The Spicy Journey of a Sauce-Maker: Chef Richard Cooper's Entrepreneurial Spirit

Chef Richard Cooper, renowned for having transformed his unique creation, the whiskey bourbon sauce, into a flourishing business, graces our show with his charismatic presence. Allow him to take you on a culinary adventure as he shares the genesis of his brand, Oh Eddie's. Richard's journey is not just about crafting a top-selling sauce; it's also about overcoming the hurdles of entrepreneurship and emerging victorious.

Join us as Richard uncovers how his faith and his commitment to a cause close to his heart led him to establish the Cooper's Bone marrow Transplant Foundation. This initiative, aimed at aiding families with medical expenses, reflects the aspect of Richard's enterprise that goes beyond business. Prepare to be touched as he shares heartfelt interactions with customers, many of whom have been affected by cancer, highlighting the emotional facet of his entrepreneurial journey.

Richard's aspirations for Oh Eddie's. Get a glimpse of the challenges he anticipates and his strategies to overcome them as he aims to scale his business. From distribution hurdles to the power of SEO, and even his dream of making a Shark Tank appearance, Richard is ready to conquer it all. He talks about his plans for launching new product lines and his grand vision of making Oh Eddie's the nation's top sauce. Tune in for an episode packed with lessons on entrepreneurial resilience, the power of passion, and the tantalizing taste of Oh Eddie's whiskey bourbon sauce.

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Transcript

Speaker 3: 0:10

Secretly recorded from deep inside the bowels of a decommissioned missile silo. We bring you the man, one single man, who wants to bring light to the darkness and dark to the lightness. Although he's not always right, he is always certain. So now, with security protocols in place, the protesters have been forced back behind the barricades and the blast doors are now sealed. Without further delay, let me introduce you to the host of the podcast, Mr Tim Hudner.

Speaker 2: 0:45

Thank you, Sergeant in Arms. You can now take your post. The views and opinions expressed in this program are solely those of the individual and participants. These views and opinions expressed do not represent those of the host or the show. The opinions in this broadcast are not to replace your legal, medical or spiritual professionals. Welcome to the podcast. It is 11, 26, 23,. Live in person in the studio. Mr Richard Cooper is going to be on the show. Richard, are you there with me?

Speaker 1: 1:17

Yes, I am Tim.

Speaker 2: 1:18

Okay, we're going to do this pre-roll and we're going to jump. Oh Eddie's bourbon sauce. I go to a commercial, do our pre-roll and then we are rocking and rolling. So standby hudcast, we'll be right back.

Speaker 4: 1:29

This grill and season, take your taste buds to the next level. The sauce that'll change your barbecue forever. Oh Eddie's whiskey bourbon sauce is going to be at the Anoka County Fair. Oh Eddie's whiskey bourbon sauce is all about that split second when the tender meat and delectable sauce touches your taste buds. Believe me, chef Richard Cooper is bringing oh Eddie's whiskey bourbon sauce to the Anoka County Fair so you can taste it and become a believer yourself. Oh Eddie's whiskey bourbon sauce the sauce that's worth the wait.

Speaker 2: 2:00

As mentioned in pre-roll, Chef Richard Cooper is here in the office and he has got some information about oh Eddie's and his journey in life and how things have just kind of got. There Are you with me today.

Speaker 1: 2:13

Yes, I am Tim, and thanks for having me here.

Speaker 2: 2:15

Thanks for taking your afternoon and let's make this happen. So you know, I got a list of questions here and again. It's just a guide and I want to hear from you, and the people want to hear from you, because people don't know what it takes to start up a business. They don't know what startup really means, and I want to turn this into a lesson of you. Know, it's not always a paved with gold, it's paved with turds, and here we are sometimes right. That's correct. So, as your journey from Chef to Entrepreneur, what can you share with us among this journey? Being a chef over 20 years and creating, oh, eddie's whiskey, barbecue sauce or bourbon sauce? Well, it's really about.

Speaker 1: 2:58

you know your failures and your success and when you fail you don't defer from that. You just take what you. You know how you failed and try to make changes and don't be afraid to try again. And that's exactly what I did. Tried. One business failed and I didn't look down on that, but then I basically started my own insurance agency from scratch and took the chance and that went very well and I sold the business and decided to do something with this very special sweet and savory whiskey bourbon sauce that everybody just basically loved. And so did my education and online and tried to figure out how to get a product and what to do, and it took a lot of hours just to educate to before you even want to roll out a new business or start one. So that's where it started from.

Speaker 2: 4:01

What inspired you to turn the family recipe into into a business venture?

Speaker 1: 4:06

Well, everybody had. I was making my sauce for Christmas, you know, handing them out to family and friends. They just went crazy over it, and so when I sold my business, I'm like well, why not do something with this? Because it's not a barbecue sauce, it's not a marinade, it's basically a very it's a finishing sauce and it's a specialty product that everybody seems to have taken a liking to.

Speaker 1: 4:34

It basically changes their palate, hits their palate and changes how they cook and prepare their food and give them different options, and it's been very exciting and rewarding so far.

Speaker 2: 4:46

So, Mm, that sounds like a great start. I mean, family loves it, friends love it, and what is the difference between a finishing sauce and a barbecue sauce?

