OTSS Podcast

On this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” host Dan Kahn and AI expert Stephanie Nivinskus discuss AI and its impact on businesses. Stephanie has spent the majority of her career as a marketer, leading campaigns for well-known brands like Quicksilver, the NFL and Starbucks. A best-selling author, she founded her own agency in 2009, helping brands with all aspects of marketing.

The rise of ChatGPT just under three years ago completely changed Stephanie’s focus. She pivoted to embrace AI as a tool to make her agency faster and more efficient. Today, Stephanie does the same for other brands, working as an AI consultant to help companies integrate AI-powered marketing tools. On this special episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” she shares her experience of effectively integrating AI into brands and what to be aware of.

Click on the icon above to watch the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways:

* Look for internal issues with your workflows before searching for an AI program.

* Follow AI experts on social media to understand what actually works.

* Humans still play a vital role with AI.

* Be protective of your sensitive data with AI.

* Always be transparent about how you integrate AI into your brand.

Start With Your Bottlenecks

Many brands struggle to integrate AI effectively into their workflows. Others “jump on the bandwagon” to say they are using AI but aren’t really solving any internal problems. It might sound simplistic, but one of the best ways to use AI is to first determine where it can be the most helpful.

“I think the best place to start is actually by identifying where your bottlenecks are. Just sitting down with your team and figuring out what the bottlenecks in our company are that are slowing us down the most, that are costing us the most money and that are taking too much manpower, but we really need them,” said Stephanie. “They are not dispensable and we really need them, but it is just too intensive. Once you identify some of those things, then it is looking at what AIs are out there that can help.”

Shift Through the Noise

A wealth of AI-powered programs claim to supercharge your brand’s productivity and effectiveness. While some are helpful, others are not and just want to drain your bank account. Shifting through the “noise” of what AI programs are worth the investment for a brand can be confusing. However, social media can be a major help in determining which AIs provide value.

“I am in a community with trusted experts, and we are talking about what is working and masterminding it on a daily basis. But for people who aren’t in something like that, I would say find people who are and follow them. I am on TikTok and share a lot on TikTok for free. I give away a lot of tips and tools that can really help someone, and it doesn’t cost anything,” said Stephanie. “There are a lot of leading names out there. I like to follow Matt Wolfe, and he actually has a database of AI tools that you can search and find a tool that might be a good fit for you.”

You Still Need Humans

Brands get into major trouble when they think AI can completely replace a human workforce. AI is far from perfect and still needs human oversight over anything it produces or tasks it completes. Completely trusting AI and not checking its “work” is a recipe for disaster.

“It is so absolutely critical to have human supervision over all AI outputs. If I can warn your listeners of one thing, it is this. If you are copying and pasting what you are getting from any of these AI tools and you are not reading it, you are taking a huge risk,” says Stephanie. “I strongly urge you to stop doing it that way. It needs human oversight.”

IP is a Major Issue with AI

One often overlooked issue with AI is intellectual property. Once you put information into an AI platform, it is an extremely grey area who now owns that data. Stephanie has some stern words of advice for anyone using AI with a brand’s IP.

“With IP, anything that you give to AI is up for grabs. I don’t care if it promises you privacy. I don’t believe it, and I wouldn’t believe it for a second,” said Stephanie. “Use the tools. They are amazing, and I use AI all day, every day. However, I do not put sensitive information into it.”

Be Transparent

Stephanie notes transparency is essential for brands using AI, especially those using it to enhance products or services. She discloses to all her clients that she uses AI to assist her agency and its employees. Most don’t mind as long as they know that fact up front and don’t feel deceived.

“I absolutely disclose everything. I think transparency is critical at this stage with all of this because if you don’t have your client’s trust, you’re not going to have a client for very long, right? Absolutely, I disclose that I am using AI in all kinds of different ways,” said Stephanie. “I want to make sure that they understand I am using this technology and there are some inherent risks to it. My ideal client is okay with those risks, but not everyone is.”

On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Coast Products CEO David Brands joins host Dan Kahn to discuss being a third-generation family business owner. The innovative maker of flashlights, headlamps, work lamps, knives and other products, Coast Products was originally founded in 1919 as Coast Cutlery Company by David’s grandfather. Its first product was a specialized salmon filleting knife that the elder Brands sold to canneries and fishermen across the Northwest.

Now, David is the third generation of the Brands family to run the privately held company. He has helped lead its transformation from a one-man operation selling knives out of the back of a car to a globally recognized brand. In this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” David talks about the unique challenges faced in running a family business and what he learned from expanding Coast Products since leading the brand.

Click on the icon above to watch the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways:

* Privately held family businesses have the advantage of long-term thinking.

* Innovation should be central to any brand.

* Long-term partnerships are just as important as long-term thinking.

* Running a family business without a clear leader doesn’t work.

* Failure is a natural part of entrepreneurship.

Think Long Term

According to David, one of the most significant advantages privately held family businesses have is their ability to think long term. There are no shareholders or investors demanding a rapid return on their investment. When the family business has been handed down through generations, the thinking naturally shifts to what is best for the brand in the long term. While there is less access to capital, there is also less focus on making a quick buck.

