Building Winning Businesses: Chris Van Dusen on Athletic Grit and Entrepreneurial Success
In This Episode:
In this conversation, Jim interviews Chris Van Dusen, senior partner at Solyco Capital, about his journey as an athlete and entrepreneur. They discuss the importance of having a mindset of resilience and determination, learned through athletics, in facing challenges and failures in business. Chris shares his experience of starting and scaling multiple businesses, including a CBD brand and a liquor distillery, and eventually selling them.
3 Key Takeaways:
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Athletics as a Foundation: Athletics can teach valuable skills such as resilience, determination, and the ability to handle failure, which are crucial for business success.
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Strategic Business Foundations: When starting a business, it is important to have a clear end goal and to build a strong foundation that can attract investors.
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Optimizing Business Growth: Scaling a business requires optimizing various aspects such as marketing, sales, supply chain, and profitability.
Whether starting a new venture or scaling an existing one, the lessons shared emphasize the importance of building a solid foundation, optimizing operations, and maintaining a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and the Importance of Athletics in Business
02:42 Starting and Scaling Businesses: CBD Brand and Liquor Distillery
05:35 Investing in Early Stage Companies and Private Equity Roll Ups
13:26 The Entrepreneurial Journey: Grit, Determination, and Adversity
20:23 Favorite Athlete and the Importance of Mental Fortitude
23:31 Building a Strong Foundation and Optimizing Business Operations
26:18 Private Equity and Venture Capital: Investing in Profitable Businesses
29:46 Exit Strategies and Attracting Investors
31:44 Private Equity and Venture Capital
34:37 Active Investing
36:23 The Importance of Humility
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Connect with Chris Van Dusen:
Website: www.solycocapital.com/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chrismvandusen/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/chrismvandusen/?hl=en
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