The Build Cycle

One of the biggest hurdles to managing startup life is balancing expectations at home with the drive to spend every waking hour (and every last ounce of energy) launching your company and fostering its growth. It can be all consuming, which leaves little for anything else. Brendan Moore, co-founder of cycling components brand Wolf Tooth Components shares how he and his wife set expectations in advance, and set some boundaries, which set the stage for them to succeed professionally and personally. And that was a welcome bonus for this interview, which was originally conceived as a lesson on how to deal with product ideas and submissions from your customers. It's a concept that's rife with pitfalls, and can become a sticky mess if not handled properly. Brendan tells us how they do it, how and why they work with select outside designers, and why they pretty much don't want you to share your ideas with them. It's fun, and very enlightening. For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at tylerbenedict.com/podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

This is the first episode I’ve done where we talk about retail strategy, but there’s a strong undercurrent of brand communication strategy throughout. And there’s a lot of different facets to building community around your brand, having meaningful conversations with your customers, and integrating your products, service or brand into their lives. There’s literally something here for any company looking to improve any of those aspects. My guest is Alex Barseghian, author of Local Motion, a book that details how brands both small and large can build a real relationship with their customers to turn them from one time buyers to lifelong loyalists. And If you want to get ta little freaked out about how you’re being tracked? Be sure to listen all the way through to hear what can be done with loyalty programs and how major global brands and small mom and pops can all track basically everything you see, do, and want. For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at tylerbenedict.com/podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

CBD oil and products are one of the hottest industries right now. I literally get 4 oorur 5 emails from PR companies and new brands every week trying to get us to post a story about their new CBD oil. It sounds a whole lot like the energy drink boom 15 years ago when there were literally twenty new brands launching every week. And then disappearing just as fast. So what’s the deal? What’s changed in the hemp industry and legal status that’s causing CBD to blow up? And how hard it is to start a CBD brand and business? What other opportunities are there?   My guest today is Caleb Simpson, founder of Hemp Daddy’s Therapeutics, a premium CBD brand that’s going consumer direct. He tells us why there’s a boom, what sort of growth and regulation might be coming soon, and some tips if you’re looking to get into this fast growing industry! For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

I really struggled with how to title this episode. Stefan Loble is the founder of Bluffworks, a clothing company that makes travel clothes that don't look like travel clothes. So, our conversation is based on his apparel brand, and it does provide a fascinating and revealing look at how the fashion and garment industry works. But, this is a wide ranging episode that goes far beyond the apparel industry, with concepts you can apply in your own business, regardless of your industry. Stefan's story rings so true for so many entrepreneurs. First, he found something that he really liked but wasn't readily available. Second, he became miserable in his job. Which is a great starting point for launching a company if a) you're willing to do something about it, and b) you have the courage to leave your job. How he did it provides some key lessons for any entrepreneur. And how he's grown the brand has lessons for those of us who've already made the leap and are trying to figure out the next steps. For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

As an entrepeneur, the one thing I struggle with most is finding the time to do the important work that grows my business. But Belay Solutions co-founder Bryan Miles has figured it out, owning a company with 700 plus people. Notice I said "owning" a company, not "running" it. That's an important distinction, and truly "Owning" it can only happen when you learn to delegate. Belay Solutions launched in 2010 when Bryan and his wife, Shannon, both tired of working full time for others. He had been using a virtual assistant on his own, and with the Four Hour Workweek popularizing the concept, he saw a need for a U.S.-based option that could do things an offshore firm couldn't. In this episode we talk about how you can offload the things that bog you down -whether that's to an assistant or your employees- plus, how to find a good personal assistant, and ways you can stop "running" your company and start "owning" it. Please welcome, Bryan Miles! For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

How does a former pro NFL player launch one of the fastest growing meat snacks in the country? If you think it's only because he was a celebrity athlete, think again. Stryve Biltong co-founder Gabe Carimi switched gears from playing for the Atlanta Falcons to assembling a team of business all stars and working both smart and hard. This episode is packed with advice for anyone launching a consumer packaged good, but especially one in the food or beverage space. This is an extremely wide ranging conversation - we talk about: finding the right partners acquiring manufacturing stifling competition getting into major retail chains marketing and sampling why direct-to-consumer online sales isn't the future they're chasing. Here's another interesting thing: All three co-founders are very, very wealthy. So why did they take on outside investment capital? Also, what the heck is Biltong? If you've ever wondered what it takes to bring a food product to market, our conversation will open your eyes! For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at https://wp.me/p8iNgs-kP and find every episode at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Everyone wants to get better at sales, but once you've had some success, could you explain why? Could you repeat that and train others to mimic that success? Cirrus Insight cofounder Brandon Bruce has grown his sales integration software company into a $12MM business by focusing on the process and creating systems that show where growth comes from and how to replicate it. But there's a surprising benefit to this: It allows you to predict potential customers' needs, which you can use to lead them down your sales path and get them invested in your product or service before you ever make the sales pitch! We talk about that and a whole lot more of the challenges startups face early on when trying to figure out how to create a sales system for their company. For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

What if I told you that some of your people are dragging you down? That they're slowing your growth and limiting your company's potential? Would you know who they are? If not, do you want to know how to find them? And get rid of them? That's exactly what my guest today will teach us, and it's massively entertaining! Jeffrey Hayzlett recounts his time as CMO of Eastman Kodak and how he reset the culture to one of accountability and results-oriented action by weeding out the naysayers and "Negative Nancies" one by one.  Fair warning, he gets animated. And there's a bit of language. But this is one of my most fun episodes yet, and I know you're going to love it. It's also my first live recording, so be sure to stick around to the end for bonus questions from the audience. For full show notes, links and images, check out this episode's show notes. And find every episode at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

This episode discusses two important things any entrepreneur should know. First, how to use sponsorships to grow your brand and sales. Second, and much more important, is how to lead.  Santini is an Italian, family run premium cycling apparel company doing north of $30 million in annual sales. Started more than 60 years ago by her father, Monica Santini now runs the company her younger sister heading the marketing department. Together, they've grown through strategic sponsorship alliances and by cultivating their retail network. In this episode we discuss how they make those deals work for them, then transition into some of the challenges and benefits of being a female leader. Here's the important part: Her advice will help any leader foster a world class work environment that attracts and retains the best employees. Full this show's notes: https://wp.me/p8iNgs-k5 For all show notes, links and images, check out TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Are you stuck figuring out what kind of business to start, how to start it, or just tired of being a Wantrapreneur? Or do you just feel like you’re spinning your wheels with busy work? Or you can’t figure out out how to optimize for real growth? Yeah? Then you’re going to LOVE this episode!   My guest is AppSumo founder Noah Kagan, and he’s constantly launching new companies to solve his own pain points. Today, he walks us through how to come up with a new idea, launch a company, and grow it from scratch by simply taking something you’re already doing and finding a way to charge people for it.   And if you’re already established, he tells us how we can grow our business by doubling down on what works and focusing our efforts on the things that actually move the needle. Whether you’re just starting out or trying to find ways to scale things up, this episode is sure to both entertain and enlighten! Please welcome Noah Kagan! For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.