This week the guys talk with Fallon Dyle, a research & product development chemist and founder of Sustainovate, a manufacturing consulting company. The discussion covers her unconventional career path from forensic chemistry to starting her own venture after a pivotal professional event.

Sustainovate focuses on sustainable and innovative product development, offering services from ideation to manufacturing and distribution, with a strong emphasis on environmentally conscious practices and educating consumers about misleading product labeling. The conversation also touches on intellectual property protection, with Fallon sharing her beliefs on trade secrets versus patents for unique products.

Ever wondered how to get from idea to physical product? Then be sure to catch this episode on the podcast platform of your choice!

Special thanks to Indicium for editing this episode!

This week’s amazing interview is with Tommy Teepell, co-owner of Grin Coffee. Tommy tells the guys all about his incredible entrepreneurial journey. He recounts his homeschooling experience, early ventures in fashion design and toy invention, and the serendipitous start of Grin Coffee as a family hobby using a popcorn machine. Tommy emphasizes the role of community support and faith throughout the company's growth, from early struggles to expanding into a physical retail location - reminding us of the critical importance of passion, grit, and humility in overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

Want to be motivated? Want to be reminded that entrepreneurship is hard and that just because it’s hard that DOES NOT mean you are doing it wrong? Then take a moment to hear Tommy’s inspiring story on the platform of your choice!

Sincere thanks to Indicium for editing this episode!

This week the guys talk with Rita Mitchell, Director of the Pine Belt Small Business Development Center, and Lori Watts, President of the Marion County Development Partnership. They discuss the vital role their organizations play in supporting businesses, from startups to established enterprises, especially in times of crises like natural disasters, economic downswings, and even global pandemics!

The conversation highlights how these centers provide free, confidential counseling and connect entrepreneurs with essential resources – emphasizing the importance of planning, realistic expectations, and adaptability in the ever-evolving business landscape. They also take some time to discuss the impact of AI on small businesses and share insights on common pitfalls for entrepreneurs, such as seeking non-existent grants and insufficient market research.

If you have ever wondered how the SBDC or your local county development partnership can help take your company to the next level, be sure to check out this episode on the platform of your choice!

Special thanks to Indicium for editing this episode!

The week the guys talk about the 2016 movie, The Founder, a period drama that tells the story of Ray Kroc, a salesman who turned two brothers’ innovative fast-food burger joint (McDonald’s) into the biggest restaurant in the world.

Caleb and Chris reflect on Kroc’s ambition, persistence, and ruthlessness, and how any of these talents (when taken to their extreme) can do as much harm as good. The guys also take some time to reflect on entrepreneurship more broadly, including the challenges of starting a business, and the personal sacrifices involved, using Kroc’s story as a point of comparison.

The conversation touches on balancing ambition with personal life, the importance of persistence, and the realities of the business world compared to idealized social media portrayals.

Check out the guys’ chat about this movie on the platform of your choice.

Special thanks to Indicium for editing this episode!

Hey Everybody, we just found out over the weekend that the Sippi Podcast has made it to the final round of the Top Five Podcasts for Festival South’s Best of the Pine Belt! Sincere thanks to those of you that nominated and then voted for us to make it to this final stage!

You can hear the guys briefly chat about it on the podcast player of your choice. If you want to check out the other South MS podcasts that made it to the final round, click here!

The Sippi Podcast is back with Season Four! The hosts, Caleb & Chris, return after a six-week break and discuss their time off, with Caleb providing an update on his dissertation and coffee business. They also discuss the current state of podcasting, noting high failure rates and the rise of celebrity-hosted shows. A significant portion of the episode focuses on the increasing impact of artificial intelligence, particularly new AI tools for conversational interaction* (see the duck quack footnote below) and coding, and the hosts ponder the ethical considerations and rapid advancements in the field. Finally, they introduce tariffs as a future topic for discussion due to perceived misinformation and their real-world effects on businesses like Caleb's coffee shop.

*And yes, duck quacks were inserted into the episode because one of the AI bots decided to overshare information about Chris’ personal life. Fortunately for him, it’s not a video podcast or you would have seen how much he was blushing when this unexpected event occurred!

Sincere thanks to Chris for editing this episode. He really wanted to edit this one for some reason…

Listen to the guys discuss their various scattered topics on the podcast platform of your choice!

The guys temporarily come out of their six-week break to discuss an EXTREMELY bizarre event that happened recently on April Fool’s Day. In this episode, the guys talk about “War Thunder”, a video game known for its addictive "taps and sinks" economy, which haphazardly lead to the game developer's controversial April Fool's joke that involved a TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLAR in-game purchase.

Check out their chat about this insane series of events on the platform of your choice!

Special thanks to Chris for editing this episode so that Zac can still enjoy the break!

This week the guys reflect on their first year and 50 episodes of the Sippi Podcast! Which is a little ironic, considering the rookie technical mistakes they made just trying to get this particular episode recorded.

In celebration of one year, the guys decide to relax and wonder off on numerous side topics, including a recount of the humorous origin story behind Caleb’s drink, the "Cafe Slider," which involved a run-in with Coca-Cola.

Looking ahead, they announce a six-week break to prepare for their next goal, Season Four of the Sippi Podcast, which intends to add an additional 50 published episodes to the catalog! The guys take a moment to earnestly solicit listener feedback on future topics and the show's general direction, including potentially incorporating more casual discussions alongside their entrepreneurial content. They also share anecdotes about listener engagement and their own evolving perspectives on the podcast's format and audience.

Catch out our last episode of the season on your platform of choice!

Sincere thanks to Indicium for editing this episode!