Van Tucker is VP of Technology Partnerships at Harbor Lockers and has been building digital platforms since middle school. We spoke about how entrepreneurs can turn everyday challenges into scalable business models by launching lean pilots, validating with customers, and adapting quickly.

As he put it, “How do you take your idea and get in the field fast?” For Van, that meant starting small—five lockers in his hometown—to test use cases. From bread distribution to bag storage at nightclubs, “some of the most traction people are getting is these non-traditional use cases.” By listening to customers and embracing early feedback, he turned experiments into sustainable solutions.

Van stressed that growth is rarely instant. “Everything takes a little bit longer than you expect,” he noted, urging founders to favor organic expansion over jet-fuel growth. He also highlighted the importance of hiring lean, starting with contractors, and defining core values to guide both team and customer relationships.

This conversation shows how to build products that last—by solving real problems, testing quickly, and compounding small wins into lasting impact.

Key takeaways

• Launch early pilots to validate ideas with real customer feedback.
• Use non-traditional use cases to discover hidden revenue opportunities.
• Keep teams lean with contractors before hiring full staff.
• Define core values to align hires, contractors, and customers.
• Grow organically to avoid unsustainable “jet-fuel” scaling.
• Treat business building as compounding—small wins accumulate over time.