The DOcast: People doing the Unthinkable

This guy knows exactly how to build a viable business and attract people to it. Sean Simone is the Founder and board member of SeNSE — a hub where entrepreneurs can pitch their ideas in Baton Rouge, LA., VP of an online marketing firm called BlueReach, and CEO/Co-founder of Yellow Jacket — the first consumer-grade stun-gun smart phone case. All by the age of 23. I had a chance to sit down with him at his new office at TenBR (a new co-working network for startups) and talk to him about how he got involved in the local entrepreneur scene. Interview with Sean Simone Where did you grow up? (2:25) How did you start Sense? (3:43) Tribes by Seth Godin (book reference) "Attract people, not promote" How they watched Shark Tank to plan Pitch Night (6:19) Educatainment = Education + Entertainment How did you overcome the fear of failure? (7:38) "I don't work to avoid fear, I work to get achievement — that's what drives me." Tell me more about Blue Reach? (9:55) "We learned marketing through doing it" In social media, no conversation is too small. (16:35) What is Yellow Jacket? (17:50) How they raised capitol for Yellow Jacket. (19:20) Why Indiegogo over Kickstarter? (22:25) How he got the last amount funded (24:45) Loupe Theory Studios (Filmed Indiegogo video) The sound Yellow Jacket in action — Warning: loud (28:25) How did you come up with the name? (29:15) What's the biggest mistake you see new entrepreneurs making? (30:12) "Take feedback, not personally, but as a welcomed opportunity" What do you like to do for fun, outside the office? (31:45) "I really love educating myself" It's all about balance (34:08) Super Rich by Russell Simmons (book reference) What's next and how can people contact you? (37:40) Makers by Chris Anderson (book reference) BOUNS: Ask Sean a question in the comments GIVEAWAY: One random selected commenter will get a free Yellow Jack iPhone case! ($140 value) All you have to do is comment below to win. The winner will be selected on 3/7/13. UPDATE: Winner picked, watch the video. Check out Sean at: Website: YellowJacket.com (taking online orders + all new website in March '13) Email: defend@yellowjacket.com Twitter: @Yellow_Jacket Facebook: /YellowJacketCase Play the interview This is an audio version of this interview. I'm starting a new podcast in-which I interview amazing people doing the unthinkable in the entrepreneurial/heath & fitness communities. DO enjoy :) Subscribe at: - iTunes (please leave a 5 star review) - YouTube - Stitcher Radio - The blog (in-which you'll get more)

A lot of entrepreneurs struggle with branding themselves, but if there's one person in Baton Rouge that knows how to build a successful online brand — it's Jay Ducote. Jay is a food blogger extraordinaire who discovered his passion by taking a step back and thinking about what he really likes to do — tailgating. He's the author of the Bite and Booze blog, Radio/Podcast host of Bite and Booze show & Raise a Glass, TV host of The Outdoor Shopper. Plus, he has a BBQ sauce and Cookbook in the works. I had a chance to sit down with him at the amazing Restaurant IPO in Baton Rouge to talk about his journey in this Bite & Booze business. Interview with Jay Ducote (man of many hats) Richard: Where did you grow up? Jay: I was born in Baton Rouge, my father got transferred to Houston when I was in 1st or 2nd grade, so I grew up in suburban Houston. I came back to Baton Rouge to go to LSU, both of my parents are Alums of LSU, so it’s where I always knew I wanted to go. Got a degree in Economics and Political Science, but really majored in tailgating — I was really good at that. So I took a year off and then said, I need to just keep tailgating. So I went to grad school and got a Masters in Political Science, it bought me a couple more football seasons, but ultimately at the end of it I kind of said, I learned what I don’t want to do, I don’t want to be a political scientist or a politician for the rest of my life. When did you know that you wanted to be a full-time food blogger and leave the status quo? Math teacher? I just knew I did not have the calling to be a political scientist for the rest of my life.  The summer after finishing my Master’s degree, football season was coming around, and buddy and I decided that we at least needed to have money for beer for football season. So we went in to apply to be substitute teachers with the EBR parish school system. We even had these crazy demands like: No elementary school, we have to be at the same school, and a somewhat decent neighborhood. They basically said, here’s the application and gave us everything else we need. They told us to come back here tomorrow morning ready to go on an interview. On the interview, they came out and said “We feel like angels have come down from heaven and blessed us”. They hired us both on the spot.  School started the next day and we had to fill out paper work and get background checks, so the principal told us to come back on Monday ready to teach. "It kind of hit me one day, I was like damn, I spend a lot of money eating and drinking..." After that, I got a job working for the state of Louisiana doing grant writing and policy research. I went from teaching and coaching to being at a computer 9-5. I was bored out of my mind. A couple of months after working for the state, I got this idea. There had to be something to kill some time. It kind of hit me one day, I was like damn, I spend a lot of money eating and drinking, I go to a lot of restaurants and I know the food scene pretty well, and I love it. Let me just start writing about everything that I eat and drink. When did you completely flip the switch? It took me about a year and a half of doing it as a hobby before I even entertained the thought that this could turn into something else. Once I entertained that thought, it was about 6 months later that I quit my day job and have been doing this full time. I put a year and a half of pretty hard work of growing my brand, my name and growing the blog.  I had some pretty fortunate breaks along the way. I started the blog in September 2009, by that January, I had approached a magazine about me doing some food writing for them. I wrote a monthly column for Town Favorites for a full year. Also in 2010 I had a recipe get selected for the Tony Chachere’s tailgating cook off, which I ended up winning, which got me a good bit of press. People started to know who I was and know that I had a food blog. Which was pretty big,