Speaker 1: 4:56

A barbecue sauce, you just keep putting a whole bunch on and until you have it spread all over your white t-shirt and your face, but, it's a, it's a, very it's a. I guess that it's a specialty sauce where you only need one or two ounces after you've prepared your food or spiced it, smoked it, grilled it, baked it, and basically you just put a little bit, one or two ounces over the top of your product and it just. It changes how the meal tastes and moves forward.

Speaker 2: 5:27

I did not know that and I'm a smoker. I smoke a lot of meat. So, you know, I smoke with barbecue. I wait till it congeals or it gels up, as I as I'm cooking it. Some people say I don't put it on that early, but you know, hey, it's my cook.

Speaker 1: 5:40

Yeah, basically, I did my first barbecue rib fest competition in July up in East Bethel, minnesota and first time ever, and I literally smoked 18 racks of ribs and smoked 18 competitors in one first place with my sauce. And so it's not about the sauce being put all over it and everything is about how you spice it, smoke it, grill it and then basically prep it and put your sauce on afterwards, or the finishing touch, and that's why we call it a finishing sauce.

Speaker 2: 6:17

I see and it was at that stock and trade show, or what do they call it up?

Speaker 1: 6:20

there. Then I was a Smokies barbecue rib fest up in East Bethel and then I did another one on Route 65, just back in October and I did not win that one, my smoker went down but I was able to finish my product and I was able to turn in my ribs. But the stock yard days I was just. I do a lot of arts and crafts, festivals and fairs and car shows and that's basically how I've been getting my brand out there and my product and getting the followers. So it's been it's not.

Speaker 1: 6:58

Insurance was a great business and I built a lot of relationships and did very well at it. But this has been a lot of fun and I love to see people's smiles on their face and their responses and their reviews based on what they like and how they're just going crazy over this unbelievable product that I've come up with. So it's basically I have a. I have 30 recipes out there and a recipe on every jar. So I think the COVID area, covid time, helped me launch because people couldn't go to restaurants and so now a lot of people didn't know how to cook or bake. You know, I'm very well, so this is a way to really get out there and they use my recipes on my labels and they cook the food and they put the sauce on and they just going. It's gone viral and just I never thought it would go this far, so I'm very blessed Wow.

Speaker 2: 8:01

I can imagine, I suppose the 2020s and all that with that pandemic and they did all that type of tying them up and closing restaurants. I never even thought about that. It would be a hell of a launching point for you, yeah it kind of was.

Speaker 1: 8:12

So again they come get out to eat, and so it gives them another option on how to prepare certain foods and actually look like chefs themselves.

Speaker 2: 8:24

Well, I would imagine that they should have brought back home eck in schools then. Right, that's correct. Yeah, the whole home eck. No shop classes, no, nothing else. Everybody wants to sit behind a computer and do their job. Well, sometimes you got to get in and get your hands barbecuing.

Speaker 1: 8:38

Yeah, pretty much.

Speaker 2: 8:39

Yeah, so not knowing, moving on to the second question, what the other people are doing with their sauces and without giving away the farm, what goes into crafting your signature sauce? Is there any technique or ingredients or techniques that sets oh Eddie's apart from other bourbon sauces?

Speaker 1: 8:59

Well, it's all there's no preservatives, everything's up. I had to change the recipe up a lot by not using fresh greens and start using some freeze dried ingredients to make the cost effective. So when they mass-produced it, that the flavor, the smell and the taste is still there. And so it took quite a while to get the right sample and the right company to mass-produce thousands of jars at a time. And so they get saying there's no preservatives and it's not gluten free.

Speaker 1: 9:35

But again it's no preservatives and it just hits everybody's palate like no tomorrow Wow.

Speaker 2: 9:43

Now, on the cover of your everything, you have your Camaro and I'm kind of an F-body guy, so I'm a Camaro guy. Yeah, motivation road trip. You're traveling across the US in your 97 Z28SS to visit cancer centers. What motivated you to embark on this journey and how do you plan to inspire and provide hope for the families and fighters you meet.

Speaker 1: 10:07

Well, you know, again, cancer sucks and I'm a 12 year survivor. I beat it with stage three, nine hotskins lymphoma and I had eight sessions of chemo. I beat it. It was gone for a couple of months and then it came back and so they sent me down to the? U for see if I qualify for a stem cell. So I had a stem cell transplant in 2013 and the Lord's blessed me in so many ways and I'm very fortunate to be above ground and be able to still share my story and my sauce. But the biggest thing is when I finally beat the cancer with my wife, patty, best friend, soulmate, best caregiver.

Speaker 1: 10:50

I mean you have to have a caregiver when you're going through this. But it was very special to me for me and her to start our own foundation which was Cooper's Bomeral Transplant Foundation. And basically what we did is we started this and we were doing charity golf events once a year and we'd raise 10 to 15 grand and have a good day and some fun with people and golf and dinner and silent oxen. But it went well for five years. But then COVID came and basically shut us down and not shut us down but you know, kind of slowed the whole process. But we were able to raise money every year and help patients and families with medical expenses and kind of reach out, because people don't know what they're in for when that C word comes up and it's traumatizing, it's demoralizing and it's.

