Freshmen Founders

This one’s for the OGs, the ghosts of frat parties past, and anyone who’s ever worked out of a basement and dared to dream big. In this special episode between Season 1 and 2, we’re celebrating 10 years of EVA—reminiscing on our journey from signing incorporation docs in the Belmont library to building a real company that’s survived towed cars, questionable “offices,” laundry room build sessions, and everything in between.From losing money on early event bookings to finally hitting $1M in revenue back in the day, we reflect on how far we’ve come—and all the chaotic, hilarious, and meaningful moments that got us here. It’s a toast to the decade that shaped us… and to the makeshift desks, late-night builds, and laugh-until-you-cry milestones along the way. 

On this episode of The Blend, we take time to reflect on the year together—celebrating growth in both business and self. We dive into meaningful end-of-year review questions, exploring topics like: What was the best outcome of the year? What’s working and what’s not working? What did we most enjoy in the business? What was the biggest lesson we learned this year? How did we waste time versus how did we use time most effectively? Join us as we share candid insights, lessons, and plans for the future. This episode is all about asking the big questions and finding clarity through reflection. Let’s look back to grow forward.

On this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we reflect on our recent EVA Vision meeting—a pivotal moment that showed just how aligned and “locked in” our team truly is. Everyone’s not just embracing our core values—they’re exuding them and leveling up to the next stage of who we are as a company. We discuss how this team-wide alignment is fueling our growth, making future plans more concrete, and giving us the confidence to set long-term goals. We also explore how understanding each team member’s communication needs ensures our vision is shared in a way that resonates and drives us forward. With a more predictable pipeline, we’re feeling immense gratitude for how far we’ve come. Join us as we look ahead to the new year, deciding what stays and what goes, and celebrating the collective energy that’s powering our future.

In this episode, Channing and Makenzie dive into the concept of imposter syndrome, exploring how they still experience it even after nine years of building their business. Instead of seeing it as a setback, they discuss how feeling like an "imposter" can actually be a sign of growth, signaling that they’re tackling new challenges and making progress. They also reflect on how startups, with their agility and flexibility, can often discover solutions and advancements that larger companies may miss. The conversation expands to the challenges of adopting new technologies, particularly AI, and how companies are navigating this shift. Channing and Makenzie emphasize the importance of clear communication with their team, ensuring that changes are made strategically rather than hastily. They discuss how to balance continuous innovation with maintaining focus on long-term goals, offering insights into how they keep their team aligned with the business's evolving vision. The episode wraps up with a candid discussion

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we look back on the biggest growth we've experienced this fall—and why it still doesn’t feel like enough. We talk about how we’re managing this feeling within ourselves and our team, while also navigating challenges like the economy and recession. We share the big advancements we’ve made, from building a new revenue stream to delegating more so we can focus on strategy and long-term growth. A year ago, we gave ourselves an ultimatum: we didn’t want our business to look the same by now, and that mindset has driven massive changes. Tune in for an honest conversation about growth, strategy, and how setting a clear deadline sparked the change we needed.

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we switch things up by asking each other a mix of business and personal questions that dive into the heart of our partnership. From “What are you most excited about where the business is at right now?” to “What concert do you wish you could go back and see again?” and even “What would you do after EVA?”—we cover it all. This conversation showcases the unique blend of our roles as co-founders and best friends, revealing the lessons we've learned and the dreams we still have. It's an intriguing look at how we navigate our business and friendship, offering listeners a glimpse into the conversations that keep us inspired and grounded.

