage of having the expert and talked about lawn care in NC, growing grass under big trees, cutting roots, preparing the soil, how to get rid of trees, and more.Find out more about the Garden Supply Company in Cary.

Any business is essential to its owner, employees, and people that depend on it for their lively-hood. While it was the stay at home order was necessary and hopefully saved many lives, those businesses who were forced to close find themselves in a difficult situation. Now that many are allowed to reopen with 50% capacity, many of those businesses are not able to be profitable at those restrictions. For some, it may be more beneficial to stay closed and wait until restrictions are lifted than to possibly lose more money at 50% capacity.Joe shared a story about traveling to Florida and how the airport was fantastic about enforcing social distancing. Employees wore masks and there were sanitizer stations all over the Raleigh airport. However, when he boarded his Frontier flight it was completely sold out with every seat filled.Josh and Joe talk about riding motorcycles during the pandemic, a book called "The Ghost Rider: " by Neil Peart. Joe is getting more and more excited as he is waiting to get his first motorcycle.We talked about the Netflix show "Magic for Humans" and how it is a fun show to watch as a household. It's now in its third season.One of the things that working from home has changed for many people is the freedom around their schedule. 9-5 schedules are less important when we are not sharing an office. There are seemingly many fewer meetings and this could be a great thing for American workers.Joe also brought up how Epic games pays game testers and people give feedback on the user experience of their games. You can find out more on their website.

Marbles Children's Museum has given its space to the Interfaith Food Shuttle to pack over 600,000 pounds of food since March! The national guard is helping pack them. They are also providing meals through backpack buddies which help get food to children who would only have a healthy meal through their school lunch program. They are looking for donations to continue their work at foodshuttle.orgJosh shares about his current article he is writing about "Facing fear in a pandemic" about finding some balance in COVID-19 while riding motorcycles. Josh did today's episode from the motorcycle provided by the magazine he is writing the article for. Josh and Joe share stories of people they know dealing with the effects of COVID-19. North Carolina's governor has lifted the stay at home order for phase one which meansGatherings of 10 or less are allowedFunerals up to 50 as long as they are outside and follow social distancing rules if you don't share an immediate householdChurches with less than 10 peopleDrive-in church services are allowedBookstores, clothing shops, and other retailers can open as long as they follow social distancingWhat is not openMovie theatersDine-in restaurantsSalonsWe talked about ways to continue to have "date-night" with theaters and restaurants being closed.

Dennis shares about the importance of capitalizing on your uniqueness. By focusing on these characteristics you can be stand out from the competition. "In a sea of over 500,000,000, it’s important that you set yourself apart. Find that uniqueness and FOCUS on it!" We also discussed the importance of being bold. Don't be shy, but be authentic. "The most successful Instagram influencers today are the ones that let their audience in. They share all the ups, downs, good’s, and bad’s of their lives."Dennis shared the principle of" Document, Don’t Create"As the social media mogul, Gary Vaynerchuk says, “document, don’t create”. When he says this he’s encouraging everything you do to be content for your social media channels. Eating breakfast at a swanky spot? Share it on Instagram Stories! Having a business meeting with a potential client? Record it and turn it into a youtube video! Doing a photoshoot? Share the best images to Instagram and the outtakes to an Instagram story!Choose & Stick to an Aesthetic. Having a cohesive feed that guides your audience from one picture to the next is how you keep people on your feed longer and engaging with each and every one of your posts.Invest in a high-quality camera or photographerHaving quality images makes all the difference on Instagram. Brands are looking for the best of the best to accurately represent their products, services, and locations. Because of this, they’re not likely to work with someone who struggles to capture quality images so you definitely need to make this a priority!Make yourself available for sponsorships & collaborationsMake sure you have your email listed in your bio and are prepared to provide social stats to any company that might reach out to you. Things like follower growth, engagement rate, clicks on your link, and monthly website traffic are all things brands might be curious about. You can add all the insights you have into a media kit to easily show off how awesome you are!Now, don’t forget… we all want to be offered sponsorships, but remember, don’t sell out! Only promote things you truly believe in and think your audience would benefit from. By having a standard that you stick to, not only will you be more appealing to brands, you’ll simultaneously build a strong and authentic presence!Also mentioned in this episodeStorybrandJenny Midgley Brand PhotographyFind out more about Dennis Hering and John15Media at dennishering.com

We discussed an article about the future of the commercial real estate and how some feel that this pandemic forcing many companies to adapt to models that allow for working at home could do to the commercial real estate market what online shopping did to many retail stores.Wanted urgently: People who know a half-century-old computer language so states can process unemployment claimsGeorgia bar owner removes $3,714 worth of bills stapled to the walls to give to unemployed staffAs a father, Joe shares about how he really enjoys "Social-Distancing" dating. We should keep COVID-19 style dating long after the pandemic.Josh talked about the Portal Facebook TV camera and Zoom's television optionsGreat show to Binge Watch:ContagionSome Good NewsWestworldMaybe avoid any of the stays at home concertsTom Cruise shopping at TargetThe Mountain Theif

