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
  • Tim Parkhurst of the Marine Scout Sniper Heritage Foundation on “Only The Strong Survive”

    Tim Parkhurst of the Marine Scout Sniper Heritage Foundation on “Only The Strong Survive”
    Apr 10 2025
    Tim Parkhurst's love for the U.S. Marine Corps started early in life. After some difficulties in public school, he was enrolled in a private military high school that mirrored the Corps. The experience was life-changing, as Parkhurst knew he wanted to be a Marine from that point forward. Upon graduating, he quickly enlisted and became part of the elite Marine Corps Scout Snipers. He would go on to serve for 25 years in the Marines, with deployments across four conflicts.Upon his retirement from the Corp, Parkhurst became involved in an all-volunteer Marine sniper association. However, he wanted to help preserve the Scout Snipers' 105-year-long history, honor its important legacy and build a memorial to its fallen members in Quantico, Virginia. Knowing that the mission would be beyond the bandwidth of volunteers, Parkhurst founded the Marine Scout Sniper Heritage Foundation. Consisting of a full-time staff, it is entirely dedicated to achieving those goals.In this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive Podcast,” Parkhurst shares the lessons he learned from his service as a Scout Sniper. He also discusses with host Dan Kahn the need for the Marine Scout Sniper Heritage Foundation and other non-profit veteran-focused organizations like it. Click on the icon above to watch the entire interview, and here are our top takeaways:* Mission-driven people always need something to focus on.* The transition from military to civilian life is challenging for most veterans.* Small teams also need to contribute to larger organizations.* Keeping calm under pressure is a valuable skill for anyone.Mission-Driven People Need Mission-Driven OrganizationsThere is no doubt that the U.S. Marine Corps is a mission-driven organization with equally driven members. Upon initially leaving the Marines, Parkhurst entered a darker period in his life without a mission to channel his energy on. That lost feeling and lack of focus led to Parkhurst re-enlisting in the Marines five years later. As he got closer to his final retirement, he knew he needed to still be part of a mission-driven organization. Fulfilling that need led him to become involved in non-profits and ultimately founding the Marine Scout Sniper Heritage Foundation.“I was on a deployment in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011, about three or four years before I retired, and it occurred to me that it is all about the mission. We are so mission-focused and driven in the military, and if I don’t have some kind of mission that means something to me when I get out, I am just going to flounder. That is really what happened to me the first time around,” said Parkhurst. “So I started thinking to myself that I would be proactive this time and find some type of non-profit or organization that I can give my time and effort to that seems worthy, adds value to the world, makes me feel better about myself and makes me feel like I am contributing.”Becoming a Civilian is ToughOne of the reasons Parkhurst founded his non-profit is that he knew from first-hand experience how tough the transition to civilian life can be. Beyond the loss of a mission, there are a whole host of other issues that veterans often have to deal with after leaving the service. By honoring the legacy of the Scout Snipers, Parkhurst hopes that he can give former Marines a sense of being part of something much larger and find other veterans to confide in with their problems about switching to a civilian role.“It is a problem that is never going to be completely mitigated. It will always be there. So no matter how much you prepare somebody who’s getting ready to separate ahead of time, they’re going to have the problem. A lot of it is determined by that individual's own personal disposition, their past history with mental health issues, stability and things like that. Quite frankly, a lot of guys come into the military with a lot of baggage already from their childhood,” says Parkhurst. “We are just a microcosm of society, so the military deals with that just like everybody in the civilian world.”Going “Solo” Has Its DrawbacksMarine Corps Scout Snipers are unique because they operate independently in a two-man team with minimal supervision. That ability to broadly execute missions on their own contrasts with the more rigid and traditional military command structures soldiers often deal with. However, just like in business, continually operating on your own or in micro teams has drawbacks and can make being part of the “bigger picture” more difficult.“You get overlooked when it comes to larger picture things. When you are just off training on your own, you are just training individual skills, but what about skills in support of a company, which is maybe 150 men, or skills in support of a battalion, which is a thousand guys?” says Parkhurst. “Different-sized operations require different skill sets and different techniques. If you don’t practice them, you can’t get good at them.”...
