The Underdog Business Academy

Andrew Fraga is the co-owner of Best Burger - a casual burger joint in North Canton, Ohio. Growing up in the restaurant industry (his dad started the restaurant when he was a kid), he's seen it change fast. Hear his thoughts on the third party delivery explosion and other restaurant shifts over the years. And he'll explain why sticking to what they know has helped them overcome many of their challenges over the years. This episode goes best with a burger and fries. 

Andrew Anthony owns Down the Road Productions — a video production studio that can do it all. He started his film career in New York City shooting for some of the biggest brands like Bud Light, Saturday Night Live and Victoria's Secret. But when he and his wife decided to come home to Ohio and start their own production company, they had a problem. How could they get their first customers? Find out the solution they came up with and some other great thoughts about overcoming challenges as a very small business.

Keri Sullivan is a beer and wine and enthusiast and the owner of The Barrel Room with locations in North Canton and Canal Fulton, Ohio. She continually struggles with being a woman in the male-dominated bar and restaurant. Keri uses her knowledge of beer, wine and the industry to overcome the sexism. She also discusses a flood that derailed the opening of her second location in Canal Fulton during the summer of 2019. Keri explained it took the whole community coming together to get everything back on track.

Kim Wagler is the owner of Impulse Training in North Canton, Ohio, a personal training facility with a focus on overall health rather. She was fresh out of college when she purchased Impulse Training. Needless to say, she didn't know what she got herself into. Find out of her early keys to success (and why one of them is to tune almost everyone out) in the episode's first half. Then find out how she uses community building and extensive planning to drive her business forward today.

The Underdog Business Academy presented by Rentwear Inc. is hosted by Connor Clay. Each episode, Connor will talk to a northeast Ohio business leader about the obstacles they've faced and how they overcame them. Each interview will offer new insight for local business owners about how to be better prepared to face challenges at their own company. We will interview businesspeople from industries across the board, including restaurants, gyms, manufacturers and so much more. In northeast Ohio, we're all underdogs. Let's conquer our problems together.