Show Notes
Dale Earnhardt Jr. liked Christian Koch's grandpa's no-sugar beef jerky so much he bought into the company. Grandpa never wanted to sell it, so Christian found the recipe in his mom's family cookbook and built the business himself, from a 12 tray dehydrator to 210 convenience stores.
Christian chased music for 13 or 14 years before it ended. Getting USDA approved took 17 months, and his first food safety plan was a PowerPoint. At his first farmers market he brought 50 bags that took 3 weeks to make and sold out, and 9 out of 10 people who tried it bought it. When Dale talked it up on his podcast, close to 1,000 orders hit a guy who could make 25 bags a week. It took 3 or 4 months to fill them, and Christian called almost every customer himself.
Then we got into what farm kids hear all the time: you had a head start. His dad, his brother and Dale are all partners, and Christian doesn't dodge it. He says the help is real and the goal is to turn around and help the next person start a business. We also got into why there's no work-life balance when you're building something, and what he learned from a dad who left Hollywood and never worked for anyone again.
Also in this one: the new barn studio, why big jerky brands load the bag with sugar, the 90s comedy act with the same name and the call from their manager, pitching Dale when he barely looked at the numbers, a co-packer in Chattanooga, and new flavors with Grandpa this Thanksgiving.
"Don't be afraid to fail. You have to put yourself out there. If you don't, you'll never see that one win."
What family recipe in your house should be for sale? Drop it in the comments and we read them.
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 New barn studio, couch and all
04:16 Catch us in Kearney and Las Vegas
05:57 Grandpa's jerky came in the mail
07:50 No sugar, and why big brands add it
09:48 How jerky took over the gas station
11:11 Fake meat blew up in their face
12:53 The day music ended and jerky started
16:20 Bad at being an employee
17:09 Jim's Jerky in Mom's cookbook
18:15 Same name as the prank call guys
21:41 Chasing music from age 12
25:30 Nashville at 19, back in 2017
27:24 What music taught him about business
28:48 The USDA nightmare begins
32:58 His food safety plan was a PowerPoint
34:20 17 months of rent and zero sales
36:05 Working 8 farmers markets a week
37:50 9 out of 10 who tried it bought it
38:54 No blueprint, so pick up the phone
41:31 25 bags a week on a 12 tray dehydrator
42:47 How the jerky got to Dale Jr
43:50 1,000 orders he couldn't fill
46:15 Pitching Dale with no numbers
48:59 How Blake knew Dale from NASCAR
49:59 Telling Grandpa about Dale Jr
51:43 Scaling 3 pounds of beef to 3,000
53:39 Learning to manage people
55:30 Is it easier to start a business now?
58:57 Four partners, one day-to-day guy
1:00:29 You had a head start
1:04:28 Makers and takers
1:07:00 No balance when you're building
1:10:11 210 Refuel stores and a co-packer
1:12:15 New flavors with Grandpa
1:14:01 Dale's late model and Amazon Prime
1:18:43 What he's building it for
1:19:47 Advice to 19 year old Christian
1:20:34 What Dad learned leaving Hollywood
1:24:09 Tip of the Hat
1:25:17 Where to find Jerky Boys
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