That Will Never Work

Katie Groves, co-owner of Studio 882, shares her innovative approach to interior design using airport-grade technology. She discusses how monitoring customer flow and facial recognition can personalize the shopping experience. Katie also tackles the challenge of getting her creative team to embrace data, emphasizing the balance of creativity and analytics. The conversation highlights the importance of turning instinct into testable ideas, making data accessible to inspire designers, and fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making.

Jordan DeCicco, Co-founder and COO of Super Coffee, started the brand in his dorm room at just 19. He shares fascinating insights about his journey of scaling the company to $125 million in revenue while overcoming the challenges of maintaining a strong company culture. Discover how he and his brothers tackle the complexities of international expansion, enhance communication within their growing team, and enforce cultural norms through strategic hiring and operations. Jordan's tips provide a practical approach to preserving the spirit of their brand.

Education major Erin has developed a fun new STEM product for kids with her Boeing engineer business partner – a quad drone kit for kids to build and fly. She knows the palm-sized toy drone market is a crowded space, which is why her company Finger Flyer differentiates itself as an educational tool. But why is her strategy of marketing direct to school districts suffering from failure to launch? In this episode Marc explores what pivots she can make to help the company take flight. Can an education product start up ever become profitable or is a business to consumer strategy just a better bet?This episode is part of a two-episode special drop to celebrate International Women’s day, featuring two young female entrepreneurs from High Point University, North Carolina. Be sure to check out our previous episode with grad student Ivana Korankyi who's trying to figure out how much cash she really has to drop to bring her revolutionary lab product Flasky to market. Want to be a guest on That Will Never Work? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form and record the question you’d like Marc’s help with right there on the site. And while you’re there sign up for Marc’s newsletter https://marcrandolph.com/newsletter/Feeling social? Marc would love to hear from you here:Twitter: @mbrandolphInstagram: @ThatWillNeverWork LinkedIn: Marcrandolph   Tiktok: @marc_randolph  

Grad student Ivana needs Marc’s help to figure out a big decision – should she spend $10,000 on a mold for her time saving lab tool Flasky?  Or is there a better way? Her uniquely shaped flask-cleaning tool could save labs everywhere hours in cleaning time and thousands of dollars in drug wastage, benefitting the development of everything from painkillers to cancer drugs.   But how does she convince a sector that has become accustomed to ignoring the problem she’s seeking to solve, to buy in without breaking the bank in the process?Listen in as Marc shares his strategies on how to become a successful entrepreneurially minded product inventor. This episode is part of a two-episode special drop to celebrate International Women’s day, featuring student entrepreneurs from High Point University, North Carolina.  Be sure to check out our second episode with education major Erin Morrow where Marc explores how to get her drone company Finger Flyer onto the flight path to success.   Want to be a guest on That Will Never Work? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form and record the question you’d like Marc’s help with right there on the site. And while you’re there sign up for Marc’s newsletter https://marcrandolph.com/newsletter/Feeling social? Marc would love to hear from you here:Twitter: @mbrandolphInstagram: @ThatWillNeverWork LinkedIn: Marcrandolph   Tiktok: @marc_randolph         

Marc guides engineer Michael through the challenges of taking a smart medicine tray concept to market. They explore the importance of understanding user needs and differentiating from existing solutions like pill organizers. Marc emphasizes discovering real demand through user research and selecting the right target market. Key advice includes fostering deep empathy for potential customers and iterating based on feedback. Ultimately, they discuss how to ensure the product's unique value justifies its purchase.

Explore the crucial 'idea stage' before diving into app development. Marc challenges Kristen's quick-hire platform by questioning its unique value and market demand. He emphasizes the importance of validating ideas through manual processes rather than jumping straight to technology. Insights on investor anxieties about traction paint a clearer picture of what investors look for. Also, discover the benefits of starting small and validating your market before seeking co-founders or funding. A must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs!

As we settle into life in a (hopefully) post-pandemic world, there are a ton of newly launched businesses that are facing a pivot point. These are the entrepreneurs for whom ‘going remote’ was a boon - and now it’s time to figure out if that was a blip or the start of something bigger. In the case of today’s guest, Dustin, a professional drummer with the indie pop band St. Lucia, his drum lesson studio expanded its purview and looks to be poised for success. Marc has some great thoughts on how Dustin should approach his next step in the exploding music education segment, and it's a primer for anyone who’s ready to turn the volume up on their own company.Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Today it’s a crash course in getting your business out of the garage and into the showroom, so to speak. Laurie and PJ, partners in business and life, have already demonstrated the validity of their Van modification business, and attracted a lot of interest through a crowdfunding campaign. Now, it’s time to take it to the big boys, the venture folks. Or is it? Marc walks them through the different scenarios and considerations that come with raising serious funding - and it’s an episode that anyone approaching this stage of their business needs to hear.Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

What do you do when the world’s biggest tech players think they’ve already solved a problem - but you think you can solve it better? That’s what today’s conversation is all about. In order to disrupt, you need to pick your spot - it could be a unique feature, an overlooked customer segment, or just better overall functionality, but if you don’t come with something to outshine the industry titans, your slingshot will be shooting blanks.Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

It sounds like a great problem to have, really. You’ve stood up your dream business, creating a sustainable and profitable entity that’s delivered on your initial goals. Now, you can take a step back from the day to day as an able staff runs the show. But what’s the best approach for a Founder-turned-Board Member to take? And…what’s next? Marc, who has found himself in this role more than once, has some good insights for today’s guest.Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).