Welcome to The Blend with Kenz + Chan! 🎙️ Join best friends and business partners, Kenz and Chan, as they share candid insights, lessons learned, and honest conversations about entrepreneurship and life. From practical strategies to personal anecdotes, they keep it real while emphasizing the importance of mental health and friendship in the founder journey. Tune in for a refreshing take on blending business and friendship!
…
continue reading
1
The Fine Line Between Innovation and Focus
42:45
42:45
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
42:45
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 progres…
…
continue reading
1
Best Case, Worst Case: How We Planned Our Future
41:55
41:55
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
41:55
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…
…
continue reading
1
The Question Session: Blending Business and Life
47:45
47:45
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
47:45
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?…
…
continue reading
1
Conferences Unpacked: Networking, Selling, and Surviving
40:53
40:53
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
40:53
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 con…
…
continue reading
1
The Silver Lining of Competition
32:37
32:37
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
32:37
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 an…
…
continue reading
1
Ego vs. Entrepreneur: Our PTO & Finance Struggles
38:25
38:25
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
38:25
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 pr…
…
continue reading
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 pro…
…
continue reading
1
Why We Love Being Entrepreneurs
39:13
39:13
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
39:13
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, s…
…
continue reading
1
Behind the Scenes: Burnout and Bounce Backs
39:31
39:31
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
39:31
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 insight…
…
continue reading
1
Stress, Mistakes, and Growth: 2023 Unpacked
40:48
40:48
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
40:48
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 live…
…
continue reading
1
Introducing The Blend with Kenz and Chan
40:24
40:24
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
40:24
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 d…
…
continue reading
1
Fundraising (round 2) Pt. 2
30:47
30:47
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
30:47
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.…
…
continue reading
1
Fundraising (round 2) Pt. 1
30:35
30:35
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
30:35
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. …
…
continue reading
1
Working and Leading Remotely
26:16
26:16
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
26:16
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 n…
…
continue reading
1
Upgrading From Word of Mouth Marketing
34:30
34:30
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
34:30
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.…
…
continue reading
1
Is it Ever Okay to Say No to Business?
45:40
45:40
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
45:40
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 accept…
…
continue reading
1
Validating Yourself as an Entrepreneur
38:00
38:00
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
38:00
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…
…
continue reading
1
Validating Your Idea Pt. 2
34:42
34:42
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
34:42
Channing and Makenzie revisit the concept of validating your idea before starting a business. Getting feedback from potential customers, determining your market size, and estimating potential costs and expenses are all important before launching. They share tools for first time founders and give insight on how a business is constantly changing.…
…
continue reading
Channing and Makenzie recently took the rest of the EVA team on a company retreat. They talk about what they worked on during that time and how important it is to get face time with their team. The team looks a lot different than it did at their first retreat so they reminisce on how they've grown and what their goals are now. Company culture is so…
…
continue reading
Channing and Makenzie return for season 4! They discuss Makenzie's move to Austin and how it impacts their business, the growth of their team, and how they are managing in 2021. The founders also discuss the importance of timing, and that even the best ideas can sometimes be too early.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
We are THRILLED that 2020 is coming to an end. While it was extremely difficult at times we do believe we came out of this better both personally and professionally. The theme of EVA's 2020 was accelerated iteration. We had to change our model fast when the pandemic hit and it was not something we could have done without our team. In this episode w…
…
continue reading
1
Channing Interviews Makenzie
41:56
41:56
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
41:56
Now it's Makenzie's turn to be in the hot seat. Channing gets Makenzie to open up about who she is and what makes her tick. She discusses her strengths and weaknesses, her influences and interests, and how many bones she's broken. We love feedback! founders@freshmenfounders.comVon Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Makenzie Interviews Channing
30:37
30:37
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
30:37
In this episode Makenzie takes on the challenge of getting Channing to talk about herself. We thought it would be interesting to interview one another and see what questions we didn't already know the answers to. We learn a little more about Channing's way of thinking in personal and professional life. You can ask us questions, provide feedback, or…
…
continue reading
1
Employee Interview - Warner
37:16
37:16
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
37:16
Warner Carpenter, our software developer, joins us on the podcast. We talk about how he pitched himself for a full time position when we weren't even hiring (and got it), and what it's like working for a startup. He discusses the similarities between music and code and how he transitioned into programming. You can reach us at founders@freshmenfound…
…
continue reading
1
Tough Times as Founders
41:45
41:45
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
41:45
Running a company is hard enough without a pandemic, but when one hits things get tougher for every business. We've talked about our pivot and some challenges we've faced in the company but on this episode we get more personal. We talk about how we stay motivated, how we get out of a funk, and how important communication is within a team.…
…
continue reading
1
Most Embarrassing Moments as a Founder
33:22
33:22
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
33:22
We discuss some of our most embarrassing moments as first time founders. We record in a new studio with a few new fun tools that add to the awkward moments. In this episode we are very candid and open up how we've grown.