Speaker 1: 11:46

You can go into a lot of different directions depression, da, da, da, da. But positive attitude and faith in the Lord and you'll find. You'll find he'll help you, guide your way, and he did that for me and that's why I percentage of my sales as we move forward. Oh, at least we're donating to our foundation, cooper's Bomeral, and then we'll also, we will have the opportunity to help families and patients and that's what my goal is Nice nice and you know, I'm kind of that believer too where the good Lord above put somebody there in front of you and you're there to be there.

Speaker 1: 12:27

Yeah, he's blessed me in so many ways. I mean just how I come in contact with you, give me the opportunity to do this podcast and get my brand up, but it's just everything happens for a reason and he's put me in places and put me in front of people that can help guide me or educate me to really get this to be the number one selling sauce in the nation, and that's my. That wasn't my goal, but if I can get this to be the number one selling sauce in the nation, the sales will be there, the donations will be there and the cancer patients will be able to, will be able to help out a lot, and so that's really my goal and I think that's why the Lord sees my mission and vision. I'm blessed.

Speaker 2: 13:13

When you make it big number one, don't forget little guys like us, hot cast out in the undisclosed location of a missile silo. You know we gotta do that for anonymity, but yeah, don't forget us, because we also do other things here on the cast and we wanna make sure that everybody's well heard. So let's see, travis Cross got that question handled. Last show I was talking to a doctor, a homeopathic doctor, a homeopathic filmmaker, I mean he just he's one of these guys that are. You know they're, they're juggernaut and health, and I gave him this quote and I always thought it was from the Bible what he had corrected me and I says how does it go? The wicked don't need rest and the righteous don't need any. There's no rest for the wicked. Here it is there's no rest for the wicked and the righteous don't need any. And it was half right. But you know, sometimes we just gotta be on that juggernaut ourselves, and I think you're on that path.

Speaker 1: 14:12

Yeah, I think so, and that's a great, that's a great quote there. It really is.

Speaker 2: 14:19

Now memorable experiences. Throughout your travels and interactions, what has been some of the most memorable experiences? Stories that touched you deep down in the heart.

Speaker 1: 14:31

Well, when I'm in my grocery store, retail stores, doing food samples, and people sample it and they hear my mission, vision and story and they come up and tell me they've had a family or their parents or their mother has cancer and just passed away and you know those, when they, when those people reach out to me and tell me those things, I really break down and cry because it's very emotional and it touches my heart because this, this cancer, everybody has been touched by somebody in their lives and it is it really, really hits the heart. So I love hearing I don't like hearing that from you know my customers or people, but you know I'm glad they're sharing that with me and I can share my story and I do have my my story up on my website under my foundation and there's a picture of me with my stem cell bag and you know my story there and you can go to Caring Bridge and actually you don't read the whole thing because it's a.

Speaker 1: 15:48

It's a very difficult time to go through and if you can have faith in the Lord and just keep praying and get the best outcome, and that's what has happened with me and a lot of other people. Unfortunately, some don't make it, but it touches my heart very, very much so.

Speaker 2: 16:10

Well, that's a lot to touch right. Yeah, okay, we are what. 14 minutes into this segment, I'm going to hit you with question number five and then we're going to a commercial break. So, future aspirations and support, with the goal of reaching grocery store shelves. What are some of the challenges that Oedys is facing in terms of scaling up? You know, getting this thing rolling. How, how can listeners support your journey and help bring sauce to more homes across the country, across the world? Because hot cast is a global listening.

Speaker 1: 16:43

Yeah, hopefully it will go. You know worldwide, you know right now. So we started with a barge and craft show and then I went to I knew where I had to go with it.

Speaker 1: 16:54

So fairs and car shows, but the biggest thing is I really want to. I've done everything I can to get at where it's at. I've done this all myself. I'm not bragging, but it's a. It's been a very long, tough journey and I've sacrificed a lot of time from my best friend and soulmate, my wife Patty, and unfortunately I don't have any children, which would have sacrificed even more.

Speaker 1: 17:21

But there's been a lot of sacrifices, and so I've taken as far as I can Websites. Everything's good. We're getting orders on website. I'd like to see, hopefully, more on my e-commerce and start shipping more to help elevate the brand.

Speaker 1: 17:37

But the biggest thing our challenge is right now is distribution, and most of these distribution companies help entrepreneurs or new products like mine get on the shelves and retail grocery stores and you need to have that distribution and if you don't have it then you're pretty much just basically on, you know, basically on e-commerce and hoping that things go well and maybe get on Amazon sometime.

Speaker 1: 18:04

But the distribution is where it's the most challenging at this point for me in getting the right companies to help or accept me and my product to get it out to the other stores. I don't want them on the shelves next to you know, all the other barbecue sauces out there, but I want my own floor display next to the fresh meat corner and it stands out by itself. So the biggest thing is distribution now and that's where I'm focusing my rest of this year and hopefully by start of next year we'll have a good opportunity to start regionally and get it into convenience gas stations. You know your speedways, quick trips, all in places like that. So once distribution comes, I do believe that by the end of 2024, this could be the number one selling sauce in the nation, which would be absolutely astonishing and it can happen. You got to believe, you know, got to believe that's right.

