The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast with Wes Fang - Revealing the TRUE Stories Behind Entrepreneurship

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Bryan Clayton, CEO and co-founder of GreenPal — an online marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. GreenPal has been referred to as “the Uber of lawn care” and has been featured in Inc., the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, and Time magazine. Clayton’s product is only seven years old yet boasts several hundred thousand platform users and is positioned to accrue $20M in revenue this year. For Bryan, the thrill was never about mowing a lawn; it was about growing a company. And ever since he made his first $20 landscaping payday, he realized that, when it came to entrepreneurship, the grass was actually greener than other alternatives. On the podcast, Bryan explains his hunger and passion for growing businesses — a hunger that led him to sink 15 years into a business, only to sell it and go back to square one less than a year later.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “I didn’t love cutting grass, but I loved owning my own business. And I loved watching my company grow." “Whether it’s starting a business or growing a business or selling a business, it takes time. A long time. And it takes persistence and continuous effort." “Setting small goals gives you a default bias towards action. You’re acting within your little sphere of influence. ‘Hey, I can hustle together 100 people. I can’t build a business on 100 people, but I can hustle them up. And I’m going to learn something, so that I can then get to 1,000.’" “When starting a company, you go from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm." “Owning a business — small, medium, or large — is a relentless feedback machine. It’s humbling when trying to start a company from scratch, but in a good way. It will make you a better person.” “For me, entrepreneurship and business ownership is the vehicle for social mobility in this country. It’s the American dream… It’s also the vehicle to improve yourself as a person." “We learned the hard way that, if you want to be in the tech business, you have to be able to build and distribute tech. You can’t outsource this stuff. You can’t even delegate it well unless you know how to do it." “Get started on something. Get moving. Hustle up people to use what you’re building. Then talk to as many of them as you can. That will save you years of doing the wrong stuff and will increase your chances of success."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:06: Bryan speaks on his earliest exposure to entrepreneurship and how he grew a high school side hustle into a $10M business. 7:03: Bryan discusses the reasons why he decided to take up entrepreneurship, rather than pursue the “safe route” of a corporate position. 11:09: Clayton explains how he successfully scaled his first company to the point of acquisition. 14:42: Bryan describes his motivations behind deciding to sell his first company and shares some advice for anyone looking for a successful exit. 17:01: Clayton discusses his decision to pivot from a landscaping business to a technology company and the struggles of that transition. 21:22: Clayton describes the emotions felt and lessons learned after he essentially burned $150,000 on the first iteration of his company’s landscaping app. 25:49: Bryan walks through the company’s earliest days once his team created a functioning app. 30:02: Clayton speaks on the nature of doubt in entrepreneurship and how pivoting from a failed idea isn’t a bad thing, when necessary. 31:51: Bryan relives the day he knew that GreenPal was going to work. 35:07: Bryan shares some valuable advice that he wishes he’d known in his earliest entrepreneurial days.   Bulleted List of Resources — Bryan Clayton -     LinkedIn -     Twitter -     Instagram   GreenPal -     Company Website -     Facebook -     Twitter -     Instagram

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Carl Allen, Co-founder at Dealmaker Wealth Society. Allen’s company, formerly Ninja Acquisitions, was born in 2012 to teach the ins and outs of buying businesses — and doing so with no money down, using some smart financial engineering. There are currently over 5,000 entrepreneurs using his acquisition model. Throughout his three-decades long career, Carl has enabled over 300 deals, exceeding $47 billion in total value. He has expertise acquiring businesses — both big and small — and even acquires some businesses of his own through his private equity firm, PROX Capital Group. Carl is passionate about educating entrepreneurs on the financial resources available to them, as many aspiring business owners assume acquisition is out of reach. But, as he learned in one notable life experience, sometimes acquisition is as easy as signing your name on the dotted line. On the podcast, Carl shares some key events that drove him into and, ultimately, away from large corporations, and how his passion now involves helping others find — and acquire — their own passions.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “When you’re on Wall Street and you’re doing billion dollar deals, it’s all about financial engineering. When you’re buying a small family business, it’s more about psychology than numbers. Instead of money, most want a trusted, safe pair of hands that will protect their business, safeguard their employees, and take it to the next level." "Do something that you’re truly passionate about. Once you’ve got that real purpose, it gives you all the fuel you’ll ever need to follow through. That passion pulls you towards that goal." “Your mindset is like a muscle. The more you work it, the stronger it gets." “For virtually all of my life, every time I’ve gone into anxious situations, I think to myself, ‘Well, I’m never going to feel as scared as I did when [my father passed]. That’s the bar. Nothing’s ever frightened me as badly as that did." “I believe that problems are gifts that make you grow."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:43: Carl reflects on how his journey into entrepreneurship was paved with birth and death. 6:56: Carl shares the funny story of how he found his way into mergers and acquisitions. 11:05: Allen explains how his father’s unexpected death gave him the drive that led to his lasting success. 13:44: Carl describes the importance of a strong and determined mindset — something that his father’s death gifted him when he was 15. 15:30: Allen further reflects on the birth of his first child and how that event gave him a hunger for something smaller than a large corporate career. 18:01: Allen shares the story of how his first deal as a solo business broker didn’t turn out as he had expected. 25:20: Carl reflects on some of the lessons he learned in his private equity firm’s earliest deals and how he’s now sharing this knowledge with thousands of other entrepreneurs. 29:46: Carl shares the motivations behind establishing his acquisition-training company. 36:19: Allen looks towards the future and casts a grand vision for making the business-buying process unbelievably simple for interested parties. 38:33: Carl encourages listeners to find and fight for their passions because life is too short to do otherwise.   Bulleted List of Resources — Carl Allen -     LinkedIn -     Zero-Down Business Buying Secrets on Amazon   Dealmaker Wealth Society -     Company Website -     YouTube -     LinkedIn -     Twitter -     Facebook -     Instagram   Dealmaker Insiders -     Facebook

