Why Most Entrepreneurs Never Actually Start with Nick Braun

Most people talk about ideas. Very few actually write the check and start.

Nick Braun went from building a pet insurance comparison company to scaling a water filtration business doing millions in revenue. But this conversation is really about risk, timing, relationships, and why entrepreneurship in the Midwest looks different than Silicon Valley.

We talk about building businesses in Columbus, raising four kids, moving to San Diego, selling to Petco, funding local entrepreneurs, and why community matters more than people think.

Also: Brandon Road lore, Upper Arlington real estate, and a very real debate about what should replace Bed Bath & Beyond.

Transcript

Sponsors And Show Kickoff

Keri Croft 0:00

Avena Women's Care is a collective of 40 plus providers that have been serving central Ohio communities with comprehensive women's health care for decades. They meet women where they are in every phase of life. From fertility services to menopause care, annual checkups to 3D mammography, Avena provides robust services for all. So for the highest level of individualized women's health care, there's one name to remember: Avena Women's Care. Go to www.avenawomen's care.com to request an appointment. Be sure to tell them Carrie sent you. If you're ready for a true reset, inside and out, Donaldson is here to help you become the very best version of you. They combine cosmetic surgery and functional medicine to support how you look, how you feel, and how you move through the world with care that's personalized, thoughtful, and never one size fits all. This isn't about changing who you are. This is about feeling refreshed, balanced, and confident again. So if you've been craving a real pick-me-up, Donaldson is ready when you are. Okay, if you know Donato's pizza, you know their thing is edge-to-edge toppings. Now, when I say it's their thing, I mean it's their thing. They actually own edge-to-edge. It's a registered trademark, y'all. They absolutely load up their pizzas with toppings and they go from one edge of the pizza all the way to the other. Lots of toppings, no crust uncovered. If you want the true original

Neighborhood Catch Up And Moves

Keri Croft 1:30

edge-to-edge pizza, you want Donados. That's how they've done it since 1963. Hey there, you beautiful badass. Badass. Welcome to the Carrie Croft Show.

Nick Braun 1:47

I'm I'm excited to talk to you. I'm excited to catch up with you.

Keri Croft 1:50

Nick Braun.

Nick Braun 1:51

Yes.

Keri Croft 1:52

Welcome.

Nick Braun 1:53

Thank you for having me.

Keri Croft 1:54

I actually am still in mourning that you guys left Brandon Road.

Nick Braun 1:57

You know what? I that's the only place I've ever lived that I kinda miss it the most. We had a good group in San Diego, but what a great group we had. Yeah. And at that time in our lives, it was like pre-kids to like starting to have kids, but it was fun.

Keri Croft 2:16

Yeah. And you moved over to Onondaga. Over there.

Nick Braun 2:20

That sounds so bad.

Keri Croft 2:21

It's it's like the street.

Nick Braun 2:24

To everyone but me. I mean, it's you know, it's fine. It's fine. It's honestly like, and we've met some great people there. Um, Bobby, for example.

Keri Croft 2:35

Does Bobby live on onondaga?

Nick Braun 2:36

He does. He lives on onondaga.

Keri Croft 2:38

Bobby's so proper.

Nick Braun 2:39

I actually don't like saying where I, you know, it's like, where do you live?

Keri Croft 2:42

I'm like, oh, over by the And it's like four syllables, so it takes a while to say, like, I live on Onondaga.

Nick Braun 2:48

Or imagine, like, I have to spell it. Like, how do you spell that?

Keri Croft 2:51

Am I even saying it right? Because us us.

Nick Braun 2:53

I say Onondaga.

Keri Croft 2:54

See? Over here on Brandon Road where I live, we don't know. We don't know how to, we don't even know the pronunciation of those, those roads over there.

Nick Braun 3:01

Brandon Road, though, the best times, the best people. And then you guys can walk to Oh, it's the best. Carsoni's and Whole Foods. And now it's like it's just blowing up.

Keri Croft 3:12

So yeah, so we've we've act- I mean, I always have my eye on the market. It's so hard in UA. It's so hard. I'm like, there's no, I mean, unless I want to move north or whatever. I mean, you have to just like be Johnny on the spot. Although I'd love to like be neighbors with you and Bobby Carpenter.

Nick Braun 3:28

It'd be sweet. I would love to have you and Brady back in.

Keri Croft 3:31

I might be a little too like, I don't know, for that road.

Nick Braun 3:35

I don't know if this is appropriate to say. It's not. So go ahead and say it. So there's there's um there's it's getting younger. It's still a little older. Ah, so maybe there's gonna be a little bit of turnovers. Oh, turnover.

Keri Croft 3:47

Okay, all right. Can you keep your eye on the keep your eye on the

The Pet Insurance Business Origin

Keri Croft 3:50

prize for me?

Nick Braun 3:50

I will, for sure.

Keri Croft 3:51

Okay, let's, I want to start with this because I am so curious about you.

Nick Braun 3:55

Yeah.

Keri Croft 3:55

And this fucking pet insurance thing. Yeah. Like you it from where I sit, I had no idea what you did, right? I just knew you were a nice guy, you liked Miller Light, you were fucking fun to be around. I had no idea what you did. And then all of a sudden, you're moving to California because you sold a pet insurance guy. I'm like, wait a minute. And for coming from an entrepreneur, you know, I understand like what it takes. And like, I was so first of all, happy for you, but I was like, wait, somebody catch me up here. Yeah.

Nick Braun 4:27

You did that within three years, right? Uh, it was like five. I mean, it was, it was so I was it was a slow burn, but I always like I always try to explain to people. Um, pet insurance was something I had invested in. I was at NCT Ventures before this, and I like to say we were the first venture venture fund in Columbus. Um, we invested in embrace pet insurance in Cleveland, and that went really well, it was a good outcome for the fund. And um, talking to the founders, they're like, there's no good like shopping comparison site. You know, it's kind of people were kind of used to that. Um, so I was like on the on the side, I was like, I'll just spin one up. Thinking like people will just compare pet insurance plans. I believed in the market, yeah, right. Um, and then it just I didn't really worry about it. And then that's probably a powerful thing to like tell young entrepreneurs like if you're doing something you like believe in and you don't care about the money, you can do it right. So over time it kind of like get more traffic, I'd get more traffic, I'd get another like insurance, like healthy pause was new. And these companies are like billion-dollar companies now, but they're like, hey, can we be on your site? I'm like, sure, let's, you know, pay me 50 bucks a lead or whatever. Um, so it kind of kept growing organically over time. And at some point, I was like, I should probably focus on this. Like, there's something here. Um, so I feel like it's a lot of what happens is like as an entrepreneur, it's like osmosis. You see an opportunity, you listen to smart people, you're like, I'll try it at this small level. And then, you know, I there was a guy that used to say, like, some things get the the juice, and that thing just kind of kept growing. So I was like, I can go into it and then like really help guide it up. And uh,

Building The Comparison Platform

Nick Braun 6:20

so it was probably three years of like full time.

Keri Croft 6:22

When you say you you I'll spin one up, so what that easy, but no, which I get like what you're saying, because you it was a digital platform and it probably wasn't super robust or complicated. No, so what did you spin up?

Nick Braun 6:34

All right, in all fairness, I hired a firm called Q Start Labs locally, great guys, bunch of just they're just they're nerds, and that's like a really nice, you know, they prefer to be called that. And they were like, Well, there's no one company that has like a specific quote engine that's the same, but we can do APIs and do, you know, connect. Um, so in a weird way, because these pet insurance companies were so early in their they were kind of tech savvy, um, these guys connected us so somebody could go through, put the put in their information for their pet, and then get quotes from you know six different companies. So spinning up is like yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I had to hire a firm to do it and pay them, but they were great partners.

Keri Croft 7:19

But how complicated was the infrastructure initially? So, like how many you like you had to take APIs from how many platforms and like how expensive was that for you initially?

Nick Braun 7:28

50 grand a month? No, or total to do the whole thing.

Keri Croft 7:32

Okay, so then 50 grand to spin it up and then well for some people that's not, you know. I mean, it's like some people out there are like, well, shit, that's a lot of money.