Speaker 2: 19:03

So so you say you're not on Amazon? Why?

Speaker 1: 19:07

I've done a lot of Zoom meetings and other with different companies that you know. Amazon I was thinking about getting on there, but the brand isn't out far enough yet. That they think and you need more structure and more products maybe to get on there, but that's common. So I found out that that's really not where to go at this point. But I think once we get the brand nationwide I think in the e-commerce and the website orders, you know, fulfillments there then it will be time to go on to Amazon. So everybody in the nation can, or the world can, order 080, sweet savory, whiskey, bourbon sauce online.

Speaker 2: 19:52

Sure, I do know that all the social medias, they have an account called an SEO, search engine optimization and they use an algorithm. Yes, so if you were to see an ad sponsored at 080s finishing sauce and you touch on it now that puts you into a, into a different category. Now, all of a sudden, if you have an Amazon account, guess what pulls up?

Speaker 1: 20:16

Well, hopefully 080s. But basically, you know, your barbecue sauce is yeah, no doubt.

Speaker 2: 20:22

So that's a very strong, powerful tool. Some people say it's kind of big brotherish. You know we're kind of the anti big brotherish type of show, but it's your search engine and you're doing the searching and I don't know yes, and well, that's how I found some of these companies that can help me with the social media marketing and advertising.

Speaker 1: 20:44

And once I clicked on the one, well there goes. All these other ones keep coming up and I've been doing a lot of zoom meetings with each different company to see which one really fits 080s and and the cost and you know where who can help get me the best without the big expenses at this point. But looking for someone to grow, but that's yeah, that you're right, that's how that that's hurt. The SEO and the return investment can be huge Once I huge once I get my Instagram set up and have my posts and videos and maybe even this podcast can be on there someday.

Speaker 1: 21:22

But you know and be a big sponsor, for you know hudcast.

Speaker 2: 21:29

Yes, absolutely yeah. 70 plus countries were translated in eight languages that I know of were at 45 million and growing. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:39

That's amazing.

Speaker 2: 21:40

But it you know again, as I told you, it sounds like a big number, but worldwide it's not.

Speaker 1: 21:45

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 21:46

I mean there's billions of phones. Yeah right, I'm just a scratch on a sniff of a maybe, of a kind of yeah, but I got enough listeners listening.

Speaker 1: 21:54

Yeah and oh, eddie's is just scratching the surface, right now I mean yeah sweet baby raiser number one selling sauce in the nation. Why People like it and the price. But no, I honestly believe that with the right distribution and the product and the marketing and the right person behind me, this can be the number one selling sauce and we can do a lot of good with the, with the sales, and change people's ways and habits on how they make their food and eat it and have fun eating food again, because most people don't even know what to make anymore.

Speaker 1: 22:30

every day they don't know how to make it.

Speaker 2: 22:32

It's not a microwave.

Speaker 1: 22:33

Yeah, a lot of microwave. No more of that, yeah.

Speaker 2: 22:36

So if sweet baby raiser comes knocking on my doors for for midroll sponsorship, I should what say? Maybe not this time.

Speaker 1: 22:43

No, I don't think so. In any business, you take what you give, yeah, but okay, so what are we here?

Speaker 2: 22:51

Oh, 20 minutes, that went fast. Okay, we've already talked about a question five. We have just a whole lot of questions. So let's talk about transition from chef to business owner when we come back from the break and and just kind of get us on page with that. Okay, Okay.

Speaker 2: 23:10

I'd cast is going to take a break, pay the bills and we're going to come back and talk to oh Eddie's finishing sauce about his transitions from chef to business owner. That's kind of where we're going to go. Stand by, we'll be right back. Now a word from our sponsors, today's sponsor, in part by Excel Roofing. Excel Roofing they do it all roofs, siding, framing. You need a house. Give Excel a call. I've used these guys personally in the past. Have a professional crew, their conscience of your job and they want to produce the finest quality of craftsmanship available. Excel Roofing 7637120757. Again, 7637120757. Excel Roofing, dayton, minnesota. Welcome back to HuttCast. Richard Cooper, chef, extraordinaire Master cook I mean there's a whole list of things that goes on there and you know you can't make a finishing sauce without having some of those titles. But we're back and we want to talk about transitions from chef to business owner. After decades as a chef, what challenges you and what challenges did you face transitioning from the role of a business owner and how did your culinary experience influence your approach to running Oedis?

Speaker 1: 24:34

Well, you know, when I was started cooking I was like 16 years old, in a Mexican restaurant, but I never went to culinary school and just really learned hands on from other chefs and sous chefs and over the years you know different restaurants Italian, mexican and then about five star hotels and learning from the chefs how to do sculptures and water and water melon sculptures and ice sculptures and set up bouffets and all that.

Speaker 1: 25:08

So over the years I just was able to educate and learn from on the job, training, which is really great. You know, saves a lot of cost in college and right there.

Speaker 1: 25:20

I mean, there's a lot of chefs are much better than I am. I mean not one of those. You know crews, you know those crew shifts that have all these beautiful things, but I'm very talented in so many ways. But it's done, it's just. You know, once 25 years went by, I just like Well, you know, I got to change something else and I found out that sales was my niche. And when I got into sales for insurance, that went very well.

