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at acura.com. Hello

2:11

and welcome to How I Built This Lab. I'm

2:13

Guy Raj. So over the next

2:16

few months, we're going to be taking

2:18

your calls about the challenges you're facing

2:20

and hopefully we can help you get

2:22

closer to solving them. And

2:24

helping me out each week will be a past

2:26

guest from this show, a legendary

2:28

founder who is here to help

2:30

new founders trying to build their

2:32

own amazing businesses. And by

2:34

the way, if you are building something and you

2:37

need advice or help, give us a

2:39

call and you might be the next guest on the

2:41

show. Our number is 1-800-433-1298 and we'll also put

2:43

it in the podcast description. All

2:49

right, ready? Let's go. Today,

2:52

I'm so excited to be joined

2:54

by Pete Maldonado. He's a co-founder

2:56

and co-CEO of Chomps, the

2:58

grass-fed meat stick brand that is, man,

3:01

Pete, it's everywhere. I just bought a multi-pack

3:03

of them at Costco last week, actually. Pete

3:06

and his co-founder, Rashid Ali, joined me in January

3:08

of 2023 to tell the story of turning

3:12

their side hustle into a national

3:14

brand. Pete, welcome back. Thank

3:16

you for having me. One of the things

3:19

that I remember about your appearance on the

3:21

show is how you really work to

3:23

learn how to be a better dealmaker,

3:25

right? Which is a critical skill for

3:28

any entrepreneur to learn. For sure, yeah.

3:30

I think my background was

3:32

a number of different roles

3:34

and jobs and I think

3:37

probably real estate was the one that really

3:39

got me into dealmaking, dealing

3:41

with big numbers and just putting big

3:43

deals together. I think having that skill

3:46

set, especially at this stage, just dealing

3:48

with the big dollar amounts, I think

3:50

that could really scare people away or

3:52

really get them a little nervous. So

3:55

I think for me, just having those reps in

3:57

the arsenal, I think that was it. and

4:00

again. Yeah, that was really helpful. Well,

4:02

Pete, all of our founders calling

4:05

in today are they're all exploring

4:07

different ways to reach new customers,

4:09

especially by trying to build partnerships

4:11

with retailers. And we thought

4:13

you would be the perfect mentor

4:15

to help us hopefully answer some

4:17

of their questions. When

4:20

you started to explore retail partnerships, what is

4:22

something that you wish you knew at the

4:25

beginning that you maybe learned the hard way

4:27

or, you know, you just

4:29

learned with experience? There's

4:31

a few things. So one of them

4:33

is, you know, you selling to the

4:35

retailer and getting out on the shelf is

4:38

the easy part. That's when the work starts.

4:40

Yeah. And I think a lot of

4:42

new founders or new startups when they're when

4:44

they're starting selling to retail, that's

4:47

they don't know they're celebrating the win. They

4:49

celebrate the, you know, they're like, I'm on

4:51

Trader Joe's shelves, but that's just the beginning,

4:53

I guess. And it really is. And so

4:56

it's everything you could possibly think of when

4:58

it comes to new quality

5:00

control issues that you need to put

5:02

into place, trade spend and figuring that

5:04

whole animal out, which is massive. It's

5:06

a big part of any any CPG

5:08

brand or any brand that's selling in

5:10

retail. It's going to be a huge

5:13

part of their spend. And how

5:15

do you manage that? How do you get the most impact out

5:17

of that? And then on top of it,

5:19

I think you want to get even just

5:21

the initial trade spend is it where it

5:23

ends? Now you start getting chargebacks and fees

5:25

and penalties. And there's an aspect, the

5:27

bigger the retailers, the more that they're going to charge

5:29

you. And you need to get you know, be on

5:31

your toes and on your a game. A

5:34

lot of people don't realize that retail stores,

5:36

big retail stores are sort of like billboards

5:38

in Times Square, you actually

5:40

have to pay essentially to get shelf

5:42

space. And it's hard to get

5:44

in there. And then once you're in there, if

5:46

you don't sell product, they toss you out.

5:48

So the pressure really starts that's when you

5:51

really have to start selling. Oh,

5:53

absolutely. And you know, and these these, you know,

5:56

retailers most they make more more money from slotting

5:58

fees and then they do from out. actually

6:00

selling product. So you've got to. It's an

6:02

amazing business, by the way. Grocery

6:04

stores and amazing, because they have

6:06

all these revenue streams coming in. Yeah, and that's the

6:08

thing. You know, you have to understand as the brand

6:11

owner, you're putting your product in the

6:13

store, you're taking all the risks there. They're gonna do

6:15

everything they possibly can to eliminate the risk and make

6:17

sure that they're getting paid up front or

6:20

along the way. And it's

6:22

coming from you. All right, peace. What

6:25

do you say we take a call? What

6:27

do you think? Let's do it. You ready?

6:29

Coming in our first caller, caller, you are

6:31

on the line. Hello, welcome. Hi,

6:33

how are you? Hello, who is

6:36

this? This is, I'm Jennifer Ballen,

6:38

and I own Badass Bagels. Welcome.

6:41

We are 100% sourdough, and we

6:43

are the masters of fermentation. Okay,

6:46

what is your question for Pete, Jennifer?

6:48

My question is really, we're

6:50

sort of at a crossroads now

6:52

these days because we've established several

6:54

brick and mortar locations. We are

6:57

making upwards of 8,000 sourdough bagels

6:59

a week. We participate in a

7:01

dozen farmer's markets. We have

7:04

a bunch of different products now, almost

7:06

like a brand, an accidental brand that

7:08

we call Badass. We have

7:10

12 cream cheeses, spreads.

7:12

They're all like farm to bagel.

7:14

We support the local farmers in

7:17

our area. And I'm

7:19

just wondering, I mean, I have

7:21

franchise companies calling me. I have

7:23

investors asking me, do I want

7:25

money? At this point, I'm

7:28

really happy being a bagel slinger.

7:31

I'm always knee deep in dough. It's

7:33

like super fun. Everyone's happy. Everybody loves

7:35

the bagels. But like, how do I

7:37

know what direction to go in? Do I wanna put

7:39

all my eggs in the consumer product goods basket? Do

7:42

I want to open more brick and mortars? Jennifer,

7:45

we're gonna get to your questions, but before,

7:47

if you don't mind, can we ask a

7:49

couple of background questions? 100%, yes. All

7:52

right, so you're based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Is

7:54

that right? Yes. And tell me

7:56

the story. By the way, great website. I'm

7:58

looking at Badass Bagel. Now tell me

8:01

the story of I mean did

8:03

you come from a value a baker is that your profession? Did

8:05

you train it tell me a little bit about how it happened?

