Summary
Welcome to the Startup Junkie's podcast!
For this holiday season, we are rebroadcasting an episode that was an absolute joy to record. Our regular host, Jeff Amerine, was joined by the former executive director of Startup Junkie Foundation, Haley Allgood. They had the opportunity to sit and chat with Luke and Natalie of Freckled Hen Farmhouse, a shop that began as a social media account and transformed into a retail store. Through featuring products during an at-home renovation, Luke and Natalie started what would be a fantastic functional and sustainable home goods and gifts store on College Avenue in Northwest Arkansas. You will want to visit this store as Christmas is quickly approaching!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes
(1:40) Introducing Natalie and Luke Freeman
(2:10) From Farmers to Freckled Hen Farmhouse Shop
(6:06) Curating the Merchandise
(5:14) Utilitarianism and Beauty
(9:20) Credibility of Suppliers
(10:59) The Next Five Years
(14:48) Financing Without Savings
(18:25) Physical Location Vs. Online Store Growth
(23:06) How to Invest Your Time Well as an Entrepreneur
(26:14) Wrap Up
Links
Luke Freeman and Natalie Freeman
Quotes
"It's really grown into something that's more than a gift store, it's a one-stop shop for people buying meaningful gifts for people they love, and also a place for people to find items that inspire them to live a well-lived meaningful life."
(8:45) - Luke Freeman
"I feel like maybe my end goal is not necessarily a retail store, but it's always been building community."
(12:47) - Natalie Freeman
"We rented a cabin for a weekend and sat down and hammered out the business plan. We disconnected, no wifi. It was just us pencil and paper writing out this inspiration, this idea that had come to us."
(15:39) - Luke Freeman
"[On creating an online business first.] So just knowing that we're only going to grow as our customer requests, I just think it's a better business decision for us."
(20:53) - Natalie Freeman
Summary
Our hosts, Jeff Amerine and Matthew Ward, speak with Kris Reid of Ardor SEO on this week's episode. This podcast recording is a never-before-seen interview from earlier this year, and you will NOT want to miss it. Kris Reid speaks to us on search engine optimization and how it is a foundational piece of having a successful website. Without users finding your website, how do you actually make a profit? Kris Reid and Ardo SEO have the solution to this problem, so tune in now!
Shownotes
(0:50) Introducing Kris Reid
(2:03) From Software Engineering to SEO
(4:02) Is SEO Growth Hacking?
(5:14) Common Mistakes with Clients
(9:04) Ideal Customer
(14:40) AI, Machine Learning, and SEO
(18:53) Ardor SEO and VC
(21:25) Profit First Mentality
(24:29) The Why for Kris
(26:05) Future Casting with Kris
(27:59) Wrap Up
Links
Quotes
"Most people think that they need a website, but you don't, if you're not going to rank it, what's the point? --- It's words that sell. And those words need to get in front of people's faces. If you spend 30 grand on a website and no one sees it, what's the point?"
(4:13) - Kris Reid
"What we're trying to do is build up our clients' authorities to get them trusted by Google, so that Google will reward them with lots of traffic and customers."
(5:05) - Kris Reid
"That's what Google's looking for, to build up your trust... If it's some tiny little new site, that's not worth anything. If it's a big, strong authority site like the FBI or a university, that's a big, strong credible backlink… that's the secret of Google."
(8:24) - Kris Reid
Summary
Caleb Talley, Jeff Amerine, and Davis McEntire sit down with Louis Bowen, co-founder of Pacific GeneTech Limited as well as founder of Asia Capital Management Limited in Hong Kong. In this week's episode, we discuss Louis' entrepreneurial journey, his relocation to Hong Kong along the way, and how he tackled making a difference in the Asian markets as he founded one of the first private investment banking firms in the area as well as operating Pacific GeneTech, a vaccination development and commercialization firm.
Don't miss this one, tune in!
