Columbus Entrepreneurs' Podcast

Neal is involved in the advertising world as well as a new business venture, but also served as Kevin’s navigator as he joined EO. Join us for today’s episode to see how Neal got started in the entrepreneurial world, how he got involved with EO, some of the triumphs and struggles of his journey, and how he has solidified his identity as an entrepreneur with his new business venture.

Key Takeaways:

[1:02] Neal shares his “lifeline” story. Although an advertising venture brought him to EO, back in 2004, he is currently pursuing a new venture called Maamo’s Kitchen. He shares about his life growing up and pursuing studies, and how his parents’ careers inspired him to become an entrepreneur.

[5:56] What was Neal’s first introduction into any type of entrepreneurial activity? Building off the knowledge from his first advertising job, he was hired by another company — ZeroBase — to start their media department.

[10:58] What prompted Neal to join EO? The revenue he made with his company, White Rock Media, qualified him for membership in the group. Now with his new venture, he feels he has much more skin in the game. His journey through these ventures, and the feelings that came along with it have really helped to solidify his identity as an entrepreneur.

[14:04] Kevin and Neal discuss some of the feelings of doubt or inadequacies in terms of revenue and quality of entrepreneurial desires. While real, they may not necessarily be true or accurate.

[17:04] When he first joined EO, Neal really tried to soak up everything, and became involved in the board, which really expanded his knowledge and intention.

[18:40] What advice does Neal have as a parent for kids who are beginning to pursue these types of ventures? How can we encourage our children without saddling them with expectations that aren’t theirs? Neal talks about how his kids were around for the start of Mambo’s Kitchen, and how he hopes that can be inspiring for their future careers and work ethic.

[24:30] Neal discusses some of his mentors, including some of his forum-mates he has met through EO. You can really start to appreciate the way other people problem-solve and perhaps try that in your own work.

[26:36] Neal and Kevin talk about his relationship with business partners, and how that affects business decisions.

[29:45] Neal gives an example of the “Top 5% and Bottom 5%” that is a common practice in forum with EO. This gives some insight into Neal’s current views on his ventures, and how some of these views take into consideration his personal life as well as his business life. This practice of sharing is fundamental to the forum portion of EO.

[37:50] Bouncing off the conversation about his family, Neal and Kevin talk about how the longevity of our working years is possibly increasing, and how that might change our work goals.

[40:23] What platforms does Neal subscribe to for his business? He uses EOS for traction within his business, but will also allow for streamlined communication between his forum-mates.

[44:30] How can listeners help Neal in his venture? His goals right now focus on growing revenue, and he discusses their subgoals to open up new sales channels, to validate what their product could do in a different environment.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Columbus Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization

White Rock Media

Maamo’s Kitchen

To get in touch with Neal: [email protected]

Twitter: @mediathinker

Ilya Bodner, a start-up enthusiast, joins host Kevin Stoller to discuss his different business ventures. Today he has a number of different startups — some local — and he shares his learning experience from his first ventures. In this episode you’ll also learn more about how the EO works, and hear some examples of things they talk about in their groups.

Key Takeaways:

[1:28] Ilya shares his “lifeline” story — moving to Columbus after he immigrated from Russia, he started his own business at the age of 19. Furthering this experience, he had several startup ventures, and learned from the successes and failures of each.

[4:44] What things surprised Ilya when he arrived in the U.S.? In this business world, he is surprised by the wide range of knowledge people have about where he comes from, and how his background affects his interactions with his projects and business ventures.

[8:09] What were the major turning points in Ilya’s ventures early on? His first business partner really showed him how important it is to have a partner that really complements your skill set. He also speaks to the importance of getting focused on what you want to achieve.

[12:04] Ilya explains how he juggles more than one venture at one time, and how he learned over the years to prioritize all the different projects.

[13:35] Kevin and Ilya talk about the way having a family fits into the puzzle of business ventures, and what positive things come in terms of time management and prioritizing.

[16:18] Ilya talks about joining the Columbus chapter of EO, and how joining has helped him network, and influence others by sharing his stories. Even after nearly a year of joining, he is still discovering all that the group has to offer. Ilya discusses some of the things they talk about in their groups, and shares some of his personal testimonies.

[22:04] What would make the next ten or so years of life a success for Ilya? He talks about numbers for his companies, selling some of his ideas, and being comfortable in his own skin, and the success he hopes for his children.

[24:02] Ilya shares the ventures he’s currently working on, and what kinds of people he is looking for, to grow his company. He’d love to have conversations about finding success and growing a happy family.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Columbus Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization

Bold Penguin

ROOT Insurance

The Shipyard, LLC