The Build Cycle

Ep #005 - Growing your Market by Changing the Laws w/ Fullsteam Brewery's Sean Lilly Wilson

Sean Lilly Wilson ended up started Fullsteam Brewery not because he was an avid home brewer, but simply because he thought existing laws were silly. Or, more specifically, because those laws prevented him from drinking true-to-style craft beer. After successfully leading the charge to modernize North Carolina's brewing laws, allowing beers with higher alcohol content, he used those connections and passion to start a "plow to pint" brewery that's heavy on locally foraged ingredients, supporting local businesses and economies, and making some damn good brew. Now, he's not just growing the number of beers they brew, but also their infiltration into the local market and beyond NC's borders.

For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Ep #004 - Using Partnerships, Sponsorships & Smart Sales to Grow w/ DeFeet's Shane Cooper

Shane Cooper started DeFeet socks without much of a plan and grew it into what's arguably the largest, most popular cycling sock company. They now have international distribution, develop new designs every month and offer a massive custom sock program that works with some of the top athletes and teams. There's a lot of tech that goes into making a good pair of cycling socks, and a lot of features that make it unique from standard athletic socks, but the really interesting parts of his story deal with how he overcame disaster, used smart partnerships to gain awareness, and the strategies he used to become a global sock powerhouse.

For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Ep #003 - How to Bring Influencers to your Event w/ PressCamp's Lance Camisasca

After working for Interbike for years, PressCamp founder Lance Camisasca jumped ship from the largest cycling tradeshow in North America to launch a smaller, more intimate event. PressCamp pairs brands and journalists in one-on-one meetings that not only allow better stories to be told, but also for relationships to be built that advance both party's interests. The concept proved so popular, ECRM purchased it but kept Lance and his team on to continue to run it and grow the concept to serve other industries.

We talk about how the PressCamp concept came about, how he wrangled the necessary interest from both sides of the table to encourage more brands and more journalists to show up, and the power of a good checklist and timeline. If you're thinking of launching an event or event management business, there are plenty of great lessons to be learned from our conversation.

For complete show notes, find this episode's companion blog post at TheBuildCycle.com.

Ep #002 - How to Start from your Van & Grow Big w/ Feedback Sports' Doug Hudson

Fresh out of college, Doug Hudson and a friend launched Chrome as a baggy mountain bike clothing brand. Nowadays, that brand's better known for their iconic messenger bags, which entered the line before Doug sold his share of the company and entered the corporate world. That didn't last long, though. His wife convinced him to stop talking about his idea for bike scales and just do it. Fast forward several years and Feedback Sports offers a complete range of bicycle repair and storage stands, a killer new line of tools and more.

We talk about how he funded the launch of Chrome when he was barely away from the University of Florida (and more interested in skiing, surfing and riding than working), what his work experience for others taught him about running a company, and how he's grown Feedback Sports through smart design and timely acquisitions of other brands and products.

For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Ep #001 - Everything You Need to Know to Design a Product w/ Lindarets' Marc Basiliere

For our first ever Build Cycle podcast, I interview Marc Basiliere of Lindarets. Marc started in adventure project management before launching his own cycling review site, then started writing for me at Bikerumor.com and ultimately ended up contributing to Singletrack UK. During which he held down a full time job at the DOE, but all the while was paying careful attention to the ways people were hacking their mountain bikes to make them work better. Finally, he launched Lindarets to do something about it, using his design engineering background to create small components and fixes for common upgrades and hacks.

We talk about how his educational and work background laid the foundation for Lindarets, how and why he launched it, and the steps taken to go from idea to finished product out in the market (and on the trail). These business lessons are invaluable for any entrepreneur looking to startup a small product business, particularly if their strengths lie in concept and design and they're looking to outsource production.

For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.