The Blend with Kenz and Chan

10 Years of EVA: Basements, Breakthroughs & One Billion Lessons

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.

The Blend’s Year in Review: Biggest Wins, Lessons, and Time Wasters

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.

The Power of a Unified Team: Setting the Stage for Next Year

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.

The Fine Line Between Innovation and Focus

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.

Best Case, Worst Case: How We Planned Our Future

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.