Shownotes
(1:16) Introducing Louis Bowen
(6:08) Pacific GeneTech
(13:14) Long Cycle Commercialization of Intellectual Property
(18:44) H5N1 Scare
(23:44) Raising Capital Internationally Vs. Domestically
(27:08) Evolution of Asian Market Today
(34:21) Pacific GeneTech and NWA
(37:13) Human Health and on The Horizon
(39:13) Advice to Younger Self
(38:13) Wrap Up
Links
Pacific GeneTech
Quotes
"Not many entrepreneurs have an appreciation for how long-cycle commercialization of intellectual property, particularly as it relates to human or even animal health, requires a kind of long-term commitment and patience."
(13:18) - Jeff Amerine
"One reason why we chose Northwest Arkansas was that we wanted to be close to the source of technology, we wanted to continue to work with the university."
(31:20) - Louis Bowen
"There's a real skill in being able to take technology out of the lab and turn it into a reality."
(35:01) - Louis Bowen
"I probably felt as though I could solve more problems than I could in the investing world. You know, nothing goes in a straight line. There's nothing linear investing in early businesses, early stage businesses."
(40:48) - Louis Bowen
269: Taking Notes on the Changing Work Environment with Phil Libin
Summary
Welcome back to the podcast!
We are the Startup Junkies, and this is episode 269. Our hosts for this episode contain the usual Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire and are also joined by the prodigal son himself, Matthew Ward! We had the pleasure of talking to Phil Libin who is a serial entrepreneur and just a fun guy! We laughed, chatted, and got to dive into his latest ventures, Mmhmm and All Turtles.
Don't miss this one, tune in!
Shownotes
(1:31) Introducing Phil Libin
(3:33) Why move to Bentonville, Arkansas?
(6:41) Genesis and future casting for Mmhmm
(12:24) All Turtles Philosophy
(18:15) Out of Office vs. In-Person Benefits
(21:08) Commentary of Evolving VC World
(30:37) Paradigm Shifts in Apple, AI, and Machine Learning.
(35:39) Advice to Younger Self
(38:13) Wrap Up
Links
Quotes
"Quality of life improves quality of work and quality of work improves quality of life."
(8:16) - Phil Libin
"We're never going back to anything, we're going forward. We're not going back to the way things were... We are going forward to the way things should be."
(19:13) - Phil Libin
"I care about brilliant people having a chance to show their brilliance and make high impact products. And I don't want them to waste their time making startups first."
(25:25)
Summary
Welcome to episode 268 of the Startup Junkie's Podcast!
Jeff Amerine, Davis McEntire, and Caleb Talley spend time with Jesse Randall, CEO and Founder of Sweater. This platform allows everyday investors to access the most exclusive asset class, Venture Capital. This episode will cover Jesse's journey as a tried-and-true entrepreneur. Sweater aims to disrupt the way venture capital is done.
In other words, you'll want to tune in!
Shownotes
(1:36) Introducing Jesse Randall
(3:52) How is Sweater different?
(6:41) Sweater's Venture Capital Structure
(8:28) Stage Focus within Sweater
(9:27) Syndicating, Leading, or Following?
(13:00) Identifying Strategic Partners
(17:31) How did Sweater Come About?
(22:13) Being a Public Investment Company
(28:54) The Next 5 Years for Sweater
(31:44) Day To Day Challenges
(34:24)Advice to Younger Self
(36:33) Wrap Up
Links
Quotes
"People have this desire to be entertained and they want something to brag about on the weekends, and have something to talk about with their friends, and being an investor is an element of their personal brand and a little bit of status associated with it."
(3:34) Jesse Randall
"They are great businesses and I'm grateful that they have the opportunity to raise money... They just typically don't qualify to raise money for VC funds."
(5:36) - Jesse Randall
"[On advice to younger self] I would say, freaking learn how to sell. Number one rule, learn how to sell something."
(34:46) - Jesse Randall
https://www.startupjunkie.org/
https://wlj.com/
Welcome to episode 267 of the Startup Junkie's Podcast!