8:07

Well, I was a stay-at-home mom with

8:09

my kids and I opened a restaurant and

8:11

was open for years and years 10 years

8:14

The pandemic came I was thinking

8:16

about Shutting it because it was a

8:18

good time to do that I started

8:20

I slipped down that slippery slope

8:22

of sourdough and I started bread

8:24

like everybody everybody Yes, everybody but

8:27

I figured it out sort of quickly and

8:30

was making loaf after loaf They were laying all over

8:32

my house. My kids were like, please stop making bread.

8:35

So I made a babka then I

8:38

put Bobka chocolate and cinnamon hmm

8:40

and Then

8:42

I started with the sourdough bagels and

8:44

I realized that there were no recipes

8:46

There were no stores selling sourdough bagels

8:48

sourdough bagels weren't really a thing So

8:51

I love a good challenge because I tend to get

8:53

bored very easily So the

8:55

challenge was how the heck do you make a sourdough

8:58

bagel? Well, let me tell you it is not easy

9:01

It's not easy. It's not because traditional

9:03

bagels are made with just like dry yeast

9:05

or Not right and

9:07

sourdough is a starter that right is it.

9:10

I'm in the Bay Area So there's so

9:12

much sourdough here, but it's a fundamentally a

9:14

different taste Well, not only is it a

9:16

different taste but when you are making a yeast Leavened

9:19

bread a commercial yeast leaven bread you can do that in

9:21

45 minutes when you're making

9:23

a sourdough leavened pastry or bread

9:25

It is a slow process because

9:28

the fermentation is what's good

9:30

for you And the bagel structure is very

9:32

different than a loaf of bread Many

9:34

of us bake sourdough bread in a Dutch oven that

9:36

has sides a bagel is free Freestanding

9:39

on its own on a sheet or on a in

9:41

a hearth oven There's a million combinations

9:43

and a million ways you can do it All

9:46

right, so you pivoted from the restaurant to the bagel shop and

9:48

now I think you've got Two

9:50

shops two locations in Norwalk, Connecticut.

9:53

I've got one location in Westchester County in Armand,

9:55

New York and one location right here In Norwalk

9:57

right near Westport where I live about a month

10:00

mile from my house. I often go to work at

10:02

night in my pajamas to check on my sourdough

10:05

starter. I'm about a mile away.

10:07

It's a lot of work, but now I've

10:09

got an incredible staff and we crank out

10:11

a lot of bagels. So initially,

10:14

you know, just listening to your background here, you

10:17

mentioned that this is what makes you very happy.

10:19

And so I guess my first question is, you

10:21

know, what is

10:23

it about what you're doing right now that needs

10:26

to change if you're already happy? What is

10:28

your vision for this that would make, you

10:30

know, you feel really excited

10:32

about badass bagels? So

10:34

I think I'm happy because I love

10:36

my customers, but I do see the

10:38

scaling potential and it is

10:41

profitable in a great and positive way,

10:43

shocking as that sounds because it's

10:45

not easy to be profitable. Bagels

10:47

are very labor-intensive. I think I could see

10:49

myself with many stores in many areas of

10:52

the country. We spend a lot of time

10:54

shipping bagels. Like I spend at least three

10:56

hours a day shipping boxes of bagels to

10:59

Utah to Colorado to Los Angeles to

11:01

Florida. You sell them by the

11:03

way D2C. People order on the website or

11:05

do they other retailers that sell them? We

11:08

are the only distributor really of our bagels.

11:10

So they order through me. I did just

11:12

pick up a local distributor a couple

11:15

of weeks ago. Wow. My bagels are

11:17

freezeable. That's the other thing about sourdough. They're like

11:19

70% water, so they freeze

11:22

beautifully. So if I gave you a frozen

11:24

bagel, you could pop it in your oven

11:26

in a minute. It would taste like I

11:28

just baked it for you. Wow.

11:30

So Pete, the question I think that you asked is

11:32

a really good question, which is, is Jennifer happy? It

11:36

seems like she's looking for some help and

11:38

advice to figure out whether she should consider

11:41

bringing on partners to

11:44

grow this thing in a bigger way. Let's just say she

11:46

does. What do you think about the

11:48

idea of bringing on a partner to maybe

11:52

try and franchise this thing? I

11:54

think that could work. I

11:57

Think you've done this at two locations right

11:59

now. The Replicate it. I

12:01

guess my question is here on. Are

12:04

you? Are you comfortable enough to teach somebody

12:06

else how to run it in the same

12:08

way that you do? Because. And. The

12:10

franchise model. You know you're not there to

12:12

operate at so you to find some that's

12:14

a really good operator. Is there some special

12:16

sauce or dude you are Things you have

12:18

going on in your view. A year team

12:20

that you could potentially lose by scaling that's

12:23

who, Franchising. It definitely

12:25

is Scalable is teachable. I did so

12:27

you how to do it without a

12:29

doubt actually started working on i'm a

12:32

manual that would give everybody a foolproof

12:34

way as of replicating. Ah, I'm that's

12:36

that's one avenue for sure. So

12:39

if you are going to do these things

12:41

and you expect somebody come in and pay

12:43

you money to franchise your model. What?

12:46

Is it? What value does I get by

12:48

paying you that franchise fee? In What stops

12:50

them from creating this really on their own?

12:54

I. Guess what? they're getting his, for example,

12:56

Our. Proprietary.

12:58

Like we have a whole gluten free line

13:00

of bagels. Sell these fan size. Other

13:03

locations would be able to them by

13:05

some the mother Sept. All of these

13:07

great products that we've already figured out

13:09

how to make me franchising isn't necessarily

13:11

my first avenue of choice. I mean,

13:13

I think. You. Know increase

13:15

in the world of cream cheese? Do I

13:18

really want to cheat on Philadelphia? Like.

13:20

I've got really big boxing gloves that can I

13:22

do that? I mean the world. A dairy is

13:24

like a whole nother thing. That it

13:26

seems to me to cease me, Jennifer that

13:28

your competitor damages your is your brand, right?

13:31

And and also their sourdough bagels, which is

13:33

it, which is somewhat of a differentiator be

13:35

suppressed Bad as bagels, you've got a great

13:37

logo, you've got a great look. You know

13:40

we have an episode of our show, but

13:42

days have chicken. And. That brand

13:44

was started in a in a

13:46

basic parking lot. Was a couple

13:48

of friends and they. Basically.

13:50

Decided to sell sell fried chicken

13:53

sandwiches. Within a year. they were

13:55

approached by somebody who had experienced

13:57

franchising and paid them a significant

13:59

amount. Money. And that's actually

14:01

really worked for them, but, you know,

14:04

Pete seems to me that if if

14:06

Jeff awarded do this, she would wanna

14:08

really. Mindful about who

14:10

that partnered, he is. Absolutely.

14:13

I think you know. Signing.

14:15

People that are going to be. This. Is

14:17

what they're going to do for a living.

14:19

Not you don't want to find somebody that's

14:22

gonna be And I've looked at various friend

14:24

size models over the years to says looking

14:26

at like side investments potentially I'm not the

14:28

guy that you are France as to where

14:30

I guess I've got my my main business

14:32

has got my day job. If you're gonna

14:34

franchise it should be that person's day job.

