May 15th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Tommy Phillips
Listen to the rest of the story from Tommy. He is a great guy with a great company. He is going to tell you why you should ALWAYS have your business card…and hand them out.
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
PEEP: Building a Ski Company
May 8th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Ben Anderson
How did such a young guy start a ski company? Find out by listening to more of our interview with Ben, the founder of Islantic Skis.
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
PEEP: Gregg Moss…a Denver Business man.
May 8th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Gregg Moss
Hear the rest of the story with Gregg. He not only reports the business news, he use to make the news too.
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
SBN: Moving Junk
April 27th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Nick Friedman
From taking college not too serious, to being on a reality TV show, to building a multi-unit franchise, Nick and his partner Omar Soliman have proven themselves to be fabulous entrepreneurs. We were able to do a phone interview with Nick to find out how they started this company at such a young age and manage to succeed. The idea of the business is to move junk that no one wants or can move themselves, weather it is a lot of junk or just large items.
Nick sent us some books that he and Omar had written entitled Effortless Entrepreneur, and his philosophy was summed up in his inscription: “Keep living the Dream”.
We learned that there is a big difference in running a franchise of a junk business vs. actually hauling junk for people. There was a big learning curve to figure out how to sell and how to service his new customer: the franchisee. If you want to learn more about Nick, Omar, and their business College Hunks Hauling Junk, please visit their website.
Also joining us in the studio is Reed Silberman from Inkmonstrwho has started a great business out of his entrepreneurial drive: large format digital printing. They wrap cars, buses, building, and just about anything along with making signs and a whole host of other similar products. He has been able to turn his professional snowboarding career into a thriving business, and has some great information to share with small business owners.
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
Peep: Moving Junk
April 26th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Nick Friedman
We continue our conversation with Nick, and learned a lot about what it takes to build a successful company right out of school. Despite his party lifestyle, he was able to make something of himself! I know this may be a disappointment to all those nose down in the book types, but running a successful business is often times more about relationships and building a team than reciting facts and finishing formulas.
Don’t miss our final half hour with Nick, and learn more about him at their website. collegehunkshaulingjunk.com
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
SBN: The Little Pub Co
April 18th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Mark Berzins
How do you create a successful bar? How do you create 20 successful bars? Mark has build a great business building bars that all have their own unique feel and brand. They are kind of the anti-brand. Mark has figured out how to run the business of running a great bar and building a great team.
Everyone thinks they can open a bar. Mark shared with us the secretes of running a successful one, and what does it cost to start a bar. Mark’s father has been a bar designer and builder here in Denver for a very long time, and so his roots go deep in the industry. Mark virtually grew up in bars, just not open ones.
They started their concept with a dog theme, but after a few, started to experiment with some non-canine themes, but each has a unique name and look. The British Bulldog, The Doghouse Tavern, Irish Hound, The Elm, Salty Rita’s, and College Inn are just a few. We did get out of him his favorite bar: Don’s. It is close to his house, and the story of how they acquired it is special.
Each of their bars has it own website, but go here to find a bar near you.
Tags: bar success story, how to open a bar, little pub co, mark berzins, starting a bar
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
Peep: Little Pub Co
April 17th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Mark Berzins
The great thing about the Peep Show, is that we can talk about just about anything. Mark is a great guy, a great business owner, and is not shy of sharing his ideas and what is on his mind. Mark owns the not so Little Pub Co in Denver. A string of 20 neighborhood bars in and around Denver, and also being a partner in the Icehouse bar downtown.
Mark has continued to focus one thing: the bar business. Something a lot of us entrepreneurs have a problem with. We have a tendancy to not have great focus. Despite not being an analytical thinker, he has a great ability to take a little information and move and make decisions. In laymans terms, he manages from the gut.
Thanks Mark for sharing with us this week. Contact Mark through the their website at www.littlepubco.com
Tags: bar success story, denver, entreprene, mark berzins, small business
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
SBN: Creating Contests
April 13th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Matt Mickiewicz
Creating a successful small business is one thing, but creating a successful international business, or even several successful international businesses is a totally different animal. Matt and co-founder Mark Harbottle have been widely successful in their multiple small business attempts. Matt has a great opportunity to travel and build strategic partnerships, while others take care of the day to day operations of the business.
If you have lived under a bigger rock than the two of us, then you might not have heard of 99designs.com. It is a website dedicated to helping match up anyone that would like to have something designed with a designer that submits ideas in hopes of winning a specified contest amount. The host sets up the parameters, and the prize, and everything else is left up to good old economics…supply and demand. The bigger the reward, the bigger the demand…the more designers that will compete to win. Contests can be created for anything from a simple log, to a full blown website.
We not only talked to Matt about the business, but we also uncovered his true passion in life…WINE. Besides Johnny, who doesn’t like wine? You’ll have to listen to our interview. Another good one.
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
Peep: Creating Contests
April 13th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Matt Mickiewicz
We continue our conversation with Matt, as we talk about live, wine, and ipads. How they all fit is a wonder, and you’ll just have to listen to find out. Matt is quite the jet setter, and works remotely most of the time. We caught up with him for a great interview with this Canadian entrepreneur. You can find out more about Matt and 99designs and their website www.99designs.com
Tags: 99designs, business podcast, entrepreneur, interview, small business
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »
SBN: Funniest Lady in Denver
April 6th, 2011
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Wende Curtis
If you’ve lived in Denver for any amount of time, you know Comedy Works. It has been a staple in downtown Denver for over 25 years.
While Wende did not start the Comedy Works, she did save it from dieing. Wende started working in college as a cocktail waitress. Eventually bought into the company that had a few partners, and when things started to go bad financially, bought everyone out.
Most people are very familiar with the downtown Denver location, about 4 years ago, Wende decided to expand, and in the worst banking environment our generation has seen, Wende borrowed money to build a Greenwood Village location that houses the Comedy Works club, a martini bar, and an event center. Quite the accomplishment.
Wende is not only a fantastic club owner, she manages the carriers of several comics, and consults other would-be club owners. Wende is truly one of Denver’s best and most successful entrepreneurs. Find out more about Comedy Works at www.comedyworks.com
In our expert segment, we also spoke with Steve Collins today from PIP printing to talk to us about marketing our small business. We talked a little more about some traditional marketing avenues. Today, most people want to talk about social media and the Internet, but print and traditional marketing can still be really effective. You can learn more about how PIP Printing can help you at their website or by calling Steve at (303) 217-5577.
Posted in Podcast | No Comments »