Caleb Talley and Jeff Amerine are joined by TJ Sangam, CEO and co-founder of SupplyPike. This company seeks to help suppliers focus on growing their business while they do the other work of building and informing collaborative products through machine learning and artificial intelligence. From topics circling the disruptions within supply-chain in 2020, to the wild wild west of NFT’s and cryptocurrency, to a future of deep fake and AI, buckle up and get ready for this episode!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes
(1:22) Introducing SupplyPike
(3:13) Entrepreneur Journey of TJ Sangam
(5:20) SupplyPike’s Response to Disruptions in Global Supply Chain
(8:44) Surprising Data in 2020-2021
(9:27) Supply Community
(11:20) Anticipated Supply Acquisitions in the Future
(13:36) A Dip into Cryptoworld & AI
(22:40) What’s Next for SupplyPike?
(26:50) New Product Launch: Data Lab
(41:17) Advice To Younger Self
(43:32) Wrap Up
Links
Quotes
“A lot of times suppliers don't even know that they're hemorrhaging tons of money So we help identify that.”
(2:28) - TJ Sangam
“[Small CPG’s] expertise is in making the product, not necessarily supplying them.”
(6:19) - TJ Sangam
“We want to use this data to model supply chain behavior.”
(23:42) - TJ Sangam
"We want to automate replenishment, which is the bulk of what happens in supply-chain."
(24:36) - TJ Sangam
Welcome to episode 266 of the Startup Junkie's Podcast!
For this episode, Caleb Talley and Jeff Amerine sit down with Hall T. Martin of TEN Capital Network. Whether it's discovering helpful tips on improving your pitches to VC funds or how to get the most out of raising capital for your startup, you will NOT want to miss this one!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes
(0:55) Introducing Hall T. Martin
(5:14) Creating TEN Capital Network
(7:26) Venture Scaling Route
(11:41) Funding as a Service
(14:47) What's Next for the Funding World?
(20:53) Recipe for a Successful Angel Network
(25:16) Events for Startups
(26:59) Simplifying Reports On Investments
(29:58) Why Join Angel Investing?
(32:01) Advice To Younger Self
(33:30) Wrap Up
Links
Quotes
"It was all about student education, student experience, and job placement. The angels that came together, that was their 'why.' That's where I really learned that if the "why" is just to make money, you're going to have a 30% turnover rate every 12 to 18 months."
(4:17) - Hall T. Martin
"I'm amazed how many people are out pitching... yet they really haven't finished the deck, they really haven't put the financial projections together. I always coach them, 'Let's get the basics together.' "
(7:43) - Hall T. Martin
"I think the key is to number one, find what your 'why’ is. Why would we come together? What is our mission? What are we going to do?"
(21:09) - Hall T. Martin
"Investing is not so much about the finance, it's about building relationships."
(32:19) - Hall T. Martin
Summary
This is the Startup Junkie's Podcast, welcome back!
Episode 265 gathered a lot of incredible people around the Startup Junkie table! Alongside our hosts, Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire, we sat with Meredith Lowry and Judy Henry of Wright Lindsey Jennings Law Practice, and Sarah Goforth and Cari Humphry from the University of Arkansas’ office of entrepreneurship and innovation. The NCAA, the U of A, and the NIL are some big buzz words for any collegiate sports fan and we got to discuss the legal ramifications alongside with the U of A’s response to the matter.
Don’t miss this episode!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes
(0:49) Introducing WLJ and UARK guests
(3:13) Pressure of NIL with the NCAA and UARK
(13:07) UARK Programs to Empower Athletes with New NIL Procedures
(22:12) The Need for Financial Advisement and Education
(26:29) Legalities of This Transition
(35:36) UARK Vs. Other Universities
(41:20) Relationship with Businesses and Universities and NIL Procedures
(48:17) Changing Marketplace and Changing Regulations
(1:02:55) Growth of Sports Management
(1:10:45) Closing Remarks & Wrap Up
Links
Wright Lindsey Jennings Law Practice
UARK Office of entrepreneurship and Innovation
Quotes
"This has been a pressure point boiling up to the surface for a couple of years. And finally became reality when states went ahead and had statutes that immediately came into effect this summer. The NCAA couldn't ignore it any longer and had to take some action."
