Building Something out of Nothing

Today's guest is Oscar Perez, founder of Tio Pelon's Salsita in San Antonio. We sit down at Shotgun House Roasters and chat about the founding of the company and how it all started, his popular recipes and the importance of branding, hitting the pavement and getting into local and national retailers, and how Oscar took his family salsa recipes and created Tio Pelon's Salsitas, a popular local salsa brand with international ambitions. Enjoy.Buzzsprout Link to get $20 Amazon Gift Card:https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=290018

Today's guests are Chad and Anthony - founders of Lick Honest Ice Creams. We sit down at Gameday Media Studios and chat about about the founding of the company and how it all started, their chance meeting in New York, moving to Austin and opening their first location on South Lamar, early lessons and the struggles of operating a small business, finding their footing and opening subsequent locations, how they choose their delicious flavors, their brand new Hemisfair location in San Antonio, and how Chad and Anthony went from making homemade ice cream in their apartment to founding Lick Honest Ice Creams, one of the premier ice cream companies in Texas. Enjoy.

Today's guests are Matt Dodson and Doug Young, co-founders of Cover 3 in Austin and San Antonio. We sit down at their Anderson Lane location and chat about the origins of the company and their shared history in the restaurant industry, opening the first location and having the Cover 3 burger featured in Texas Monthly, subsequent locations and how they carry their company culture to a new city, and how Matt and Doug combined a shared passion for scratch kitchens and a love for sports and created the Cover 3 Dining, Spirits, and Sports. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Michael Kiolbassa, President of Kiolbassa Sausage in San Antonio. We sit down at their production facility and chat about the founding of the company in 1949, Michael's transition to President and his grand ambitions for the brand, the implementation of the open book management philosophy and the myriad of ways that philosophy has improved the company, their commitment to crafting authentic, small-batch smoked meats, and how Michael took a local sausage shop and built it into one of the premier smoked meats companies in the United States. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Dennis Rylander, co-founder of Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling in San Antonio. We sit down at the brewery and chat about the company's origins and the local brewing scene back in 2010, the unique challenges of opening a combination brewery/distillery, their foray into retailers like HEB and Total Wine, the beer and whiskey varieties and processes, and how a group of friends drew up a business plan over many many beers at The Flying Saucer and founded the Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling, San Antonio's award-winning "brewstillery".

Today's guest is Tabatha Conarko, founder of Con' Olio in Austin, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about the founding of the company and how it all started, the entire tree to bottle olive oil process, where she sources her ultra premium olive oils, how to tell the difference between fresh and rancid olive oil, the new flagship location out in Bee Cave, and how she went from working in the corporate world to building Central Texas' premier olive oil company from the ground up. Enjoy.

Today's guests are Luis and Marsha Morales, founders of Humble House Foods in San Antonio. We sit down at their manufacturing facility and talk about the origins of Humble House and how it all started, their relationship with The Pearl and how they became one of the first vendors at the Pearl Farmer's Market, pivoting the business model from artisan cheese to their signature hot sauces, and how they entered HEB's third annual Quest for the Best competition and wound up hitting the jackpot - getting their unique product into over 200 HEB's across Texas. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Chef Bryce Gilmore, chef and owner of Austin favorites Barley Swine, Odd Duck, and Sour Duck Market. We sit down at Odd Duck in Austin and chat about his culinary background and growing up around food, the origins of Austin's food truck scene and how he started the famed Odd Duck trailer, initial success and the subsequent openings of Barley Swine and Odd Duck, being nominated for 7 James Beard Awards and the impact that has on his team, and what's on the horizon for Chef Gilmore and his growing restaurant group. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Andrew Sides - co-founder of Lost Draw Cellars in Fredericksburg, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about Andrew's family roots in farming and the founding of the company, the Fredericksburg wine boom and how the industry has grown, how they landed on a location right in the middle of town, the early days of the winery and growing their customer base, getting into larger retailers like HEB and Whole Foods, and how Andrew went from being an Engineer in San Antonio to founding and operating one of the premier wineries in Texas. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Sarah Sauer, owner and maker behind Guten Co. goods in San Antonio. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about Sarah's education in the arts and starting Guten Co., the processes behind her custom letterpress designs and handmade ceramics, building a steady clientele through word of mouth, landing a profile in Texas Monthly in 2017, and how Sarah built her bootstrapped studio into one of the most highly regarded design workshops in Texas. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Bob Williamson, founder of SRSLY chocolate in Taylor, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about Bob's foray into craft chocolate and the origins of the company, how he roasts the cocao and his bean to bar chocolate making process, partnering with local makers and the creativity behind his craft chocolate bars, building his wholesale clientele and getting into retailers like Whole Foods, and how Bob took a passion for quality chocolate and created SRSLY chocolate - one of Texas' premier bean to bar craft chocolate companies. Enjoy. Buzzsprout Link ($20 Amazon Gift Card): https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=290018

