Going Deep with Aaron Watson

TJ Fairchild started Commonplace in 2003 with his wife in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Today, Commonplace has nine locations and TJ is consistently hired to consult with other coffee shops to help get their business established.

In addition to operating coffee shops, Commonplace also roasts their own beans which they sell directly to consumers and wholesale to other coffee companies.

TJ did not have a business background before starting his company, he majored in philosophy and avoided a career in academia to start his firm.

In this episode, TJ and Aaron discuss the equipment needed for a coffee shop, how to develop a soulful environment, and the shortcomings of ‘free trade’ coffee sourcing.

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TJ Fairchild’s Challenge; Be Grateful.

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If you liked this interview, check out episode 455 with Michael Mayer where we discuss his smart scales that automatically ship customers fresh coffee whenever they start running low. You can also check out the interview we did with Patrick Colletti.

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Howie Choset is a robotics professor at Carnegie Mellon University and a serial entrepreneur. With his students, Howie has formed several companies including Medrobotics, for surgical systems, Hebi Robotics, for modular robots, and Bito Robotics for autonomous guided vehicles.

Further, Choset co-lead the formation of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute, which is $250m national institute advancing both technology development and education for robotics in manufacturing. He is aksi a founding Editor of the journal ‘Science Robotics.

In this conversation, Howie and Aaron discuss the series of startups he has founded, how to delegate & develop teams, and the patience required to see technological innovation turn from idea to reality.

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Howie Choset’s Challenge; Have good students actively teach students that are further behind. Go into fields that seem too difficult. Find applications for snake robots.

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If you liked this interview, check out episode 306 with Bryan Salesky where we discuss raising billions of dollars to develop self-driving cars.

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Charles McIlvaine is an effective operator and financier who is in the midst of a significant rebrand for Coen Oil.

After acquiring the company in the 2000s, Charlie and his brother Andy have built and spun off the company’s Energy and Transport businesses, in order to focus on their convenience store and gas station business.

In this conversation, Charlie and Aaron discuss business strategy, company culture, and how to differentiate a company’s brand.

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Charles McIlvaine’s Challenge; Evaluate your business through people, process, and technology. Also, remember you are not alone. Nobody succeeds alone.

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If you liked this interview, check out episode 415 with Bill Sarris where we discuss building a family business and candy empire.

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Will Weiner is the CEO of Xpogo, the association focused on the growth of extreme pogo sticking.

After taking over in 2018, Will has focused on expanded the sports media reach and developing a more robust event strategy.

In this episode, Aaron and Will discuss media, business models, and the athletes that make it possible.

Eli Harris is the cofounder and President of R-Zero Systems. R-Zero has raised $60 million to re-design hospital-grade disinfection solutions for day-to-day life.

In just fifteen months, R-Zero has raced to over $20 million worth of revenue and finds itself at the right place, at the right time, to take advantage of the cultural changes taking place post-pandemic.

Eli has been named a Forbes 30 under 30 and previously founded the portable energy company EcoFlow. EcoFlow has raised $100 million and has been valued over $1 billion in private markets.

In this episode, Eli talks about disrupting the disinfectant industry, his past failures as an entrepreneur, and the discipline requires to build something great.

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Eli Harris’s Challenge; Ask for help.

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R-Zero Website

If you liked this interview, check out episode 453 with Brock Blake where we discuss PPP loans, equity vs debt financing, and how to build a company in Utah.

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Barbara VanKirk is the CEO and founder of IQ Inc. She has spent the last 28 years creating company value by providing the vision, leadership, strategy, and general management skills necessary to grow IQ Inc into a dominant player in Pittsburgh’s tech ecosystem.

IQ Inc helps its clients with expert consulting, staffing, project management and software development services. They serve clients across financial services, transportation, and medical device with Software Design & Development, Software Q/A Testing, Product Development, System Integration, Technical Writing, and Database Design.

In this episode, Barbara and Aaron discuss how she bootstrapped the company, how to hire tech talent, and why her company has stood the test of time.