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    42 m
  • David Borla, Seth Glauberman and Melanie Hellwig White on Multi-Generational Businesses

    David Borla, Seth Glauberman and Melanie Hellwig White on Multi-Generational Businesses
    Mar 27 2025
    Some entrepreneurs who started their own businesses can envy those who run their families’ companies. After all, many of these multi-generational leaders didn’t have to go through the often painful process of starting a brand from scratch. While that may be true, running a family business comes with a whole other set of unique challenges. And keeping that business going for generations also requires a lot of skill and knowledge.On this special episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn discusses the intricacies and difficulties of making multi-generational businesses thrive with three great guests, including Malco Automotive Products’ Seth Glauberman. Malco, an automotive detailing products company, was founded in 1953 by Seth’s grandfather. Also part of the discussion is David Borla from Borla Exhaust, a well-known aftermarket exhaust manufacturer that was created by David’s parents in 1978. Adding her expertise is Melanie Hellwig White of Hellwig Suspension Products, a helper spring and sway bar brand that Melanie’s great-grandfather and grandfather started in 1946.Click on the icon above to watch the latest episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” as all three leaders share their experiences on what it takes to keep a family business going. Here are our top five takeaways from the episode:* You can’t be forced into a family business and be successful.* Multi-generational family businesses are legacies and not just brands.* There is a lot of pressure associated with that legacy.* Change in a family business can be challenging but necessary.* Being part of a multi-generational brand creates a long-term outlook.Running the Family Business Has to be a ChoiceOne interesting trait Melanie, David and Seth all share is that none of them were pressured to join the family business. They were free to choose their own paths and didn’t immediately join their family’s brands. That freedom resulted in their desire to be part of their respective companies rather than it feeling like a requirement. Wanting the next generation to continue your business might be strong, but it needs to be their choice for the business to be successful.“I think what my parents did an excellent job at was there was no pressure. We kept things, and we still do, very separate,” says Melanie. “It is hard because there is so much passion in a family business. In some ways, I think I was a little discouraged (from joining the business). Maybe not discouraged but not encouraged. It was very neutral on whether or not my family wanted the next generation to get involved.”It’s Not Just a Business, It’s a LegacyOne key difference between running a family business and starting your own is that you are part of something much larger. Melanie, David and Seth’s brands all stretch back over decades. The businesses have always been part of the trio’s lives, even as children way before their official start dates. That long-term involvement creates a different viewpoint and the realization that their family companies are legacies, not just brands.“I used to come in (as a kid) and put clamps together,” says David. “I have had the opportunity, and I am sure it is like that for Melanie and Seth, too, to have seen the business even when I wasn’t involved in it. That is a really important perspective I think that we have as the next generation. Yes, there is this official time period that we have been working here, but we witnessed much more than that. For me, and you guys, I am sure it is always part of my thinking, no matter what I am doing, that I am a part of something a lot bigger, and that goes back a lot further than me.”That Legacy Brings Pressure, TooBeing part of something larger than yourself and a legacy is a rewarding experience. However, there is also a lot of pressure that comes with it as well. Carrying on that legacy can land heavily on the shoulders of the leaders of multi-generational family businesses. There is also a strong desire to do right by those who came before you and make your family proud.“This (business) was a passion project of my great-grandfather. I come into work every day, and I sit at my great grandfather's desk. There is a part where it is so integrated into everything here. I am incredibly lucky to have this awesome brand and this legacy,” says Melanie. “There is a lot of pressure with this legacy, though, and, I won’t lie, it has kept me up at night because I want to do well, and I want to make my grandpa proud.”You Can’t Get Stuck in the PastWith long and rich histories of brands that go back decades, there can be a lot of traditional ways of doing business that develop. While those traditions and relationships are essential to a brand’s legacy, you can’t remain firmly entrenched in the past, either. Multi-generational family businesses need to be as nimble and adaptable as upstarts to survive in a constantly changing business ...
