Running the Bases today with Luke Taylor the CEO & Founder of Traderman Wines - a unique Ohio based wine distributor. Traderman is a privately owned Akron, OH based “boutique” distributor dedicated to selling an excellent variety of wines to restaurants, country clubs and wine shops throughout the state of Ohio. Luke Taylor started Traderman by recognizing the need for a small, focused boutique wine service that bridges the gap between vineyard and consumer.
Luke shares his story from Tennis Club owner to a complete pivot to Wine Distribution. His perspective on business and start-up is raw and refreshing. It gets real. “Just because you're selling more, doesn't mean you're making more.” “We sell on potential now, potential doesn't pay the bills, but potential keeps your mood positive. And I, and I think a lot of people look at numbers a little bit too much. You know, we're down 10%, 20% what's happening next month. And I always feel with it. It's not where you're at, where you're going.”
Luke has an engaging style and infectious humor - you’ll love his comments and quick quips. I think you’ll love the show!
Learn more about Traderman Wines and Wine Distribution in Ohio at http://www.tradermanwines.com/
Learn more about Cork & Fork: A Northeastern Ohio Food and Beverage Experience Podcast.
Learn more about Cork & Taylor Podcast
Get Local SEO and Digital Marketing information from 38 Digital Market
Listen and subscribe to our show on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcast, iHeart Radio, Pandora or TuneIn.
Follow 38 Digital Market on our Social Accounts:
Follow Luke Taylor, Traderman Wines, Cork & Fork, Cork & Taylor at:
Running the Bases today with Luke Taylor the CEO & Founder of Traderman Wines - a unique Ohio based wine distributor. Traderman is a privately owned Akron, OH based “boutique” distributor dedicated to selling an excellent variety of wines to restaurants, country clubs and wine shops throughout the state of Ohio. Luke Taylor started Traderman by recognizing the need for a small, focused boutique wine service that bridges the gap between vineyard and consumer.
Luke shares his story from Tennis Club owner to a complete pivot to Wine Distribution. His perspective on business and start-up is raw and refreshing. It gets real. “Just because you're selling more, doesn't mean you're making more.” “We sell on potential now, potential doesn't pay the bills, but potential keeps your mood positive. And I, and I think a lot of people look at numbers a little bit too much. You know, we're down 10%, 20% what's happening next month. And I always feel with it. It's not where you're at, where you're going.”
Luke has an engaging style and infectious humor - you’ll love his comments and quick quips. I think you’ll love the show!
Learn more about Traderman Wines and Wine Distribution in Ohio at http://www.tradermanwines.com/
Learn more about Cork & Fork: A Northeastern Ohio Food and Beverage Experience Podcast.
Learn more about Cork & Taylor Podcast
Get Local SEO and Digital Marketing information from 38 Digital Market
Listen and subscribe to our show on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcast, iHeart Radio, Pandora or TuneIn.
Follow 38 Digital Market on our Social Accounts:
Follow Luke Taylor, Traderman Wines, Cork & Fork, Cork & Taylor at:
Running the Bases with Traderman Wines
[00:00:00] Running the Bases with Small Businesses. I'm Randy Rohde. And I have a passion to work with small businesses and I love baseball. So I thought, Hey, let's bring them together. So every episode I sit down with local entrepreneurs, business builders, and small business owners to talk about their wins and whiffs their tools of the trade.
[00:00:36] And to give actionable tips to other business managers, we'll cover the bases with entrepreneurship, operations, sales, digital marketing innovation, a little fun baseball top. Thanks for joining us today. Settle in, grab your Cracker jacks and you know what they say, play ball.
[00:01:00] [00:00:59] Randy: [00:00:59] And it's a great day for a ball game Thank you Gary.
[00:01:07] That guy is so good. You got the whole personal flair. He does it. All right there. There we go. Alright. Hey everybody. Welcome to another episode of. Running the bases with small businesses. I'm Randy Rohde, and I've got a great guest today and a first in many occasions, but, this guy is a, former Fox news TV personality.
[00:01:32] He's a tennis head coach and he's also the CEO and founder of Traderman Wine distributors right here, locally in Ohio. So, Luke Taylor, welcome to the show.
[00:01:46] Luke Taylor: [00:01:46] Thanks for having me, Randy.
[00:01:46] Randy: [00:01:46] Yeah. Yeah. And I do have to say, you know, before we get going into the show, rumor has it that you actually tried to fight a fire naked.
[00:01:59] Is that [00:02:00] true? You gotta give us a story on that before we get into your journey with trader man wines. Come on, come on, lay it out there
[00:02:06] Luke Taylor: [00:02:06] About a God Sammy. My middle guy is seven, so about six, about six, six and a half years ago. I had been working, man was probably what, five years old, four years old.
[00:02:17]and as you know, when you start a small business, you're working a lot hours, midnight burning the midnight oil, as they say, and, came home from work around 11, 1130, watch little NBA playoffs. It was May 3rd and my wife was pregnant. Tough pregnancy was Sam. He was kind of a mover and a shaker. And a two 30 in the morning, I get a yell, Luke, get up Luke, get up, didn't hear any alarms ran out.
[00:02:40] And at that time I used to sleep naked, but I don't anymore obviously, and ran down the hall and, my pregnant wife was fighting a fire and there was a fire that was coming from outside, inside our house, in our kitchen. I got, I said, you know, give me the fire extinguisher. I was, I was naked obviously.
