Freshmen Founders

This one's for the OGs, the ghosts of frat parties past, and anyone who's ever worked out of a basement and dared to dream big. In this special episode between Season 1 and 2, we're celebrating 10 years of EVA—reminiscing on our journey from signing incorporation docs in the Belmont library to building a real company that's survived towed cars, questionable “offices,” laundry room build sessions, and everything in between.From losing money on early event bookings to finally hitting $1M in revenue back in the day, we reflect on how far we've come—and all the chaotic, hilarious, and meaningful moments that got us here. It's a toast to the decade that shaped us… and to the makeshift desks, late-night builds, and laugh-until-you-cry milestones along the way. 

On this episode of The Blend, we take time to reflect on the year together—celebrating growth in both business and self. We dive into meaningful end-of-year review questions, exploring topics like: What was the best outcome of the year? What's working and what's not working? What did we most enjoy in the business? What was the biggest lesson we learned this year? How did we waste time versus how did we use time most effectively? Join us as we share candid insights, lessons, and plans for the future. This episode is all about asking the big questions and finding clarity through reflection. Let's look back to grow forward.

On this episode of The Blend with Kenz + Chan, we reflect on our recent EVA Vision meeting—a pivotal moment that showed just how aligned and “locked in” our team truly is. Everyone's not just embracing our core values—they're exuding them and leveling up to the next stage of who we are as a company. We discuss how this team-wide alignment is fueling our growth, making future plans more concrete, and giving us the confidence to set long-term goals. We also explore how understanding each team member's communication needs ensures our vision is shared in a way that resonates and drives us forward. With a more predictable pipeline, we're feeling immense gratitude for how far we've come. Join us as we look ahead to the new year, deciding what stays and what goes, and celebrating the collective energy that's powering our future.

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 progress. They also reflect on how startups, with their agility and flexibility, can often discover solutions and advancements that larger companies may miss. The conversation expands to the challenges of adopting new technologies, particularly AI, and how companies are navigating this shift. Channing and Makenzie emphasize the importance of clear communication with their team, ensuring that changes are made strategically rather than hastily. They discuss how to balance continuous innovation with maintaining focus on long-term goals, offering insights into how they keep their team aligned with the business's evolving vision. The episode wraps up with a candid discussion about the things that excite them most about the future of their business, alongside the challenges they're working through.

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 a new revenue stream to delegating more so we can focus on strategy and long-term growth. A year ago, we gave ourselves an ultimatum: we didn't want our business to look the same by now, and that mindset has driven massive changes. Tune in for an honest conversation about growth, strategy, and how setting a clear deadline sparked the change we needed.

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?”—we cover it all. This conversation showcases the unique blend of our roles as co-founders and best friends, revealing the lessons we've learned and the dreams we still have. It's an intriguing look at how we navigate our business and friendship, offering listeners a glimpse into the conversations that keep us inspired and grounded.

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 conferences has evolved, striving to be intentional without coming across too strong. Plus, we explore our brand identities as individuals and co-founders of EVA, and how we present ourselves in these high-pressure environments. Tune in for candid insights, practical tips, and some real talk about making the most of conferences, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

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 and the lessons we've learned from them. We talk about how we've kept our heads down, focused on our growth, and discovered the silver lining in rivalry. Tune in for an engaging conversation about embracing competition and staying true to our path, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

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 pride and prioritize well-being. Tune in for a raw and relatable conversation about balancing ego and practicality, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

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 processes to discovering tips we wish we had known earlier, we cover it all. Tune in for an honest conversation about our banking experiences, as we blend business insights and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan.

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, sharing how these experiences have shaped who we are today. Join us as we celebrate the joys of entrepreneurship, discuss the positives, and learn more about ourselves along the way. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about the perks of being an entrepreneur and how we blend passion, business, and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

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 insights and candid discussions about our vulnerabilities. Tune in to hear how we navigate the tough times and support each other as we blend business and friendship on The Blend with Kenz + Chan. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

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 lives and business. It's an honest look at the challenges we've faced and how we're growing through them. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about resilience and growth as we blend business and friendship. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

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 dive deep into what they've been up to since the last episode, detailing their adventures and growth over the past two years. From navigating the challenges of fundraising to experiencing the highs and lows of business expansion, they have plenty of stories to share. So grab your favorite beverage and tune in as Kenz and Chan kick off this new version of the pod, blending business as friends. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-blend-with-kenz--chan0/message

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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.  

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. 

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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."

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.