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    1 h y 6 m
  • Mario Iannantuono with Quantum Leap Partners

    Mario Iannantuono with Quantum Leap Partners
    Mar 13 2025
    Operational excellence and process improvements are significant parts of Mario Iannantuono’s life. After getting an engineering degree, he worked as a process engineer for an OEM. That first role created interest and excitement in the manufacturing process and how to improve it. After leaving the OEM side, Mario switched roles to working for Tier 1 OEM suppliers. Eventually, he became a global manager and worked for other well-known world-class companies such as Danaher. Through all his roles, Mario gained extensive experience in improving manufacturing and making it more efficient.Eventually, Mario retired but quickly discovered a life of golf and leisure wasn’t for him. Along with a couple of business associates, he formed Quantum Leap Partners, a consulting group that brings operational and process improvement expertise to smaller and mid-size businesses. Mario also acts as an interim COO for BluePrint Engines, a leading manufacturer of high-performance crate engines. In this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” Mario discusses with host Dan Kahn why process improvement matters to businesses of any size and what he has learned from a career dedicated to it. Here are our top five takeaways from Dan and Mario’s discussion:* Process and efficiency improvement can help companies of any size.* Measuring the correct data is essential.* KPIs are useless if everyone doesn’t understand them.* Getting to the root of the problem involves going beyond data.* Outside help is often needed to keep scaling.Process Improvement is for EveryoneOperational efficiency and process improvement were once thought to only matter to large-scale manufacturers like OEMs. However, Mario notes that smaller and mid-size companies can benefit from it, too. After all, the margins are often smaller for companies of this size, and anything you can do to squeak out more revenue is a plus. Improving processes and being more efficient can also give an edge over competitors that aren’t paying as much attention to it.“We (Quantum Leap Partners) try to stay away from big companies because they have a lot of people like us who can go in there and fix these things. We really think that the small and mid-sized companies are the ones who are starving for this kind of work and this kind of leadership and expertise,” said Mario. “Because they are smaller, they don’t have the resources, and what we do is go in there and show them what they have to do to be competitive.”Measurable Data is EverythingCreating key performance indicators (KPIs) is central to process improvement and efficiency. However, those KPIs need to really focus on what matters to the company and zero in on problem areas to help rectify them. Creating a bunch of easy wins and “green across the board” KPIs won’t help solve any problems. Gathering the right data is more important than the amount of data.“What we did (at BluePrint) was focus on what mattered. When we looked at our KPIs, we had green and red. The message that I give everybody is that red is not bad. Red tells us what we need to work on. That’s all red does,” said Mario. “We went through the process of focusing on the red and eliminating those issues. As we started getting some wins, the team got very excited, and it just cascaded from there.”Translate KPIs Into the Right LanguageKPIs often come from the top levels of management and can be financial in nature, such as growing sales by a certain percentage. One mistake Mario sometimes sees companies make is not translating those KPIs into data points that are easily understood by those doing the work. Financials might be great for management but not for workers on the assembly line. To be effective, those KPIs need to be translated into their “language.”“You are not going to share financials with folks on the shop floor because that is not the world they live in, right? Typically, if you go over a lot of financial information, they really just get lost,” said Mario. “On the shop floor, the world they live in is pieces and production. So, what I have always done is to take the financial data and translate it into languages that the people on the shop floor understand. Like what’s the goal for pieces? What’s the expected number of rejects that are okay, and what’s not okay? You need to put it into their format to make sure they understand it.”Getting To the Root of the ProblemThe right data is excellent for showing where the trouble spots are within your organization. However, even the best data doesn’t necessarily show what is causing those issues. To get to the root of those problems, you must dive deeper and go beyond simply gathering data.“The data tells us where the issue is, and we dig very deeply into it. Then, we use a process called the ‘Five Whys,’” said Mario. “It is a problem-solving technique that a lot of the Toyotas of the world use, and it primarily says that if you ask a question five ...
