9: Good Food, Good Business - Stacy Kraker, CEO of Hummingbird Wholesale

10 Springfield Mayor Sean Vangordon

recorded 3-14-25

9: Good Food, Good Business - Stacy Kraker, CEO of Hummingbird Wholesale

What we eat isn’t just about nutrition—it’s about community, economy, and sustainability. In this episode, we sit down with Stacy Kraker, CEO of Hummingbird Wholesale, to talk about the power of local food. We dive into how sourcing from local farmers strengthens our economy, why transparency in the food system matters, and how Hummingbird Wholesale is making it easier to get high-quality, locally grown food onto more tables. If you care about what’s on your plate and where it comes from, this one’s for you.Want to learn more about Hummingbird Wholesale, check out https://hummingbirdwholesale.com To learn more about Kenzie & Tyger check out,https://www.goodmarketing.works/

8: Cooked with love - Tj & Nelson from Nelson's In The Whit

We sit down with the owners of Nelson’s & The Wit, a beloved local restaurant with deep community ties. We discuss the challenges and rewards of running a business with perishable goods, transitioning from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar store, and the dynamics of working as business partners. The conversation dives into financial decision-making, employee management, and the impact of fostering real connections with customers. Timestamps: • 00:00 – Introduction & mic setup struggles • 01:30 – Meet TJ & Nelson: Owners of Nelson’s & The Wit • 05:00 – Challenges of running a restaurant with perishable inventory • 10:15 – The transition from a food cart to a full restaurant • 16:30 – Running a business as a partnership & dividing responsibilities • 22:50 – The secret ingredient: Cooking with love and community in mind • 30:40 – Lessons learned & things they would change in hindsight • 38:15 – Hiring, firing, and the struggles of managing employees • 46:20 – Taking financial risks & making the leap into entrepreneurship • 54:10 – The importance of location and why they stayed in the Whitaker • 1:00:25 – Trust and management: Keeping the business running smoothly • 1:07:45 – Balancing work and vacations while running a restaurant • 1:14:00 – Final thoughts & reflections on running a successful local business

7 Alex Murray - AI, Entrepreneurship, and the Business of Innovation – A Conversation with a UO Professor

In this episode, we sit down with a University of Oregon professor specializing in entrepreneurship and tech innovation. Alex Murray is an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business, specializing in how entrepreneurs pull resources together and how emerging tech—like crowdfunding, blockchain, and DAOs—is changing the game. He’s been published in top academic journals, sits on editorial boards for heavy-hitter publications like the Academy of Management Review, and was a Guest Editor for a special issue on AI in management. Before landing at UO, he was a Senior Researcher at ETH Zurich and earned his PhD from the University of Washington. We explore the impact of AI on business and society, the challenges of revitalizing unbanked communities, and the evolving landscape of digital marketing. The conversation takes a deep dive into creativity, commerce, and technology, featuring personal stories of entrepreneurial struggles, investment strategies, and the changing dynamics of content creation in a saturated digital world. Timestamps & Key Moments 🎙 0:00 - 6:00 | “How do you introduce yourself?” • Kicking off the convo with AI, tech, and business • Guest intro: UO professor researching entrepreneurship and innovation • The challenge of explaining what you do in one sentence 💰 6:00 - 12:00 | “Would you work for a big company?” • Why some people thrive in startups but not in corporate life • The guest’s two-month stint at a massive accounting firm before quitting • Moving to Nairobi, Kenya, and diving into entrepreneurship 📉 12:00 - 18:00 | “We just noticed these towns were completely unbanked.” • How entire communities in the Southeast lost access to banking • Microfinance for small businesses like bakeries and barbershops • The real challenge of getting people to invest in their own communities 💡 18:00 - 24:00 | “The hardest it’s been in a lot of ways.” • Why it feels like everything is harder right now • The long game of rebuilding small economies • How funding struggles post-2008 mirror today’s economic chaos 💰 24:00 - 30:00 | “So I have like to figure it out.” • Personal investment, credit risk, and over-leveraging for business • The psychology of why selling is harder than making • Trying to get out of the loop of learning and actually start moving product 📈 30:00 - 36:00 | “The exodus from LA killed the film community.” • The decline of full-time media gigs • Why AI and market oversaturation are killing creative work opportunities • How we went from getting steady contracts to fighting for scraps 📉 36:00 - 42:00 | “There’s no video arbitrage anymore.” • The death of organic video growth and the TikTok gold rush • Why viral content doesn’t hit the same anymore • Fighting against content fatigue in a world where everyone’s seen it all 🛠 42:00 - 48:00 | “They kept beating me in the head with ‘Can you scale it?’” • The reality of handmade clothing and why scaling is impossible • Balancing artistic integrity with actual sales • The tradeoff between quality and production speed 👕 48:00 - 54:00 | “I’m the most foremost bleach researcher to have ever existed.” • Getting obsessed with process: R&D into custom clothing design • The differences in fabric quality and why most brands cut corners • Why I started investing in high-quality blanks instead of garbage Gildans 🚀 54:00 - End | “I fall in love with every single one.” • The emotional attachment to creative work and why it’s hard to sell • The challenge of pricing unique pieces • Final thoughts on business, AI, and taking the next step Description & timestamps were created using ai to pull data from a transcription of the episode + information from his UO website: https://business.uoregon.edu/directory/faculty_staff/all/amm16#publications

