Reverse engineering the success of established business empires.
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#205: Specialized Bikes – Staying Ahead of the Trends
23:19
23:19
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23:19Mike Sinyard dropped out of school at 16, toured Europe on a bike and became the Specialist no one knew they needed. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and sto…
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Levi help Jacob patent the famous rivet on the Levis jeans that make the pockets so durable. That is how Levis starts to build the empire. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, s…
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#203: Parker Brothers – Their Monopoly Story
15:47
15:47
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15:47Making games better and getting them into the world seems like the thing to do when your dad passes and you need money. Sounds like Monopoly. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…
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#202: Sour Patch Kids – Gummy Bears Meet Cabbage Patch Kids
15:44
15:44
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15:44Sour Patch Kids were the result of paying attention to the industry and the wants and delights of the world at large. And delivering what the people wanted. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marke…
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#201: Cabela’s – From Furniture to Fishing Flies
23:34
23:34
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23:341000 fishing flies and an ad that failed turned a furniture store family into a sporting goods store empire. Way to go Cabela’s. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story colle…
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Because of the Happy Meal McDonalds is the world’s largest toy distributor. Larger than Hasbro or Mattel. This is an Empire! Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector…
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#199: Supergoop – A Cancer Scare Jumpstarts An Empire
24:48
24:48
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24:48When a family friend is diagnosed with skin cancer, Holly Thaggard polls a bunch a skin care chemists and comes up with the Unseen Sunscreen. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…
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#198: Wizard Academy – Magical Communication
21:29
21:29
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21:29From writing a regular article in Radio Ink magazine to a weekly outbound memo to free clinics, Roy H. Williams created a marketing school like no other. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketin…
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A feeling of authenticity is what really brought 007 to life and the Broccoli family brought it to the screen. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storytel…
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#196: Swatch – Saving the Swiss Watch Makers
22:39
22:39
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22:39Japan’s digital watches massively disrupted the Swiss watch market. So, an entry level fashion watch is created to save the day. Swatch! Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, sto…
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#195: PEZ – Part 2 – From Loophole to Pez Outlaw
13:17
13:17
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13:17How Steve Glue made 4 Million giving the people what they wanted by beating the system; and how Pez ran him out of the business. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story colle…
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#194: Pez – Part 1 – The Mint that Became a Collectable
17:00
17:00
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17:00What do you do when you think cigarette smoke is disgusting and you are a bit of a germaphobe? Create a collectable candy empire, of course. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant,…
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The Jacuzzi Seven were obsessed with flight and engineered better propellers. What is the difference between propellers of air or water??? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, s…
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#192: Polaroid – Instant Idea, Instant Pic, Instant Empire
24:16
24:16
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24:16What happens when you are in the polarization film business and your daughter asks why she can’t see the picture right away? You invent Polaroid. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consul…
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#191: Three Levels of Trust – From Surface to Deep
23:09
23:09
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23:09Stephen has been studying and learning how to use and explain trust for Organizations. Let’s just say, you need to get vulnerable for this one. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consulta…
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#190: Care & Repair – A True Empire Building Story
29:01
29:01
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29:01Sergei Kaminskiy started his empire by taking jobs that he didn’t know how to do and then hiring a professional to learn from. Wow. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…
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#189: Birkenstock – Went Public At 7 Billion
18:21
18:21
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18:21You know you have a great idea when you start having competitors copy you. Well, Dr. Scholl’s copied the foot bed from Birkenstock. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…
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#188: Walmart – Big Dreams for Small Towns
17:55
17:55
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17:55Sam Walton left JC Penny and realized that people in rural America had to travel to shop in department stores. He changed all that. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…
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Stephen and Dave stroll down memory lane to discover just how the Willy Wonka bar came to be. Dave was a little disappointed. But you won’t be. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consulta…
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#186: Rolex – How To Promote a Premium Brand
21:02
21:02
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21:02Affinity marketing at it’s very, very finest. Rolex has made Mariners, Aviators, Drivers, etc, seek out and own a luxury time piece. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story c…
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#185: Dirty Dough (part 2) – No Money? Invest Time.