Nick Braun 7:41

Yeah, that's true. That's it. You're right, but but no, because And I didn't have like it's not like I had like 50 grand laying around, but I was like You it's not 250 grand, basically. Uh yeah, and it's not half a million. So it I knew it could be something, but I was like, that's money, that's a good bet to make.

Keri Croft 7:58

Yeah. And so did you have what was the monthly then? So it was upfront 50.

Nick Braun 8:02

Um, you paid like a thousand in hosting.

Keri Croft 8:06

That's it.

Nick Braun 8:06

Yeah.

Keri Croft 8:07

And then when you were doing this, your wife, Melissa, who is Angel. Yes, she is. Angel on earth. Hello, Melissa. Um yeah, we should all take a page out of your book. Should have invited it. Such a pristine, proper you should have invited her. I'm doing that now. I'm doing the the wives.

Nick Braun 8:22

We could do a a two-point.

Keri Croft 8:23

I could I absolutely I would love to have her. All right. Was she just kind of like, oh, this is funny?

Nick Braun 8:26

Like, was she always used to was she always used to you doing like random things? Yeah, great question. Um, so when we first met, she was at Abercrombie and she was their head of visual merchandising for the female side. So she had like a big kid job and uh was traveling all over the world. So, like me, we went when we met, I was at NCT Ventures. So I had like kind of a normal job as an investor, but she was supportive. We had a dog at the time named Bo. It was her, I adopted Bo from her, you know, and uh so she understood the whole veterin thing and pet thing. I think, yeah, I think to this day, she's like, I don't, I trust he knows what he's doing, but she's like, you know, she grew up with her dad was a you know big wig insurance executive. And so I grew up with entrepreneurial parents, so it's like that paradigm. But I think at this point she's pretty comfortable with but she was totally supportive.

Keri Croft 9:22

Oh yeah.

Nick Braun 9:22

But as she would I think as she would be like, okay, have fun with your little your little pet project.

Keri Croft 9:29

What did you do, if anything, before like did you are you an idea guy? Are you always looking for problems? And like, or was like what's your Yeah.

Nick Braun 9:38

I I actually had a buddy ask me that. I never thought of that before, but I have a little bit of an answer. I'm not a great idea guy. So like the when people come up with, you know, like Airbnb or fate, you know, I'm like, that's crazy to me. Um, but I can see an opportunity.

Keri Croft 9:54

Yeah, you see a need or uh you fill a gap.

Nick Braun 9:57

That's right. So, like for example, with pet insurance. Um, so we had Bo and he had some health issues, and I I realized

Seeing Market Gaps And Taking Bets

Nick Braun 10:05

like, wow, that's expensive to go to like MedVet, right? And you realize you're like, there's no, you just write a check. And if you don't, or credit card, and if you don't, they won't treat your pet. So I saw that side of it as a as a pet parent/slash pet owner. Um and then I saw the data point that I saw. I'm kind of a data-driven person. So in the UK, about 25% of pets were insured. This is like 2012. And here it was like less than a quarter of a percent. So in my mind, it was like, I don't know if it'll get to 25% penetration here, but if it gets to 5%, it's a $10 billion industry. So I just I guess I have my ears and eyes open and I talk to people, but then I'll see something like that and think, okay, worst case scenario, this is probably gonna be a big thing. And if I'm in early, I can kind of meet the right people and help grow it. So that's what is that? Is that idea driven?

Keri Croft 11:05

Well, everything's I think idea is such a broad idea. I mean, we all have ideas. I feel like when I was researching it and really just digging into it and reading about what you had done, then with reading about the water, I'm like, oh, it's I mean, that's what you're you're literally, you're very agile and you're smart enough that you can see a gap, but then you're probably you are audacious enough and bold enough to be decisive. Yeah, because a lot of people can sit around and go, oh, there's a you know, I wonder if there's a gap in that in 99% of people aren't gonna execute and then be consistent. So you're a modern day genius, is what you are. We have just we have just diagnosed you as an MDG.

Nick Braun 11:49

I am far from a genius.

Keri Croft 11:51

Modern day entrepreneur.

Nick Braun 11:54

But I will say you you hit on something interesting, like you building this whole thing, you know, it's in your head, and you see an opportunity, you see a trend, you see like it'd be great for people to to hear from people. Um, like, oh wow, she went through that too, or oh, I that guy, like Nick doesn't seem very smart. I could probably start a company, but I think the key is you nailed it. It's like if you see an opportunity, the difference between an entrepreneur and people that talk about it are the is the person who writes the check for 50 grand.

Keri Croft 12:26

Yep.

Nick Braun 12:26

And it might not be comfortable at the time, or it is, it doesn't matter, but like you're it's so true. Like so many people, like, oh well, they should do this, or they should there should be a pizza place over by Brandon Road. It's like nothing's stopping you.

Keri Croft 12:39

No, I know. You know

The Bed Bath And Beyond Opportunity

Keri Croft 12:40

what's funny? Speaking of that, you know, like that whole like let's talk for what? Let's let's take a little let's go on an entrepreneurial tangent together. So um, Lane Avenue, uh-huh, Bed Bath and Beyond.

Nick Braun 12:51

Oh, yeah.

Keri Croft 12:52

How many times have you hypothesized, or if ever, uh-huh, what could what's happening, what could be there, what's happening with pickleball, what's happening with like every single child that that is transported outside of UA when the weather is not nice to either the trampoline parks uh on Mill Run. Um, like I'm like, okay, is what's happening here? Like, yeah, you know, it's like you see stuff and you're like, this is then you also know the rent has to be astronomical. Arlington is, you know, Arlington. I say that lovingly, but you know, I get it. Have you thought about that? Because it's Halloween spirit, which again, an incredibly insane business model.

Nick Braun 13:35

Yeah.

Keri Croft 13:36

Are you kidding me?

Nick Braun 13:37

I know. It's like when you're when you're uh one of your stores turns into a Halloween store, something's wrong.

Keri Croft 13:44

No, but think about them though. Wouldn't you love to get underneath like Yeah.

Nick Braun 13:48

Yeah. I mean, to your point, so we go to we go to pins in Dublin. We go to the trampoline places in Hilliard. And yeah, I mean, having four young kids in the winters, it's it's hell, right? It all we're doing every weekend is like being creative and figuring out how can we entertain them. Um you know it would slay, right?

Keri Croft 14:09

Like it would slay, it would be a cash fucking cow.

Nick Braun 14:12

Like a pins?

Keri Croft 14:13

Not necessarily a pins, but like you, and I don't know the exact um thing. Yeah. But like if someone takes that space, yeah, and like I've I've started a certain like I've started a fitness brand. I know the fucking margins. I know like it's insane. I mean Why is no one doing it? Is this our is this our chance?

Nick Braun 14:37

Oh, it's a great question. I think uh it's a it's it's I'm almost called to be like, what's happening here? Is someone I mean my two cents would be A, I'm like a noob when it comes to real estate. I'm sure I could figure it out.

Keri Croft 14:52

It's not that complicated. I can help you right now.

Nick Braun 14:55

I think you nailed it though, the rent's probably too high there, or whatever they would want.

Keri Croft 14:58

I think it's the mixture of that. The space is so large that it's um the the barrier of entry mentally, I think for someone is probably pretty high. Um, and then also I know there's got to be some kind of UA. I know there is, you know, because I've talked to people who are in the know about what that all the taxes and the there's like certain because I always joke around and I was joking around with the mayor, like, what what the fuck's going on with all the banks? Like, can someone help me here?

Nick Braun 15:30

No, you mean like on the corner?

Keri Croft 15:32

Nick, do you want to sit name the banks in UA? Like, I mean, how how long do you have?

Nick Braun 15:36

Like, that's my favorite. That intersection is I think it's six, right? It's they're like stacked inside of each other. There's not just a corner bank, it's a bank behind the corner bank.

Keri Croft 15:48

Nothing, it it doesn't cease to amaze me. It's like, okay, where's the beer barrel?

Nick Braun 15:51

The last time you went to a bank.

Keri Croft 15:53

Where and where's the beer barrel? Like where, where, where, and so again, and there are reasons behind it, but I I don't know. If somebody wants to like talk to me about this, because I am that bed bath and beyond haunts me.

