The Startup Junkies Podcast Jeff Amerine

Summary
In this episode of the Startup Junkies Podcast, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Harrison Kitson are joined by Travis Hester, founder of Eat My Catfish, a successful catfish and seafood restaurant in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Inspired by his love for cooking and his culinary background, Travis established Eat My Catfish fifteen years ago, which has now blossomed into a thriving chain of eight restaurants and four food trucks. 
Travis discusses the transition from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar store, highlighting one of the pivotal moments in expanding Eat My Catfish when a friend suggested crawfish. Implementing this suggestion led to skyrocketing sales, with the restaurant eventually sourcing over one hundred thousand pounds of crawfish annually. Travis credits Eat My Catfish’s farm-to-table approach and commitment to fresh ingredients as defining factors in its success. 
In addition to business insights, Travis underscores the importance of striking a balance in life, valuing his roles as a father, husband, and employer, and illustrates a heartfelt customer story, signifying the profound bond between his business and the community. He also mentions their involvement in educational initiatives, like school visits to teach children about crawfish, emphasizing his and the restaurant’s commitment to giving back.
During the episode, Travis shares his entrepreneurial journey, including navigating challenges, embracing opportunities, and building a thriving business. Through his candid storytelling, he highlights the importance of hard work, positivity, and giving back to the community, offering valuable insights into entrepreneurship, leadership, and the resilience required to overcome adversity.
 
Show Notes
(0:00) Introduction to Travis Hester
(0:59) Eat My Catfish’s Origin Story
(3:52) From Food Truck to Brick and Mortar
(11:58) Finding Confidence to Begin
(14:46) What’s Next for Eat My Catfish
(20:58) Eat My Catfish’s Arkansas Business of the Year Award
(25:30) Eat My Catfish Customer Stories
(30:16) Advice to Younger Self
(31:56) Closing Question
 
Links
Jeff Amerine
Caleb Talley
Harrison Kitson
Startup Junkie
Startup Junkie YouTube
Travis Hester
Eat My Catfish

Summary
Join hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Harrison Kitson on this episode of Startup Junkies as they dive into the world of storytelling and book publishing with Michael DeLon, #1 Amazon Best-Selling author of On Marketing, creator of The Credibility Game Plan, and founder of Paperback Expert. Paperback Expert equips entrepreneurs with marketing strategies to attract more clients, and guarantees business growth if clients adhere to their system, demonstrating a book's versatility in attracting leads, converting sales, and generating referrals.
By using Paperback Expert’s proprietary “speak-to-write” process, business owners can create their own book in under a day. Through a series of structured phone calls, Paperback Expert helps clients outline their book, record their book, and publish their book. Then, once their book is published, Paperback Expert shows them how to use their book to position themselves as an expert in their industry. Until now, having your own book was either too difficult or too expensive, but that’s no longer the case with Paperback Expert.
Throughout the episode, Michael shares his inspiring journey, from ministry to entrepreneurship, and the pivotal role a book played in establishing his expertise. He also explores the step-by-step process of turning your ideas into a published work, leveraging your book as a powerful marketing tool, and building a lasting legacy for generations to come. Listen today and discover how crafting your unique story and publishing a book can transform your credibility, attract more clients, and elevate your business. 
 
Show Notes
(0:00) Introduction to Michael DeLon
(1:04) Michael’s Origin Story
(5:39) About Paperback Expert and Its Clients
(6:46) The Process of Writing a Book with Paperback Expert
(8:29) Increasing Brand Awareness with Digital Platforms
(10:49) Connecting with Clients and Marketing their Books
(15:09) Balancing Life with a Family Run Business
(20:57) Overcoming Obstacles in Business
(28:40) What’s in the Future for Paperback Expert 
(31:19) Advice to Younger Self
(33:28) Closing Question
 
Links
Jeff Amerine
Caleb Talley
Harrison Kitson
Startup Junkie
Startup Junkie YouTube
Michael DeLon
Paperback Expert
On Marketing: The Definitive Guide for Small Business Owners

Summary
En este episodio de Startup Junkie en Español, nos acompaña Geovanny Sarmiento, de la Cámara de Comercio de Rogers-Lowell. Geovanny profundiza en la importancia de mantener una mente abierta en el camino del emprendimiento. Destaca cómo los emprendedores pueden beneficiarse al buscar y valorar recomendaciones no solo de amigos y familiares, sino también de desconocidos y expertos en diferentes campos. A través de su experiencia y conocimientos, Geovanny nos ofrece estrategias prácticas para integrar diversas perspectivas en la toma de decisiones empresariales. Descubre cómo abrirte a nuevas ideas y enfoques puede impulsar la innovación y el crecimiento de tu negocio. ¡No te pierdas esta inspiradora y educativa conversación que te ayudará a transformar tu enfoque emprendedor y llevar tu startup al siguiente nivel!
 
Show Notes
(00:05) Welcome and introductions
(00:32) About Geovanny Sarmiento
(02:38) How Geovanny ended up in Northwest Arkansas
(05:45) Defining community
(09:28) General necessities
(14:16) Building trust
(24:10) The Spanish advantage
(32:50) Advice to past self
(41:09) Closing question
 
Links
Claudia Scott
Andres Balderrama
Geovanny Sarmiento
Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce

Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley and Harrison Kitson are joined by Kenny Tomlin, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of CourtAvenue, a cutting-edge digital transformation company. Founded in 2020, Court Avenue, headquartered in Austin, partners with Fortune 500 clients to harness emerging technologies, transforming client interactions, and optimizing business operations. Its focus has increasingly shifted towards AI-driven solutions, helping companies adapt and innovate in an ever-accelerating tech landscape.
A key facet of CourtAvenue’s strategy is its selective approach to incubating boutique services and technologies. This includes ventures like an experiential design business and a platform focused on conversational commerce using AI. By incubating these specialized entities, CourtAvenue not only addresses immediate market needs but also anticipates future technological trends. Kenny’s broader vision for Court Avenue includes potential expansion into new markets such as Latin America, Asia, and Europe, signifying a commitment to global growth. Additionally, CourtAvenue’s selective nature regarding co-founding and incubating entities ensures each venture aligns with its core values and strategic objectives.
In this conversation, Kenny offers advice on identifying opportunities within emerging technologies like AI, navigating the evolving digital landscape, and the essential mindset required for long-term entrepreneurial success. Drawing from his experiences at the forefront of digital innovation, including founding and selling companies like Rockfish, Kenny highlights the paramount importance of building strong relationships, continuous learning, and embracing the unpredictable nature of entrepreneurship.
 
Show Notes
(0:00) Introduction to Kenny Tomlin
(6:40) Navigating the Digital Transformation
(9:42) About CourtAvenue
(13:29) The Process of Incubating Companies
(17:26) Kenny’s Entrepreneurial Experience
(25:35) What Winning Looks Like to Kenny
(29:28) CourtAvenue’s Future Vision
(32:45) Advice to Younger Self
(39:38) Closing Question
 
Links
Caleb Talley
Harrison Kitson
Startup Junkie
Startup Junkie YouTube
Kenny Tomlin
CourtAvenue
 

Summary
On Episode 4 of the latest Startup Junkie Podcast Series, host Daniel Koonce welcomes the founder of Scarlet Letter Beverage Co., Jesse Core. Daniel and Jesse discuss how Core Brewing developed into Scarlet Letter Beverage Co. Jesse dives into how his team approaches flavor innovation, their partnership with Sam’s Club, and how he modernized brewing in Northwest Arkansas. Join us to learn how to listen to the data to figure out what the consumer wants, how to get over the hump of growing pains and establish the right capacity and resources to get out ahead of growing demand, and how to follow market trends. Tune in to hear about Scarlet Letter’s newest product hitting the market this summer. 
 
Links
Daniel Koonce
Startup Junkie
Startup Junkie YouTube
Jesse Core
Scarlet Letter Beverage Co.

Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley, Jeff Amerine, and Daniel Koonce dive into the world of specialty coffee with Jon Allen, co-founder and creative director of Onyx Coffee Lab. Founded in 2012 with the mantra “Never Settle for Good Enough,” Onyx has built an award-winning team of roasters that ship freshly roasted coffee worldwide and serve unique brews in four locations across Northwest Arkansas. 
Jon’s, and his wife and fellow co-founder, Andrea’s, commitment to exceptional coffee led them to a method they call relationship coffee, meaning that for seventy percent of the coffee they import, they visit the farms where it is grown and pay the producers directly. This approach allows them to establish their standards for coffee quality and ensures transparency with Onyx Coffee Lab consumers because they share detailed purchase information on Onyx’s website. Visitors can see the price paid to the producer, the market commodity price at the time of purchase, the fair trade price, the import costs, and the individuals involved in bringing the coffee to the United States.
Throughout the episode, Jon discusses Onyx's unique approach to sourcing, roasting, and distributing high-quality coffee, which includes transparency in pricing, traceability to the farmers, and a deep respect for the coffee's origin. He also shares insights into the industry's evolution, the growing demand for specialty coffee worldwide, and the importance of supporting sustainable practices at the source. This conversation offers a glimpse into the passion, dedication, and innovation driving the craft coffee movement that has taken off in Northwest Arkansas. 
 
Show Notes
(0:00) Introduction to Jon Allen
(1:03) About Onyx Coffee Lab
(3:57) Onyx’s Origin Story
(6:01) Pricing Transparency
(9:04) Focusing on Green Coffee
(15:10) From Coffee Roasting to Consulting
(22:33) The Rise of Coffee Ventures
(29:50) Onyx’s Interior Design Vision and Narrative
(34:58) Advice to Younger Self
(38:15) Closing Question
 
Links
Caleb Talley
Jeff Amerine
Daniel Koonce
Startup Junkie
Startup Junkie YouTube
Jon Allen
Onyx Coffee Lab