Speaker 1: 25:48

And so, with the sauce, once I sold my insurance agency I knew that I have a product I can sell and I have a story, mission and a vision and I just knew that transitioning from that and insurance sales could all the education I learned in sales for insurance really I don't even that business really helped me grow and be successful to where I'm at right now with the way it is Wow.

Speaker 2: 26:21

So did you find the transition relatively simple? Or was it a little bit of kung fu in there.

Speaker 1: 26:27

The transition was very well. The biggest thing was education. Okay, so you can, like you said, websites and everything, youtube you can learn an absolute so many things to educate yourself on any business startup if you wanna be an entrepreneur, you know, think you've got something to move forward. But the biggest thing is I never thought it was going to be like this.

Speaker 1: 26:55

It was just supposed to be a farmer's market, you know set up three times a week and do it during the summer and make some money and have fun doing it. But once I sold 200 jars in one month, I knew where I had to go with this and that's where the education had to come in again. You know how do you get a label, how do you promote your brand, what kind of brand, what looks good Jars, what kind of jars. You know how to market it, all those things. And then you have barcodes da da da. But the biggest thing is these retail grocery stores, big chains you know your wholesale Albert Sins, all these different types of major retail grocery stores. It's hard to get to the right person that can make the decision to bring your product in.

Speaker 1: 27:42

And really it's just stopping in and each one talking to a manager, giving them a sample, da, da, da and then doing a small 30 second pitch and see if they'd be interested in bringing that to the corporate office and see if they'd be interested in moving forward.

Speaker 2: 27:57

So that's been the challenging thing, but these guys get hit all the time with these. I mean, if you're in the business I like we're in the car business we get constantly hit with things like this and you only have so much time in a day. Before the time suckers come get you yeah. So, how do you get past the pre sauna of being a time sucker and getting your point across in a split second?

Speaker 1: 28:21

It's really just a 20 second pitch Already. Sweet and savour whiskey, bourbon sauce. Can I give you a sample and if I can change your palette and you're interested in, please give me a call and I'd love to sit down and talk about getting this in here, because I have a great margin and I've done my homework and I definitely believe that this product will sell sell the majority of products and well, everybody's margins are there. Everybody can make money and the benefits go to my cancer foundation.

Speaker 1: 28:57

So that's really another story, but it's only a 15, 20 second pitch. Given a sample of my sauce, have them smell it, taste it and if it hits your palate, boom. There it is.

Speaker 2: 29:09

So you're approaching them on the foundation approach, the pitch. You're approaching them on a on a GPMs gross profit margins a pitch. You're approaching them on a hey, we're gonna be the best guys out there pitch yes.

Speaker 1: 29:23

And how I wanna be, how I can be a partner with you and have this become the number one selling sauce of the nation and with that, everybody succeeds and it can happen Wow.

Speaker 2: 29:37

Well, that's a pretty good answer here. We're gonna flip to number seven. Question the family role. You mentioned once in this podcast your wife Patty, on your journey. How has your family played a role in developing the success of Oedis, given the fact that you were in a tough spot with the cancer? The cancer.

Speaker 1: 30:02

I don't know. I guess when I finally beat it, my outlook and life changed, and it does change. Live life every day to the fullest. You just have fun and have time spend more time with your family and friends.

Speaker 1: 30:18

But when starting this business, the it kind of was a role just on my own and I knew that it was going to take a lot of sacrificing of my time with my family and my wife. But Patty's been great with it and as I progressed she saw more and more. But the time there's just not enough. Time in the day, tim, you haven't you know your business in any business order, especially doing it by yourself, everything by yourself. It is not enough time in the day. I'm up early in the morning. Boom 12, 13 hour.

Speaker 1: 30:56

My wife comes home. I spent a couple hours with her. We chit, chat and have some to eat and then Off you go, she goes to bed and I'm back out in my going to my office to do more education and trying to get more and more information than I can to help get this out there as fast and as promptly and really just get it out there and get the brand.

Speaker 2: 31:24

Everybody says start your own business, Be the boss, pick your hours. You tell them where the bear poops in the woods, right?

Speaker 1: 31:34

Well, let me tell you, when I'm up till sometimes two, three o'clock in the morning, just learning and learning and education and making a list for the next day, it's a and then get three, four hours of sleep. But you know it's a tough deal. But if you have the drive, determination and dedication to your business and you, failure is not an option. You can succeed and you can. Anybody can do anything they wanna do. All they gotta do is just put the effort in their mind and educate gotta, educate yourself.

Speaker 2: 32:06

Back to the wicked don't need rest and the righteous don't need any rest, yeah, yeah right, we call that the three D's in life. And you just hit upon it and I'm like, yeah, we follow that rule. But if there's no ask for sleep, nope. And there's no R for relaxation. And there's no, you know, it's just regear retool redo.

Speaker 1: 32:25

Yeah, and that's what I do Sometimes. I'll just shut it down for a day and a half. I won't turn my phone on or computer or nothing, and I just kind of regroup and get ready for the next, the next push, you know.

