INspired INsider Podcast

Joe Winke is the Founder of 3 companies... Healthy Surprise which is a subscription healthy snack box, The Dirt Personal Care company- which sells high quality personal items, and Jambo Superfoods company which is high quality herbal and cannibus infused edibles.

He has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Oprah.com, Playboy.com and many others.

Pre-show Banter

• [0:01] Joe’s explanations of some intriguing things posted on his Facebook page
• [12:50] Joe’s travels to Africa.
• [22:17] The Cannabis business, differences between states.

Introduction to this episode

• [30:00] Jeremy’s introduction of today’s guest, Joe Winke.
• [31:55] How Jeremy’s company got the name “Give Me The Dirt.”
• [35:22] How Joe got started in business and personal development.
• [39:00] Joe’s thoughts on rising early and getting things done.
• [42:18] One of Joe’s first business ideas that never got going.
• [45:00] How Joe wound up in Los Angeles on his first cross country trip.
• [47:20] How saving up money allowed Joe to get started with his business ideas.
• [48:33] The beginnings of www.HealthySurprise.com
• [1:08:30] The growth pains and adjustments the business had to make.
• [1:10:24] The next biggest wave of customers: Daily Deals/Flash Deals.
• [1:13:50] Figuring out the pricing.
• [1:18:00] How funding actually works when you raise capital for a startup, and the hard lessons Joe learned..
• [1:23:26] The power of being honest with investors and suppliers when you face hard times.
• [1:28:10] Pivoting from positioning as a “grocery” business into a “gift” business.
• [1:30:19] When vendors started coming to Joe to be a part of what he was doing.
• [1:32:00] Customer feedback: lessons learned and reactions.
• [1:34:20] Why Joe thinks his company survived when others haven’t.
• [1:37:00] Lessons learned about shipping.
• [1:38:00] The product as a gift: how it works to make that transition.
• [1:41:33] Joe’s biggest lesson with HealthySurprise: Charge more.
• [1:44:01] The current space needs for HealthySurprise.
• [1:49:46] The biggest points of traction for the company.
• [1:52:30] Endorsements, marketing efforts, and building authority.
• [1:57:50] How to press forward and get to be the best at what you do.
• [1:58:10] The creation of www.JamboSuperFoods.com and why Joe made the move.
• [2:08:08] challenges and milestones with JamboSuperfoods from the first sale until now.
• [2:14:04] Why Jeremy has Skubana as a sponsor.
• [2:14:56] Joe’s lowest point in business.
• [2:17:30] Joe’s finest moment.
• [2:19:20] Why Joe describes himself as a mystic.

Joe Winke is one of those guys who grew up in an entrepreneurial family. His father was a businessman and early on Joe knew he probably would run his own business someday. By the time he finished college he was on his way to California to start a business, even though he didn't know what it would be. On this episode you were going to hear the story and the many successes and failures that have made his companies the outstanding businesses that they are.

Starting any business is difficult, but bootstrapping it from your own funds is probably the hardest way. So when he has done that with every business he has built, at least at the beginning stages, but is also a pro at navigating the fundraising aspects of a startup. His experiences and stories on this episode will equip you to navigate those waters as well.

Joe Winkes first successful business was www.HealthySurprise.com, a subscription service that provides healthy snack foods for people who are conscious of putting only the best things into their bodies. The business was doing great, but he knew it could do better. One of the most important steps he took to make that happen with pivoting the way the business was positioned and promoted. Instead of making it about groceries, he decided should be made out to be a gift. That one crucial pivot changed everything. Learn how he did it and why he did it, and how you can do the same when needed in your business. It's all on this episode.

How do you go about pricing your products? It's not an easy answer to come up with. When he was building his business, healthy surprise, Joe Winke discovered that one of the biggest mistakes he had made was underpricing what he was offering. There were too many variables and overhead items and his margins were far too low. He got into a financial bind and one of the answers was to increase his pricing while increasing quality at the same time. Hear Joe’s lessons learned and how he made the adjustments on this episode.

