Nothing frustrates Matt Hansen and Hien Lam more than when misconceptions limit people’s potential.
The two Ann Arbor residents are the co-founders of Huck Finch, an Ann Arbor-based brand strategy company
"Our society seems caught up in ideas such as overnight success, that starting a business is a young person’s game, or that dropping out of college makes a successful entrepreneur," Hansen says.
He adds that "collectively, we’ve somehow agreed that creating a business and not wanting it to be the next Apple or the next Google is a waste of time and energy."
Hansen and Lam decided to counter those beliefs by creating Life on Brand, a podcast that highlights the struggles of starting a business and offers advice and inspiration for entrepreneurs and business owners.
Over the 10 episodes they've released so far, Hansen and Lam pick the brains of locals who humanize the entrepreneurial journey through their own personal experiences.
Their intention is to show people that success comes in many different shapes and sizes, and that self-doubt and failure happen.
The first season of Life on Brand was just released in January. Guests including Spellbound CEO Christina York and Cultivate Coffee and Taphouse founders Bekah and Ryan Wallace discuss topics including the power of mind-mapping, cultivating community, and finding life balance.
Hansen and Lam are currently working on a second round of episodes that will be available in April.
Moving forward, they plan to continue to focus on creating a sense of community and belonging for business owners and entrepreneurs.
"We hope to reach people who have been led to believe that they aren’t enough to start their own business and give them the courage and confidence to pursue their dreams," Hansen says.
Jaishree Drepaul-Bruder is a freelance writer and editor currently in based in Ann Arbor. She can be reached at jaishreeedit@gmail.com.
Photos courtesy of Huck Finch.
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