“We have always run our company to be the leader in innovation, to have great relationships with our customers and obviously make money. The amount of money we make isn’t as important as doing things right,” said David. “That is a great luxury you have as a privately owned company that frankly, in this day and age, doesn’t exist in public companies or even in a lot of partnerships.”

Never Stop Innovating

Coast Products was founded on innovation. In 1909, it introduced a salmon fillet knife with a spoon on the other end, combining two products into one. David notes that innovation should be central to any brand, as it allows you to expand product offerings and stay ahead of your competitors. That desire to innovate was critical for Coast Products during the advent of LED technology.

“We sold the first LED flashlight ever in the United States. It had a ‘whopping’ 18 lumens of light and sold for $39.99,” said David. “Today, we make an LED flashlight that has 5,000 lumens of light, you can focus it, it has a digital readout on a screen to tell you how much battery life you have left, it’s rechargeable and sells for $39.99. So you can see how much the LED revolution really has taken hold. We were one of the first ones in it and have never stopped innovating and leading the way in this type of technology.”

Build Long-Term Partnerships

David applies that same long-term thinking to all aspects of his business. Instead of constantly shifting suppliers to save a bit of money, he has forged lasting alliances with them. These solid partnerships have helped David and Coast survive multiple economic downturns with partners committed to Coast’s success.

“We think it is a real advantage. Because we have such loyal and supportive partners and because we have good partnerships, for instance, that is why we have been able to survive the current business climate, when other companies have really had problems,” said David. “It has been challenging for everybody, but thank goodness we have such a tight-knit, close family atmosphere among all of our partners that we have been able to, knock on wood, manage it okay.”

Running a Business by Committee Doesn’t Work

Typically, multiple members of the same family can be involved in running a business. This setup can make for some “interesting” dynamics where everyone wants to have input. It can also blur the line between siblings and bosses, creating even more friction. According to David, having one person ultimately in charge is the only way to avoid this chaos.

“I know a company here in Portland that has something like 28 family members working in the company. That would be really hard. I think I would almost rather be a publicly owned company than that,” says David. “I think it is clear that it really helps to have at least one person clearly in charge. For better or worse, you've got to pick one person and say, ‘Okay, you make the final decision.’”

If You’re Not Making Mistakes, You’re Not Trying

Entrepreneurship comes with a certain amount of risk. Introducing new products, trying different strategies or expanding into unfamiliar markets can all backfire. However, David notes that uncertainty is all part of running a business. If you haven’t failed at something, it is probably because you are playing it too safe.

“I once knew a guy who worked for my father who told me, ‘David, if you don’t make mistakes, you are not trying hard enough.’ I always took that to heart. Maybe I just did it to rationalize my mistakes at the time, but I really think that is correct,” said David. “If you never try something and it doesn’t work, then you are not trying enough new things. You are not thinking outside the box enough.”

Mark Schaefer’s first experiences with marketing and sales were selling flower seeds, Christmas cards and whatever else he could when he was 10 years old. Growing up in a blue-collar family in a small town, it was the only way he could make money for new clothes. From those humble beginnings, Schaefer worked in global sales, PR and marketing positions after studying journalism in college.

Eventually, he set out on his own to start Schaefer Marketing Solutions, with clients ranging from small startups to global brands like Adidas, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. Schaefer also created the well-read marketing blog {grow}, which led him to author 11 best-selling books, including “Audacious,” “KNOWN” and “The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever.” He is also the co-host and founder of the popular “The Marketing Companion” podcast.

On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn leads an in-depth discussion with Schaefer about entrepreneurship and marketing. Schaefer’s deep insight and knowledge into both subjects make this episode well worth your time. Click on the icon above to give it a watch, and here are our top five takeaways from the interview:

* Being bland might be safe, but it doesn’t pay off in marketing.

* To form a connection with your customers, you have to know them.

* Building a community is just as crucial as building products.

* Your personal brand matters.

* Asking for help can be the difference between success and failure.

You Can’t Be Boring

Boring is always a safe bet for marketing. Your legal department will love it, and boredom never causes social media teams any heartburn. However, another guarantee of boredom is that it will never make your brand stand out in a sea of bland marketing. If you want to make waves, you sometimes need to toss a rather large rock into the pond.

“One of the things that I talk about in my new book is this scaffolding, this infrastructure we have in our industry that keeps boring in place. It keeps competent in place instead of audacious and instead of creative,” said Schaefer. “It is easy to be average because that is what gets approved by the legal department. It is easy to be average because boring has been institutionalized in most industries.”

Marketing is About Knowing Your Audience

Most people think marketing revolves around creating the right ad. While the right creative is essential, knowing your audience is equally important. To connect with someone, you must know their values, beliefs and needs. Discovering those often takes lots of research and knowledge.

“Marketing is not about the creative, it's about the research. An audacious campaign that set the marketing world on fire was the Nike campaign with the quarterback Colin Kaepernick. They lost $4 billion of market value in 24 hours or something like that. People were burning Nike products in the streets, but they increased their market capitalization in 10 days. The difference was that Nike had the data, they had the numbers,” said Schaefer. “They knew that demographic, and they knew to be welcomed on that island, they needed to earn trust.”

Build a Community

Brands can be hyper-fixated on the next great product or idea. However, building community is just as crucial for a company as its products. Developing a community creates a connection with your customers that keeps them constantly returning to your brand instead of your competition.

