My Company Story

Creating a Business for the Right Reasons with Marc Pierce

Don Burdge — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Marc Pierce! He is the CEO of GTFO It’s Vegan, the largest online vegan/plant-based wholesaler and retailer in the country. The company was started by Marc and his wife Tanya, the co-founder of GTFO It’s Vegan, after she told him they were going vegan in 2015. Back then, Marc looked at her with skeptical eyes and said “GTFO, are you serious!?!” As a loving and devoted husband, he of course said he was open to the idea, but wanted to know why. Tanya went on to explain how she had read about the cruelty of animals, the negative impacts on the environment and our health, and as spiritual human beings – it does not align with what is right, just, and why we are on this planet.

Therefore, Marc and his wife Tanya sought to start a company that would give others the benefits that she gave him 5 years ago — another chance at life. And of course, innovation in vegan food has come so far along that the options are limitless and new vegan food innovations are available that we could never have imagined before so living a vegan lifestyle is easy. The goal with GTFO Vegan is to make living a vegan lifestyle easy, fun, and delicious.

Learn More About Marc:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

How Your Mission Impacts Your Business with Anna Ready

Don Burdge — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Anna Ready! She is the Founder and CEO of Accrew. Accrew is an accounting and consulting firm leveraging smart systems and fun people to help clients at any stage of their journey. They are a crew of approachable experts who partner with businesses and nonprofits to build and grow remarkable organizations. Accrew started with one goal in mind: running a business and still getting to live life. And as they grew, they realized just how many of their clients were looking for the same thing.

They believe your business shouldn’t crumble when you step away. They want you to be able to go on vacation or go to your kids’ sports ball games. Their team is passionate about solving problems so that executives can spend less time on their business finances and more time showing up for the things that really matter. They want to focus on what they do best, so you can focus on what you do best, and together they can grow your business.

Learn More About Anna:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

The Story Behind the Meteoric Rise of Happy Masks with Melinda Hwang

Don Burdge — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Melinda Hwang! She is the Founder of Happy Masks. Happy Masks is an innovative mask company birthed in the pandemic, and has always been a family affair. 20 years ago in Taiwan, Melinda’s father partnered with a scientist to develop a powerful nanofiber membrane filter to protect against the airborne SARs epidemic in 2003. Fast forward to March 2020, and Melinda’s mom was worried about the family’s safety as COVID spread in the U.S., so she sent them a box of these masks. As Melinda and her kids started wearing them around the neighborhood, friends and neighbors started noticing the advantages of these unique “parrot beak” shaped masks. Soon friends of friends, and friends-of-friends-of-friends, started asking for them.

Melinda was able to combine her past in marketing with her future as a business owner, and used her father’s technology to meet demand with supply. Hence, Happy Masks was formed. Happy Masks was created because they wanted to make these masks available for all families. Whether it’s going to the grocery store or visiting a grandparent, their mission is to make it possible for you to do the things you love with the people you love.

Learn More About Melinda:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Creating Convenience with Style and Simplicity with Daniel Smith

Don Burdge — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Daniel Smith! He is the Founder at JIMMYCASE, a company that handcrafts iPhone cases in Los Angeles and ships them directly to customers around the world. The engine that drives JIMMYCASE and enables them to grow consistently, without outside investment, is a marketing method that Dan developed as a creative executive in Hollywood. JIMMYCASE focuses almost exclusively on conversion rate and has developed methods to drive consistent conversion rate growth and grow profitably.

Daniel talks about his transition from the Hollywood entertainment business to starting his own company. He also shares what it was like going from a well-established brand and big company to bootstrapping on his own. And how a completely self-funded company survived the stark economic realities of the pandemic.

Learn More About Daniel Smith:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Matchmaking Employers with Candidates with Brittany Dolin

Don Burdge — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Brittany Dolin! She is the CEO of Pocketbook Agency. Pocketbook Agency is a leading recruiting firm that places support level and administrative roles for domestic and corporate clients across the US. They offer exceptional talent for companies and families in various industries across the United States. They apply years of industry experience and relationship-building to curate the very best talent pool available in today’s market.

Brittany talks about how Pocketbook Agency forms bonds with both sides, client and job seeker, to see who’s most compatible not only in terms of skill sets, but also character and personality. They are determined to consistently source the very best support-level talent across the US in order to provide unparalleled, long lasting placements. Brittany also talks about the impact of the pandemic, and how now that they are in the first quarter of 2021, and they have seen a substantial uptick in hiring especially when it comes to administrative and support roles.

Learn More About Brittany:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Focusing On People First And All Else Later with Vivek Kartha

Don Burdge — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Vivek Kartha! He is the CEO of Workspace. They build portfolio management software for investors, owners, and operators of commercial real estate. Their goal is to make the lives of commercial real estate professionals easier and to help them operate with confidence and simplicity.

Vivek outlines the way that his company’s software helps streamline communication and processes between commercial real estate assets, from the property manager, building engineer, owner all through to tenants and service providers.

He also talks about the impact that the COVID 19 pandemic had on the real estate market, plus the critical moves that they as a company made to retain their client base and even go on to thrive and grow.

Learn More About Vivek Kartha:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Creating An Entirely New Market with Steven Munatones

Don Burdge — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Steven Munatones! He is the CEO and Co-founder of KAATSU Global. Steven and his team created the BFR or Blood Flow Restriction market that is now used by the US military, professional sports teams, and aging Baby Boomers.

When COVID happened, Steven talks about the pivotal moment when he had to shift his company overnight. It was either that or go under. He moved all operations online, transitioned the team to work from home, and created an online education program: “We went completely from a person to person sales pitch to everything online.”

Learn More About Steven Munatones:

www.kaatsu.com
steven.munatones@kaatsu.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

How Social Media Is Revolutionizing Politics with James Creech

Don Burdge — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews James Creech! He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Measure Studio, a social analytics tool that benchmarks content performance across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Finding a successful content strategy isn’t easy, but with Measure Studio, brands, publishers, and creators can identify which posts are doing well and what can be improved.