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Merrily Orsini, President and CEO at corecubed — a company that offers marketing services to home care and aging care businesses. Corecubed, which was founded in August 1998, has received countless awards for its work, including a mountain of Aster Awards for excellence in healthcare advertising. Orsini herself has also been personally recognized for her accomplishments, culminating in 2017 by a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Stevie Awards for Women in Business. The secret to Merrily’s personal and professional success has been her remarkable ability to always think one step ahead. Or two steps. Or, honestly, ten steps. In the early- to mid-90s as Merrily was laying the foundation for her successful career, she was investing time and effort into incorporating technology into her processes — an investment that has paid off dividends in the long-run. On the podcast, Merrily explains her uncanny knack for keeping her eyes firmly planted on the future while she walks through her entire career journey, from past to present.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “I’m always 20 years ahead of where I should be." “I have the capacity to never really see things as they are today. I’m always seeing things positively and in the future." “The talent is the reason why I started my company virtually, and that has maintained. I still look for talent. When geography is not an issue, you can find the best talent in the world." “It doesn’t matter what your revenue is; what matters is your profitability." “Today, we have more junior managers that are being trained, and that’s the key to being able to grow."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:17: Merrily walks through her earliest years and how her mother’s positive influence had a profound impact on her career trajectory. 8:10: Merrily explains how she began her first business and how being an early adopter of technology set her up for long-lasting success. 13:19: Orsini describes a moment in her entrepreneurial journey when she learned an important lesson about financial success. 15:54: Orsini explains the driving factor behind leaving her elder care business to start her next (and current) endeavor, corecubed. 18:53: Merrily discusses the idea behind starting corecubed and how she became a thought leader years before thought leadership was an actual marketing strategy. 28:06: Orsini shares some of the hardest lessons she had to learn in starting corecubed. 29:00: Orsini explains how she found her first customers and how these clients remain with corecubed to this very day. 31:38: Merrily discusses the time she knew that corecubed was beginning to be an autonomous business that could run on its own, apart from her hands-on leadership. 32:37: Orsini describes corecubed today and how the company has received an unforeseen boost due to the global pandemic. 36:14: Merrily shares some important advice for any company leader.   Bulleted List of Resources — Merrily Orsini -     Personal Blog -     LinkedIn   corecubed -     Company Website -     LinkedIn -     Twitter -     Facebook -     YouTube   Help Choose Home podcast -     Podcast Website -     Twitter -     Facebook -     YouTube -     LinkedIn

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Geoff Hager, Owner and CEO at Big Elk Energy Systems. Based out of Tulsa, Big Elk is a premier manufacturing partner for the oil and gas industries. Big Elk has become a powerhouse since its founding in 2014 and has been named to the Inc. 5000 list three times. When the company debuted on the Inc. 5000 list in 2018, it ranked 123rd overall and was named the fastest growing manufacturing company in the United States. Big Elk is forecasting more than $100M in top-line revenue by 2024. Before Hager’s company was making millions, it was bleeding millions. In fact, few companies rival the challenges that Hager met while getting Big Elk off of the ground. However, a not-so-small handful of seemingly divine interventions eventually got Big Elk off of the ground, kept food on Hager’s table, and allowed him to fulfill what he always felt was his life’s purpose — to successfully grow a business. On the podcast, Geoff spares no detail in retelling the incredible story of Big Elk’s origins and the inexplicable events that eventually built the brand.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “In the deep down depths of my soul, I felt like [entrepreneurship] was what I was supposed to do with my life. And despite all logic and everything that was being spoken to me by circumstance, I could not be convinced I wasn’t on the right path." “Embrace the suffering. The furnace purifies. There are only lessons that can be learned in the fire. I didn’t only survive the fire — I came out a different man." “When you work hard to create an environment where other people’s dreams come true, they are going to work hard to make your dreams come true." “In the hard years, the people [at my company] believed that we were building something special. And that counted for a lot." “There’s a difference between just taking a risk and being all in. When there is no safety net, it changes you and those around you." “Since I knew I couldn’t continue to build growth at the company where I was, I began expanding my horizons, looking at alternatives including doing something on my own.” “In a rural economy, the only business you have is repeat business … Treating your customers right is extremely important."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:18: Geoff retells his earliest exposure to entrepreneurship and what ultimately drove him into industrial engineering. 5:45: Geoff shares about his first job out of college and how he grappled with whether or not to follow in the “family business.” 9:36: Geoff explains his decision to leave his comfortable job and, after a “divine moment,” start something of his own. 13:34: Hager begins retelling the incredible story of the earliest days at Big Elk and how he liquidated his own 401(k) to start a business that may not get off the ground. 26:29: Hager describes a series of truly miraculous events that eventually led to the founding of his company in 2014. 32:00: Geoff shares about one seemingly miraculous event that happened after founding Big Elk that kept food on his family’s table when the business was hemorrhaging money. 36:42: Hager explains his motivation behind sticking with Big Elk, even in its darkest days. 41:18: Hager discusses Big Elk’s plans for massive future expansion and revenue growth. 43:03: Looking in the rear view, Geoff shares some wise advice around embracing difficult times and taking true risk.   Bulleted List of Resources — Geoff Hager -     LinkedIn   Big Elk Energy Systems -     Company Website -     LinkedIn -     Facebook

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey — co-founders at Barefoot Cellars. Michael is also the former President and CEO of the company. Over the course of its 34 year history, Barefoot has grown into one of the fastest growing and award-winning brands in the global wine industry. It’s offerings have expanded from two simple red and white blends to a large variety of wines, champagnes, spritzers, and, most recently, hard seltzers.  If you’ve walked into any corner store, liquor store, or supermarket, you’ve come in contact with Barefoot products, yet the brand had a slow rise to global prominence. Michael and Bonnie were two young, ambitious business consultants who stumbled into an opportunity, sought to fill a market gap, and were too far in to turn back when things got really hard. The Barefoot story is an inspiring tale for anyone — entrepreneur or not — and this week, it is told in full.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “Never waste a perfectly good mistake.” “Integrity and partnership — those are soft-skills, which are really lost skills in this high-tech world we live in. People have forgotten. Yes, you’ve got to borrow $3 million for your application, but that’s because nobody likes you.” [On the choice of whether or not to give up] “When you swim halfway across the English Channel, do you think about giving up and going back?” “Don’t go into sales pitches and beat people up with features and benefits and pricing. They don’t buy your products; they buy you.” “The backbone of entrepreneurial culture is a sales-oriented mindset where you’re constantly providing increased value and customer service for whatever customer you have, so that you get a reputation of being a hot mover and people stand behind your products.” “Outsource everything that you possibly can, with the exception of sales, quality control, and accounting. Those are three things you must do in-house.” “When you’re broke, you don’t have any choices except to scratch your head and look for the resources that are around you.” “Because we were outsiders, we looked at things in a different way. And I think that kind of unharnessed us.”   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:08: Michael and Bonnie share the story of how they stumbled into the wine industry and how their initial ignorance of the industry worked to their advantage. 8:49: The two discuss why they ultimately decided to first start a wine business and share a best practice that greatly benefitted them in the earliest days. 14:26: The two describe their “first big move” in getting their wine sold and how a failed deal taught them valuable lessons and ultimately worked to their advantage. 22:11: Michael and Bonnie explain how they managed to produce a consistently good product, while dedicating the majority of their time to sales. 24:30: Michael and Bonnie explain why it was important for them to reinvest any “extra” money they had into business expansion. 27:25: The two discuss why it took seven full years for them to feel like the business had “legs” and how partnering with Trader Joe’s in the retailer’s earliest days was a positive and a negative. 29:02: Michael and Bonnie explain the unique dynamic they fostered with their production and distribution partners and why this type of relationship is a forgotten art. 36:31: The two discuss the top 3 characteristics that they believe made their brand successful and explain why outsourcing is important for businesses of all sizes. 38:14: Bonnie and Michael share about their latest venture in helping entrepreneurs preserve their founding stories. 40:03: The two distill their incredible story into a few pieces of sage advice.   Bulleted List of Resources — Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey -     LinkedIn (Michael) -     LinkedIn (Bonnie)   Barefoot Wine -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      Instagram   The Barefoot Spirit -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      YouTube -     The Barefoot Spirit on Amazon   Business Audio Theatre -      Company Website -      LinkedIn