Nick Braun 16:08

Did you uh like I would say I I would say it's like, all right, what's the monthly rent? And then what would be the build out, right? And then staff, I guess, depending on what you do. I will say, like, um, I we noticed that, I mean, you know, it works really well in San Diego is like brewery slash pizza place. Uh-huh. And like what's funny to me is like there's certain things popping up here, but like if you just did decent pizza and had decent beer and like decent service, I think it would be busy all the time.

Keri Croft 16:40

I mean, what about pickleball courts? Everyone's insane with pickleball, not just pickleball courts, but like your friend again, I in I wouldn't like it sounds like a clusterfuck too. It's like too many things all melded together.

Nick Braun 16:51

Like it's then you got I uh for me, it I I I mean um my my peeps, we call it wiffle tennis. I'm not really into it. I'm not either, but I think um I think something um family-oriented. I will say this, like I I would say that space in particular, I don't know the economics of it, but there needs to be like an indoor turf field or a place where kids can go in the winter and just like play pickup soccer. And I would love like Northam Park, one of the parks to just I know it's probably cost prohibitive, but you know, there's places in Hillary like Bo Jackson.

Keri Croft 17:28

There we go.

Nick Braun 17:28

Something like that, like something like that off Kenny.

Keri Croft 17:30

Yeah.

Nick Braun 17:31

Or over off uh Trebu. I mean, it would talk about being booked forever.

Keri Croft 17:37

Booked and busy.

Nick Braun 17:38

Booked busy.

Keri Croft 17:40

But I digress. That was my that was my tangent on that. I mean, it is, it's gotta be the rent. Okay, let's go back to you. Yeah. So when, okay, when you

Investors Strategy And The Petco Exit

Keri Croft 17:48

finally figured out you're getting the traffic to your, you know, your investment. Yes. And then you're like, okay, wait, this thing has legs, and you bring in two other investors, and you say we need more capital to make this robust enough to like what hap what happened then?

Nick Braun 18:02

Yeah, yeah. So I actually brought in three investors. One was my brother, very street. Lou. Lou.

Keri Croft 18:08

We got to talk about Lou because some of the ladies in UA, I will tell you that I told them that you were coming in, and they said we just need you to to know that his brother Lou was a heartthrob.

Nick Braun 18:19

Yes. He I need to see some photos. He I can I can give you some photos. Um, yes, he was very sought after by the ladies back in high school.

Keri Croft 18:29

Interesting.

Nick Braun 18:30

And and the funny thing is, he's just never, he was just unfazed by it.

Keri Croft 18:33

Like that makes it even better.

Nick Braun 18:35

Yeah, right. I think it made him feel probably more like, oh, he's but um he's a dog, and he uh so he invested, he kind of understood it, and we're really close, so he kind of was like, Well, if he's seeing something, then it's probably um the other two were more strategic. One was a guy named John Gagliardi, and John, Lou met John through he was at John started Maverick Lacrosse, which was like uh still around sticks, helmets, elbow pads, company. Lou is like their, I think head of like West Coast sales. John went to Johns Hopkins, Lou went to Johns Hopkins to play lacrosse. John's probably 10 years older. Um so but John was one of the early guys at Blue Buffalo Dog Food. So I was like, I needed not just money, but I needed a couple of guys that like understood the space and maybe had I was thinking like, if I need more, there's a bigger opportunity, like they have networks. And then the third guy was Brock Weather up, and he had just sold, I think, Pet 360 to Pet Smart for a really good outcome. So I felt like I had you know Lou involved, and then I had these two guys that were like could help open doors and help me see the potential of it. Um and so that was the idea was just in case it starts to take off, I don't have to go to a whole new group of people, right? Um, and that worked out great, and I never raised other money. We would meet like once a year and have like a meeting, it wasn't very formal, but they were super helpful strategically.

Keri Croft 20:16

And then you guys just sold that puppy, dude.

Nick Braun 20:17

Well, yeah. So Barack ended up selling his next pet business to Petco. Um and he was their head of uh, I think it was e-commerce and digital innovation or something. But he was like he was a it was like I wouldn't have probably sold to Petco or gone that route if it had not been for him. For A, I wouldn't have been on their radar, but B, I don't think I would have done it because I was like, I don't want to work for like you know the VP of finance at Petco, like that would be terrible, right? But he was there and I was gonna report to him, so that ended up working out, and that's when we ended up moving from Brandon to because you had to go there for three years and work for them. Yeah, so we had a I had an earnout for all the kids out there. That means they give you some of the money up front, and then you gotta hit some milestones to get the rest of it. Uh it's pretty common, but it was a great experience. I mean, we you know, we dragged my wife dragged uh what three-year-old and two twin newborns out there. God bless her. But again, yeah, I know queen. She is, and she's yes, I and by the way, like that's impossible without her. Right. You know, impossible. And I I think about that a lot. Like her and I went out there to visit with Brock and his wife. We had a nice dinner, and she was like, Hey, I'm a young mom, and like, you know, and Mary is Brock's wife, she's lovely, and was like, What do you think? Like, as a as a woman, as a mom, as a, you know, and she was very like supportive and like, here's the good and here's the bad, you know. But we decided. Was like, let's try it. Worst case scenario, you don't love it, you move back.

Keri Croft 22:04

So,

Earnouts Family Sacrifice And San Diego

Keri Croft 22:05

yeah, but you guys, it was okay, right?

Nick Braun 22:07

It was awesome, it was great. It it just got hard because we had three kids, and I'm driving an hour away to a corporate job, and yeah, so it was nice to get back home. She felt honestly, all right. So she started feeling rightfully so, like kind of isolated. So, like I would go to work and have people I met at work and go to work happy hours, and she like at home with the kids.

Keri Croft 22:32

So it's I could see it. Of course. I mean, she's pulled out of a tight-knit community, yeah. And then any mom who's a new mom, it's something you don't even really understand until you're in it. It is a very lonely, isolating experience. Like because you're you love these kids so much, but they're not giving back the way adults do, and you love them so much, and you're kind of like, it's a weird alternate universe. Oh, yeah. And so to be out in California, you know, while you're out doing your thing, right?

Nick Braun 23:01

Slinging pet insurance. You know what I mean?

Keri Croft 23:03

Yeah, do getting your urn out.

Nick Braun 23:05

God bless her. You know, uh the nice thing was we did have uh the Lopez family, so that would be like, you know, our tight friends out there, they were two houses away, had young kids as well. They were both busy with work, and so Anna was like really a good confidant for Melissa. She she had an anchor, but yeah, it was like day to day. She's pushing that double stroller. Like, you remember those?

Keri Croft 23:32

Yeah.

Nick Braun 23:33

Oh, it's just awful memories. But like with another kid, like on a scooter around a neighborhood where she knew nobody, like every day. Now, granted, it wasn't we weren't roughing it.

Keri Croft 23:44

No, no, no. But it's but the thing is, I mean, anyone, yeah, anyone who hears that, and especially parents, you can you can know, like you're not complaining, you you understand the privilege, but you also understand like that's a lot. Yes, that's a lot to ask, and um, it's a huge sacrifice for her to have made on behalf of your family, albeit the right decision, right?

Nick Braun 24:06

Ultimately, yes. I think, you know, and um now, so the the cherry on the top of that that move was so we go out there and we have this young family, and she's starting to kind of feel like I'm gonna like get surf lessons. I'm gonna start, I'm starting to meet people, right? Like, okay, now this could actually work out. Um, we never were like, we're gonna move back. We were just like, we're here for now until it changes. Um, and we both have that mindset. But and then one day I come home from work, I swear to God, Carrie, it was like, I can remember this, and I'm sure she can even, she's like crying, and I'm like, what's the matter? You know, and I'm like, I'm like thinking, you know, somebody's got cancer or some right. She's like, I'm pregnant. And I was like, there's no way. Because we had been told by doctors, like, uh, it's you don't have to worry about that at this point. And she was, and so our, you know, the best thing that came out of San Diego is Toby, yeah, our fourth. But that kind of then solidified, like, there's no way we can you gotta go back on, yeah. But then

Arsenic Water Reverse Osmosis Reality

Nick Braun 25:10

we need we need help.

Keri Croft 25:11

But then, true to form, yeah. You okay, you discover there's arsenic in the water. Oh, yeah. And then instead of just so that again, back to you like seeing the gap or seeing the opportunity, you have your neighbors who then had, you know, and you're you know what, you know what else you do? Yeah, you surround yourself with really smart people.