James talks about Measure Studio’s social media data tracking, which helps businesses understand what types of their social content perform best with target audiences, and how changes in social media trends affect this. He also highlights the impact the pandemic has had on social media, including the role it played in campaign tactics during the US presidential elections in 2020.

Learn More About James Creech:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

From Side Hustle to Multi-million Dollar Exit with Ryan Wenger

Don Burdge — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Ryan Wenger! He is the CEO of WhereTo, a cost-saving business travel platform that uses Artificial Intelligence to help employees book business trips in minutes. WhereTo has about 30 employees, but was recently acquired by a 20,000 employee company, Flight Centre.

Ryan talks about how WhereTo transitioned from being a small 30 person startup to operating within a 20,000 employee global agency, and some of the changes that came with having more resources available as a result.

Learn More About Ryan Wenger:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

The Power of Reciprocity in Business & The Golden Rule with Elan Sudberg

Don Burdge — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Elan Sudberg! He is the CEO of Alkemist Labs, one of the last remaining family owned and operated third-party analytical labs, focusing on botanical analysis for the dietary supplement industry.

Elan gives some insight about what the company does, and also shares some of the tips and tricks he has learnt about maintaining healthy family relationships outside of work while operating a family business. He also talks about the challenges they faced when the pandemic hit, and how being on the right side of the ‘essential worker line’ saved the company from the kind of fate that quite a lot of businesses have faced this past year.

Learn More About Elan Sudberg:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Leveling Up Your Startup with Paula Sweis

Don Burdge — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Paula Sweis! She is the Founder of SILVERWEISS International, an American commercial financing and business advisory firm. As a business consultant, she helps startups, entrepreneurs and established businesses expand through private capital and strategic planning.

Paula talks about how she helps entrepreneurs and business owners,especially those geared towards tech/blockchain, through the strategic planning and forecasting process. She also gives examples of the kinds of clients and businesses that her company helps.

Learn More About Paula Sweis:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

A Story of Passion and Drive with Self-Made Millionaire Jenny Ta

Don Burdge — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Jenny Ta! Jenny Q. Ta is a veteran of Wall Street, self-made millionaire, and seasoned entrepreneur with two highly successful early ventures to her credit. She is the Founder and CEO of CoinLinked and the Co-Founder and Managing Director of VCNetwork.

CoinLinked is an online social commerce platform powered by decentralized Blockchain allowing users to purchase any product from any website in the world by paying with cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. VCNetwork is a virtual “E-Harmony meets Shark Tank” matching entrepreneurs with VCs.

As a self-made millionaire, Jenny’s success speaks volumes, but she also goes into detail about some of the challenges she’s faced particularly as a woman in a largely male-dominated industry. Her biggest piece of advice for any entrepreneur is: “Keep your passion and your drive. Without passion, you will not go far.”

Learn More About Jenny Ta:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Healing The Badly Broken Trucking Industry with Rick Burnett

Don Burdge — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Rick Burnett! He is the CEO of LaneAxis, the freight industry’s first shipper to carrier direct network, eliminating the need for costly and inefficient freight brokers. This ushers in a new era of trust, transparency, and efficiency in the freight trucking industry.

Rick expounds on the challenges of a freight industry that was “...badly broken, very inefficient, and one of the weak links in the supply chain…”, and how LaneAxis was created to address these issues. He also talks about the challenges of knowing how to choose your company’s marketing strategy, with all the options out there.

Learn More About Rick Burnett:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Follow Your Passion, Not the Money with Laila Marshall

Don Burdge — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Laila Marshall! She is the CEO and Founder of Beebizy, a service search engine that connects clients with freelancers who are vetted and reviewed, in 3 to 4 clicks. Their goal is to create a vibrant community of passionate go-getters who love what they do and are happier because of it.

Laila talks about how Beebizy started. The platform was birthed out of the frustration of not having a service that could equally empower the freelancer and entrepreneur as well as the customer. She also talks about the challenges of balancing starting and running a business alongside starting a family, and how she overcame them.

Learn More About Laila Marshall:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Building Senior Housing in Luxury Zipcodes with Paul Griffin III

Don Burdge — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Paul Griffin III! Paul is the CEO of Griffin Living, a real estate development company committed to crafting innovative communities in partnership with community stakeholders, and apply their value-driven development philosophy to ensure that these properties represent strong investments for their capital partners.

Paul talks about the trends that led his company to transition from master plan communities into building senior housing. He also talks about the challenges they faced in building luxury senior living facilities in cities.

Learn More About Paul Griffin III:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

The World’s Fastest Video Production Company with Nick Lange

Don Burdge — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Nick Lange! He is the CEO of Everpost, the world’s fastest video production company.

Nick talks about how over the last year, they have completely re-engineered the company’s video production process to remove the “friction” and pain points that, frankly, take the fun out of the traditional video production process. Everpost takes a much more efficient path, which allows them to produce broadcast-ready commercials in as little as 24 hours at a significantly lower cost than brands are used to paying.

Learn More About Nick Lange:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Disrupting Traditional Retail Apparel with Premium Resale Concept with Johanna Zlenko

Don Burdge — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Johnna Zlenko. She is the CEO of The Closet Trading Company, a luxury resale and consignment brand with five brick-and-mortar locations and an e-commerce platform. TCTC specializes in the resale of authentic ladies' designer clothing and accessories.

Johnna talks about her experience in franchising. After her college graduation she had already opened two stores in California and she continues to open more stores. She also emphasizes the importance of finding good mentorship to help shape your business and forecast challenges.

Learn More About Johanna Zlenko

Linkedin
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Email: Johanna@theclosettradingco.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Food-Tech Startup Disrupts The Vending Industry with John Yanyali

Don Burdge — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews John Yanyali! He is the CEO of JuiceBot, a food-tech company that disrupts the distribution and delivery of the beverage industry by enabling healthy beverages to be served from unattended self-service machines.

After seeing unhealthy eating habits dominating the lives of thousands of people, Yanyali created the first-ever robotic JuiceBot vending machine. A system for fresh and healthy beverages by combining unique food safety technology.