…
continue reading
We check back in with Gordon and how his business is doing during the pandemic. Last time we talked we discussed him potentially partnering with another company, so he gives us an update on what happened there. We also discuss how the live music industry may look in the future.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Is This What the Right Move Feels Like?
34:48
34:48
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
34:48
You know those days when everything feels like it's falling into place? We were grateful to have one, especially in these continued wild times, so we went more off script than ever. This episode is all about what our pandemic pivot has been like for our company and we also reflect on previous pivots made. It's been unnerving to build a business dur…
…
continue reading
1
We Rebranded...And It Was a Long Time Coming
33:33
33:33
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
33:33
The better the brand, the better the business...right? While a beautiful brand isn't the only thing that makes a business, it is a very important piece. A well thought out brand gives your customers confidence that you can do what you say you can, and our brand...was not cutting it. In this episode we discuss what exercises helped us prepare for th…
…
continue reading
1
We Co-CEO and Here's Why
25:38
25:38
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
25:38
Our roles have changed a lot while building our company. Sometimes it was forced due to our business’s evolution, and at other times it was decided as we found a better path forward. We wanted to be open and honest about all of it. On this episode, we talk about becoming Co-CEOs together this year, and why we insist that our team members act as lea…
…
continue reading
1
Running a Business in a Pandemic
25:59
25:59
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
25:59
Season 3 is here! We had to get creative and record this without our typical production resources due to the pandemic. It definitely makes this episode that much more candid on what we are all experiencing in the world today. In this episode, we talk about what it's like to have a pandemic hit your business from all sides (aka ours), how we have gr…
…
continue reading
1
Q&A with Makenzie + Channing
30:04
30:04
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
30:04
And that's a wrap, season 2! In this final episode we answered questions that were submitted throughout the season via founders@freshmenfounders.com. As always, please reach out if you have any further thoughts/questions or want to talk through pain points when growing a business.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Partnerships with Gordon Droitcour pt. 1
43:16
43:16
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
43:16
We have found that one of the most exciting yet difficult parts of growing a business is determining what kind of partnerships actually make sense for your company. And how do you know if they are strategic and will complement your company? This episode is part 1 of Partnerships with Gordon Droitcour and how he began to think through this process f…
…
continue reading
1
Building a Sales Team with Chris Becker
42:46
42:46
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
42:46
There is truly a method to the madness when it comes to executing sales goals and building a sales team. Not only are there metrics to base your goals off of, but also intrinsic motivators that are unique to each individual that's a part of your team. Chris Becker is an expert on these topics and we are excited for you to hear from him on this epis…
…
continue reading
1
Passion → Full Time Business with Nathan Brown
32:51
32:51
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
32:51
Attention all creators: if you're wondering how to take the next steps in making your passion/creative outlet/hobby a full time business, this is the episode for you. Nathan Brown is an incredible artist that took all of his knowledge from previous career experiences and implemented these lessons into his full time business as a public artist. Nath…
…
continue reading
1
Digital Strategy with Michael Sloane
41:28
41:28
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
41:28
In this episode we discuss all things digital strategy (and what that actually even means) and how to effectively market your business as a brand. Michael has an impressive background in digital strategy for all different types of businesses, especially in the music industry which we love. He started in project management, moved to interactive mark…
…
continue reading
1
Traditional Capital with Brad Peterson
40:01
40:01
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
40:01