Speaker 1: 32:38

But, I'm gonna let you know, tim and everybody, that it's a lot of fun for me to do what I'm doing, even though it's taking a toll, and but I know the outcome and where we're headed and the Lord's guiding me in these ways. It's a we're gonna. We're gonna make it happen. So then, once this is all done, we have our exit strategy and sell the business you know whatever and then travel around and visit cancer centers and write out the checks and have fun.

Speaker 2: 33:11

Maybe in that new RV you want to yeah that motor home yeah. Go burn some diesel fuel and some tires and see where to go. Yeah, I got you.

Speaker 1: 33:18

Well, they make an electric vehicle, motor homes, yet no, I'm just kidding.

Speaker 2: 33:21

I think they've stopped that electric. I think Ford stopped last week.

Speaker 1: 33:24

They stopped their EV plan oh they don't even have a motor home when that's electric, yet do they?

Speaker 2: 33:30

You know, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 33:31

Would it be even be able to pull out? You know, 10,000 pounds, you know.

Speaker 2: 33:35

Oh, electric's pretty tough. Yeah, electric's very tough. Anyways but I no, I get you. Yeah, okay, community impact and inspiration. Now, during your travels and visits to cancer centers, how do you hope to impact the communities you visit? I mean so, what's the message you want to share with those who are fighting this terrible disease?

Speaker 1: 33:59

Well for me, you know, they have the HIPAA rules and regulations in the hospital so I'm not able to really go into the cancer centers, really do what I'd like to do. But we can find different ways to set up the time and be a speaker in a group, group meetings where Families have to stay in, like Ronald McDonald houses, and all that they're away from home.

Speaker 1: 34:27

Yeah, and they're in with a group of patients, that families and patients that Live too far away, because every day there's, you know, there's workups, there's scans, there's all these things and to go through and you can't be too far away.

Speaker 1: 34:45

So these families down in there and have these groups where I can actually be a speaker and talk about my what works for me and stay positive and Basically, you know, really to have make sure you're, you know you're eating the proper food, because when you're going through this you don't feel like eating and you need to keep your weight on, and that my sauce and my recipes can really help Educate people how to, you know, give something better in their mouths when they're going through this and so leave the jars a Sauce group, speak for these individuals and families to give them support in a. Then we for we leave you right out a nice check for families. That doesn't matter how much or whatever it is. You know every little amount helps and when I was going to it I couldn't even get a free parking pass down at the University of Minnesota to go in a parking ramp.

Speaker 1: 35:42

You know? So that was $100. I couldn't even get that. So there's a lot of little things that can make a difference in these patients and families lives, and that's what we're here for.

Speaker 2: 35:51

Well, you're not their vendor, You're there, you're the commodity. Oh could be yes. I mean, let's just think about it. Think what a hospital situation is. We're not there to be friends, or we're there to try and fix you. Yeah, but you're there. You're their business model. Yeah so when you try to put human attached to a business and and that's a tough spot for a hospital, yeah, it is.

Speaker 1: 36:13

Just because of all the well with the COVID and the mask and everything. But even before that, the HIPAA rules and all that. But so there's other ways. You know that. You know you can go in front of these, stand in front of these, these cancer centers, wherever there may be different states, and just sit outside. And when you see somebody coming out and they're fragile, they have their mask on yeah you can tell they've just gotten beat up with certain thing. Well you, can hand them.

Speaker 1: 36:41

You know $100 bills here, there, or you know, get their story real quick, outside One minute and then right a check out to them. You know here, take this, help, stay positive, use the sauce, help keep your weight on, help keep the fight, fight, fight, fight and keep praying to the Lord and the Lord, oh, the Lord will guide you and the sauce will help keep your weight on.

Speaker 2: 37:03

Copy that. Yeah, let's see what are we worth. 13 minutes as okay. So let's go to the For the branding story and marketing. Okay, so how do you use the story of? Oh, eddies, it's original, it's your personal journey, it's your current travels in marketing your product. What, what impacts as this story had on your brand's identity? Because there's not too many Camaros and finishing sauces with no, yeah, I mean talk to me.

Speaker 1: 37:33

Yeah, these, you know when, when I was doing the design. You know it's walking down the aisle. I'm looking at all the different barbecue sauce. What types of bottles, plastic, glass, sizes, pricing now, and what their Branding logos are, and nothing stood out to me, and so, after beating stem cell cancer and 12 years cancer-free, I ended up buying this 97 Chevy Camaros V28 SS 30th anniversary edition.

Speaker 1: 38:02

Remember one down. I find out that After a year later it's very, very rare, it's one of six and the original owner actually bought Follow me on Facebook and he was looking to buy it back.

Speaker 1: 38:14

Ah, you know I'm. He found me and we talked for quite a while and he's actually got cancer One cancer and I went down to down at the VA in Minneapolis, Minnesota it needs from Iowa and he saw he so I went down for three hours but he loves the sauce. But I told him I can't sell this car back to you because if this thing goes nationwide and Da-da-da-da-da, it could be a similar. Now and I find out it is very rare, it's one of six, but I'm looking at that and I wanted my collectors plate to say she said no because my wife said no twice the plastic car and I just laughed at it.

Speaker 1: 38:54

She didn't think that was too funny. But so, yeah, I came up with a name. Well, my nickname is Eddie and the golf course, and so I wanted a. No, we miss a pot or shank of drive, my friends go, oh. Eddie always I'm that started laughing right in a let's put that on the collectors plate.