Learn More About John Yanyali

Linkedin
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Email: john.yanyali@juicebot.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Why Impossible Doesn’t Have To Exist with Cameron Chell

Don Burdge — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Cameron Chell! Cameron is a serial entrepreneur with his very first venture beginning at age 14. He has launched numerous tech start-ups and is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Business Instincts Group (BIG).

Cameron’s biggest piece of advice is to “Just take the next step.” Cameron emphasizes that execution is key. If you can master execution, then you can avoid overwhelm, which Cameron believes is the number one killer of start-ups and entrepreneurial dreams. Never let perfection get in the way of progress.

Learn More About Cameron Chell

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Prioritizing Passion Over Profits with Arash Kalantari

Don Burdge — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Arash Kalantari! He is the Founder and CEO of Med Results Inc. dedicated to providing innovative solutions in the aesthetic industry by bringing high-class products and technologies to people’s fingertips.

Arash reminds all business owners: “You need to be passionate about what you do and you need to love what you sell.” He attributes success to be measured not by money, but by the love you are willing to put into your craft.

Learn More About Arash Kalantari

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Building A CBD Luxury Wellness and Beauty Empire with Olivia Alexander

Don Burdge — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Olivia Alexander. She is the CEO and Founder of Kush Queen, a luxury wellness and beauty brand making the finest cannabidiol (CBD) infused personal care products.

Olivia talks about her journey and humble beginnings as an actress but one day she realized her potential and wanted more. Now, she has turned Kush Queen into a multi-million dollar and award-winning company thanks to her bath bombs, pain relief lotions, edibles, wellness supplements, and skincare products.

Learn More About Olivia Alexander:

Business Website
Linkedin
Twitter
Email: olivia@kqueenco.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Creating A New Standard of Telemedicine with Dr. Mohan Ananda

Don Burdge — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 02:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Dr. Mohan Ananda. He is the Executive Chairman of Second Opinion Expert, a healthcare technology company facilitating telemedicine and health services to patients anywhere in the world. Before this venture, he was the founding chairman, CEO and President of Stamps.com starting back in 1996.

Dr. Ananda talks about his journey as a serial entrepreneur. He talks about the technical hurdles and challenges that he faced to build the multiple ventures in which he is involved. Dr. Ananda makes a prediction that the standard will soon become telemedicine and eventually the medical offices become obsolete. Tune in to hear Dr. Ananda talk about his top 4 takeaways to be a successful entrepreneur.

Learn More About Dr. Mohan Ananda:

Business Website
Linkedin
Email: mohananda@gmail.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

People First Approach to Marketing with Cynthia Johnson

Don Burdge — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 02:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Cynthia Johnson. She is the Co-Founder and CEO at Bell and Ivy, a company focusing on a people first approach to marketing. Her mission is to create strong leaders and proliferate influence from enterprises to achieve goals for their brand.

Cynthia talks about how important it is to have an organizational structure when running a business. She also lays out the pros and cons of having a business partnership but most important how to identify the perfect partnership to succeed.

Learn More About Cynthia Johnson:

Business Website
Facebook
LInkedin
Instagram
Email: cynthia@bellivy.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Solving The Opioid Epidemic with Dr. John Hsu, CEO and Co-Founder of iPill Dispenser

Don Burdge — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Dr. John Hsu! He is the CEO and Co-Founder of iPill Dispenser, a solution to the opioid epidemic.

Dr. Hsu has been an anesthesiologist and pain management physician for over 20 years. Through his experience as a physician, he’s seen the first-hand effects of opioid addiction. Dr. Hsu created a pill dispenser that is only accessible to the prescribed person through facial recognition registered by smartphone.

Dr. Hsu talks about the next steps his company needs in order to go to market. His biggest piece of advice is to “think several steps ahead, because as you solve one problem, two or three more pop up.”

Learn More About Dr. John Hsu

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Learn To Sell & Enjoy Selling with Ryan Born, Founder and CEO of HAAWK, Inc.

Don Burdge — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 01:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Ryan Born! He is the Founder and CEO of HAAWK, Inc., managing music rights on Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram. Put simply, HAAWK helps people who own music to collect and get paid on other people using their music.

HAAWK represents over 1,000 record labels, music publishers, publishers, and independent music producers and artists. Ryan talks about his previous company exit and successfully selling a company for over $25 million dollars. Ryan’s biggest piece of advice is to: “Learn to sell, and learn to enjoy selling.”

Learn More About Ryan Born

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Adapting To The Rise of Amazon with Dieter Ammann, CEO of Fulfillment Express Inc.

Don Burdge — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Dieter Ammann! He is the CEO at Fulfillment Express Inc, an inbound and outbound international shipping company located in Montebello, California. The company’s mission is to provide the highest quality services making sure to preserve competitive fees.

Dieter Ammann talks about all the challenges he has faced throughout his 27 years in business. Especially when the internet emerged in the early 1990s, Dieter struggled to compete with the online shipping industry because he was doing his business through phone calls. Amazon was one of the biggest obstacles for Dieter and so he came with a philosophy of “If you can’t fight them, join them.” He also emphasizes the importance to make customers and employees happy as he considered these two his major assets to succeed as a business owner.

Learn More About Dieter Ammann:

Business website
LInkedin
Twitter
Email: dammann@fex3pl.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Staying Nimble Through Challenging Times with Sharone Hakman, CEO of Chef Hak’s

Don Burdge — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Sharone Hakman! Sharone is the CEO of Chef Hak’s, a chef-centered clean and organic food company. Sharone stepped into the culinary scene when he earned a spot on FOX’s Masterchef.

Sharone talks about staying nimble through these challenging times. His top pieces of advice are to trust your intuition and to learn from your mistakes by implementing systems. He speaks on the challenges that many entrepreneurs face - comparison. Sharone reminds listeners to understand that we are all on our own individual paths. You have the choice to either embrace your journey or let it consume you - it’s completely up to you.

Learn More About Sharone Hakman

Hak's Website
Personal Website
Instagram
Twitter
Email: Sharone@haks.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Using Shortcomings As An Opportunity to Innovate with Alper Cakir, CEO and Founder of Xtensio

Don Burdge — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Alper Cakir! Alper is the CEO and Founder of Xtensio, a collaboration platform for creating and sharing beautiful living business documents.

