The Founderz Lounge Episode #73 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.

Don and Steve are back with another round of Business & Bullsh*t, where real entrepreneurs break down what’s happening in business, what’s changing in culture, and what owners need to stop whining about and start fixing.

This one starts light, then gets real fast.

They rip through the top menu trends shaping 2025, from boba and Dubai chocolate to Korean flavors, matcha, protein overload, pickles, and the rise of mocktails as younger consumers drink less.

Then Steve pulls a weird one from CES. A lollipop that lets you “listen” to music through bone conduction while you eat it. It turns into a bigger convo about why brands have to create experiences people cannot get from a screen.

From there, the episode bounces through Black Rock Coffee’s aggressive growth goals and what “Barista First culture” might be doing right, then shifts into theaters reinventing themselves with premium experiences, funnels, and the push toward IMAX and 3D.

But the real core of this episode is the Hot Take.

“It is kind of the norm now for business owners to complain about staffing issues… When are we gonna stop using it as an excuse? And I feel like we either need to adapt or die.”

They unpack why “just pay people more” is not the full answer, how expectations have shifted, why career paths matter more than ever, and what it takes to get people truly engaged. Don shares a direct strategy that has worked for him, and why ownership, not just pay, is what keeps the right people around.

They wrap with a Fast Five full of one-liners, old school nostalgia, and a reminder that excuses are expensive.

Tune in to hear more...

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[01:26] Founderz RoundUp

[05:39] Music-Playing Lollipop Launch

[07:44] Random Bullshit

[10:27] Movie Theater Industry Comeback

[15:36] Founderz Hot Takes

[19:37] Building Career Paths for Employees

[24:19] Founderz Fast Five

[28:21] Bringing Back Old Technology

Key Takeaways:  

• “It is kind of the norm now for business owners to complain about staffing issues… and I feel like we either need to adapt or die.” ~Don Varady

• “The money coming in has to be greater than the money going out. Or why do you own a business?” ~Don Varady

• “Where do you want to be here in a few years? What is it that you want? I may not be able to give it to you right now, but let’s build a road to get there.” ~Don Varady

• Younger employees expect clearer career paths and faster progress, not just a paycheck. ~Steve Bon

• Employees want to feel like they are more than a puzzle piece and that their future inside the company actually matters. ~Steve Bon

• “If someone feels underserved, underappreciated, and underpaid, no matter what you do, they are not going to be engaged.” ~Steve Bon

• Giving people a sense of ownership beyond salary is what actually keeps them invested. ~Don Varady

• The brands and businesses that survive are the ones willing to rethink how they motivate people instead of blaming the workforce. ~Steve Bon

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

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