Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Victoria Dickerson, and Grace Gill sit down with Jonathan Sasse, chief strategy officer at Metova. Jonathan talks about the process of implementing new technologies, such as AI and machine learning, into businesses with outdated or inefficient systems. He also discusses the importance of understanding why their customers purchase from them, how to build trust with clients, and how to end up with the right product rather than the easiest solution.
Show Notes
(0:36) Introducing Jonathan and His Origin Story
(3:21) What’s on the Horizon for Metova
(5:40) Jonathan’s Take on AI
(10:34) Knowing When to Implement New Technologies
(15:26) Metova’s Ideal Customer
(19:14) Helping Decisions Makers Understand the Need for New Tech
(23:13) Metova’s Development Cycle
(27:06) Building Relationships with Clients
(29:35) Advice to the Younger Self
(31:04) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“[We’re] really looking at things through the customer’s lens. So like, what do your customers want from you? What are they hiring you for in the first place? And what’s frustrating them? And if AI can help make that better, great. But we also have to be careful [of] technology for the sake of technology, because it will happen. They’re like, here’s all the things I need, and it’s the five buzziest technology things.” - Jonathan Sasse, (8:27)
“So as a customer, I’m applying a lens of, I know it’s possible, but you didn’t do it. And so now I want this from you because it’s clearly possible. And it’s not so much that your competitors dangled some new feature to me, but I was exposed to something that’s clearly technologically possible that you could choose to implement and make my life better.” - Jonathan Sasse, (12:25)
“Our sweet spot is really established companies that don’t have technology as their core DNA and that are at some kind of a crossroads. They’re not exactly sure where to go, but they have the resources to invest in doing it, and they have enough upside to come out of that with the ROI that’s needed.” - Jonathan Sasse, (15:53)
“A dev shop will build what you tell them to build…As a product agency, it’s more about the consulting and advising—you know, we’re bringing things to the table that are maybe going to change the direction of their business, maybe change their business model. We’re going to be advisors at a very high level and certainly a strategic partner…” - Jonathan Sasse, (28:38)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine and Victoria Dickerson are joined by entrepreneur Mo Elliott. Mo founded Fayettechill while he was a student at the University of Arkansas and served as the CEO for thirteen years before eventually selling the outdoor lifestyle brand in 2022. After a successful exit from Fayettechill, Mo pivoted to real estate, flipping houses and eventually purchasing and operating multiple Airbnb properties in Santa Fe, New Mexico with the Pecos Group, which he founded. Throughout the episode, Mo, Jeff, and Victoria discuss Mo’s transition from retail to real estate, why he chose Santa Fe, and what’s next for Mo and the Pecos Group.
Show Notes
(0:36) Introducing Mo Elliot and His Origin Story
(6:14) Leaving Retail for Real Estate
(10:27) The Magic of Santa Fe
(13:26) Establishing Fayettechill as a Northwest Arkansas Staple
(15:44) What’s Next for Mo?
(21:00) Staying Connected to Fayetteville
(22:06) Advice to the Younger Self
(24:21) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“What I love about real estate is you make the purchase and it’s a tangible asset in front of you and you can control everything. With manufacturing, it’s rough. We’re buying 50,000 units twelve months in advance. We have data to understand what we sold last season, but it’s such a question mark with manufacturing, and it’s always changing.” - Mo Elliott, (6:42)
“I built [Fayettechill] with all the ideals of a little Patagonia. And so having a north star of our ideals and then eventually creating products that I wanted to use outside. And then the employees that worked for us, we were our own test dummies on the products that we wanted. So it wasn’t like we were designing for another core market that we weren’t a part of.” - Mo Elliott, (14:30)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine and Grace Gill sit down with Justin and Mailena Urso, founders and owners of Big Box Karaoke. Big Box Karaoke is a combination bar, restaurant, and karaoke hotspot located in the heart of downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas. Throughout the episode, Justin and Mailena discuss the importance of continuous growth, the entrepreneurial mindset, the struggles they faced through the Covid-19 pandemic, and their shared love for karaoke.
