Embracing the Entrepreneurial Spirit - Dane Atkinson - Not Another CEO Podcast - Episode #18

Nov 19, 2024

Dane Atkinson, Founder and CEO of Odeko, shares his journey and insights into building a purpose-driven business aimed at supporting small coffee shops. He discusses the tension between growth and profitability, emphasizing resilience and sustainability. Dane reflects on overcoming personal challenges like dyslexia and ADHD, viewing them as unique strengths in his entrepreneurial journey. He highlights the importance of mentorship and community, advocating for transparency in startups as a means to foster a healthy workplace culture.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Cultivating a Wartime Culture Amid Prosperity

02:38 • 2min

The Power of Transparency in Startups

04:38 • 9min

Adapting to Change in Entrepreneurship

13:27 • 19min

From Technology to Milk: Navigating Business Growth

32:15 • 9min

A Bright Future for Small Businesses

41:06 • 2min

Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey

42:47 • 15min

In this episode, Dane Atkinson, Founder and CEO at Odeko, joins David to share his entrepreneurial journey. He covers the challenges of scaling a business, and his vision for small businesses in a rapidly changing world.

Dane offers his personal insights on various topics, from overcoming personal challenges like dyslexia and ADHD to managing growth, profitability, and navigating a shifting economic climate. He reflects on the importance of mentorship, community, and the role of personal growth in leadership.

Takeaways:

Building a Purpose-Driven Business: Odeko is driven by a mission to support small businesses in a business landscape dominated by large corporations. He notes a growing societal trend shifting away from large chains and towards locally owned businesses.
Growth vs. Profitability: There is a dynamic tension between growth and profitability when it comes to startups. Startups often experience pressure to grow rapidly at the expense of profitability. As a company matures the pressure shifts to become profitable rather than grow, as sustainability becomes more important.
Navigating Entrepreneurship with Disabilities: Dane reflects on his personal struggles with dyslexia and ADHD throughout his entrepreneurial journey. He chooses to see them not as obstacles in his way, but unique traits that help fuel his entrepreneurial spirit.
The Role of Mentorship in Growth: Dane credits much of his business success to the mentorship he received early on in his career, especially to those that were willing to share knowledge and help guide him through complex decisions.
Community and Shared Success: As entrepreneurs, it is vital to support and learn from one another, as well as celebrate the successes of others. Founders should reach out to connect with other founders who have had startups and learn from their experiences.

Quote of the Show:

“I think founders so often get stuck on the idea that I have to have the perfect idea… and that's an incredibly hard criteria to get to without data coming back.” - Dane Atkinson

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daneatkinson/
Website: https://odeko.com/

Ways to Tune In:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261
Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast

#NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #Odeko