14:36

I think that's that's probably critical to the

14:38

success of any any franchise. A regular guy

14:40

like that the chick Fillet model would allow

14:42

allow them so own one ah unit. I

14:44

think that's a relief at a good. Probably

14:47

a better model. More more are tasked success

14:49

right? That's true. The the other thing that

14:51

I would I would add is that that

14:53

and maybe you can weigh in a little

14:56

bit on as because you're you've got such

14:58

a strong brand and. He'll. Have

15:00

If you were to look at a atrocities

15:03

see case website for bad as Bagels idea.

15:05

What can you give chair for some helpful

15:07

feedback on things that you might you know

15:09

you might adjust or you might come to

15:11

think about and lean into? Yeah so I

15:14

love the story obviously I think you know

15:16

and going back to when I was talking

15:18

about the differentiation peace like mean of the

15:20

sourdough angle and I like I love the

15:22

background to have your story about. Transitioning.

15:25

From a restaurant over to the

15:27

bagels. I love all that on.

15:29

A six year if I was the. That.

15:32

Make a little easier to. Actually

15:34

order for me as we say something from Adidas

15:37

he perspective I think there's a lot going on

15:39

in the website says cleaning things up a little

15:41

bit would be a little easier on. Which.

15:44

Platform Is this on? Any way that is,

15:46

You have this. Doesn't look like it's shopify.

15:48

That. It's not. It's a simple square space

15:50

and that I have a third. Party Ordering.

15:53

Both. Sponsors the podcast so we're not going

15:55

away and the. Have to say I love square

15:57

space as a fabulous to work on the Us to.

16:01

Yeah so I think I and I I've

16:03

got. So here's the other thing I really

16:05

like the are are your gift boxes in

16:07

the way you package those up or you

16:09

get the bagels and the smears of that

16:11

cream cheese with it I say about that

16:13

was really cool on and you're doing the

16:15

right saying it looks like you're by by

16:17

creating more of a higher order value in

16:19

allow you to handle law in and absorbed

16:21

lol that shipping costs are. Selling.

16:23

You do a lot of things right here

16:26

on. To. Supercharge that again to

16:28

my for I was a a significant If you

16:30

could figure out a way to to streamline it

16:32

a little bit, make the whoring process a little

16:34

bit easier. As from Adidas City A see the.

16:37

I know some questions were it were going

16:39

Cpg and going into retail what can I

16:41

answer for you are on that like were

16:44

you thinking. Well, it's interesting because.

16:47

I didn't know anything about this whole

16:49

industry and now I'm working with. A

16:52

couple of coal packers. I'm about

16:54

to start call packing so I

16:56

have three dairy farms single origin

16:58

grass said. Milk and see.

17:00

I mean it isn't right. literally. I mean

17:03

I didn't even know it existed like that

17:05

and that in right in my in my

17:07

roots and what happens is. Is

17:09

sort of like can I sir I can make this

17:11

product but. Can I mean stream

17:14

and and us? I mean the flavors

17:16

we make preserve lemon and fried caper,

17:18

smoky black garlic, hot honey, pistachio salad

17:20

and french vinegar. Had this get or

17:22

rhubarb? I mean which one do you.

17:24

Want Measure all I know? Yeah. So

17:27

here's the thing. Like people come in and

17:29

they buy three cream cheeses and a dozen

17:31

bagels. That. Is like the average person.

17:33

That's a lot. Of classes and your margins

17:35

Higher on cream cheese and on bagels.

17:38

They actually are. Yeah, yes, eight

17:40

ounces from cream cheese is ten

17:42

dollars. As you know, people are

17:44

spending thirty authors on cream cheese.

17:46

Now we're dealing cultured, Cream

17:48

cheese. So this also has the beautiful

17:50

probiotic quality like yogurt am I just

17:53

wonder can I take on like the

17:55

big men and women of the dairy.

17:58

World because it's really a monopoly. There's a

18:00

big one. Pete, I'm not sure that

18:02

she has to worry about taking them on, right?

18:04

I mean, you weren't thinking, how does that take

18:06

on Slim Jim? You were thinking, I'm gonna introduce

18:09

Chomps. Yeah, you know, so like

18:12

Chomps, we've grown substantially. We'll do somewhere

18:14

around the, we're approaching the half a

18:16

billion dollar mark in retail sales this

18:18

year, right? Wow. I still

18:20

would never even think about trying to compete with

18:22

the big guys in the space, right? It just,

18:24

it doesn't work. And I would, they would bleed

18:27

us to death. Like it just wouldn't work. The

18:31

reason we've been successful is we serve an

18:35

entirely incremental customer. So incrementality

18:37

is a keyword for you to think about

18:39

and how to think, when I talk about

18:41

differentiation, I think about like positioning yourself as

18:44

a brand that's for a

18:46

different customer, that's not currently being served

18:48

at a retailer. That's how you find

18:50

success. And now these big guys, they're

18:52

trying to hit the masses. They don't, you know,

18:54

they're not gonna do all the, and put the

18:56

blood, sweat and tears and creating those amazing flavor

18:58

profiles that you have. I

19:00

don't remember ever seeing, is there a grass

19:03

fed cream cheese now? I don't even know.

19:06

There probably is, but you don't really see

19:08

anybody leaning into that, right? No, you don't.

19:10

Yeah, you're in an enviable position, right? You've

19:12

got some that's already working right now and

19:15

you're just, and you have all these opportunities and

19:17

people interested in working with you to build it

19:20

up and build something else out of this, which

19:22

is great to have, right? I think what you

19:24

needed to do for yourself though, is think about

19:26

my early question I started with, is like, what's

19:28

gonna make you the most happy? Because running

19:30

a big business and driving a lot of revenue

19:32

and making money, that doesn't

19:34

always make people happy. And you're gonna

19:37

be basically living for this. So

19:41

you need to kind of think through, what do

19:43

you wanna be doing with all of your time? And

19:45

what's the most meaningful to you? So you

19:47

could franchise the bagel stores. You could go to the CPG

19:49

route. I think you'd be successful on all of them, but

19:51

I think it's up to you to really determine like, what's,

19:54

where are you gonna focus? And

19:56

Then once you get that, then you just, then you kind

19:58

of back into, what's the strategy? The to get their yeah. right?

20:02

Jennifer. My take away here. Is.

20:05

If you go the route

20:07

of franchising, interview all of

20:09

your suitors, study them, or

20:11

research them, and really, Really

20:14

know? And. Try to

20:16

understand who the best potential partners. Same

20:18

with distribution. if you can find somebody to

20:20

help you with distribution. I mean that he

20:22

was go back on sorcery about Kaaba does

20:25

act that can be really helpful. They'd

20:27

also distribute their dips and spreads and that

20:29

was a whole business. had started before the

20:31

franchise. I'm so I might take away his.