“As human beings, we don’t just want community; we need community because it helps form our identities. No matter what happens in this world, if a brand can create a community, it is the ultimate emotional connection,” said Schaefer. “People don’t just love your soft drink or your cosmetics; they love each other in a community, and they will literally belong to a brand.”

Build Your Brand, Too

Building a personal brand is important whether you are a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or just starting in the business world. However, many people don’t know how to go about it. For Schaefer, one of the best ways to build your brand is to identify the problems you are the best at solving.

“You have to be clear about where you fit in the world. What is the problem that is keeping people up at night with your customers or with your company? What is special about you that can help people solve that problem in a unique way? It takes some work to really think about that,” said Schaefer. “But you will be rewarded if you spend some time thinking about that, because once you can finish the sentence ‘Only I…', your entire personal branding and marketing plan unveils itself.”

Ask For Help

All entrepreneurs need to be highly confident in themselves. However, that self-assuredness shouldn’t be misplaced, and it doesn’t mean you know everything. Schaefer learned the hard way that asking for help is okay and can be the difference between success and failure.

“I had a pretty big business failure. It was a software I developed with some other people. We put together this big team, and I invested a lot of my own resources and money into it. It worked, but the reason it failed was because I was a terrible salesperson,” said Schaefer. “The B2B sales process just wore me down, and I thought that there were 25 other things I would rather be doing than this. The mistake I made was that I knew I was out of my area of expertise, and I didn’t bring in the right people to help.”

Jason Swenk’s story is remarkable. After he built a website for fun, friends began to ask him to build theirs. He then started to make a living constructing websites for businesses. That small venture eventually became a highly successful digital agency with over 100 employees and major clients like Lotus Cars, AT&T, Hitachi and more.

That climb from the bottom to the top is fascinating enough, but it isn’t the end of Swenk’s saga. Eventually, he grew tired of the agency of life and sold his successful business. However, he quickly got bored with retirement and began to help friends with their agencies. He then spun that into another company, advising agencies on how to grow and scale faster. Swenk also hosts the “Smart Agency Masterclass Podcast,” a highly popular podcast focused on marketing agencies.

In this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” Swenk sits down with host Dan Kahn to discuss what he learned building both of his businesses from the ground up. The in-depth discussions and lessons don’t just apply to agencies, but are valuable to any entrepreneur leading their own brand.

Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways:

* Hire the right people.

* Be a specialist instead of a generalist.

* Failing to adapt or change your brand can be its downfall.

* Ensure your core values match with anyone you do business with.

* Focus on what you do best and delete the rest.

Hire People Who Can Manage Themselves

Swenk initially hit a wall with his agency because he really didn’t like being a project manager. Plus, with so many projects that had to run through him, he eventually became a bottleneck. His solution was to hire people who can manage themselves and, just as importantly, let them do exactly that.

“I am the worst manager in the world. I can’t manage anyone. My brain thinks very differently, and your brain probably thinks very differently than people you have to manage,” said Swenk. “So, what I started to realize was, and I could see this in the team, was that I need to hire the people who can manage themselves. And I need to hire people who are better managers than me to manage the people that do need to be managed at the lower level.”

Be a Specialist

Many think offering a wide range of products or services is the best way to make their business work. However, for Swenk, the opposite is true. Specializing in something is a better path to success as it allows for a better focus on your mission, customers and competition.

“On the podcast, I am always interviewing specialists. We are always talking about how you have to be a specialist so you can really drill down on the problem, you can really refine your offer, and you can get more streamlined and more profitable. You are really eliminating your competition (by being a specialist), and that is one of the key parts,” said Swenk. “That is why you see in Agency Mastery, 90% of them are all specialized agencies.”

Adapt or Die

It is definitely a weird time for any business or agency, with the rise of AI causing multiple concerns about the future. However, brands have experienced many transitory periods in the past. The key is to adapt and be open to new realities and technologies, as refusing to change can be a death sentence for your brand.

“When I started the agency, websites and the internet were the big new things. I remember there was a big distinction between a traditional agency, like they weren’t even called traditional agencies, they were just called marketing agencies. They were doing traditional things, like outdoor, TV and print, and that is all they were doing,” said Swenk. “The ones that really kind of died on the vine were the ones that didn’t want to change.”

Align Your Core Values

Knowing your brand's core values is extremely important. However, according to Swenk, aligning your core values with the values of your vendors, suppliers, partners, customers or anyone else you do business with is just as important. Skipping that step can result in conflict, misunderstandings and misalignments that can harm your brand.

“I realize that anyone that I want to work with as a client, and I think everyone should do this as well with a client, member or however your business is set up, is to ask what are their core values? My core values are being resourceful, having fun, sharing what works and what doesn’t, and that is the core values we look for when we bring on clients,” said Swenk. “When we talk to people, we first ask, ‘Can we help this person?’ and then, ‘Do we want to help them?’ We then ask about their core values.”

Focus on What You’re Great At

Brands can often get bogged down with too many irons in the fire. Whether it is trying to branch out into new markets or find different revenue streams, it can all detract from doing what the business is actually good at. For Swenk, the key to being successful is focusing on what you are best at.

