The Build Cycle

As the founder of iconic brands like Dana Designs, Mojo Systems and now Mystery Ranch, Dana Gleason has been making bags, packs and outdoor gear for four decades. Yet, he’s stayed on top of the game with continuous innovation. Sometimes, that required a complete relaunch as a new brand, but his successful track record made me wonder: How does he keep adapting to changing needs, the changing retail landscape, and changing consumer habits? It’s all here in this incredible episode, featuring my most charismatic guest yet. We cover domestic versus Asian manufacturing, quality control, the different types of customers,   and who to watch out for, and when to fire your dealers altogether. As he puts it, “Engage in the careful selection of customers”. Get ready for a roller coaster of an episode!

Key topics:

• Product strategy

For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

As the founder of iconic brands like Dana Designs, Mojo Systems and now Mystery Ranch, Dana Gleason has been making bags, packs and outdoor gear for four decades. Yet, he’s stayed on top of the game with continuous innovation. Sometimes, that required a complete relaunch as a new brand, but his successful track record made me wonder: How does he keep adapting to changing needs, the changing retail landscape, and changing consumer habits? It’s all here in this incredible episode, featuring my most charismatic guest yet. We cover domestic versus Asian manufacturing, quality control, the different types of customers,   and who to watch out for, and when to fire your dealers altogether. As he puts it, “Engage in the careful selection of customers”. Get ready for a roller coaster of an episode!

Key topics:

• Product strategy

For complete show notes and time stamps, plus photos of Dana and his packs, head over to TheBuildCycle.com!

"Failures are just opportunities for growth. They're not mistakes, they're expenses. You're out of business when you can't afford your mistakes.”

Erik Ekman is the founder of Outside Van, an Oregon-based manufacturer of full custom, adventure-ready Sprinter vans. This is one of my shorter interviews, but it’s packed with great advice on how to run a company that attracts deep talent and does amazing work. Erik and I are both mountain bikers, so there are a few cycling references in here, but most it's just killer advice on how to create a company that's pushing boundaries while selling a premium product. The quote above is one of my favorites and sums up his fast moving, experimental management style. And with that, please enjoy episode 26 of The Build Cycle Podcast!

For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

"Failures are just opportunities for growth. They're not mistakes, they're expenses. You're out of business when you can't afford your mistakes.”

Erik Ekman is the founder of Outside Van, an Oregon-based manufacturer of full custom, adventure-ready Sprinter vans. This is one of my shorter interviews, but it’s packed with great advice on how to run a company that attracts deep talent and does amazing work. Erik and I are both mountain bikers, so there are a few cycling references in here, but most it's just killer advice on how to create a company that's pushing boundaries while selling a premium product. The quote above is one of my favorites and sums up his fast moving, experimental management style. And with that, please enjoy episode 26 of The Build Cycle Podcast!

For full show notes, head over to The Build Cycle and search "outside van", and be sure to hit me up on Facebook and Twitter to let me know what YOU want to hear more of!

Doesn't matter if you do anything related to bicycles, Carl Strong has lessons that'll help every entrepreneur start and run a successful, profitable business.

Carl is legend within the custom bicycle frame building industry for good reason - he leads seminars, coaches younger builders, and most importantly, leads an industry in running his business as a real business, not a passion play. That’s a mistake so many entrepreneurs make. Sometimes, that allows for a great lifestyle business, but if you want to build a real company that’s highly profitable and capable of growing, Carl’s two decades of lessons are distilled into this episode. On top of that, he’s launching a new, ready-made brand of carbon fiber bikes with a partner, which will focus on limited runs of a single model at a time. And it’ll be high end, which caters to a customer that’s not arguing over price, which lets them focus on building something great. Those discussions on pricing, value systems, and determining your real bottom line are pure gold!

I took a ton of notes on this episode, check them out here with photos and more. And be sure to leave a rating and review whereever you listen to podcasts! Thanks!

Check out more episodes at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Doesn't matter if you do anything related to bicycles, Carl Strong has lessons that'll help every entrepreneur start and run a successful, profitable business.

Carl is legend within the custom bicycle frame building industry for good reason - he leads seminars, coaches younger builders, and most importantly, leads an industry in running his business as a real business, not a passion play. That’s a mistake so many entrepreneurs make. Sometimes, that allows for a great lifestyle business, but if you want to build a real company that’s highly profitable and capable of growing, Carl’s two decades of lessons are distilled into this episode. On top of that, he’s launching a new, ready-made brand of carbon fiber bikes with a partner, which will focus on limited runs of a single model at a time. And it’ll be high end, which caters to a customer that’s not arguing over price, which lets them focus on building something great. Those discussions on pricing, value systems, and determining your real bottom line are pure gold!

I took a ton of notes on this episode, check them out here with photos and more. And be sure to leave a rating and review whereever you listen to podcasts! Thanks!

Imagine launching your own product aligned perfectly with your passions, heading out on an 18-month roadshow to market it at your favorite outdoor spots, and having someone else paying for all of it. Sound’s amazing, right? That’s exactly what Boulder Denim co-founders Bradley Spence and Taz Barrett are doing. They hit the road in June in a custom Sprinter and Airstream trailer, traveling all over the US to demo their unique stretchy pairs of jeans that work just as well climbing as they do out on the town. They started out with nothing more than an idea, but thanks to fearless knocking on doors, jumping at all the right opportunities, and a killer Kickstarter strategy (plus a comically random assortment of crappy high school jobs and college startups), they’ve pulled off the ultimate lifestyle business. And it could get huge!

For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Imagine launching your own product aligned perfectly with your passions, heading out on an 18-month roadshow to market it at your favorite outdoor spots, and having someone else paying for all of it. Sound’s amazing, right? That’s exactly what Boulder Denim co-founders Bradley Spence and Taz Barrett are doing. They hit the road in June in a custom Sprinter and Airstream trailer, traveling all over the US to demo their unique stretchy pairs of jeans that work just as well climbing as they do out on the town. They started out with nothing more than an idea, but thanks to fearless knocking on doors, jumping at all the right opportunities, and a killer Kickstarter strategy (plus a comically random assortment of crappy high school jobs and college startups), they’ve pulled off the ultimate lifestyle business. And it could get huge! Check out show notes and photos at TheBuildCycle.com

What does it take to build a global brand? Mike Sinyard founded Specialized Bicycles to get the parts he wanted into the US. Then he created a road bike tire because he couldn't find anything that met his needs. Step after step, he built his company, and now it's one of the largest bicycle brands in the world. A big part of his success is owed to the strong culture he's built with passionate, open minded employees all focused on a single mission: Create the best bicycles in the world.

Here's how he did it, and check the show notes for photos, video and more at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

What does it take to build a global brand? Mike Sinyard founded Specialized Bicycles to get the parts he wanted into the US. Then he created a road bike tire because he couldn't find anything that met his needs. Step after step, he built his company, and now it's one of the largest bicycle brands in the world. A big part of his success is owed to the strong culture he's built with passionate, open minded employees all focused on a single mission: Create the best bicycles in the world. Here's how he did it, and check the show notes for photos, video and more at TheBuildCycle.com!