A few years into their marriage, Autumn Fleck and her husband, Trevor, made the decision that they wanted to budget well, save hard, and retire early so they could travel the world and live a life set apart. And then one day - she had a cockroach run down her arm! - and the next day she found a cockroach in her daughter’s bed! - and of course informed her husband they needed to call for pest control. “What are we going to cut from our spend so we can fit that in the budget?” was hubby’s response. “I dunno - but we need pest control - stat!”

Autumn had been working in the wine industry for years, and enjoyed it - but Covid changed her job and industry dramatically, and she had been furloughed to two days per week during the pandemic. She took a loan signing course, got her Notary Public, and marketed herself to 50 local real estate, mortgage, and title offices. It was the height of the refinance boom, and in her first month - working 3 days a week at around $100 per loan closing - she made $10,000! The next month, she made $17,000! Pest control budget solved! - and wine career officially over!

Autumn founded Precision Signing Agency in November of 2020, and within 12 months she transformed the business from herself as an Independent LSA (Loan Signing Agent) to the CEO of a high-growth national signing agency! In 2023, Autumn and Trevor moved their family to Fort Collins (which she had dreamed of for years) and she has continued to grow her client base and HQ team and her network of professional loan signing agents nationwide. She’s had quite a journey - at one point losing over 50% of their revenue overnight - but has grown herself and her company to become one of the fastest growing in her industry and in our region!

She’s also smart, sassy, funny, and overall - my kinda people. So please enjoy, as I did, my conversation with Autumn Fleck.

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by: Logistics Co-op | https://logisticscoop.com/

💡Learn about LoCo Think Tank

Follow us to see what we're up to:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Facebook

Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Diego Rago Vega is a chef, a writer, a philosopher, and a permanent resident here on political asylum - but he came to America long before it was trendy. He and his family operated an import/export business in Venezuela, and as the nation’s economic fortunes crumbled under first Chavez and then Moralez, the enterprise became unsustainable - in part because the family wasn’t aligned with the government, or willing to be compromised.

Diego’s business is Obsidian Atlas, and he provides strategic marketing consulting and full-spectrum marketing activities - mostly for B2B small businesses. He was a top producing marketer for Madwire and other agencies in previous chapters, but branched out to start his own firm so that he could give individualized attention to his clients. Diego’s business is early stage in America, but his philosophies and experience run deep, and the journey he shares in our conversation - along with about a third of a bottle of bourbon between us - will please and inspire the hearts and minds of our long-form conversational podcast listeners. And - this is a long one, but full of the good stuff - so please enjoy - as I did - my conversation with Diego Rago Vega.

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by: Logistics Co-op | https://logisticscoop.com/

💡Learn about LoCo Think Tank

Follow us to see what we're up to:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Facebook

Music By: A Brother's Fountain

I first learned about Toddy, LLC circa 2013, during the twilight of my banking career. The story I heard was that the owners of a local marketing agency, Clay Pot Creative, had purchased a manufacturing business in Texas, and moved it up to Loveland! The company made cold brew coffee systems (whatever that was), and seemed to have a strong product in a niche market - a banker’s dream client! I failed to connect but tried again to reach them a few years later as I was growing LoCo Think Tank - but little did I know that they were in the midst of a family move to Denver, to stay close to a child fighting for his life at Children’s Hospital.

I’m an easy grace kind of guy though, so when Julia reached out this spring with a “We’ve heard from friends that we should be on your podcast” email, I was quick to book them and eager to share their story. I didn’t know the half of the trials and tribulations they’d journeyed through, and their story is an inspiring one for any entrepreneurial couple who wants to keep family values first AND build a successful business enterprise.

Today, Toddy holds a strong market share in the commercial cold brew systems marketplace, and their business has grown as more and more coffee chains and independents embrace the unique flavor profiles of cold brew. Toddy also has a sound consumer product set, including a roastery and a selection of cold-brew specialty coffees, cold-brew filters, and a tasting room in Loveland - and their home-use equipment is increasingly entering households - and they’re soon to have a system at Walmart!

Through it all, this pair now finds themselves in a great spot, with a strong business, relationship, and family dynamic, and I very much enjoyed - as you will each of our listeners - my conversation with Julia and Andy Leach of Toddy, LLC.

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by: Logistics Co-op | https://logisticscoop.com/

💡Learn about LoCo Think Tank

Follow us to see what we're up to:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Facebook

Music By: A Brother's Fountain