Nick Braun 25:32

I tried to.

Keri Croft 25:33

Well, that's I mean, that's a part of it, right? So, like you're no dummy when it comes to how you're it is how you're you just talked about how you strategically put your investment group together for the pet thing. And now let's talk about the couple who had the experience with the reverse osmosis bullshit.

Nick Braun 25:48

Uh-huh.

Keri Croft 25:49

And then next thing you know, here you are the fucking water purifying guru.

Nick Braun 25:53

Cloud water filters.

Keri Croft 25:54

You know?

Nick Braun 25:54

Yeah, the best water in the world. So it's a good, it's a there's a nice little like uh segue. So we have four young kids, and like this is probably gonna you you you can recall all this, I'm sure. It's like we were when you have four young kids, it's it's like formula and water and formula all over the place, bottles. And so Melissa's very conscious of like what kind of water we would mix in. I mean, I'm I'm a guy, I'm like, oh, just pull it out of the tap. And she's like, that's insane. So she would get, we would get pallets of like smart water and right to mix in with the kids' formula. And um, she ended up getting a reverse osmosis system in our house in San Diego because she had heard from Anna that the water was bad. There was arsenic in the water, and that's actually true, which is insane. It's crazy. We can go down that rabbit hole. But so we have this system, and that's a lot easier. I don't think carry in pallets of water, it's cheaper, it's better for the environment. And I'm like, this is great. It's probably a year goes by, and so during my earnout, I had met Ben and Ariel Zweifler. They're my partners in cloud, and Ariel had a background in uh like high-end aquariums. So she's like the guru with water and water filtration, and like this is all new to me. I'm like, some like this is some Southern California hocus pocus. Right. But um, so I'm learning from them, like on the side.

Keri Croft 27:26

Southern California hocus. That just hit me late. That was funny, you know what I mean?

Nick Braun 27:30

But it's like, wow, like I I'm I my whole life I've been poisoning myself, apparently. But you know, you're like the old the old Midwestern guy, and you're just like, ah, it's you know, I'm fine, I've been drinking out of a hose. And but anyway, so I'm learning from them. And one day I'm at home and I'm like, hey Melissa, like when do we change the filters in this thing? Like, how do we know when the filters need change? She's like, I don't know. That's probably been a year and a half, and we have four kids, so we're using it a lot. I was like, How does this indicator light work? And she's like, There's a battery. Like, so when the battery dies, that's when we know we can change the filters. And then I'm like looking under it, I'm like, well, I'll go get new filters. Like, that's smart, right? And there's no way to figure out how to get them out. It's like a plumber installed the whole thing. So in the meantime, in parallel, I'm talking to Ben and Ariel, and like they're like, What are you gonna do after this? You know, I'm like, I don't know. And we talked about all kinds of different me doing things on my own, them doing things, and the water thing just kept converging their passion and experience in it. I mean, she was installing systems for friends just for fun. She was so passionate about it, and then Melissa's like, yeah, that would be awesome.

Designing A Nest Like Water Filter

Nick Braun 28:45

And so we're like, let's kick it around. And the idea was as simple as over like lunch, the three of us, you know, what if we made a really user-friendly, like nest thermostat for water filtration? Like, that was the idea. And then it's like, sure. And again, going back to your premise, like most people, it dies there. Like, that would be cool, that might work. We realize the water is a problem. The more you dig into it, you realize like water quality out of the tap is terrible. It's not the utilities issue, it comes through like copper pipes and there's runoff from farms. So we decided in 2021, um, like, let's again throw, I know it's a lot of money, but like 50 grand, you know, at a couple engineers in Boston who John Gagley already introduced me to, who did all their engineering for Maverick. And they were like, they did work with Keurig, and they're like, we love this concept. And so you have to buy you, they have to buy in too. It's not like just take the money and do it. So the um this they're called 11 in Boston, they're great guys, and they helped us engineer like what do you want? We want it to like be connected to the phone, we want it to be easy to change the filters, and so that started it. It just kind of it's like the pet and it just kind of kept building. Like, would you buy this? And people are like, Of course I would. You know, so next thing you know, we're raising money from friends and family, and and here I am now, you know. Five years later, it's five years later.

Keri Croft 30:22

So, where is it right now?

Nick Braun 30:24

Yeah, it's in a great spot. So we um it's capital intensive to do a hardware business. So we raised friends and family money. We got an institutional investor last January, um, Skylark out of LA. He was actually a customer, and that's the coolest stuff is like when he's like, I have this and I love this thing. And um so we got a deal together and we're doing you know over a million a month in sales. I've got I think almost 20,000 installed. So it's a recurring revenue business because of the filters, so millions top line, million top line.

Keri Croft 31:03

It's a good profit margin, not bottom line. Is it a good profit margin?

Nick Braun 31:06

It it's like 50%. It's good. And the filters are healthy, like I you know, I'd say 75-80%. So it's a lifetime value place. So we get it installed, and then you know, we hope that people will keep it and continue to buy filters. So it's a great business. Not easy to, I mean, it's we've had to go through some of the COVID supply chain shocks. Um, navigated through that, and then last year with the tariff stuff, we had to navigate through that, but we're in a good spot now.

Keri Croft 31:38

I love that. Maybe I'll buy one.

Nick Braun 31:40

Yeah, I can get you a discount. You can? I'll get you one. You got a code? You got a code? You know the hardest part about friends get buying your product? This is an aside.

Keri Croft 31:48

What?

Nick Braun 31:49

They call you when something goes wrong.

Keri Croft 31:51

Oh, I can assure you I wouldn't do that.

Nick Braun 31:52

No, no, no. It's fine. It's it doesn't bother me. Yeah, but why would they call you? Uh you know, I it's I think it's just like, oh well, Nick, right? Hey Nick, you big ass. So I like I've gotten better at like usually like I used to like, you know, like install them, help people out, and now I'm like, I can't, you know, I got t ball practice or whatever. So now I actually So now you say no. I just send them to the customer service team and they fix it.

Keri Croft 32:19

I just bump their ass to voicemail.

Nick Braun 32:21

I know. I it's but that's one of those things where it's like somebody will buy it and be like, well, how do I install it? Figure it out. I hire hire a handyman or a plumber.

Keri Croft 32:31

Do you are you an easy guy to say no to people?

Nick Braun 32:33

I know it's awful for me.

Keri Croft 32:35

Are you people pleaser?

Nick Braun 32:36

Oh yeah. Big time. Big time. But it's that's that why you brought it like three shirts and we're like, I I don't like I I mean, it's like I can only do the best I can, but it's like I don't want to disappoint, you know, be like boring as shit.

Keri Croft 32:48

You're just such a nice guy.

Nick Braun 32:49

But I definitely am terrible at that. Like I couldn't fire somebody. I couldn't, I can't do any

Cloud Water Growth Margins Recurring Revenue

Nick Braun 32:55

of that stuff. Really? Oh yeah, it's terrible.

Keri Croft 32:57

So you were like Mr. Congeniality then, Gross.

Nick Braun 32:59

I wouldn't say that either. I mean, I think um I have I'm opinionated and direct, but I uh definitely a people like don't like to say no, don't like to like disappoint people.

Keri Croft 33:12

How's that work with Melissa?

Nick Braun 33:14

She's even more of a people pleaser. Is she? Yeah, yeah. She like turns nothing down. She's on parish council. You know, it's like there's a that's a line I probably will never cross, but like she says yes to everything. Um, and so we're it's probably not good. We probably need one of us to be more. I'm probably more of like of a no person than she is. Oh yeah.

Keri Croft 33:40

So is that like a for sure. I feel like you should come hang out with me for like one day.

Nick Braun 33:46

You say no a lot. Oh see, I honest to God though, like that, like having she has some friends who I think are more like just say no or say, you know, I don't have time for that shit. And it's good for her because she's like, all right, but yeah, I mean you gotta be surrounded by carries who are stress and inflammation take a toll on your body and your wellness.