20:34

Really? Think deeply carefully about

20:36

who that partner is. Jeff

20:38

Allen that as bagels. good

20:40

luck. Think so much. Thanks

20:42

to doesn't and hope to see above him. A

20:45

classless to take care. All right? Okay, this

20:47

exciting we may have. we may be at

20:49

the cusp of a bagel empire. A new

20:52

bagel empire. The next Einstein I like at

20:54

the Eagles as I don't ever want to

20:56

see Einstein not the biggest. Our twenty as

20:59

a different the any weight is an airport

21:01

bagel. Okay we're gonna take a quick break

21:03

the we come back or going to take

21:05

another call and answers or question stay with

21:08

us I'm Guy Rise In are listening to

21:10

the advice line and how I built this

21:12

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American Express. Dot Com/with an. Hey.

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Welcome back to the advice line here on how

24:55

I built this lab. I'm Guy Rise and so

24:57

they were talking about one to scale up and

25:00

how to build the right partnerships and one of

25:02

the things are member p when you run the

25:04

show. Was A. You were

25:06

contacted by Trader Joe's like pretty early on

25:08

in Trump's life cycle and initial you said

25:11

no right? Yeah it was as we know

25:13

we can't we can support that type of

25:15

growth and I'm new at the it was

25:17

it was more so around the of the

25:19

specific ask you know they wanted us to

25:22

do a private label product line from Fright

25:24

which would have been on. I'm a huge

25:26

undertaking for a small team like ours. was

25:28

just me and recede working full time and

25:31

it was hard enough to manage one brand

25:33

and as a prime with a private. Label

25:35

brand you're essentially is adding another brand to

25:37

the are under them saw the Umbrella So

25:40

I mean a A A pretty bold decision

25:42

of the time because it would have been

25:44

a large cash coming and would have been

25:46

a nice be in a revenue stream. but

25:49

at the same time you wouldn't be able

25:51

to focus on building the Champs brand which

25:53

of course today is available at Trader Joe's

25:56

as Stomps not as a White Labels meet

25:58

Stick Yeah and being a branded. They

26:00

don't. That Trader Joe's where it's You

26:02

know it's a private label shop. that's

26:04

a big deal for us. Awesome! Dare

26:06

millions of shoppers that that shop there

26:08

all the time snuff or at least

26:11

bring on our next caller. I think

26:13

we have brandies on the line. Hello

26:15

Brandy! Hey. The air the

26:17

hello Brandy welcome I'm tell introduce yourself

26:19

tell us first and last name what's

26:22

your businesses where you where you live

26:24

Yes my name is from the shelter

26:26

and I'm the founder include owner of

26:28

just infancy companies are some people and

26:31

it loses t companies here in Atlanta

26:33

Georgia. Amazing. Okay, and

26:35

what's the question you brought for pizza?

26:37

The. Yeah. So we've

26:39

been in business now seventeen.

26:42

Years with started as a

26:45

professional hobby is now a

26:47

retail. Facility: A Production facility

26:49

is just opened and seen

26:52

Garden and Salon Mine. We

26:54

have some small mom and pop

26:57

shops and sell teams around his

26:59

his ass. and now we're looking

27:01

to get into the Fox and

27:03

now it's like are you, how

27:05

do we moved into this without

27:07

losing. Our shirts to some next to the new.

27:11

Yeah, how do you get into the bus

27:13

or get we're gonna go to get into

27:15

that? Let's flip final a bit more about

27:17

just and honey Do you started this. I

27:20

think back in two thousand and six a tell me about what

27:22

were you doing at the time and has given to the T

27:24

business. Yeah. Warns: several

27:27

professional have. My. Last

27:29

one in two thousand and six and was. A War

27:31

Two and props. Sanders was. Print.

27:34

As advertising commercial and it's

27:36

either in and rama noodles

27:38

are safe. So during the

27:40

ramen noodle times I would

27:42

create and make kind of

27:44

during a D I y

27:46

se. As season

27:49

all of the companies team around

27:51

in so I would always make

27:53

things but I always some himself.

27:55

Folding cut. A crown

27:57

to me is said to me. And.

28:00

It was so many different combinations you

28:02

can do to a cup of tea

28:04

and on somebody gave it away actually

28:07

as gifts to friends and family and

28:09

then somebody asked some by South and

28:11

I'm like oh wait a minute, I

28:14

have a business for As and that's

28:16

literally houses. Yeah, it's how I. Started

28:18

I started to and farmers markets

28:20

incest of all open a brick

28:22

and mortar about ten years ago.

28:24

And to kind of. He. Far

28:27

from there, As a cofounder of,

28:29

my husband joined the company about

28:31

eight years ago on. Now.

28:33

A senior all is an employee

28:36

of the A Thirty eight employees.

28:38

Are you laughing? It's still fun

28:40

and I've just wanna keep that

28:42

trying. Don't. I'm looking

28:44

your website and ten seats see that

28:46

you are loved about You Here says

28:48

you're born in New Orleans and you

28:51

grew up drinking tea because every time

28:53

you are set your grandma had a

28:55

key or for whatever was ala you.

28:57

yeah I mean. A call.

29:00

Coffee. The one hit wonders. You know exactly

29:02

where it's them. Thank you. For with

29:04

see it has some media in uses

29:07

like. If you're not feeling when

29:09

habits of a t if you feeling great

29:11

in one to keep going have a cup

29:13

of tea in the the evening have a

29:15

cup of tea So I love said she.

29:17

Has all this is wonderful. Endless

29:20

possibilities and some trains do that.

29:22

Whether it's somewhere that you've traveled

29:24

far, or if it's a memory

29:27

of with your grandmother like myself.

29:29

or if it's just some wild

29:31

and crazy concoction that on we

29:34

do with our cheese of the

29:36

month. Every month we create something

29:38

funny, crazy. Or. Eight. So

29:41

now you've been in business for a while.

29:43

You've got a brick and mortar and you've

29:45

got a D D to see. Ah, open

29:47

a. Here I've

29:49

ordered direct online. Now you're

29:51

looking to get into. The

29:53

big time you wanted to be in

29:56

the Targets and Wal marts and the

29:58

Kroeber's of America is at first. Absolutely.

30:01

I want to be the

30:03

first nationally sold

30:06

black owned tea company in the US.

30:08

And I

30:12

just, like I said, I really,

30:14

really love it. I mean, nobody does something for

30:17

17 years. Unless

30:19

they love it or they're crazy, or a little bit

30:21

of bone. All right, peace.

30:24

What's your take? Yeah, Brandy, nice to meet

30:26

you. Yeah, love hearing the story

30:28

here. Looks kind of like a lot of passion behind this. So

30:30

I guess a couple questions for you. I see here a lot

30:33

of the packaging and I love actually the way

30:35

that you're breaking things

30:37

up by functionality. So like get up and

30:39

go and then you have your wellness tea,

30:41

sip and relax. So from

30:43

a branding perspective, how do you plan

30:45

to lead with these things and retail?