Show Notes
(0:52) Introducing Justin and Mailena Urso and the Big Box Karaoke Origin Story
(14:17) Finding the Right Location
(17:49) The Pandemic’s Effects on Big Box Karaoke
(25:18) Re-Opening after the Pandemic
(28:17) Balancing Feedback
(31:11) The Core Customer Base
(34:12) Longterm Projections and Hopes
(38:01) Advice to the Younger Self
(40:48) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“March 15th I think is the date everybody remembers. I always tell this story: On the Saturday before the shutdown, in an eight-hour timeframe, we did as much revenue as [we did] in the next six months combined. In eight hours. And it was one of our busiest nights ever, but it took six months to make that same amount of revenue that [had only taken] eight hours.” - Justin Urso, (19:23)
“We averaged fifty reservations a week before the pandemic, and then you go to zero. And 80% of our business was based on reservations, so the math just doesn’t add up.” - Justin Urso, (23:05)
“Our business is expensive to build out. It’s not just opening a coffee shop or an ice cream parlor or something. There’s a lot of costs that go into building out those rooms and the technology involved. And so [expansion] is a little bit more difficult.” - Justin Urso, (27:25)
“We were like, if we build it, they will come. That was our mindset. But we did do a lot of testing. We personally experienced this concept a lot and had a great time and took our takeaways from that…and there were other businesses in other markets like ours that were popping up. So it wasn’t like this was a brand new thing.” - Mailena Urso, (30:12)
“The advice we would give to people in that situation is just believe in what you’re doing and have some backup for it. And if you can’t find the backup, then that’s maybe where you’re like, okay maybe let’s change it a little bit.” - Mailena Urso, (33:49)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Grace Gill, and Harrison Kitson are joined by Tahmina Watson, founder of Watson Immigration Law, a Seattle-based law firm that exclusively practices in the area of United State immigration and naturalization law. Throughout the episode, Tahmina discusses the challenges many immigrant entrepreneurs face when trying to obtain their visas, the importance of advocacy, the power of making someone else’s dreams come true, her latest book The Startup Visa: U.S. Immigration Visa Guide for Startups and Founders, and much more!
Show Notes
(0:51) Introducing Tahmina Watson
(2:51) Immigration Challenges for Entrepreneurs
(10:05) Skills-Based Immigration Policies
(13:48) Catering to a Diverse Population
(15:46) Tahmina’s Inspiration for Writing a Book
(20:58) The Startup Visa: U.S. Immigration Visa Guide for Startups and Founders
(25:33) The Power of Good Karma
(30:10) Advice to the Younger Self and Closing Thoughts
Links
The Startup Visa: U.S. Immigration Visa Guide for Startups and Founders
Quotes
“Immigrants do get the job done, but entrepreneurship is also a throughline in the American history. And so if we are looking to have an America that is going to be prosperous for our children [and] our grandchildren, we need to keep the eye on the ball of making sure that the next generation of entrepreneurs come to the U.S. And this is where we have the next Google and the next thing that’s going to change the world.” - Tahmina Watson, (7:15)
“One of the things that is so important for me to explain so that people understand it is that when businesses cannot fill their positions, who is the loser? It’s the American consumer that is the loser. It’s the American tax purse that is the loser. You know, we are not helping ourselves by not thinking about the various tools that can solve our economic problems, and immigration is one of those tools.” - Tahmina Watson, (9:33)
“I love being here. America’s given me my home. My children are here, and I want a country that my children can prosper in and their children can prosper in. And I think we need to use our voices with every tool possible—particularly immigration—to make that happen.” - Tahmina Watson, (13:27)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson are joined by Noel Sosa, manager of Rox Radio Group. With four different stations across Northwest Arkansas, Rox Radio Group is the largest independent radio company in the region. Growing up, Noel dreamed of becoming an emcee, and by his late teens, he was opening for some big names in the hip-hop scene. When a local radio station manager pulled Noel aside after a show and offered him a job, Noel decided to give radio a shot. With hands-on experience and training, Noel has now spent twenty-two years in the industry. Throughout the episode, Noel, Jeff, Caleb, and Victoria discuss Noel’s start in radio, how podcasts and radio can work together, becoming a staple in your community, and much more.
