TakeawaysofUndercoverBillionaire

P1RebuildingErie,itx27;samarathon,notasprint.Coverthebasicsfirst-youcanx27;tbuildabusinesswhensurvivalisyourfulltimejob.Findingajob-itx27;sjustlikefishing.Themorelinesyouhaveinthewater,thebetterchanceyouhaveofgettingahit.Recognizeyourstrengthsandweaknesses-alotofjobsinErieforwhichIdonx27;tremotelyqualifiedfor.Findyourbuyerfirstandworkbackwards.Basedonwhattheywant.Therex27;ssomanytimesthatpeoplethrowawaythingsofvalue.Theyjusthavetofindabuyertoconnectto.Peoplemissoutonalotofopportunitieswhentheypanicandquittooearly.Donx27;tjudgeabookbyitscover.Nojobisbeneathyou-workinghardatajob,anyjob,buildsconfidenceandgivesyouselfworth.Thatconfidencewillhelpcatapultyoutothenextlevel.Diversifyyourefforts.Buylowandsellhigh.Arelationshipiswhatsalesisallabout.Thekeyisknowinghowtoreadpeople,convincingthemthattheyneedwhatyoux27;reselling.Tapintotheherdmentality-getinfrontofagroup,andsellthem.Ifyoucangetjusttwopeopleinthatgrouptobuywhatyoux27;reselling,oddsarethewholeherdisgonnafollow.P2Findyourbuyerfirstandworkbackwards.Identifyaneedandfillit-thetricktostartingasuccessfulbusinessistochoosesomethingthemarketneedsandbuildagreatteam.Ix27;mgonnaneedsomeseriousstartupfundstogetthisbusinessofftheground.ThebestwaythatIknowtomakebigmoneyisinrealestate.SoIwanttobuyahousetoflipittocoverthestartupcostsformybusiness.Butfornow,Ineedtothinkonasmallerscale.Craftbeerbusiness-peoplearespendingmoneyonit.Theindustryisincontinualgrowth.Ithasthepotentialtoscalenationally.Itx27;sacollaborativefield.Surroundyourselfwithpeoplewhocanstrengthenyourweaknesses.Knowyour****-makesureyouknowallaspectsofthebusiness.Humancapital-mostimportantcriteriaforhiringsomeoneistheirpersonality.Ineedpeoplewithmanagerialskills,brewingexperience,foodcomponent.ButIdonx27;thaveanymoneytopaythem.Itx27;ssweatequity.Icareaboutifsomebodyisgonnafighthard,goingtostaylong,andgoingtobelieveinthecompany.Ix27;mlookingattheireyes.Ix27;mseeingiftheystarebackatme.Ix27;mseeinghowlongtheyblink.Instillconfidence-ifyourteamdoesnx27;tbelieveinyou,youx27;regoingnowhere.Makesureyourteambelievesinthevisionasmuchasyoudo.P3Bereadytopivot-noteverydealgoesasplanned.Agoodbusinesspersonisalwayspreparedtohandlethequickturnsandfailuresthatcomewithstartingorrunningabusiness.SurroundyourselfwithexpertsDoyourduediligence-justhavingagreatideadoesnx27;tmeanitx27;srightforthemarket.Alwaysresearchandvetyourbusinessbeforeyougettoofardowntheroad.1.BBQandbeerrestaurant.2.Gonationalwithsaucesandrubs.3.Bringinlocalbeer.Diversifyingmybusinesseffortwillgetmetomymilliondollargoal.NowIneedtosellmyteamontheidea.WhatwouldanITsystemlooklikethatwouldreallyenablethisbusinesstorunasefficientlyaspossible.Underdogneedstobeworthamilliondollarsveryquickly.OnewaythatIcanquicklyscaleupisbycreatingmyownbrandofbeerthatismadebythecraftbrewersandthentakethatnational.Venndiagram.Knowhowtomotivate-howdoyoupushsomeonetobebetterwithoutknockingthemdown?Howtoreadpeople?Whattacticstouseinordertomotivatethemtostepitup?Therex27;salldifferentstylesofleadership.WhatIfallunderwouldbecalledx27;servantleadershipx27;.IwantmyemployeestofeelthatIworkforthem.Tellme,givemefeedbacks.Knowledgeispower-youhavetoknowwhatyoux27;retalkingaboutwhenyousellyourproduct.P4Ifyoux27;regoingtobuildtheAmericandream,bepreparedforsetbacks.Itx27;showyourecoverthatcounts.ChrisSirrianiislikethegodfatherofcraftbeerinErie.IfIcangethimonboard,Ithinkalltheothersaroundtownwillfollow.Turnrivalsintorevenue-alwayseliminatepotentialconflictsbystrikingdealsthataremutuallybeneficial.Createspacefortalent-ifyoudonx27;thaveaspaceforthetalentyoumet,createone.Streamlinethepitch-atoolargepictureconfusessuppliers.Lessismore.Focus.quot;Noquot;isthestartoftheconversation.P5Findpeoplesmarterthanyou.Setyourowntable-activelyseekoutopportunitiestobesuccessful.Donx27;twaitfortheperfectopportunitytofallintoyourlapbecauseitneverwill.Businessistoughthatpeoplearegonnaeatyouup.Thisisaboutyoufightingforeveryscrapyoucanget.Donx27;tletasetbackkillyourconfidence.Youx27;regonnahavethem,nomatterwhat.Itx27;sinevitable.Takeitandlearnfromit.Thesearethedaysyoufight.Becausethatx27;stheonlywayyouwin.Losethebattletowinthewar.Sellinghouseisnotthewar;thewaristobuildamillion-dollarbusiness.(Oncebittentwiceshy)P6Donx27;tpigeonholeyourplayers-whileMattthebeerdirector,heisanultimateMacGyver.Thereisnx27;tatoolhecanx27;tuse,andhecanhelpChrisTrottetofinishthesmoker.MajorityoftimewhenIworkedwell,Ihadcompetentpeoplewhoknewwhattheyweredoing.Iamnervous,butthemoreconfidencewehaveforChristine,themorechanceswearegonnahavetowinthiswholething.Checkyourplanebeforeyouflyit-pilotsgothroughanexhaustivechecklistbeforetheytakeoff,becauselifesareatstake.Ifthingsgowrong,donx27;tgowiththem-theabilitytoremaincoolunderpressureiswhatsetsapartthepros.Irememberattheheightofthefinancialcrisis,Iwalkedouttaadealveryupset.IsaidIwouldneverworkwiththemandIwouldneverdoadeal.ButIneededtomakeadeal.Sotheywithdrewmyoriginaldeal,camebackandchargedmeanextra50%ontopofwhatIwastryingtoget.Why?BecauseIlostmycool.Managingcashflowissuesaresomethingthatpeoplestartingacompanydealwitheveryday.(Ithoughtthefinancialcrisisin2008wasbad.Thistakesthecake.)Thisiswhatitx27;sliketostartabusiness.Itx27;smessy,andtheonlywaytogetthroughtitandbesuccessfulistohavetherightpeoplearoundyou.P7Shutupandlistentotheexperts.Openyourearstotheexpertsyousurroundyourselfwithrecognizetheyareofferingupfeedbacktohelpyousucceed.Ribfestistheopportunitytoseehowtheycanworktogetherunderpressure.Interviewsdonx27;ttellyoueverything.CreamrisestothetopduringtheRibfest,anditx27;sAshley.Leadersneedtostepup.Christineisresponsibleforinventory.Sheshouldhaveknownhowmuchstockshewouldneedtohittodayx27;ssalestarget.Ifyoucanx27;tstandtheheat,getoutofthekitchen.Adultsaregrownchildren.Theyjustneedsomebodytolistentothem.Whenconflictsrise,combatisoptional.Donx27;treactatcompanioninthemidstofawar.Wheneverybodyelsepackedupandleftbecauseofthebadweather,wekeptserving.Iwonx27;tquit.Theweatherisanexcuse.Whenyoumakeexcuses,youneverreachyourgoals.Enduremorepainthananyoneelse-thereasonwhyIx27;vebeensuccessfulisthatIpushthroughtoughtimesandenduremorepaininmycompetitionandensureIdonx27;tquit.P8Donx27;tconfuseeffortwithresults-spinningyourwheelsonlyworkswhenyouaregoingforward.Itx27;sagiventhatweallhavetoworkhard,butitx27;saboutworkingsmart.Itx27;saboutwhatdidyougetdoneattheendoftheday.Peopledeservehand-upsnothandouts.Underdogteamworkeditstailoffandtheydeservethemoney.Idonx27;tfeelIx27;mgivingthemanything.Donx27;tmakeexcuses.Withtalent,hardwork,intuitionandultimateresilience,youx27;llfindthattakingtheriskcanmanifestyourdream.Whenwebetonourselvesandworktogether,wekeeptheAmericandreamalive.