Keri Croft 34:10

Relax, restore, and rejuvenate at Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique. Book any service of $100 or more and enjoy two hours in our luxury amenities, unwind in our Himalayan salt saunas, recharge in our wet retreat space with a eucalyptus steam room, hot hydrotherapy pool, and cold plunge. Then drift into deep relaxation with our hanging loungers. What's your panacea? We'll help you find it. Ladies, listen up. There's a new treatment in town, and she's about to be your hair's entire summer personality. Hair Botox. Think the cooler, more low maintenance cousin of keratin. She's smooth AF, zero heavy flat vibes, just glossy, soft. Did she wake up like that? Hair. She'll de-frize you like a dream, keep your volume alive, skip the harsh chemicals, and she's perfect for humidity season, aka Ohio, in like five seconds flat. And you know our girl Mia is in high demand. So don't sleep on this. Get in now and thank me later. Book today at miasantiago.glossgenious.com. Yeah, no, I have a big boundary. I'm like, so the mental athleticism thing, uh-huh. Part of it, like so you've got, you know, attached to your big vision, relentless execution of the small stuff. You've got your internal command, which is like your thoughts, the way you see the world. Yes. Then you've got environmental design. Okay. And so it's they're all very important, but environmental design gets me. Well, it's they're just the bigger pillars of like, you know, there's a lot that goes into them. But environmental design gets me real spicy because it's where, like, you know, it's the boundaries, it's who you're hanging out with, it's where you're it's all of that stuff. Um, it's the compound effect of like the time you're spending every single day on like whether it's a spin cycle conversation, whether it's and then you annualize it, right? And you look at that and you go, I could have just spun up an entire pet quote, you know, thing with 52 hours.

Nick Braun 36:17

Pet insurance quotes. Pet insurance quotes.

Keri Croft 36:21

You know, like when you look at it just when you can't say no, yeah, you really betray yourself in a lot of ways.

Nick Braun 36:30

Wow. I mean, you know, I wasn't uh let's go deep. Let's get into the deep rivers. Well, I I wasn't anticipating like that hit home because I think you just like I do like frameworks, like I am a data-driven, I'm a nerd at heart, but like I'm like first, so that's why I said four. You're like, I'm like the first one check,

People Pleasing Boundaries And Saying No

Nick Braun 36:50

second one check, third one check, and the fourth one, I'm like, that's what I'm terrible at.

Keri Croft 36:53

Uh-huh.

Nick Braun 36:54

Like the environmental piece, communicating my idea where it's like, you don't get it. What it's obvious, but I'm terrible at that. I'm terrible at like, oh well, they might not see it the way I do, or maybe I've a I disagree with how you want to do that, and I just get like either shut off or I'll just do whatever they say. So it's like I'm so bad at that. I'm very bad at that.

Keri Croft 37:16

Well, you know what? We can work on your mental athleticism a little bit. You want to be you want to be a mental athlete.

Nick Braun 37:21

I do. Yeah. And that I would say that I'm aware of it, and I'm like, that's probably where I am now, where it's like managing partners, managing investors, um, and then trying to keep you know, the focus is build the business, build a great business. But you can't do that if you can't communicate your idea, um, share your vision. And so I think yeah, that's that's where I lack.

Keri Croft 37:48

Yeah. At least you own it.

Nick Braun 37:50

Yeah. Oh yeah.

Keri Croft 37:50

I'm I'll give you a couple free, I'll give you a couple free um coaching sessions.

Nick Braun 37:55

That'd be great.

Keri Croft 37:55

I'll fucking whip your ass right into shape.

Nick Braun 37:58

That's that's awesome. For sure. I'll take you up on that.

Keri Croft 38:01

Um, okay, so you're gonna sell this puppy for, you know, low, how did you say it?

Nick Braun 38:06

Low eight figures is I mean, uh, you know, it's like it's so tacky, but it's no, it's not.

Keri Croft 38:10

It's great.

Nick Braun 38:11

It's um why is it tacky? I think it'll be a good outcome. That's what the real nerds say. It'll be a good outcome.

Keri Croft 38:17

I so so have you guys already started. I mean, I'm sure you've thought of it. Yeah. Like, so do you think it will dwarf? Will it dwarf the pet deal?

Nick Braun 38:27

Yes. Um, now it's funny, yes, and or but, you know, when you own a minority share of a bigger thing versus more a majority share of a smaller thing, there's trade-offs there. But um, I think it'll be a bigger outcome. One thing that Ben and I have talked about a lot is like their first business was called Putt Box. So it was like a puppy subscription box. And um Pets a big space, but it's pretty niche because it's you know, it's it's just it's a fenced in area. When we looked at this space, it was like this is massive. This isn't just water drinking, it's competing against like all the bottled water and then competing against all the Britas and all the so I just think the scale of the market is so much bigger that the outcome, so the people that we're talking to are Moen and Kohler, these mega brands. Um, not that Pekka's not big, but you know, so it's just bigger, you know, I would say bigger market, bigger potential outcome.

Keri Croft 39:34

Do you think you could buy me a house on Anondaga when it comes up?

Nick Braun 39:40

I don't know nowadays.

Keri Croft 39:42

I could be your neighbor.

Nick Braun 39:43

I don't know. Nowadays, it's insane the prices here.

Keri Croft 39:46

No, dude. I I am I am like there I would there's a road that I was interested in, Avalon.

Nick Braun 39:53

Yeah, it's a great road.

Keri Croft 39:55

It's a great road. Very quiet. But you know, like

Environmental Design And Mental Athleticism

Keri Croft 39:58

then whoever the guy is, I don't know his name, and it doesn't even matter. But like they decide what like they buy it, and then he's like, oh, it's a three and a three point five million, but then it's like I don't want six and a half bathrooms. Yeah, who needs six, who needs five and a half do you have five and a half bathrooms?

Nick Braun 40:18

No.

Keri Croft 40:18

So I'm like, you know, I don't I don't need necessarily like the Taj Mahal.

Nick Braun 40:25

Right.

Keri Croft 40:26

You know what I mean?

Nick Braun 40:27

I think I you know, it's so I I've my mom is a realtor, has been here forever. And um I feel like I talked to her, I'm like, this seems crazy to me. I mean, just from when we moved back from San Diego, and that was a step down from a cost perspective, but it's like it's still not cheap here. Like people perceive like we moved to Ohio and I was like, oh, you have like 100 acres.

Keri Croft 40:52

Yeah.

Nick Braun 40:52

No, it's not much of a step down. Um, but it just keeps going up. And to your point, I know like these houses people are building. I'm like, what do these people do for a living? Uh-huh. I really do. I'm like, what how many like Buckeye coaches can there be? And like hockey players are there to afford this stuff. So that's fascinating. But my mom has this idea, which I think is right, Columbus is growing. And a lot of people want to live in Arlington because it's it's so close to everything. And so I think there's like a function of we're in the spot where it's like people that move here from Boston or Chicago are like, oh, I like that place. Oh, I I'm the I'm the new coach at Ohio State. I can drive right down the street to campus. So it's like a function of that, probably. I don't know.

Keri Croft 41:40

It's a sweet spot.

Nick Braun 41:40

Which is like, I'm like, even if we wanted to move, I'm like, how?

Keri Croft 41:44

No, and it's landlocked. I mean, so there's there's crazy.

Nick Braun 41:47

The market here is it's bananas.

Keri Croft 41:49

Yeah, and we have the coolest, I mean, the coolest people.

Nick Braun 41:52

Yeah. You know, like for the most part. You know, well, you guys, the Hoffers, the Rescue's.

Keri Croft 41:58

They're well, they Hoffers moved on to greener pastures on Leeds. You know, now they're over there too.

Nick Braun 42:05

I I miss everyone from Brandon Road.

Keri Croft 42:08

I mean, so okay.

Nick Braun 42:09

Yeah.

Keri Croft 42:10

Back to your genius way of connecting, seizing opportunity, surrounding yourself with complimentary, like it is, it's very impressive. And you do it in a very You're a liar, but thank you. No, I am not, I would never lie. I tell only the truth.

Nick Braun 42:28

I actually know that about you. Uh how do you mean? You just every time I ever hung out with you was around you. You're just like, here it is.

Keri Croft 42:34

Oh, yeah, I'm not gonna bullshit.

Nick Braun 42:35

And I love that.

Keri Croft 42:35

I'm not gonna watch what's the point?

Nick Braun 42:36

I how well I agree with you.

