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OTSS Podcast

OTSS Podcast

De: Kahn Media
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 This is the guiding principal behind most new businesses, the entrepreneurial "eat or be eaten" ethos that drives the builders, the doers and the risk-takers responsible for history's greatest brands and companies.

www.otsspodcast.comKahn Media Inc Economía Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
Episodios
  • Ami Kassar on “Only The Strong Survive”

    Ami Kassar on “Only The Strong Survive”
    May 22 2025
    Ami Kassar wears many hats as a columnist for 21 Hats, a former advisor to the White House, the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, and the author of “The Growth Dilemma.” He is also the founder and CEO of MultiFunding LLC, a consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs find smart and strategic funding to help grow and finance their businesses. Founded to give counsel to businesses on finding the best loan options transparently, MultiFunding has secured over $1 billion in loans.With over two decades of experience in business finance and an entrepreneur himself, Kassar is an expert in both areas. In this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, he shares his expertise in securing funding for entrepreneurs and running a business with host Dan Kahn. It is a must-listen for anyone wanting to know how to use leverage responsibly, structure debt the right way and fund growth without losing their soul or shirt. Click on the icon above to check out the entire fascinating episode, and here are our five top takeaways:* Loans won’t solve structural or organizational problems with your business.* Very few entrepreneurs come from a financial background.* It is okay to grow your brand at your own pace.* Bookkeeping and accounting are tedious but the cornerstones of successful brands.* Keep calm and carry on in turbulent times.Covid Changed EverythingThe pandemic was a life-altering period for many, including businesses. While the massive injection of small-business loans saved countless entrepreneurs, it also acted as a double-edged sword for others. Instead of creating leaner and more efficient business models, some relied on those loans to get by. Those same loans are now coming due as costs and tariffs rise, leading many businesses to go under.“Money flooded the market and balance sheets. Then you didn’t have to pay it back for two or three years. It gave everyone this false sense of security, like it was party time. When you put too much money into a company like that, you often cause more harm than good. Many people just thought they wouldn’t have to pay it back, or didn’t understand the conditions about what the money was intended for,” said Kassar. “I really think, particularly with that last influx of idle money, it is going to cause a lot of harm for decades.”Most Brand Leaders Aren’t Good at FinanceMost small businesses are started by someone with an idea about a product or service. Very few of those “idea people” have backgrounds in finance or accounting. However, if you want your business to survive and thrive, you need to get a handle on its finances. Not paying attention to or understanding the financial details of your company doesn’t give you the flexibility required to survive ups and downs.“Most small businesses are not good at their financials or cash management, especially in turbulent times. I have a picture I use when I do talks and lectures of an offensive and defensive player ready to beat each other up in a football game. I say that this is how you need to think about your balance sheet,” said Kassar. “A good team is set up for flexibility because as you run your business, there could be unexpected opportunities that pop up and unexpected crises that pop up. You want to be ideally situated for both.”Grow at Your Own PaceMany entrepreneurs and CEOs are absolutely obsessed with growing a company as fast as possible. However, that growth almost always comes with more risk. For Kassar, it is crucial to figure out your own personal tolerance for risk before taking a lot of it on. Otherwise, you might grow a brand but have plenty of sleepless nights and stress-filled days.“I don’t think we talk about this enough, but we all have different risk tolerances. There is no right or wrong. I think you should understand where your risk tolerance is and be okay with it. That could impact the decisions about how big you want to grow your business and how fast and how much risk you want to take on,” said Kassar. “I would much rather see people grow their business at the pace they want to. I always say nothing is more important than a good night’s sleep.”Stay on Top of Your GameTangibles like a product or service often get the most attention from anyone starting a business from scratch. Entrepreneurs usually obsess over the details of whatever they offer, hoping it will connect with consumers. While that obsession is important, Kassar's top advice for anyone starting a business is to stay on top of their finances. Accounting and bookkeeping might be boring, but they are the cornerstones of successful businesses.“Stay on top of it (your finances) and stay healthy. Absolutely invest in good bookkeeping and accounting, and have regular reporting. Stay totally in charge of your game,” said Kassar. “I do think it is important and healthy to check in regularly on your bookkeeping and accounting. Like everything else in life, bookkeeping and ...
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    40 m
  • Julie McQueen, President and CEO of CarbonTV