30:48

Because when someone looks at the packaging on a

30:50

shelf, they need to know immediately what is it

30:52

going to do for me and why should I

30:54

buy this? Can you talk a little bit about

30:56

that? Like what did you do when you created

30:59

this packaging to thinking about

31:01

retail? Yes, I use the farmers

31:03

market as our experimentation

31:05

with that. All of our jars

31:08

in our stores and at our

31:10

farmers markets are in clear containers,

31:13

because people shop with their eyes.

31:16

So if you go on

31:18

a lot of retail shelves, you'll see

31:20

stainless steel tins. So we still offer

31:22

that with a wraparound

31:24

edge, but the window on top is

31:26

clear. So you can see the tea

31:29

and you know exactly what you're going

31:31

to enjoy. And so that's our tins

31:33

that have a longer shelf life. Our

31:35

quick grab and go, we just updated

31:37

it for this big box

31:40

push that we're doing, where it has

31:42

this really fun hexagon window that's on

31:45

front and back. So it's

31:47

bright orange And yellow,

31:49

which feels fresh. It feels sophisticated and fun.

31:51

And Then that hexagon that kind of sticks

31:54

with our branding is clear on either side.

31:56

So You still get to see that with

31:58

each grab and go. Bears which

32:00

is a lower price points to sign

32:02

of entry way into the sole. Source:

32:05

Of your thing about a lot of the right

32:07

things which is great to hear a lot that

32:09

you're taking see back at your learning. You're hearing

32:12

from the farmers' markets and taking that in. Modern

32:14

that in the form some rather decisions from a

32:16

scale ability standpoint. Power: Is this a Cold Packer

32:18

model? Are you selling your blending a lot of

32:20

this yourself? Are you do this yourself? Manufacturing Yes.

32:23

We I travel couple times a year.

32:25

I'd try and work with as many.

32:28

Small growers around the worst

32:30

possible. Visited. India. Ten years

32:32

we markers, Signer to T

32:34

S and so it works now

32:37

because which is Julie a couple

32:39

of hundred thousand kilos and year

32:41

in seems I know as we've

32:43

grown up as will have to

32:45

work with a treat organization and

32:47

or kind of a middle. me

32:49

and selfless with that scale abilities

32:52

were trying to stay as close

32:54

to the ground as possible for

32:56

them to cup process began. We

32:58

still do everything and house we

33:00

have machinery we have quit needs

33:02

where we are passing. For consistency

33:05

but it is still. Us.

33:08

An. Ss doing it

33:10

on. As this equipment and

33:12

assorted you have in their the labour

33:14

let you have right now is that

33:16

enough to support a big box retailer?

33:18

Candidly, it's not put a week, you

33:20

know how to get there. We have

33:23

the quit need lined up to grow

33:25

with Appear. for that it's it's. one

33:27

of those things. You. Know the chicken

33:29

or the a google search. Yeah,

33:31

you know I wonder Brandy? Have

33:34

you guys and you may have

33:36

done this? Have you approached? Whole

33:39

Foods locally. I see it

33:41

when a. I was doing other

33:44

things like I was. The

33:46

farmers' markets I was suggesting or

33:48

others sounds. Person. Behind them

33:50

on the bar Cia and at

33:52

a time I knew I wasn't

33:55

ready say ass' in So. i

33:57

have some light and decline and

33:59

as have been growing, it's just

34:01

not something I've circled back around

34:03

to. The

34:06

reason why I ask is because Whole Foods

34:08

is, as you know, it's a company that

34:10

is interested, particularly in local brands. When you

34:12

go in, they'll say locally made, and they're

34:14

really open, the regional buyers are really open

34:16

to bringing on local brands.

34:18

And it's a great testing ground because

34:20

you can go in, you start with

34:23

a few stores, you can sample the

34:25

product, and you can really build it

34:27

out from there and focus on getting

34:29

national distribution, which then becomes, then

34:32

it's like, then it's a great launching pad

34:34

to get to the targets and the Kroger's and

34:36

the other places. We've seen this with other brands

34:38

on the show, New Me Tea. We did New

34:40

Me Tea on the show several years ago. And

34:43

that's why Whole Foods comes to mind because

34:45

it is a pretty innovative company when it

34:48

comes to being open. Pete, you guys, I

34:50

know you're at, you guys are at Whole

34:52

Foods, I'm pretty sure, right? Yeah, we're at

34:54

Whole Foods and most retailers nowadays. And I

34:56

think, God, it's a great idea too

34:59

because starting small and regionally like

35:01

that, for one, they're going to

35:03

prioritize you guys and they actually have a nice

35:05

end cap in a lot of the

35:07

stores that really drive trial. But

35:10

what it's going to do for you is let

35:12

you see what the velocities might be so you

35:14

can forecast, if I am successful

35:16

here and then I have a national rollout, this is

35:19

what it could potentially look like. Brandi,

35:22

can I, I want to give you

35:24

some feedback on the branding side and

35:27

on what I'm seeing on your website

35:29

because what you've

35:31

told us here is not clear

35:33

on the website. I mean, you're

35:36

doing three, four trips to Asia to

35:38

source these tea leaves. I want to see you

35:40

there. I want to see pictures of you at

35:43

Those tea farms. I Want to

35:45

see, I Want to read more

35:47

about that. That's incredible that you

35:49

are sourcing that. Also, there's something

35:51

about the story of your grandmother

35:54

and just the warmth of a

35:56

hot cup of tea that I

35:58

feel needs to be told. Somehow

36:00

on the bag in a small way.

36:02

I don't know if you're doing that,

36:04

but I feel like that story about

36:07

your grandma having different T blends growing

36:09

up in an environment in New Orleans

36:11

is so powerful it is so much

36:14

so. Other right Part of me is

36:16

like I I I would even consider

36:18

having blends with i don't own some

36:21

names of i've made your grandma's name,

36:23

you know or just names that evokes

36:25

your direct connection. Does you've got his

36:27

double connects and you've got your Grandma.

36:30

And growing up and then going to

36:32

the the T Farms and sourcing the

36:34

to yourself. I mean that is an

36:36

incredible story and I wanna see more

36:38

of that up front. I totally

36:40

agree and we've got. I have a

36:42

brand video which is very prominently displayed

36:44

on the website and we've got it's

36:46

it's receipt and I my coat my

36:48

cofounder an ice at the farmers bomb

36:51

pastures your with with the animals the

36:53

her with the cows of they're raising

36:55

and and we're out there. Shaking.

36:57

Hands with people were out there eating dinner

36:59

with them and yeah people loved to see

37:01

that they want to know where their food

37:03

comes from arm and they also appreciate I

37:06

think that.the relationship that you have with those

37:08

suppliers as was. Just for them

37:10

to see that first hand is amazing. Content

37:12

in and make some kind of fall in

37:14

love with the brand's a little more and and

37:16

two guys guys point that that should be.

