Startup Hustle - Startups And Being An Entrepreneur Is Hard! Learn How To Plan, Build And Fund Your Business.

Some say our house animals deserve nothing but the best. So, why do our farm animals deserve worse? In this episode of the Startup Hustle, Matt and Matt are joined by partner and CFO of Fulcrum Global Capital, Kevin Lockett. Lockett talks about his transition from playing in the NFL to working in the animal health industry. Fulcrum Global Capital focuses on investing in companies, which push for reinventing the agriculture industry. Fulcrum Global Capital uses a simple strategy, which initially emphasizes pre-marketing solutions and transitions to new innovations in the industry that are oriented towards maintaining a well-functioning and up-to-date system. Continue reading Ag Tech Funding at Startup Hustle.

Another exciting podcast episode here as Matt DeCoursey is accompanied by new guest host, John Thomson, for another discourse on being an entrepreneur and founding a startup. John Thomson is the founder and CEO of PayIt, Missouri’s most funded startup. And how so? Well, PayIt is a startup with a mission to simplify business transactions with the local and federal government. John conjured this idea when he went through the agonizing and time-consuming process just to get a new sticker from DMV. Continue reading PayIt at Startup Hustle.

Have you ever heard of analyst relations? Chances are that you haven’t and that’s okay! In this episode of the Startup Hustle, Matt and Matt are joined by one of the managing partners of Spotlight Analyst Relations, Andrew Hsu. Hsu talks about his experiences in building up his startup and finding his spotlight in the market. Spotlight prides itself on finding and keeping stunning talent. By maintaining incredible employees, Spotlight is able to produce an amazing subscription-based service to its clients. Continue reading Business Analysis at Startup Hustle.

Transforming your rambunctious little startup into a hustling and bustling one is no easy feat. Listen in as Matt and Matt sit down with the CEO and co-founder of DEG, Linked by Isobar, Neal Sharma. In this episode of the Startup Hustle, this terrible trio will talk about the perfect time to sell your startup. In December of 2018, Sharma was able to sell DEG to Dentsu Aegis Network for about $150 million, which helped Dentsu gain a stronger influence in America and helped bolster DEG against competitors. Continue reading Selling Your Startup at Startup Hustle.

The 21st Century opened a lot of possibilities for women and women-identifying individuals alike. In this era of women empowerment, InnovateHER KC creates a community of women of many professions: politicians, educators, doctors, designers and community leaders, both at a micro and macro level. In this episode, Matt DeCoursey and Matt Watson are joined by Lauren Conaway, CEO, and founder of InnovateHER KC. InnovateHER KC aims to enrich the circle of influence among women to create a greater impact in the Kansas City community. Continue reading InnovateHER at Startup Hustle.

What does it look like to lose what you have worked so hard for? What’s it like to feel crushed after seeing your dreams fail in front of you? In the first podcast episode, Jake Randall discussed how he was able to counter business failure and learn from the harsh experiences that left him crushed. In this other Startup Hustle episode, Matt DeCoursey and Jake Randall uncovered what it was like for Randall to fail at his business and the risks he took to save it. Continue reading Business Failure 201 at Startup Hustle.

It’s quite common for new businesses to fail, and the way to counter failure is to be ready, so you can see it coming before it hits you between the eyes. In today’s episode, Matt DeCoursey welcomes his guest co-host, Jake Randall, as they talk about how Randall bounced back to success after a major failure. Jake Randall quit his job to build the Donut Lounge which sells, well, donuts. Everyone was laughing about his ludicrous decision and almost everyone thought he was doomed to fail. Continue reading Business Failure 101 at Startup Hustle.

Technology has the highest dropout level for women compared to any other industry. Matt and Matt are accompanied by lead angular developer at Bitovi, founder, and president of Kansas City Women in Technology, Jennifer Wadella. Kansas City Women in Technology is a grassroots organization with the aim of increasing the number of women in the technology industry in Kansas City. It was founded about 6 years ago and provides 3 primary ways to support women, who are curious about careers in technology. Continue reading Women in Technology at Startup Hustle.

Do you have a brilliant idea sitting on the shelf? An idea that is just waiting for a chance to shine in the spotlight? This podcast will inspire you to take the first step towards turning that idea into a reality. In today’s Startuphustle episode, Matt and Matt are joined by Kilee Nickels, a fashion blogger and the founder of an up-and-coming accessories and apparel company, Nickel & Suede. Starting a company from scratch is no walk in the park, and has many in’s and out’s. Continue reading Crafts to Cash at Startup Hustle.

From former lawyer to sports agent to adjunct professor at William Jewell College, Tyler Prochnow, CEO of Subscription Ink, Co. and KC Arena Sports & Entertainment, LLC, seems to be able to do it all. Tyler Prochnow takes a seat with Matt and Matt to talk about the rodeo that has been his career. Prochnow talks about his experiences and how they have helped him find success. Subscription Ink, Co. provides customer service for subscription-based products. Continue reading Owning a Sports Franchise at Startup Hustle.

