The Founderz Lounge Episode #70 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.

Don and Steve are back with another round of Business & Bullsh*t, where real entrepreneurs break down wins, screwups, and what actually moves the needle, without the corporate fluff.

It starts with a simple observation. Protein is suddenly in everything.

From Sweetgreen’s 106-gram protein bowl to protein water showing up on shelves, Don and Steve question whether this trend is about fueling people or just another marketing arms race. How much is too much, and at what point does “healthy” turn into hype?

From there, the conversation shifts to something just as widespread. Our growing inability to sit in silence.

They dig into society’s addiction to constant noise and stimulation, especially among younger generations, where background sound is always on and silence feels uncomfortable. In some cases, the absence of earbuds or white noise now triggers anxiety instead of calm.

The episode wraps with sharp takes in the Founderz Hot Take and a fast-paced Founderz Fast Five, tying together food, focus, and what happens when everything in modern life gets pushed to the extreme.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[01:21] Founderz Roundup: Sweetgreen’s protein bowl

[03:37] Sound addiction

[06:04] Random Bullshit

[08:02] Gen Alpha

[10:56] Founderz Hot Take

[13:46] Founderz Fast Five

Key Takeaways:  

• “Humans in general are overstimulated, and they’ve just lost the ability to meditate.” ~Don Varady [05:18]

• There was a study done where they were looking at what is basically an audio addiction. About 68% to 73% of people over 12 years old are online to listen to something, whether it’s a podcast like ours or an audiobook. The addiction is getting higher. ~Steve Bon [04:53]

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:

Clean Eatz:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ 

Website: https://cleaneatz.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA 

Bon’s Eye Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing 

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477  

The Founderz Lounge Episode #69 with Codie Aljets.

In this episode, Don Varady and Steve Bon sit down with Codie Aljets of Sage Country Customs to unpack a story shaped by adversity, creativity, and grit. After a battle with stage 4 colorectal cancer, Codie was forced to slow down, reassess his priorities, and ultimately rebuild his life around purpose and craftsmanship.

Codie shares how his journey from firefighter to full-time metal artist changed not just how he works, but how he thinks. The conversation dives into mindset, authenticity, pricing creative work, earning visibility in a niche market, and why consistency and learning matter more than chasing perfection.

This is a raw, grounded conversation about turning hardship into direction, building something real, and doing work that actually reflects who you are.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[01:04] Catching up

[02:45] Getting to know Codie

[05:34] Medical struggles

[08:30] The lightbulb moment

[11:06] The metal art business

[13:01] The beginning of craftsmanship

[15:31] Turning passion into a business

[18:52] Entrepreneurial mistakes

[21:39] No more favors

[23:25] Balancing quality with profitability

[28:30] Marketing a niche business

[31:31] Going international

[34:36] Building a brand name

[37:27] Scaling

[41:53] Managing client expectations

[45:37] Lessons for younger craftsmen

[46:38] Dream collaboration

[48:48] Hot take

[51:01] Connect with Codie Aljets

Website: https://www.codiealjetsart.com/

[51:51] Codie’s dog

Key Takeaways:  

• “What you carry in your mind ends up manifesting elsewhere in your body.” ~Codie Aljets [04:25]

• “I don’t care if I’m the best, but I want to at least succeed at what I do.” ~Codie Aljets [09:41]

• “If you’re not being seen, people aren’t thinking about you.” ~Codie Aljets [27:26]

• You’ve got to take those 100 or 200 no’s to get that one yes. ~Codie Aljets [30:02]

• “If you’re not learning, you might as well be dead.” ~Codie Aljets [45:43]

• If it’s not authentic, nobody’s going to come to you. ~Codie Aljets [46:33]

Connect with Codie Aljets:

Website: https://www.codiealjetsart.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codie.aljets/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagecountrycustoms/ 

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:

Clean Eatz:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ 

Website: https://cleaneatz.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA 

Bon’s Eye Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing 

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477  

Don and Steve are back with another round of Business & Bullsh*t, where real entrepreneurs break down wins, screwups, and what actually moves the needle, without the corporate fluff.

It starts with a simple question. What is the most you would ever pay for a cup of coffee?

That question gets real when a café in Dubai offers a $980 cup made from rare Nido 7 Geisha beans, with only 400 cups available worldwide. Absurd, or brilliant?

From there, the conversation opens up into a deeper look at business reinvention, brand fatigue, and the real cost of change. Don and Steve unpack Panera’s return to its “apex,” focusing on value, menu refreshes, and the decision to prioritize food over flashy tech. That leads into a broader discussion about innovation versus human connection, and what brands risk losing when they chase trends instead of trust. Don also shares firsthand challenges from the ongoing Clean Eatz rebrand.

