The Necessary Entrepreneur

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Neal Hoffman, a Shark Tanker, CEO of FanRoll by Metallic Dice Games, and Creator of Mensch on a Bench, the most publicized brand to ever come out of Shark Tank. Mensch on a Bench started as a way to bring more Funukkah to Hanukkah.  FanRoll Dice creates high-end accessories and experiences for the tabletop gaming market through creativity and innovation. Mark & Neal talk about when the idea hit for Mensch on a Bench, the struggle to make it happen, and pitching it on Shark Tank. Neal also talks about buying and marketing FanRoll Dice, failing small, not fearing rejection, knowing what you’re good at, learning your breaking point, taking strategic risks, having an expandable capacity, and the importance of community and sticking together. Mark's favorite is when Neal talks about knowing where to make money and where to make a difference. Find out more about Neal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neal-hoffman-8a2306/ https://www.facebook.com/neal.hoffman Find out more about Mensch on a Bench: https://themenschonabench.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheMenschOnABench https://www.instagram.com/menschonabench/ https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fmenschonabench https://www.youtube.com/@themenschonabench167   Find out more about FanRoll by Metallic Dice Games: https://www.facebook.com/FanRollDice https://www.instagram.com/fanrolldice/ https://fanrolldice.com/   Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Tomas Keenan from Step It Up Academy. He is an example of “Technician turned CEO”. He began his career as a custom car audio installer. He co-founded an industry-leading GPS Tracking and Dashboard Camera installation company, growing it to a 7-figure business and later moved into the coaching space for industry leaders and business owners. Mark & Tomas talk about how he learned a strong work ethic from his uncles in his youth, how he finished up high school, gained experience in the mobile audio space, and how college isn’t the best path for everyone. They talk about building a community for the people within your space, being the coach you would hire, keep pushing forward, & trust the process even when you don’t initially see the results. Find out more about Tomas Keenan & Step It Up Academy: Websites:  http://www.stepitupacademy.com http://www.tomaskeenan.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/tom.keenan.988 https://www.facebook.com/tomaskeenan.tci https://www.facebook.com/groups/577321710763781 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theintegratorcoach YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tomaskeenan Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Dan Oliver of Dan-O's Seasoning. Dan-O’s Seasoning was founded in 2017 near Louisville, KY and has become one of the fastest growing seasoning companies in America with a mission to change the world one table at a time, aiming to inspire people to cook up a whole lotta fun with the best all-natural, sugar-free, low-sodium seasoning products available in the market. With over 6.5 million followers across social media platforms and retail offerings in over 30,000 stores, people can’t get enough of that Yum Yum Get Ya Sum! Mark & Dan talk about high school football days, Gary Vee’s influence to make video content, how starting a business is simple but not easy, the best investment is people who don’t have a backup plan, it takes a successful team to be successful, have an authenticity in your product, and Dan’s best social media advice. Find out more about Dan-O's Seasoning: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danosseasoning/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danosseasoning?lang=en Website: https://danosseasoning.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danosseasoning/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/danos-seasoning/ @DanOsSeasoning Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/    

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Kenny Koepnick from The Toy Department in Fairfield Ohio. The Toy Department is a premier destination for collecting and nostalgia. It was founded near the beginning of 2018 by 4 friends who realized how much the area lacked the presence of a great toy store. They strive to bring back that old toy store feel we all grew up with by stocking the highest quality and largest variety of toys and collectibles around. They moved to an even larger location earlier this year, so they can continue to grow and to keep up with customer demand. Kenny has been dealing toys for nearly 15 years and is the store manager at The Toy Department. Mark & Kenny talk about what it took for Kenny to step away from the corporate world and jump into the toy industry, why the midwest is great for collectibles, how prototype toys are made, and Kenny’s holy grail in his collection. They also discuss being necessary, being the best version of ourselves that we can be and what to do when we feel like quitting. They even dig into conspiracy theories surrounding the Wonderbread HeMan action figure. Find out more about The Toy Department: https://www.toydepartment.net/ https://www.facebook.com/ToyDepartment/ https://www.instagram.com/toydepartment https://www.tiktok.com/@toydept Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/  