Today’s guests are Boyan Kalusevic and Randy Ward - co-owners & proprietors of Dorćol Distilling & Brewing Company in San Antonio. We sit down in front of our first live audience at San Antonio Start Up Week and chat about the origins of the company and how it all started, what sets Dorćol's unique spirits apart from other craft distillers, the funding, planning, and buildout of their Southtown distillery, the addition of the brewery a few years later, various awards and accolades, and how Boyan took his family origins in spirit making and built Dorćol Distilling and Brewing - Texas’ first urban craft distillery in the heart of San Antonio.

Today’s guest is Blake Settle, founder and CEO of Rev Energy Gum in Austin, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about Blake’s entrepreneurial spirit and his idea for caffeinated gum, funding, branding, locating a manufacturer and trial iterations of the product, the early days of selling to convenience stores in between classes at UT, the rapid rise in popularity and getting into larger retailers like HEB and Buc-ees, and what’s on the horizon for this young and rapidly growing CPG company. Enjoy.Rev Gum: https://www.chewrevgum.com/

Today's guest is Sarah Spivey, the popular meteorologist and news personality for KSAT in San Antonio. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about her journey to KSAT, including majoring in Meteorology at Texas A&M, landing her first gig at KTEN in Sherman, Texas, making the big leap to KSAT in San Antonio, what a day in the life is like behind the scenes as a KSAT meteorologist, what it's like being a well-recognized public figure in San Antonio, and what's on the horizon for Sarah and her career. Enjoy. KSAT: https://www.ksat.com/team/UTQCYQXNJ5D4LMXNG76AFI7HQI/Buzzsprout Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=290018

Today's guest is Jeff Stuffings, founder of the famed Jester King Brewery in Dripping Springs. We sit down at the brewery and chat about the origins of the the company and how it all started, the early commitment to brewing farmhouse ales using spontaneous fermentation, how they landed on the 165 acre ranch in Dripping Springs, the discovery and implementation of the open-book management philosophy, what you can expect from a trip out to the brewery, and how Jeff took a passion for home brewing and a little business savvy and created Jester King Brewery, universally revered as one of the most innovative and respected breweries in the United States. Enjoy.

Today’s guest is Tara Chapman, founder of Two Hives Honey in Austin, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about her upbringing in West Texas and attending college at Duke, moving to Austin and discovering beekeeping through Groupon, honing her craft at an apiary in East Texas, winning an $8,000 grant that helped launch the company, and how Tara took her newfound beekeeping passion and quit her salaried government job on a lark to start Two Hives Honey - one of the premier artisanal honey company in Texas. Enjoy. Two Hives Honey: https://www.twohiveshoney.com/Buzzsprout Affiliate Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=290018

Today's guest is Mike Elhaj - CEO of Thunderbird Real Food Bars in Austin, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom audio lab and chat about the origins of Thunderbird, what attracted him to the brand & how he acquired the company, what separates Thunderbird from other energy bars, what it takes to run a successful packaged goods company, and how the simple concept of using only fruits, nuts, seeds, and spices has allowed Thunderbird Real Food Bars to grow into a nationally distributed CPG brand. Enjoy. Thunderbird: https://www.thunderbirdbar.com/Buzzsprout Ad Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=290018

Today's guest is local comedian Larry Garza. We sit down at Geekdom and chat about his almost two decade career in comedy, his writing process and various gigs he's played throughout his career, how to construct a proper comedy show, the state of San Antonio's comedy scene, his cancer diagnosis and the effect that's had on his life and his comedy, advice for comics just starting out, and where locals can go to support the burgeoning underground comedy scene in San Antonio. Enjoy.Larry Garza: https://www.comediaagogo.com/larry-garzaBlind Tiger: https://www.instagram.com/blindtigercomedy/Buzzsprout Ad Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=290018

Today's guest is Patrick Trevino, Head of Business Development at Twang in San Antonio. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about the origins of the company in 1986, the early iterations and flavors of Twang's popular citrus salts, the 1998 partnership with beverage giant Anheuser-Busch and the marketing transition to beer salts, expanded offerings and increased retailer interest, and how since 1986 Twang has transformed from a small-time mom and pop shop to a nationally distributed company that sells over 10 million bottles of its signature beer salt each year. Enjoy.Get a $20 Amazon gift card by signing up for Buzzsprout at the following link. Buzzsprout - the easiest way to start your professional podcast.https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=290018