This is the third episode on fundraising for your startup (part 1 and part 2 are in season 1). We dive into traditional capital options like utilizing a line of credit or a loan to grow your business, and why this might be more beneficial than initially working with investors. Brad Peterson is the Vice President of Music & Entertainment at Regions …
…
continue reading
1
A Few Things We Wish We'd Known Earlier
26:12
26:12
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
26:12
This episode is short and sweet. We learned the hard way on a few finer business details that are need to know, so we wanted to share them with you. Some would say it's boring stuff, we agree, but at least try to make it semi fun.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Expanding with Clint Smith
52:53
52:53
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
52:53
This episode of Freshmen Founders is all about expanding your business. Clint Smith, former co founder and CEO of Emma, joins us and shares how he and his team strategically took their company from start to acquisition.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Hiring with Tyler Newkirk
31:39
31:39
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
31:39
Freshmen Founders hears from the VP of operations at Gun.io, Tyler Newkirk, on how Gun.io hires well for their clients and for their own business. There is so much that goes into hiring the best candidates for your team, and we learn about what to pay extra attention to in this episode. What's Gun.io? Gun.io began as a way to connect open source so…
…
continue reading
1
Branding with Brian O' Connor
39:36
39:36
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
39:36
Season 2 kicks off with Good Dye Young co founder, Brian O' Connor, as our special guest. We talk through building a timeless brand and how it should evolve with your company's growth. What's Good Dye Young? "Good Dye Young was created by Hayley Williams, lead singer of the Grammy Award winning band Paramore, and her longtime stylist and makeup art…
…
continue reading
In the final episode of season one on Freshmen Founders, Channing and Makenzie answer questions that listeners have sent in and asked in the past few weeks.
…
continue reading
1
How to Create Your Network + Press
22:00
22:00
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
22:00
Half of a startup's initial success is based on meeting the right people and having a compelling story. In this episode, Channing and Makenzie talk through how they effectively built their network and grew awareness solely on press.
…
continue reading
When is the right time to get office space? Is it necessary for startups to have a dedicated space to work? Channing + Makenzie talk about their experience with getting an office, co working spaces, and working from home.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Don't Be Afraid to Pivot
19:30
19:30
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
19:30
Entrepreneurs are often scared to admit they need to "pivot" in their business, but Channing and Makenzie believe it is a must! This episode is all about how to test and edit your business model effectively.
…
continue reading
Startups can die by never leaving the idea phase. We have to get out of our own head and showcase our business to customers, review the feedback, and then revise when needed. It's a never ending process that all starts with your Minimum Viable Product. In this episode, learn all about what to watch out for when building your MVP.…
…
continue reading
1
Raising Investment Pt. 2
21:45
21:45
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
21:45
This episode continues the conversation on investment. Channing and Makenzie discuss angel investors, convertible notes, raising money in different parts of the country, and venture capital.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Raising Investment Pt. 1
20:15
20:15
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
20:15
This episode is an introduction to raising investment for your business the first time. Channing and Makenzie talk through bootstrapping, family and friends money, bank loans, and a few extra fundraising options.Von Channing + Makenzie
…
continue reading
1
Identify Your Weakness to Maximize Your Team
21:45
21:45
Später Spielen
Später Spielen
Listen
Gefällt mir
Geliked
21:45
Two or more is greater than one when it comes to building a business. As much as we would like to think it's possible, a solo venture is seriously difficult. But then how do we choose the right people to join the team? In this episode, Channing and Makenzie chat about their partnership and what they had to work through to keep the relationship succ…
…
continue reading
Channing + Makenzie have learned and identified 6 key questions that every entrepreneur must answer in order to determine if their idea can become a viable business.
…
continue reading