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Danessa Knaupp — Founder, CEO and Executive Coach at Avenue 8 Advisors — a boutique executive coaching and advisory practice. Avenue 8 clients include entrepreneur CEOs, non-profit Executive Directors and Fortune 500 senior leaders, and what once started as a one-woman-show has scaled up to a 14-coach operation. Danessa is also the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Naked at Work, which proposes a new and better way of leading teams. From her earliest days as a leader, Danessa stood out by bringing her true self to work — in letting down her guard and being open about her shortcomings. However, after finding quick success on the corporate ladder, a failure totally shattered her confidence. Now, once again, she’s using that openness about her successes and failures to find more success — through teaching other leaders to do the same. On the podcast, Danessa gets naked — naked about her wins, naked about her losses, and how she’s using both for the good of others.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “I feel like we’re so focused on the doing in our culture that we often forget the being — being in a place we’re not comfortable or being in a way that isn’t what we would choose. Those things are just as important." “Coaching is a practice. As a coach, I’m never telling you what I think you should do. I’m helping you see a world that’s different than the one that’s in your head." “My advice to people starting out [in big companies] is to consider, ‘What meaning does this job hold for you? What purpose can you find in it?’ Then put all of your gas behind that and don’t pay attention to anything else." “Don’t mistake the wax and wane — particularly the waning — of activity or the slowing of something you wanted for lack of progress. When I look backwards in my career, I see a consistent movement forward in my life." “That’s sort of how I’ve crafted or curated my career — telling myself, ’This is the next thing that sounds interesting or compelling.’" “If you want to be a coach, get real coaching credentials. The dirty secret of coaching is that there is no real regulation of it."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:44: Danessa discusses her lack of exposure to entrepreneurship as a child and how a corporate job out of college primed her for company building. 7:45: Danessa explains her mentality going into her first full-time role and why she believes her team outperformed expectations. 13:09: Knaupp gives some advice for anyone that is looking to thrive at a big company. 14:59: Danessa discusses the “x factor” that helped her climb the ranks at her first corporate job and what ultimately drove her to leave. 19:03: Knaupp describes the agony of her first real bout with failure and the one conversation that helped her put the pieces back together. 24:18: Danessa explains why she left a comfortable corporate job again to pursue a risky entrepreneurial career. 28:33: Knaupp discusses her first client and how his experience inspired her to keep building her business. 31:06: Knaupp shares some advice for anyone looking to start a career as a coach. 38:38: Danessa speaks on her book — Naked at Work — including how the book came about and what readers can expect from reading it. 40:48: Danessa shares some important advice about the ebbs and flows of company growth.   Bulleted List of Resources — Danessa Knaupp -     Personal Website -     LinkedIn -     Twitter -     Naked at Work on Amazon   Avenue 8 Advisors -      Company Website -      LinkedIn

Host, Wes Fang and Curtis Sparrer of Bospar PR reconnect to discuss helpful tactics to successfully run a fast-growing, 100% virtual company.

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Matt Curtis, the owner of Matt Curtis Real Estate. Though based out in the humble South, Matt’s firm is making waves nationally, having grown 2,000 percent in only 7 years. Matt’s now 65-person team of real estate all-stars sold 1,100 homes last year in its relatively small community, has landed the company on the Inc. 5000 list for four consecutive years, has been ranked as high as #33 on The Wall Street Journal’s Top 250 Teams in the Nation list, and has garnered countless local chamber of commerce awards. Matt attributes his career success to the most unlikely trait imaginable — his introverted personality. In fact, according to the stereotype of a traditional salesperson, Matt’s career should’ve never gotten off the ground. But, as do many successful entrepreneurs, Matt took a different perspective and has experienced remarkable success. On the podcast, Matt walks through his entire career journey and digs deep on how he’s found a way to turn a perceived weakness into a profound strength.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “If you’re an introvert, use it to your advantage and really study the profession of selling. Because most people don’t take the time to learn basic selling skills." “When selling, you first have to reprogram yourself. Oftentimes, the objections that you get are not objections from your clients but objections from your own head." “I learned from a California university seminar that you can actually double your income every two years by reading an hour a day in your chosen profession. I took that literally. Every day, I was investing in myself. And you can see that in the growth of our company." “You fire bullets before you fire cannonballs. We’re always testing new things, but we never want to try something that will break the business." “Failures aren’t really losses. You win some; you learn some." “The biggest thing with mistakes is — so that your team knows your human — just confessing them and admitting them. That makes you that much more personable as a leader." “Success all comes down to learning and being a doer of what you learn.”   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:47: Matt discusses his earliest exposure to entrepreneurship and how he ended up in real estate. 7:23: Matt explains why he decided to leave his extremely lucrative sales job to move into a full time real estate career. 10:51: Curtis explains how he quickly became his real estate group’s top salesperson and how he was able to use his introverted personality to his advantage. 14:22: Matt discusses his rationale behind leaving his successful real estate job and starting his own agency. 17:01: Curtis describes the catalyst behind leaving his “solopreneur” lifestyle to build a team of real estate professionals. 20:08: Curtis discusses the opportunity and challenge that he saw in investing in others’ professional development. 21:51: Matt shares some practical tips for anyone exiting college with real estate aspirations. 22:53: Matt describes his most difficult challenges as an entrepreneur and the importance of discipline and restraint when growing a business. 26:24: Curtis explains how failure can be opportunity when taking calculated risks. 30:04: Matt looks back and shares some advice he wishes he would have known at the start of his career.   Bulleted List of Resources — Matt Curtis -     LinkedIn   Matt Curtis Real Estate -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Instagram   Double your Real Estate Sales podcast -      Podcast Website -      Facebook -      Instagram