Today's guest is Gary Kelleher, founder of Dripping Springs Distilling in Dripping Springs, Texas. We sit down at the distillery and chat about the origins of this family owned business, their proprietary small-batch process & the benefits of using custom made copper stills, current product offerings and the recent merger with San Luis Spirits, and how Gary went from working a cushy corporate food service gig to founding and operating the 3rd craft distillery in Texas. Enjoy.https://drippingspringsdistilling.com/

Today's guest is Spurs Jesus - Spurs super fan, San Antonio celebrity, and philanthropist. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about his early days as Spurs Jesus and how it all started, increased media attention and growing the brand, a day in the life as a local celebrity, and how what started as a creative way to get on SportCenter transformed into a celebrated San Antonio public figure and one of the most unique brands in Texas. Enjoy.https://spursjesus.com/Building Something out of Nothing is brought to you by Lift Fund. For over 25 years, LiftFund has backed entrepreneurs who build something out of nothing by providing responsive insights and small business capital when others aren’t able to. If you need help launching your passion into a reality visit LiftFund.com today.

Today’s guest is Josh Huskin, an editorial and advertising photographer based in San Antonio. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio lab and chat about growing up in West Texas and how he got into photography, moving to San Antonio and early jobs in the industry, honing his skills and navigating the competitive photography scene, and how he went from playing in punk bands and working at a portrait studio to shooting with some of the biggest names and publications in Texas. Enjoy.Website: https://www.joshhuskin.com/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/joshhuskin/

Today's guest is Taylor O'Neil, CEO of Richard's Rainwater in Dripping Springs. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about the founding and origins of the company, how Taylor became CEO and what attracted him to the unique brand, what sets Richard's Rainwater apart in a crowded premium water market, and how what started as a hobby to provide all-natural rainwater to Richard and his neighbors grew into the nationally distributed and environmentally conscious brand - with big plans on the horizon. Enjoy.Website: https://www.richardsrainwater.com/

Today’s guest is Mike McKim, founder and CEO of Cuvée Coffee in Austin, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about the origins of the company and his early days as a coffee roaster, the benefits of developing direct trade relationships with coffee farmers, the genesis of Cuvée’s signature Black and Blue Nitro Cold Brew, growing the wholesale operation and gaining national distribution, and how he went from selling La Marzocco espresso machines to running one of the most popular and influential coffee companies in the U.S. Enjoy.

Today’s guest is Chef Stefan Bowers. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and chat about his early days in the Navy and life before cooking, relocating to Houston for culinary school and his first jobs in the industry, moving to San Antonio and working at the revered The Lodge restaurant, and how a fortuitous meeting with Andrew Goodman forged a business partnership that would eventually launch some of San Antonio’s most popular and adventurous restaurants, including Feast, Rebelle, Battalion, and Playland. Enjoy.

Today's guest is John Antonelli, co-founder of the super popular Antonelli's Cheese Shop in Austin, Texas. We sit down at their Hyde Park Cheese House and chat about the origins of the company, their instant popularity and initial success, the non-stop grind of running a small-business, and how he and his wife Kendall built a tiny Hyde Park cheese company into what Travel and Leisure named one of the best Cheese Shops in America. Enjoy.

Today’s guest is Mike Johnson, an Air Force vet and financial adviser who rose to fame as a fan favorite on this past season of ABC’s mega hit The Bachelorette. We sat down at the Geekdom Audio Lab and had a candid conversation about growing up in Texas and his life before the show, his tenure in the Air Force and moving to San Antonio, his random introduction to Bachelor Nation at a friend’s apartment, and how a casual suggestion from a co-worker and a fortuitous day off led Big Mike to being cast as one of the most popular contestants in Bachelorette history. Enjoy. Bachelorette Bio: https://abc.com/shows/the-bachelorette/cast/mike-2019

Today's guest is San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. We sat down at Gameday Media Studios and had a candid conversation about his early years in Austin, attending Trinity University and falling in love with San Antonio, graduate school and meeting his wife at the University of Pennsylvania, his tenure as program director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, serving two effective terms in City Council, his two successful runs for Mayor, and his vision for the future of a rapidly growing San Antonio. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Ken Schiller, co-founder of Mighty Fine Burgers Fries and Shakes and licensee for all Austin area Rudy's Country Store & BBQ Restaurants. We sit down at his company's corporate headquarters and talk about how his early days in the insurance business, how he met his business partner and the formation of K&N Management, the decision to open the 2nd ever Rudy's Country Store & BBQ restaurant, parlaying that success into the original concept of Mighty Fine Burgers Fries and Shakes, and how he went from selling his insurance company to running one of the most successful restaurant groups in Texas. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Kevin Brand, founder of the venerable (512) Brewing Company in Austin, Texas. We sit down at the brewery and chat about how he founded the company, the early days in the Texas brewing scene, developing recipes and creating 512's signature offerings, and how he took his passion for craft beer in an emerging Austin beer scene and created (512) Brewing Company, one of the most revered craft breweries in all of Texas. Enjoy.

