Building Winning Businesses: Chris Van Dusen on Athletic Grit and Entrepreneurial Success

In this conversation, Jim interviews Chris Van Dusen, senior partner at Solyco Capital, about his journey as an athlete and entrepreneur. They discuss the importance of having a mindset of resilience and determination, learned through athletics, in facing challenges and failures in business. Chris shares his experience of starting and scaling multiple businesses, including a CBD brand and a liquor distillery, and eventually selling them.

3 Key Takeaways:
1. Athletics as a Foundation: Athletics can teach valuable skills such as resilience, determination, and the ability to handle failure, which are crucial for business success.

2. Strategic Business Foundations: When starting a business, it is important to have a clear end goal and to build a strong foundation that can attract investors.

3. Optimizing Business Growth: Scaling a business requires optimizing various aspects such as marketing, sales, supply chain, and profitability.

Whether starting a new venture or scaling an existing one, the lessons shared emphasize the importance of building a solid foundation, optimizing operations, and maintaining a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and the Importance of Athletics in Business
02:42 Starting and Scaling Businesses: CBD Brand and Liquor Distillery
05:35 Investing in Early Stage Companies and Private Equity Roll Ups
13:26 The Entrepreneurial Journey: Grit, Determination, and Adversity
20:23 Favorite Athlete and the Importance of Mental Fortitude
23:31 Building a Strong Foundation and Optimizing Business Operations
26:18 Private Equity and Venture Capital: Investing in Profitable Businesses
29:46 Exit Strategies and Attracting Investors
31:44 Private Equity and Venture Capital
34:37 Active Investing
36:23 The Importance of Humility

Connect with Chris Van Dusen:
Website: www.solycocapital.com/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chrismvandusen/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/chrismvandusen/?hl=en