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Al Zdenek, Executive Vice President of Mercer Advisors and former President and CEO of Traust Sollus Wealth Management, which was purchased by Mercer in 2018 for $420 million. Prior to the exit, Traust Sollus managed more than 150 clients, and with the acquisition, Mercer now manages more than $12 billion in assets, with 29 national offices. Those $420 million didn’t come easy for Al. In fact, his journey from startup to success is riddled with course-corrections. With pivots. However, because Al kept his eyes out for the opportunities that made sense and avoided every hot and up-and-coming trend, he became one of the top wealth advisors in the world. On the podcast, Al teaches us how to gracefully change directions in business, speaks to the incredible value of mentors, and so much more.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “To any young entrepreneur — surround yourself with really great mentors… You want people around you that are going to get in your face and help you. They’re not going to coddle you — they’re going to question you." [On finding mentors] “You just have to ask. There are lots of people in business that want to help… All you have to do is realize you’re not the smartest person in the room. What you want in your room is people smarter than you." “Entrepreneurs need to learn how to pivot. Your market will change. There are other opportunities that will come up. Don’t chase every nut out there like a squirrel. Chase the ones that allow your company to produce what’s leading to profitability and to the way you want to run it." “I found my passion. I didn’t just want to be wealthy or whatever. I wanted to help people. I wanted the people who were having the same problems I did to either avoid them, or if they were in that, to recover from them." “If you have a weakness or there’s something you don’t like to do in your business, get someone else that does that compliments you." “If you’re not willing to be a risk-taker, you’re not going to be a great entrepreneur. I didn’t know I was an entrepreneur [at first]. I just knew that I liked risk, I liked challenge, and I liked people."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:07: Al retells how his young hunger for entrepreneurship turned into a career in wealth management. 6:44: Al discusses why he believes senior leaders in some of his earlier jobs were quick to see potential in him and decided to fast-track him up the corporate ladder. 8:32: Zdenek explains why he decided to leave his cushy jobs in corporate America to start his own company from scratch. 11:18: Zdenek describes the moment when he realized his company had real potential but shares some critical missteps that nearly tanked his business. 14:31: Al describes how he navigated his company through the recession and how this difficult time grew his character as an entrepreneur. 23:44: Zdenek discusses the importance of having smart mentors, especially when trying to grow a business as a young entrepreneur. 26:56: Al shares about some of his own mentors that helped guide his company through its growth. 31:38: Al discusses the events leading up to his company’s exit and the emotional toll that this event had on him. 35:36: Al gives some advice for entrepreneurs who are going through or are considering a company exit. 37:58: Looking back, Zdenek shares some practical advice for young entrepreneurs that he wishes he would have known from day one.   Bulleted List of Resources — Al Zdenek -     Personal Website -     YouTube -     LinkedIn -     Facebook -     Twitter   Mercer Advisors -      Company Website -      LinkedIn

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Paula “Pixie” Dezzutti, CEO and Founder of Local Choice Spirits — a business that prides itself on building award-winning liquor brands by helping others create, package, market, and sell their own unique concoctions. Pixie also uses her company as a platform to “pour it forward” and invest in community causes. Local Choice now boasts 50 unique labels, projects $10M in sales in 2020, and has been featured Inc., USA Today, The Huffington Post, and many other news outlets. Pixie would be the first to tell you — her ultra-successful spirits company is not a passion project; it’s a purpose project. And she has no doubt that she’s doing what she was created to do and, because of that, failure isn’t in the cards. On the podcast, Dezzutti walks through her entire entrepreneurial journey, gives the full history of Local Choice — along with her many other projects — and encourages listeners to push beyond the passion and find purpose.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “I talk a lot about the difference between passion and purpose. Passion comes and goes and flares and wanes … I’m very self-disciplined because I know my purpose. And my purpose, at its core, is to provide possibilities for people and to bring them together for celebration of life." “[My business] is not a passion project; it’s a purpose project. The only reason I stay alive is because I don’t have to muster the passion. It’s my purpose that’s driving me." “[As a kid, entrepreneurship was] just about bringing exciting things to people and trying to help them — consulting with them. It was relationship building for me." “I look at time management as the management of your creative emotions during any given segment of space and physical reality on the planet. So I’m not managing the hour; I’m managing my creative energy in the hour." “Don’t be attached to your future. Be present to what is and be in the moment. Love what you have right now because that’s truly all we have anyway."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:38: Paula discusses the birth of her nickname, Pixie. 5:26: Pixie shares the origins of her entrepreneurial spirit — a spirit which drove her to sell her first company at the young age of 18. 13:40: Dezzutti explains how, not being a drinker herself, she found her way into the alcoholic beverages industry and how this one company has now exploded into an empire. 20:05: Pixie shares some wise words on the difference between passion and purpose and why the latter of the two should be our driving force. 24:50: Pixie discusses why she chose to start an incubator company as a first foray into the alcoholic beverages industry, rather than taking the traditional road. 27:11: Dezzutti explains the inspiration behind her company’s first label. 29:33: Pixie describes why, from the get-go, she has been certain that her beverage company was going to be a success. 33:42: Dezzutti explains how the most difficult season she’s ever experienced in entrepreneurship is actually the present day. 36:29: Dezzutti shares some tips on time management, considering she balances her rigorous work schedule with raising nine children. 37:56: Pixie describes what has her most excited about the future of Local Choice Spirits.   Bulleted List of Resources — Paula “Pixie” Dezzutti -     Facebook -     Twitter -     Instagram   Local Choice Spirits -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      Instagram   Striped Pig Distillery -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      Instagram   Skirt Magazine -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      Instagram   

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Mike Watts, a serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and guest professor who is currently the Founder and CEO of LoveHandle and the President of Tree Stake Solutions. In total, Mike has six startup companies under his belt, including three consecutive multi-million dollar companies within the last decade, and has successfully exited three of those six, including one for over $6 million. Mike is also a dear friend and mentee of Shark Tank star Daymond John, is a 2-time winner of the Aggie 100 Award for fastest growing companies, and has been listed on the Fortune 5000. According to Mike, the biggest risk you could ever take in life is not taking any risks at all because that’s what it takes to pursue your dreams. On the podcast, Mike tells us about his own journey — one filled with risks that paid off, with risks that nearly folded because his ego got in the way, with risks that gave him the fulfillment that a corporate job couldn’t. Along the way, he shares some advice on how we can all take smart risks — how we can identify those ventures that are worth pursuing, even when it means putting it all on the line.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “The biggest risk in life is to not take any. Because that’s the only way you’re going to see your dreams come true — if you push towards things where you don’t know the outcome." [On starting his own business] “At the end of the day, my wife and I decided that, if we don’t take the risk now, we never will. We’re always going to wonder what would have happened. And, man, I’m so glad we made that decision." “[When looking for products to invest in,] you’re looking for something that is relevant today and, more importantly, is going to be relevant in 5 years. Because that’s about how long it takes to really ramp a company up." “Just because a product worked well in a certain way at a certain time doesn’t mean you’re just going to be able to repeat that." “You sell a business — it’s a lot like selling a child. You’ve spent so much time and effort in nurturing this idea, then it’s accepted by the world, grows up, and creates a life of its own… Then you sell it, and a little part of your identity is gone." “We’ve never raised any money, and we keep having to put some of our personal money into it. But I love the ability to say, ’This is ours.’ There’s not another investor out there that’s looking over our shoulders." [On exiting] “It’s funny. You think, ‘Oh, I have all of this money.’ But if you don’t take it and redeploy it in intelligent ways, then what good is it for you?” Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:24: Mike speaks to the origins of his entrepreneurial spirit and why he decided to take a corporate job right out of college. 8:04: Mike describes his first gig as an entrepreneur and how that experience taught him many lessons that would carry over to his other ventures. 9:59: Mike talks about his first big gamble that turned into his first big exit — PivoTrim — and why he is thankful that he pulled the trigger on that risk, as opposed to the “safer” option. 16:11: Watts discusses the circumstances that led him to ultimately sell PivoTrim and how he used the money from the exit to reinvest in his future. 19:11: Mike explains how, post-exit, he dealt with feelings of despair and boredom and how selling a business is, in many ways, similar to selling one of your very own children. 21:09: Watts describes his two current companies — Tree Stake Solutions and the LoveHandle — and what to look for when making a decision to invest in a product. 26:45: Watts discusses how his employees stay motivated when their closest competitor is a powerhouse — ranked #2 on the Fortune 5000 with $50M in sales. 28:21: Mike explains how shoddy production and a wrong assumption about marketing the LoveHandle nearly tanked his business from the get-go. 32:21: Mike speaks to his partnership and friendship with Shark Tank star Daymond John. 34:43: Watts forecasts the future for his business and shares a piece of advice that he wishes he would have known from the start. Bulleted List of Resources — Mike Watts -     Instagram -     LinkedIn   The Love Handle -      Company Website   Tree Stake Solutions -      Company Website