Between the SARS outbreak of 2003 and the H1N1 pandemic of 2009 the federal government, FEMA, CDC put together an extensive pandemic influenza response plan on how to have every sector of society prepared for an event like the one we are experiencing now with COVID-19. What kind of plans should you have in place for employees and how to deal with absenteeism during illness? All of that was put together in 2006. Although for many us, business owners, and entrepreneurs we may feel unprepared but there have been teams of people working on this issue for years and Royden shares with our listeners some of their wisdom.Helping you to:Maintain essential business continuityReduce illness and save livesOrganize your response and recovery Translating his 15 years of experience maintaining critical health-related operations in the most distressed environments.Royden shares tips for businesses:Biosafety procedures to protect essential workersEnhance/improve pandemic plans - preparedness, response, and recoveryProvide clarity and insight to industry-specific & location-specific health guidanceProvide risk communication and outbreak messaging, including emails, documentation and formal presentations for board members, executive leadership, Human Resources,and staffAssist Human Resources with implementing pandemic response and/or recoveryTraining and capacity building Also mentioned during this episodeThe CDC's National Pandemic Influenza PlanThe Red Cross's Emergency Preparedness PlanCrisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)Find out more about Royden Saah and Health Preparedness and Crisis Management check out his website.

In this episode, we highlight some good news from around the world and our neck of the woods in Cary, NC. We talk about the phenomena called Teddy Bear Hunting where houses all around are leaving a teddy bear hidden in one fo their windows so entire neighborhoods are becoming like the highlights magazine where you need to find hidden objects for a family on walks or kids driving around.We touched on where to find information about the economic stimulus packages and what Cary is doing to provide a platform for businesses to update the community and their customers on what they are doing during the pandemic. We talk about Zoomboming a funny story of an example of Zoombombing and what you can do to prevent something like that happening to you.We share a lot of great resources of entertainment options that are out now and companies that are offering free or extended trial periods during COVID-19.Also mentioned on this episode:SBA.govThe Clark Howard PodcastPreventing ZoombombingCary Chamber of Commerce Community Supporting CommunityKeystone PostcardWRAL Good NewsBoston Polic officer pays for groceriesBond Brothers Local Beer Drive ThroughAmazon streaming the SXSW festivalHBO Now

Josh shares some friends in New York who are impacted by the Coronavirus. We read some of the stays at home order from Wake County about essential businesses, what we can and cannot do during the stay at home order.We spent time talking about the positive impacts of the stay at home order. And things that we have found encouraging, inspiring, or entertaining during these times.Josh shared his experience with a virtual meeting by Marketplace Matters that will be going on Thursday mornings that you can attend as well as a resource called Hope Referrals for local businesses. The virtual meeting is a panelist of local business owners that talk about how to weather this economic storm.We shouldn't stop having chats around the water cooler just because we are quarantined. We encourage you to take the time to facetime the people you care about and just check-in.Quarantine ideas:Throw a virtual Zoom party. Invite 5 or 6 people and do what you normally do during a party. Maybe drink a Corona.Throw a watch party. You can use Netflixparty.comHost a game party over Zoom.The four elements of a schedule for our kids:CreativeEducationWorkExerciseJosh shared about areas he plans to grow his creativity during this time. If it's possible for you to continue to support local restaurantsThis week "Stuff to Watch" from the Guys Who Do StuffOnwardA Beautiful Day in the NeighborhoodHoneyboyThe Tonight Show: At Home EditionAlso mentioned in this episode:DaveShay.comDaniel Milnor video about Working from HomeLandscape SolutionsVortex Pro Wash Anderson PaintingAir ExpertsYour PieRockstar Connect EventsGethope.tv to live stream services from Hope Community Church

An early interest in the stock market led Josh to an early interest in finances. He has spent the majority of his professional career in helping people plan for their financial futures and achieve their goals.Josh unpacks what fee-based financial advising and lays out how to make an informed decision as an investor and consumer for choosing the path that is right for you.He walked us through his journey of building his book of business, and how he went about getting his early clients. Although he knew a lot about financial advising the challenge of running your business is a whole other step. He was a self-starter and figured out it a lot through guess and check. He acknowledges this can be a weakness in his education where they do a great job with how to be a successful financial advisor but very little on how to run a company.Josh shared an important lesson for people just starting in an industry: Try things. You need to find out what works for you before you commit to a methodology. One lesson that Josh learned in the process of trying things was that he only wants to work with nice people. Life is too short to work with jerks. Find the people you vibe with and work with them.We discuss the new climate due to the Coronavirus. These are just our thoughts and should not be taken as financial counsel. We discuss what could be long-term changes that come out of this epidemic.Will we have a new cultural norm for handshakingAn increase in babies born in 9 monthsGas pricesHoarding toilet paper... can it lead to at home bidet kits?Will we learn to be kind to each other and pull together to get through this as neighborsShortage of air conditioning partsJosh shares about the effect of fear on the market. And clarifies what the Federal Reserve lowering of the interest rates has on the market as a whole. Also mentioned in this episode:Blink by Malcolm GladwellDean Koontz book predicting the virusFind out more about Josh Tirado on his website