Today’s guests are Ginger and Mario Diaz, founders of Feliz Modern in San Antonio. We sit down at their new location at The Historic Pearl and chat about their lives before the business, how it all started, their unique concept and eclectic offerings, the power of great customer service, and how what started as a venue for bringing local art to a wider audience quickly blossomed into a top San Antonio destination for gifts, party supplies and home decor. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Tony Perez, founder of Ramona Press in Austin, Texas. We sit down at the Geekdom Audio Lab in San Antonio and chat about his art education and move to Texas, the origins of the company and working out of his garage, his self-imposed philosophy to work hard and be nice, and how he went from working a monotonous job in 2012 to creating one of the premier design studios in Austin. Enjoy.

Today’s guest is Kelly O’Connor - Head of Collections and Communications at Ruby City. We sit down at the internationally anticipated museum and chat about Linda Pace’s impact on San Antonio’s art community, her dream and vision for Ruby City, partnering with her friend and now world renowned architect David Adjaye, the years of preparation that go into such an expansive project, and how a vivid dream and simple bedside drawing over a decade ago spawned the highly anticipated Ruby City, a contemporary art center which officially opens to the public Sunday, October 13th in San Antonio. Enjoy. Website: https://www.rubycity.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubycity/

Today's guest is Benjamin Krick, manager and partner at downtown's Jetsetter and the brand new Pastiche in Dignowity Hills. We sit down at Pastiche and chat about Ben's evolution in the cocktail scene, his tenure at Juniper Tar, the unexpected opportunity to open Jetsetter downtown, construction challenges and roadblocks with his latest project Pastiche, and how he's combined his passions for fine ingredients, unparalleled service, and old world character and taken San Antonio's cocktail scene by storm. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Tyler Norwood - co-founder of the popular Pinthouse Pizza & Brewpub in Austin, Texas. We sit down at Kunstler Brewing in San Antonio and chat about the origins of Pinthouse, their popular menu of hand-crafted pizza and award winning beer, the goal of making each location feel fresh and unique, and how six friends with a passion for craft beer and good food created the Austin restaurant and brewery with three locations and counting. Enjoy.

Today’s guests are Bill Blackmon and Chris Brundrett, founders of William Chris Vineyards out in Hye, Texas. We sit down at their new tasting room at the vineyard and chat about the early days of Texas wine, the origins of William Chris Vineyards, their growing wholesale footprint and foray into retailers like HEB and Whole Foods, and how they took a burgeoning friendship and shared passion for winemaking and turned William Chris into one of the most sought after and highly regarded wineries in Texas. Enjoy.

Today’s guest is Jeff Chandler, CEO of the wildly popular Hopdoddy Burger Bar. We sit down at the company’s slick Austin offices and talk about Jeff’s background in the food industry, the origins of Hopdoddy, how and why he became CEO in 2016, what sets Hopdoddy apart in a crowded burger market, and how he took the founder’s entrepreneurial spirit, his knowledge for building teams and systems, and a shared passion for investing in people, and scaled Hopdoddy from 6 locations to 33 and counting. Enjoy.

Today’s guest is Daniel Barnes, founder and CEO of Treaty Oak Distilling in Dripping Springs. We sit down at the distillery’s 28 acre ranch and chat about the founding of the company, the early days of Texas distilling, their dedication to quality ingredients, process, and continuous curiosity, and how he took the 4th distillery in Texas and turned it into the only combination distillery, brewery, and winery in the state, with a distribution network spanning 8 states, and counting. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Chef Steve McHugh, the James Beard nominated chef and owner of the widely acclaimed Cured restaurant in San Antonio. We sit down at his restaurant in the Historic Pearl and talk about his early days in the industry, cutting his teeth in New Orleans, working tirelessly through disasters like Hurricane Katrina, and how he battled and overcame an unexpected diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and opened Cured, his first solo project and one of San Antonio's most celebrated restaurants. Enjoy.