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we dive into the world of conferences—both the hard parts and the highlights. From the challenges of travel to the nerves of walking into a room full of strangers, we share our experiences and how we've navigated these hurdles over the years. We discuss how our approach to networking and selling at conferences has evolved, striving to be intentional without coming across too strong. Plus, we explore our brand identities as individuals and co-founders of EVA, and how we present ourselves in these high-pressure environments. Tune in for candid insights, practical tips, and some real talk about making the most of conferences, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we tackle the often-stressful topic of competition and why we believe it can actually be a great thing. As entrepreneurs, competition is inevitable, but instead of fearing it, we've learned to see it as validation of our business in the market. Join us as we share funny anecdotes of past competitors and the lessons we've learned from them. We talk about how we’ve kept our heads down, focused on our growth, and discovered the silver lining in rivalry. Tune in for an engaging conversation about embracing competition and staying true to our path, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we tackle the battle between ego and entrepreneurship. We discuss the importance of taking PTO, the art of delegation, and the real financial struggles we face as entrepreneurs. Join us as we share personal stories and practical tips on overcoming these challenges, highlighting the need to set aside pride and prioritize well-being. Tune in for a raw and relatable conversation about balancing ego and practicality, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we dive into the world of banking and share some crucial lessons we've learned along the way. Banking turned out to be a much bigger part of our business than we initially thought, and we're here to have a candid discussion about what has worked well and what hasn’t. From navigating complex banking processes to discovering tips we wish we had known earlier, we cover it all. Tune in for an honest conversation about our banking experiences, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

In this upbeat episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we focus on all the things we love about being entrepreneurs. From the flexibility and freedom to the incredible community and building our own culture, we dive into what makes this journey so rewarding. We also reflect on our childhoods and the moments that sparked our entrepreneurial spirit, sharing how these experiences have shaped who we are today. Join us as we celebrate the joys of entrepreneurship, discuss the positives, and learn more about ourselves along the way. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about the perks of being an entrepreneur and how we blend passion, business, and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we take you behind the scenes of our journey with burnout and how we're bouncing back. We discuss the tools and strategies we've found effective, why burnout is such a challenging issue for entrepreneurs, and the importance of supporting one another through it all. Join us for a mix of business insights and candid discussions about our vulnerabilities. Tune in to hear how we navigate the tough times and support each other as we blend business and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

In this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we get real about the ups and downs of the past year. We open up about how we've navigated burnout and personal stress, and share the tough lessons from a big mistake that caught up to us. Join us as we talk candidly about our mental health, how we're really doing, and what's been happening in our lives and business. It’s an honest look at the challenges we've faced and how we're growing through them. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about resilience and growth as we blend business and friendship. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

Welcome to the inaugural episode of "The Blend with Kenz + Chan"! In this exciting premiere, Kenz and Chan reintroduce themselves and their revamped podcast. Join them as they share what to expect from this new version of the show, including candid insights, valuable lessons, and honest conversations about entrepreneurship and life. Kenz and Chan dive deep into what they've been up to since the last episode, detailing their adventures and growth over the past two years. From navigating the challenges of fundraising to experiencing the highs and lows of business expansion, they have plenty of stories to share. So grab your favorite beverage and tune in as Kenz and Chan kick off this new version of the pod, blending business as friends. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

Continuing the conversation of fundraising, Channing and Makenzie give updates on their current round. They emphasize how important it is to find the right investors, and how you should be vetting them as much as they vet you. They also discuss determining how much you should raise and how to prioritize how the capital should be allocated.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

In this episode Channing and Makenzie talk about their experience raising money (for the second time.) They discuss how they used SXSW as a launching pad to open their round and how they got interest from investors before having a deck. Raising money is a full time job and the EVA co-founders are happy to have each other to split some of the work.  Finally, they talk about the cons of raising too much or valuing your business too high.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

Many of us have gotten accustomed to working from home in the past two years. Some of us love it and never want to go back to the office, while some of us are ready to get out of the house. Channing and Makenzie talk about how their team is doing a hybrid model and how important it is to connect with your employees and co-workers even when you're not in the same room. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

Channing & Makenzie have always had relationships with their customers. Much of their business has come through referrals and word of mouth. Finally they are spending money on digital marketing to grow their business outside of their network. In this episode they share tools, tips, and stories in their experience with a marketing budget.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

Channing, Makenzie, and their sales team have always tried  to make their customers lives easier.  After years of saying yes, their clients are starting to ask for things outside of EVA's business model. In this episode Channing and Makenzie discuss managing expectations and setting boundaries with current clients. They determine if it is ever acceptable to turn business away. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

Channing and Makenzie have given you all of the tools you need to validate your business idea. Your idea may be ready to turn into a business but are you the right one to start that business? If not, Channing and Makenzie discuss how you can identify the right team members to add. It's already challenging to build a business and doing it alone only makes it harder.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message