“Too many businesses are trying to do too many things and doing things that they are not really good at. Think about when Steve Jobs came back to Apple. What did he do? He eliminated all the crap and focused on the things they are great at,” said Swenk. “I will only release and do things that I know we can do great. If I say it is just good enough, no, it is crap. Really, it is figuring out what you can become the world’s best at.”

Jim and Mike Ring are an amazing success story from the heart of America. The youngest of seven kids, the brothers grew up in the small town of Plain, Wisconsin, with a population of just over 600 people. From an early age, the duo was highly interested in cars, tinkering with anything with an engine way before either could legally drive. After graduating from high school and working in construction, Jim bought an old car dealership in Spring Green, Wisconsin, to turn into a paint and body shop. Mike would join Jim at the business after a stint in the U.S. Navy.

That small-town collision repair shop eventually morphed into Ringbrothers, a leader in the construction of high-end and extremely bespoke custom cars. Its legendary creations, like Enyo, Tusk, Strode and others, are rolling award-winning showcases of the incredible talent of Mike, Jim and the Ringbrothers team. The thousands of hours of craftsmanship, innovation, and meticulous build quality of each Ringbrothers' creation have transformed a small-town shop into a globally recognized brand and leader in the custom car space.

Bootstrapping their way from a humble to an iconic brand taught the brothers a lot about building a business. On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Mike and Jim Ring discuss with host Dan Kahn what it took to become one of the premier custom car builders in the world. It is a must-watch episode for anyone wanting to develop their brand or into cars.

Click on the icon above to give it a watch, and here are our top five takeaways:

* Respect is a huge part of building any brand.

* Using your own products often is key to success.

* Hire the right people and learn from them.

* The drive for constant improvement is something you must possess.

* Believing in yourself early can lead to great things.

Treat Everyone with Respect

Treating customers and everyone with respect is a strong part of how Mike and Jim built Ringbrothers and continue to operate it. That solid advice might sound like common sense, but it is surprising how often it is forgotten. Even as their brand grew into a global phenomenon, they remained humble and treated people with the same respect as when they first opened.

“Growing up in a town with just over 600 people, it is just mind-boggling to me the people we have met over a car,” said Jim. “If there is any advice for anybody else, and I made this mistake early, it is that you have to treat everybody with respect. It is very important that you always do what you say you are going to do. Sometimes that becomes really hard.”

Develop and Use Your Own Products

Beyond custom car construction, Ringbrothers sells high-quality billet and carbon-fiber parts via its e-commerce platform. A key to the success of those products is that they are developed, built and used all in-house. This allows for deep product knowledge and constant improvement that copying someone else’s product or overseas manufacturing could never offer.

“A lot of our products were developed over the years on different builds we’ve done. One thing about our products is that we use them and know how they work. I really feel we give good customer service because of that,” said Mike. “We are not just making something out of billet or copying somebody else’s product and putting it out there. We use our products every day.”

Always Make it Better

What shows in every radical Ringbrothers build is the constant push for improvement. The drive to always make something better isn’t just part of the vehicle builds, but also the business. Without that drive from within, brands can often stagnate and fall to competitors.

“You know you are never satisfied. You never think that, oh, we nailed it. We have never looked at one (a vehicle build) and thought that it’s the end-all,” said Mike. “I think that is what keeps you young and wanting to do the next one. It is to just make it better. “

Learn From Your Employees

While the vehicles Ringbrothers builds might be old-school, the technology used to create them is extremely modern. CAD/CAM, 3D printing and high-tech machinery all play roles in their creation. Mike and Jim admit to not being “techy,” but the key was to hire the right people who understand the technology and learn from them.

“Mike and I are blessed to have younger guys who understand that stuff, who want to come here and be a part of this, and want to build cars and parts,” said Jim. “The technology is not coming from Mike and me. It is coming from the people we have here that we have been blessed to have work with us. It is crazy. A month ago, we just bought two new 3D printers because we wore our other ones out.”

Believe in Yourself

Being an entrepreneur is always a tricky balance between taking risks and being cautious. For Mike, reflecting on how far Ringbrothers has come, one mistake was not believing in themselves earlier. While he is completely happy with their tremendous success, that early confidence could have led to things happening quicker.

“For me, it is probably not believing in ourselves, so we didn’t invest faster or go bigger earlier. Not for monetary reasons, but just to think that we didn’t have the confidence and to look back and ask why we didn’t have confidence in ourselves then,” said Mike. “You always wonder what if. I am proud of what we did, but if I look back, I would have said that I wish we had just blown it up (earlier).”

TLG Auto’s Marco Gerace on “Only The Strong Survive”

Air-cooled Porsches have always been a huge part of Marco Gerace’s life. His father founded TLG Auto in 1978, originally a small service shop with a single bay. With a fondness and deep knowledge of Porsches, his dad quickly specialized in working on the German marque. Eventually, TLG Auto morphed into a specialty business restoring vintage Porsches.

After a brief career in journalism, Marco joined the family business in 2003. Working alongside his father, Marco learned everything he could about Porsches and TLG Auto before taking over after his dad’s passing in 2016. As a second-generation business owner, Marco brings a unique insight into what it takes to keep a family business thriving.

In this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” Marco shares his experiences in successfully running a small family business with host Dan Kahn. His lessons and knowledge are essential for leaders of brands of any size. Click on the icon above to watch the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways:

* Transitioning from the first generation to the second in a family business can be difficult.