Today’s guest is Vera Deckard - owner and head brewer at Künstler Brewing in San Antonio. We talk about her foray into home brewing, the decision to take the leap and open a brewery, finding the unique neighborhood location, and how she took her German heritage and passion for craft beer and created the popular neighborhood brewery and eatery in Southtown. Enjoy. https://www.kuenstlerbrewing.com/http://instagram.com/kuenstlerbrew

Today’s guest is San Antonio artist Cruz Ortiz. We sat down at his Southside studio and talked about his punk rock roots and early days in the industry, the creation and evolution of his signature style, his foray into teaching, landing big-time career opportunities, and how he went from painting illegal murals with friends to representing some of the country’s premier brands, companies, and politicians, including a 2020 presidential candidate. Enjoy

Today’s guest is Patrick Terry - Founder of the popular P. Terry’s Burger Stand in Austin, Texas. We sit down at his North Lamar location and chat about the origins of the company, how he started the first location, his commitment to always using high quality ingredients, and how he took a simple concept of all natural burgers and fresh cut fries and turned it into an Austin institution with 16 locations and counting. Enjoy. Website: https://pterrys.com/

Today’s guest is Chef Johnny Hernandez - celebrated chef, entrepreneur, and founder of Grupo La Gloria and True Flavors Inc.. We sit down at Casa Hernan and talk about his early days in the industry, the formation of The Pearl, the creation of the first La Gloria, his foray into television, cooking for the President, and how he took his dedication to authentic Mexican cuisine and became one of the premier Mexican cuisine chefs in the United States. Enjoy. Website: http://chefjohnnyhernandez.com/

Today's guests are Anne and Jeremy - founders of San Antonio's own Bakery Lorraine. We sit down at their Medical Center location and chat about their culinary history, working with world-renowned chef Thomas Keller, the philosophy that no detail is too minor, and how they turned a small Farmer's Market booth into a thriving business that Food & Wine named one of the Best new Bakeries in the U.S. Enjoy. Website: https://www.bakerylorraine.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bakery_lorraine/

Today's guest is Brad Farbstein, owner of the famed Real Ale Brewing in Blanco, TX. We go back 25 years and talk about the wild west of Texas craft brewing, the creation of some of Real Ale's most popular beers including Fireman's #4, Devil's Backbone, and Hans' Pils, and how Brad turned a small-time brewery housed in an antique store basement into the Lone Star behemoth it is today. EnjoyWebsite: https://realalebrewing.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RealAleBrewing/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealAleBrewing

Today's guests are Esaul Ramos and Joe Melig, founders of the incredibly popular 2M Smokehouse in San Antonio. I chat with the longtime friends about how they turned a small-time popup barbecue venture into the destination bbq spot it is today. We talk about how they bootstrapped the business from the ground up, pro-tips for visiting the restaurant, and the surreal feeling of being named one of Texas Monthly's top 50 BBQ joints in Texas - within the first 6 months in business. Enjoy.Website: https://www.2msmokehouse.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2msmokehouse/

In today's episode, I sit down with Josh Hare - founder of the award winning Hops & Grain Brewing in Austin, TX. We talk about how Josh went from working at Rogue Running to opening his popular brewery, overcoming the draconian beer laws in Texas, the importance of sustainability within the company, and the unveiling of their new San Marcos brewpub, now open just off The Square.

Today's guest is Chef Pieter Sypesteyn - one of San Antonio's most inventive chefs and restauranteurs. We talk about how the 7th generation Texan took his passions for New Orleans cuisine and classic fine dining and built three of San Antonio's most creative and popular restaurants in Cookhouse, NOLA, and Bud's Rotisserie. Enjoy.

In today's episode I chat with Dustin and Hannah - husband and wife founders of Roadmap Brewing Co. We sit at the brewery and talk about how they turned a home brewing kit as a wedding gift into one of San Antonio's newest and most popular downtown brewpubs.

In today's episode I chat with Alexander Hilmy - founder of HILMY - a premier full service branding and design firm in San Antonio. We chat about how HILMY went from a small photography studio in 2012 to the full service branding behemoth it is today, propelling San Antonio's top restaurants, bars, institutions, and even the newest addition to the skyline into the 21st century. Enjoy.

In this week's episode, I check out the brand new Honchos House of Churros location in Alamo Heights. I chat with co-owner Gabriel Martinez about the Grand Opening (June 14th at Noon), how they came up with the concept of selling churros, the creation of their popular food truck, their simple and delicious menu, and how they turned that concept into the new brick and mortar opening TOMORROW off Broadway. Enjoy. PS - At the end of the episode, Gabriel gives a podcast exclusive code. Simply say the code at the register for a FREE surprise on opening day.