    Julie McQueen, President and CEO of CarbonTV
    May 8 2025
    Julie McQueen’s journey to the head of CarbonTV started behind the camera. Initially, she documented others' outdoor adventures as a camerawoman and producer before transitioning to a show host. All of those roles were natural fits for someone with a strong love for the outdoors and who is a passionate conservation advocate. As her expertise in digital media quickly grew, Julie became the president and CEO of the outdoor-focused CarbonTV streaming platform.Taking the helm of the popular outdoor enthusiast streaming service right before the pandemic and guiding it through a constantly changing media environment brought many challenges. However, through all of them, Julie continues to expand CarbonTV and grow its audience. In this episode of the “Only the Strong Survive” podcast, she shares with host Dan Kahn the valuable insight she has learned in her leadership position. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire fascinating episode, and here are our top five takeaways:* Being first in a space comes with many advantages.* You always have to keep adapting to consumer preferences.* Finding the right niche and owning it is key to success.* Always surround yourself with the right people.* Don’t be afraid to trust your gut.Be a First MoverWhile outdoor-focused television channels exist, CarbonTV is the first digital streaming platform covering hunting, fishing and other forms of outdoor recreation. Being first definitely comes with the advantages of being able to “own the space.” However, it doesn’t 100% guarantee success, as you still have to manage growth properly.“Being so early in the game definitely gave us a lot of benefits. We have remained the largest over the years, but it takes a lot of dedication and a really smart team to keep that growth and keep it sustainable,” said Julie. “We are not growing at a pace that we can’t keep up with, but we are constantly evolving and growing in smart ways.”Always Keep AdaptingHow people consume media has completely changed as the dominance of network television has faded and streaming services have dramatically risen in popularity. However, even within the streaming space, consumer preferences keep shifting. Monitoring and adapting to those changes have been vital to CarbonTV’s success.“It has really shifted over the years. Back in the day, it was all on devices like handhelds, and we were seeing shorter retention times on those. If someone is watching on an iPhone, for example, I can assume they will watch for 12 to 20 minutes,” said Julie. “As we have moved into different distribution platforms, Roku, for example, is a huge one for us. More people watch us on Roku than anywhere else. Our retention on Roku hovers around 1.5 hours per session, which is huge.”Find Your NicheOperating within a specific niche might seem like a limiting factor for advertising, but it has been a boon for CarbonTV. Brands that want to advertise to outdoor enthusiasts can speak directly to them on CarbonTV instead of taking their chances with more generalized audiences elsewhere. While those niche audiences might be smaller, they are also more loyal.“They (ads on CarbonTV) are highly trackable and perform well because we have such an endemic audience. We have a loyal audience. This is going to sound a bit crazy, but they don’t have a lot of options,” said Julie. “We have them captive in some ways, which is great for the brands because they know when they run ads on Carbon, they have people seeing and engaging with those ads who are their core customers.”Surround Yourself with the Right PeopleAs a female CEO, Julie is definitely among a minority in the largely male-dominated outdoor industry. However, for her, it hasn’t been a negative experience that has somehow limited her growth or career options. According to Julie, it is more about the people you surround yourself with and following the path blazed by others.“It is not like the old days, when people told you to be quiet because you were a girl and didn’t know what you were doing. I think those days are long gone,” said Julie. “There have been so many amazing and brilliant women before me who have really paved the path and opened up all those doors. As long as you navigate it the right way and keep the right people around you, I think that being a minority can be a really big blessing.”Trust Your Gut and Act FastOne hard lesson Julie has learned over the years is to trust your gut instincts, as they are usually right. Just as important is acting quickly on those instincts to make rapid decisions. Ignoring your instincts or taking too long to make hard decisions can lead to the demise of your brand.“Seeing something in the company that, in my gut, I knew needed to change and not acting on it fast enough was a mistake,” said Julie. “I think as a leader, you have to make hard decisions. That is a big part of the reason why companies fail in those first five years. It is...
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    36 m
  • Natalie and John Radzwilla, Co-Founders of Hook & Barrel Magazine