* You need to have difficult conversations while you can.

* Family businesses sometimes need a push.

* Finding the right size for your business is critical.

* Finding the right employees who aren’t only there for money is just as important.

Passing the Torch is Hard

Marco learned the hard way that passing the torch from the first generation to the second of a family business can be extremely difficult. If both parties aren’t on the same page, it can cause a lot of conflict. That was definitely the case for Marco and his dad, until they figured out they both wanted the same thing. Open and honest communication about what they both wanted for the future would have greatly minimized that friction.

“What ended up happening was I was in my 20s and on the rise. He was in his 50s and 60s and on the decline. Not like in health, but eventually, yes. It was more that I wanted more of the business and he wanted less, but we didn’t know how to pass the torch,” said Marco. “There was no discussion of next steps. It was assumed I would take over, but we never got into discussing it. So as I was doing more in the shop, he felt less important and like he was being pushed out.”

Have Hard Discussions Sooner than Later

Marco’s father passed away way too early in his life. While both shared the same vision of the future after that initial conflict, there was no concrete plan. Marco was left to figure out a lot of the business on his own and do a lot of “on-the-job” learning. He learned that you need to have the difficult discussions about transitions in a family business sooner rather than later.

“The transition was never actually set up, so when he passed, it was sort of a rug pull for me. I was left scrambling to prop the business up and learn the things I hadn’t learned about the cars, the business and being an entrepreneur with no guidance,” said Marco. “That is kind of the nature of things, though. You just don’t know (when someone will pass away). It prompts you to have the hard talks sooner. If I learned anything from it, it is to have those really hard discussions much sooner in life than later.”

You Have to Push

Family businesses can get stuck in a proverbial rut, with the younger generation wanting to respect their elders. However, that can lead to a reduction in market share as times change, but founders stick to their traditional ways of doing business. Marco knew he had to push the company forward as social media and online platforms became more prevalent. Even though marketing and anything online wasn’t his dad’s “thing,” the eldest Gerace still respected the results and let Marco try new things.

“He didn’t understand it. My dad was a Luddite, but didn’t know what that was,” said Marco. “He didn’t understand how I did what I was doing or how the internet or networking worked, but he saw the results in the numbers.”

Find the Right Size for Your Business

Many entrepreneurs, including Marco, struggle with finding the right size for their business. While nonstop growth is always attractive, it can come with its own challenges and doesn’t always increase net profits. Overexpanding at the wrong time can also sink a business. The key is to find a size for your business that you are happy with and can maintain.

“This is something I think about and struggle with regularly. My business has been on the precipice of expansion or contraction for about a decade,” said Marco. “I have enough work that if I added three people, we could crush it, but do I really want that kind of business? Or do I want to contract the business a little bit, have a wait list and do the best work on the best cars? Maybe I make a little less money, but I still do okay and take care of my people. I have this choice to make, and what is the better long-term goal? I don’t know.”

And Find the Right People

With a high-end clientele and extremely pricey vehicles, Marco needs highly skilled mechanics and employees. While paying a premium could attract that workforce, there is a downside to that scenario. For his business to prosper, he doesn’t want people there just for the money, but who love what they do and have a long-term outlook.

“If you pay enough, you can have the best. The problem is that you want to attract people who want to work on the cars, have the knowledge and love of the Porsche product line, and aren’t just chasing the money. The people who are chasing the money will always chase the money,” said Marco. “Sometimes you can sit where you are at, do the best work you can do and then reap the dividends down the road. Don’t look at the short-term, but look at the big picture and the long-term. If you put into the business what you want to get out of it, everybody wins.”

Jeff O’Neill’s life has always revolved around great wines and ideas. In 1980, he joined the family wine business that his grandfather had initially started. With the winery in bad financial shape before his onboarding, it wasn’t long before the bank took it over. However, Jeff was able to repurchase its assets and continue operations with the help of private equity investors. In 2004, he sold the original family business and created his own with O’Neill Vintners and Distillers. As its CEO and founder, Jeff helped guide it to become one of Central California's largest vintners and distillers.

Another of Jeff’s passions is vintage racecars, which started with childhood trips to TransAm races at Sonoma Raceway with his father. Jeff combined his two favorite vintages into one and created Velocity Invitational, a luxury motorsports festival that blends fine food and wine with rare racecars, hypercars and supercars. The unique and highly anticipated event is held at the same raceway where his love for racing first began.

In this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Jeff shares his knowledge on building brands and experiential events with host Dan Kahn. It is a must-listen for anyone looking to start their own company or create an event. Click on the icon to watch the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways:

* Branding is everything, regardless of the business you are in.

* Talk to your customers and not at them.

* Authenticity is key to building brands.

* You have to appeal to more than just core customers.

* Perfection can be the enemy of innovation.

Building Brands Has Completely Changed

Brand value has always been extremely important in the wine business, as consumers tend to gravitate towards wineries they know and like. However, how that brand value is built has completely changed over the years. Now, there are more customer touchpoints than ever, and each needs careful consideration.

“Today, it (brand building) is in a different place than it was 30 years ago. You used to just get it (the wine) on the floor and make sure someone had to run into it with their shopping cart,” said Jeff. “Today, you have to have social media, Instagram and TikTok. So, you are really trying to touch consumers in a lot more places than you used to. But everyone has that same challenge.”