37:19

All. Of your website you've gotta tell that

37:21

story is that Submit No one else to

37:23

replicate. Know else could take that from you.

37:25

Your your grandmother's sorry Grandma New Orleans I

37:27

mean are you kidding me? Toy: Honorable. Toy

37:29

differentiated and you know it's it is is

37:31

a crowded market obviously rice. If you're going

37:33

into big boss at what is it that's

37:36

going to differentiate you guys is creating that

37:38

brand and that brand story around it. And

37:40

I as a real loyal following some

37:43

death every. See sample Do it on

37:45

social all the time. Yeah, he does.

37:47

it's it's quick easy snippets to have

37:49

it on our website with the of

37:51

briefly awkward some lives and on your

37:53

bags Brand your bags and. Tell

37:56

that just a little paragraph. it doesn't have to

37:58

be a not use this season. The be

38:00

nine, six and the she

38:02

was just. Just an

38:05

amazing. Woman who was

38:07

a. Great. For some my

38:09

life so tough pay homage to her

38:11

was. Just. As. I'm

38:14

concerned. I mean, maybe there's

38:16

even like a stylized photo of her

38:18

that you would put on on an

38:20

island. Something anything like that. It's such

38:22

a cool story. I'm Brandy. It's my

38:24

take away here. He is. Consider.

38:27

Starting with Whole Foods, And.

38:30

To. Scaling America's I think I'm you have

38:32

so much experience. Obviously, you're making a great

38:34

premium product now. It's just a matter of

38:36

okay. let me take the next step. and

38:39

then it's like one sort of. Pretty.

38:41

Big step in and one giant leap after

38:43

that. I would say I'm near

38:45

with this type of product. One of the

38:47

other things when you go into retail don't

38:49

fall into the trap of try to compete

38:51

on price. You are going to be the

38:53

little guy coming into the space mean into

38:55

your story, when into the premium aspects of

38:57

the products and put a premium price on

38:59

it because people will won't have a problem

39:01

paying for it as long as they in

39:03

are you telling his story the right way

39:05

He up and t is the new wine

39:07

brandy. No one's drinking booze anymore. Everyone wants

39:09

to drink so they want the flavors they

39:11

want. the terroir. Well thank you for spending

39:13

a ton. Of the day I'm feeling

39:15

from season to season. Thanks Brandy! good luck

39:17

will be falling. You think you. Ninety

39:21

Sexy Little Ninety Six drinking tea. I

39:23

mean that's a selling point right there

39:25

You want little ninety Other I was

39:27

going to save It is a longevity

39:29

t that are missing for I have

39:31

a single skewed his role at everywhere.

39:33

I'd buy that right now right? I

39:36

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T. Hey,

39:44

we're getting another quick break but when we come back

39:46

and just a moment, we're gonna hear from our third

39:48

and final call. Or stay with us and Guy Rise

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netsweet.com/built. Hey,

42:33

welcome back to the Advice Line here on

42:35

How I Built This Lab. I'm Guy Roz.

42:37

Pete, what do you think? Should we take

42:39

another call? Let's do it. Alright, who

42:42

is on the line? I think it's Jake.

42:44

Is this Jake? This is Jake. How are you?

42:47

Welcome, Jake. Introduce yourself. Tell us the name

42:49

of your business and where

42:51

you from. Yeah, my name is Jake

42:53

Meyer. I own Annie Alaska, Inc. I

42:56

am from Alaska originally and

42:58

we have a commercial salmon business

43:00

out in Bristol Bay out in

43:02

the bush. And what's your

43:05

question for Pete? Yeah, my big question

43:07

is I'm trying to take

43:09

our salmon that we catch and go

43:12

the direct-to- consumer route if

43:14

I should. I'm kind of exploring all

43:16

the different options. We're in the baby

43:18

stages. I just purchased this operation I

43:20

used to work for but the

43:23

price for salmon is pretty volatile out

43:25

in Alaska. And so

43:27

what I'm nervous about is putting all our

43:29

life savings into this company and if we

43:31

get a bad price, like we're

43:33

probably going to lose a lot

43:35

of the life we've tried to build. So

43:38

that's why I'm trying to go direct to consumer,

43:40

get a little bit better margins

43:44

and make the business a little more

43:46

stable rather than just hope that there's

43:48

a good price. In

43:50

this baby stage we're pretty slim

43:52

on cash. We just invested in

43:55

two boats, four nets. I've tried

43:57

a few different marketing strategies on

43:59

Instagram and Facebook. book, we've tried

44:01

Google ads, we've tried really just

44:04

trying to get our name out

44:06

there, at least here in Utah is where we live

44:08

currently. But my questions are

44:10

like what's the best route to go

44:13

in this baby stage? Is

44:15

it advertising? Should I approach

44:18

grocery stores? A lot

44:20

of the stories that even you've told Pete

44:22

have me kind of worried about even talking

44:24

to grocery stores or should I

44:26

start those then go direct to consumer? So you

44:29

you're going to be spending the summer because

44:31

that's the season right for fishing. You're going

44:33

to be spending the summer, you yourself presumably

44:36

fishing for salmon and instead of trying

44:39

to sell it to distributors because there's

44:41

less predictability, you want to go D

44:43

to C. You want to go directly to consumers, ideally

44:45

in Utah and sell to

44:48

people there because you know that you can get better

44:50

prices. Is that is that more or less right? Yeah

44:52

that's correct. And how did you come

44:55

into this world? How did you do I mean did

44:57

you grow up fishing? Like how did you come into

44:59

to starting this business?

45:01

Yeah so I was born and raised

45:03

small little town Kenai, Alaska. It's

45:06

funny because I'm not a big fisherman.

45:09

Fishing to me is more of a job. A

45:11

lot of people die to go fish and for

45:14

some reason go throw a line out and wait for

45:16

a fish. But to me it's a job. It's not

45:19

my hobby of choice. I used

45:21

to work for a good family friend. I

45:24

was a deckhand and kind of got promoted

45:26

to a captain and I'm

45:28

making this small percentage on a

45:31

decent operation where the owners didn't really

45:33

do anything. It was very hands-off and

45:36

the last year in a month

45:38

I made $40,000 but I

45:41

was just the captain and the owners really

45:43

I saw the potential of why

45:45

don't I go buy this thing and I would

45:47

love to be in their position because I was

45:49

only making a small percentage. And

45:51

you can make enough for the entire

45:53

year easily in one season.

45:55

Like you can if it's a good

45:58

season you can crush even hundreds of thousands of dollars. right?