Show Notes
(0:57) Introducing Noel Sosa and Rox Radio Group
(5:50) Noel’s Favorite Part of Radio
(7:24) Noel’s Love for Boxing
(12:51) Golf’s Impact on Noel’s Life
(16:20) Are Podcasts and Radio Conflicting Interests?
(20:22) Selling to Advertisers
(25:07) Becoming a Community Staple
(28:29) Radio Listener Demographics
(33:39) Connecting Through Music
(36:53) Maintaining Brand Consistency
(38:50) Advice to the Younger Self
(41:36) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“If you look at the data that is available, radio is doing very well. It’s just so accessible. It’s so accessible to where if I don’t reach you specifically, I’m going to reach someone you know. If there’s a message that my advertiser is trying to get out, we’re going to get that message out…Radio is still extremely viable—one of the most viable products out there.” - Noel Sosa, (17:00)
“You need to be as present [in] as many places as possible. Meet people where they are—and obviously, I’m a radio company. I’m always going to make sure that that is our foundation, but what are we doing to interact in those other spaces? Podcasting, streaming, or do our DJs put together playlists, things like that.” - Noel Sosa, (18:51)
“We’re a local outfit just like you are. We care. We live here. We have relationships here. Our friends live here. Our family lives here. We vote in this community. You know what I mean? We care about what happens here, which means we’re going to care about the work that we do for you. Because if we don’t have these relationships, we don’t have a business, right?” - Noel Sosa, (23:46)
“If you earn someone’s trust, you earn their business or their listenership. They want to know where you’re at and they listen and value what you say or what you’re talking about. I think if you’re genuine and you keep your word, it comes off.” - Noel Sosa, (27:13)
Summary
In this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson interview Yoon Kim, founder of Outdoor Media Summit and Outdoor ECOM. Yoon shares his entrepreneurial journey, including failed attempts and success stories. He also discusses his personal life, including how he met his partner and his perspective on life and business. He offers insights into the struggles and triumphs of entrepreneurship and provides inspiration for those looking to start their own business.
Show Notes
(0:57) Yoon’s Origin Story and Entrepreneurial Journey
(6:33) Yoon’s Current Projects
(11:25) Arkansas’s Involvement in Outdoor Recreation
(18:17) Outdoor ECOM and AI
(24:15) Yoon’s Choice to Give Back
(31:27) What Keep’s Yoon Up at Night?
(37:17) Advice to the Younger Self
(39:33) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“I think just being super patient and waiting for the right opportunity and then taking advantage of it—that’s kind of my way [the] way I look at my style of entrepreneurship.” - Yoon Kim, (3:47)
“It’s cool because in Arkansas, we’re leaders in some of these [outdoor spaces]. We’re the brown trout capital of the world and the mountain bike capital of the world. Pretty soon we’re going to be one of the paddle capitals of the world. We have the Paddle Industry Association that was formed here in Northwest Arkansas. So we have leadership in different pockets of these outdoor industries.” - Yoon Kim, (12:38)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson are joined by FR8relay co-founder and CEO Aayush Thakur. FR8relay is an Arkansas-based technology company working to create a more efficient, profitable, and sustainable trucking logistics ecosystem. With 70% of US freight being moved by trucks, core inefficiencies in traditional long-haul trucking operations threaten the industry’s future. Luckily, Aayush and FR8relay have a solution that can save companies money, decrease driver turnover, and create a more sustainable trucking future.