After experiencing a disjointed experience collaborating on documents at his agency, Alpersaw the opportunity to start Xtensio which allows anyone to design and create professional documents like pitch decks, case studies, and more. Alper talks about being able to empower your team: “You need to be able to let things go. Set up your team in a way that they take charge in those areas that you’re letting go.”

Learn More About Alper Cakir

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Transitioning To CEO In A Family Business with Leiman Chan, Owner and CEO of Nonstop Printing

Don Burdge — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Leiman Chan! Leiman is the Owner and CEO of Nonstop Printing. Nonstop Printing is on a mission to help creatives design more fearlessly and for businesses to only make what they need with no minimums while providing high quality print. “We make prints that make you stop.”

Leiman talks about his experience and struggles transitioning into the role of owner and CEO of his family’s business. His parents started the company in 1993 and initially it was not quite clear where Leiman saw his role in the company. He talks about his mindset shift and taking ownership, which has led him to continuing the success his parents began. Leiman talks about his passion, “I think I was put on this Earth to help people create. To help remove obstacles to help them be more creative. Helping creatives become their best selves.”

Learn More About Leiman Chan

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Logan Gelbrich, CEO of Deuce Gym

Don Burdge — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Logan Gelbrich! Logan is the CEO of Deuce Gym. Deuce Gym is an aspiring “deliberately developmental organization” in which the core business is human performance. The brand has multiple locations and is a resource for men and women to be coached in classic strength and conditioning disciplines.

Logan brings light to the dynamic of the fitness business and the general health of the population. He says, “We spend a lot of money on not a lot of results.” He wanted to address this problem to bring people to achieve results and maintain accountability.

Learn More About Logan Gelbrich

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Ashley Crowder, CEO and Co-Founder of VNTANA

Don Burdge — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000

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

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

Learn More About Ashley Crowder

Website
Twitter
Linkedin
Email: ashley@vntana.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Don Burdge, Host of My Company Story Podcast (1-Year Anniversary Episode)

Don Burdge — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000

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

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

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

This episode was originally recorded and published in July 2019.

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Lou Caron, CEO and President of Printing Industries Association of Southern California

Don Burdge — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000

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

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

Learn More About Lou Caron

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Stephen George, CEO and Founder of Surkus

Don Burdge — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000

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

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

Learn More About Stephen George

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Jaison Morgan, Founder and CEO of Common Pool

Don Burdge — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 03:00:00 +0000

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

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

Learn More About Jaison Morgan

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Weston LaBar, CEO of Harbor Trucking Association and Ventures 52

Don Burdge — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 04:00:00 +0000

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

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

Learn More About Weston LaBar

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Jon Reed, President and Co-Founder of IA MED

Don Burdge — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 03:30:00 +0000

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

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

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

Learn More About Jon Reed

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Marina Martins, CEO and Co-Founder of Pigmental Studios

Don Burdge — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 04:30:00 +0000

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

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

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

Learn More About Marina Martins

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Jeff Boodie, President and Co-Founder of JobsSnap

Don Burdge — Fri, 29 May 2020 03:00:00 +0000

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

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

Learn More About Jeff Boodie

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey, Co-Founders of Ettitude Holdings Inc.

Don Burdge — Fri, 22 May 2020 01:00:00 +0000

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

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

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

Learn More About Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey

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

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Yuval Selik, CEO and Co-Founder of Promomash

Don Burdge — Fri, 15 May 2020 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Yuval Selik! Yuval Selik is the CEO and co-founder of Promomash. Promomash is the world’s most comprehensive SaaS solution for CPG brands to manage their sales and marketing presence in retail stores.

Yuval helps brands navigate a complex sales and marketing program by taking the entire supply chain and managing inefficiencies. By using Promomash, brands have the information to make intelligent decisions in uncertain times. During the current COVID-19 pandemic many businesses have been cutting back without understanding the full scope of their finances.

Learn More About Yuval Selik

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Dr. Lois Lee, Founder and President of Children of the Night

Don Burdge — Fri, 08 May 2020 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Dr. Lois Lee! Dr. Lois Lee is the world’s leading expert in rescuing child sex trafficking victims. She is the Founder and President of Children of the Night, which was the first child sex trafficking program in North America.

Dr. Lois Lee began her journey in this field over 40 years ago when she had found that a disproportionate amount of victims were arrested compared to the customers of the sex industry. Dr. Lois Lee quickly became a resource to help sex workers, runaways, and children. She shares her story, how she gained massive support among a controversial issue, and tips on leading a non-profit organization.

Learn More About Dr. Lois Lee

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Bob Gold, Founder and CEO of Bob Gold and Associates

Don Burdge — Fri, 01 May 2020 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Bob Gold! Bob Gold is the Founder and CEO of Bob Gold and Associates, a PR and marketing agency dedicated to delivering guaranteed results. For over 20 years, Bob Gold and Associates have helped their clients cut through the noise to get their message across.

Bob and Don talk about the reality of pivoting your business in times of uncertainty in order to stay relevant. Bob Gold and Associates had recently begun aiding in bankruptcies and lawsuits due to COVID-19 and the increase in the need for these services. Bob says, “All business is the business of relationships.”

Learn More About Bob Gold

LinkedIn
Facebook
Website
bob@bobgoldpr.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Joe Wang, Co-Founder of Opus International LLC and Encore Labs

Don Burdge — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Joe Wang! Joe is the co-founder of two companies - Opus International and Encore Labs. Opus Intl. is an ecommerce import-export business specializing in the wellness space. Encore Labs is a cannabis testing lab, offers full panel testing service for cannabis, CBD, and hemp products.

Joe tells his personal backstory starting from his college days leading up to the very beginning of finding great products for Opus Intl. He entered the cannabis industry when he realized there was a scarcity of testing labs. Joe says that it’s not about the skills you may or may not have, if you have an idea it’s about hiring the right people.

Learn More About Joe Wang

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Dr. Sean Whalen, Co-Founder of Flexogenix

Don Burdge — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 02:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Dr. Sean Whalen! Dr. Whalen is the co-founder of Flexogenix, a non-surgical clinical approach to the management of osteoarthritis helping patients to avoid joint replacement and receive management of orthopedic conditions.