What has been your lowest point in business? If you're like most entrepreneurs it probably had to do with tough times surrounding lack of sales or lack of profit. Joe Winke’s story is the same. On this episode you can hear how he struggled through his hardest moments, how he dealt with creditors, and the benefit was to be honest about his struggles from the start.

• www.Skubana.com
• www.HealthySurprise.com
• www.JamboSuperfoods.com
• www.GiveMeTheDirt.com
• BOOK: The 4 Hour Work Week
• The Joe Rogan Podcast

Today we have Travis Lee who coFounded 3D Mail Results with his dad Keith Lee in 2007. 3D Mail has helped over 10,000 business owners increase the response and profit using direct mail. They help direct mail marketers increase their return using clutter busting 3D mail products and grabbers.

They have a selection of over 600,000 promotional products you can use to make sure customers or prospects never forget about YOU!

• [0:37] Jeremy’s introduction of Travis Lee, co-founder of 3D Mail Results.
• [1:26] One of the low points for 3D Mail Results.
• [4:31] One of the home runs for 3D Mail Results.
• [7:57] How to find out more about Travis.

For 3D Mail Results, the main focus is on helping businesses increase profits. They understand how to connect with your target and that’s why they have such a stellar track record of success. In today’s chat with Jeremy, Travis discusses one of the biggest home runs for the business, along with a “foul ball” - as well as some key learnings.

What was one of the “foul balls” for 3D Mail Results? Travis shares the story of some work they did for a client who was ready to try something new. They had traditionally done rather “boring” marketing and decided it was time to try something new. Travis and the team worked to put together something edgy and unique, which was exactly what the client was after. Despite their best efforts, the campaign failed spectacularly. The lesson? If something’s working, don’t change it.

What was one of the biggest home runs for 3D Mail Results? With so many clients who have had incredible results, it was tough for Travis to pick just one story to share. He tells us about one of his very first clients - a window washer - who was in need of a campaign to inject some cash flow into the business. The 3D Mail Results team came up with a unique approach to getting repeat business and the company saw extremely positive results. Travis shares how he applied this approach to other clients down the road and saw similarly positive results.

At the end of this short chat, Travis shares how you can access a free book through his site, which shares insight into getting results with direct mail.

• www.3DMailResults.com
• Get your free copy of “The Definitive Guide to Using 3D Mail”

Wim Hof is known as "The Iceman" for his ability to withstand extreme cold and control his autonomic nervous system .Wim holds 21 world records, including one staying immersed in ice up to his neck for 1 hour and 52 min.He reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in his shorts within two days and taught a group of 27 people to do the same. He climbed Mount Everest wearing nothing but shorts and shoes He completed a half marathon above the arctic circle in Finland, in temperatures close to −20 °C (−4 °F) dressed in nothing but shorts. He even went to the opposite extreme and ran a full marathon in the Namib Desert without water.

Pre-show banter (this is interesting stuff!)

• [0:01] Wim doing some yoga atop a mountain.
• [1:23]Wim’s viewpoint of conditions and control of the environment.
• [3:01] Breaking mountain climbing records with untrained groups of people.
• [8:42] The last group’s toughest challenges climbing Kilimanjaro.