Show Notes
(0:54) Introducing Aayush Thakur and FR8relay
(1:24) Aayush’s Origin Story
(9:10) Issues with Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Vehicles
(13:40) FR8relay’s Solution
(16:12) Electric Semi-Trucks
(18:23) Leaving Memphis for Northwest Arkansas
(23:05) FR8relay’s Ideal Customer
(25:40) Cutting Down on Driver Churn
(28:46) Advice to the Younger Self and Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“Yes, our model will work and enable everything to happen today, not [in] twenty years. You don’t have to burn any money. We are efficient. We can work with the same human people today.” - Aayush Thakur, (14:19)
“Before coming [to Northwest Arkansas], we had raised $200,000…and then after coming [to Northwest Arkansas] and being connected to people, we were able to raise $1.3 million. That’s just the dollar figures. And you take that and then you see the number of connections we have made.” - Aayush Thakur, (20:38)
“We actually take a simple process and make it more complex. But by making it more complex, we see a lot of savings in that…We start with one shipment. We collect 10 of those, for example, and then we would run them through a blender, and then you will get smaller chunks of trips out of it, where it creates these little loops for each of the drivers to come back home, while each of the trailers is getting to the final destination.” - Aayush Thakur, (25:07)
“If you are trying to do forced PR where you say, we’ll do this for the driver, we’ll give them bonuses…those things are really great, and you should do that, but the main thing people are struggling with [on the road] is family. It’s that sense of belonging, a sense of fulfillment that is missing.” - Aayush Thakur, (26:44)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson sit down with Zak Heald, Owner of Intercut Productions, a full-service video production agency in Bentonville, Arkansas. Zak shares about his early start in entrepreneurship and how he created Intercut Productions with a DBA the day he turned 16. Throughout the episode, Zak discusses how his team utilizes AI to increase productivity, his passion for aviation, and the power of ask.
Show Notes
(0:54) Introducing Zak Heald
(1:19) Zak’s Origin Story
(11:30) Building a Business and Learning on the Fly
(19:44) Zak’s Take on Machine Learning and AI
(30:22) Bentonville Studios
(34:49) Filming in Northwest Arkansas vs. Filming in Other Cities
(39:26) Supporting the Local Economy
(40:51) Incentive to Film in Arkansas
(47:03) Dozen Duzit
(52:46) Advice to the Younger Self | The Power of Ask
(57:00) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“We realized early on that we could build the business if we just had cash flow. Like, that was going to be the key to building the business was cash flow. And so we started pursuing those jobs that provided that cash flow. For us right out of the gate, that was weddings.” - Zak Heald, (14:54)
“I’ve just learned to set long-term goals, keep people really happy, provide as much value as you can, and it always comes back around.” - Zak Heald, (19:35)
“The more people understand AI, the more they use it, and the better they understand how it comes up with its answers, the more powerful it will become for people…once you understand how it’s being taught and all that, the ideas will come to you. How can I use this to better my business or to start a new business altogether?” - Zak Heald, (28:18)
“Our biggest thing right now is we want to provide that base infrastructure. Provide a place that productions can call home, whether they shoot in our studio, whether they just use it for offices and for building sets and all that kind of stuff. Regardless, we just want it to be a home base, a place that productions can feel like…it is their place.” - Zak Heald, (35:53)
Summary:
Welcome to another great episode of Startup Junkies!
On this episode, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson are joined by Josh Perry, founder of Lane Hero, a trip cost calculator app for drivers. Josh shares about his background being from a family of truck drivers as well as his passion for solving some of their everyday problems, like the pain point of calculating costs for a trip. He created Lane Hero to take some of the strain off the drivers so they can go back to doing what they do best: keeping America's economy running.
Show Notes:
(0:48) Introduction to Josh
(1:07) Josh’s Origin Story
(2:36) About Lane Hero
(6:42) Josh’s Background
(10:46) About the Lane Hero App
(23:29) Lane Hero’s Marketing Strategy
(26:27) What Success for Lane Hero Looks Like
(31:08) Advice to Younger Self
(32:11) Closing Question
Links:
Quotes:
“At the end of the day, for the individual driver, and the owner operator model, which is seventy-eight percent of the entire freight movement in the United States, it provides such a value and eliminates such a burden of time on the accounting side and on the cost analysis side that [bigger player’s] opinions aren’t very valid.” - Josh Perry, (5:56)
“The service aspect of trucking is what I’m really attached to on both the customer side and on the driver side because if you focus on the people that are making your business run, whatever the case may be, you get so much additional benefit over the dollars. So that’s the feeling I pursue.” - Josh Perry, (7:50)
“Most people don’t understand that all the goods in this room are all transported by a truck. Same goes in any country you're talking about anywhere in the world. So the real vision and goal is to level the playing field and be the largest precursor to any economy anywhere in the world and have it in over fifty countries with over fifty thousand users in each country.” - Josh Perry, (26:38)
“It takes sacrifice. It takes putting in the time. I’ve sacrificed a lot of hours of time I could have been spending with my family in order to help families all across the world get more time with their dad or their mom or whoever that's out there driving a truck.” - Josh Perry, (30:26)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson are joined by Anthony Constantino, co-founder and CEO of Sticker Mule, the largest e-commerce website for custom stickers. Anthony is also the founder of Stimulus, a new social media platform intentionally designed to make people happy. Throughout the episode, Anthony shares about building Sticker Mule from the ground up, starting a new social media platform that doesn’t incentivize negativity, and becoming a professional boxer at forty years old.