Dr. Sean Whalen talks about being in the medical industry and managing patients during this time of COVID-19. He says, “There’s no room for error in this type of environment.” He discusses the strategies of entering new markets and studying details like medical insurance coverage in each state. Due to the nature of insurance in his business, Dr. Sean Whalen talks about the struggles of growth and financing.

Learn More About Sean Whalen

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Eric Frankel, CEO of AdGreetz

Don Burdge — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Eric Frankel! Eric is the CEO of AdGreetz, on a mission to build more engaging relationships with customers and increase revenue by producing and deploying data-driven ads. AdGreetz deploys millions of relevant, hyper-personalized ads on 22 channels using AI/machine learning proprietary technology.

Eric talks about the need to continuously innovate and personalize. He believes that this is the future of advertising. The abundant amount of data that is collected on an individual will soon eliminate irrelevant ads. Eric says you should always be asking yourself, “What’s a better way to do this?”

Learn More About Eric Frankel

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Jose Flores, Co-owner and U.S. Managing Director of King’s Education

Don Burdge — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 03:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Jose Flores! Jose is the Co-owner and U.S. Managing Director of King’s Education, an international education company based in the U.K. and the U.S. King’s Education was established in the U.K. and in 2011 the education brand was brought to the United States. The company works with international students looking to enrich their English-proficiency.

Jose and Don dive into the nature of international business, particularly navigating political uncertainties like Brexit and Donald Trump’s agenda. Specifically in the U.S., travel bans had impacted the number of international students. Jose shares that despite the adversities, the company has come out stronger than ever. One piece of advice that Jose shares is that when you are facing adversity, get back to basics and gain advice from your employees - transparency is key!

Learn More About Jose Flores

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Trevor Testwuide, CEO of Measured

Don Burdge — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 11:09:00 +0000

Trevor Testwuide – CEO of Measured

In this episode, Don interviews Trevor Testwuide! Trevor is the CEO of Measured, helping marketers understand the incrementality of paid media to inform cross-channel media investment decisions. Measured is a portfolio management tool for marketers powered by incrementality measurement.

Trevor and Don dive into the specifics of how Measured helps companies and why now more than ever digital strategies count. They talk about the nature of businesses having to quickly pivot completely away from brick and mortar and lean on online digital resources. Trevor discusses being a leader to both your employees and your clients in these times of uncertainty: “Right now we need to be the roadmap to guide them.”

Learn More About Trevor Testwuide

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Gabe Middleton, Co-Founder and CEO of Human-I-T

Don Burdge — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Gabe Middleton! Gabe is the co-founder and CEO of Human-I-T. Human-I-T is a non-profit social enterprise empowering people who are on the wrong side of the digital divide. The digital divide defines those who have a computer and internet access in their homes and those who do not.

Gabe talks about shrinking this divide by helping more households get connected. Don and Gabe talk about the impact of COVID-19 and the way that online connectivity is necessary now more than ever. Gabe mentions that 80 million Americans do not have access to internet connection. He says, “It’s really unfortunate what’s going on, but it’s really put a spotlight on the digital divide and how big of an issue this really is.”

Learn More About Gabe Middleton

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Produced by LIT Media

Julie McDonald, Co-owner of McDonald Selznick Associates (MSA)

Don Burdge — Sun, 15 Mar 2020 12:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Julie McDonald! Julie is the co-owner of McDonald Selznick Associates (MSA). MSA is a creative talent agency representing a unique class of artists, including dancers, choreographers, creative directors, producers, and educators in the education industry.

She takes us through her story stemming from her love of dance and starting her own talent agency with her partner Tony Selznick. Julie talks about the grit and perseverance behind maintaining her place in the entertainment industry among the competition. She attributes the growth and success of her business to her team.

Learn More About Julie McDonald

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Produced by LIT Media

Nicola Geretti, CEO of Super Bit Machine

Don Burdge — Sun, 08 Mar 2020 12:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Nicola Geretti! Nicola is the CEO of Super Bit Machine. Super Bit Machine is a cross-platform multiplayer game development company. Nicola started off as a pro gamer, which eventually led him to becoming a game developer.

Super Bit Machine offers cutting edge gaming technology that allows multi-platform gaming. Nicola shares how the e-Sports industry fosters a social and international connectivity between people. Learn how Nicola pivoted from being a pro gamer to corporate life to CEO entrepreneur.

Learn More About Nicola Geretti

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Produced by LIT Media

Mattan Danino, CEO of WEBITMD

Don Burdge — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 08:50:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Mattan Danino! Mattan is the CEO of WEBITMD. WEBITMD is a Digital Marketing and Sales Agency based in Los Angeles, California with offices in Dallas and New York City. They provide end-to-end marketing and sales programs helping businesses grow while being more efficient.

Mattan talks about the future of marketing involving a larger utilization of marketing automation in order to do more with less. He also dives into the idea that technology helps drive sales with less friction. Mattan says, “It’s not about what you sell, but how you sell it.”

Learn More About Mattan Danino

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Produced by LIT Media

Tony Wong, CEO of Digital Onion and Applied Agile

Don Burdge — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 16:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Tony Wong! Tony is the CEO of two different companies – Digital Onion and Applied Agile. Digital Onion manages and implements a culture change around agile values and processes. Applied Agile is the coaching process that individual executives, VPs, and c-level leaders undergo to change their leadership style and emotional intelligence.

Tony shares his insight behind elevating emotional intelligence. He says that emotional intelligence is more than just mindset, it takes empowering, ownership, and “getting over one’s desires for control”. The most successful companies do not deter conflict, rather fosters healthy discourse.

Learn More About Tony Wong

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Mike White, CEO of Lively Worldwide

Don Burdge — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 11:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Mike White! Mike is the CEO of Lively Worldwide. Lively is a creative agency specializing in live marketing; integrating content, digital, and event production. Mike has built a future-focused agency that connects brands with their clients through live experiences.

