Raising Capital, Taking Risks, and 20 Years of Friendship | The Scaling Podcast EP 20

In this episode, Aaron Harper sits down with Andrew — a longtime friend and business leader — to talk about 20 years of friendship, the realities of raising capital, and what it really takes to build something meaningful.

We cover stories from college dorm rooms to navigating sharks in the world of venture capital. Whether you're interested in franchising, entrepreneurship, or just a real conversation about growth, this episode has it all.

00:00 - 00:01:17 | Introduction Aaron introduces Andrew, their 20-year friendship, and Andrew's role as an advisor in Rolling Suds.

00:01:17 - 00:08:39 | College Days & Dorm Room Stories Meeting at 18, clashing as roommates, transferring to UCSB, living in Isla Vista, and balancing work with nonstop parties.

00:08:39 - 00:12:07 | Building a Lasting Friendship Why their bond has lasted: differences that complement each other, honesty, and growing through different life stages.

00:12:07 - 00:15:54 | Early Signs of Leadership Aaron's ability to rally people, the Santa Barbara Digital Film Festival, and lessons from executing big visions young.

00:15:54 - 00:20:47 | Reconnecting After Hard Times The fallout during Aaron's darker years, rebuilding their friendship in 2018, meeting Sarah, and opening a new chapter of life.

00:20:47 - 00:25:12 | From Employee to Entrepreneur Aaron's shift from top franchise salesperson to pursuing his own business, influenced partly by Alex Hormozi.

00:25:12 - 00:34:20 | Raising Capital & Taking the Leap Losing his job, burning the boats, and navigating sharks in the water while raising money.

00:34:20 - 00:40:06 | Learning Fast & Building Support Systems Crash course in deal structures, protecting ownership, and leaning on trusted advisors.

00:40:06 - 00:44:50 | The Value of Honest Feedback Why Andrew chose not to invest or join as co-founder, instead offering outside perspective.

00:44:50 - 00:49:42 | Scaling Rolling Suds Aaron's leadership, startup culture vs franchising, and loneliness in entrepreneurship.

00:49:42 - 00:54:10 | Friendship & Family in Business How honesty, trust, and shared values shape both family life and business growth.

00:54:10 - End | Lessons Learned & The Road Ahead Reflections on 20 years of friendship, building something bigger than yourself, and what's next.