Be Inclusive and not Exclusive

Drinking wine can be a needlessly complicated experience with a plethora of rules. While this might give the experience a sense of exclusivity, it doesn’t help build a larger customer base. If you want to expand your business, you have to connect with your consumers in the right way and be more inclusive than exclusive.

“As an industry, I think we need to take the blame. We have made drinking wine a little too complicated for a lot of people,” said Jeff. “We have created, I think, a mess from the consumer point of view. What we want to do is to turn it all into exploration. There are really no bad decisions out there, right? Drink white wine with a steak if you want to drink white wine. But we have created all these rules…we have to change the way we talk to the consumer and make it more fun and entertaining.”

Authenticity is Everything

Today, the story behind a brand is just as important as the product itself. However, that story has to be authentic to have an impact. For O’neill Vintners and Distillers, talking about its sustainability and regenerative farming efforts, which are central to its values, has been vital to helping build its brands.

“Authenticity is key. Telling these great stories, why we are here and the background is the most important thing we can do today. It is critical to the success of the brands. It doesn’t matter if it is our brand or Patagonia,” said Jeff. “Authenticity and real stories matter, but I do remind everyone that the kid who wants authenticity and sustainability wants it in five minutes. I am not 100% sure you can say you love authenticity and sustainability, but, by the way, I got to have that bag of Doritos delivered by Amazon in eight minutes.”

Reaching the Next Ring

Velocity Invitational could have been a “hardcore” motorsports event solely appealing to enthusiasts. However, that wasn’t interesting to Jeff and would have greatly limited its appeal and success. For any brand or event to be successful, it is crucial to figure out how to reach the next concentric ring beyond your core customers.

“The whole idea is how to make a day out of it (Velocity Invitational) and make it really fun and entertaining. If you want to learn a ton about the cars, we have docents. But otherwise, come and enjoy the day, enjoy the food and tour the cars. See everything from 1908 to what the future looks like,” said Jeff. “It is always about how we entertain and take care of, I will call it families, but it is really wives, girlfriends and people who are kind of interested, but they are not subscribing to a motorsport magazine and reading it cover to cover.”

You Will Never Win if Everything Must be 100%

Perfection can sometimes stifle innovation. New ideas aren’t always fully thought out, but that is okay. For Jeff, coming up with a concept that might need some work is better than shelving it because it is not 100% complete.

“They (his team) like to deliver everything to me with a perfect bow on it and 100% done. My point is, you will never win if you think you have to get everything done 100%,” said Jeff. “You get it to 98% and go, or 90% and go, because usually, if it is a great idea, it is something new and something innovative. You don’t need it to be 100%.”

Ami Kassar wears many hats as a columnist for 21 Hats, a former advisor to the White House, the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, and the author of “The Growth Dilemma.” He is also the founder and CEO of MultiFunding LLC, a consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs find smart and strategic funding to help grow and finance their businesses. Founded to give counsel to businesses on finding the best loan options transparently, MultiFunding has secured over $1 billion in loans.

With over two decades of experience in business finance and an entrepreneur himself, Kassar is an expert in both areas. In this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, he shares his expertise in securing funding for entrepreneurs and running a business with host Dan Kahn. It is a must-listen for anyone wanting to know how to use leverage responsibly, structure debt the right way and fund growth without losing their soul or shirt. Click on the icon above to check out the entire fascinating episode, and here are our five top takeaways:

* Loans won’t solve structural or organizational problems with your business.

* Very few entrepreneurs come from a financial background.

* It is okay to grow your brand at your own pace.

* Bookkeeping and accounting are tedious but the cornerstones of successful brands.

* Keep calm and carry on in turbulent times.

Covid Changed Everything

The pandemic was a life-altering period for many, including businesses. While the massive injection of small-business loans saved countless entrepreneurs, it also acted as a double-edged sword for others. Instead of creating leaner and more efficient business models, some relied on those loans to get by. Those same loans are now coming due as costs and tariffs rise, leading many businesses to go under.

“Money flooded the market and balance sheets. Then you didn’t have to pay it back for two or three years. It gave everyone this false sense of security, like it was party time. When you put too much money into a company like that, you often cause more harm than good. Many people just thought they wouldn’t have to pay it back, or didn’t understand the conditions about what the money was intended for,” said Kassar. “I really think, particularly with that last influx of idle money, it is going to cause a lot of harm for decades.”

Most Brand Leaders Aren’t Good at Finance

Most small businesses are started by someone with an idea about a product or service. Very few of those “idea people” have backgrounds in finance or accounting. However, if you want your business to survive and thrive, you need to get a handle on its finances. Not paying attention to or understanding the financial details of your company doesn’t give you the flexibility required to survive ups and downs.

“Most small businesses are not good at their financials or cash management, especially in turbulent times. I have a picture I use when I do talks and lectures of an offensive and defensive player ready to beat each other up in a football game. I say that this is how you need to think about your balance sheet,” said Kassar. “A good team is set up for flexibility because as you run your business, there could be unexpected opportunities that pop up and unexpected crises that pop up. You want to be ideally situated for both.”