Mike wants brands to realize that the world is changing and physical/digital experiences are what’s important to consumers. His agency builds live experiences based on three key factors: how their audience consumes media, their brand story, and their business product. Mike says that being creative and leveraging entrepreneurial skills are the best way to approach any sort of challenge.

Learn More About Mike White

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Barry Vince, Co-Founder/Partner of Two Roads Professional Resources

Don Burdge — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Barry Vince! Barry is the co-founder and partner of Two Roads Professional Resources. He is on a mission to empower technical professionals to find meaningful careers, and for companies to find talent through innovative technical staffing solutions.

Barry has over 22 years of experience in this business. He talks about the way the industry has changed over the years and how staffing has evolved. Barry discusses the challenges he experienced when he was faced with working with the wrong clients. He explains that sticking to your niche is important for client success and overall company culture to thrive.

Learn More About Barry Vince

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Rebecca Brooks, CEO/Founder of Alter Agents

Don Burdge — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Rebecca Brooks! Rebecca is the CEO and Founder of Alter Agents. Alter Agents is a full-service market research firm helping clients who have questions about their customers. Alter Agents creates a bridge between brands and their customers.

Rebecca explains how Alter Agents helps brands build relationships with their customers by asking the right questions. She also dives into her journey of entrepreneurship and becoming a CEO. Rebecca tells the story of how she was able to break away from a business partnership in a healthy way with open communication and third-party facilitation.

Learn More About Rebecca Brooks

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Todd Zavodnick, CEO of Dermavant

Don Burdge — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Todd Zavodnick! Todd is the CEO of Dermavant, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Dermavant develops and commercializes innovative therapies for a variety of medical dermatologic conditions, bringing a novel approach to the science of medicine.

Todd goes in-depth about maintaining a steady operational rhythm in your business. He explains that in order to uphold your operational rhythm, clarity is everything. It comes down to having clear channels of communication, proper procedures, and the alignment of goals and values. Todd’s top 3 values for entrepreneurs are: constant curiosity, self-awareness, and adaptability/agility.

Learn More About Todd Zavodnick

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Brian Freeman, CEO and Co-Founder of Heartbeat

Don Burdge — Sun, 12 Jan 2020 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Brian Freeman! Brian is the CEO of Heartbeat, a marketplace that connects brands with real consumers to run influencer campaigns on Instagram. Brian shares his story of hustle, adversity, and grit, as he details the time Heartbeat was close to closing its doors.

His story can be applied to any entrepreneur facing adversity by facing challenges head-on and the ability to pivot and adapt to change. Brian emphasizes the importance for entrepreneurs to take a step back in order to work on their business rather than being stuck inside their business.

Learn More About Brian Freeman

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Grant Hosford, CEO and Co-Founder of codeSpark Academy

Don Burdge — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Grant Hosford! Grant is the CEO and Co-Founder of codeSpark Academy. CodeSpark Academy empowers children to learn coding through games and stories. Children as young as 4 years old are introduced to the fundamentals of coding without even being able to read! In the past 5 years, codeSpark Academy has reached over 35 million kids around the world.

Grant Hosford recommends these three key takeaways for any entrepreneur. First, it’s important to know how you’re building the company and set your business up for successful fundraising. Second, he elaborates on the importance of team-building. And last, Grant emphasizes, “Be obsessive about customer-testing.”

Learn More About Grant Hosford

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Jonathan Skogmo, CEO / Founder of Jukin Media

Don Burdge — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 18:18:48 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Jonathan Skogmo! Jonathan is the Founder and CEO of Jukin Media. Jukin Media is a next generation media company, powered entirely by user-generated content. They curate the best content created by everyday users and monetize the content in various ways.

Jonathan has successfully pushed the demand for user-generated content. In the past 4 years, Jukin Media has paid out more than $25 million to video users. These video content are utilized by brands for advertisements. Jonathan and his team have created a massive network of content brands like Fail Army, People Are Awesome, Pet Collective, with a total of 3 billion views a month.

Learn More About Jonathan Skogmo

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Justin Wheeler, CEO / Founder of Funraise

Don Burdge — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 13:00:00 +0000

Justin Wheeler

In this episode, Don interviews Justin Wheeler! He is the Founder and CEO of Funraise, a software company for nonprofit organizations looking to manage their donors and supporters and accelerate online fundraising. Organizations like The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and National Wildlife Federation power their fundraising efforts using Funraise.

As a social entrepreneur, Justin talks about his involvement in civil conflicts happening around the world in Uganda, North Korea, China, and more. He brings over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and was an early team member of Invisible Children. He has effectively disrupted the nonprofit space and has helped raise over $100 million for nonprofits around the world.

Learn More About Justin Wheeler

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Dupè Aleru, CEO / Founder of Tutors for Tots & Davi Creative

Don Burdge — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Dupè Aleru! She is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer for DAVI Creatives.

Dupè was a former teacher for 4 years in Long Beach, California, and a kindergarten teacher for 2 years. Upon losing her job, she suggested to tutor children during the summer and began a tutoring business for her community in 2011 called Tutor for Tots. She states that there is a high need for supplemental education services and they provided those tutoring services. This pushed her to continue educating even outside of the classroom.

Dupè also talks about her background and her passion for creating content, which eventually led her to the path of becoming a motivational speaker, an entrepreneur, and the founder of DAVI Creatives, which stands for Digital Courses, Audio Content, Video Content, and Images. Dupè insists that life is too short to be sitting in class. When you have an idea, go and get started today.

Learn More About Dupè Aleru

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Metin Kilic, President of Buy4Store.com

Don Burdge — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Metin Kilic! He is the president of Buy4Store.com, a wholesale website focusing on trendy products. Buy4Store.com was established in 2008 and imports products from different countries and serves customers from different markets.

Metin Kilic shares his background growing up in Turkey and the challenges he faced upon running his own business. He has helped 500 people start their very own business in America. He believes that communication is a very important aspect in selling and making agreements. His number one recommendation is that people focus on one thing and be the best at what they’re doing.

Learn More About Metin Kilic

LinkedIn
Website
Contact No. 714-450-0206

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Jesse Howard, Owner of Howard Pacific

Don Burdge — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Jesse Howard! He is a serial entrepreneur, launched his own brand called Matiko Footwear, and he designed and manufactured shoes for Steve Madden, Aldo, and other brands. He is also a real estate agent and property developer, and the owner of Howard Pacific.