Show Notes
(0:36) Introducing Anthony and Sticker Mule
(4:40) Stimulus, a Different Type of Social Network
(10:22) Creating Businesses to Solve Problems
(12:03) Content Moderation
(15:07) Anthony’s Background
(17:49) How Stimulus Gathers Feedback
(20:36) How to Get Verified on Stimulus
(21:52) Stimulus’s Ideal User
(23:53) A Simple Formula to Succeed
(31:24) Stimulus’s Giveaway Program
(32:33) Mule Sauce
(34:16) Anthony’s Boxing Journey
(39:34) Advice to the Younger Self
(41:10) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“Stimulus removes a lot of the negative design decisions that were embedded in Twitter and replaces them with more positive ones. We have a number of innovations that are unique to us, the biggest one being [that] we replace ads with integrated giveaways. So if you want attention, [the] number one tool to get attention on Stimulus is [to] run a giveaway. Everyone wants attention. That’s a positive tool to get attention, and it’s an easy tool to get attention.” - Anthony Constantino, (8:09)
“I suspected that if people operated [on Stimulus] using their own identity, that would naturally push people in a more positive direction, and you wouldn’t have the negativity. I suspected a few things: If you remove the incentives to be nasty and introduce incentives to be more pleasant, you would naturally have a better community.” - Anthony Constantino, (12:34)
“[We have] a simple formula that we use to succeed [that’s] basically: Make the experience incredibly good so that people that encounter us are highly likely to buy. So, you know, as an experience gets better, your ability to convert customers goes up. As your ability to convert customers increases, you can justify a large ad budget.” - Anthony Constantino, (26:11)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson sit down with Skylar Wallace, founder of Level Up Lenders, a company on a mission to create a positive impact through home ownership in rural America. Skylar earned his MBA from the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and has founded multiple businesses, ultimately gaining traction through the help of EOS in his current venture. Throughout the podcast, Skylar shares about his background and his passion for using home ownership to help rural communities improve their quality of life.
Show Notes
(0:50) Introducing Skylar and His Origin Story
(6:13) Utilizing EOS
(8:31) Taking Action While Learning
(11:44) Leveraging Impact Vehicles
(20:10) Focusing On What You Can Control and Looking Toward the Future
(25:50) The Challenges of Scaling
(29:14) How Skylar Chooses Markets
(35:14) The Visionary and Integrator Relationship
(39:34) Skylar’s Thoughts on Traction and Other EOS Tools
(41:51) Advice to the Young Self
(47:16) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“Now we know anytime we bring on a new [loan officer], we’re not going to sit around and talk about this. Day one, you go out and start taking massive action. And so our sales methods have changed, but that activity remains the same.” - Skylar Wallace, (11:28)
“In the investment world, there’s these things called investment vehicles, which are different vehicles that you can invest in. There’s venture capital, there’s the stock market, and all those things. So I’ve been thinking about this concept of impact vehicles. A lot of [entrepreneurs say], ‘I want to create a positive impact in the world. I want to make a difference.’ But there’s actually a lot of different vehicles you can leverage to do that.” - Skylar Wallace, (12:40)
“Our commitment is that it’s never a ‘no.’ It’s always a ‘how,’ because every file is a family. So if somebody comes in to our office, they’re not going to get turned down. They’re going to be shown—look, you can’t buy today, but here’s the steps that we need to do to fix your credit, to get you on the path.” - Skylar Wallace, (15:54)
“I believe the number one skillset an entrepreneur should have is the ability to sell. If you can sell—that’s the thing because that’s how you create revenue.” - Skylar Wallace, (42:20)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Matthew Ward are joined by Mark Zweig, founder and chairman of Zweig Group. Mark’s entrepreneurial journey began in his parent’s front yard when he was only twelve. He bought and sold bicycles, motorcycles, and cars throughout his adolescence and time at university. After earning his MBA, Mark worked for a management consulting firm before leaving for a string of successful positions with other flourishing businesses. Mark returned to his entrepreneurial nature in 1988 by founding Zweig Group, which grew rapidly for over a decade. Since his return to entrepreneurship, Mark has founded Inc 500 and Inc 5000 startups, written a book, served on multiple boards, and is now teaching entrepreneurship at the University of Arkansas.