The episode wraps with sharp takes on skyrocketing Super Bowl ad costs, shifting brand loyalty among Gen Z, pop culture detours, bourbon mashups, and a fast-paced round of the Founderz Fast Five.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[01:03] Founderz Round Up: Panera

[05:40] Super Bowl Commercials

[08:17] Pop Culture: Nicki Minaj

[10:05] Jeffrey Epstein

[11:29] Social Media Update

[11:56] Lululemon Stock

[15:06] Strange News

[17:07] Weekly Mashup

[20:41] Hot Takes: Modern Heritage

[26:18] Founderz Fast Five

Key Takeaways:  

• Gen Z is cutting spending by 13% this year. Four out of five wait for sales. Brand loyalty is dead. 81% switched brands last year, not for something better, but because loyalty itself feels like they’re getting played. ~Don Varady [12:26]

• Rebranding a brand is very difficult, especially in the food space and even more so in a franchise system. ~Don Varady [24:52]

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:

Clean Eatz:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ 

Website: https://cleaneatz.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA 

Bon’s Eye Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing 

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477  

The Founderz Lounge Episode #67 with Evonne Varady.

In this episode, hosts Don Varady and Steve Bon sit down with Evonne Varady, co-founder and partner at Clean Eatz, for a real look at how the brand was actually built. Evonne shares her journey from small-town farm life to helping create a purpose-driven company powered by grit, instinct, and relentless problem-solving.

Don and Evonne reflect on their unconventional path to entrepreneurship, opening up about early struggles, creative hustles, and the lessons learned while scaling Clean Eatz from the ground up. They dive into what it really takes to be partners in business and life, the disagreements, the complementary strengths, and the moments that nearly broke them, along with how trusting their instincts kept them aligned and moving forward.

This episode is packed with candid stories, sharp insights, and hard-earned wisdom for founders and partners building something together. Tune in for an honest conversation about what it really takes to grow a business that lasts.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[02:00] Entrepreneurship background

[11:42] Evonne’s breaking point

[14:29] Light bulb moment

[16:35] Unbelievable moments

[21:25] Don and Evonne’s business partnership

[23:38] Strengths and weaknesses

[24:34] Disagreements

[30:31] Husband and wife partnership mistakes

[37:13] Female founder stereotypes

[39:01] Leadership style evolution

[41:36] Passion projects

[45:12] Founders Fast Five

[48:03] Hot take

[51:30] Connect with Evonne

Key Takeaways:  

• “Everything can look good on paper, but until you go and live it, then you don’t know.” ~Evonne Varady [11:49]

• “You have to be very secure with going with your gut, even if everyone else around you is telling you something different.” ~Evonne Varady [26:38]

• “If the emotion based decision doesn’t work out, you’re going to have to answer to people and explain the rationalization behind it.” ~Steve Bon [28:28]

• “One thing that has kept you and I going so long and so strong, and we will always do that, is picking a lane and sticking to it.” ~Don Varady [32:11]

• “I’m not going to throw a turd in the punch bowl unless I’ve got a ladle in my hand.” ~Don Varady [35:59]

• “It is so much easier to say fewer words and make them impactful than to spew out words and spend a day, a week, or a month apologizing for them.” ~Evonne Varady [39:40]

Connect with Evonne Varady:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evonnevarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evonne-varady-461243a5/ 

Podcast: https://www.rebelrootzshow.com/ 

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:

Clean Eatz:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ 

Website: https://cleaneatz.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA 

Bon’s Eye Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing 

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477

The Founderz Lounge Episode #66 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.

Don and Steve are back with another round of “Business & Bullsh*t,” where real entrepreneurs talk wins, screwups, and what actually moves the needle in business without the corporate fluff.

They kick things off with camping like “homeless men” and wild childhood clubhouse stories, then pivot into why U.S. franchise chains are growing faster internationally than at home and what that really says about brand strategy. From there, they get brutally honest about restaurant standards, why most places lose customers to complacency instead of competition, and the consulting contract that almost ended Don’s company and completely changed how he looks at legal protection.

Along the way, they hit everything from DoorDash quietly exploding with Boomers and Gen X to Stiller’s Soda, strange news, and a rapid-fire round of business lessons, bad decisions, and hard-earned perspective.

Hit play for a straight shot of real talk on growth, risk, and what happens when your standards drift before your sales do.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[00:50] Founderz Roundup: International franchising

[02:53] DoorDash

[04:16] Pop Culture Bull Sh*t: Stiller’s Soda

[05:21] Social Media Update

[06:41] Strange News: PepsiCo

[07:43] Weekly Mash-Up

[07:46] Netflix and Ring Doorbell

[09:03] Founderz Hot Take

[10:11] Founderz Fast Five

[10:17] Childhood memories

[11:06] Devil’s Night

[11:26] Clubhouse in the woods

[12:21] Business lesson

[13:28] Partnership

[14:56] Strangest things seen while driving

[16:35] Movie title

Key Takeaways:  

• 2024, U.S based chains that expanded outside of the U.S. posted a 4.8% cumulative international growth versus 1.4% domestically. ~Don Varady [01:13]

• “Your product isn’t the problem. Your standards are.” ~Don Varady [09:27]

•  “Most restaurants don’t lose customers because the food changes. They lose them because of consistency.” ~Don Varady [09:37]

• “Get a good attorney and never sign anything you don’t fully understand.” ~Don Varady [12:28]

•  “Sometimes words hold less weight than actions.” ~Steve Bon [13:22]

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:

Clean Eatz:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ 

Website: https://cleaneatz.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA 

Bon’s Eye Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing 

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477  

The Founderz Lounge Episode #65 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.