6: Lawyer by day, kids clothing designer by night - Kate

In this engaging and insightful podcast episode, we dive into the world of small business ownership and creative exploration with Kate, founder of the children’s clothing brand, Cloud Room. Kate shares her journey from being a full-time lawyer to launching a side business focused on premium organic Pima cotton kids’ apparel. We discuss her process of collaborating with designers, navigating international manufacturing in Peru, and finding her niche in a competitive market dominated by fast fashion. Kate reflects on the challenges of building a business while balancing a demanding legal career. From production logistics and quality control to targeting eco-conscious parents and building a brand that aspires to create heirloom-quality garments, she reveals the strategies and lessons learned along the way. This episode also touches on the entrepreneurial spirit, the interplay between creativity and strategy, and the unpredictable yet rewarding path of pursuing a passion project. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a parent looking for sustainable and stylish children’s clothing, or someone curious about balancing creative and professional pursuits, this episode offers inspiration, practical insights, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to turn a dream into reality. Timestamps: 0:00 - Show Intro + Meet Kate Introducing Kate, a lawyer and founder of Cloud Room, her passion project in premium kids’ clothing. 5:10 - From Lawyer to Garmento How a legal career turned into a creative venture, and the challenges of breaking into the clothing industry. 11:25 - Why Pima Cotton + The Design Philosophy Kate explains her choice of Pima cotton, her focus on durability and comfort, and collaborating with designers for standout patterns. 18:45 - The Manufacturing Hustle Navigating international production: working with a Peruvian factory, overcoming trust hurdles, and sourcing the perfect materials. 26:30 - Balancing the Side Hustle with a Legal Career How Kate juggles a full-time job and her entrepreneurial pursuits, including the slow, steady growth of Cloud Room. 33:50 - Marketing and Selling Strategies From pop-ups to online sales and festivals: building a customer base and leveraging social proof. 41:05 - Sustainability and Building Hand-Me-Down-Worthy Garments Why sustainable design and heirloom-quality clothes matter in today’s fast-fashion world. 47:20 - Growth Pains and Future Plans Scaling the business thoughtfully: planning a long-sleeve collection, balancing passion with practicality, and the crowded market challenge. 55:15 - The Lawyer’s Life + Entrepreneurship’s Wild Ride Kate reflects on her legal career, the myths of being a lawyer, and how the entrepreneurial spirit changes everything. 1:03:00 - Biggest Lessons Learned + Closing Reflections Kate shares her most important takeaways from her journey, advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, and the joy of pursuing a passion.