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    42 m
  • Hilary Hutcheson

    Hilary Hutcheson
    Feb 27 2025
    Hilary Hutcheson on “Only The Strong Survive”Hilary Hutcheson’s love of the outdoors started early in life as the child of parents who worked for the National Park Service in Glacier National Park. Her “wild” childhood was spent riding bikes all over the park, running rapids, floating down rivers, exploring nature and fishing. After the explosion in the popularity of fly fishing, partly thanks to Brad Pitt in “A River Runs Through It,” Hilary became a fly fishing guide as a teenager. Eventually, she pursued a degree in broadcast journalism and was a news reporter for five years in Portland, Oregon. However, the beauty of Montana eventually called her back home.Now, Hilary wears many hats, continuing on with her first job as the lead fly fishing guide for Glacier Raft Company. She also started her own business, Lary’s Fly and Supply, which sells fly fishing equipment and hand-tied flies. An award-winning filmmaker, YETI ambassador and journalist, Hilary also writes for fishing magazines and creates outdoor films. She also somehow finds time to volunteer and serve on the boards of several conservation organizations. In this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Hilary shares with host Dan Kahn how she juggles her multiple endeavors, what it takes to run an outdoor business and her thoughts on leadership. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways:* Working in the outdoor industry can be idealized.* You have to take care of your employees.* There are many ways to help find a balance between work and life.* Volunteering for something you believe in is essential.* Always trust your gut instincts.Get DirtyMany people have an idealized concept of working in the outdoor industry. However, Hilary advises anyone thinking of pursuing an outdoor career to look past the perfectly curated photos on social media. To get an idea of what it is really like, you have to get dirty working in the outdoors. The days are often long, and the weather is far from perfect. It can be a rewarding career, but it is not for everyone.“If you want a career in the outdoor industry, have you looked at it beyond Instagram or the videos that are published? What do you really know about it? Because there is a fair amount of “anticappointment” in the outdoor industry,” says Hilary. “I always encourage people to really get dirty out there first. Get outside and understand how you fit in out there and if you feel comfortable out there.”Take Care of Your PeopleBeing a guide can seem like a stress-free job where you are always enjoying the outdoors. However, the long hours, constant worry about client safety and satisfaction, and sometimes having to act as a client psychologist can all take their toll. That is why Hilary ensures the focus is on the mental well-being of her employees and not just how happy her customers are.“We offer counselling through the Raft Company and we also tie in with the Redside Foundation, which is a non-profit that offers support to guides of all different types of outdoor guiding and recreation. They can get telehealth counseling sessions to get help with anything, such as financial situations they might be facing, relationship situations or issues with drugs and alcohol,” says Hilary. “There is a lot of support that is offered in the outdoor industry for guides. But the fact that a lot of guides might need that is something people haven’t talked about.”Find That BalanceIt is not hyperbole to say that Hilary is extremely busy with her multiple businesses, volunteer work and content creation. Having a work/life balance and staying sane may seem impossible. Thankfully, she has found a few things that help her juggle all that she has to do while still having time to enjoy life.“I am not going out on a bunch of different limbs. I have tried that before, and it definitely didn’t work. So everything I am doing is kind of similar. I can work on a bunch of different things, but they are so similar that they can support each other,” says Hilary. “We (Hilary and her husband) are also pretty good at delegating and giving people jobs. I don’t feel I am a person who has to do everything herself. I am pretty comfortable getting people trained up and having them lead in different ways.”Raise Your HandVolunteering and conservation are huge parts of Hilary’s life. Even for someone who might not seem to have spare time, she still finds ways to volunteer. For Hilary, one of the most important things is finding enjoyable ways to do it, as it leads to her raising her hand even more. Volunteering can take many forms, but you should always enjoy it.“You have to decide how your strengths are best utilized most efficiently, why you want to do that volunteer work, and what volunteer work looks like for you. For a lot of people, it is not meetings or Zoom calls,” says Hilary. “It is stewardship work, pulling fences or ...