Jesse shares with us his background in the footwear industry and how he got into the real estate business. Upon wanting to try other things, he eventually went into the development of raw land and units. He applied everything he had learned in the shoe business into his real estate development career.

Jesse believes that opportunities come and go. If you can identify the right timing, the funds, and the deal, you can make anything happen.

Learn More About Jesse howard

LinkedIn
Email: jesse@howardpacific.com

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Maya French, Co-founder of Koia

Don Burdge — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Maya French! She is the co-founder of Koia, a company that produces 100% plant-based protein beverages. She has made the Forbes 30 under 30 list this 2019 and has created a huge impact for the brand in terms of brand exposure and credibility.

Maya talks about their main mission for the company, which is to provide access to healthy plant-based nutrition to masses and further expand their distribution. She also shares with us the challenges she faced as a young entrepreneur, as well as the advantages of starting a company at a very young age. She reminds us about the importance of knowing your priorities, having a strong mental mindset, and doing something that can contribute to the world in a positive way.

Learn More About Maya French

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Matt Going, CEO and Co-founder of Anytime Mailbox

Don Burdge — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 23:00:19 +0000

Matt Going, CEO and Co-founder of Anytime Mailbox

In this episode, Don interviews Matt Going! He is the owner of Anytime Mailbox, an online service that enables customers and businesses to view and manage their postal mail on mobile devices.

Matt shares with us the growth of his company throughout the years. How they were able to generate their own customers through online marketing, and how this challenged them to create a market while building their company.

Matt talks about how he runs a home-based company that uses online platforms for advertising, customer support all the way from the Philippines, and zoom calls for holding meetings despite having no physical office. When it comes to generating customers, online marketing can be a powerful tool.

Learn More About Matt Going

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Genevieve Brill Murphy, Owner of Visiting Angels, Long Beach Franchise

Don Burdge — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 23:00:55 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Genevieve Brill Murphy! She is the owner of Long Beach Visiting Angels, a senior home care agency that’s part of a franchise network, founded in 1988 by a social worker in Maryland.

Genevieve talks about what makes Visiting Angels different from the others out there, and how her great team approaches their elderly clients. She shares with us her experience interning for her father, and how she was fortunate enough to have landed a career in the industry after previously working as a strategy consultant.

She also discusses her non-profit project that aims to fund and operate a wish fulfillment program for patients aged 18 and above. She reminds us that it’s important to be true to ourselves, keep our priorities straight, and focus on writing our own story.

Learn More About Genevieve Brill Murphy

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Luke Peters, Founder/CEO of Retail Band

Don Burdge — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 10:27:31 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Luke Peters! He is the President/CEO at Retail Band, where he aims to help businesses sell appliances through online channels and allow their market to grow and expand.

Luke talks about the benefits of being in a niche market where there’s hardly any competition and how they’re able to help brands run as retailers. He says that it’s always going to be difficult in the beginning, but there will come a point when it becomes rewarding and fun.

Luke also talks about the type of guests he gets to meet in his very own podcast and the value they get to share on his platform. He reminds people that if they have an idea, they should go out there and just start.

Learn More About Luke Peters

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Evan Lamont, Founder/CEO of TLG Marketing

Don Burdge — Sun, 27 Oct 2019 22:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Don interviews Evan Lamont! He is the CEO at TLG Marketing and aims to create solutions to the unique problems that businesses face in the modern age through digital marketing and technology. He presents them with the right technologies and the right platforms to get their message across.

He believes we live in a great time where platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are becoming mainstream and are too beneficial to ignore for businesses when launching their advertising campaigns. He explains when it comes to digital marketing, it’s important to constantly overcome new challenges that arise. However the biggest challenge is having the confidence to believe that what you’re doing is right.

Learn More About Evan Lamont:

Stay Connected with Don Burdge

About My Company Story

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

Colin Weightman, president of Comco

Don Burdge — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 18:19:00 +0000

Comco is a manufacturer of micro-abrasive blasters and Colin is the grandson of the founder. Hear Colin describe what it was like growing up in the family business and the secret to his success today. Find out more about the company at http://www.comcoinc.com or reach out to Colin at colinw@comcoinc.com Hear Colin describe what it was like growing up in the family business and the secret to his success today.

Doug Burdge, president Burdge & Associates Architects

Don Burdge — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 15:30:00 +0000

I interview my brother Doug Burdge about his architecture practice that he started in Malibu 25 years ago. Doug and I discuss our early childhood days and why we each went different directions professionally; Doug went into the family architecture business, while I went into the family printing business. Now Doug is a member of Vistage while I joined Vistage as a Chair. Doug also discusses how the terrible fires that destroyed much of Malibu in 2018 affected his home, his business and his community and what lessons he learned from that experience. Learn more about doug at http://www.buaia.com Doug and I discuss our early childhood days and why we each went different directions professionally; Doug went into the family architecture business, while I went into the family printing business. Doug also discusses how the terrible fires that destroyed much of Malibu in 2018 affected his home, his business and his community and what lessons he learned from that experience.

Cris Ortiz-Luis, CEO of Hygeia LTC Pharmacy & Elite Rx

Don Burdge — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 17:50:00 +0000

Cris talks about the challenges of running a Long Term Care Pharmacy in the Los Angeles market and why he started Elite, a retail pharmacy in Orange County. Cris and his wife also manage five boarding care facilities and, in his spare time, is busy raising 3 young kids. Hear Cris talk about how he is able to manage his time to achieve his many goals. You can reach Cris at cortiz@hygeialtc.com
Hear a 1 minute clip how Cris manages to run two pharmacies, five boarding care facilities and raise three kids. Hint: it comes down to transparency and trust.