Show Notes
(1:09) Introducing Mark Zweig
(2:00) Mark’s Entrepreneurial Origin Story
(16:12) Growing a Successful Business
(23:13) What Drew Mark to Northwest Arkansas
(28:15) Changing the Perception of Arkansas
(34:44) Designing Homes and Buying Back Mark’s Business
(44:31) What’s on Mark’s Plate Now?
(47:30) Advice to the Younger Self
Links
Quotes
“We grew by 30% a year, thirteen years in a row. And we were always profitable. We never had any outside equity. We did sell stock to key employees, and we would finance 100% of that. And that was really a strength. We just did a lot of stuff that we advocated our clients do.” - Mark Zweig, (19:00)
“Our business planning process was one where every year, each line unit manager had to come up with three new things to sell and three new ways to sell what they had. And that just sort of baked in the innovation.” - Mark Zweig, (19:58)
“To me, entrepreneurship is about building value. It’s not just what you can suck out of it along the way. And so, that, to me, is a core tenant of it. And if that’s your goal, you do everything differently.” - Mark Zweig, (48:55)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine and Caleb Talley sit down with Josh Duntz and Tyler Dunbar of Metova and Central Standard Talent, respectively. With their Naval backgrounds, Josh and Tyler have a unique perspective on the business world. Throughout the episode, the crew discusses Central Standard and Metova’s expertise in identifying customer needs and developing digital products that align with business goals. They highlight the importance of tailoring technology solutions to meet the specific needs of each customer, and how this approach sets Central Standard and Metova apart from other tech agencies. They also comment on artificial intelligence, exploring whether these emerging technologies pose a threat to Central Standard and Metova, and whether AI can be as effective as humans.
Show Notes
(1:33) Introducing Josh and Tyler
(6:08) Josh’s Transition from the Military to the Civilian World
(9:20) Key Takeaways from Military Service
(15:42) Central Standard and Metova’s Connection
(21:01) Finding Talent without Paying Silicon Valley Prices
(23:35) The Threat of AI
(27:51) Looking at the Landscape of the Current Economy
(32:52) Advice to Their Younger Selves
(35:38) Tyler and Josh’s Naval Background
(39:23) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“I approach leadership the same way in business now, where it’s like, I don’t care if you’re the lowest man on the totem pole or the CEO of the company. I believe that before decisions should be made, everyone should be able to voice their opinion.” - Josh Duntz, (13:19)
“Rule of thumb is we’ll save you 30-50% in cost. And for somebody who’s in any sort of startup, there’s another critical element to this. You also don’t have to give any of your company away to get really high-quality talent.” - Tyler Dunbar, (21:24)
“You have a certain mindset of what outsourcing looks like, right? And typically, for most people, it’s not high quality. So that’s a piece that looks really different for us. We focus on hiring people long-term—custom solution building for a team just for you. And [that allows] us to really focus on high-quality technical talent that is retained over time. So rather than fill fifty really low-level positions, we really try to focus on those senior and mid-level positions that establish and create value for years and years to come.” - Tyler Dunbar, (22:34)
“I think you still need humans to be effective, right? And there’s a difference between being effective and being efficient. I think that AI is probably really efficient, but like Josh was talking about, how effective is it without those little human elements of nuance in between?” - Tyler Dunbar, (26:34)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Grace Gill are joined by Fred Gustafson, operating partner of Wabi Capital and president of Louisville Vegan Jerky. Fred details how his entrepreneurial journey began with an online tuxedo rental startup that saw great success and an early exit. He shares about jumping into franchises without any prior experience, leading to—of all things—a brick-and-mortar shop for soap. Throughout his wild ride of entrepreneurship, Fred has learned the importance of being flexible and willing to learn something new.