• [13:52] Jeremy’s introduction of Wim Hoff.
• [15:14] Wim’s closest call - when he was closest to death.
• [20:26] The instantaneous changes experienced in Wim’s training.
• [22:51] Wim’s journey to the top of Mt. Everest - running a marathon in shorts only.
• [27:17] The greatest challenge of climbing Everest.
• [30:04] The physical disciplines Wim follows when engaging in an extreme endurance challenge.
• [33:28] How long a group trains before climbing Kilimanjaro with Wim & the key components of the training.
• [37:09] Daily habits to do for endurance and extreme training.
• [39:00] The ability of human beings to tap into their own body chemistry.
• [40:10] The instantaneous effects of Wim’s breathing methods.
• [46:26] Jeremy’s experiences practicing Wim’s methods.
• [52:13] Wim’s breathing practice when being immersed in ice.
• [57:31] The impacts of pH levels on grief, stress, and other conditions.
• [59:02] A variety of applications for Wim’s breathing protocols.
• [1:01:13] Wim’s thoughts on why more people are not adopting his methods.
• [1:02:13] Wim’s research and experience training others to control their immune systems.
• [1:04:27] The mental part of these disciplines and the focus of the mind.
• [1:07:08] The 4 days that trained people to overcome symptoms of sickness.
• [1:10:05] Wim’s instruction of people with stage IV cancer.
• [1:11:41] The types of people who could be helped by these breathing techniques.
• [1:14:21] In an ideal world, how much time should be spent on breathing each day.
• [1:17:24] How scientists explain the results of Wim’s results.
• [1:19:58] What makes Wim want to do the extreme feats that he does.
• [1:21:45] The hardest thing Wim has ever done - getting through to people.
• [1:22:33] The loss of Wim’s wife and how he raised 4 kids on his own.
• [1:25:02] A day in Wim’s life with 4 kids as a single dad.
• [1:26:11] Wim’s first encounter with extreme cold.
• [1:28:10] What attracted Wim to extreme cold?
• [1:29:30] What Wim wanted to do when he grew up.
• [1:30:17] Wim’s parents and what they did when he was a child.
• [1:32:42] The lessons Wim learned from his parents.
• [1:35:41] Early extreme feats Wim tried as a young man.
• [1:36:43] Wim’s mission: To bring happiness, strength, and health to everybody.
• [1:39:02] Wim’s lowest point and how he pushed through it.
• [1:40:01] How Wim coped with the loss of his wife.
• [1:41:40] Wim’s proudest moments.
• [1:47:01] Why Wim believes that we have to change the world.
• [1:49:23] What Wim suggests you should check out in his training.

Few people have established such a place of reverence in their particular field as Wim Hoff has. Wim is a very unorthodox example of a man who took his beliefs seriously and has fought to prove them to be true. Wim is affectionately known as “The Ice Man” because of his extreme endurance feats in cold temperatures. Wim has climbed Mt. Everest and Mt. Kilimanjaro among others, in nothing but his shorts. But that’s not all. He’s also trained others to do the same thing in relatively short periods of time, in an effort to prove that the human brain and body are capable of so much more than we have believed in the past.

Wim is a native of the Netherlands and is not University trained in science or conditioned professionally to be an endurance athlete. Even so, he’s been able to accomplish some of the most spectacular and truly unbelievable feats in the world. He first came into contact with exposure to cold when he was 17 years old and in his words, “The cold became my teacher.” Somehow that experience put him in touch with his body in new ways and he’s been experimenting ever since.

What motivates a man to do the kinds of things Wim does? He says it’s for two reasons: #1 - to bring health, happiness, and strength to all the children of the world. He truly believes that the breathing and conditioning methods he’s discovered can not only bring healing to the body but also peace to the soul. And #2 - to gain attention for the research and beliefs he’s pioneering in regard to how breathing and pH levels in the body impact sickness and health, endurance, and the ability to perform at a much higher level mentally.

Some of the most incredible results of Wim’s experiments is the effect his breathing techniques have had on sickness. In one instance, after training a group of people with his breathing practices, they were intentionally subjected to a particular strain of bacteria and their bodies were able to fight it off with incredible strength. Wim attributes the result to the higher pH levels of their bodies because of the breathing techniques they’d been practicing.

In Wim Hoff’s own life, his breathing techniques and mindset practices enabled him to push beyond the grief that threatened to consume him when his wife was killed in an accident. Wim is convinced that the mind is much more powerful that we have believed and that the right personal practices and disciplines can eliminate things like stress, worry, grief, and even physical sickness.

This is a very interesting, unbelievable conversation that I know you’ll enjoy. Please meet my guest, Wim Hoff.