Speaker 1: 39:11

Oh Eddie, right, right. So I'm looking at the car I'm driving around like, well, let's start the sauce and do that. Well, the picture of the car, american flag, you know now portion on there my recipe. I came up with that right away. Sit in a garage. Hey, why not do recipes and put them on every label? Well, there's costs involved in that, but they got 30 recipes. I got my top ten out there. Design my label and it stands out. I mean, you put that next to anyone of those products on the shelves and it stands out, but I don't want to be there because it's not a barbecue sauce.

Speaker 1: 39:45

You know it's a finishing sauce finishing, yeah, but anyway so I designed all that and it looks great. And Everything I've done my hoodies, t-shirts, hats, all my marketing advertising, all embroidered, you know from yeah, you got a lot of merch out there.

Speaker 1: 40:01

Yes, and a lady up in northern Minnesota, no. She took on my project and she does a great job. But so that was all designed and it just it stood out and that's where I started working it and making it better and better, better and, obviously, now winning the 2023 smoky barbecue rib-fest competition first place. Well, now it's kind of an award-winning sauce, right.

Speaker 1: 40:28

So now I got to change my marketing all over and you know my posters and cards and you know everything right. So, no, it's a, it's a great experience and it's a great challenge and you have to really adapt to certain changes and whatever works for you. So I'm very blessed again. So the marketing was great and you know, doing the car shows, going out to fairs you know local fairs, I did go out to them. Well, we can go into that later, but yeah, so I'm trying to get on to shark tank. So that was another Adventure. I went on nice.

Speaker 2: 41:05

So we got the big fish and little pond.

Speaker 1: 41:07

Yeah, yeah well.

Speaker 2: 41:09

I'm the little fish in the big in a big pond, that's the

Speaker 2: 41:13

added to that. Right, that's right. Okay, shifting gears here, well, but let me finish up this last in the line question. So you're Camaro guy, so now you get the Dodge guys and you get the Ford guys. But you have to realize, regardless of what Gas you're putting in your car, you're still a car guy. So if you like ribs and you're a Dodge guy, you know you need to sometimes look past that and get over that fickleness of your branding. Yeah, but you gotta. You know you didn't put a GM for a Dodge on there On your cover. It's a, it's a car, it's the one you like, I mean, and being a GM guy myself, I get it. But the Dodge guys, they're a little different.

Speaker 2: 41:54

But they'll catch on once they taste the sauce.

Speaker 1: 41:55

Yeah, they are.

Speaker 2: 41:56

Well, that's hasn't even come into play you know, as far as yes, I bet it is people.

Speaker 1: 42:02

I'm not really a, didn't really like the 1997 style or anything. I just want to convert a boy and Never really been a Dodge. I like Ford, but there's she, every guy all the time. But a lot of people ask what's the deal with the car and I just said, well, I bought it after beating cancer. No and I just wanted something from the sale of my business after the government takes all my you know 35% royalty checks yeah they're sure, they're sure.

Speaker 1: 42:30

Yeah you know, for three, four years and now you left for nothing. But I just wanted something short and it's a beautiful car and I just I will never sell it. You know it's very low mileage and the original owner only just he was just devastated when he sold it. His wife's made himself but um, yeah, so it that has not come into play. As far as if they're gonna buy my sauce and how it really it's, uh, the, the cancer, me, my foundation and the sauce, it's a 15 second. Basically, introduce myself and my sauce to them and give them a sample and go on my site, website and read my story, mission and vision and you'll get the whole scoop. And if you want more, after you taste it and like, come back and I'll give you the rest of the stories. And they do, they come back and they want to hear, they want to know more and they buy my sauce.

Speaker 2: 43:23

So Well, let's kick the overdrive in here. Ten questions. Last one we're 20 minutes into this. We're 20 minutes into this segment, so it's gonna be about an hour ten show advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. With what advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur, particularly to those in the culinary or food product industry, based upon your experiences with oh eddies?

Speaker 1: 43:49

Well, I guess, as being an entrepreneur, educate yourself for one, two, get the people behind you. There's, there's a lot of people that can help you grow and Wherever you want to take your, your new business or Entrepreneurship, and it's out there. But the biggest thing is I don't want to say them don't be afraid to fail. If you fail, I know what, why did you fail and then don't be afraid to try again and know what now do right, right.

Speaker 1: 44:30

Learn from your failures to be successful in the long run and that's really the biggest thing but Making sure you're educating yourself before you launch and you do your startup and you know, sometimes you don't really need a whole lot of revenue or capital gets started. It's really. Again the 3d drive Dedication, determination and don't be afraid to fail. Failures not an option. Just keep telling failures not an option.

Speaker 2: 45:02

Yeah, we use the 3d's a lot. It's always easier starting a business. It's very difficult getting out of one. It's what I keep hearing.

Speaker 4: 45:09

I'm not out of mine yet, or?

Speaker 2: 45:11

mine businesses, plural, no. But yeah, no, I hear you and, and before I close out my statement here, let's go for the plug. Give us your intel on what, how and who to get ahold of you.

