Summary:
Welcome back to the Startup Junkies podcast!
On this special edition episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, host Jeff Amerine was joined first by Erin Campbell, Chief Marketing Officer and CoFounder of Gen Z, and her colleague, Bo Mo. Gen Z is using multiple strategies to transform the bottled water market. Next, Jeff talks with Calvin Smith, serial entrepreneur, businessman, and chairman of the Startup Junkie Foundation who learned from his mistakes and used those lessons to grow as an entrepreneur. Finally, Jeff chats with Ronnie Brewer, former Arkansas Razorback and NBA basketball player turned recruiting coordinator, about what it takes to be successful.
Throughout the episode, Jeff Amerine and these guests discuss what it takes to make it in the startup world, including disrupting the market, learning from your mistakes, and tapping into your full potential as an individual and a corporation.
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes:
(0:46) All about Gen Z
(1:17) The Genesis behind Gen Z
(4:01) Reception from Buyers
(4:45) What’s Next for Gen Z?
(8:09) Background on Calvin Smith
(12:54) A Metaphor for Entrepreneurship: Little Failures Lead to Greater Success
(16:12) What We Need from the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
(19:11) Advice to Younger Self
(20:51) Ronnie Brewer, Hero of Basketball
(21:10) Thoughts on the Startup Crawl
(22:57) Excellence in Athletics Translates to Entrepreneurship
(25:11) Accept Nothing Less than the Best
Links:
Quotes:
“…I think in this culture of fast fashion, fast this, fast that, we can slow down and enjoy things and enjoy the smile that these bottles bring. And it’s so unique because not a lot of products these days really are doing that.” – Bo Mo, (6:04)
“…What we need is the next generation of people coming up…to give back selflessly, without expecting anything in return and saying, ‘Hey, if I give back to this community, we’re all better for it. I’m better for it.’” – Calvin Smith, (17:42)
“…The constraints that you have on yourself [are]…only in your mind. If you let that go, anything is possible and you can achieve anything. And we’re a prime example with the Razorbacks. But again, we’re just scratching the surface. And that’s motivation to people in the entrepreneurial world, and you can do anything, but don’t just settle for scratching the surface – keep on grinding, keep on getting better.” – Ronnie Brewer, (26:05)
What It Takes to Make It in the Startup World
On this special edition episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, host Jeff Amerine was joined first by Erin Campbell, Chief Marketing Officer and CoFounder of Gen Z, and her colleague, Bo Mo. Gen Z is using innovative strategies to transform the bottled water market. Next, Jeff talked with Calvin Smith, serial entrepreneur, businessman, and chairman of the Startup Junkie Foundation, who learned from his mistakes and used those lessons to grow as an entrepreneur. Finally, Jeff chatted with Ronnie Brewer, former Arkansas Razorback and NBA basketball player turned recruiting coordinator, about what it takes to be successful.
Disrupting the Market with Gen Z
“…I think in this culture of fast fashion, fast this, fast that, we can slow down and enjoy things and enjoy the smile that these bottles bring. And it’s so unique because not a lot of products these days really are doing that.” – Bo Mo, (6:04)
When COVID hit, Erin Campbell and her colleague Bo Mo from Gen Z used their time to research the bottled water market and figure out what gaps needed to be filled. Thus began their plan to disrupt the market.
Erin and her colleagues realized that bottled water was largely marketed to millennials and had not changed much over the years, yet the consumers have. The folks at Gen Z stepped in and designed a company that appeals specifically to younger buyers from both a brand imagery perspective and an economic perspective.
What matters to the folks at Gen Z is what matters to the young buyers on the market: expression, connection, and sustainability.
Learn from Your Mistakes with Calvin Smith
“…What we need is the next generation of people coming up…to give back selflessly, without expecting anything in return and saying, ‘Hey, if I give back to this community, we’re all better for it. I’m better for it.’” – Calvin Smith, (17:42)
After serving in the Marine Corps, Calvin Smith eventually formed an identity for himself as an experienced entrepreneur, but this didn’t come quickly or easily.
Early in his journey, Calvin made mistakes, but he used them to propel himself and his businesses forward. The first lesson he learned was that persistence is key to being successful in business ventures. Another lesson Calvin learned was that not only do you have to be prepared financially to start a business, you also have to anticipate how to keep cash coming in. Perhaps the most important lesson Calvin learned was that startups are the future, and investing in them makes the community better.
Don’t Settle for Scratching the Surface with Ronnie Brewer
“…The constraints that you have on yourself [are]…only in your mind. If you let that go, anything is possible and you can achieve anything. And we’re a prime example with the Razorbacks. But again, we’re just scratching the surface. And that’s motivation to people in the entrepreneurial world, and you can do anything, but don’t just settle for scratching the surface – keep on grinding, keep on getting better.” – Ronnie Brewer, (26:05)
Ronnie Brewer’s career history is steeped in athletics. He played for the Arkansas Razorbacks and the NBA, and he now recruits players for the men’s basketball team at the University of Arkansas. What he has learned in athletics is transferable to entrepreneurship and has enabled him to serve as a board member of the Startup Junkie Foundation.
Athletics and entrepreneurship have in common that a person must be willing to do the hard work that others are not dedicated to doing. Though adversity and challenges will arise, the willingness to keep going and the passion for your craft is what makes athletes and business people successful.
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