(7:24) - Judy Henry
"A lot of them are not equipping themselves because they devote so much time to their sport.. [they have no time to ] to really be successful and negotiate and go after opportunities and start their own businesses."
(15:27) - Sarah Goforth
"I feel we've [UARK] differentiated ourselves with the wide variety of mentors and community partners involved who are giving their time and their expertise. And then secondly, taking that wider entrepreneurial lens."
(35:36) Sarah Goforth
"Student-athletes have some really great ideas and there is some grit involved and some determination and commitment."
(37:19) - Cari Humphry
"I really hope that it keeps them engaged in school longer. Taking advantage of the resources that they have as student-athletes and on campus."
(1:09:50) - Cari Humphry
Summary
Welcome to the Startup Junkie's Podcast!
Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire are joined by Evan Mullins, data-scientist and founder of Pebble. A startup that’s goal is to help grow and build up other small companies. We want to hear all about it! From a childhood spent innovating, to seeing a problem and solving a problem in school, to the creation of Pebble, we were able to hash it all out with our good friend Evan on this week’s episode. You will want to hear all about Evan and Pebble, and maybe even get on the platform yourself after listening to this!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes
(0:49) Introducing Evan Mullins of Pebble
(2:12) Always an Entrepreneur
(7:13) Empirical Evidence and Marketing a Startup Up
(9:29) Why work with Pebble?
(10:41) Business Model of Pebble
(15:03) Pebble’s Online Process
(18:22) Data Analytics of Pebble
(22:32) Market Expansion
(28:33) Advice to Younger Self
(39:58) Wrap Up
Links
Quotes
"I knew that small businesses really value their time. It's really hard to get on their schedules and it's really hard to get them to pay for things.” (4:37) - Evan Mullins
"It's all about exposure. You're getting access to a whole other market of people and getting to see and interact with customers” (9:46) - Evan Mullins
“What we're offering is whenever someone goes to buy anything, they're going to find you.” (10:27) - Evan Mullins
Welcome to the Startup Junkie's Podcast!
This week we mixed it up a little. Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire are joined by guest co-host Tim McFarland and sit down with Tim Miller of Central Standard. Old friends, Tim and Jeff, catch up on his newest venture on the entrepreneurial journey. This episode discusses the flaws in talent recruiting agencies who pull from the international pools and what makes Central Standard different.
Thanks for joining us!
Shownotes:
(0:49) Introducing Tim Miller of Central Standard
(1:38) From Collegiate Track Athlete to Serial Entrepreneur
(11:01) Experience as an Early Stage Startup
(16:48) The War on Talent
(31:55) Why Mexico?
(35:50) Business Growth Outpacing Talent
(40:08) Culture's Influence on Customer Loyalty
(45:22) Central Standard's Business Model
(55:34) Wrap Up
Links:
"It's a talent and recruiting agency, but I like to call a talent agency because first and foremost, I think what makes us different is we are trying to appeal to the talent down there, much like a CAA (creative artists agency.)" (20:46) Tim Miller
"I think our message resonates. They see that we care about their career. We wanna help them find an industry." (25:37) - Tim Miller
"We want to help people identify opportunities." (24:13) - Tim Miller
"What you are seeing is that the people with deep pockets, um, are, are able to attract talent and, and, and talent is moving at a frequency. It's never moved before. Loyalty lasts only so long." (35:05) - Tim Miller
startupjunkie.org
wlj.com
Welcome to the Startup Junkie's Podcast!