• www.WimHoffMethod.com
• www.InnerFire.nl

Roy Krebs is cofounder of Natural Stacks with Ben Hebert (A-BEAR). Natural Stacks creates open-source dietary supplements for optimal performance. One of their flagship products CILTEP® is a nootropic used by athletes, rocket scientists and silicon valley execs. They founded Natural Stacks in 2013 and generated 7 figures in their first year . We have a lot to learn from them on building a business.

• [1:42] Jeremy’s introduction of Roy Krebs, co-founder of Natural Stacks.
• [2:18] The low point of Natural Stacks.
• [3:23] The decision to start from scratch with the team and let almost everyone go.
• [5:02] The proudest moment for Natural Stacks.
• [5:50] Some of the best testimonials they’ve received for Natural Stacks products.
• [8:31] Why they attended a conference around floating and how Natural Stacks products fit in.
• [11:14] The benefits of floating.

Maintaining a positive mindset has certainly contributed to the success of Natural Stacks. This natural products company focuses on what matters most and maintains optimism at all times. The ability to focus on the positive, says Roy Krebs, has certainly paved the way for success for the Natural Stacks team.

What was the low point for Natural Stacks? Because of the optimistic approach of the Natural Stacks team, it can be difficult to point out a “low point”. But, for Roy, the low point came when they realized they needed to start from scratch with the team and let almost everyone go. This was tough, but a necessary step to create the success they knew Natural Stacks could achieve.

Roy also discusses some manufacturing challenges and why they’ve had to switch manufacturers a couple of times. Finding the right company to work with is essential, says Roy, because you have to be on target with your deadlines at all times.

What are some of your favorite testimonials for Natural Stacks? For Roy, hearing how the products have changed lives is truly the reward for the hard work they’ve done. He shares a few of his favorite testimonials - ranging from people who have cut back on medications to a man who regained his ability to read after using the products.

Roy also discusses how he discovered float tanks and why he uses them regularly. He shares why it feels like “meditation on hyperdrive” and how the Natural Stacks products seemed to fit into this lifestyle.

www.NaturalStacks.com

Josh Dorkin started BiggerPockets.com from scratch 10 years ago and now has over 435K members. They have grown to be one of the largest and most reputable real estate community on the Internet with a forum that has over 900,000 posts! and they hold the #1 real estate podcast on iTunes. They attract more than 1k new members a day and help change people's lives to gain their own financial freedom through real estate!

• [0:00] Pre-interview banter: Things you’ll hear on this episode.
• [6:10] Jeremy’s introduction of Joshua Dorkin and the BiggerPockets.com story.
• [7:33] What Joshua wanted to be when he grew up.
• [8:37] Things Joshua learned from his mother, a successful business woman.
• [12:04] Why Joshua hated business school in college but discovered a passion for marketing.
• [13:34] We all struggle and have to find our way via the journey.
• [17:29] Dealing with the haters when BiggerPockets began.
• [20:39] The most difficult parts of saying what he knew to be true even though he’d receive backlash.
• [23:30] The most popular show on BiggerPockets: Investing With No Money.
• [27:00] How Josh started out as a real estate investor.
• [30:30] How Josh saw the real estate bubble in CA before it popped.
• [34:00] Why Josh didn’t trust the real estate investing training he found, and how he began building BiggerPockets in response.
• [36:39] Josh’s story regarding acting with Jerry Seinfeld on Saturday Night Live.
• [37:47] The first version of BiggerPockets, and why building an online community is impossibly hard.
• [42:46] Pushing forward after 4 years of not being successful, and how Joshua counsels people who are at that same point and considering quitting.
• [45:37] Making the decision to transition from hobby to full time business.
• [48:00] Keeping the content free always, building a paid community as an added value.
• [49:25] Success stories and benefits that have come from the BiggerPockets community.
• [50:34] An average day for Joshua when he first started full time with BiggerPockets.
• [52:49] The changes Joshuah made when he realized he was overworking and burning out.
• [53:51] How Joshua came up with the mantra, “Life wasn’t meant to be lived in a cubicle.”
• [57:00] Hiring his first person: one of his best decisions.
• [58:35] The roles Joshua took on once he began hiring people.
• [1:00:00] Becoming a student of business and starting a podcast.
• [1:01:53] How do you know when to stop or not stop in your business?
• [1:05:00] The lowest points in Joshua’s business journey.
• [1:08:30] The role Joshua’s wife played in helping him get his life under control.
• [1:09:54] The proudest moments Joshua has had in his journey.
• [1:11:40] The world wide impact BiggerPockets is having.
• [1:13:15] The free book from BiggerPockets.

