My Company Story

In this episode, Don interviews Ashley Crowder! Ashley is the CEO and Co-Founder of VNTANA. VNTANA brings products to life, from design to 3D shopping, across web, augmented and virtual reality platforms in minutes rather than weeks. Using augmented reality, consumers can try and experience products prior to purchase and make informed decisions. 

Ashley talks about her company both pre-COVID and how it has changed post-COVID. She talks about having to make pivotal decisions shifting from events to software and having to layoff employees as a result. Ashley talks about certain biases and struggles she faced, “I think it’s about having open and honest and hard conversations. And I think a lot is going on in the world to make that better.”

Learn More About Ashley Crowder

• Website
• Twitter
• Linkedin
• Email: [email protected]

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

To celebrate My Company Story’s 1-year Anniversary, we throwback to the very first episode of My Company Story! Don welcomes guest Host Bill Black (from the Exit Coach Radio) so that Don can sit in the hot seat. 

Don dives into his incredible 30+ year entrepreneurial journey and how he was inspired to create My Company Story podcast. After purchasing his company from his father back in 1988, Don explains how certain areas of his printing business had become less in demand, which required him to quickly pivot into new strategies. Don had become largely successful and had worked with huge brands such as Disney, AOL, and Hanna-Barbera.

Don was at the front of pushing the printing industry into the 21st century. Tune in to learn how Don led his fresh strategy to eventually become an attractive acquisition and exit. Don credits a lot of his success to his involvement with Vistage, an executive mentoring and coaching group with the key purpose of solving high-level problems for individual business leaders.

This episode was originally recorded and published in July 2019.
 

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Lou Caron! Lou is the CEO and President of Printing Industries Association of Southern California, a trade association for the graphic communications in Southern California representing printing, graphic design, and other related businesses. Today, the association is joined by 750 member companies.

Lou talks about the trends and changes in the printing industry. He says the industry is morphing, not dying. Printing is all around us and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Lou says, “The best business advice is common sense. Communication is paramount to success.”

Learn More About Lou Caron

• Website
• Linkedin

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Stephen George! Stephen is the CEO and Founder of Surkus. Surkus is a consumer activation platform that enables businesses of all sizes to acquire, engage and retain their ideal customers. Through Surkus, businesses can source authentic feedback on products, promote events and drive in-store foot traffic.

In 2008 at the age of 20, Stephen joined Groupon as one of the Founding Members. It was at Groupon that he was able to quickly understand what it took to grow a company. Stephen talks about the strategies he has carried into his own company. He emphasizes investing in your team.

Learn More About Stephen George

• Website
• Linkedin
  
  

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Jaison Morgan! Jaison is the CEO and Founder of Common Pool. Common Pool has been designing and running competitions for 10 years. They have worked with notable clients such as National Geographic, Bill and Melinda Gates, and NASA. 

Common Pool is commissioned to create competitions that use prizes and reward systems to motivate people to solve complex problems. Their incentive-based competitions have produced the solutions to many large issues. Jaison calls it “reinventing philanthropy”.

Learn More About Jaison Morgan

• Website
• Linkedin
• Twitter
• Facebook
   

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Weston LaBar! Weston is the CEO of Harbor Trucking Association. He is also the CEO and President at Ventures 52. Harbor Trucking Association is the largest drayage specific association in North America. Ventures 52 is focused on early stage innovations in the goods-movement, supply-chain, and transportation industry.

Weston talks about his early beginning of entrepreneurship. He recommends any business owner to not be afraid to put themselves out there. Over years of networking and building his expertise, he found a way to connect the dots by helping other businesses grow: “What better opportunity than building a business that’s founded on the principle of helping grow other businesses.”

Learn More About Weston LaBar

• Linkedin
   

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Jon Reed! Jon Reed is the President and Co-Founder of IA MED, delivering digital professional-grade training and educational services. 

Jon talks about his military training in the Special Forces and the way his training attributes to his ability to do very well in times of crisis. He recites a common quote in the military, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Jon talks about speaking out against racial injustice and the way his team navigated taking a stand with the Black Community. He says, “This is not an issue of politics, this is an issue of humanity.”

Learn More About Jon Reed

• Website
• Linkedin
  
  

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Marina Martins! Marina Martins is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pigmental Studios, a film animation studio primarily focused on branded content in animation. 

Marina shares the backstory of how Pigmental Studios came to be. Along with her passion for creative storytelling, she also has a mission to teach. Her studio employs and engages with the deaf community. Marina talks about the behind-the-scenes development phase of what it takes to run an animation studio. 

She says, “The challenge of how you communicate is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted.”

Learn More About Marina Martins

• Website
• Linkedin
   

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Jeff Boodie! Jeff is the President and Co-Founder of JobsSnap, a social enterprise platform offering “jobs in a snap” helping people get hired with more efficiency. JobsSnap helps people create 30-second videos to replace traditional resumes and applications processes. This allows the personality of an individual to be expressed to the employer. JobSnap also facilitates the hiring process for employers.

Jeff talks about adjusting to the COVID-19 market. As hiring has pivoted for many businesses and unemployment is at an all time high, Jeff sees opportunity for growth coming out of the quarantine.  He says, “Make sure you have an advisory team if you don’t already. Friends are great, but they’re not advisors.”

Learn More About Jeff Boodie

• Website
• Linkedin

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.

In this episode, Don interviews Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey! Phoebe Yu (CEO) and Kat Dey (President) are the co-founders of Ettitude Holdings Inc. Ettitude is a sustainable lifestyle brand, offering home essentials that are soft on your skin and gentle on the planet. 

They have set out to innovate the home and lifestyle industry for sustainable products. Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey uniquely met online on AngelList and began their business endeavors completely remote. They initially grew Ettitude through an incubator and tell the story of how they strategically sought out funding. 

Use discount code mycompanystory to get 15% off Ettitude (valid until Sept 30th and one use per customer.)

Learn More About Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey

• Visit Ettitude’s Website
• Follow @ettitudestore on Instagram
• Follow @katerinadey on Instagram
• Follow @phoebeeyu on Instagram

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
  
  

About My Company Story

A Podcast for business owners by business owners. Each Episode will explore the challenges business owners face and how they’ve overcome them.