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Kathleen Quinn Votaw — CEO and Founder at TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting and human capital consulting firm that is redefining the staffing industry. Votaw’s long-term, robust approach to staffing has led to explosive growth for her company; from 2010 to 2015, her company grew from $200k in revenue to a whopping $2.4M. And, since 2015, her company has sustained multi-million dollar revenue and has been featured multiple times on the Inc. 5000 list, among many other places.  Life hasn’t been easy for Kathleen who, within the span of 60 days, had her firstborn child and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. And on top of all of this was added stress from a contentious job situation. However, through it all, Kathleen surrounded herself with positive influences who reminded her to believe in herself and, ultimately, helped her push through and establish her, now, multi-million dollar staffing firm. On the podcast, Kathleen walks through her inspiring journey and weaves in practical takeaways for entrepreneurs of all industries and walks of life.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “My motivation has always been to build a great life. It’s not about wealth; it’s about having the freedom to do what you want to do." “There’s good debt, and there’s bad debt ... Debt has helped me grow, so it can be investment as well." “If you put your people first — those people who help you grow and achieve your dreams — everything else will fall into place." “If you just stop and listen, you’re going to learn ... You can learn so much, just by listening." “There are so many people out there building a life by their definition, versus going to work as an employee. And there’s nothing wrong with going to work as an employee… But it didn’t fit me and my persona." “It’s our choice to be happy. The only thing you can do is choose to be happy. And I choose happiness." “Don’t be afraid of your light; let it shine bright … The risk in being afraid is not achieving your dreams." “Sometimes people can see your strengths better than you can." “The dinner table is a great place to build faith, to build love, to build a foundation of success for yourself and your family. And to teach each other what’s important in life."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:02: Kathleen describes how, as a young child, her family taught her to love well and be courageous and how she first found herself in the staffing industry. 5:24: Kathleen explains why the staffing industry held such an appeal for her. 8:38: Votaw shares her ultimate motivation behind building her own business inside of the staffing industry. 10:44: Votaw retells the difficult events that pushed her towards starting her own venture and discusses the importance of choosing happiness in difficult times. 14:31: Kathleen reflects on the days leading up to when she finally launched her own company and how her company experienced success in its earliest days. 19:07: Kathleen relives 2009 — one of her company’s most difficult years — and remembers one event that gave her hope in a hopeless time. 23:27: Votaw shares some lessons that she learned during 2009 that have allowed her to succeed and grow since that difficult year. 28:19: Kathleen explains how, in an extremely competitive industry, her company sets itself apart and has grown to the point of multi-million dollar revenue. 34:12: Votaw discusses her company’s future, including a recent, hot-off-the-press shift in her company’s direction. 36:47: Kathleen shares some valuable advice that she wishes she would have known when she started her professional journey in 1984.   Bulleted List of Resources — Kathleen Quinn Votaw -     Personal Website -     LinkedIn -     Solve the People Puzzle on Amazon   TalenTrust -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      YouTube -      LinkedIn

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Katie Bouton, Founder & CEO of Koya Leadership Partners. Katie’s company is an executive search and strategic advising firm that matches top talent to mission-driven organizations, such as nonprofits. Bouton compares the growth of her company over the past 6 years to a rocketship, and the comparison is not a bad one. Koya is projected to rake in $20M in revenue this year, has been featured on the Inc. 5000 list, and has recently been identified as one of the 50 fastest-growing women-owned companies in the US. For Bouton, the choice to experience rapid growth required a newfound trust in herself. For too long, Katie waited for others to make decisions for her, until finally she realized no one really knows what the “right choice” is — that, most times, you just have to pick a path and go for it. On the podcast, Katie relives her company’s incredible journey from $50,000 to $20M in revenue and shares some inspiring advice for entrepreneurs about the importance of confident decision making.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “Stop looking for the right answer. Just pick one. Try it. If it doesn’t work, do something else." “When I decided to really go for it, I just woke up one day and realized, ’Nobody has any idea what they’re doing. We’re all guessing. And we’re all failing fast and getting comfortable with risk.’ When I made that switch in my mind, everything really took off from there." “I realized within the first few years that I could take a bunch of projects that would make payroll, but they actually took up a lot of time and were distracting from the thing I wanted to get really good at." “I had no seed funding. I just had an idea." “There came a moment where the business got big enough where I could no longer do the work myself or be very close to the actual product. That is a moment where every entrepreneur has to decide, ‘Am I running a consulting business, or am I running a business?’" “If you’re an entrepreneur, one of the things you realize pretty quickly is that you will make a lot of mistakes. In the early years, I made the mistake of trying to do everything myself." “The pressure of payroll and wanting to grow — it’s sort of a vicious cycle where you need money to grow and you need resources to grow. It can be a trap to keep taking the work that you know you shouldn’t take."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:08: Katie explains how she grew up around entrepreneurship, even though she wasn’t aware of it at the time. 4:16: Katie discusses how her focus shifted from PR and journalism to organizational development and the turning point when she decided to start her own business. 6:43: Katie retells the earliest days of the business, including her first goals, and describes how she landed her first client. 11:49: Bouton shares how her business gradually transitioned from end-to-end human resources to executive search and speaks on the importance of narrowing your business focus. 14:12: Bouton mentions some mistakes made as an early entrepreneur, including living under the pressure that she had to do everything herself. 15:36: Katie describes the external factors that drove her to hire her first employees. 17:07: Bouton explains how her company went from steady growth to explosive growth and the types of challenges and adjustments that had to be made in response to that growth. 18:55: Katie discusses the mental change that took place when she decided that Koya was going to be a fast-growing company. 20:14: Katie describes Koya in its current state and opportunities for future growth. 21:22: Katie shares some advice around making decisions fast and being willing to take risks.   Bulleted List of Resources — Katie Bouton -     LinkedIn   Koya Leadership Partners -      Company Website -      Twitter -      Facebook

