In this episode, Bela Musits sits down with RT Custer, the founder of Vortic Watch Company, to explore his journey of bringing American watchmaking back to life. Vortic has carved out a unique niche by creating custom, hand-crafted watches that incorporate vintage American pocket watch movements. From humble beginnings to revolutionizing the watch industry, RT shares the challenges, triumphs, and the passion behind crafting high-quality timepieces that celebrate American heritage.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
The Origins of Vortic Watch Company:RT explains how Vortic was born from his desire to combine American history with precision craftsmanship. He shares how he and his team revive antique pocket watches to create modern, custom wristwatches.
The Intersection of Art and Engineering:The process of turning vintage pocket watch movements into functional wristwatches requires a deep understanding of both mechanics and artistry. RT talks about how Vortic has created a unique manufacturing process to preserve the integrity of these historical movements while making them wearable.
Challenges of American Manufacturing:RT opens up about the difficulties of bringing manufacturing back to the United States, including sourcing materials, creating partnerships with skilled artisans, and maintaining high-quality production standards.
The Importance of Craftsmanship and Legacy:Discover the philosophy behind Vortic’s commitment to craftsmanship and the importance of preserving American-made watchmaking. RT discusses how Vortic’s watches serve as a tribute to American industrial heritage while providing a modern twist on a timeless tradition.
The Vortic Customization Experience:Vortic offers customers the opportunity to customize their watches, selecting from a variety of vintage movements and designs. RT describes how the company works with customers to make each watch a truly one-of-a-kind piece.
Building a Brand and Overcoming Obstacles:Learn about RT's journey as an entrepreneur, the hurdles he faced in growing Vortic, and the importance of staying true to a mission of quality and innovation.
Vortic Watch Company Website: vorticwatches.com
Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode.
We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience.
We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In today's episode of the podcast, we have the pleasure of welcoming Laurier Mandin, a distinguished figure in the realm of product innovation. Laurier wears two hats: he is the founder of Graphos, a company that specializes in assisting businesses with product development and launch, and he is the author of the insightful book "I Need That."
Laurier's expertise lies in shepherding new products from the conceptual stage to successful integration into the marketplace. Throughout the episode, he generously shares his wealth of knowledge and experience, providing listeners with actionable insights on how to navigate the complexities of innovation.
One of Laurier's key points that is sure to resonate with aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business leaders alike is his assertion that new products need to be significantly superior to existing solutions in order to achieve market success. He believes that a new product should aim to be at least 10 times better than its competitors to truly capture consumer attention and drive adoption. This bold statement underscores the importance of not just incremental improvements, but of groundbreaking innovation that fundamentally transforms the user experience.
You can find out more about Graphos here:
Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode.
We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience.
We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this podcast episode, Bela Musits delves into the world of modern marketing with Jeff Greenfield, a seasoned entrepreneur whose current venture, Provalytics, is dedicated to helping businesses navigate the complexities of marketing spend optimization.
The discussion underscores the stark contrast between the traditional marketing landscape and the multifaceted digital environment that businesses operate in today. Gone are the days when a simple ad in the Yellow Pages, newspaper, or radio could suffice. The sheer number of available channels to reach potential customers has exploded, creating a complex challenge for businesses to discern which strategies are truly effective and which are simply draining resources.
Provalytics steps in to address this challenge, offering tools and expertise to empower companies to make data-driven decisions about their marketing investments. By providing insights into the performance of different marketing channels and campaigns, Provalytics helps businesses allocate their budgets strategically, ensuring maximum return on investment.
The conversation likely explores the various challenges businesses face in the modern marketing landscape, the evolving role of data and analytics in marketing decision-making, and the innovative solutions Provalytics offers to help businesses achieve marketing success. It may also touch on the broader trends shaping the future of marketing and the importance of adaptability and agility in a rapidly changing environment.
You can find out more about Provalytics here:
Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode.
We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience.
We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners.
Thank you for being a part of our podcast community. We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to bring you inspiring stories and thought-provoking conversations on The Unconventional Path. Remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with your friends and family. Together, we can explore the endless possibilities that lie beyond the conventional.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this podcast episode, Bela Musits has a conversation with Kathryn Cook, the co-founder of NuCicer, a company that's revolutionizing the way we perceive and consume chickpeas. The discussion delves deep into the multifaceted world of chickpeas, highlighting their incredible potential and the myriad benefits they offer.
Kathryn sheds light on the challenges associated with introducing a new and improved version of a product, especially in a market that's resistant to change. She emphasizes the importance of creating a product that's significantly superior to existing alternatives in order to entice customers to switch.
NuCicer's journey is a testament to the complexities involved in bringing a new food product to market. The process begins with developing superior chickpea seeds, then convincing farmers to plant them. The harvested chickpeas are subsequently transformed into flour, which then needs to be integrated into a range of consumer products. This intricate process involves a multi-faceted sales approach that targets various stakeholders within the food industry.
The conversation underscores the immense potential of chickpeas as a sustainable and nutritious food source. It's a call to action for consumers and food producers alike to embrace this versatile legume and explore its myriad possibilities. Through NuCicer's innovative approach, chickpeas are poised to take center stage in the culinary world, offering a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional ingredients.