The Real Estate Investing arena is fraught with dangers in the form of fraudulent schemes run by “experts” who line their pockets with other people’s money and give half-proven or untried systems in return. It can be a very difficult space to be in if you care about doing things ethically, honestly, and with integrity.

Joshua Dorkin felt all of that when he first began making money in real estate. His first purchase was a California condominium that gave him a pretty good return, so he began looking into what it might take to become proficient at real estate investing. What he found discouraged him and he realized, there’s no “safe” place to go for trusted advice and reliable resources.

In concept, that’s where BiggerPockets was born. When Josh first created the site he used it as a community/forum for people in the acting industry (he was an actor at the time) but quickly transitioned it into a real estate investing themed site and community. It’s now THE biggest site in the industry and is the hub for a podcast, forums, resources, a publishing house, and more.

In this conversation of Inspired Insider Dr. Jeremy Weisz asks Joshua to share his journey, from his humble beginnings as the son of an entrepreneurial single mom, to business school (which he hated), to the pursuit of an acting career in California, and finally, into the realm of real estate investing and the birth of BiggerPockets.

Joshua Dorkin is a humble guy, but confident and encouraged at the difference his efforts have made in the real estate investment space. He’s one of those guys who latches on like a pit bull once he knows what he wants to accomplish and never lets go until he’s done it. BiggerPockets is a testament to that sort of work and determination.

Be sure to listen to this inspiring interview to find out how you can get connected with Joshua and the community over at www.BiggerPockets.com.

• www.BiggerPockets.com
• www.BiggerPockets.com/podcast
• Get the book Josh mentioned: www.BiggerPockets.com/UBG

Dr. Jonathan Carp Founded MiracleNoodle after visiting a friend in Japan. The miracle noodles have zero calories and zero net carbs. The company has sold millions of packs of noodles worldwide and have been featured on Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray and all over the news and media.

Pre-show banter

• [0:01] What Jonathan’s business does at trade shows.
• [0:08] What’s in the pipeline for Jonathan and Miracle Noodle.
• [0:31] Some products Miracle Noodle creates.
• [1:03] The hardest products to source and produce.
• [1:45] Keeping quality high for all products.
• [2:41] This highlight of his last trip to Japan.
• [3:37] Protecting your ideas in the industry.

• [4:42] Jeremy’s introduction of Dr. Jonathan Carp, founder of Miracle Noodle.
• [4:42] Jeremy’s welcome and introduction to this episode with guest Dr. Jonathan Carp.
• [5:20] Who is Dr. Jonathan Carp? Here’s Jeremy’s introduction…
• [6:00] The lowest point in the business for Jonathan and the proudest moment in the business.
• [6:57] How to handle obstacles like fulfillment.
• [7:59] The importance of being upfront with customers when dealing with obstacles.
• [8:34] The proudest moment for Jonathan.

There are many ups and downs when you start any business. For Dr. Jonathan Carp, dealing with the obstacles he faced with the evolution of Miracle Noodle wasn’t always easy, but he knew it would be worth it. The big question: what was the proudest moment and the lowest point for him with growing the Miracle Noodle business?

For Jonathan, the lowest point came early and it came in the form of fulfillment issues. He explains just how difficult it was to face the reality that he had a month’s worth of orders he wouldn’t be able to fulfill due to supplier issues. Jonathan shares the value of being upfront and honest with customers when dealing with issues like this.