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Colin McIntosh, Founder and CEO at Sheets & Giggles, a bedding company that uses unique branding to drive sales for a unique product — sheets made from eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus sheets are not only incredibly comfortable but are also sustainable, requiring 96 percent less water to produce than regular cotton sheets. Colin’s unique brand and products have made his company one of the fastest growing businesses in America, and the train isn’t stopping any time soon. In fact, Sheets & Giggles just raised a seed round of $1.3M, which will be solely focused on expanding its team. There’s much to Colin’s success, including his ability to grow a memorable brand and put in the long hours in his business’s earliest days. But for Colin, his success in business — and, frankly, his joy in life — can be traced back to his willingness to jump at any opportunity that presents itself, regardless of location. Thus far in his young life, Colin could probably be considered a nomad, having called 5 or 6 major metros his home. On the podcast, Colin recounts his journey as an entrepreneur and shares some secrets to his success, but ultimately, he encourages listeners to “take the swing” and walk through every door that opens, even if it means moving across the country.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “If you are able, I think you should be totally location-agnostic and chase the greatest opportunity possible… For me, it’s always been, ’This is the greatest opportunity. Let me take a big swing doing this.’" “Customer service is the single most important thing that we do… Marketing and brand gets you the initial customer. And product and customer service is what brings them back." “To differentiate yourself whenever you’re launching a crowdfund, you really need three distinct core value props… For us, it was this perfect storm of our brand, plus premium products, plus sustainability, plus an affordable price." “The brand voice for any new company necessarily has to be the founder’s voice." “Don’t try to please everyone all at once. We tried to expand our products too quickly." “That’s what made [creating a bed sheets company] so hilarious to me as an opportunity — that we could do whatever the hell we want to. Literally anything would have been something that no one else has ever tried before." “I think you’ve got to work yourself to the bone when you’re starting a new company. That’s how you win."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:56: Colin discusses how growing up in a family of entrepreneurs gave him a bend towards that career path, though he didn’t realize it at the time. 5:02: Colin explains how he ended up in Denver’s Techstars startup accelerator program and offers some perspective on taking advantage of every opportunity. 11:05: Colin describes his startup that was featured in the Techstars program and how his run with this company came to an abrupt end. 14:25: McIntosh reflects on the days just after being laid off and how the idea for Sheets & Giggles came to be. 16:35: Colin explains how the idea for his startup came about differently than many and how he proved his concept’s worth in its earliest days. 24:22: McIntosh shares his company’s unique selling point and the key to maintaining momentum coming out of a crowdfunding campaign. 26:41: Colin discusses the process of finding a manufacturer for his sheets. 32:39: Colin shares what he believes have been the keys to maintaining and growing his customer base. 37:47: McIntosh describes his company’s trajectory and how it has and will continue to experience remarkable growth. 40:24: Colin shares some advice on how to make the best moves for your business in its earliest days.   Bulleted List of Resources — Colin McIntosh -     LinkedIn   Sheets & Giggles -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      Instagram -      LinkedIn

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Ryan Wines, CEO at Marmoset — a creative services company that helps businesses and agencies discover and license music. Ryan’s team are experts at finding existing music or even creating original music to fit clients’ needs. Over each of its first 8 years of business, Marmoset had an average year-over-year growth rate of 30 percent and experienced almost zero internal turnover, which is a testament to the rich culture Ryan helped build. As one of the fastest growing companies in America, Marmoset was also featured as a 2018 Inc. 5000 finalist. There is no denying Marmoset’s success since its founding in 2010, but Ryan would be the first to admit that he fell into a trap of prosperity. Because of its growth and increased revenue, Ryan grew content with the status quo, assuming that everything was fine within his walls, and it wasn’t until last year that everything came to a head. On the podcast, Ryan shares some advice around avoiding the success trap and the importance of always looking for ways to improve.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “Continued year-over-year growth and profitability can definitely give one too much confidence… The reality is, no matter how successful your business may be or how much growth your experiencing, there’s never a day when everything is working. There are always opportunities for improvement." “The blessing of failure is that it forces you to see what’s not working." “There was just something about our timing and the cultural capital of the moment that opened some doors. And when the doors were opened, we just went to work." “A really strong organization with strong values is like a magnet. You’re going to attract the people who align with your values really strongly. If people don’t align with your values, you’re going to repel them." “There’s nothing stronger in B2B dynamics than real human-to-human communication." “Always be learning. Listen, learn, and grow."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:06: Ryan reflects how his two grandfathers inspired him to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career path. 5:36: Ryan discusses the events that eventually pushed him into the music industry. 8:29: Wines explains how his full-time ad agency job turned part-time and how being in this position alongside his other gig in the music industry primed him to start his current business. 11:14: Wines reflects on the founding of his current company, Marmoset. 14:56: Ryan looks back on how they landed their first big client and discusses the importance of relationship-building in the B2B services industry. 18:48: Wines discusses where he focused most in the earliest days of his business — building his client list or building his list of musical talent. 21:54: Ryan shares how his company was funded and how the future may look from a financial perspective. 23:03: Ryan describes one of the hardest lessons he’s learned in entrepreneurship, which involves never growing too comfortable with the status quo. 28:01: Wines discusses how his company is looking to better steward their resources by furthering good in their surrounding community. 30:08: Ryan ends the discussion by speaking on the importance of ongoing learning and approaching education with an open mind.   Bulleted List of Resources — Ryan Wines -     Personal Website -     LinkedIn -     Instagram   Marmoset -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Twitter -      Vimeo -      Instagram