Kim Bryden of Cureate joins our Startup Junkie hosts, Jeff, Caleb, and Davis to discuss shifting the dollar to Northwest Arkansas' food and beverage industry. Whether it's making a killer Bloody Mary, almost being in the FBI, running a grocery store, or having a massive heart for small businesses, Kim was beyond fascinating to learn from! Cureate will be NWA's new best friend; listen to the whole episode to hear how!
Thanks for joining us!
Shownotes:
(1:06) Introducing Kim Bryden of Cureate
(8:43) Early Stages of Cureate
(11:51) Why Northwest Arkansas?
(19:06) Distribution End Goals & Co-Packers
(23:25) Staffing Hospitality Industry in 2021
(28:08) Consumer Demands Solution in NWA
(31:22) Kim's Expectations of The Heartland
(50:57) Advice To Younger Self
(54:18) Wrap Up
Links:
Quotes:
"I'd like to work with people that, I don't know, care about stable cashflow. Who actually build businesses that are of and from their communities." (8:02) - Kim Bryden
"[It's] that inflection point where they've done a thing for a certain period of time, and now they're considering "What's my next business development strategy, marketing strategy, sales strategy?" (9:29) - Kim Bryden
"I'm hoping and desiring that the small businesses that emerge from this time truly define what their mission is and what values [they have] and what they stand for." (24:48) - Kim Bryden
"The best businesses with the strongest cultures are going to attract the best people and everyone else will suffer." (26:15) - Jeff Amerine
startupjunkie.org
wlj.com
This is the Startup Junkie's Podcast; welcome to it!
In episode 261, we have Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire from Startup Junkies sit with Ryann Hartley of Hartley Flooring. From the dynamic of being a woman in the industry to the entrepreneurial spirit being in her DNA to creating an immaculate company culture, we got to hash it all out with Ryann!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes:
(1:24) Introducing Ryann Hartley of Hartley Flooring
(3:48)) From Sherwin Williams To Flooring
(5:23) Company Culture
(7:31) Winning & Customer Targeting
(10:39) Glass Ceiling In Construction & Contract Work
(15:22) What's Next For Flooring?
(19:04) Owning The Business 100%
(22:02) Advice to Women in Trade Space
(25:33) What's Next For Ryann Hartley?
(34:33) Advice To Younger Self
(37:27) Wrap Up
Links:
Quotes:
"Working with Sherman Williams, a 150 year old multi-billion dollar business, the career ladder was forever long, as long as I wanted it to be, but there was just something attractive about small business in Northwest Arkansas." (2:28) - Ryann Hartley
"Nothing is perfect. It just isn't. So being willing to just ride those waves and meet those challenges when they come up, there's all kinds of unforeseen things and unknown things… so when you just meet those challenges as best you can over time, you gain respect." (11:38) Ryann Hartley
"...So [I was] running a gas pump at a liquor store. That's what small business is, it' 's not always sexy, it's hard work." (20:25) Ryann Hartley
Welcome to The Startup Junkie’s Podcast!
Ben Clark, CEO of B-Unlimited, joins our hosts, Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire, to discuss how he created a people company that just so happens to sell t-shirts. Ben breaks down how making a bought-in team, along with well-curated values and a striving for excellence, has scaled this t-shirt company into an entire culture. From building trust and rapport with competitors, helping other struggling businesses during COVID, to the impact of technology, to even the NCAA licensing fiasco, we dive into just about everything!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes:
(1:07) Introducing Ben Clark of B-Unlimited
(5:19) Big News for B
(8:19) Reaching Out To Competitors
(10:08) COVID and Uncertainty of University & Greek Life Retail
(12:02) Building Brand Loyalty
(16:01) Transitional Leadership
(26:22) Culture Creation and Talent Acquisition
(28:39) Science, Technology, and Earth Friendly Initiatives
(37:15) Impact of New NCAA Protocol
(44:27) 5 Years From Now
(44:27) Wrap Up
Links:
Quotes:
"Through COVID it really has caused me to reach out to all my competitors, which has been something really different than the past… I've just been able to talk to them and just kind of talk through what we're doing. It was good to know that you had someone there, even though they were competitor... that could help you and pick up the pieces." (8:19) - Ben Clark
From seeing another business fail, [it] actually helped me understand that I needed to make [us succeed]... and it's really more about systems, procedures, and automation." (16:45) - Ben Clark
"Our ethos is: be unique, be yourself, be unlimited and that's on our wall... we don't care how big we get. Culture costs money, it's an investment." (24:39) - Ben Clark
"You've got to find a community to help you navigate… Seek out good mentors and advice." (45:23) - Ben Clark
Summary:
This is the Startup Junkies Podcast.