    Natalie and John Radzwilla, Co-Founders of Hook & Barrel Magazine
    Apr 24 2025
    Natalie and John Radzwilla of Hook & Barrel Magazine on “Only The Strong Survive”Natalie and John Radzwilla have a fascinating story of entrepreneurship. Initially, the couple owned a boutique public relations firm in the outdoor space. After having difficulty finding any media to connect with their more lifestyle-oriented clients, they decided to become the media. In a time when most were strongly retreating from magazines and any print mediums, the couple decided to go all in and launch their own magazine.The first edition of Hook & Barrel Magazine came out in July 2018. Unlike most outdoor media at the time, its content was more lifestyle-focused instead of technical or a heavy emphasis on reviews. However, that differentiation was no guarantee of success.Bootstrapping Hook & Barrel Magazine from its first print issue to its current status of a small multi-media empire has been quite the journey. In this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” Natale and John Radzwilla discussed what they learned along the way about entrepreneurship and making a magazine thrive in a digital era. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode. Here are our top five takeaways:* There will always be naysayers regardless of what you do.* Burying your head in the sand never works.* Being relentless is a huge part of brand building.* Artificial intelligence has its limitations.* Success requires paying attention to every detail.People Will Think You’re CrazyMost people told Natalie and John they were crazy for wanting to launch a magazine with their own money. Those naysayers had a point in an era when multiple publishing companies were going out of business. However, Natalie and John believed in their vision and stuck to it. Seven years later, they have proved that they have found an underserved niche and have a viable business model.“In the beginning, everybody thought we were crazy. At the time, both of us were 33 years old, and what 33-year-olds back in 2018 were deciding to start an outdoor lifestyle print magazine? That was our tangible product and what we were coming out of the gates with. It didn’t start from a website or from a blog or from an Instagram or Facebook page,” said Natalie. “A lot of people at the beginning were very discouraging and saying we were crazy and would never see a dime.”You Can’t Ignore TrainsWhen John and Natalie launched Hook & Barrel Magazine, many publishing companies were going under. The vast majority held onto their print properties too tightly and tried to ignore the “freight train” of people shifting online. John and Natalie knew they wanted a magazine but also needed a website and online presence to back it up. Ignoring consumer preferences like others had was not a viable path forward.“The internet was coming, and it is amazing what happens when people ignore the train. They want to pretend it is not coming, and that is how you get rolled over,” says John. “The magazine itself is the one tangible thing we have because we didn’t want to become only a blog or a vlog or whatever. We wanted to have a tangible product, but at the end of the day, I always knew what the evolution was going to be. It’s going to be a multi-faceted media company.”You Have to be RelentlessLarger companies have the luxury of a built-in consumer base and lots of resources when they launch a sub-brand or new product. Hook & Barrel Magazine had none of those and had to be built as a brand completely from scratch. Pulling that off takes a lot of determination, strength and absolute relentlessness. Without all of those traits, successfully launching a magazine in a decentralized media landscape would be impossible.“You have to find a unique niche, like my old CEO said, then dominate that space, battle-harden yourself, and then just be absolutely relentless and ruthless when it comes to growing your brand until those seeds take root,” said John. “At that point, you start nurturing it. Until that thing actually sprouts, you just have to buckle down and be ready for it.”The Impact of AIArtificial intelligence is a huge talking point in the publishing world, as some magazines have ditched their writers for AI-generated content to maximize their profits. Hook & Barrel Magazine has integrated AI into its website to help suggest articles, but both John and Natalie say there is a limit to its use. Neither has the desire to adopt AI completely and solely rely on it.“It is one thing to adopt something new and integrate it into what you are already doing. It is another thing to change everything and fully adopt it 100% and change your whole business model,” says Natalie. “Actual writers were the original influencers, and they are always going to be. We would never replace our content with something AI-generated.”Success is in the DetailsGrit, determination and a bold vision are all important components of entrepreneurial success. However, one element that doesn...
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    1 h y 9 m
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