Ara Aslanian, Founder / CEO of InverseLogic

Don Burdge — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 01:32:00 +0000

Ara Aslanian, president and founder of InverseLogic an IT service provider and cyber security company based in Glendale CA. Ara is interviewed by Don Burdge at Pasadena Public Media Studios for the Public TV show “From the Corner Office”. Ara discusses the challenges he’s faced growing an IT company and what he looks for in potential employees. Learn more at http://www.inverselogic.com

Video and Clips

Watch this 1 minute clip where Ara discusses looking for potential employees who have “Grit” Watch the full interview of Ara Aslanian, president and founder of InverseLogic an IT service provider and cyber security company at Pasadena Public Media Studios for the Public TV show “From the Corner Office”. Ara discusses the challenges he’s faced growing an IT company and what he looks for in potential employees. Learn more at http://www.inverselogic.com

Amy Grat, CEO of EXP

Don Burdge — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 17:35:00 +0000

EXP is a non-profit based in Long Beach California who’s mission since 1999 is to prepare students for a better life. Their programs help young people gain experience, unlock doors and build the confidence they need to succeed in school, career and life. Amy Grat has been EXP’s CEO for the past 10 years, hear Amy discuss the challenges of running a non-profit from fundraising efforts to growing a team of committed individuals. You can reach Amy at amygrat@expfuture.org and learn more about EXP at http://www.expfuture.org Watch Amy’s full interview here

Pete Garbowski, founder & CEO of B.U.L.K. Beef Jerky

Don Burdge — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 17:18:00 +0000

In 2004 Pete Garbowski was working at a digital marketing agency in Detroit when he pitched a client on selling beef jerky online. The client passed on the idea but Pete believed in the idea and started it as a side hustle. In 2016 he made that side hustle his main job and today sells millions of dollars in beef jerky online, in retail stores, wholesale, and has an exclusive with the LA Kings and Staples Center. Along the way, Pete bought his own meat processing plant in order to control their own product. You can hear Pete’s amazing story here, buy great beef jerky at http://www.bulkbeefjerky.com and drop Pete a note at pete@bulkbeefjerky.com Pete talks about selling beef jerky as a side hustle to his main job for years until he finally decided to do it full time. Now BULK Beef Jerky is selling millions of dollars of meat over the internet, retail and wholesale locations. Pete recently purchased his own meat processing facility to cook their own jerky and he landed a deal to be the exclusive dealer for the Los Angeles Kings.

Gregg Lehrman, Founder CEO of Output

Don Burdge — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 22:31:00 +0000

Gregg is a musician and was looking for a specific piece of software to help him compose songs. He couldn’t find exactly what he was looking for, so he made it. That led Gregg and his team to create more and more software that music makers use to make their unique compositions. Today Gregg’s firm, Output, is one of the leaders in his industry helping musicians around the world. Inc. Magazine has recognized Output as one of the 5000 fastest growing companies in the country for the past two years in a row! Hear Gregg’s incredible story of how he manages such fast growth and how he transformed his company from selling software as a product, to selling Software as a Service. Learn more at http://www.output.com.

Clips

1 minute clip of Gregg talking about the challenge of managing fast paced growth 1 minute clip of Gregg philosophy about finding your customer’s trust

Ken Tang, Founder / CEO of Cornerstone Marketing

Don Burdge — Mon, 02 Sep 2019 22:38:00 +0000

Ken Tang and his cousin Andy talk with Don about growing Cornerstone into the largest national sales organization for Directv Business in just four short years. Escaping the Cambodian Khmer Rouge with his parents in 1985 to America he watched his parents struggle to provide a better life. Now Ken is hiring an average of 4 employees each week and is the “cornerstone” to his family and community by providing jobs and success to those who have ambition and the desire to succeed. Hear Ken’s remarkable story and visit http://www.cmcgroups.com for more information.

Video and Clips

Full Video of Ken’s interview A clip with Ken talking about he was able to grow CMC to the largest Directv Business sales organization in a few years

Rob Jorgensen, COO of Southwest Plastics and Metrex Valve

Don Burdge — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 20:42:00 +0000

Rob discusses the pros and cons of joining a family business with his father and uncle. A company that was started by his grandfather. Rob also talks about the leadership skills he honed as an officer on board a ship and how they apply to running two companies. Learn more at www.southwestplastics.com and www.metrexvalve.com As a bonus, near the end of the episode, you’ll hear why recording a podcast on board a boat can have it’s drawbacks.

Video and Clips

Full video of Rob discussing the pros and cons of joining a family business with his father and his uncle that was started by his grandfather. Also the leadership skills he honed as an officer on board a ship and how they apply to running two companies. Clip of Rob talking about working in a family business Clip of Rob discussing the leadership lessons learned as an officer on board a ship and how that applies to running a company. Clip of Rob and Don discovering the unintended consequences of using a boat as a recording studio.

Tin Yen, Founder and Creative Director of TYS Creative

Don Burdge — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 20:12:00 +0000

Listen to Tin talk about his 25 year experience running a design and advertising agency with a partner 2,000 miles away.

Video and Clips

Watch and listen to Tin talk about his 25 year experience running a design and advertising agency with a partner 2,000 miles away. Tin talks about his “secret sauce” which has enabled him to be in this competitive industry for over 25 years Tin talks about what he looks for when hiring talent.

Matt Michalowski, Founder / President of Pxl Agency

Don Burdge — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 22:45:33 +0000

Matt talks about starting his company at 25 and his expectations.

Clip from the interview

John Bryant, CEO of JH Bryant

Don Burdge — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 20:50:11 +0000

John talks about working in the construction industry and taking over the family business

Video and Clips

Video of John talking about working in the construction industry and taking over the family business Clip of John discussing how one day he caught his dad treating him like a child and not an employee and what changed. Clip of John discussing the fun of working with family members in his company

Don Burdge, Founder / Host of My Company Story

Don Burdge — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 22:45:00 +0000

Don is interviewed by Bill Black, host of The Exit Coach podcast, for this episode. Beginning with the challenges Don faced for 35 years running then selling his printing company, to why he became a Vistage Chair and why he founded the My Company Story podcast show.

Video and Clips

Video of Don’s full interview Short video clip about why Don became a Vistage Chair and podcast host. Short video clip about where Don talks about rolling up printing companies to become attractive to a strategic buyer. Don discusses who would make a good guest on My Company Story The problem when a boat is your podcast studio