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Barbara VanKirk’s Challenge; Learn something new, Give back, Seek feedback, Stay hungry

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If you liked this interview, check out episode 438 with Ben Wilson where we discuss building a computer software consultancy.

Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680

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Jeremy Searock cofounded Advanced Construction Robotics in 2016, aiming to bring robotic technology to construction sites around the country.

As President and Chief Technology Officer, Jeremy has overseen the development of ACR’s first two products, TyBot and IronBot. The machines dramatically enhance workforce productivity and safety by aligning and tying rebar for reinforced concrete on heavy infrastructure projects.

Prior to starting a company, Jeremy managed the autonomous systems engineering group at Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center and ran tactical leadership of a U.S. Submarine, including the detailed management of the submarine's nuclear powered propulsion plant. 

In this conversation, Jeremy and Aaron discuss his military experience, why construction is ripe for disruption, and his leadership principles.

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Jeremy Searock’s Challenge; Don’t underestimate yourself.

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If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Steve Muck where we discuss buying a construction company, developing young talent, and starting new business lines.

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Gabriela Isturiz has founded two different high-growth SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) technology companies that were ultimately sold to Fortune 500 companies.

Her first company, eBillingHub, was a pioneering electronic billing solution for law firms around the world. Her product development, sales, and business strategy acumen allowed for eBillingHub to be acquired by Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI) in 2011.

After that, Gaby founded Bellefield System, which rose to be a global leader in time tracking and compliance technology for lawyers. Their product was recognized as the #1 legal timekeeping solution for 5 years in a row worldwide and she led the firm to over 3,500% growth within 6 years, positioning it among the top fastest-growing companies in Western Pennsylvania. 

In December 2019, Bellefield was acquired by Roper Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ROP) (Aderant division) a constituent of the S&P 500.

In this conversation, Gaby and Aaron discuss building a Saas company in the early 2000s, how to recruit talent, and how wisdom compounds.

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Gabriela Isturiz’s Challenge; Read about Stoicism. Especially Seneca’s Letters & Marcus Aurelius.

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If you liked this interview, check out our conversation with Flori Marquez where we discuss her fast-growing crypto startup BlockFi.

Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680

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Shea Murtaugh is the founder and president of Hoffmann Murtaugh, the largest media-only agency in Pittsburgh.

Shea started her company in 2004 with no capital and now leads a team of 30 people. Prior to funding Hoffman Murtaugh, Shea broke into media via broadcast sales. She’s sold every major form of media over her decorated career and blends that experience into a cocktail that delivers wins for clients.

In this conversation, Shea and Aaron discuss how she got her start, when to hire vs train new talent, and the degree to which she has to be the “banker” of marketing.

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Shea Murtaugh’s Challenge; Journal for 5 minutes each day your ideal day one year in the future.

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If you liked this interview, check out episode 418 with Marco Marandiz where we discuss how to market in the modern age, what makes an authentic brand, and the future of commerce.

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Dr. Dietrich Stephan is a geneticist, entrepreneur, and CEO of NeuBase Therapeutics. Neubase is biotech startup focused on developing precision genetic medicines.

Dietrich previously founded or co-founded 14 biotechnology companies, was the chair of the Human Genetics department at the University of Pittsburgh, and was the CEO of LifeX Labs, a biotechnology incubator.

Neubase, his latest company, is developing technology spun out of Carnegie Mellon University that aims to address genetic diseases at the DNA or RNA level by combining the highly targeted approach of traditional genetic therapies with the broad organ distribution capabilities of small molecules.

In April 2021 Neubase went public, trading under the ticker symbol NBSE, and has raised over $100 million in less than three years.

In this conversation, Dietrich and Aaron discuss why Neubase went public earlier than most biotech startups, the vicious diseases they are fighting against, and the impact of the Human Genome Project on society.

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Dietrich Stephan’s Challenge; 

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If you liked this interview, check out episode XX with Craig Markovitz where we discuss business building, university technology transfer, and life after a successful startup.

Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680

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Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify