Failing to Success Chad Kaleky

Company StatsFounded: 1998 (roots tracing back to the 1920s as the Western Union Telephone Answering Service)Revenue: $65-$70 million annuallyEmployees: Approximately 1,500
Episode Highlights✅ AnswerNet has successfully integrated multiple acquisitions to expand its services and client base.✅ Gary Pudles highlights that employees in the call center industry value security and recognition more than monetary compensation.✅ The company's core values, represented by the mascot Pat the Fat Duck, emphasize passion, attitude, teamwork, and kindness.
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Gary Pudles, CEO of AnswerNet, discusses the company's growth strategy, which includes both internal sales and strategic acquisitions. Generating between $65 and $70 million annually, AnswerNet employs around 1,500 people. Gary emphasizes the importance of people management, maintaining core values, and making quick, balanced decisions. He shares insights into the challenges and opportunities of operating a large call center and BPO business, highlighting the need for employee security and recognition. Gary also talks about the pivotal moment when he bought out his partners and investors, leading to significant growth.
Chapters00:00 Intro
00:10 Company Stats
00:39 Growth Through Acquisitions
01:46 People Management Strategies
05:55 Decision Making and Core Values
07:51 Core Values
10:38 Connect with Answernet
Notable Questions We AskedQ: What has been the impact of acquisitions on AnswerNet's growth?
A: Acquisitions have played a big part in our growth strategy. We've grown through both internal sales and acquiring underperforming companies, bringing them into our platform to help them grow.
Q: What are some key aspects of people management you focus on?
A: It's important to learn from people at every level and keep arrogance out of the equation. People in call centers want security and recognition, and it's crucial to treat them with respect and appreciation.
Q: Can you share a pivotal moment that significantly changed AnswerNet's trajectory?
A: A major change was when my partners and I split, and I bought out all the investors, going out on a loan. Since then, we've tripled the size of the company from 2015 to now.
Q: How do you approach decision-making in the company?
A: My decision-making process involves considering if it makes economic sense, aligns with our core values, and its impact on people. It's a balance between making good business decisions, considering people, and staying true to our core values.
Q: How did you develop and implement your core value system?
A: In 2007-2008, we brought in Vern Harnish and implemented the Mission to Mars approach. We identified core values by recognizing the characteristics of people who represented the best of our company, leading to the creation of our mascot, Pat the Fat Duck, symbolizing passion, attitude, teamwork, detail-oriented, good communication, and being kind and likable.
#CallCenterManagement #BPOIndustry #BusinessGrowth #PeopleManagement #CoreValues #Leadership #Outsourcing #CustomerService #CompanyCulture #BusinessStrategy

Company StatsFounded: Program in 1963, nonprofit organization in 1975Revenue: $31 millionEmployees: 45Voyagers: Operates two voyages per year, in fall and spring
Episode Highlights✅ Semester at Sea generates $31 million in revenue annually.✅ The organization operates with a high fixed cost model, primarily driven by ship operations.✅ Scott Marshall emphasizes the importance of aligning personal ambitions with authentic career goals.
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Scott Marshall, CEO of Semester at Sea, discusses the unique challenges and opportunities of running a nonprofit organization that combines elements of higher education and the cruise industry. Founded in 1963 as a program and established as a nonprofit in 1975, Semester at Sea has grown to generate $31 million in annual revenue with a team of 45 dedicated staff members. Scott delves into the complexities of their high fixed cost model, the impact of the pandemic on their operations, and the importance of staying true to their mission. He also shares personal insights about career ambition and the significance of following one's gut instincts.
Chapters00:00 Intro
00:08 Company Stats
00:34 Operational Challenges and Opportunities
04:36 Personal Insights
06:33 Connect with Semester At Sea
Notable Questions We AskedQ: How does Semester at Sea manage its high fixed cost model?
A: Our ship operations account for 73% of our costs, and staff makes up 21%. This fixed cost structure works well in the nonprofit sector but would be tough in the private sector.
Q: What are the main challenges of running a nonprofit organization like Semester at Sea?
A: The complexity of combining study abroad, higher education, and cruise operations is challenging, but it ensures a clear purpose and meaningful impact every day.
Q: How does Semester at Sea select and recruit students for its voyages?
A: We partner with universities across the country and internationally, running two voyages per year. The program is self-selecting, appealing to students who want to study abroad and travel to multiple countries.
Q: How did the pandemic affect Semester at Sea?
A: The pandemic was extremely challenging, with no revenue for almost two years. We are slowly recovering, with a projected revenue of $32 million for the next fiscal year.
Q: What personal lesson did you learn from not securing a leadership position at a previous job?
A: I realized I didn't authentically want the position and failed to do a gut check. This experience taught me to align career ambitions with personal authenticity.
#SemesterAtSea #NonprofitManagement #StudyAbroad #HigherEducation #CruiseIndustry #Leadership #MissionDriven #CareerAdvice #EducationalTravel #GlobalLearning

Company StatsFounded: 2019Users: More than 200,000 users, with over 7,000 on the paid tierEmployees: 12
Episode Highlights✅ Hexact automates data collection and analysis, saving businesses valuable time.✅ Stepan Aslanyan leverages 20 years of entrepreneurial experience to drive Hexact's success.✅ Hexact's platform integrates with GPT, enhancing its data processing capabilities for users.
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Stepan Aslanyan, co-founder of Hexact, shares his entrepreneurial journey and insights into building successful tech businesses. Hexact, founded in 2019, has grown to over 200,000 users, with 7,000 on the paid tier. The company specializes in workload automation, helping businesses with data scraping, collection, and analysis. Stepan discusses the challenges and successes of his various ventures, emphasizing the importance of adapting to market demands and the accidental nature of business exits. Hexact's integrates with advanced technologies like GPT to enhance its automation capabilities, making it a valuable tool for e-commerce and data-intensive businesses.
Notable Questions We AskedQ: What inspired you to start Hexact?
A: My entry into the tech business was very accidental. I saw the dot-com boom and decided to start an online store in Armenia.
Q: How did you pivot from your first idea to focusing on web development?
A: After realizing the demand for websites, I shifted from e-commerce to selling websites. Over seven years, we became the biggest web development company in Armenia.
Q: What lessons did you learn from your initial e-commerce venture?
A: I learned that timing and market readiness are crucial. Launching an online shop in Armenia in 2001, with limited internet access, was premature.
Q: How do you identify when it's time to sell a business?
A: It's never planned. You start with an idea and a problem to solve. The decision to sell comes when you realize it's the right time to move on.
Q: What are the core problems that Hexact is solving?
A: Hexact allows users to delegate repetitive tasks related to data collection and data analytics, especially in e-commerce and research-intensive areas.
Chapters:00:00 Intro
00:06 Company Stats
01:16 Stepan's Entrepreneurial Journey
04:03 Insights on Business and Exits
06:08 Contact Hexact
#Entrepreneurship #TechStartups #Automation #DataAnalytics #BusinessGrowth #Ecommerce #WorkflowAutomation #StartupSuccess #Innovation #TechSolutions

Company StatsFounded: 2017Revenue: $11.5 millionEmployees: 200+
Episode Highlights✅ HypeAuditor ends 2023 with $11.5 million in revenue, showing significant growth.✅ Influencer marketing requires products that appear natural on social media for effective promotion.✅ Successful influencer campaigns often involve a mix of micro, mid-sized, and celebrity influencers for maximum impact.
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Alexander Frolov, co-founder of HypeAuditor, discusses the evolution and impact of influencer marketing. Founded in 2017, HypeAuditor achieved $11.5 million in revenue by the end of 2023, with a team of around 200 employees. Alexander emphasizes the importance of having products that look natural on social media to succeed in influencer marketing. He explains how brands can effectively approach and incentivize influencers by offering not just money but also interesting products. Additionally, Alexander shares insights into building successful influencer campaigns by leveraging a mix of influencers, from micro to celebrity, to achieve the desired reach and engagement.
Notable Questions We AskedQ: What year did you found HypeAuditor?
A: 2017 is the date of foundation, but we made several mistakes in the beginning and then pivoted. HypeAuditor was launched in 2018.
Q: What's the current revenue of the business?
A: We ended 2023 with 11 and a half million in revenue.
Q: How many employees does it take to run an 11 and a half million dollar business?
A: It's close to 200 employees.
Q: Who is the right fit for influencer marketing? What kind of business do I need to have?
A: Your product should look natural in social media. Industries like beauty, fashion, food and beverages, and e-commerce see a lot of success with influencer marketing.
Q: How do I approach an influencer and incentivize them to do a good job?
A: Approach influencers as humans and creators, not just business units. Offering cool products and building a personal relationship can incentivize them beyond just monetary compensation.
Chapters:00:00 Intro
00:07 Company Stats
00:33 Understanding Influencer Marketing
03:12 Approaching and Incentivizing Influencers
04:56 Tools and Strategies for Influencer Marketing
06:23 Budgeting and Scaling Influencer Campaigns
09:00 Connect with HypeAuditor
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#InfluencerMarketing #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy #ContentCreation #BrandGrowth #MarketingTips #Ecommerce #BusinessGrowth #OnlineMarketing #MarketingStrategy

Episode Highlights:✅ Joe Eisner transitions from Amazon to founding Ronin Advisors, focusing on direct customer engagement.✅ Guerrilla marketing tactics, like hosting partner events, prove highly effective for customer and partner engagement.✅ Learning from past failures, Joe identifies timing as crucial for the success of innovative solutions.
Episode Summary:In this episode, we talk with Joe Eisner, principal of Ronin Advisors, about his journey from Amazon to founding his strategic advisory firm. Joe shares insights on the importance of direct customer engagement and the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing tactics, such as hosting partner events. He discusses his experiences working with a wide range of clients, from technology ISVs to large private equity firms. Joe also highlights a significant lesson from his past failures—understanding the right timing for market readiness is crucial for the success of innovative solutions. He concludes by discussing his new venture in AI, aimed at optimizing and simplifying the sales process.
Notable Questions We Asked:Q: What brought you into the space of strategic advisory?
A: After five years at Amazon, I wanted to work directly with customers again. I started my advisory practice soon after leaving AWS.
Q: What range of clients have you worked with over the years?
A: I've worked with technology ISVs with $1M in revenue to large private equity firms making tens of billions annually, needing advice on strategic acquisitions.
Q: How important has guerrilla marketing been throughout your journey?
A: Guerrilla marketing has been crucial, especially at Amazon, where we used creative tactics like hosting partner events with limited budgets to drive engagement and co-promotion.
Q: What is your failing to success story?
A: One profound lesson came from a wearable device startup I co-founded in 2001. Despite solving a real problem, the market wasn't ready, teaching me the importance of timing.
Q: How is your new AI startup different from your past ventures?
A: My new AI startup focuses on optimizing the sales process. Learning from past mistakes, I've ensured there's a clear demand and market readiness for this solution.
Chapters:00:00 Intro
00:11 Joe's Journey to Strategic Advisory
00:46 Client Range and Experiences
01:15 Guerrilla Marketing Tactics
03:26 Challenges and Lessons Learned
06:52 New Ventures and AI Innovations
08:04 Contact Joe
#StrategicAdvisory #GuerrillaMarketing #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #CustomerEngagement #Innovation #AIVentures #SalesOptimization #MarketTiming #BusinessLessons

Company StatsCapital Raised $5.5 million
Episode Highlights✅ The construction industry faces a workforce crisis with 41% retiring in the next seven years.
✅ Learning from failure is crucial for success; success can be a misleading teacher.
✅ Building a synchronized, complementary team is essential for startup success.
Episode SummaryIn this episode of "Failing to Success," we welcome Shreesha Ramdas, the CEO of Lumber, a startup focused on construction workforce management. Shreesha shares how Lumber raised $5.5 million in a seed round to address the critical workforce crisis in the construction industry. With 41% of workers set to retire in the next seven years and younger workers not entering the industry at the same pace, Lumber aims to tackle this significant challenge. Shreesha discusses the lessons learned from his previous startups, emphasizing the importance of viewing failure as data and the necessity of building a synchronized team. His insights into maintaining velocity during uncertain times and iterating to solve problems offer valuable guidance for entrepreneurs.
Notable Questions We AskedQ: How much money did you raise for this startup?
A: We raised $5.5 million in a seed round last year.
Q: What motivated you to start Lumber?
A: The construction industry faces a serious workforce crisis, with 41% of workers retiring in the next seven years and a slow influx of younger workers.
Q: What are some key lessons you've learned from your previous startups?
A: Viewing failure as data, understanding the importance of team synchronization, and maintaining velocity during uncertain times.
Q: How do you go about building a strong team?
A: By identifying top performers, ensuring team chemistry, and maintaining a network of skilled professionals across various functions.
Q: How can listeners get in touch with Lumber or learn more about your mission?
A: Visit our website at www.lumberfi.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Chapters00:00 Intro
00:13 Company Stats
00:31 Challenges in the Construction Workforce
01:40 Lessons from Previous Startups
05:36 Building a Strong Team
07:22 Connecting with Lumber
#ConstructionIndustry #WorkforceManagement #StartupSuccess #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Leadership #TeamBuilding #BusinessGrowth #StartupLessons #FailingToSuccess