{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"004 - The Poppin Joe\u2019s Story: Building a Business on a Shoestring Budget","description":"Welcome to the Autism Advantage podcast! I\u2019m your host, Tom D\u2019Eri, the COO and co-founder of Rising Tide Car Wash. In case you\u2019re not familiar with what we do, we employ a fantastic team of individuals with autism, allowing us to empower our staff while offering a fantastic experience to customers. We believe that individuals with autism are an incredible untapped resource for many business, and this show is dedicated to proving that employing these people can create real competitive advantages. Ray Steffey, along with his son Joe, founded Poppin\u2019 Joe\u2019s Gourmet Kettle Korn. We\u2019ve had the opportunity to share Ray\u2019s story quite a bit in our Awakening the Autism Entrepreneur workshops, and the reason behind the company really resonates with the people who have come. As you\u2019ll hear in this episode, the company\u2019s story begins when Joe was in high school. Ray was told that Joe has no attention span, can\u2019t say on task, would probably never hold a job, and would likely live in a group home for his whole life.  When he heard this in April of 2000, Ray knew that he had to prove these predictions wrong. On a cruise to Alaska, he saw a booth with a constant line, and discovered it was selling kettle corn. He watched the process of making and selling the corn, and realized that the multiple tasks involved might be perfect for Joe. They bought used equipment, and on October 1, 2000 -- less than half a year after that fateful conversation at Joe\u2019s school -- they had their first event.  They sold several hundred dollars\u2019 of kettle corn that first weekend, and have been developing their business ever since. Joe became the owner of the kettle corn business in April 2005. Since then, the business has grown so much that he\u2019s selling over $70,000 in popcorn every year. In terms of daily functionality, Joe doesn\u2019t like to repeat one task over and over. The other workers in the business know that Joe is the owner, so when he approaches the station where they\u2019re working (such as the bagging station), their job is to go to the station he just came from (such as the mixing station). You\u2019ll also learn in this episode how Joe is able to handle being at large venues with tens of thousands of people even though he doesn\u2019t like being around more than a handful of people at a time, how the business is staying in the family across several generations, Ray\u2019s advice to people who are considering starting a business, and much more!   In This Episode: [00:58] - Ray talks about why he started Poppin\u2019 Joe\u2019s, sharing the story of the moment he knew that he had to prove people wrong and ensure Joe would have a productive, fulfilling life. [03:27] - We learn that diving into the business was fairly straightforward because the people who sold Ray the equipment already had dates for sales lined up, so they just had to call the venues and finish getting everything lined up. [04:46] - Ray talks about where the funding for Poppin\u2019 Joe\u2019s came from, and how successful the business is today. [06:32] - Going into the process, did Ray think the business would definitely succeed? Did he know that Joe would gravitate toward the work? As Ray answers, he shares some information on the practical details of how the business runs. [07:48] - Joe doesn\u2019t like to be around a lot of people, and tends to disappear at family gatherings, for example. Ray talks about how this has played out when the business has been at a festival with thousands of people. [09:26] - Tom points out that Ray couldn\u2019t have known for long that this was going to be the path for Joe, since he only discovered kettle corn during that trip to Alaska. At what point did Ray figure out that this was what they would do for Joe? [11:30] - We learn about how Ray helps Joe make the connection between the work he does and the positive things he gets to do with the money he earns. [12:17] - Joe is 30, and his parents are in their 70s. They put the word out that they\u2019re looking for a co-owner for the business to ensure it moves forward once Ray and his wife aren\u2019t able to be as actively involved, and now their oldest grandson has indicated interest. [13:50] - Tom shares his perspective on involving multiple generations in an autism-involved business, and making it endure. [13:38] - What would be Ray\u2019s advice for people who are looking to start a business? [16:38] - Tom points out that what Ray is describing is a full and fulfilling life, and the ideal small business entrepreneur\u2019s lifestyle. [17:50] - We hear Tom\u2019s thoughts on Ray\u2019s point about feeling like ordinary folks who decided to do something and ended up going on a great journey. [19:37] - How would Ray advise somebody who wants to figure out what their son or daughter with autism is interested in, with the goal of starting a business around it? [21:59] - Ray lists some ways that listeners can get involved with the business (other than buying their kettle corn!).   Links and Resources: Poppin\u2019 Joe\u2019s Gourmet Kettle Korn Poppin Joe\u2019s Kettle Corn on Facebook @PoppinJoes on Twitter Contact Poppin\u2019 Joe\u2019s Awakening the Autism Entrepreneur Tom D\u2019Eri Rising Tide Car Wash Rising Tide U Autism Advantage University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism & Related Disabilities ","author_name":"Autism Advantage","author_url":"http:\/\/theautismadvantage.libsyn.com\/podcast","html":"