25:18
25:18
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25:18Bennett Maxwell continues by explaining how, when you are starting out, it is critically important to invest time and win peoples hearts. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, st…
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#184: Dirty Dough (Part 1) – A Chairman’s Story
19:38
19:38
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19:38Bennett Maxwell understood that to run a successful company he needed to know the business and be the least important person in it. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…
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#183: Talking A.I. – Terminator or Jetsons
15:06
15:06
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15:06Stephen talks about how embracing AI is the best way for the world to head into the future. It will be brighter and more creative. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story col…
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Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from ou…
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#181: Rebecca Cassel – Part 2 – Partnerships Take Work
27:50
27:50
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27:50Rebecca and Lon build out a coaching empire that takes full use of the manuals and techniques they developed building successful home service companies. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing…
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#180: Rebecca Cassel – Part 1 – Helping Contractors Succeed
26:43
26:43
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26:43Rebecca meets Lon and they build an empire of home services companies that lead to the best Contractor Coaching Program. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, an…
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#179: Banana Ball – Frictionless Baseball
21:43
21:43
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21:43The Banana’s asked one fundamental question to revive a defunct minor ball team. What do fans hate about going to a game? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, a…
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Going from public domain toys to Spin Master Originals was a must. How did Harari, Rabi and Verity do it? It wasn’t with the devil sticks. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, s…
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This is how you go from not wanting to be unhappy to working your passion to Shark Tank to Lipstick Empire. Way to go, Melissa Butler. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story…
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#176: Mars – Part 2 – The Best Chocolate Union
16:01
16:01
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16:01When you need the chocolate you find creative ways to make the deal work. See the best of both worlds. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from Mom and Pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyteller. I’m …
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#175: Mars – Part1 – Like Father Unlike Son
14:19
14:19
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14:19Franklyn Mars bails his son Forrest out of jail. Then Forrest decides to build a bigger company. Mars is an absolute empire. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector…
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#174: Daniel Whittington – The Chancellor, The Myth, The Legend
21:30
21:30
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21:30Daniel Whittington spent 7 months crafting the perfect message and a mere 10 minutes on the the plan of attack. How did it turn out? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story c…
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#173: Scrabble – Strategic Crossword Empire
16:43
16:43
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16:43Alfred Butts worked on this game from 1938 until 1949 and then gave up the rights to James Brunot for royalties. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyt…
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#172: Marriott – Creating the Future of Hotels
17:28
17:28
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17:28J.W. Marriott had a gift for seeing what the public needed and made sure to give it to them. Marriott is the epitome of Entrepreneur to Empire. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consulta…
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#171: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Cowabunga, Dude
18:35
18:35
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18:35A one point more TMNT action figures where sold than Snickers chocolate bars. Instantly qualifies as an Empire. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyte…
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Dave Dave Young had no recollection of this game. Really, he didn’t know. But after hearing this story he applauds Howard Wexler for knowing himself. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing co…
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Conrad Hilton, despite being unlucky, created what we now know to be the hotel experience. Always improving customer experience. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story colle…
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Would you remortgaging the house, driving around the country and put your home address in the public for Millions? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Sample is a marketing consultant, story collector, and stor…
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Anthony Pratt wanted to elevate playing board games from games of chance to thinking games. His wife was responsible for keeping it random. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, …
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#166: Rocky – Not Just Another Bum in the Neighborhood
16:21
16:21
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16:21Sylvester Stallone was not making it, trying to be an actor. So, instead of giving up, he tried a different path. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and story…
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Sol Price had and idea that he was not going to let go of. No matter how many times others tried to take it away. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyt…
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#164: Howard Johnson’s – He Saw The Future
20:18
20:18
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20:18Seeing that the world was getting faster and smaller, Howard Johnson started a hospitality empire. The first restaurant franchise. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story col…
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Even if you make an awesome product, if you don’t help your perfect customer identify with your brand, it won’t sell. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and s…
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David McConnell ditched his door to door book selling gig to pursue the bribe that he we giving for attention. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the Not-So-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storytel…
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#161: How To Create A Strategy – Let’s get real.
18:43
18:43
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18:43Do not confuse Strategy with Best Practices. Creating a great strategy will allow you to stand out, not fit in. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyte…
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#160: Hires Root Beer – The Origin Of Root Beer
17:16
17:16
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17:16What do you d What do you drink when water is not good for you and your only other option is alcohol? Well, you rename root tea to root beer. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…
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The secret to creating something viable is you better be highly engaged in it. Tope Awatona learned this lesson the hard way. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collecto…
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Edwin Lowe, yes the Beano… uhm Bingo guy took all he learned and created Yahtzee. You need to be observant. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller…
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#157: Pictionary – Followed a Path To Success
17:09
17:09
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17:09Recognizing problems growing a new game and then looking for solutions that have worked in the past. WTG, Robert Angel. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and…
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Liquid Death is what happens when a very creative marketing guy got frustrated with the lack of courage from clients and bosses. Dave Young: Welcome to, The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple, is a Marketing Consultant, Story Col…
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