You can find out more about NiCicer here:
Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode.
We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience.
We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners.
Thank you for being a part of our podcast community. We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to bring you inspiring stories and thought-provoking conversations on The Unconventional Path. Remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with your friends and family. Together, we can explore the endless possibilities that lie beyond the conventional.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this podcast episode, Bela Musits delves into the inspiring journey of Luka Yancopoulos, the visionary founder of Grapevine. Luka's story begins in the midst of the global COVID-19 lockdown, where he recognized a pressing need in the healthcare industry. Driven by his passion for innovation and a desire to make a positive impact, Luka embarked on an entrepreneurial endeavor from the confines of his dorm room.
With unwavering dedication, Luka channeled his energy into Grapevine, a groundbreaking company aimed at revolutionizing supply chain management for doctors' offices. Recognizing the administrative burden and inefficiencies that plagued these practices, Luka envisioned a solution that would alleviate the workload and minimize the stress associated with procurement.
Grapevine's mission is to empower doctors' offices with a streamlined and cost-effective supply chain management system. Through its innovative platform, Grapevine takes the guesswork out of inventory tracking, order placement, and vendor negotiations. By leveraging advanced technology and strategic partnerships, the company provides doctors' offices with access to a vast network of suppliers, ensuring they receive the medical supplies they need, when they need them, and at competitive prices.
Luka's commitment to customer satisfaction and his unwavering belief in Grapevine's potential have propelled the company to remarkable success. Since its inception, Grapevine has experienced rapid growth, partnering with numerous doctors' offices across the country. The company's dedication to exceptional service and its ability to deliver tangible cost savings have earned it a reputation for excellence within the healthcare industry.
As Grapevine continues to expand its reach, Luka remains steadfast in his vision of transforming supply chain management for doctors' offices. Through ongoing innovation and a relentless pursuit of operational efficiency, Grapevine is poised to revolutionize the way healthcare providers manage their supply chains, enabling them to focus on what matters most—delivering exceptional patient care.
You can find out more about Grapevine here:
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this podcast episode, Bela Musits interviews David Steele. He is the CEO & founder of One Wealth Advisors, an independent RIA firm handling over $1B in assets, who also is a prolific restaurateur, having opened 6 restaurants in 6 years in the competitive Bay Area. And that's just the start - he's also a philanthropist, artist, yoga studio owner, and more.
David’s management style is focused on a disciplined approach: working collaboratively with partners and team members, setting clearly defined goals, developing and executing a strategic plan to achieve those goals, and constantly monitoring the results to assure the plan is successful.
You can find more info about about David and his various endeavors here:
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this podcast episode, Bela Musits interviews Eran Mizrahi. He is the co-founder of Ingredient Brothers. Eran is a specialist in global raw, natural & specialty ingredient sourcing (former COO of nuts.com. We had a great conversation about supply chain challenges in today's world and the many lessons he has learned about running and managing a 100% remote organization.
The episode is a great example of entrepreneurship and can be inspiring to many. Be sure to give it a listen to learn more about Eran’s journey.
You can find more info about about Ingredient Brothers here:
https://ingredientbrothers.com/
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this podcast episode, Bela Musits interviews Joe Connelly, a former New York City paramedic who wrote the book "Bringing Out the Dead." The book was later adapted into a movie starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Martin Scorsese. Joe has since moved to a small town in upstate New York and became president of the local rescue squad.
The conversation focuses on Joe's experience transforming a 100% volunteer Not For Profit (NFP) organization into one with full-time paid paramedics, serving two communities. We discuss the challenges of organizational transformation and working in a volunteer NFP where everyone in the community knows each other.
The episode is a great example of entrepreneurship and can be inspiring to many. Be sure to give it a listen to learn more about Joe's journey and the transformation of the rescue squad.
You can find more info about about Joe’s book here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bringing_Out_the_Dead
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Steve Ovitt. Steve founded Wilderness Property Management after a 30 year career as a New York State Forest Ranger. His company works with municipalities and private organizations to provide recreational access to public and private lands properties preserving the wilderness character of the land. This is a great example of a 2nd career that brings together Steve's expertise and passion.
I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen!
You can find more info about Wilderness Property Management here:
https://www.wildernesspropertymanagement.com/
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Robert Khoury. Robert has held leadership positions in the financial industry as an equity derivatives trader, portfolio manager, corporate strategist, chief operating officer, and private equity investor. He is co-founder and CEO of Agile Rainmakers, a high-impact business development consulting and advisory firm based in Chicago. He also recently wrote a book titled, How to Intern Successfully. In my interview with him, we focused on internships and how to make them successful for both the intern and the company.
I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen!
You can find more info about Robert’s book here:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Intern-Successfully-Insights-Experience-ebook/dp/B09F743KSG
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
Welcome to The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas. Today we are doing something a bit different. As our long time listeners know, Mike and I like to change things up once in a while.
Today, Mike and I interview Chris Kubisiak. Chris is an organizational psychologist and avid sailor.