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Bobby Mackey. Bobby is a country music singer with a career spanning more than 5 decades and is the owner of Bobby Mackey’s World in Wilder, KY. Bobby found himself at a crossroads of moving to Nashville, or staying local as his career was taking off. He decided to stay in Northern KY and opened Bobby Mackey’s Music World in 1978 next to the same railroad track he worked in his youth. Bobby Mackey’s World could be named The Grand Ole Opry of NKY featuring live traditional country music that has featured the likes of George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, Keith Whitley, and a young Dwight Yoakam. It even has a mechanical bull. Bobby Mackey’s World has been featured on several paranormal television shows including Ghost Adventures which called it one of the 10 most haunted places in America.   Mark and Bobby talk about the business side of opening and running a music venue, what’s changed, what hasn’t 45 years later, and what’s to come. Bobby talks about what he considers country music and how modern country music isn’t country, it just stole the name. He talks about how trends in country music continually change in Nashville, and how he prefers traditional country the way it’s always been. At Bobby Mackey’s Music World, you can hear live country music the way it used to be played.   Find out more about Bobby & Bobby Mackey’s Music World https://www.facebook.com/bobby.mackey.3 https://www.facebook.com/BobbyMackeyFB https://www.instagram.com/bobbymackey8362/ https://twitter.com/BobbyMackey https://www.youtube.com/user/BobbyMackey https://www.gatekeeperparanormal.com/book-a-tour/   Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Cordelia Heaney, President & CEO, Corporation for Findlay Market. Cordelia is an experienced leader in food access, gender equity and economic justice advocacy, with a background including non-profit, government and higher education. Her multi-sector knowledge brings unique skills to diverse organizations. Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest continuously operated public market that connects farmers, producers, sellers, and customers since 1852. It is one of Cincinnati's most cherished institutions, welcoming more than one million visitors each year. Findlay Market was voted Top 10 Public Markets in the World by Newsweek Magazine in 2019. Findlay Market Opening Day Parage is a legendary Cincinnati Tradition for over 100 years. Mark & Cordelia dig into Cordelia's background personally and professionally. They get into some details about the significance of Findlay Market and if public markets will be a thing in the US in the next 100 years or so. They discuss public markets vs grocery markets, non profit organizations vs for profit organizations, using passion to become an expert in something, and how Cincinnati is becoming the Food Destination of the Midwest. Find out more about Cordelia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordelia-heaney-304b7a15/ Find out more about Findlay Market: https://www.findlaymarket.org/ https://www.instagram.com/findlaymarket/ https://www.facebook.com/FindlayMarket/ https://x.com/FindlayMarket?s=20 Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/  

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Will Clarke. Will played college football at West Virginia and was called up to the NFL when he was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014. He also played for the Arlington Renegades, the 2023 XFL Champions. Will coaches Union Raiders Youth Football, and is training to get back into the NFL. Mark & Will talk about growing up in Pittsburgh, the differences between college football, the NFL, and the XFL, the “dog mentality” of the greatest athletes, showing respect to get respect, coaching kids, giving without expectations, and how luxuries are the aftertaste effect from hard work. Will talks about fatherhood, how he wants his kids to grow up, and how everyone needs a dad. Mark dives into Will’s favorite quote “try before you die or always wonder what if”.   Find out more about Will: https://www.instagram.com/willclarke93/ https://twitter.com/W_Clarke98 https://www.facebook.com/william.clarke.3114 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Clarke_(American_football)   Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Ben Schmidt, Purveyor of Hydration, and President Kelly Heekin from HOIST IV-Level Hydration. HOIST is unlike other hydration drinks because it closely matches your body's natural osmolality. It is 110% more hydrating that water with 3x the electrolytes and half the sugar of traditional sports drinks. HOIST is so effective, it's been chosen as the electrolyte hydration solution by the US Military and authorized by the Department of Defense.  Mark, Ben, & Kelly talk about the origins of HOIST, as it began as a hangover cure more than a dozen years ago and how it has been rebranded in redesigned bottles as the "go-to" hydration brand for the US Military. They talk about osmolality and taste components. Ben discusses what he calls the "Midwestern Mindset" as well as Cincinnati enamored success. They talk about their close group of friends, support at thome, scaling their business, working distribution deals across the country, and that it takes tremendous capital to make money.  Find out more about HOIST https://drinkhoist.com/ https://www.facebook.com/drinkhoist https://www.instagram.com/drinkhoist/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hoist-recovery-drink/ Find out more about Ben Schmidt https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidtben/overlay/contact-info/ https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fschmidthb https://www.facebook.com/schmidthb Find out more about Kelly Heekin https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-heekin-61080130/ https://www.facebook.com/kelly.heekin.1 Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes Chef Christian Gill. Christian is the company owner at Christian Gill's Culinary Gang and a Spiceologist at Spiceology. He found inspiration in his grandma's kitchen at a young age. He started his career as a cast member at Walt Disney World and then an executive chef at Cincinnati Art Museum. Later he opened Boomtown Biscuits and Whiskey. He has been on the Food Network and Netflix including winning top prize in Guy’s Grocery Games. He won again on Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge. He was victorious on Beat Bobby Flay and has been on Guy’s Grocery Games: Summer Games, a tournament of previous Grocery Game winners and a colorful competitor on Netflix’s Snack Vs Chef. Mark & Christian talk about being the best you can be, look to see what's still possible, breaking limitations, and how failures eventually become minor inconveniences in hindsight. They also focus on food, including cooking for celebrities, what makes the best restaurant concept, the "Holy Grail" of secret ingredients, and the best dessert to compensate for a shitty meal.  Find out more about Christian Gill: https://www.instagram.com/foodbrushninja/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/froggill https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-gill-144913a2/details/experience/ https://www.tiktok.com/@only_yams https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbkHmL9CZ_f3ksbXVt7Z1zA   Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/    

The Necessary Entrepreneur welcomes John "The Dancing Trucker" Drury. John is a super spreader of joy and social media sensation. With a huge following across social media platforms and millions of views on Tik Tok, John does what he does best, and that is dancing to make people smile. John is a truck driver. At one point he lost 100 lbs doing Zumba, eventually became a Zumba instructor. He's been on Steve Harvey, danced with Mario Lopez, and auditioned for America's Got Talent. After overcoming mass adversity in many facets of life, he now dances to promote peace. Mark & John talk about facing adversity, growing up poor, surrounding yourself with good people, doing what you love, stiving to grow and continue getting better.   Find out more about The Dancing Trucker: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedancingtrucker1 https://www.facebook.com/john.drury.10297 https://www.instagram.com/the_dancing_trucker/ @TheDrury1150   Connect With Us: Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/