Grow at Your Own Pace

Many entrepreneurs and CEOs are absolutely obsessed with growing a company as fast as possible. However, that growth almost always comes with more risk. For Kassar, it is crucial to figure out your own personal tolerance for risk before taking a lot of it on. Otherwise, you might grow a brand but have plenty of sleepless nights and stress-filled days.

“I don’t think we talk about this enough, but we all have different risk tolerances. There is no right or wrong. I think you should understand where your risk tolerance is and be okay with it. That could impact the decisions about how big you want to grow your business and how fast and how much risk you want to take on,” said Kassar. “I would much rather see people grow their business at the pace they want to. I always say nothing is more important than a good night’s sleep.”

Stay on Top of Your Game

Tangibles like a product or service often get the most attention from anyone starting a business from scratch. Entrepreneurs usually obsess over the details of whatever they offer, hoping it will connect with consumers. While that obsession is important, Kassar's top advice for anyone starting a business is to stay on top of their finances. Accounting and bookkeeping might be boring, but they are the cornerstones of successful businesses.

“Stay on top of it (your finances) and stay healthy. Absolutely invest in good bookkeeping and accounting, and have regular reporting. Stay totally in charge of your game,” said Kassar. “I do think it is important and healthy to check in regularly on your bookkeeping and accounting. Like everything else in life, bookkeeping and accounting might serve you at one level, but you need to upgrade them to get to the next level.”

Keep Your Head Down

It is not exactly shocking to say that we live in extremely challenging times. Tariffs, layoffs, wild stock market gyrations, recession fears and other economic indicators that are flashing red are all causing lots of anxiety. While Kassar doesn’t possess a crystal ball or have any special insight into what is going on, he notes that the best way forward for any entrepreneur is to keep calm and carry on.

“There is a lot of uncertainty and confusion out there. It is quite fascinating to me because we have been really busy (as a business) since the election. There is a lot of activity and a lot of people borrowing and growing and looking towards the future, which I take to be a good sign. However, there are a lot of fundamentals out there that are making people nervous, and I don’t blame them,” said Kassar. “I always say I just keep my head down and try to keep working and moving, but there is a lot of confusion out there.”

Julie McQueen’s journey to the head of CarbonTV started behind the camera. Initially, she documented others' outdoor adventures as a camerawoman and producer before transitioning to a show host. All of those roles were natural fits for someone with a strong love for the outdoors and who is a passionate conservation advocate. As her expertise in digital media quickly grew, Julie became the president and CEO of the outdoor-focused CarbonTV streaming platform.Taking the helm of the popular outdoor enthusiast streaming service right before the pandemic and guiding it through a constantly changing media environment brought many challenges. However, through all of them, Julie continues to expand CarbonTV and grow its audience. In this episode of the “Only the Strong Survive” podcast, she shares with host Dan Kahn the valuable insight she has learned in her leadership position. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire fascinating episode, and here are our top five takeaways:

* Being first in a space comes with many advantages.

* You always have to keep adapting to consumer preferences.

* Finding the right niche and owning it is key to success.

* Always surround yourself with the right people.

* Don’t be afraid to trust your gut.

Be a First MoverWhile outdoor-focused television channels exist, CarbonTV is the first digital streaming platform covering hunting, fishing and other forms of outdoor recreation. Being first definitely comes with the advantages of being able to “own the space.” However, it doesn’t 100% guarantee success, as you still have to manage growth properly.“Being so early in the game definitely gave us a lot of benefits. We have remained the largest over the years, but it takes a lot of dedication and a really smart team to keep that growth and keep it sustainable,” said Julie. “We are not growing at a pace that we can’t keep up with, but we are constantly evolving and growing in smart ways.”Always Keep AdaptingHow people consume media has completely changed as the dominance of network television has faded and streaming services have dramatically risen in popularity. However, even within the streaming space, consumer preferences keep shifting. Monitoring and adapting to those changes have been vital to CarbonTV’s success.“It has really shifted over the years. Back in the day, it was all on devices like handhelds, and we were seeing shorter retention times on those. If someone is watching on an iPhone, for example, I can assume they will watch for 12 to 20 minutes,” said Julie. “As we have moved into different distribution platforms, Roku, for example, is a huge one for us. More people watch us on Roku than anywhere else. Our retention on Roku hovers around 1.5 hours per session, which is huge.”Find Your NicheOperating within a specific niche might seem like a limiting factor for advertising, but it has been a boon for CarbonTV. Brands that want to advertise to outdoor enthusiasts can speak directly to them on CarbonTV instead of taking their chances with more generalized audiences elsewhere. While those niche audiences might be smaller, they are also more loyal.“They (ads on CarbonTV) are highly trackable and perform well because we have such an endemic audience. We have a loyal audience. This is going to sound a bit crazy, but they don’t have a lot of options,” said Julie. “We have them captive in some ways, which is great for the brands because they know when they run ads on Carbon, they have people seeing and engaging with those ads who are their core customers.”Surround Yourself with the Right PeopleAs a female CEO, Julie is definitely among a minority in the largely male-dominated outdoor industry. However, for her, it hasn’t been a negative experience that has somehow limited her growth or career options. According to Julie, it is more about the people you surround yourself with and following the path blazed by others.“It is not like the old days, when people told you to be quiet because you were a girl and didn’t know what you were doing. I think those days are long gone,” said Julie. “There have been so many amazing and brilliant women before me who have really paved the path and opened up all those doors. As long as you navigate it the right way and keep the right people around you, I think that being a minority can be a really big blessing.”Trust Your Gut and Act FastOne hard lesson Julie has learned over the years is to trust your gut instincts, as they are usually right. Just as important is acting quickly on those instincts to make rapid decisions. Ignoring your instincts or taking too long to make hard decisions can lead to the demise of your brand.“Seeing something in the company that, in my gut, I knew needed to change and not acting on it fast enough was a mistake,” said Julie. “I think as a leader, you have to make hard decisions. That is a big part of the reason why companies fail in those first five years. It is a lot of hard decisions, a series of them every day, repeatedly. If you are not good at having hard conversations, moving quickly on them and getting them out of the way, everything else starts to falter.”