Show Notes
(1:01) Introducing Fred
(1:20) A Successful Exit with Menguin
(10:57) Working with Voxie and Buff City Soap
(23:08) Wabi Capital
(26:29) Louisville Vegan Jerky
(30:08) Marketing to Meat Eaters
(38:28) The Wabi Capital Name
(40:35) Advice to the Younger Self
(43:24) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“We started Wabi with our whole background being entrepreneurs and really not finance and investment people. And we felt like that was actually a strength for us…We’ve always kind of looked at business as—there’s a lot of strength in being an outsider to the industry you are going into.” - Fred Gustafson, (23:58)
“The challenge isn’t as much [convincing] more plant-based, vegans, and vegetarians to eat more of this stuff. It’s more so, how do you show the traditional meat eater that there is this healthy, better for you, more natural, less-processed alternative that also happens to not use any animal products, that can deliver more on the nutritional value, the taste, everything like that, as a way to supplement your diet.” - Fred Gustafson, (29:40)
“People still want an indulgence in their snack. They want stuff to taste good. They want that craveable deliciousness. And so we want to be that. We are that. We’ll always deliver big on flavor, but then also be this cleaner, whole food, vegan-based product.” - Fred Gustafson, (36:45)
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Matthew Ward are joined by Palmer Hays of Bennet Commercial Real Estate. A collegiate golfer, Palmer shares his insights on how he learned sales through the golf course by building relationships and gaining trust. He highlights how the state of the real estate market is influenced by people and their needs. He explains that infrastructure follows people, and as the population grows, new businesses and buildings emerge to support them.
Show Notes
(1:16) Introducing Palmer Hays
(4:09) Palmer’s Origin Story
(6:59) Choosing Commercial Real Estate
(7:59) Business on the Golf Course
(11:55) Market Changes in Northwest Arkansas
(15:37) The Perks of Northwest Arkansas
(22:02) Projecting Future Trends
(28:13) Handling Exponential Growth in Northwest Arkansas
(33:14) Prioritizing Mixed-Use Properties
(37:10) Advice for the Younger Self
Links
Bennett Commercial Real Estate
Quotes
“A typical deal that we’ll see—we’re either working with a tenant that needs to find a space, whether that be a startup or Fortune 500 company, a manufacturer, or just your typical [quick service restaurant]...We can touch on those businesses, and we can learn so much from what they do and also be able to solve one of their biggest issues at the time, which is typically finding a piece of real estate that works for them.” - Palmer Hays, (7:12)
“I wouldn’t say I had experience in sales prior to getting into the real estate industry, but what I did have experience in was talking to people who had a lot of business dealings. I grew up playing golf, and typically at the golf courses, you’re talking to business owners. You’re talking to individuals who own real estate. You’re talking to individuals who are having to make those decisions.” - Palmer Hays, (8:06)
“There’s nothing better than just getting here [to Northwest Arkansas]. So I’ll tell people all the time, if you have the opportunity and if the property is worth it, just come to Northwest Arkansas and take a peek at it.” - Palmer Hays, (16:16)
“Real estate as a whole, if you take a ten thousand foot view at it, it’s based on people. Where are people? Where are they located? Where are they coming from? What do they need around them?...So whenever you have more and more people moving in here, there’s going to be a need for X, Y, and Z…People drive real estate, so whenever you have more people, you’re going to have more need. And that translates to housing. That translates to industrial product. That translates to offices. That translates to more businesses coming here.” - Palmer Hays, (24:11)