Category: Baylor Grad

Clay Clark, TrackSculptures.com

kathy_carrBaylor Grad

Clay-Clark

“Absolutely the biggest contributor to my success is
I realized that I am an entrepreneur at heart.”

~Clay Clark

Don’t you just love walking into a room and noticing a wall piece that only a select few will actually understand the significance and you just happen to be one of those few? For example, not every Baylor graduate will understand a framed photo of a dancing bear circa 1996. And not every football fan will appreciate a framed Dallas Cowboy number 22 jersey.

After noticing the anything-but-ordinary adornment, you quickly size up the room. You make a mental note of the telltale eye sparkle of someone who gets it. There’s a mutual head nod as if you’re members of an exclusive, secret society.

Clay Clark understands the passion, the spirit and the loyalty one can experience as a member of these elite societies. He just happens to be part of a unique society of enthusiasts who hold a deep-rooted appreciation for race tracks from around the world.

This Baylor grad with an MBA from Acton is the brain-child behind TrackSculptures.com, an e-commerce, niche company catering specifically to motorsports fans. TrackSculptures.com manufactures and sells wall-piece art that replicates more than 650 different race tracks from around the world.

Clay explains, “Most people don’t get it when they see our products.” He continues, “We make products that only our customers can understand and fully appreciate it.”

Ever since he was a teenager, Clay has had a fascination with fast cars, specifically Formula 1. And while working as a product manager at BuildASign.com, Clay also developed a passion for e-commerce. It was then that he realized that the two passions didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. Clay combined his experience in manufacturing and internet marketing from BuildASign.com with his passion for motorsport to create TrackDecals.com, an e-commerce business specializing in automotive race track and road course decals and stickers.

The initial goal was to sell just one product to just one customer. Specifically, the customer had to be a stranger. The day after TrackDecals.com was launched, Clay made his first business transaction. Since that very first decal sale, this just-for-fun, side gig has grown into a bonafide revenue building, e-commerce success that eventually expanded to what is now known as TrackSculptures.com.

The website boasts that there are more than 600 crafted wooden sculptures of race tracks and road courses from all around the world. And then there are also wood murals, art prints and decals. Racing fans are like the proverbial “kid in a candy store” when visiting this website.

To Clay, it’s all about fulfilling a dream and living out a passion. He explains, “It really makes me happy to produce a product that I would want to buy myself, as a motorhead.”

Clay infiltrated an entire underground society by simply creating really cool art pieces that he would want to buy for himself. He found a niche with an unmet need and he found a way to meet that need. That’s ingenious entrepreneurship.

 

For more information about Free Enterprise at the Baugh Center, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/freeenterprise/.

 

Adam Smith, Bike Pipe

kathy_carrBaylor Grad

Adam-Smith

“Every day is a new day with new challenges. As an entrepreneur, you’re constantly overcoming those challenges to move your business forward.”

~Adam Smith

One playing card… CHECK

One wooden clothes pin… CHECK

A playing card and a clothes pin are all you need to transform an ordinary, every-day Schwinn into a noise-making, neighbor-annoying Harley Davidson-esque bike. You know exactly what we’re talking about. That undeniable thup…thup..thup..thup that comes from the bikes of pre-teens who happen to think they’re cooler than ice cream on a hot, summer day because of their newly created two-wheeled, hot rods.

But playing cards inevitably bend, rip and otherwise wear out with prepubescent neighborhood cruising. This is exactly why Adam Smith created Bike Pipe. Bike Pipe is an easy-to-attach bike exhaust system that amplifies sound and can be turned on and off with a simple kick of the foot. Truly an epic mic drop concept.

But how in the world did this twenty-three year old, 2015 Baylor graduate become a bonafide entrepreneur so quickly? One might say that entrepreneurship is in Adam’s blood.

It all started in southern California after Adam and his brother ruined one-too-many expensive baseball trading cards for the sake of the beloved thup…thup…thup…thup. Adam’s dad, Terry, worked to create an alternative for his boys. He developed an exhaust system for the bikes made out of spare motorcycle parts that had been tossed aside. It was in that moment that Bike Pipe became a real thing, but Terry ran out of resources before Bike Pike could become a household reality.