Keri Croft 42:38

Like, let's get back to like the environmental design, right? What the fuck's the point of that? Is is blowing smoke. That's another thing people do.

Nick Braun 42:46

Yeah.

Keri Croft 42:46

Where I'm like, just get me out of here. I'm not kicking the can. Or like just just saying what people want to hear. Blowing smoke up somebody's ass. Why the hell would I sit here and waste my precious time on this earth and waste your precious time by blowing smoke? Amen. When I see a when I see a gem, that's something else I do. I call it out. Like I give a compliment when it's due because I feel like people need to hear it. I mean, you don't need to hear it, but it's nice to hear it when like when I genuinely am astute, I pay attention and I look at you and I think that's fucking impressive, this guy. The whole package. Like the the you're you're very unassuming, midwestern charm, really good dude, you know, and fun to be around, all the great stuff, but you are savvy. And you're and you're fucking like you're a ringer. And I think people could learn a lot from you, a lot from you.

Nick Braun 43:37

Well, it's flattering. It's true, half true. Um, you know what? There is a sense of um, you know, you hear the Midwestern thing, and then when you move to a coast, you kind of live it. And there's people that you would love there that like the Lopezes and the Zwiflers you would love, but like it's a different, more classical. Closed off, you know, I need to get mine mentality. Uh it's almost like a zero sum game to people. Like, oh, you're successful than I. It's like, no, you we can

Dolphin Tank For Columbus Entrepreneurs

Nick Braun 44:10

all like win. Um, so that Midwestern, like, do the right thing and work hard, and you know, it's like I I I think people that are live in bigger places, it's more of like a there's more haters, right? There's more um so I just like never lost that sense of who I am. It's like why can't everyone do well? Like honestly, like that's so that's never been lost on me. But like, yeah, just have an open mind, meet smart people, like listen. I mean, it's not rocket science, right? Well, listening Am I missing listening might be. Um I have a tendency sometimes to cut people off, which I didn't know until I had a guy tell me that. Really? And I love the guy, like he's the best mentor, but he's like, dude, you cut me off all the time. I don't I didn't realize I was doing it.

Keri Croft 45:00

Well, I think we that's a skill we can all work on.

Nick Braun 45:03

Yeah.

Keri Croft 45:04

Because you part of it, you're so passionate and engaged in what you're saying with the other person.

Nick Braun 45:09

Right.

Keri Croft 45:10

And so it really is kind of like, okay, wait, is he done yet? Okay, now I'm gonna talk.

Nick Braun 45:14

And it's just like subconscious though.

Keri Croft 45:15

Well, for sure.

Nick Braun 45:16

It's terrible, terrible trait.

Keri Croft 45:18

Well, you've been, but you took it and you've been working on it, right?

Nick Braun 45:21

Yeah, I mean, I that's the thing. I listen and I'm like, especially coming from the right person where he's like, hey, not trying to be an asshole, but you do that. And I'm like, really? And I'm like embarrassed in the moment, but I'm like, I appreciate you telling me that.

Keri Croft 45:33

Well, that's the thing too about can and and cut and being, you know, clear is kind.

Nick Braun 45:39

Yeah.

Keri Croft 45:39

You know, so like if you notice something, like most people don't, like, let's let's circle back around to the beginning of this conversation with our friend Andy.

Nick Braun 45:46

Yeah.

Keri Croft 45:46

And the the the ghosting generation, all this shit. It's like could you know, having a I think I think it's the word confrontation that people get, like it's very scary. But I think just having a very direct where where both people feel seen, heard, and understood, yeah, and you can tie a bow on it and close the loop.

Nick Braun 46:08

Right. Yeah, I you know, I I think it's probably like just I mean, there's the cliches, but like treat people how you like to be treated. I think I just operate. That's my operating system.

Keri Croft 46:21

You know?

Nick Braun 46:22

So sometimes it is like, hey, I think it's a bad idea. I mean, I how many times do I get asked, like, hey, what do you think of this investment or whatever? And it's like, uh, sometimes you just want to like, do I tell them the truth? And I always do. You have to. I know, because I feel like if I don't, then well, put the shoe on the other foot. Right.

Keri Croft 46:41

So so if if if you were asking someone, and it's everybody cares deeply about their idea.

Nick Braun 46:47

Yeah.

Keri Croft 46:48

Everyone cares deeply about themselves, right? Like this is your world, it's everything. So if you don't have that much respect or to to like be honest with me, you're gonna waste my time and send me on a goose chase. Like you're gonna tell me, you're gonna, you're gonna like, like you're you're doing a disservice to any. Think about that. Think about the ripple effects of doing that. So somebody's super pumped, they're tone deaf, they have an idea that's a total clunker, right? Right. But you, being the nice guy you are, you're like, I really don't want to ruin their day, right? Yeah. So you go ahead and you twist it and turn it, and somehow you send this guy off into the sunset thinking they've got a shot.

Nick Braun 47:28

That's a good point. That's worse, you're right. It's horrible. I try to avoid, I'd try to avoid that. Depends on the relationship. I mean, yeah, I'm always honest for sure.

Keri Croft 47:37

Yes. I you know, I think we should do. I think we should do like once you sell this for like a billion gajillion dollars and you're bored and you're looking for something to do, we should do like a dolphin tank here. Not a not a shark tank. We should just have people come in.

Nick Braun 47:50

I like that a lot.

Keri Croft 47:51

We do a little dolphin tank.

Nick Braun 47:53

You know what? I think I think that is a missing piece still on Columbus.

Keri Croft 47:59

Yes. Um talk to me about that.

Nick Braun 48:01

Well, I mean, so I started out in banking and then went to NCT Ventures, and um there's not a lot of like risk, I'd say like culturally in Columbus, and really the Midwest, but there's not a lot of risk takers and people that risk their money and then that have experienced it. Um there's still not nearly enough. I mean, there's a few, like, you know, Rich Langdale, he was my old partner, he's lived it and breathed it. Um uh his partner, Bill Frank, I think, you know, Mark Kwamey came in and I think did a good job of like flooding the zone with a bunch of money. The Scantland brothers have had a ton of success. So there's just a like it's like Andy, there's a but it's like if everyone just kind of got together, and it could be informal. Like when you start to try to make it like a thing, you know, like at this banquet hall, we're gonna all meet.

Keri Croft 48:51

Oh no.

Nick Braun 48:52

That's nobody wants to do that. But if you're like, hey, we're gonna have a happy hour, yeah, we're gonna invite some young entrepreneurs, and like I love the dolphin. Yeah, do it down in this. No, we'll do an IRL downstairs for entrepreneurs, and just be like, hey, here's some feedback.

Keri Croft 49:05

Yeah. So I talked to Matt about this.

Nick Braun 49:06

Oh, yeah?

Keri Croft 49:07

Yeah.

Nick Braun 49:07

I mean, he's way he's in a different stratosphere, but that's good.

Keri Croft 49:11

He's a he's got the B in front of his Ilien, so we're on a different level there.

Nick Braun 49:15

Different playing field.

Keri Croft 49:16

We're on a different fucking level. But um, regardless, I was like talking about doing like an IRL, like an entrepreneur kind of situation. So he's open to it. Like, I was gonna have his wife, his wife's thinking about coming on the show with him.

Nick Braun 49:29

Oh, yeah? That would be awesome.

Keri Croft 49:31

We just had drinks at uh Littleton's the other night.

Nick Braun 49:33

I mean, just by the way, like there you go, like them supporting that, that's been amazing. Uh Rob was in class of 99 up Rollington.

Keri Croft 49:43

Yeah, it's so good.

Nick Braun 49:43

Great guy. But like I just if you and it's gonna happen, but when you're in San Francisco or Boston in New York, you see like there's people that have done it even a generation or two before you. Like, yeah, here's I get it. Here it's like, well, what is this? What are you doing? Like, this is and so it's the more Matt's you have, the more Andy's, the more success you have. I think people start to understand it. And then they also don't want to miss out.

Keri Croft 50:12

Yeah.

Nick Braun 50:12

It's like if you don't write that guy the check, you might be the guy that, yeah.

Keri Croft 50:16

Yeah. Do you think Andy will come?

Nick Braun 50:19

100%.