The proudest moments for Miracle Noodle come from the many unsolicited emails and compliments they’ve received. Jonathan shares the impact these emails have had and how they’ve commemorated these important milestones for Miracle Noodle.

• www.MiracleNoodle.com
• www.DrCarp.com

Greg McKeown is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less." Many past interviewees including Brian Kurtz tout this as one of their favorite books of all time. Just to demonstrate the effect your message has on serious entrepreneurs....I spoke to brian who helped Boardroom to grow to $150 million company and he said he felt like a schoolgirl when he met you at Genius network event. I am in his mastermind where he gave your book to everyone and said he has bought over 100 copies to give out. Greg has spoken at companies including Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Pixar, and Salesforce.com, just to name a few.

• [0:38] Jeremy’s introduction of Greg McKeown, author of “Essentialism.”
• [2:36] Why do some people break through to the next level and some don’t?
• [16:00] How Greg’s experience of a random encounter with the word “IF” led him toward essentialist thinking.
• [26:02] How can kids apply essentialism in the right and balanced way?
• [33:14] How Greg decided on the name of the movement (essentialism).
• [39:00] The importance of keeping to essentialist priorities in relation to the family.
• [44:10] A powerful lesson from Stephen R. Covey’s habits that leveraged his time with his children and family.

Greg McKeown is one of the primary figures at the forefront of a fairly new movement known as “essentialism.” It’s a focus on boiling life down to the most important things, the most essential things so that life is lived for what really matters. HIs book, “Essentialism” has led the way in that effort.

Some of the things that Greg shares in this conversation are the basic understanding of what essentialism is and why it’s important, the gap between his own activity and the things he really wants to contribute to the world, the pain and problem of the moment to moment existence we typically live, the power of gratitude, how the essentialism movement began in a random encounter with the word “IF,” and moving into his own movement of essentialism.

Jeremy dives deep into the concept by asking Greg to unpack the best ways to teach children about essentialism, how can they understand the power of their own ability to choose, but also know the responsibility of making right choices and using resources wisely and well. Greg responds with a great story about his children, lego toys, and helping them to find their essential values in life. This point alone is worth you listening to this fascinating conversation.

How does a widespread, world-changing movement like essentialism get started, and how does it spread to be such a powerful influence? How does one man quit law school and get to work building the concepts and infrastructure to spread the message effectively and powerfully? That’s the story you’re going to hear from Greg McKeown on this episode of Inspired Insider. He shares his thoughts about naming the movement and the power of words for books, movements, and products, and what he hopes to see come of his efforts on an even broader scale.

• Greg’s website
• Greg’s BOOK: Essentialism
• www.EssentialLive.tv
• www.ThisInc.co
• Jim Collins
• Dan Kuscell
• Genius Network
• Derek Sievers’ blog post about, “No more yes, it’s ‘HELL YEAH!’”
• Shawn Venderhoven
• The Race to Nowhere
• Jim Sheils episode on Inspired Insider
• BOOK: The Opposite of Spoiled
• Derek Sievers
• Malcolm Gladwell
• Michael Phelps
• Bob Bowman
• Stephen R. Covey

Roger Sharpe is one of the most idolized people in pinball history. He is the Babe Ruth of pinball when he called his shot in 1976 to help legalize pinball. Roger was considered one of the top players in the world and now his sons are among the top in the world also. He has worked in game licensing and marketing for over 35 years.

• [0:24] Jeremy’s introduction of Roger Sharpe, pinball businessman and legend.
• [1:40] Why Roger gets emotional talking about his life and career.
• [4:15] When Roger’s sons began to beat him at pinball.
• [9:30] How a person trains for a pinball tournament.
• [10:35] The proudest or most successful licensing deal Roger has done.
• [13:00] The difficult, long process of completing a licensing deal.
• [22:51] Why Roger’s success was not about having a track record.
• [26:23] The mechanics of setting up a licensing deal.
• [50:12] Roger’s lowest and highest moments.
• [56:30] Getting in touch with difficult people to find.
• [1:05:40] Giving advice and confidentiality with clients.