Entrepreneurs are constantly innovating and creating in order to make their product stand on top of the rest. Sometimes these pushes for innovation can lead to developing neighborhoods into creative powerhouses such as Silicon Valley. In this episode of the Startup Hustle, Matt and Matt are joined by CEO of Keystone Community Corporation, Kevin McGinnis. Keystone Community Corporation is pursuing an Innovation District in Kansas City, which could mean more innovation and educational and occupational opportunities for those in low-income neighborhoods. Continue reading Innovation Districts at Startup Hustle.

Some say learning music at a young age is beneficial and critically important to a child’s growth. Meyer Music has provided musical equipment to schools in the Kansas City area for over 60 years. Matt and Matt sit down with Mike Meyer, 2nd generation owner of Meyer Music, to talk about the struggles of maintaining a music retail store. Listen as Decoursey reminisces about his past involvement in the music industry. Meyer elaborates on the everchanging environment in the music retail industry because of the growing dependency that society has on the internet. Continue reading Music Retail at Startup Hustle.

Nest, Google Home and Amazon Echo are all key components to making your house smarter but how can a house be smart? In this episode of the Startup Hustle, Matt and Matt are joined by the founder and CEO of Homebase.ai, Blake Miller. Miller addresses the problems of IoT, or an Internet of Things, for startups and what kind of companies should use IoT. An Internet of Things is a network of interrelated devices that are able to communicate with each other without the need for human interaction. Continue reading Internet of Things at Startup Hustle.

How do you raise capital for your startup? Who should you ask for money? Where can you find people willing to invest? In this episode of the Startup Hustle, Matt and Matt sit down with the CEO and co-founder of Venture360 and LIQUIFI, Rachael Qualls. Qualls is an accomplished entrepreneur and investor, who has an eye for innovation. Her company, Venture360, provides multiple forms of management services such as portfolio and fund management. LIQUIFI is Venture360’s newest product. Continue reading Raising Capital at Startup Hustle.

Small businesses with great potential need all the help they can get to succeed and a good place to start is by looking for venture capital. In this episode of the Startup Hustle, Matt and Matt sit down with Thad Langford, a founding partner in Flyover Capital. They discuss the do’s and don’ts of venture capital and what you need to know in order to help your business succeed in its early stages. Flyover Capital provides early stage investment for businesses with great potential. Continue reading Venture Capital at Startup Hustle.

Athletes have a certain drive that pushes them to go above and beyond and reach astonishing goals. This passion is an invaluable tool that helps them achieve their dreams but that same drive can also tear them down. Matt and Matt are joined by Chris Smith, founder of Athlete Network, to talk about the struggles of being an athlete, who is transitioning into a post-athletic world. Listen in as they discuss what tools Athletes have at their disposal to thrive in this world. Continue reading Athlete Network at Startup Hustle.

The level of competition for startups is fierce and you need all the help you can get in order to come out on top. Accelerators are one way for you to launch your product off the ground. Matt and Matt sit down with Don Peterson, founder and former CEO of Infusion Express, and Jim Malle, business development officer at Economic Development Corporation Kansas City, to talk about LaunchKC, an accelerator program for fintech, cleantech and healthcare businesses. Continue reading Launch KC at Startup Hustle.

Is Chipotle a franchise or just a string of businesses owned by one company? Co-owner of The Smoothie Shop and Supplements and the co-founder and CEO of Diffactory, Kevin Oldham sits down with Matt and Matt to discuss the successes and struggles of being a franchise. Starting a franchise must always start with the burning question: Is my franchise worthy? Oldham talks about the most common mistakes that people make when they want to start a franchise and he starts off by dispelling the myths surrounding what a franchise can be and teaching you how to avoid those mistakes that can cause your franchise to fail. Continue reading Franchising at Startup Hustle.

Classic analytics answers many questions regarding consumers, but it often fails to answer the question: why do consumers buy what they buy? Matt and Matt get a chance to sit down with the CEO of Proof Positioning, Grant Gooding. Proof Positioning dives deeper than classical analytics by using neuroscience to discover the emotional data behind consumer decision making. Gooding explains the problems with traditional business analytics and how they can improve in order to keep up with the ever-changing market through emotional data. Continue reading Proof Positioning at Startup Hustle.

In this episode of the Startup Hustle, Luke Thompson, owner of KC Soda Co. and Mass Street Soda, accompanies Matt and Matt to talk about the history behind his sodapop shop. In 2014, Thompson opened Mass Street Soda in Lawrence, Kansas because he was inspired by a craft soda store in California and another one in Oklahoma. Although he initially began working in E-Commerce and Finance, he has had a long history with craft sodas, which has helped him see the potential in selling specialty retail soda. Continue reading Soda “Pop” Culture at Startup Hustle.