46:00

Yeah. The last year I was out

46:03

there on the operation and six. It's

46:05

about a six week season, but it

46:07

polls close to three hundred fifty thousand

46:09

dollars. net that says that. Wow, Spencer's

46:11

so that basically sets you up to

46:14

see you. Not to really do you

46:16

have to work for less the year

46:18

if it's a good season, right? Yeah,

46:20

and then on a bad season like

46:22

this last year it only made like

46:25

maybe forty or fifty thousand dollars. And

46:27

so that's where the ball equality of

46:29

the prices really scares. Me some excited

46:31

for the the half years but

46:34

I'm also I'm on kind of

46:36

for some storms and. Due. Due

46:38

to see yeah and I did

46:40

take touch the right. Seems like

46:42

you wanted to bring all the

46:44

salmon to Utah and then distributed

46:46

at a As and site there

46:48

but I wonder is there a

46:50

world where you would consider working

46:52

with a third party fulfillment group

46:54

to ship salmon and then and

46:56

then to maybe expand the potential

46:58

customer base from just northern into

47:00

Utah of because I keep seeing

47:02

a butcher box with on the

47:04

show but it sounds like you

47:06

want your derby fishing. The sammy her

47:09

be cleaning them and and butchering them

47:11

and you're gonna be flying them to

47:13

Utah and then delivering them to people

47:15

And mean that is an amazing That's

47:18

amazing service. So you're really going for

47:20

a very premium product, but To is

47:22

a relatively small. Customer.

47:24

Bases is at fair to say. Yes,

47:27

Maybe that's why we're just focusing on Utah.

47:29

The one thing we do our source is

47:31

for landing so there is a facility next

47:33

to our operation that will fillet it and

47:36

they have their licenses to fillet and things

47:38

like that's the window through the sack the

47:40

Us and then it's up to us. I

47:42

mean her we're gonna sell it to. So

47:44

pete if he wanted to go to grocery,

47:47

let's say. Or. How would he

47:49

starts? So going to groceries gonna

47:51

be just. Networking. write something

47:53

big walking into the grocery store and by the way

47:55

where the way i would start this is not going

47:58

to the chains i would go to independent

48:00

grocery stores first, because you're

48:02

not gonna go to a big grocery chain and say,

48:04

hey, I wanna take over all of your salmon supply.

48:07

You do need to show some track record. I

48:09

think for any new item going to a grocery

48:12

store, they do wanna see some sort of record

48:14

of success. So you've gotta show that

48:17

and get people comfortable with that. A

48:20

few other things I would think about is, how are you

48:23

gonna be packaging this? Is it gonna be in soles? I

48:25

think I read somewhere that you keep the bones in. Is

48:28

that normal or is that, or are these

48:30

usually deboned? Cause I actually don't buy a

48:32

lot of salmon, quite honestly. So I

48:34

just wanna understand. No, there's bones. You gotta get pliers

48:36

and pull them out. You gotta

48:38

eat your salmon, Pete. What we really

48:40

need Pete is we need to make a salmon

48:43

chomp. Yeah. That

48:45

would sell. So that led me

48:47

to another question for you is, if

48:50

selling the salmon fillets, if

48:53

that is kind of a difficult uphill battle,

48:55

is there some sort of value add product

48:58

whether it's can salmon or is it salmon jerky

49:00

or some other format that you can get into

49:03

to go into grocery and help build a brand?

49:05

Is that something to think about? To

49:08

get in front of people now, one of the

49:10

things that work for us the best is driving

49:12

trial and driving trial means like sampling. Like what

49:15

can I do to get my product into people's

49:17

mouths because that's what sells more chomps, right? I

49:20

think that's one of the things that you need to

49:22

do. I think it's really difficult to do that through

49:24

a website. So you getting out to, are you doing

49:26

the farmer's markets and getting

49:28

in front of people and helping them try the product

49:30

first hand before asking them to buy? So

49:33

not yet an issue with farmers markets

49:35

it's right during our salmon season. So

49:37

we're gone for most of them. We

49:40

do have a farmer, they're

49:43

pretty popular here in Utah that they sell a lot

49:45

of fruit. And we have him on

49:47

board. He wants 3000 pounds to just sell out

49:49

of his and that'll hopefully

49:52

get the word out. And we've given it

49:54

out to everybody we know here in Utah

49:56

and we've gotten a few orders from there.

50:00

have about 500 pounds ordered, but

50:02

it was just this excitement on like Facebook

50:04

Marketplace was literally where 90% of the 500

50:06

pounds came from, and then it just

50:10

kind of died. But Jake, you

50:12

now have a few months before the

50:15

season starts, right, before you

50:17

are actually in Bristol Bay or wherever you're

50:19

gonna be fishing for the salmon,

50:22

you have to use this time to sell and

50:24

sell and sell, right? And so I'm looking at

50:26

your website, I'm reading a little bit about you,

50:28

I see that you are a missionary for

50:30

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

50:33

It would seem to me that the

50:35

natural place to start is in your

50:37

community, right? It is with the people

50:39

you know emails, ask

50:42

them to email people. I'm sure you've done versions

50:44

of this, but you've got to do it again

50:46

and again. I mean, you know this as a

50:49

missionary, you gotta knock on a hundred doors before

50:51

one person's gonna talk to you, right? So it's

50:53

about persistence, about going out there,

50:56

talking about your product, and because

50:58

it's your first year, you've

51:00

got to start with the people you know,

51:02

because it's next year that you're working

51:04

on. It's the repeat orders and the other people

51:07

who are like, wow, where can I get that

51:09

amazing salmon, right? Does that make sense? Yes,

51:11

a hundred percent, and to

51:13

be honest, I also, I did, after I

51:16

fished on this boat, I went and did

51:18

five years of door-to-door sales for

51:20

solar out in California. Amazing! And I

51:22

could go knock doors if that's what

51:24

it's gonna take, but are

51:26

there better routes to get it

51:28

off the ground? What if you can

51:31

cut a deal with a local restaurant? What if you go

51:33

to some local restaurants and say, look, I'm

51:35

gonna bring the best salmon in the United

51:37

States here to Utah, and I will,

51:39

you know, I will sell it to you for, you

51:42

know, $12 a pound or something like

51:44

that. It's just, just to see, but

51:46

in exchange, I want you on your

51:48

menu to say, you know, this comes

51:50

from any Alaska, from Bristol Bay. Something

51:53

like that. I've made a few phone calls there,

51:55

and of course, probably not enough. I just don't

51:57

know. Should I go that route? Should I keep

51:59

knocking? Knocking those doors or

52:01

which way to go? Knocking

52:04

on doors is going to be your best bet, like hands

52:07

down. I mean if I could scale that with what

52:09

I do, I would do that all day long because

52:11

I'm going to get to sale man every time. And

52:14

to be honest with you, someone actually knocked on

52:16

my door yesterday selling meat and fish and

52:18

my wife's like, took his card and she's going to call him

52:20

and she's going to order stuff. So it

52:23

works and it worked at our house. So a

52:27

few things here. So you have a really cool

52:29

story. I was looking on the website, just reading

52:31

about the family, the whole family angle, where

52:33

you started, the fact that you like knocked

52:35

on doors to go raise enough money to

52:38

start this business is also really cool. I

52:40

think you have a goldmine of various

52:43

types of content that you should be

52:45

putting out, getting out there, getting footage

52:47

of you guys actually catching the fish.

