Introspection and Empathy with Alex Bayer, Co-Founder and CEO of Genius Juice
Description:
In this episode, Lee is joined by the Co-Founder and CEO of Genius Juice, Alex Bayer, to share his entrepreneurship journey. Alex opens up about his struggles with social anxiety growing up, how his lifestyle supports him through personal challenges, and the sales ability his introspection has afforded him. We learn about the genesis of Genius Juice and the lessons Alex learned along the way, as well as his experience of pitching his business on Shark Tank. Tune in to discover how a life coach inspired a major shift in Alex’s trajectory and hear his astute advice for aspiring entrepreneurs!
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In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
- [03:06] Alex Bayer’s experience of “parentpreneurship” as a new parent.
- [06:49] How Alex’s upbringing informed the way he works through personal challenges.
- [09:44] His early interests, aspirations, and forays into entrepreneurship.
- [15:51] His unusual college job selling cellphone plans and where he went from there.
- [17:42] How he managed his social anxiety in sales roles; how his introspection aided him.
- [23:03] His shift to non-profit work, and ultimately the food and beverage industry.
- [29:22] The genesis of Genius Juice and what Alex learned about building a brand.
- [38:43] The Shark Tank reality.
- [42:55] Genius Juice’s current status and future endeavors.
- [44:44] Alex’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and those in the thick of building a business.
To Find Out More:
Genius Juice Crowdfunding Campaign
Quotes:
“The first three [or] four years of your life are so crucial. It actually locks in who you are for the rest of your life—your brain chemistry [and] your personality.” — Alex Bayer [0:08:18]
“Exercise, meditation, and yoga really help you to work through a lot of anxiety or challenges.” — Alex Bayer [0:09:07]
“If you eat the right things, the chemistry in your body [improves]. You feel better, you feel happier, [and] you feel more clarity.” — Alex Bayer [0:09:18]
“Growing up, I was always an entrepreneur. I used to buy and sell Star Wars figures on eBay.” — Alex Bayer [0:15:09]
“I’ve always thought against the grain and wanted to do things differently from others.” — Alex Bayer [0:16:34]
“The anxiety is always going to be there, no matter what. You can work on it with your lifestyle to limit it.” — Alex Bayer [0:18:20]
“Whenever you struggle or go through challenges, you learn about yourself but then you learn about others and how to connect better.” — Alex Bayer [0:20:17]
“Looking back, we learned so much but we did a lot of things wrong. It was just inefficient but you learn as you go.” — Alex Bayer [0:32:09]
“I’ve adjusted my energy levels in this business to not be frantically trying to do everything and really focusing on one thing at a time.” — Alex Bayer [0:33:32]
“Taking your time is the right way to do it in this business, to do it right.” — Alex Bayer [0:34:27]
“Less is more, in this business. You don’t have to take over the world. You don’t have to be everywhere. You don’t have to be in all the different stores. Just focus on the niche.” — Alex Bayer [0:35:54]
“You can do really well on Shark Tank but is that going to make your company successful? No. It’s going to help you get there. It’s really about the hustle, [the entrepreneur, and the product]. Those pieces of the puzzle help you to become a long-term successful brand.” — Alex Bayer [0:42:26]
“Have a really solid plan going into it. Take your time with it, don’t try to rush through things. You don’t have to get it done by tomorrow. Make sure to have a financial plan, as well. Make sure you have enough money to accomplish what you want to accomplish and also have an avenue for capital lined up.” — Alex Bayer [0:45:00]