Keri Croft 50:20

Or do you think he'll I like I wouldn't know? Do you think he'll like RSVP and then not show up?

Nick Braun 50:24

No, he definitely will show. Yeah, he's he it's so funny because like knowing you and him, like it's that's funny that it's so good. I know. He's like, he's you guys are so similar and in a great way.

Keri Croft 50:37

It's like no, it's the absolute best. Have we forgotten

Funding Local Makers And Lifestyle Businesses

Keri Croft 50:40

anything? Is there anything that if we don't bring it up, you're gonna leave here and be like, why the fuck didn't we talk about?

Nick Braun 50:46

You know, I I I so like we've talked, we've definitely talked a lot about Melissa. She deserves her flowers. Yes, rightfully so. I would I would like to give a shout out to my mom and dad. But here's the thing behind the scenes, a lot of like the ability to say, am I gonna actually do that? Whether it's take a risk and like not have income, or like, hey, I need help with funding this because I'm putting this money into that thing or whatever it is, they've always been like kind of like I've been lucky to have a backstop. I mean, never want to bank on it, but a few times I've needed to, and they're like, say no more. So I think they're you I think to for me to cavalierly say, like, well, I just I wrote a $50,000 check and started a pet insurance, you know, without knowing like I'm not gonna miss a mortgage payment because I can go to, you know, yeah, my parents because they were entrepreneurs, and they'll be like, get it. And I get what you're doing. I know you're not, you know. So they um and I think that's again to your point of like saying that thing. I mean, I tell them that, but it's another thing to say it, like, you know, away from them.

Keri Croft 51:59

Yeah.

Nick Braun 52:00

So but they've been a little bit more. And I just have great friends and family.

Keri Croft 52:04

And what about your hot brother? I mean, yeah, Lou. Lou.

Nick Braun 52:08

He's a dog. I mean, he's a really good business guy. He'd be good on this too. He so his philosophy is he does entrepreneurship through acquisition. So he likes to manage teams, he loves to like do that part of it. Um, I'm more like the zero to 10 get me out. He's more like start at 10, buy it, and then scale it. So he's lives in this world, um, married uh Kim is like the best sister-in-law. They have three great kids, and she was she was a Denver Broncos cheerleader. Oh wow. So he, you know, he went pretty tall cotton there.

Keri Croft 52:50

Oh, for sure. Well, from what I hear, I mean, he was a heartthrob.

Nick Braun 52:52

Yes. He's uh he got all the features like you would want if you were like dark, you know, nice complexion, dark hair, very handsome.

Keri Croft 53:01

I mean, so did you.

Nick Braun 53:02

I'm I'm uh I'm uh I just got I got height.

Keri Croft 53:07

Oh you no, you're handsome too, Nick.

Nick Braun 53:10

Well, I appreciate that guy.

Keri Croft 53:10

Well, I have to say I I'm gonna need to see.

Nick Braun 53:12

Well that is funny, like he and I do think it's a combination of like he's just such a great person, too.

Keri Croft 53:19

You know, it's like Is he he's younger than you?

Nick Braun 53:22

He's two years younger. So he was I was class of 99 UA. He was 01. And that was a great class. And those guys were a great group of guys. We're all still friends to this day.

Keri Croft 53:37

I love it.

Nick Braun 53:38

Yeah.

Keri Croft 53:38

Well, this has been just lovely.

Nick Braun 53:42

Hey, you know what? My first You crushed it. I mean, I I wouldn't say that, but I will say this, like you do a great job.

Keri Croft 53:48

Well, thank you.

Nick Braun 53:49

I felt very comfortable.

Keri Croft 53:50

It's just me being natural.

Nick Braun 53:52

And I do, but I do I would like to follow up with you on um I love the I love the dolphin thing idea.

Keri Croft 53:58

No, I do too. And I think especially if you can get like I can get them Matt, I'm I'm in, and we can get a couple other and just I and I I I've built really great connections, thankfully, in the community with these just creators and entrepreneurs and people who are doing things. Right. And there's like so many cool different nooks and crannies and people who are just making things happen. Um, you know, but it's so funny. Like, let me give you an example. And you're talking about all this big money, and you know, that that's all fucking awesome, and I love it. And then you've got like an entrepreneur, and I'm I can't help I have to bring her up. Her name's Annie Dixon. She's out, um she has a bakery called Bite This. And she, you have to go. She has a cult. So Annie has a cult following in Clintonville on North High Street. She has a great social media presence. She is a like someone you want to get. It's like a goth bakery, right? Very unique. There's a there's a line out the door every single, like around the it's one of those things, right?

Nick Braun 55:02

Like the soup.

Keri Croft 55:03

Yes. Nazis.

Nick Braun 55:04

Yes.

Keri Croft 55:05

And so she um the other day, we were talking and she, because she needs to, she needs to expand. And where she's at right now, there's potential for it, but like some people have to move. Long story short, it's expensive for her. She doesn't have that kind of capital, right? So we're talking about it the other day, and she's like, Well, I did a GoFundMe and like I got a lot of shit. I'm like, that's the wrong rapper. Yeah, totally. That's the wrong rapper, right? So, like Kickstarter, all these to her, $60,000, like she needs $60,000, right? This this concept and what she's doing is so fabulous. And I was like, do a Kickstarter. I'm not, I can't guarantee you that I can get you $60,000, but I can guarantee you I can get you like on your way. Like you, you told there are so many, and like it's different than like what like what you're selling and the water filter. It's a different animal, but it's all the same sentiments. Like these entrepreneurs who are trying to grow, trying to, you know, improve the atmosphere and and make, you know, do things they're passionate about. They're everywhere.

Nick Braun 56:05

I so like I guess I I kind of missed um, I love that because I I don't think that just because your business is venture investable or scalable, um, that's not the end all beal. I love the boutique. I love I I am probably more fascinated now about the the artisan entrepreneur who like, no, no, no, like I don't want to have a hundred stores. Yep, I want to have one that's excellent. And I think, I mean, there's a place in Encinitas we used to live called Lucadia Donut, and it was this couple, and they made donuts every morning, and we would go in there on the weekends with the kids. They were so friendly to the kids. All the people riding their bikes and going surfing, we go in there, have a cup of coffee, get a donut. And when they ran out, they ran out, and the guy was like, Then I went about my day. Yeah. And I was like, it was like that's the best life ever. And so, yeah, I and I think funding those people, yes, to your point, like there's a bank's like, ooh, that's sketchy. But venture guys are like, Well, that's not gonna be a 10X. I I think there's a huge, and I've always thought that like a pool of people that are like, You're a local entrepreneur, let's support you.

Keri Croft 57:14

Yes, and that's that's especially if she has a proven concept. She does, and it's in her shit, like so. She was so generous and came in and did a bunch of desserts for the IRL. You should have, I I thought I liked her before, but I had never actually tried anything from her shit. Yeah. I'm like, there's no wonder that you have. And she does this thing. Oh, it's that obvious. Like you're so fucking good. It's so oh, this this key lime thing she brought here was like, I mean, it was um, she is so like you you really should go visit it because it's it's truly awesome. And then she brought a girl here, her name's Jamie, and um, she makes these leather alligator like purses. Like we're talking like like designer quality. Talk about like artesian. Like she is, so I had a call with her the other day um just to try to like get underneath what she's doing. And she basically won this truck in an auction that was already custom made with like the canopy, the roll out. So she's having Miss Bertie, who do you know who Miss Birdie is? She's a she's an artist and she's like in the Columbus area, super talented. She's wrapping and doing like a mural around this whole truck. So she has like this mobile, like sick. It's so sick. And like that was what I was asking her. She's like, you know, I just love what I'm doing. I love working with leather. I can see myself maybe having four or five other people that have a really like that are very much into the quality of a product. Yeah. But you are, I mean, a lot of people just lean into like the quality of life and like doing something that they love. There's so many, but they can still generate revenue and have a great, you know, like a great life.

Nick Braun 58:48

I mean it's a lifestyle business. Yeah. And I I just I think I do, I honestly do think, and and I see, you know, I've been lucky to meet people that have had a lot of success. And that doesn't mean trust, and I know you know this, but more money does not mean more happy for sure.

Keri Croft 59:03

You know what they say, more money, more problems.