Brendan Howell of Loloft jumps into this episode with our hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire to discuss transforming the industrial workspace. Brendan discussed his newest venture meant to take traditional industrial space contracts and work environments and aim them to serve small to midsize companies. This looks like combining office grade co-working space with the fit and amenities a larger warehouse would offer. This will be coming to a city near you so listen to the rest and look out for Loloft!
Thanks for joining us!
Shownotes:
(1:22) Introducing Brendan Howell of Loloft
(5:44) Brick & Mortar to Digital Startup
(10:14) Dutch Auction Digital Project
(10:13) Pandemic Pivot
(14:25) Transition to Industrial Co-Working Model
(30:38) Benefits For Early To Mid Size Companies
(33:47) Future with Northwest Arkansas
(41:07) Advice to Younger Self
(46:40) Wrap Up
Links:
Quotes:
"The whole idea was that we want to enable small to midsize companies to get started and take physical space on a flexible basis. We want to have the amenities that office coworking has also." (26:17) - Brendan Howell
"So if you're a startup, you want to get into business in a physical space, you come and see us go: "Yep, I need 300 square feet." or "I need 1,000 square feet." [And then you can] sign up tomorrow." (27:37) - Brendan Howell
"So now the idea is to make this a unicorn billion dollar plus company that was born in Northwest Arkansas." (28:59) - Brendan Howell
"Being a startup, you just don't know how much space you need... You've got an idea how much you need today, but you don't know how much in three to six months [or] in a year, because you know, startups are the kind of slow and steady growth to explosive growth, or explode into pieces." (30:58) - Brendan Howell
"Collaborate. It's all about the team with any sort of business. I've tried to do it all by myself and being a dictator is not the right way to do it. You just get sick of yourself." (45:41) - Brendan Howell
Summary:
Welcome to the Startup Junkies Podcast!
Our hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire, were joined by Carter Malloy and Michael Iseman of AcreTrader. AcreTrader's goal is to simplify farmland investment. It's no joke that the global population and, therefore, demand for food is proliferating, Carter and Michael believe in offering a truly diversified investment opportunity with long-term returns. Hear how this company is not only leveling up in asset acquisition but also a stellar company culture!
Thanks for joining us!
Shownotes:
(1:03) Introducing Carter & Michael of AcreTrader
(5:07) From Listing to Sign-Ups
(7:49) Farm Styles Offered
(10:13) Due Diligence of Saying Yes or No
(15:53) Adapting to Challenges
(22:09) Evolution of Leadership from a Small to Large Team
(27:50) What Winning Looks Like
(30:45) Craziest Business Experience
(35:22)Advice to Younger Self
(37:18)Wrap Up
Links:
Jeff Amerine
Caleb Talley
Davis McEntire
Carter Malloy
Michael Iseman
AcreTrader
Quotes:
"And as a result, we ended up having a great product. We have really great investments to come through and ultimately really great outcomes for those that we work with." (4:15) - Carter Malloy
"Within your team, the people who are closest to any particular interaction are going to understand it better than you. So trusting your team, trusting the process, and ultimately trusting the data very quickly, in this case proved out." (16:46) - Carter Malloy
"We work really hard, but we have a lot of fun too. We celebrate the wins and the milestones, and then everyone comes back and works harder to achieve the next one." (29:19) - Michael Iseman
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https://wlj.com/