Terry eventually moved his family from California to Texas to own and operate an RV park, putting Bike Pipe on the back burner indefinitely. But with an entrepreneurial dad, Adam was exposed to life-lessons that would have a tremendous impact later on.

After high school, Adam went on to study entrepreneurship at Baylor. He started a few service-based businesses that never really took off for no other reason than geographical limitations. But in the back of Adam’s mind there was a reoccurring thought of thup…thup…thup…thup. It was time to bring Bike Pipe  back to the front burner.

Fortunately Adam could bypass all of the labor-intensive, savings-draining research and development because his dad had already created a successful prototype. The focus was now on MVP (minimum viable product). Essentially the MVP Bike Pipe prototype allowed Adam to satisfy customers but still gain important feedback for improvements and modifications.

The initial goal was to get this rumbling product online as fast as possible, so website development was on the forefront. But there was also a lot of back end work to modify the product, develop a marketing plan for the brand, design retail packaging, and set up a supply chain from manufacturing to shipping.

Adam learned early on that having the right people around and tasking them with the right responsibilities was paramount to his success, especially when it comes to government regulations. Regulations for each country are different. Every manufacturer must meet specific certifications, pass inspections and uphold to certain standards. Ultimately, Adam sought out a third party testing facility near the manufacturing operation in China to ensure compliance.

Adam acknowledges that his short-term goals seem to change almost daily, but he remains unflinching on his long-term goal to grow a successful company. Gleaning from his entrepreneurship classes at Baylor and his dad’s business prowess, it looks like Adam is well on his way to forging his own entrepreneurial path.

And if you think about it, the Bike Pipe  is brilliant. It’s ideal for bike riders and parents alike. For bike riders, their cool factor is increased exponentially with the thunderous, muffler-like attachment. For parents, the here-I-come rumble gives a little peace of mind by providing increased awareness with pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Plus, the kiddos are outside rather than glued to an electronic device. It’s a win-win and we have Adam Smith to thank for the practical and yet ingenious noise maker.

Three cheers for the thup…thup…thup…thup with a thunderous attitude.

For more information about Free Enterprise at the Baugh Center, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/freeenterprise/.

 

Cory Dickman, Waco Escape Rooms

kathy_carrBaylor Grad

Cory-Dickman

“In my eyes, success can be boiled down to an idea and timing.”

~Cory Dickman

Try to think of one commonality with a game of hide and seek, a Where’s Waldo illustration and the board game Clue. Give up? All three conjure up the thrill of a hunt.

With a good bit of intellect and a sliver of luck the most audacious can ultimately catch the holed-up hider, find the wandering Waldo and solve the menacing murder mystery. You may be thinking that these are nothing but frivolous, childish games. Very true, but do we ever actually outgrow the adrenaline rush of a good ol’, thrill-seeking quest to find the unfindable?

Seriously, doubtful. After all, there’s a little bit of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes in all of us. You may have to dig deep to find your inner sleuth, but it’s there. And once you find it, there’s no way to put it back. It’s virtually impossible to suppress the “must solve mystery — now” urge.

Thank goodness for Waco Escape Rooms (WER). According to the WER website, WER builds rooms around a story or theme and invites you to test your wits against the challenging clues, perplexing puzzles, and maddening mysteries embedded in the rooms. Basically what that means is that they lock a small group of people in a themed room and the group has 60 minutes to solve a series of puzzles and clues that will help them escape the room.

What kind of insidious mastermind could come up with such an ingenious idea? Oh, just your average, run-of-the-mill Baylor grad. That’s right. Baylor graduate Cory Dickman is the top dog behind WER. This communications undergrad (2010) with a master’s degree in sports management (2013) concocted the idea with his trusted business partner Jared Dauenhauer.

Cory grew up in a small town just outside of Portland, Oregon. He made the trip south to attend Baylor and it was during the time at Baylor that Cory and Jared had the dream to open a business in Waco, Texas.