We interviewed him for the sailing podcast Mike and I do. We discussed how psychology and human behavior plays a large role in sailing. Many aspects of our conversation also apply to business and leadership. So, we decided to broadcast the episode on the Unconventional Path podcast.
You can reach Chris at CKYachting@gmail.com
We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.
So please give the episode a listen!
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
Before Mike I record the intros to the podcast, we usually start chatting about something we are both interested in. On this occasion, I decided to hit the record button during our conversation. As usual, we had a great conversation and we decided to turn it into an episode.
Here is a summary of what we discussed:
What’s going on with Bela and Mike.
Mike comes back to Michigan for a visit. Some culture shock.
Bela’s summer job working for a small commuter airline.
The challenges of air travel
Mike’s teaching at University of Muenster
College education in Germany and the USA
A little political comment.
We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.
If you liked this episode, let us know and we will hit the record button again.
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews David Kruczlincki, the retired CEO of a large community hospital. Bela and David discuss decision-making with limited information, culture, and the complexities of leading an organization in a highly regulated environment. This is one of our short video series podcasts where I converse with C-level business leaders about building great organizations. These interviews were originally taped several years ago when I was Dean of the Business School at Union Graduate College. I believe they deserve to be re-edited and presented to a broader audience. So, here is one of them. More to follow.
Hope you enjoy our conversation
We hope you found this episode interesting and thought provoking.
We also appreciate if you would subscribe or follow the show.
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Hugh Johnson. Hugh is a world-class financial advisor and economist. He has appeared on many News and Finance TV shows. This is one of our short video series podcasts where I converse with C-level business leaders about building great organizations. These interviews were originally taped several years ago, when I was Dean of the Business School at Union Graduate College. I believed they deserved to be re-edited and presented to a broader audience. So, here is one of them. More to follow.
Hope you enjoy our conversation
We hope you found this episode interesting and thought provoking.
We also appreciate if you would subscribe or follow the show.
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Mary Cregut - VP of Human Resources. This is one of our short video series podcasts where I converse with C-level business leaders about building great organizations. These interviews were originally taped several years ago, when I was Dean of the Business School at Union Graduate College. I believed they deserved to be re-edited and presented to a broader audience. So, here is one of them. More to follow.
Today's guest is Mary Cregut, VP of Human Resources. Hope you enjoy our conversation
We hope you found this episode interesting and thought provoking.
We also appreciate it if you would subscribe or follow the show.
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Michael Segal. Michael is the founder and CEO of Skylight. Skylight is a leading digital photo frame and digital calendar brand that helps families stay connected.
Michael founded Skylight in 2014 while he was a student at Harvard Business School living hundreds of miles away from family, and was eager to invent a device that made it easy to share photos with far-away loved ones in a unique way. After raising $55K on Kickstarter, he created one of the first Wi-Fi connected digital photo frames which started shipping a few months later. Since launching, Skylight has grown to over 5 million users, and has become the #1 best-selling brand of digital photo frames on Amazon. Despite coming from a VC background, Michael has managed to grow the company profitably for nearly a decade entirely through bootstrapping.
I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen!
You can find more info about Skylight here:
https://www.skylightframe.com/
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Erica Cole. Erica is the founder of No Limbits. This is a super interesting company with a mission. No Limbits was created with the goal of providing easy and accessible solutions to everyday problems. After losing her leg in a car accident in 2018, Erica Cole found that her new prosthetic leg wasn't compatible with her existing wardrobe. So she went on to Shark Tank, received funding, and started a clothing company to solve the problem.
I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen!
You can find more info about No Limbits and Erica here:
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode, Bela Musits interviews Stephen Barden. Stephen is a specialist in organizational leadership and strategy. He has worked with board-level leaders to help them and their successors develop and implement strategies that benefit and sustain the entire organization. Stephen has clients in Europe, the USA, the UK, and Africa. He is also the author of the book "How Successful Leaders Do Business with Their World."
We had a great conversation, so be sure to listen to the episode!
You can find more about Stephen here:
https://www.stephenbarden.org/
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode, Bela Musits interviews Derek Slayton and Sean Magee, the founders and owners of Trampoline Design. They help companies develop branding and advertising campaigns to raise customer awareness and recognition. They have built their business slowly and steadily in this highly competitive field. We had a great conversation, so be sure to listen to the episode!
You can find more info about Trampoline Design here:
https://www.trampolinedesign.com/
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Jenny Tse. She is the founder of Sipping Streams Tea Company. Jenny was born in Hong Kong but raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. She spent her summers selling her mother's vegetables at the local farmer's market and was very active in the local community. Her vision for Sipping Streams began in the summer of 2004 when she began to notice how tea brought different people together.
Traveling to different tea farms in China encouraged her to teach about tea in her local community. Tse is a certified tea specialist. Her custom hand blends and specialty teas have won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at the North American Tea Championships, 2nd place at the Global Tea Championships, and 1st place for the Top Tea Infusionist Competition at the World Tea Expo 2011.
We had a great conversation so please give the episode a listen!
You can find more info about Sipping Streams Tea Company and Jenny here:
Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path.
If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode.
Thanks for listening,
Bela and Mike