Speaker 1: 45:24

Go for that Right now you can go to my website. It's wwwo eddies, whiskey, bourbon sauce, calm, and there you'll see I'm gonna about five or six pages. I'll show my locations where all my sauce is being served or, you know, sold at and In in Minnesota, and then you can also see all my, my shop, all my marketing, my hoodies, t-shirts, hats, your merch out, my merchandise. And then I am I have a no good county meat markets there actually making beef sticks with my Oeddies, whiskey, bourbon sauce and they're going to about a case a week. Yeah, wow, they.

Speaker 1: 46:08

I went in to bring in a case and hey, richard, you got to try this. We made beef sticks with your sauce. I go what you know it? It Was absolutely amazing and it's on. It's on my website, is for ordering as well, but it's gone. They people are loving that as well. That hits their palate and it's not like Jack links or all these other different types of beef sticks, whatever. It's totally different and it tastes wonderful. Instead of having another option is to having the same old stuff that's on the shelves, you know what I mean.

Speaker 1: 46:41

And it could go even further. It could be always whiskey, bourbon sauce, brats, right, and then it can do already, school the bacon, cheeseburgers. There's all these things, these meat mark, fresh meat marks. And what about the hunters? Don't forget about them. Sure, I'm starting my I didn't get it this year, but all my Wild game recipes for my sauce, right? Oh, you know, vincent sticks your straps, your chops, I mean your elk bear, know all this and I have those recipes already to go. I just wasn't able to launch them yet on the jars this year in this fall. So hopefully next fall we have, we'll have it already for all the hunters and then basically get to the seafood version. That way we can get it out there on the east coast and you don't shit, I use in Tabasco sauce on your raw oysters on a half Shell right and slide them down.

Speaker 4: 47:36

What about putting?

Speaker 1: 47:37

a little, you know a little couple, a little ounce on Oities on your, your oysters, and slat them up. Totally different. You know what I'm seeing? A man, this thing can go super crazy Crawfish sucking the meat out of the crawfish with the way these sauce you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 47:55

It's not a fan of the snot stuff, no, no no, neither am I, but Never.

Speaker 1: 47:59

But it's there, and you know how do you? And every time you go into a restaurant you always see ketchup mustard. Yeah, not just right. Why can't oh eighties bottle a jar Sauce beyond every table in every restaurant? It can't be. With the right, with the right distribution and the right people behind us, it can be there is user refrigerated after opening thing?

Speaker 2: 48:22

Doesn't have to be no, so there's nothing that can spoil. No what's your shelf life?

Speaker 1: 48:27

well, it's used before. Two years is what's on the label. But People always ask me what's the shelf life ago? Well, you know there really isn't, because it's gonna be gone with. Then you know it's used up so fast it's not like it's, it's in your fridge right for a long time. You know, like tartar sauce or cocktail. No, this thing, you'll use it over and over and people I got repeat customers. Right now I'm not in order.

Speaker 2: 48:51

Wrong with that, and no, it's amazing, so it's a they're really enjoying it.

Speaker 1: 48:55

They're enjoying cooking again and eating food with a different taste and options.

Speaker 2: 49:02

Well, today show has been a wide range of topics, from Richard Cooper's personal journeys and creation of his sauce To his businesses, challenges and community impact, providing a comprehensive insight to his story. And oh, eddie's whiskey, bourbon sauce. That's today's show.

Speaker 1: 49:21

What any parting words before we bounce no, I just like the Thank you for your time today and hopefully everybody anybody out here's this and We'll go to my website, read my mission, vision is story and give it a shot. Order some sauce. I'd love to send it out to you, doesn't matter where you're at, we can get it. Get it to you somehow. But uh, the jingle is oh, eddie's whiskey bourbon sauce, the sauce that's worth the wait. So Enjoy the website.

Speaker 1: 49:53

We will continue to update that and change it as we move forward. We're working on some social media Instagram ads and that, so I'll just keep an eye out there. I'm on Facebook. I have a group group page on Facebook Under 080s whiskey bourbon sauce and then my own personal page under Richard Cooper. So, anyways, just get the file. I want to keep the following if you're excited, you want to try something new, take a look at it and we'll we'll try to get it to you and make it happen. So, again, I appreciate your time today, tim, and let's get this to be the number one selling sauce in the nation.

Speaker 2: 50:30

Certainly of aspirations. Richard, thank you very much for visiting and in studio today. They keep this disclosed Bunker hidden in your mm-hmm. We don't want that advertised right.

Speaker 2: 50:42

Yeah but we appreciate it. So hot cast wanted me to mention out some guys from you. Go Slavia, I think it was. I don't even know what the new deal, the new term, is. Yes, we did talk to those people on the last show and it is correct, my dad is good, so I don't know what you want to do over there, but you guys got to deal with that. You'll know what I'm talking about. Other than that I'm hot cast is out. Have a wonderful rest of your day. Thank you again, richard.

Speaker 1: 51:11

No, thank you.

Speaker 2: 51:19

And that's a wrap for hutcast. Huttcast is again a pragmatic approach to seeing things, how some people see him. If you like our show, give us a thumbs up on the Facebook site again for hutcast. Thank you again. Have a wonderful evening. You, you, you.