Eric LeVine didn’t set out to build a startup. He was a Microsoft engineer during the dot-com boom who just wanted to keep track of the wine he owned. So he built a simple spreadsheet — an “Excel for wine” — to organize his own cellar. Friends started asking for access. Then friends of friends.

In 2003, Eric put the tool online. That side project became CellarTracker. Today, it has 10M+ users, tracks over $21B worth of wine, and has quietly become the most trusted platform in the wine world.

In this episode, Eric walks through turning a personal itch into global infrastructure, why obsession with data and community mattered more than monetization early on, and how CellarTracker now uses AI to help people know when to drink a bottle — not just what they own.

Make sure to check out CellarTracker at: https://www.cellartracker.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

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After years running a packed West Hollywood fitness studio and launching multiple FitTech products, revenue flattened, Justin Norris' health slipped, and the business stalled. A single cold plunge changed everything. The clarity he felt stepping out of the water sparked a pivot that would take LIT from a traditional fitness brand to a design-forward recovery company now backed by pro athletes and top investors.

Today, LIT is redefining the recovery category with premium cold plunges, infrared saunas, and turnkey solutions for gyms, studios, and hospitality groups. In this episode, Justin breaks down how he rebuilt the business from the inside out — the mindset shift, the product decisions, and the bet on recovery becoming the next wave in wellness.

Make sure to check out LIT at: https://www.litmethod.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

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Thank you to this episodes mid-break sponsor, Blue Sky. Blue Sky Clayworks has been hand-crafting whimsical, high-quality collectible ceramics for over 20 years — from seasonal candle houses and detailed figurines to tabletop classics you’ll want out year-round. Each piece is individually hand-painted and hand-packed to arrive perfect, and fans rave that the designs are unlike anything else you’ll find. Check out their 12 days of giving until Dec 12th for 20% off deals at https://blueskyclayworks.com/

At 22 years old, Eugene Kang bought a tiny jerky business from an 80-year-old butcher he met on a road trip. It was doing about $500K a year and relied entirely on private-label production. Over the next fourteen years, he rebuilt everything — the brand, the manufacturing, the product strategy — transforming it into Archer, one of the fastest-growing companies in meat snacks.

From navigating USDA operations as a first-time founder, to unlocking national retail doors through a licensed Sriracha SKU that flipped early “no’s” into “yeses”, Eugene grew Archer into a projected $500M brand by 2026, with 90% YoY growth in 2024. In this conversation, he breaks down the operational grind, the rebrand from Country Archer to Archer, and how sticks became the engine behind one of the biggest category expansions in modern snacking.

Make sure to check out Archer at: https://archerjerky.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

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