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union, speaker, entrepreneurship coach, and LinkedIn expert. Ajax Union is a B2B digital marketing agency based in Brooklyn that specializes in SEM, SEO, social media, email marketing, marketing automation, and much more. Within 18 months of its founding, Ajax was one of the fastest growing companies in America, being ranked 178 on the Inc. 500 list, and, years later, continues to help brands grow. With Ajax’s sustained success, Joe has also started a company — Social Sellin’ — solely dedicated to helping entrepreneurs succeed. While Apfelbaum always had relative success in his business endeavors, he never experienced uncapped success until he began investing in himself. As Joe puts it, the key to growing a business is growing yourself. Once he shifted from trying to run a series of “one-man-shows” to investing in himself and his team, he began experiencing success at scale. On the podcast, Joe walks through his entire journey, including his incredible personal transformation, and shares some of that great wisdom that he’s become known for.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “You can only grow your business as much as you grow yourself… So many people are winging it. It’s not a good strategy." “The opposite of luck is strategy. The right strategy will save you a decade." “If you identify your values and strengths, you’re going to have passion and purpose and you’re going to be unstoppable." “For me, it was about making sure that I had a business, rather than making sure that I had a job. I went from being employed to being self-employed to being a business owner to being an investor, basically." “The best place that I got the best clients over the past two years is LinkedIn." “Don’t try to fix the problem. Find a solution." “I was the entrepreneur that was running on adrenaline, and that adrenaline eventually ran out."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:10: Joe discusses his motivation for entrepreneurship — how, growing up, he saw his mom struggling to make ends meet and desired financial independence. 9:14: Joe describes his countless side hustles in his early career, including (but not limited to) an IT business, a graphic design business, a construction company, and a web design company. 15:34: Apfelbaum recounts the events leading up to the decision to close the doors of his side hustles to focus purely on his up-and-coming agency. 17:23: Joe explains how, in retrospect, although he was shifting his focus to one business, that choice was a low-risk decision. 19:03: Joe reflects on the turning point at his digital agency when the decided to shift their focus from many offerings to one offering — SEO optimization. 23:18: Apfelbaum discusses why his now SEO-focused company was able to grow to 1,100 clients in 6 years. 25:40: Apfelbaum shares why he burned out at his fast-growing agency and reflects on a turning point that changed his life personally and professionally. 27:20: Joe deep dives on the value of networking and how learning to network radically changed his business. 35:55: Apfelbaum describes how his focus has shifted from solely focusing on his company to helping other entrepreneurs succeed personally and professionally. 38:54: Joe gives some advice around investing in yourself.   Bulleted List of Resources — Joe Apfelbaum -     LinkedIn -     Personal Website   Ajax Union -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Instagram -      YouTube   Social Sellin’ -     Company Website

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with Abhi Lokesh, CEO and Co-Founder of Fracture, an innovative company that takes your photos and prints them onto glass. Fracture was founded in 2009 but found minimal success until a strategic marketing hire helped catapult the company into profitability. This year, Fracture is on track to generate $20M in revenue by year-end — incredible, considering the company first broke even just 5 years ago. Fracture’s growth has landed the company on the Inc. 5000 list and boasts a 3-year growth rate of 282 percent. Abhi Lokesh understands that sometimes the best ideas are rooted in the most simple concepts, and there are few things more simple than the human desire to capture life’s moments. With the birth of smartphones, taking pictures has become even more a part of everyday life; however, printing those pictures has taken the backseat. On the podcast, Abhi discusses the story of how he sought to build a business, reinventing the concept of picture printing with his own unique spin, and shares some thoughts around playing the long game, living up to family expectations, the value of good marketing, and much more.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “One of the things that we really appreciated about Apple and were so inspired by is how they took control of every element of their experience… We wanted to do the same thing. We weren’t satisfied with just marketing the product. We wanted to build the product on our own." “[Prior to our most successful years], we had hired people that looked like us — were young, were rookies at this. We felt like these were people we could enjoy being around. But that’s not what it takes to running a company. You need people who have experience. Who have the professional know-how in their various domains." “We always just felt like success was around the corner. We were very good at convincing ourselves that we just needed to do one more thing [to experience lots of success]. It was sort of a positive self-delusion." “I was seduced by what the conventional metrics of success were for the first startup, and they did not include profitability or free cash flow… After a while, the Kool Aid ran out for me. I realized that we couldn’t hold ourselves to the same metrics because we were a fundamentally different company than a Facebook or a Twitter.” “Understand the value of patience. There’s no such thing as overnight success. Don’t ever believe it when someone says, ‘One day I had nothing, and the next day I had everything.’ There’s far more to it than that… Build your own timeline, and don’t rely on the timelines of others." “The first couple of years were really tough. It was primarily because I honestly had no idea what I was doing… It was such a trial-by-fire experience. I felt like I was constantly being told what I was doing wrong by all of my mistakes." “[Going to Swaziland] was such a surreal, seminole experience for me, to really get detached from everything I’d known and just think and talk out loud and ponder the question of, ‘What do I want to do with my life?’"   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:53: Abhi discusses his family dynamics, including the pressure he felt to succeed and the unique perspective he gained from having grown up all over the world. 6:23: Lokesh reflects on how he slowly convinced his parents that entrepreneurship held a future for him and tells the story of how Fracture was formed. 14:40: Abhi explains how his company eventually got funding — no small feat in the heart of the Great Recession. 18:27: Abhi reveals how long it took his company to break even, which flew in the face of his early dreams of fast success. 22:02: Lokesh describes additional funding his company secured and how those dollars were spent to grow his business. 24:13: Lokesh discusses how keeping a positive outlook on his business — that success was around every corner — helped push through the difficult years. 26:24: Abhi explains the turning point in 2014, where his company moved from break-even to rapid growth. 27:55: Lokesh reveals the surprising medium that’s most led to his company finding massive amounts of new customers. 34:23: Abhi discusses what’s next for Fracture, which involves remaining true to its original mission. 35:38: Abhi shares some final advice around playing the long game and not getting trapped in the lie of instant success.   Bulleted List of Resources — Abhi Lokesh -     LinkedIn Fracture -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Instagram -      Twitter

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Justin Howe, a serial entrepreneur and investor whose latest venture, HTeaO, is experiencing explosive growth, mere months after launch. HTeaO is a social, experiential iced tea franchise, featuring 24 different flavors of tea and a wide variety of healthy snack options. Since its launch a year ago, HTeaO has opened 6 stores, with 16 under construction and an additional 5 on the verge of breaking ground. Additionally, since it ventured into franchising late last year, there are 99 stores in various stages of development, between 48 different franchisees. Justin understands the value of market research, and his decision to venture into an already saturated social beverage industry was a calculated one. But, at the end of the day, he also understands that, sometimes, you have to go with your gut, take a gamble, and see if the dice roll pays off. On the podcast, Justin walks through his personal story and focuses in on HTeaO, which is seemingly on the verge of greatness — all because of a little risk and a little research.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “Go after an idea. Don’t be dumb. Listen to what the consumer tells you. But, also, go all in and make decisions that are based on what you believe will be successful. And get ready to fail a bunch." “[Because of market testing], we didn’t take something to market that we thought would work. We took something to market that we had a hunch would work." “We needed to blitz the market to become a real force. The only real option was franchising. And we love all of the people that this thing has attracted." “I think the biggest problem entrepreneurs make is they don’t commit fully." “A profitable business model is awesome, but in the growth stages, profit is very much secondary. We’re looking to build our teams and infrastructure and the ability to research products and the ability to understand marketing. The plan is to spend all of the money. And at some point, you’re going to have something." “If you want to build something bigger than yourself, you have to build teams. And you’ve got to be willing to let your teams fail as they grow." “If you’re not happy in chaos, you should probably stick to the one or two store, self-employed business model."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:07: Justin discusses how his immersion into a family of entrepreneurs shaped the person who he is today. 5:53: Justin shares about his first real business as a young adult — a snow cone stand owned by his stepdad that he ran from end-to-end at the age of 17. 8:15: Howe explains what drove him to pursue a degree in aviation and how he used that degree to build one of his first businesses. 10:06: Howe describes his current (and rapidly expanding) business, HTeaO, which is in many ways the Starbucks of iced tea. 11:10: Justin explains the odd jump from aviation to iced tea and how his iced tea company evolved from start to present.  17:11: Justin discusses why he decided to build an iced tea brand, when the social beverage market is already fairly saturated. 22:12: Justin shares the point at which his company decided to take the huge step in developing stores beyond Amarillo. 26:42: Howe gives some advice for entrepreneurs who are considering investing money and energy in a specific direction. 30:58: Howe discusses the biggest obstacle he’s had to overcome as the owner of a rapidly growing business.  36:19: Justin encourages entrepreneurs to be patient, especially in the early days of their businesses.   Bulleted List of Resources — Justin Howe -     LinkedIn -     Instagram   HTeaO -      Company Website -      Facebook -      Instagram