[00:02:58] And my wife went upstairs and got our [00:03:00] daughter, got her out of the house. I instead of spraying the fire extinguisher at the fire, I sprayed it in my face. Cause it's half asleep. So if you've ever tasted fire extinguisher, it's pretty disgusting. And,
[00:03:11] Randy: [00:03:11] uh,
[00:03:11] Luke Taylor: [00:03:11] did nothing for you with a fire extinguisher down, ran outside and I was on the phone calling the police or fire department nine 11, my wife, it looks to me like you better go back inside and get some clothes on.
[00:03:22] So I went back inside of the burning house and got clothes and, yeah. So. No, it's just, you know, when, when you own a business, it's the same thing. Right? You just do what you gotta do.
[00:03:31] Randy: [00:03:31] Oh my gosh. That is great. That is a great story. And a first, I don't know if I've heard of anybody ever a story like that.
[00:03:39] That is good.
[00:03:44]well, I'm glad everything is okay. And you've recovered and nothing that no serious bodily harm.
[00:03:50] Luke Taylor: [00:03:50] I think my wife has mental scars. No, we're good.
[00:03:54] Randy: [00:03:54] well, listen. So, as I said, you are a first on many friends for us. You are the [00:04:00] first guest that has actually come and brought me a beer. Beverage. And, of course your traderman wine, you distribute wines and you brought me a bottle of wine.
[00:04:09] I, I F I had an opener. We would cork it and, and, and have fun with it. But tell us about trader man wines. you've been going strong for 10 years now. Tell us all about it. What do you do? How do you do it?
[00:04:22] Luke Taylor: [00:04:22] For sure. So we're a base at a stove. the last 10 years we've been voted best wine distributor in Stow.
[00:04:28] I don't know if you ever get those. They come in the junk mail, says for 175 and get the plaque. I've never gotten the plaque, but I like to tell people 10 years round the best wine distributors Stow. I'm actually the only wine distributor and Stow, but let's just not go there. So I started trader and about 10 years ago, And I've always been passionate about wine, loved wine, grew up drinking wine, actually collect was collecting wine and kind of on a whim, was in a paramount tennis club and had two awesome partners that still own the club, learned a lot from them, but I think [00:05:00] I was just ready for my own thing, and, decided to look on the internet and see how do you start a wine distributorship?
[00:05:07] I haven't worked for anybody for probably 15, 16 years. And as you know, once you start your own business, it's hard to go back. I don't want to see the dark side, but I like the fact that I controll my destiny. Right. If I, if I fail it's on me, if I succeed, it's on me to a certain extent. I mean, I obviously have a great team.
[00:05:30] And what have you. Right. Yeah. But, yeah, it started 10 years ago. We, we S we, so we distribute wine. So I deal with wineries all over the world, anywhere from Cal well California, not all over the world. Well, there are different world over there, but California, Washington, Oregon, Argentina, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy.
[00:05:47]I think Germany, and we, I have organize the shipping. We have worked with
shipping companies. We bring it into Ohio and then we sell it throughout Ohio. So we have a great gentleman in Columbus selling. And for me, I've got [00:06:00] some awesome people up here in Northeast, Ohio. And I sell to, I enjoy it kind of keeps my beat on the ground and just grow and ever since, growing pains this year, obviously with everything going on, but I really enjoy it.
[00:06:12] And it's really allowed me to, do what I love and create a passion and, and, and my kids, You know, appreciate I get them in the warehouse once in a while. And they, the boys, my, my delivery guys, Steve who's awesome. And been just really influential in my business career, especially says, Oh, we're the boys here because you know, they'll put empty boxes everywhere and they'll move the van around.
[00:06:35] It's pretty comical.
[00:06:35] Randy: [00:06:35] Oh, that's fun. That's good. So, I loved your comments in regarding to working for somebody else. Cause I think, I don't know. What I would do. I think I'd have to put a gun to my head. I don't know. It would be so hard to go back into
[00:06:50] Luke Taylor: [00:06:50] you get a paycheck every two weeks. That if there's a good chance, it's not going to bounce.
[00:06:56] Randy: [00:06:56] Yeah. That there. So that does there's some security there [00:07:00] maybe, but, yeah, it would be hard. Yeah, that would be a challenge. So you're a long way from like premium wine country, even though I know that there's actually some pretty decent wines here in Northeast Ohio.
[00:07:11] Luke Taylor: [00:07:11] they've gotten better.
[00:07:12] Randy: [00:07:12] Yeah. but when people think about wine, they really don't think about Ohio all that much.
[00:07:18]and you know, you're a long ways away. How does that as a guy from, and I. I do pick up a little tinge of a Canadian accent. Right. Am I right?
[00:07:31] Luke Taylor: [00:07:31] Oh yeah, for sure. Born and raised, baby.
[00:07:32] Randy: [00:07:32] Yeah. There you go. So how does a guy from Canada now in Ohio become a wine expert? How in the world of that ever?
[00:07:39]Luke Taylor: [00:07:39] I like to attribute all this to my wife, my lovely wife, Melissa Taylor.
[00:07:43] There you go. She dragged me to Akron. I love Akron. I love Ohio, but, Yeah, that's a good question. So I grew up playing tennis and, did the athletic route came from when to Canada, to the States, was in Arkansas for two years. And that was interesting, awesome experience. And then about much wine in Arkansas.
[00:08:00] [00:08:00] Well, you know, when you're in college, Randy, I don't know what it was like for you. You don't drink wine now. I know people that might drink box wine and put the bladder in a, in their, in their purse. not mentioning any names, but, you know, I think I was drinking, rolling rock in there, but yeah, I mean, the thing is wine is universal it's
worldwide and playing tennis.
[00:08:22] I mean, I had friends from Spain. I had teammates from Croatia. I had teammates from Australia. I had kids that I coached that were from Australia. So you really get a great appreciation when I, When I was a, the men's tennis coach at DePaul university in Chicago, I was also doing my masters and really there was a wine shop, which has since been bought by the other big one.
[00:08:43] Benny's bought Sammies. And, I mean, I just, you just learn about it and you just get an appreciation and, and brought that passion and to disparate distributing wine in Ohio.
[00:08:55] Randy: [00:08:55] Good for you. Alright. So do you consider yourself a wine expert?
[00:08:59] Luke Taylor: [00:08:59] I'm [00:09:00] yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, I'm not a wine Somalia. I mean, I, I don't.
[00:09:04] How do I put this? I have a master's in PR in advertising. I'd like to say I have a master's in bullshit. my wife, my wife has a master's she's, she's the smart one in the family.
[00:09:14] Randy: [00:09:14] She probably would agree with your BS master.
[00:09:17] Luke Taylor: [00:09:17] I mean, I have had one of the largest wine companies sit in my office and, and Stow Ohio a little, you know, my little company and just tell me all this stuff and talk down to me.
[00:09:27] And I just stopped him. I said, listen, I lived by one principle in business. They said, what's that Luke, I said, never bullshit a bullshitter and that changed the accord, but it's it's, I can, I don't make up lies, but I love stories. And I, and I think I'm a decent story teller, that, you know, I know enough what I need to know and what have you.
[00:09:45] And, it's, it's. You know, I know a lot about wine. Yes. But I'll never get the certification. I've got a lot of respect. I know Larry O'Brien, who's the only master som in, in Ohio. I mean he knows his stuff. I think I tell better [00:10:00] stories, but he knows. I love Larry.
[00:10:02] Randy: [00:10:02] All right. So I'm just going to put you to the test here.
[00:10:04] So my favorite, if I'm going out to a restaurant or if I'm like w and actually we just did this the other night at our house as well, but, you know, we do this every once in a while. So make my favorite meal, which is, I like to get a nice steak, cut, maybe. And, do a little, grilled asparagus along with that worst wine to pair with.
[00:10:25] Yes. So, so give me, so give me, that's what I'm going to test you with. So give me, yeah, good wine. that'll go with my favorite meal.
[00:10:33] Luke Taylor: [00:10:33] Well, get rid of the asparagus. Personal asparagus is like the worst wine or worst food to pair with wine, because of the chemicals or what have you. but a good piece of beef though, can't go wrong with a Cabernet.
[00:10:46] I mean, let's be honest, a red blend, a petite Sirah. Zinfandel. I mean, I'd go with
the camera day though. Nice. Big juicy, bold Cabernet.
[00:10:56] Randy: [00:10:56] Nice big bold something with a bite that's that's what I think. All right. Well, [00:11:00] that's good. You know, what,
[00:11:01]Luke Taylor: [00:11:01] if you like a Rose aid, I mean, I don't know what it tastes like was steak, but, you know, whatever
[00:11:06] Randy: [00:11:06] is that going to go with the asparagus?
[00:11:08] Luke Taylor: [00:11:08] Nothing's working with asparagus, maybe a little bit of butter.
[00:11:11] Randy: [00:11:11] Alright. So how do you stay on top of the wine world and the wind industry out here in Ohio drink more, drink more, you know, that's a good theory.
[00:11:20] Luke Taylor: [00:11:20] Well, the best thing I've ever, one of the best things I've ever been taught from the professionals.
[00:11:25] I mean, a lot of these suppliers I work with are now good friends of mine over the years. And they said the best learnings in the glass. Is just drinking. Yeah. you know, I think me also selling, I've got, I probably have 50 accounts personally that I sell to, so I kind of know what's going on in the street.
[00:11:41] You know, if business is good, what's bad, what's moving. What, who is, you know what winery might be moving distributors. So we're a franchise state in Ohio. So when you sign that contract, when, when I ordered that wine for the first time and I get it, we're in a contract and a winery, can't just leave me.
[00:11:58] They have, you know, we have to, [00:12:00] sometimes some have paid me to leave somehow, you know, we've agreed. It hasn't happened much. It's maybe happened. Three times and, you know, listen, if you're good, if you're good to me, I'll be good to you. Right. I mean, it's, it's like anything, it's all relationship,
[00:12:15] Randy: [00:12:15] you know, before we move on to some other stuff I really would. And I think maybe folks in our audience might enjoy as well. Explain how the whole. alcohol or, you know, wine industry works in Ohio. Cause I know it's different even distribution from state to state. And I know Ohio because it's a state controlled. how does it work and how do you, how does it work for you as a distributor? I guess?
[00:12:39] Luke Taylor: [00:12:39] Well, it's Ohio is a little bit different. It's a lot like Michigan, we're probably a little bit nicer in Ohio than Michigan. though I am a say you just scored points and all the Buckeye fan, so, Mmm. I'm just going to say no comment. I will, I will say, my father in [00:13:00] law, my. Two of my brother-in-laws my sister in law and other in brother-in-law all either have one or two degrees from Ohio state.
[00:13:07] My wife went to Michigan and, I'm a Michigan fan, but I'm whatever. Please add it to that.
[00:13:13] Randy: [00:13:13] That's all right. I lived in Ann Arbor for a part of my career early on, and yeah, so
[00:13:19]Luke Taylor: [00:13:19] I'm happy when Ohio state wins. It's good for the state. But, so what, what happens? I was, I have to, I have to it's FOB freight and freight on broker.
[00:13:29] So I have to organize it. I use a shipping company, they bring it in every time. I get a case shipped into Ohio for traderman. Distributor has to be registered. The winery usually covers all the licensing and stuff like that. And then every time whether I sell that case or not, I have to pay. Taxes on it.
[00:13:49] So I have to factor that in my price. Right. Then I have to warehouses. I have a warehouse in stow, Ohio. I think I might have said earlier, and then we have to deliver it. We have to sell it, [00:14:00] then deliver it. And then it goes to the consumer. So we have in, in Ohio, we have minimum markup on the retailer and also I'm a wholesaler too.
[00:14:09] So our prices are always going to be a little bit higher in, in, in Ohio than say Illinois, where it's kind of a wheel and deal. No, I don't want to say wheel a deal, but they can do their own pricing. Okay. But it's good because it's good and bad. It's great for the consumer. is it better for me? Yes and no, because now being a smaller company, I have a little bit of protection.
[00:14:32]and what have you, so it's it kind of just, yeah. What it is.
[00:14:36]Randy: [00:14:36] It is what it is. All right. All right. Well, thanks for opening that up. So, you've been doing this for a while. and you've had, have done some. I don't know. I mean, you're an entrepreneur and so you've kind of created some other side, businesses and, activities kind of coming off of that as well.
[00:14:54] So I know you've got, you do a, like a consultancy and travel. Yup. Kinds of [00:15:00] things.
[00:15:00] Luke Taylor: [00:15:00] That's really, that's really good right now with the, with everything. Yeah, yeah, no, no. Yeah. So I take groups out to Napa Sonoma and, and I've got all the, I mean, even if I don't sell the wineries or not, I've got the connections and what have you, I've got chefs and you know, I'm pretty much your Butler for the week.
[00:15:17] So I've done a couple. Yeah. Quite a few of those, but that's not happening this year. Too much going on.
[00:15:24] Randy: [00:15:24] and I also know you've got a podcast that's out now called, Cork and Taylor. Yes, I understand. You just told me earlier here, you've got a new podcast called the Cork and Fork, that is coming out here soon.
[00:15:41]so you you've got . Hands in a , lot of different stuff. Tell me about the podcast for right now. Anyway. why did you start. cork and Taylor as
[00:15:49] Luke Taylor: [00:15:49] probably bored. you know, I think when you have, when you have a business you're always looking to grow, right. You're always looking to expand.
[00:15:57] It's not like you're trying to make more money, but you [00:16:00] just want to be financially healthy. And I remember a good friend of, one of my, probably my close, my business guru, one of them, I mean, my dad's one of them, but Tripp Morris started a
company called try more. His daughter runs it now. Who's my, wife's one of my wife's best friends.
[00:16:15] And I remember him telling me he's given me some great advice. He helped me with paramount. and he said, if you're not growing, you're dying. And I think in this day and age, and we talked a little bit off air about why you did this and what have you is to create the brand is to, or not create, but increase the brand.
[00:16:33] The visibility I've got the connections I have the background in, I guess TV and TV and radio, did that in my, my previous career. And, I just wines a little bit stuffy and I'm not a stuffy person. If you know me, I'm actually wearing pants. This is the first time I probably won't. Thank you two weeks.
[00:16:50] I mean, even showered and shaved for you, Randy. brush my teeth. You can use mouth wash, but, you know, with this pandemic, it, you know, my business got hit pretty hard and people are like, Oh [00:17:00] really? Well, I don't sell a lot to the grocery stores. You know, we do some nice business with Acme. We do a little bit with Buehler's a little bit with giant Eagle.
[00:17:06] I mean, acne has been. Has been really good through all this, knowing the family and just great family. But, I miss a tinge of the radio and TV. and I figured, well, I, I know about wines supposedly, and I know a lot of people and I've got some really good guests. It's been a challenge with some of the audio acoustics in California, but, yeah, then the new one coming out, I said, figure, you know, like I told you, I've got three kids under 11.
[00:17:31] Wife works as a nurse practitioner. I guess I'm just crazy. I don't like to sit still. I'm like my mother, I just, I can't sit still. I don't watch TV. I don't drink caffeine. don't have, I've never tried coffee in my life. Don't smoke. I play golf and, hanging out with my kids and my wife and work. So, and you do what you love and if you love something and all these, I remember you were asking, you're kind of got your hands in, all these different things.
[00:17:56] They're all related, but unrelated. So. [00:18:00] So far, so far, so good, I guess.
[00:18:02] Randy: [00:18:02] Wow. Good for you. Alright, well, that's pretty exciting stuff. all right, so now, and does the, do you know what time it is Luke? So that's a stretch.
[00:18:15] So Luke, you like baseball. So you mentioned, I know you're in, Canada from Toronto blue Jays. So there we go. Go Indians. Alright. Alright. Alright. So I had my research team. Well, I should tell you, so this is the part in the show where we can just change gears a minute. Here. We talked a little bit about baseball, cause I am a big baseball fan.
[00:18:35] And so I, you know, my guests have to endure my fandom. Right? You're a white Sox fan right now. I saw the flag. okay. So I tasked my, research crew here to, to, come up with some, material or a subject around baseball. That's tied to your industry, so right. The wine industry. And so we here we are wine [00:19:00] in the MLB.
[00:19:02] All right, you ready for this? Get you was see what you know here, when and where. So what year I'll say. And, and what stadium or what city was wine first served at a baseball game.
[00:19:20] I've got the answer right here.
[00:19:21] Luke Taylor: [00:19:21] So, because I don't, I'm gonna say, let's see, 19.
[00:19:30] I'm going to say, like yank it's got it now. No, it's not Yankee stadium. There's no way who are a little bit more classier. No offense to Yankee fans. I'm going to say it's gotta be like San Francisco. Candle Stick Park all. Yes. Ding, Ding, Ding.. 1962.
[00:19:47] Randy: [00:19:47] You know what you are for just guessing you are pretty darn good. You are good.
[00:19:52] Yeah. So San Francisco, yes. I'm, you know, that seems to be kind of a logical 1957, actually. [00:20:00] Yeah. Yeah. So they, serve the first wine and yeah, I'm not sure how good this was. Really would have been it's. It was from a producer that provided low cost bulk wine to local churches, a glass of. Crib Bari
[00:20:17] Luke Taylor: [00:20:17] sounds delicious. Sign me up.
[00:20:19] Randy: [00:20:19] Screw, screw top bottle for 75 cents at the concession stand. Yummy. Right? Alright. So since then individual teams, they've been partnering, they've done all kinds of things, fun things with winery, some stadiums even have. Tasting rooms inside a wine bars and such, and then this year, which is kind of odd because of the pandemic as well.
[00:20:42] Everything going on, they, M L B announced their first official wine across, the whole league. One more question. Any idea on who the. Brand or the provider of that wine is,
[00:20:59] Luke Taylor: [00:20:59] do I win, [00:21:00] anything for any of this? just, no, I'm working hard here and making me use my brain. it's gotta be, is it expensive?
[00:21:09] Cause I don't think it is. So it could be one of, one of a couple, I'm thinking Kendall Jackson. no. Okay. I get like 20 guests, so that's one. this is my note. This is my show now, Randy. okay, good to know. Or a prisoner wine company? no, it's pretty, pretty big though. Joel got no Mondavi. That was mine.
[00:21:30] That was my seventh. That was down the Robert Mondavi Woodbridge brand. Yeah. That makes sense. Familiar with that. Sure. Yeah, never had it, but okay. I will give you, this is what you, when the, the whole sheet, the talking point sheet, they're good in the recycling, you know, I'm going to print the invoice.
[00:21:49] I might not might need, I'll use this again.
[00:21:54] Randy: [00:21:54] All right, let's get back into it. All right. So as we say, so you've, you've had your [00:22:00] hands in a lot of different businesses, a lot of different industries, even, you know, Hey, going from wine tennis to wine. I mean, that's, you know, the, I guess you could say there's a connection.
[00:22:10]why not just focus on one. So as an entrepreneur, think about that as a, in the stance of an entrepreneur, why not focus on one industry? Or one business even,
[00:22:24] Luke Taylor: [00:22:24] well, I mean, I think they're all tied because if you look at
my, travel company, it's wine unrelated I'm I'm, I'm, I'm using existing relationships.
[00:22:33] I have a with the podcast, I'm talking about wine with my new podcast called cork and fork, Northeastern, Ohio food and beverage pod experience. Nice, nice plug. Well, no, but I mean, I'm dealing with accounts of mine, just like yourself. You've interviewed some of your accounts. Yeah. I'm, I'm interviewing.
[00:22:51] Maybe we don't sell to them, but you know, they've got a great product. I just think with this area, I love Northeast Ohio. I mean, my [00:23:00] kids are, are born and going to be are born in, are going to be raised. Here are being raised at my wife's from here. I really enjoy it. It's a four and a half hours to about five hours from home in Toronto, in Oakville.
[00:23:10]you know, I think it's also too. I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket, I think with what's going on now in the world, I think you have to be diversified, but it's not like I've got, it's not like I'm doing wine and then I'm doing steel. Right, right. It's all related into the, the umbrella of traderman per se.
[00:23:31] So. And I, and I just, I think it's with, with business being slow for me, it just is giving me a potential potential, right? I mean, we, we sell on potential now, potential doesn't pay the bills, but potential keeps your mood positive. And I, and I think a lot of people look at numbers a little bit too much. I mean, we all do, you know, we're down 10%, 20% what's happening next month.
[00:23:57] And I always [00:24:00] feel with it. It's not where you're at, where you're going. And I think with a lot of potential with podcasting, to grow my business and it's actually already helped, you know, we've sold wine because of it we've gotten wine tastings because of it just cause someone heard and they said, Hey, let's do I want to do a wine tasting with you?
[00:24:17] So I feel like I am focused on one industry and it's just, it's so far. I mean, so good. I guess.
[00:24:24] Randy: [00:24:24] . And I think it's great insight, especially day and age and the pandemic. And when there's an, as you mentioned, you know, just about any business I've talked to. however, I do have a couple of clients that are doing gangbusters they're in manufacturing.
[00:24:40]But just about anybody else's taken some kind of hit. Right. And so, and I think you begin to broaden a little bit of maybe what your offerings are and some of the things that you're involved with both, I think from kind of a, a mental health a little bit, right?
[00:24:55] Keep you engaged and keep you thinking, but as well, it helps you. Diversify [00:25:00] probably. So it helps so that you're not completely relying just on this one silo of business, that you've got some other potential things that may not necessarily uproot your primary, but it adds to the pie and helps begin to level some things out. Maybe.
[00:25:18] Luke Taylor: [00:25:18] Yeah, and I think that's, Oh, very much so. And Tripp Morris, who's just been kind of really helpful with me in my business career. I mean, he, he does concrete, but then he has a stabilization. They have a trucking company, right. They're
all related. And I think if you can, do that. It's just going to help.
[00:25:36] Like, if one's kind of slagging, it picks up the other one and it just helps in that realm.
[00:25:42] Randy: [00:25:42] Right. Right. So, you know, through your journey, as an entrepreneur, what's been your biggest challenge thus far. How did you tackle
[00:25:49] Luke Taylor: [00:25:49] keeping the toilets clean?
[00:25:54] I gotta clean them. Oh God. . I think when, when you, when you start a business, you try to be everything to [00:26:00] everybody and, you have to have a vision and you gotta stick with that vision. I tried to grow too fast with Traderman probably in the year three, four, and five. and that really, I mean, you know, I didn't, I was selling, I was, I ha I was picking up, I was doing more inventory, but I wasn't selling more.
[00:26:18] So there's something wrong with it. I think it's just stick to stick to your guns. time, I always feel, I mean, when you own a business, you never have enough time in the day. Another challenge, I think too was trying to balance. I've got kids who I just love and adore and a wife who I love and adore and is trying to balance that.
[00:26:36] And also trying to keep, when you go home, your dad and your, you know, you know, husband and father, and it's like, just. Trying to, and I think I've done a better job. I think you need to interview my wife because I think I'm wonderful once be honest, but I think it's the balance, right? I think every entrepreneur can tell you is balance and you have to take care of yourself.
[00:26:58] I'm I [00:27:00] stress eat. And it's, it's always going to be a challenge for me. And especially this year who, right? I mean, So I think there's a lot of challenges. We could have a whole couple episodes. Yeah. Yeah. Financial health. I mean, let's go.
[00:27:15] Randy: [00:27:15] Yeah. it is hard and it's been a difficult time. You went through it.
[00:27:20] You're going through it too. Absolutely. yeah. and we've, you know, unfortunately it seems like about every 10 years or so, we kind of go through some of these bills, you know, and so hopefully we won't have those for awhile anyway. So thinking throughout 10 years, but so you've been operating now, Traderman Wines for 10 years, 2010.
[00:27:41] Yeah. I'm looking back over those years. Anything that you can think of that you would have done differently at this point?
[00:27:49] Luke Taylor: [00:27:49] Probably never. No, I'm just kidding. gosh. Oh man. That's that's, that's kind of a tough question. what would I do differently? [00:28:00] I would probably not have brought so many brands on initially, like in the middle.
[00:28:03] I think the middle was, the toughest challenge. I brought a sales manager who's, you know, did a pretty good job, but did I really need it kind of thing. and I don't, so I'm not now. I think that's the biggest thing is, is trying to. You know, what's what is it? The tortoise tortoise in the hair, right.
[00:28:23] You know, slow and steady. Right? I think there's no, I think we all get caught up on, I'm going to grow. I'm going to grow. I'm going to grow. I want to make more money. I want to make more money, but just because you're selling more, doesn't mean you're making more because the more you sell, especially in distribution, you know, you have overhead, you have.
[00:28:40] Warehouse costs. You have delivery costs, you have vans, you have inventory. And just because I might sell another $500,000 or a million or a hundred thousand doesn't mean I'm going to make any more money. Right. and I think the bigger for my business, the bigger I wanted to get. The more headache and I, and you [00:29:00] gotta have a balance.
[00:29:00] I mean, I have friends that own companies that have 250 people and they handle it. Well, I have friends that have five people companies and, you know, they don't have that balance. So it really doesn't. I've got friends that have 50 people and they, they can balance it. So I think, and don't compare yourself to other people too.
[00:29:18] I mean, if you like what you do and you love what you're doing, it might not be now. It's not where you're at. It's where you're going. And if you see the vision, keep your head down and just keep trucking.
[00:29:28] Randy: [00:29:28] I love that advice. Actually, you threw out so many great just nuggets, coach, coach by heart drives me nuts.
[00:29:37] Yeah, coach, you did it. you hit it out of the park on so many aspects there, but, You know, I think you're right. And, there is a cost of scale and sometimes, and in businesses, and I'm sure, you know, some of our business owners that are listening, you know, they get this as well as that you can operate your business, take it to a certain level of growth and then understand.
[00:30:00] [00:30:00] The next level or the next stage is going to cost this and not necessarily just in dollars or resources, but as well on just your own personal time and engagement. What does that mean? And then you kind of ride that next level kind of hard. Until it gets to a point where you can either bring on additional resources, staff, people to help you manage it and that kind of thing.
[00:30:24] And then you begin to kind of coast and glide and keep growing, and then you kind of like, okay, do we keep going? Or what do you do? And it's tough. Those are very difficult. Conversations to have candidates you have internally right. With, with yourself. yeah. so that's good, but I'd love, you know, stay true, stay true to the vision, stay true to where you want it.
[00:30:43] Luke Taylor: [00:30:43] And I think the biggest thing is that, and I say this to my kids and it probably, I mean, I I'm a coach at heart and I played. High level athletics. And I tell my kids and I, and my wife hears it drives her nuts probably. and I live by this thing, there's never any [00:31:00] problems. There's only solutions people expect, especially in business.
[00:31:04] They worry, I feel they worry too much about the problem and they don't spend enough time with the solution. And I think that's the best advice I could probably ever get it. Don't worry about the problem. Figure out a solution. perfect example last week.
[00:31:18] You never have those weeks where it just keeps going and going. I only played golf once, which you, my wife says I'm not really playing much golf, which I just want to put that on the air. and I agreed with her and she said, what's wrong with you? But I had a perfect example. I got this wine delivered and we needed it real bad.
[00:31:33] And this came in from New Jersey. It was a pallet of wine, two 60 cases. And I pull it off the truck and forklift. I'm cool. Cause I have a forklift. Nice. I don't know how to drive stick, but I can drive the forklift. My son would love to come and tour the five second tour. Yeah. I can give them the five second tour.
[00:31:52] The VIP is ten second tour. So I get it. I'm looking at this palette and I'm thinking to myself. It just keeps [00:32:00] getting worse. They delivered the wrong pallet of wine. The funny thing, the silver, the funny thing behind it, it was actually my buddies pallet of wine that was supposed to go to Wisconsin. So I'm thinking to myself, I'm going to take some of it off.
[00:32:11] He won't mind. He doesn't need it. Well, you need it real bad. He needed it worse than I did. Yeah. Well, the, the, the delivery company said, if you touch it, you break it down. I can't take it back. So I had to take it back and it's just, you know, that's the frustrating part, right? I mean, we all have, right. But I'm like, well, what am I going to do?
[00:32:27] So you get on the phone, you'd call them. I got the wine the next day. And it somewhat worked out good.
[00:32:33] Randy: [00:32:33] So you focused on the solution instead of the problem
[00:32:36] ADDitude and effort. Yeah. My kids know it. The two things you can control every day is your attitude and your effort. When you wake up in the morning, you don't think yourself, man, Randy, I'm going to have a shitty day.
[00:32:44] Right? I mean, I felt like that last week. And I finally said to myself on Monday, I'm going to have a good day. You know what, my day was. Okay. On Monday.
[00:32:52] That is actually some of the advice I give my kids every day as they head out to school is like, Hey, just give your best effort. Yeah. I don't care.
[00:33:00] [00:33:00] Luke Taylor: [00:33:00] I don't care if you get A's or you win or you lose attitude, it's just like show up and give me attitude. And that's all you can control, right? Yes, yes. good words from the coach. Yeah. I don't listen to my own words sometimes, but whatever.
[00:33:12]Randy: [00:33:12] so aside from some of the stuff that you do from, Podcasting.
[00:33:17]what else do you do? How do you, can you market? What do you do is a distributor? How do you market wine? We have wine trail, German wines.
[00:33:25] Luke Taylor: [00:33:25] Well, it's interesting. Cause I am a distributor and I've got about 30. Awesome. about five awesome suppliers. I've got about another 25. I hate, but no, I've got, I've got 30, probably really good partners.
[00:33:35] Okay. And it's interesting because we can't, really advertise like with, by law
because the, the liquor laws, right. That's what I tell myself. So we just do a lot of tastings. I mean, we do, I do wine dinners. I've done them in Findlay, Ohio. I've done it in, I've got one coming up next week at Lake forest country club.
[00:33:53] And I mean, that's the biggest way glass pours. You know, we try to get on restaurant lists because then people try it and then they. Try to find out [00:34:00] where they buy it and stuff like that. And that's really the best way I can tell you. I work with a lot of boutique, small wineries, layered out of Napa Keenan out of Napa Meadowcroft.
[00:34:10] That is Sonoma. They don't have the marketing budgets, right? I mean, They've obviously done well for themselves, but so it's just, we just have to work. He pounded the pavement, like I said earlier, I've got a great team that, you know, especially now they're just, they're just fighting for every, you know, tooth and nail, which is, you know, which is, I'm blessed and honored in that respect.
[00:34:29]Randy: [00:34:29] love. The kind of the grassroots, if you would, a little bit, the, the, the personal touch, you know, where you're doing the dinners and the glass pours. I, you know, I think it still comes down to a relationship.
[00:34:42] I know that people will do business with people that they know like and trust and, my company's goal is like, well, how do we convey that digitally? But, you know, I still think it comes down to it. That's why I love, you know, you guys are out there on the street doing it. Yeah. Yeah. that's [00:35:00] great.
[00:35:00]Where do you see the company in the next three years? What's the, three years I'm saying longterm, but you know, that is kind of long term, I suppose. Seems like forever.
[00:35:09] Luke Taylor: [00:35:09] Well, let's see. I want to play more golf. now let's see, you know, it was like, I'll never forget. My first really ever job interview was with my, with my news.
[00:35:18] My first boss, my news director at KFXA, KFXB in Cedar Rapids Dubuque. I was a general assignment reporter. A sports director on air for Fox. And he said, where do you see yourself in five years? And I said, mr. Bond, I just want to dance. And he looked at me and he actually hired me. So, so three years, man, I, I really just want to keep dancing, to be honest with you.