This week, Don and Steve tackle a big question with real bite. Is the middle class dead, or just being redefined? They break down what that shift means for marketers, brands, and everyday buying behavior.

Then they go fully Business & Bullsh*t with the fun stuff. A Golden Corral escape room idea that somehow makes too much sense, plus Zoom nightmare stories that prove remote work still has no rules. They wrap with the always-popular Founderz Fast Five.

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[00:50] Founderz Roundup: Cava and their merch store

[02:37] Vanishing middle class

[06:25] Pop Culture Bull Sh*t: Bruce Dickinson’s aviation company

[08:38] Social media update

[11:32] Strange news: Return of skulls in branding

[12:57] Weekly Mashup: Golden Corral

[16:17] Founderz Hot Takes: Reach and delivery in marketing

[19:55] Founderz Fast Five: Most embarrassing entrepreneurial moment

[22:26] The weirdest buy

[23:32] Dumbest things ever believed in business

[24:07] Most annoying business phrase

[25:26] Zoom call chaos

Key Takeaways:  

• “Just because you drop money on a position doesn’t mean it’s going to equate to sales.” ~Steve Bon [17:07]

• “You can do a lot to get in front of the right people, but if you’re dead on arrival with your identity and personality, it doesn’t matter.” ~Steve Bon [19:39]

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:

Clean Eatz:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ 

Website: https://cleaneatz.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA 

Bon’s Eye Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing 

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477 

The Founderz Lounge Episode #64 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.

Don and Steve are back with another edition of “Business & Bullsh*t.” These are no-fluff, straight-shooting conversations where real entrepreneurs break down the wins, the losses, the headlines, and the hard truths behind building something from nothing.

In this episode, they dive into everything from innovative marketing trends in the restaurant industry to the impact of social media shopping. They explore campus reward programs, impulse buys on Instagram, celebrity side hustles with a focus on Kim Kardashian, plus pop culture moments and wild food stories like the legendary “Senior Burger” that has survived untouched for 30 years and still looks almost exactly the same.

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation about business, brand, and the bullsh*t behind restaurant life.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[00:57] Founderz Roundup

[02:12] Social media shopping

[03:44] Pop Culture Bullsh*t

[03:49] Kim Kardashian

[05:23] Social Media Updates: YouTube faceless strategies

[06:58] 30-year-old burger

[08:04] Weekly Mashup

[09:44] Founderz Hot Take

[11:49] Founderz Fast Five: Brisket versus bacon

[13:27] Corporate meetings

[14:56] DMV vs. TSA

[16:02] Employee’s worst excuse

[17:18] Staffing challenges

Key Takeaways:  

• “Kids these days want two things; recognition and money.” ~Don Varady [18:18]

• Lately, because of food costs, when people go into a restaurant, they’re almost more miserable than if they had just decided not to go. ~Steve Bon [19:32]

• What's your favorite part of the corporate meetings and why? ~Steve Bon

“The end”. ~Don Varady [12:50]

Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 

Steve Bon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 

Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: 

Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G 

Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 

The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:

Clean Eatz:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ 

Website: https://cleaneatz.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA 

Bon’s Eye Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing 

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ 

Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477  

Business & Bullshit Episodes are your no-fluff, straight-shooting podcast where real entrepreneurs talk real business—with a side of BS. Hosted by Don Varady and Steve, these episodes dive into the wins, losses, headlines, and hot takes that matter to founders, franchisees, and anyone bold enough to build something from scratch.https://instagram.com/donvarady https://instagram.com/stevebon8https://instagram.com/thefounderzlounge https://instagram.com/founderzlounge Clean Eatz - http://www.cleaneatz.comBonseye Marketing - http://www.bonseyeonline.comFounderz Lounge - http://www.thefounderzlounge.com

Ruben Arriaga, originally from Houston, Texas, is the owner of Clean Eatz College Station in College Station, Texas. After graduating high school in 1996, Ruben enlisted in the U.S. Army and began his career in the infantry. He later attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection, earning his Green Beret after two years of rigorous training.

Ruben spent 20 years with the 5th Special Forces Group, arriving as a Sergeant and retiring as a Command Sergeant Major. Over his distinguished career, he deployed on 10 combat tours, including operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.

Business & Bullshit Episodes are your no-fluff, straight-shooting podcast where real entrepreneurs talk real business—with a side of BS. Hosted by Don Varady and Steve, these episodes dive into the wins, losses, headlines, and hot takes that matter to founders, franchisees, and anyone bold enough to build something from scratch.