There's no business like the food business, and Gaye Sandoz has been doing it for over 37 years. She is a chef by trade (and for Tony Chachere's), took Cajun Injector on QVC, published her own cookbook, launched a kitchen product line, and kickstarted the first two food incubators in Louisiana (Edible Enterprises & LSU's Food Incubator). If there's anyone who knows how to get your food product on the shelf, it's her. I've been fortunate enough to meet her and she has helped me get my salad dressing on the shelf in 30 days (your mileage may vary). I had a chance to sit down with her at The Jambalaya Shoppe to talk about her story, how to get on the shelf, and how she manages it all. I also added a little lagniappe at the end. Interview with Gaye Sandoz, The Shelf Jeannie Richard: How did you wind up in the food industry anyway? Was it something you went to school for, how did you get started? Gaye: When I was 5 I had this easy bake oven and I used to package and develop little small bags of easy bake oven size cakes of my own recipes. That’s how I started, and I never stopped. I’d sell it to all of my friends. I co-packed little easy bake oven recipes for them. I went to graduate school and studied Dietetics and Nutrition. But I got my start in retail with Cajun Injector and I was their research and development person. I just assisted them in new product development and their QVC account. Which was so much fun, it was like not even a job, it was so much fun. Richard: What would you tell someone who has an idea about a food product, but isn't sure? Gaye: I would tell them to find someone that has been in the business and try to avoid all of the costly mistakes that new businesses make, especially in the food industry where you can’t get ahead before you sink under. Richard:  You're all over the place. I know that you launched your food line: Clever Kitchens, all while having a 9-5 job. How is that possible? Gaye: My work is my hobby, which I love it, so I’m very passionate about what I do. I always have plan B just in case plan A isn’t working, and it’s fun. It’s fun to see yourself do something besides your every day job. So I enjoy it, I really do. I love it. Richard: Are there any resources you could recommend to get on the shelf quickly? Like any books, articles, or blogs? Gaye: Well, the incubator source is a great source. The food incubators, usually they’ll have people who have been in the business and can help with marketing and sales, and that’s the key to anything. You can have a product that tastes delicious but if you don’t market it, it won’t go off the shelf. Coca-Cola spends more on their marketing than they do on their production. Marketing is just so important. Richard: Is there something that you regret doing or wish you would have done differently when starting up? Gaye: Not really, I’ve had awesome experiences in the food industry. I’ve been to China, I’ve made products for Wal-Mart, I’ve made products for QVC. I think the most important thing is just following your passion. If you’re passionate about something, you’ll end up doing what you want in the long run. I did many things I didn’t like before I got to this point.  Richard: What's next for you and where can people find you? Gaye: We’re going to startup this food incubator at LSU and make that successful, and I always have ideas, you know.  You have to just get an idea that’s feasible and that you know will work, can’t do all your ideas, right? Anyone interested in finding out more information about the AgCenter’s food incubator can contact Gaye at (225) 252-7162 or gsandoz@agcenter.lsu.edu. Play the interview This is an audio version of this interview. I'm taking these interviews and making a podcast, this is the very first episode — so it might be a little rough around the edges. DO enjoy :) Also on iTunes (please leave a 5 star review), YouTube, Stitcher Radio, or the blog (in-which you'll get more)