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    59 m
  • SHOT Show

    SHOT Show
    Feb 13 2025
    The SHOT Show (an acronym for the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show) has come a long way since its first show in 1979, held in St. Louis, Missouri, which had 5,600 attendees. Now, it has become one of the largest firearms shows in the world, regularly attracting over 50,000 people to peruse its 630,000 square feet of exhibit space. It has also branched out beyond solely focusing on firearms to incorporate many other parts of the outdoor industry into the annual show in Las Vegas.In this special episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn heads to the 2025 SHOT Show. Instead of a single guest, as is our usual format, Kahn talks to multiple entrepreneurs from different aspects of the outdoors and firearm industries. They all share valuable insight into what it takes to create a prospering business in a challenging environment. The discussions are worth listening to for anyone looking to bootstrap their own business, whether they are into firearms or not. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways:* The key to success is solving your customers’ problems.* Following your passion can create a long-lasting business.* You have to be all in on your brand.* Have a long-term vision for whatever you are trying to accomplish.* Bringing all manufacturing in-house is the ultimate way to control quality.Solve Your Customers’ ProblemsDan’s first interview was with Tyler Bech, the co-founder of the water purification company Guzzle H20. For Tyler, solving his customers’ problems isn’t just a feel-good value proposition buried in a marketing document somewhere. Instead, his whole company was founded around the concept. Created to provide clean water for sailboat crews in ports worldwide, Guzzle H20 quickly expanded to solve the problem of purifying water in the backcountry.“We started out actually trying to solve a problem for professional sailors who show up at a marina in an international location. They might have 25 guys who need drinking water, and they are pretty sure that if they drink the water at the marina, they are all going to get sick,” said Tyler. “So we developed carbon filters and partnered with an LED UV company to come up with a portable solution to treat whatever fresh water you have available. We started with that and quickly figured out there are not that many sailors in the world, so we started building equipment for overlanders and anyone who enjoys playing in the outdoors.”Follow Your PassionJimmy Flatt is a perfect example of following your passions. An avid hunter, he has always enjoyed teaching others to hunt. Looking to spread his love of hunting even further, Flatt founded Hunters of Color. The non-profit is dedicated to hunting conservation and fostering a deeper connection to the land while celebrating BIPOC and multi-cultural hunters. For Flatt, Hunters of Color is a passion project that helps him share his love of hunting with people traditionally underrepresented in the community.“We started on the West Coast, where all of us went to school. All three founders are Oregon State University alumni. We all came together to teach our friends how to hunt. Once we started to teach our friends, all of our friends started to tell their friends,” says Flatt. “So it became a small passion project that turned into a large need across the West and then the country. Once we all graduated, we had time to pursue our 501c3 status.”Be 100% CommittedIn a sea of AR-15s, those created by Blackout Defense boldly stand out for their innovative design and extremely high quality. Founded initially as an aerospace company, Blackout Defense pivoted to manufacturing rifles in-house with the same precision and attention to detail found in aerospace parts. For Blackout Defense President and Founder Brooke Afshari, the key to that successful big pivot was being 100% committed to the brand.“I would say that one thing that is absolutely critical is that you have to be 100% committed to the vision. You have to be 100% committed to the brand and building it,” says Brooke. “There can’t be a Plan B. There is only Plan A, and you are going to make it successful. You have to be all in to make it happen.”A Long-Term VisionFor Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, supporting the Montana-based firearms and outdoor industries is about having a long-term vision for his state. An entrepreneur himself, Gianforte bootstrapped his own business that eventually became one of the largest employers in the state of Montana. For Gianforte, attracting businesses to his state isn’t about tax breaks but about providing a better way of life. Drawing businesses to Montana or creating new ones and supporting them with sensible legislation is critical to its future.“Montana produces the best beef in the world. We feed the world with our grains, and we have been exporting beef and grain for decades,” says Gianforte. “Along with ...
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