Freshmen Founders
Channing + Makenzie
Subscribe
A high-level take on specific business topics for first time entrepreneurs. The hardest part is getting started, but Channing + Makenzie provide resources, anecdotes, and lessons learned to ease that process.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
May 3, 2022
Fundraising (round 2) Pt. 2
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.
playlist_add
Apr 6, 2022
Fundraising (round 2) Pt. 1
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.
playlist_add
Feb 22, 2022
Working and Leading Remotely
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.
playlist_add
Jan 21, 2022
Upgrading From Word of Mouth Marketing
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.
playlist_add
Nov 24, 2021
Is it Ever Okay to Say No to Business?
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.
playlist_add
Oct 14, 2021
Validating Yourself as an Entrepreneur
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.
playlist_add
Sep 8, 2021
Validating Your Idea Pt. 2
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.
playlist_add
Aug 30, 2021
Company Retreat
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 something they touch on and how they make it a priority even as a small team.
playlist_add
Aug 18, 2021
Back to Business
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.
playlist_add
Dec 23, 2020
2020 Recap
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 we discuss how our company culture has improved, hiring/firing, and What 2021 holds for us.
playlist_add
Oct 20, 2020
Channing Interviews Makenzie
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.com
playlist_add
Oct 9, 2020
Makenzie Interviews Channing
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 just say hey at founders@freshmenfounders.com
playlist_add
Aug 28, 2020
Employee Interview - Warner
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@freshmenfounders.com
playlist_add
Aug 19, 2020
Tough Times as Founders
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.
playlist_add
Aug 10, 2020
Most Embarrassing Moments as a Founder
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.
playlist_add
Jul 20, 2020
Gordon Droitcour pt. 2
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.
playlist_add
Jul 2, 2020
Is This What the Right Move Feels Like?
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 during this time, but there have been lessons learned and experiences made that we wanted to share with you!
playlist_add
Jun 25, 2020
We Rebranded...And It Was a Long Time Coming
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 the rebrand, the creative journey itself, and tips and tricks we learned from a top notch branding agency.
playlist_add
Jun 18, 2020
We Co-CEO and Here's Why
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 leaders alongside us as well.
playlist_add
Jun 10, 2020
Running a Business in a Pandemic
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 grown our business since last season, and how we are now repositioning for the future of events. You know what they say, when the going gets tough...add COVID-19!
playlist_add
Jul 3, 2019
Q&A with Makenzie + Channing
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.
playlist_add
Jun 14, 2019
Partnerships with Gordon Droitcour pt. 1
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 for his business, Cour Design.
More on Cour Design: "Put simply, we are dreamers and creatives with the technical and logistical backgrounds to pull off the impossible. We design for the big and small. We work with management teams to scale emerging artists to the big time and with in house infrastructure to handle design for the largest tours out there. Concert creative direction, lighting design, content, and music videos."
playlist_add
Jun 5, 2019
Building a Sales Team with Chris Becker
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 episode of Freshmen Founders.
playlist_add
May 30, 2019
Passion → Full Time Business with Nathan Brown
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. Nathan is commissioned and travels all over the world to share his mind opening murals and unique designs.
To learn more about Nathan Brown, check out: www.19ss.net
playlist_add
May 22, 2019
Digital Strategy with Michael Sloane
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 marketing, did a lot of cool stuff in between, and is now overseeing his own company, Streaming Promotions - a music placement and streaming company.
playlist_add
May 15, 2019
Traditional Capital with Brad Peterson
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 Bank and is a huge advocate for artists and entrepreneurs. Brad has changed the game for us in our business and we wanted you to hear directly from the source.
playlist_add
May 8, 2019
A Few Things We Wish We'd Known Earlier
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.
playlist_add
May 1, 2019
Expanding with Clint Smith
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.
playlist_add
Apr 24, 2019
Hiring with Tyler Newkirk
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 software developers with awesome gigs. Today, they support thousands of freelance engineers in their quest to provide immense value to teams.
playlist_add
Apr 17, 2019
Branding with Brian O' Connor
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 artist, Brian O’Connor. The two became best friends through years of creative collaboration and developed GDY as a hair color brand with a vision to create a community around self-expression, color and happiness about being who you are. GDY is an extension of their shared passion to provide a brand that breaks down that wall of just being a company, and creating a community you can be a part of, empowered by tools that encourage your freedom of self-expression."
playlist_add
Jun 6, 2018
Season 1 Finale: Q+A
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.
playlist_add
May 30, 2018
How to Create Your Network + Press
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.
playlist_add
May 23, 2018
Office Space
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.
playlist_add
May 16, 2018
Don't Be Afraid to Pivot
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.
playlist_add
May 9, 2018
Building Your MVP
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.
playlist_add
May 2, 2018
Raising Investment Pt. 2
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.
playlist_add
Apr 25, 2018
Raising Investment Pt. 1
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.
playlist_add
Apr 17, 2018
Identify Your Weakness to Maximize Your Team
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 successful.
playlist_add
Apr 3, 2018
Validating Your Idea
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.
playlist_add
Mar 28, 2018
Freshmen Founders: Our Story
If we are going to talk all about the major mistakes made and lessons learned while building our business, we figured we should give some background on who we are and how we got started.
playlist_add