The Dirt Dog Pod

Dan Reese, President of The Milkshake Factory, transitioned from Kraft Heinz to the world of family-owned sweets. He shares the compelling narrative of a century-old chocolate business that ventured into milkshakes. Dan highlights the challenges of entrepreneurship, from managing urban retail dynamics to the excitement of franchising. He also discusses the importance of consistency in product offerings and reflects on the short-lived 'Jake Shake,' reminding listeners of the sweet successes and lessons learned in business.

Brian Cannard, a former real estate manager with over 37 years of experience at REI and Home Depot, shares his passion for the outdoors as a volunteer park ranger at Mount Rainier. He regales listeners with tales of constructing flagship stores and adapting to real estate challenges in the retail sector. Brian reflects on his Alaskan adventures and the unique community-focused philosophy that shaped his career. His insights into strategic decision-making in retail also highlight the importance of teamwork and collaboration in overcoming industry hurdles.

After spending the early days of his career as a leasing broker in the pacific northwest Jim joined the expanding haircutting company Great Clips. Jim has worked as a real estate manager for Great Clips for nearly 25 years and been a big part of their massive expansion in that time period. Jim gives us an interesting look into the structure of the company as well as how they look at real estate and growing the brand.In this episode, we discuss: Jim's wealth of experience from a long run with one company Jim's love of nature and the importance of breaking from the grind to get in the right head space The issues that many developers are facing with developing multi-tenant product like the kind Great Clips normal leases

Daniel Batty, Chief Development Officer at Swig, brings a wealth of experience from his time at Dutch Bros Coffee and McDonald's. He dives into his journey of thriving in the beverage industry, emphasizing Swig's unique market position and community commitment. Batty discusses rapid store expansion and the importance of teamwork in scaling effectively. He also shares insights on the challenges of modular designs in food service and the pivotal role of mentorship throughout his diverse career. Expect an inspiring look at innovation and growth!

Aaron Harris, Senior VP of Development for Dutch Bros Coffee, has a wealth of experience in retail real estate. In this conversation, he discusses the remarkable growth of Dutch Bros, which is on track to exceed 1,000 locations. He shares insights about building brand culture and the significance of community engagement. Additionally, Aaron reminisces about his time in wrestling, contrasting the tough exterior of wrestlers with their authentic selves. Expect wild stories and valuable lessons from his journey!

This episode is meant to be a quick trailer to showcase what The Dirt Dog Pod is all about and what to expect from future episodes. We hope you will be joining us in the future when we push out full episodes to the public. Subscribe for updates on the latest releases and listen to the stories of these amazing Dirt Dogs.