Natalie and John Radzwilla of Hook & Barrel Magazine on “Only The Strong Survive”

Natalie and John Radzwilla have a fascinating story of entrepreneurship. Initially, the couple owned a boutique public relations firm in the outdoor space. After having difficulty finding any media to connect with their more lifestyle-oriented clients, they decided to become the media. In a time when most were strongly retreating from magazines and any print mediums, the couple decided to go all in and launch their own magazine.

The first edition of Hook & Barrel Magazine came out in July 2018. Unlike most outdoor media at the time, its content was more lifestyle-focused instead of technical or a heavy emphasis on reviews. However, that differentiation was no guarantee of success.

Bootstrapping Hook & Barrel Magazine from its first print issue to its current status of a small multi-media empire has been quite the journey. In this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” Natale and John Radzwilla discussed what they learned along the way about entrepreneurship and making a magazine thrive in a digital era. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode. Here are our top five takeaways:

* There will always be naysayers regardless of what you do.

* Burying your head in the sand never works.

* Being relentless is a huge part of brand building.

* Artificial intelligence has its limitations.

* Success requires paying attention to every detail.

People Will Think You’re Crazy

Most people told Natalie and John they were crazy for wanting to launch a magazine with their own money. Those naysayers had a point in an era when multiple publishing companies were going out of business. However, Natalie and John believed in their vision and stuck to it. Seven years later, they have proved that they have found an underserved niche and have a viable business model.

“In the beginning, everybody thought we were crazy. At the time, both of us were 33 years old, and what 33-year-olds back in 2018 were deciding to start an outdoor lifestyle print magazine? That was our tangible product and what we were coming out of the gates with. It didn’t start from a website or from a blog or from an Instagram or Facebook page,” said Natalie. “A lot of people at the beginning were very discouraging and saying we were crazy and would never see a dime.”

You Can’t Ignore Trains

When John and Natalie launched Hook & Barrel Magazine, many publishing companies were going under. The vast majority held onto their print properties too tightly and tried to ignore the “freight train” of people shifting online. John and Natalie knew they wanted a magazine but also needed a website and online presence to back it up. Ignoring consumer preferences like others had was not a viable path forward.

“The internet was coming, and it is amazing what happens when people ignore the train. They want to pretend it is not coming, and that is how you get rolled over,” says John. “The magazine itself is the one tangible thing we have because we didn’t want to become only a blog or a vlog or whatever. We wanted to have a tangible product, but at the end of the day, I always knew what the evolution was going to be. It’s going to be a multi-faceted media company.”

You Have to be Relentless

Larger companies have the luxury of a built-in consumer base and lots of resources when they launch a sub-brand or new product. Hook & Barrel Magazine had none of those and had to be built as a brand completely from scratch. Pulling that off takes a lot of determination, strength and absolute relentlessness. Without all of those traits, successfully launching a magazine in a decentralized media landscape would be impossible.

“You have to find a unique niche, like my old CEO said, then dominate that space, battle-harden yourself, and then just be absolutely relentless and ruthless when it comes to growing your brand until those seeds take root,” said John. “At that point, you start nurturing it. Until that thing actually sprouts, you just have to buckle down and be ready for it.”

The Impact of AI

Artificial intelligence is a huge talking point in the publishing world, as some magazines have ditched their writers for AI-generated content to maximize their profits. Hook & Barrel Magazine has integrated AI into its website to help suggest articles, but both John and Natalie say there is a limit to its use. Neither has the desire to adopt AI completely and solely rely on it.

“It is one thing to adopt something new and integrate it into what you are already doing. It is another thing to change everything and fully adopt it 100% and change your whole business model,” says Natalie. “Actual writers were the original influencers, and they are always going to be. We would never replace our content with something AI-generated.”

Success is in the Details

Grit, determination and a bold vision are all important components of entrepreneurial success. However, one element that doesn’t often get discussed is paying attention to the details. Going over all aspects of your business with a “fine-tooth comb” will show any red flags and areas you need to improve. Glossing over the details is a surefire way to encounter surprises that might ultimately end your business.

“For me, what I have had to learn is that success is in the details. Of course, you need that vision of the big picture and the gumption to go after it,” said Natalie. “But at the end of the day, when you are bootstrapping something or just starting out, and this isn’t just a one-month process as your start-up process is truly your first five years, so in your first five years if you don’t pay tremendous attention to the details of everything, yes it is very tedious and time consuming, but if you don’t do that it is the quickest way to fail.”