[00:35:42] And what does that mean? I want to keep doing what I'm doing. Just keep growing, keep, Trying to just put one foot forward, over the next one and hopefully not keep going backwards. I'm hoping the podcast will help, especially the local and the cork and fork. Oh man. My kids are too young, so they can't [00:36:00] really take it over three years mean, can we talk like 30 years I'll still be working at 30 years.
[00:36:05] I just, I. It's the wait and see approach. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Let's be honest. The only thing I can control is today. And if I can just, you know, be careful tight is right right now. I mean, everybody thinks you got to cut. Cut. Cut, cut. Cut. I think you gotta make smart decisions. I really want to control inventory, you know, control pricing, just look at everything and, and hopefully we're just going to get out bigger and stronger.
[00:36:31] When, when we started the tennis club in 2005. Paramount Tennis Club. We had Medina, we built another one in Westlake 2005. What was 2008? Yeah. He pulled me out. I lived through that one too. And I will tell you we were up every year and I, and I think they still are. And I, I learned so much from Jim and Sarah arena who continued to own it.
[00:36:53] And, and, and I think you just, it doesn't, it's the attitude and effort, and it's just, it's not where you're [00:37:00] at to where you're going. And I think in three years, I'm hoping our sales will be. Back. I mean, we were having our best year up until about March 16th and then, you know, we're on a hike and heard the news that they're closing all the restaurants down, that kind of stung, but it is what it is.
[00:37:14] So yeah, just trying to keep plugging away, just have great partners, have great people I work with and just keep plugging away. That's all I can do. Yeah. Yeah. Tomorrow's not promised. There you go.
[00:37:26] Randy: [00:37:26] And I would say, you know, you're probably right along with 80% of the other business owners that are out there because who would have ever have thought, back in March that we would have been facing, , the last six months of craziness that we've had.
[00:37:42] Luke Taylor: [00:37:42] I think it was a bad dream. Yeah. I mean, some days I I'm serious, I drive and I don't even put any music or talk and I'm just thinking like, am I, is this really happening? But you know, it's life and it's just, there's never any problems. There's only solution. I'm still trying to figure out the solution, attitude and effort.
[00:38:00] [00:37:59] Call me. Yeah.
[00:38:01]Randy: [00:38:01] that's good stuff. Alright. so now here we are. We're coming down to the bottom of the ninth here and for us bottom of the ninth, it's. It's always the same question I give to every guest. What advice do you have for the other rookies in the game? So those folks who are thinking about starting a business or have just started they're in their first one or two years, I mean, you're a bit of a veteran now in the game of business.
[00:38:25]what's your advice for these guys?
[00:38:26] Luke Taylor: [00:38:26] Whatever I tell you don't listen. let's see. God, what would be some good advice? You know, the best is surround yourself with good people, surround yourself with, I mean, surround yourself with people that believe in you and that are going to help you. I mean, I can't. Do what I do without my wife and my kids. I mean, my wife is, in the beginning it was interesting because she's not in business, her whole family's in medicine and she's, I mean, she doesn't really, understand, but I think she does now.
[00:38:54] And, and you gotta have good support whether it's at home. Don't be afraid to fail, [00:39:00] we all look at it like we're gonna, we're scared to fail. And I think that's why a lot of people. Don't do what they do. They talk like, I was always raised by my parents who were awesome. They said, you know, the people that talk don't do and the people that do don't talk and don't be afraid to fail.
[00:39:17] I mean, it's okay. I mean, you look at Abraham Lincoln, didn't he fail three times and they became president. Was it any brave? At least? Yeah. Then he got assassinated. So I
don't know if that's a good, a good thing, but just. Do what you love, and if you believe in it and you feel my dad would always say it's like gambling only gamble with your, I guess, comfortable with losing. So, you know, do all the research, but trust your gut. I mean, my whole life I've been told. I couldn't do it. Like someone told me with the tennis club while you're crazy for doing it, or, you know, I started this business only. I only had to conduct in the wine industry.
[00:39:53] And one of them told me a restaurant who is a friend of mine, said to me, you're crazy. I'm like, are you serious? A [00:40:00] restaurant tours. Tell me I'm crazy. You own a restaurant. And I think it's just believe in yourself. And today is not tomorrow and it's not next week. And it's not where you're at. It's where you're going.
[00:40:10] And. You know, be, be smart about it. So what do I know? ,
[00:40:17]Randy: [00:40:17] Great words of advice. people can connect with you trader men wines, dot com. Yup. Right. also look for you. I'm assuming on all of the, the platforms for cork and tailor the podcast and then coming out soon. When's the launch date for the new one?
[00:40:35] Luke Taylor: [00:40:35] I think August either August 31st, we're going to have a promo, I think next week. and then it'll probably be beginning to end of August, beginning of September. And it's a, it w the website will be out next week, WW dot cork, and fork dot com and it's cork and fork and a cork. And Taylor's. you know, so we've still got to get going, so, yeah.
[00:40:55] Randy: [00:40:55] Alright. Well that is a that's great stuff. And the, Hey, that's the ball game. Thanks for [00:41:00] being with us, Luke. Appreciate it. I appreciate it. Thanks Bentley. Been a lot of fun and for our audience. Hey, thanks for joining us today. And if you'd like to show, please tell your friends, subscribe on any of your favorite platforms and we'd always love your review.
[00:41:15] It really appreciate it. And as we see around here, we'll see around the ballpark. Running the bases with small businesses is brought to you by 38 digital marketer, a digital marketing agency, committed to client growth with lead generation higher conversions and increased sales connect with us today@thirtyeightdigitalmarket.com.