52:50

People want to find out, they want to know where the

52:52

product came from. This does not cost a lot of money.

52:54

You could use your iPhone, put it on your

52:57

social media channels, get it on TikTok, you

52:59

can get it on Instagram. I

53:01

think you have to start telling your story. Even

53:04

if you've got 10 followers, people, you've got

53:06

the benefits of wild salmon on your website,

53:09

but shout it from the rafters. Go just

53:11

use your iPhone, go walk around wherever you

53:13

are, if you're in Alaska or in Utah

53:15

and say, wild salmon is different than farm

53:18

salmon. Farm salmon is not the

53:20

same thing and you only get fresh wild

53:22

salmon these months of the year and I

53:24

can get it to you. Here's what's amazing

53:27

about wild salmon. Yeah, Jake, I think leaning

53:30

into recipes and cooking, if you could work with some

53:32

chefs or maybe if your wife or you are a

53:34

good cook, start doing that, show

53:36

people how to use the product. I

53:38

would probably leverage it. People get excited about the product

53:40

being delivered to them or

53:43

just again, reviews, people eating their dinner

53:45

and enjoying your product and have them

53:47

talking to the camera saying this is

53:49

amazing, you should order it. What

53:52

you're talking about is exactly what you should be

53:54

focused on, Jake, which is setting yourself up for

53:56

year two. Year one, it's going

53:58

to be all about nine. Working on doors,

54:00

talking to people getting people to restaurants

54:03

whoever you can order a year to,

54:05

it's getting those people who ordered to

54:07

do exactly what Peta saying to write

54:09

reviews to post them on the web

54:11

sites. job have photos of which are

54:14

doing a recipes and you can take

54:16

one your salmon Yale, salmon tails and

54:18

a make grub lox right? Salt, sugar,

54:20

some deal you read that thing up

54:22

and slice of them. You. Know

54:24

how delicious that is right? Yeah, of course

54:27

none were were biggest consumer as has else.

54:29

we eat it all the time. I super

54:31

believe in it. To. Give have

54:34

content from you guys fishing. Yeah, it's is

54:36

not professional and my wife and I were

54:38

were both china marketed and I'm the guy

54:40

that I just want to push it. push

54:42

it, push it, push it. And she's kind

54:45

of the one that I know. That that

54:47

that doesn't look good, That doesn't. Look

54:49

professional, just get pushed that out to

54:51

just put it out. That. A specific

54:53

I think if you could just tell your family,

54:56

your your story. Exactly. As as

54:58

what's on the website. Tell that to

55:00

the camera, talk, talk to it, make

55:02

a thirty second video and get every

55:04

everybody you can share it. Now gearing

55:06

up for as this season on. And

55:09

they give you spend a couple days working on magically

55:11

Even Doesn't have to be the best in the continent.

55:13

Their quality of the video. Do not even worry about

55:15

that because people totally get out. Or

55:17

it take my take away for you

55:19

is. Not. Lock lox sell

55:22

sell, sell, Still, Out there

55:24

now and start thinking about building your

55:26

customer base for next season. This for

55:28

seasons Emil a Harder but she gotta

55:30

go out there and you've got a

55:32

pound the pavement and you've just gotta

55:34

make the sale. You know how to

55:36

do it clearly. So. You got

55:38

a start? Over do that. People.

55:41

but. I'm I'm fired up by the

55:43

Us. I think you're you're You're on the some

55:45

big here as since you've I am. I commend

55:47

you for him pivoting the way you have and

55:49

doing all the things that you've you've done to

55:51

get to this point. But don't stop now because

55:53

you used to take indoors as a good attitude.

55:55

again exactly what guy said. That's your big opportunity

55:57

the you go shaking hands with people, the telling

55:59

them what you're working on and they're gonna want

56:01

to support you. Take. My are

56:04

any Alaska? Good. Luck will be

56:06

falling. You think so much of a knock

56:08

on doors? And I

56:10

really wanted some grub lox right now. I can't

56:12

be your like a paleo guy. Can't leave. You

56:14

don't need Sam. I don't. You know I don't

56:16

need any specified on Potter. And them

56:18

and Dahlia as I am in Florida

56:20

stays warm Yet how to my he

56:22

A gruber, a snapper and I smoked

56:24

salmon I've had. I've had a front

56:27

of my May that was amazing. South's

56:29

if I could replicate that I would

56:31

do it. Nine come to my house

56:33

your muscle cell on that same year

56:35

up here in the Bay Area. Awesome!

56:37

On and Pete we've had bagels and

56:40

salmon. And t I mean I

56:42

love it. I mean this will have of

56:44

are so that we though that everyone who

56:46

listens lost his entrepreneur or has business A

56:48

lot of people do and they're set This

56:50

I mean you were there you are. They.

56:52

Are not the laws of trafficker out or it how

56:54

we get this? Meet stick

56:56

into one store and and five stores.

56:58

And and to five Down Source: Exactly

57:01

Again, it's as being bold and getting out

57:03

and doing things that other people won't And

57:06

as I think that's the name again, And

57:09

you're gonna get knows. I think that's

57:11

the biggest thing you'll hear more knows

57:13

the Nasa's as. By. Prisoners everywhere I

57:15

go. but it's about being resilience, set your

57:18

eyes in the prize that your vision and

57:20

do not break. it was keep our deal.

57:23

By the if you guys haven't heard

57:25

the tops episode it is so good.

57:27

It's full of the best kind of

57:30

things that we love our show. failure,

57:32

setbacks, you know crises, disasters and then

57:34

this incredible a success story to check

57:36

it out and thank you for listen

57:38

to the show this week. If you

57:41

are working a business and you would

57:43

like some advice one of the other

57:45

so I'm send us a one minute

57:47

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57:49

and issues are questions that you like

57:52

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info in the podcast description so you can see it

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on your smartphone. Thanks for listening, Pete. Thank

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you so much. Thank you for having me. Appreciate

58:15

it. And once again, if

58:17

you want to be on the show, give us a call 1-800-433-1298

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or send us a voice memo to hibt at id.wondery.com. This

58:26

episode was produced by J.C. Howard with

58:29

music composed by Ramtin Arablui. It was

58:31

edited by John Isabella. Our audio

58:33

engineer was Gilly Moon. Our production

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staff also includes Alex Chung, Carla

58:37

Estesvez, Casey Herman, Chris Messini, Elaine

58:39

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58:41

Agadello, Viva Grant, and Sam Paulsen.

58:43

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they overlooked their own fine print

59:35

in a major way. I'm Misha

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Brown and I'm the host of

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Wondery's podcast The Big Flop. Every

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week, guests join me to chronicle

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one of the biggest pop culture fails

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of all time, like Who at

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Pepsi? I thought it would be a

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good idea to advertise that people could

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earn enough points to redeem a military

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jet as a prize. They never imagined

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somebody might act like a