This conversation with Roger Sharpe, pinball legend and successful licenser of pinball games is a treasure trove of insights about the backstory of licensing products and the outlook one has to have in order to get the deals made.

Roger’s career has spanned quite a stretch of history when all kinds of things changed, and he’s endured them all, pivoting to adapt his skills and knowledge to help license video games and other entertainment systems for his entire career.

On this episode of Inspired Insider, Roger shares how he did what he did for the sake of his belief in his cause, and how he believes that if anything in life is worth it, then you work to make it worth it. Roger gives everything he has to everything he gets involved with. Find out how you can adopt that attitude on this episode.

Roger also shares his lowest moment, the loss of his father, and the impact that had on him and the direction his life took. His highest moments revolve around the birth and growth of his sons and the amazing things he’s been able to accomplish in his career.

• Steve Larson
• www.IFPApinball.com
• GQ Magazine
• Roger’s book.

Eric Tong is coFounder of Tech Armor which is a leading manufacturer of mobile device accessories like phone Chargers, Glass Screen Protectors and protective cases. Eric cut his teeth in business rising to VP of the Asia Pacific region of Belkin over the course of 15 years and cofounded 2 previous companies. Tech Armor has sold over 7 million devices through leading e-commerce partners like Amazon, ebay , Newegg and many more.

• [0:42] Dr. Jeremy’s introduction of Eric Tong, co-founder of Tech Armor.
• [1:10] Why is the Tech Armor lifetime guarantee so much a part of what you do?
• [3:00] Where did the idea come from in the first place?
• [4:38] How did you manage the risks and concerns regarding the lifetime guarantee?
• [6:33] The process for ensuring product quality at Tech Armor.
• [9:14] How Tech Armor found the right suppliers who could provide the quality they needed.
• [11:18] What is discovered during the product testing phase?
• [13:16] Keeping track of customer feedback and reviews is vital to the company ethos.
• [15:17] Tools and software used for customer service.
• [16:39] The “people” side of the customer service experience (⅔ of the staff).
• [17:36] The hiring process for customer service and outsourcing.
• [19:30] The “martini” story.
• [21:29] Tips for boosting sales.
• [24:29] Mistakes to avoid in ecommerce businesses.
• [26:25] The explanation of Tech Armor’s massive and fast growth.
• [29:04] Customer service mistakes to avoid.
• [30:20] Eric’s upbringing and early life, including the influence of team sports.
• [34:46] What Eric learned from earning his MBA degree.
• [36:42] How Eric wound up working at Belkin.
• [37:30] The plus and minus of working for a large company like Belkin.
• [39:38] The product design process and lessons learned from it.
• [42:06] Lessons learned from launching products at Belkin.
• [43:47] Leadership challenges and lessons learned at Belkin.
• [45:09] The things learned at Belkin that helped launch Tech Armor successfully.
• [46:12] How Tech Armor’s culture is built around everyone having a voice.
• [48:10] The moment of leaving Belkin: What it was like and the risks involved.
• [55:09] How Joe (Eric’s partner) and Eric connected to start Tech Armor.
• [56:40] A TED talk that impacted Eric and Joe early on.
• [59:02] How Joe and Eric worked through all the options to launch a first product.
• [1:01:23] Constant iterations in the screen protector market and the addition of accessories.
• [1:02:20] How decisions were made to add new product lines.
• [1:05:01] Experiments that worked and experiments that didn’t.
• [1:06:20] Geographical challenges of product distribution and sales.
• [1:07:35] E-commerce challenges of international product sales.
• [1:10:02] Packaging challenges for international sales.
• [1:10:50] Milestones Tech Armor has experienced.
• [1:12:20] Good advice from their Amazon representative.
• [1:14:02] What Eric has learned most from working with a partner (Joe).
• [1:15:35] Launching new products every month (at least).
• [1:16:20] The most stressful parts of the business.
• [1:18:05] Tech Armor’s top sellers.
• [1:18:50] Eric Tong’s speaking opportunities and the things he speaks about.
• [1:19:48] Mistakes e-commerce businesses make often.
• [1:20:33] The one question survey that helps dial in their customer service and product development.
• [1:21:50] Software solutions Tech Armor uses.
• [1:24:42] Eric’s mentors and the advice he’s received from them.
• [1:26:05] How to navigate the financing of physical products - crawl, walk, then run.
• [1:28:32] How to get connected with Eric.
• [1:29:23] Eric’s biggest tips for e-commerce businesses.