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes chats with Danielle Roberts, Co-Founder of Boomer Benefits — a family-owned insurance agency, specializing in Medicare-related products. Danielle and her team are also educators, coming alongside those in need of Medicare products to help translate convoluted healthcare law into plain English. Boomer Benefits boasts hundreds of longstanding policy-holders, just hired its 50th employee, and is set to generate close to $10M in revenue in 2019.  Within the insurance industry, the sky’s the limit in terms of cash flow, but multi-million dollar success doesn’t come overnight. Instant gratification is a myth and, as Danielle discovered in the early days of her business, comparing yourself to those around you results in hopelessness and discouragement. On the podcast, Roberts shares her story of putting in the long hours to finally achieve 8-digit revenue and gives some solid advice around running your own race, achieving your own success, and not letting others sabotage your journey.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “Run your own race… Put your blinders on and don’t compare yourself to other people… Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle or end." “I always loved the pursuit of building something from nothing, and then being able to turn a profit on it." “I bootstrapped everything in my business. I spent very little money getting my business off the ground. I did everything old school — the hard way. It’s the hardest, but it’s also the cheapest. Because you’re your own cheapest source of labor." “A great way to get your business off the ground if you don’t have a big cash investment up front is to join an association with other people. Get to know the people in your industry that are already successful and see what you can learn from them." “I always think to myself, ‘What’s the one thing that you can do to move the needle just a little bit tomorrow? What can I do today that’s going to put me in a better position next week?’" “You can’t be afraid to fail because you’re certainly going to fail at stuff."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:01: Danielle highlights her earliest entrepreneurial efforts, including building a business at age four, selling earthworms to fishermen. 5:35: Danielle reflects on her disillusion with corporate America and the moment when she decided to pursue selling insurance as a career. 11:39: Roberts explains how she negotiated with her corporate job to scale down to part-time hours, in order to have steady income when getting her business off the ground. 16:12: Danielle discusses the easy and difficult aspects to moving into the insurance industry and gives some practical advice around getting plugged into a new industry quickly. 22:32: Roberts describes the importance of having a healthy self-talk and a solid mentor, especially in the early days of entrepreneurship. 26:39: Danielle shares how a failed partnership early in her career pushed her into the Medicare space, which is the focus of her current company. 30:50: Danielle discusses the importance of content marketing for her company and how they utilized these strategies before content marketing was even on the scene. 33:40: Roberts reflects on a strategic hire early in her business that helped her ease off the acceleration a little bit. 38:10: Danielle shares about her company’s office expansion, which is happening in the new year. 41:44: Danielle gives some sage advice around “running your own race” and not getting distracted by comparison. Bulleted List of Resources — Danielle Roberts -     Personal Website -     LinkedIn Boomer Benefits -      Company Website -      Facebook -      LinkedIn -      Twitter -      YouTube

This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes interviews Pamela Giusto-Sorrells, President at Pamela’s Products. Pamela’s Products was founded out of a desire to offer tasty gluten-free cookies, in a time where these treats were nonexistent. Since its founding in 1988, Pamela’s Products has delivered on its promise and now features a wide variety of gluten-free comfort foods, including cookies, baking mixes, pancake mixes, bread mixes, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, and even Ramen noodles — a line which is currently rolling out. Over her time as an entrepreneur, Pamela has made a habit of proving people wrong, most notably her father, who told her that a woman couldn’t possibly run their family’s baking business. She also surprised retailers, distributors and consumers, who all thought that delectable gluten-free treats were a pipe dream. But, on the podcast, Pamela explains how her passion for her product allowed her to push beyond the critics and beyond her own fears and trailblaze in an industry that simply needed some fresh baked ideas.   The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway: “I’ve always thought that if my product tastes great, people will want to eat it. And it won’t matter if you’re gluten intolerant or if you just want a really great-tasting cookie." “I like that I can put food on the market that people respond to because, again, that to me is the game. Will people like it? Because if they like it, then they’re going to buy it." “When you’re struggling to pay your bills, you’re looking for the cheapest person that you can afford. If I had to do it all over again, I would be more interested in what [my hires] brought to the table, rather than how much they were by the hour." “That was my biggest fear the whole time I was starting the business. It took me about 15 years, I think, to stop being worried that I wasn’t going to sell any cookies tomorrow." “It doesn’t matter whether or not you have a problem with gluten; you can still eat [my cookies] and enjoy them… I kind of liked being able to ‘win the war,’ so to speak.” “The thing that people don’t realize when they start a food company is that the recipe is the smallest part of it. You have to be a packaging engineer. You have to be a graphic designer. You have to understand printing, trucking, supply and demand, scheduling — and that’s just to produce product, not the selling aspect." “Stuff happens in life. And if you’re going to be a manufacturer, you’ve got to be able to troubleshoot. You have to be able to play the chess game of, ‘I can move here or I can move there. Where can I best move the piece to get the job done?’"   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:24: Pamela discusses how organic food entrepreneurship is in her family line and recaps the events leading up to the founding of her brand. 11:06: Pamela explains how her idea for the business was brushed off by her father and how she found success when she took her recipes to a neighboring bakery. 13:17: Pamela discusses how the relationship with her father wasn’t strained because gluten-free cookies were only a small part of his business. 14:12: Giusto-Sorrells describes her earliest marketing attempts — mailing letters to distributors — and how he eventually landed her first big deal. 19:05: Giusto-Sorrells explains the driving factors behind why her business was attractive to the first retailer to take interest in Pamela’s Products. 23:26: Pamela describes how she was able to manage increasing demand for her products, which boils down to relationships and grit. 27:10: Pamela shares how her business was financed in the early days and how fears of failure dominated her thoughts. 29:22: Giusto-Sorrells explains how her love for her business and her product helped her press through fears in her early days. 34:37: Pamela highlights her company’s ever-expanding product line, which will even feature ramen noodles later this year. 37:49: Pamela shares some excellent advice around making smart hires — especially in the earliest days.   Bulleted List of Resources — Pamela Giusto-Sorrells -     LinkedIn Pamela’s Products -      Company Website -      Twitter -      Pinterest -      Facebook -      Instagram