Nick Braun 59:05

It's true. They say it for a reason. They probably get exhausted or always get hit up for money.

Keri Croft 59:10

Well, you know, the more money you make, then all the all you're doing, not all you're doing, yeah, but a lot of your time is spent sheltering your money from the government, and then you're getting mad. So now what we're doing is trying to figure figure out tax shelters. And so then, like people who have a ton of money, that's a lot of the game. And if they're good stewards, with which, you know, if you're that wealthy, you probably are. You you know that. I'm not telling you anything you don't know. It's like now it's like, how do I hide this money? How do I move the money here so that we get a tax break? And how do I keep you know, I mean, good problems to have, right? When but it but but it is true, like more money, more problems. And like, why are people approaching me? Do they really like me for me or do they want the dollar bill, y'all?

Nick Braun 59:51

Yeah, I mean, I've I've never had to uh had that issue, but like I feel I do I have like a I was gonna I I mean I did bring you in here for a reason.

Keri Croft 1:00:00

Yeah, I didn't just bring you in here because I like you. Yeah, where's the wallet?

Nick Braun 1:00:04

You're a liar, you know. I I ran into you at at uh Dave and Buster's in the middle of winter.

Keri Croft 1:00:10

I know, and I got you like that, didn't I?

Nick Braun 1:00:12

You know, I I had heard Melissa had said you were doing this, and I was like, that's so perfect for Carrie, like her personality, and just and like I'm sure you're just like everyone you talk to, like a different, like, oh, you're an artist, you're in a band, you're you know, a nerd that's in a pet insurance business. You know, it's like I think that's perfect for you. And then you kind of create this like exposure for the local people, and but I do think that dollar thing, where it's like people that need 60 grand on a proven concept, how do you figure out how to get them that money?

Keri Croft 1:00:49

That's what we're doing.

Nick Braun 1:00:50

Because that helps every one of us. You know what we do? Uh, do you just like you well?

Keri Croft 1:00:54

I'm gonna tell you what we're gonna do.

Nick Braun 1:00:55

Uh yeah.

Keri Croft 1:00:56

So I have the conversation with her. Uh-huh. Now I'm having it with you on a hot mic with video.

Nick Braun 1:01:00

Yeah, no, that's fine.

Keri Croft 1:01:02

I and so now we put it out and it's like, or I talk to Annie, it's like that you just it's it's all, you know.

Nick Braun 1:01:12

I I think um it's it's tough. It needs I'd have to think about it as far as like not for me, but like, because like one person writing a check is one thing. I think having people buy in and go, yeah, like, and I think that by the way, I will say this as an entrepreneur on her side, if she had like 10 people each put in six grand, then she's got kind of a built-in support group, yep, but also like doesn't feel beholden to one person. Correct. I I really do think that's important too. It's like not that I I would be cool, but I'm sure these other people would be cool, but like there's people that will give you 50 grand and they're not cool.

Keri Croft 1:01:57

Well, let's think about this. So the So like ta speaking of the tax shelter, like so there are people out there, as you know, who are looking for money, like to give away to certain things. Like, and so you create this sort of community, this environment that is very much articulated. We are for the you know, this particular entrepreneur, and then there's a way to apply, you know, there's a way to brilliant to make it a thing.

Nick Braun 1:02:19

Like an actual platform for like Central Ohio.

Keri Croft 1:02:21

Correct. And so, like what I'm doing right now, I'm Oh, you're doing this shit already. I am. I'm but I'm but but I'm building, I'm but I'm building, I'm building community. Right. And I've been doing that for a long time. And then after SOS, I was like, let's just build the community, do what feels good, experiment. So I've been doing some business consulting, I've been doing this mental athleticism thing, which is so near and dear to my heart. Yes. Um, and there is there is organically now a community that is evolving. And so that I'm allowed, I'm just letting the organic nature of what is taking place take place.

Nick Braun 1:02:56

Gotcha. That's the right way to do it.

Keri Croft 1:02:57

Yeah, oh, for sure. Like there's the only way to do it. No, and like, oh, there's plenty of dumbass, cheesy ways to do it, trust me. I mean, I've been invited to some of those. I look out and I'm like, you know what? I mean, I just made the decision because like you can really get sucked into this vortex of like, oh, the course and the funnel and the workshops, and and it's the cart's gonna close. I mean, and again, I no shade. Like, if it works for you and it does, and I have people who I know it works. But I was like, no, like I have to just literally like do this the way that it's going to be like organically from in here.

Nick Braun 1:03:31

Uh-huh.

Keri Croft 1:03:32

And like that's it. Like, it can't.

Nick Braun 1:03:34

You know, I feel like I love that. But you know, I I used to think like, is that a bullshit thing to say, right? Like organic, like my business organically.

Keri Croft 1:03:45

No.

Nick Braun 1:03:46

But it's really like there is something to be said, like out there in the world, when you put something out in the world and you start connecting the dots, and you don't, you know, not necessarily, you're not strategically like, well, I need a person that's, you know, but all of a sudden you're like, wait, an artist could help maybe wrap her truck, and then all of a sudden it becomes like let it happen. And so organic is really just a function of like all those moments you've had and connections kind of like connecting together. And it's like, it's not woo-woo, it's real thing. Like you put the effort in to connect those dots. And then when those people start finding each other, it just built it's it'll compound. And I it's genuine.

Keri Croft 1:04:25

I would say it's the opposite of woo-woo. It's genuine. It's the opposite of woo-woo. If you think of it this way, yeah, yeah. So we talk about money, you know, is this really it's a very important currency and it's it's something we can, it's a tangible thing, right? You can look in your bank account, you know, it's this, it's this whole thing. But I would also argue, I mean, the equity in um real connection that you are careful with and that you think about. Yes. So like that, and that's just, I think for me, I'm just naturally that way. Like we all have our own superpower or our own strengths. And I think mine is just seeing things in other people and then being able to like, I don't know if it's being thoughtful or intentional, but I'm constantly in my mind, and not in like a, it's in a very like natural way. If I meet someone, I jive with them, I get invested with them a little bit emotionally, or I really think it's cool, I will like have a file. And like if something else happens in a couple of weeks or a month or a year, and I feel like there's a synergy there, like I I'm a connector. Um, and I think the equity in that is you, I mean, it's it's insane.

Nick Braun 1:05:38

Yeah, no doubt about it. I mean, I think that's I mean, it's it's it's like you don't have a selfish goal other than curiosity.

Keri Croft 1:05:45

No. And helping them.

Nick Braun 1:05:47

Genuine. Right. Well, that's but then people trust you.

Keri Croft 1:05:50

But then if it's selfish, I mean, I want to build this community.

Nick Braun 1:05:52

I want to build you gotta have some goal.

Keri Croft 1:05:56

So if that's that could be the selfish part of it, but um I love that.

Nick Braun 1:06:00

Like funding, like, oh, it's not like, hey, here's the newest AI rapper startup group out of it's like, hey, this this girl's had a kick-ass bakery for two years and needs two more ovens.

Keri Croft 1:06:13

Yeah.

Nick Braun 1:06:13

No, that's and it's like, I honest to God, I feel like this town is more aligned to that. Like, oh, I get that.

Keri Croft 1:06:21

Yeah.

Nick Braun 1:06:21

I liked her lemon key line, pie, cupcake.

Keri Croft 1:06:24

And no, it's true.

Nick Braun 1:06:25

I mean, it's I love that you're doing that. I'm happy to support it anyway.

Keri Croft 1:06:27

Yeah, and it could be a it could totally be aligned with both for sure, because I do love the idea of the other thing too. I think it could all um kind of coexist, you know.

Nick Braun 1:06:39

It it will. I mean, helping people get better at what they're doing, operating businesses, being in the world, helping them find funding or partners, um, and then yeah,

Closing Thoughts And Where To Follow

Nick Braun 1:06:50

promoting it and communicating it, sharing ideas.

Keri Croft 1:06:53

Well, this has just been an absolute delight.

Nick Braun 1:06:57

Hey, thanks for having me. It's so good. All the flattering BS that you well, you know, I am really.

Keri Croft 1:07:04

I was like, what do I what do I say about him? That's uh let's see here. Bullshit. You're still out there following your girl, follow me on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcast. And until next time, keep moving.