Tech Armor is one of the hottest brands in the mobile device accessories niche. They have worked hard to become the foremost brand and offer a lifetime guarantee on all of their products. But they didn’t start there. Tech Armor is the brainchild of Eric Tong and Joe Jaconi, long time friends who had worked together at Belkin and had always talked about creating a company together. When each of them resigned from Belkin right around the same time, the time was right and they began working toward what has become the Tech Armor of today.

In this conversation, Dr. Jeremy Weisz chats with Eric Tong about the Tech Armor journey, his own background, and what it took to build such a rapidly successful company in a very competitive niche market. These guys are e-commerce experts, learning many of their lessons the hard way and constantly refining their approaches and processes.

As you listen to this conversation you’ll hear a couple of themes repeated over and over, and those are the things that have made Tech Armor stand out among many quality competitors. What are those themes? Excellent customer service, outstanding product quality, and building a team of quality people who care about the end user. Eric has so much valuable information to share, you’ll want to hear this one.

But you’re also going to get a load of practical advice in this conversation. Jeremy asks Eric about the day to day challenges of behind-the-scenes issues that go into making a successful e-commerce company: international sales, product development, packaging and user experience, customer feedback, supplier and distribution chains, and much more.

Grab your paper and pen (or your tablet) and get ready to take some great notes. Eric shares a generous amount of hard learned lessons that can help you make the adjustments needed in your e-commerce business. And if you like what you learn, be sure to share this episode with others you know who could benefit.

• Skubana Ecommerce Platform
• www.TechArmor.com
• www.Amazon.com
• www.Ebay.com
• Belkin
• Fresh Desk
• The Tech Armor “Martini Story”
• Forbes
• Huffington Post
• Business Insider
• “Show Me A Hero” new TV show.
• Kikkoman
• TED talk: “The Anthropology of Mobile Phones”
• Warby Parker eyeware
• Channel Advisor
• Google Product Suite
• Outlook
• Kayako

Joe Winke is the Founder of 3 companies... Healthy Surprise which is a subscription healthy snack box, The Dirt Personal Care company- which sells high quality personal items, and Jambo Superfoods company which is high quality herbal and cannibus infused edibles.

He has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Oprah.com, Playboy.com and many others.

Preshow Banter

• [0:01] Joe’s explanation of some interesting things on his Facebook page.

Introduction of this episode

• [29:56] Jeremy’s introduction of his guest, Joe Winke.
• [31:17] The lowest point in Joe’s journey as an entrepreneur.
• [32:02] Lessons learned about pricing products.
• [46:03] How you can connect with Joe.
• [46:50] Why Joe describes himself as a “mystic.”

What has been your lowest point in business? If you're like most entrepreneurs it probably had to do with tough times surrounding lack of sales or lack of profit. Joe Winke’s story is the same. On this episode you can hear how he struggled through his hardest moments, how he dealt with creditors, and the benefit was to be honest about his struggles from the start.

How do you go about pricing your products? It's not an easy answer to come up with. When he was building his business, healthy surprise, Joe Winke discovered that one of the biggest mistakes he had made was underpricing what he was offering. There were too many variables and overhead items and his margins were far too low. He got into a financial bind and one of the answers was to increase his pricing while increasing quality at the same time. Hear Joe’s lessons learned and how he made the adjustments on this episode.

• www.Skubana.com
• www.HealthySurprise.com
• www.JamboSuperfoods.com
• www.GiveMeTheDirt.com
• BOOK: The 4 Hour Work Week
• The Joe Rogan Podcast