Bar Napkin Business

TJ Walker is one of the co-founders of Backswing Brewing Company - a new commercial brewing company that's less than 5 years old. The interesting thing about TJ's story is that he's kept his full time job while building this business on the side (mostly off hours and weekends). Learn about some of the risks they've had to take in growing the business, how he balances this crazy passion with his responsibilities as a dad and husband, and why he's looking forward to having a work-free labor day for the first time in 20 years. 

Learn more at backswingbrewing.com or visit them on Facebook. 

This episode is Part II of the interview with Bulu Box co-founder Paul Jarrett. In this interview we dive deeper into the data and analytics side of the business - from the vision of what this looked like early on, to the sale of that part of the company to an outside party. Paul shares what he learned in collecting and managing "big data" and how the sale came from an unlikely conversation. 

We also dive into the advice Paul has for entrepreneurs, and the books and philosophies that helped him grow Bulu Box as a whole. Learn more at www.bulubox.com. 

Bulu Box is the first health, nutrition and weight loss discovery box designed to help you feel your best.  Every month, you'll get a box filled with 4 to 5 premium, curated samples from top brands. In this interview, we talk with co-founder Paul Jarrett about his journey in building Bulu Box, spamming friends in the early days, and managing the tricky dance of asking for money. 

In his career, Paul has launched million dollar brands such as Neebo and executed multi-facted campaigns for Lowe's and Nike. In 2010, Paul joined Complete Nutrition where he became the Vice President of Marketing and an Executive Board Member. He built the MarComm department, trained dozens of franchises and positioned Complete Nutrition and its products for success in a saturated market. The company's growth skyrocketed. In fact, it was one of the fastest growing startups in the U.S. Paul's experience at Complete Nutrition was the precursor to starting his own company. In 2012, Bulu Box was born.

Learn more at www.bulubox.com. 

AMPT is a customizable employee engagement recognition platform for small, medium and enterprise size businesses. Started in 2013, the founders of AMPT realized the current system of engaging and recognizing employees was broke. Combining the talents of a human motivation expert and the founder of a gaming platform, AMPT was created to provide recognition AMPt-lified on the largest of scales. Craig Spilker joined the company as Chief Strategy Officer, after working in a sports technology startup and coaching baseball. In this interview, we talk about the "atta-boys" in the workplace, how you can build a thriving small business culture, and the mindset needed to overcome failure.

Find out more about AMPT at www.amptnow.com or follow them on Facebook or Instagram. 

Tasty Good Toffee is a local favorite for sweets lovers -- boasting mouthwatering flavors and some fun surprises, like toffee with a hint of ghost pepper. But that wasn't always the case for owner Katie Becker, who started the business as a side hustle, or as she says, "more of a hobby to keep grandma's toffee recipe alive". However, after she lost her job, she was forced to act on her dream of taking the business full time. Learn how she has moved from craft shows and pop ups to wholesale, and the critical decisions she needs to make in order for her business to grow. 

Learn more at www.tastygoodtoffee.com, or visit Tasty Good Toffee on Facebook or Instagram! 

In this episode of Bar Napkin Business, we delve into the previous 10 episodes and share nuggets of wisdom from each of our guests. Lessons range from hiring employees and the first scary years of entrepreneurship to money woes and making the numbers work. Get a quick recap of the top 10 lessons, and if you want to dive in even further, go back and listen to the episodes that interest you most!

To learn more about Bar Napkin Business, visit www.barnapkinbusiness.co or visit us on Facebook or Instagram. 

While you receive the tools and training in hair school to be a good cosmetologist, the training of running and growing your own business often comes from the school of hard knocks.

Salon owners Kylie and Steph attribute their business savvy and risk-taking tolerance to the advice of friends and family. Never being afraid to ask questions and keeping an eye on the future rather than short term gains has led them to leasing commercial space and launching the next phase of their business. Listen in on this interview as we talk about the pivotal moments in their business, why they decided to invest in a "suites" model, and what they've learned along the way. 

Learn more about Bah-shah Salon & Suites at their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Bah-shah-salon-suites-151596654927756/. To learn more about Bar Napkin Business or enter the weekly giveaway, visit barnapkinbusiness.co or search Facebook or Instagram for Bar Napkin Business. 

Kelsey Hearnen was one of the early employees of Spreetail - an ecommerce company that started in the founders' garage in 2006, and now employs over 200 people. Fast growing companies like Spreetail have a unique perspective on hiring and on-boarding new talent, often bringing on multiple employees in a single day. In this Bar Napkin Business interview, Kelsey shares the lessons learned along the way, including their specific process for hiring, why culture is as important as salary, and the growing pains they've experienced with the rapid growth of their company!

To learn more about Spreetail, visit www.spreetail.com or www.vminnovations.com or catch them on Facebook by searching "Spreetail". Enter to win the weekly Bar Napkin Business giveaway at our Facebook or Instagram page, or join the email list at www.barnapkinbusiness.co. 

Mac Rodgers has spent the last several decades building and growing businesses in a variety of industries. His resume includes regional manager of a national data company and CEO of a multimillion dollar organization. He now spends his time consulting with small businesses and startups to help them build healthy, sustainable, and profitable businesses. On this episode we dig into the common mistakes that small businesses make and how they can be avoided. Hint: A lot of the mistakes have to do with money, planning, and people.

Get entered to win the weekly Bar Napkin Business giveaway by visiting our Facebook or Instagram page. Behind the scenes footage and tips showcased on our social media accounts as well. For guest ideas, email [email protected].

SP Group is an accounting and CPA firm with a focus on helping clients with not only tax challenges, but also interpreting their numbers and making sound business decisions. Dave Swan, one of the founders of SP Group, started the business at age 27. Originally launching with a business partner, Dave's plans were rattled a bit when his business partner changed his mind a few days after launching the business. Learn more about his journey, tips for growing a service based business, and why they killed their mission statement.

Learn more about SP Group at www.spgrouppc.com. Get entered to win the weekly Bar Napkin Business giveaway by visiting our Facebook or Instagram page.