After graduation, Cory went back to his hometown for a while and Jared landed in Tennessee where he and his wife launched an escape room there. In July 2015 Cory and Jared decided it was time to turn their college dream into a reality. It was time to open an escape room in Waco.

If you were to ask Cory why he chose Waco he would most likely respond with something like, why not Waco. Cory explains it like this, “Waco deserves to have some fun and exciting businesses.” He continues, “As a Baylor graduate, nothing made me more excited than the idea of moving back to Waco to start a small business.”

The WER soft opening was October 31, 2015 and the official grand opening was the following  weekend on November 6. WER opened with three theme rooms — The Waco Room (4-6 players), Child’s Play (5-8 players) and Code Breaker (6-10 players). And for Valentine’s Day 2016, WER debuted the Dinner for Two Room, a two-person room ideal for first-time WER visitors.

The short-term goal for WER was simply to get people to play. Cory wanted as many people as possible to know about WER. Social media was a key factor in gaining a loyal following. By utilizing Facebook, Twitter and Instagram WER slowly became a local, household name.

One thing that makes WER so unique is that the business concept appeals to customers wanting to have fun on a Saturday night as well as companies wanting to promote team building with employees. Participants need communication, critical thinking and teamwork in order to beat the 60-minute clock and unlock the door to freedom. Cory likes to use the term EnterTrainment when describing WER.

But one unexpected twist for this premier EnterTrainment business is Cory has been a cohort in two escape room marriage proposals. Fortunately, both proposals had happily-ever-after endings. Could promposals be next?

It’s obvious that the local community is embracing WER and all that WER has to offer. Cory’s now looking at the big picture vision for his business, which is actually two-fold. First he wants to help make Waco a destination city. He wants people to include WER in their “we have to do” list when visiting Waco. Second, Cory wants to help the Waco community foster a growth for small business.

WER is definitely going places, literally. WER will be moving to a new downtown Waco location in late June. The new location at 711 Washington Avenue will be twice the size of the existing location. What a great addition WER will be to the #WACOTOWN movement.

For more information about Free Enterprise at the Baugh Center, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/freeenterprise/.

Gib Reynolds, Urban Produce

kathy_carrBaylor Angel Network

Gib Reynolds

“It makes me laugh thinking how a guy who grew up in the suburbs of Dallas now owns a farm…but I love what I do.”
~ Gib Reynolds

Salads have become the epitome of healthy eating these days. There’s nothing quite like digging into a big  bowl of veggie-filled goodness. Toss in some grilled chicken and even the carnivorous can reap the health benefits of the bountiful greens.

But with recalls becoming more prevalent, there’s an understandable lack of trust in the safety of supermarket produce. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way for farmers to safely grow leafy greens without harmful pesticides and exposure to all of the unhealthy yucks that make people sick?

Gib Reynolds and his dad have done just that with Urban Produce. Together, this father-son duo have founded a large scale hydroponic lettuce farm where everything is controlled and grown indoors. The greens are grown “under glass” on floating rafts in nutrient rich ponds. This method provides a pesticide-free environment, and also eliminates the possibility of toxins and other environmental junk from making their way to the growing greens.

It’s quite an innovative idea. The funny part is that Gib grew up a city-boy in Richardson, Texas. He’s an Eagle Scout who flew model rockets competitively all around Eastern Europe. When Gib came to Baylor in 2008, he did study Entrepreneurship as an undergrad, but farming wasn’t his end goal.

Gib was interested in developing a portal that could connect investors and entrepreneurs, something similar to the Baylor Angel Network (BAN) where investors provide early-stage capital to entrepreneurs with business plans. Gib was highly involved in BAN as an undergrad and even became an analyst, so this seemed like a perfect fit.

After his Baylor undergraduate work, Gib continued his studies in the MBA program at Acton. He tossed around a couple of business ideas, but as he researched controlled environment agriculture and food production Gib realized there was a unique opportunity. And the idea for Urban Produce became a reality.

Gib’s long-term goal with Urban Produce was to build a huge lettuce company. Go big or go home is an underlying motto for all entrepreneurs, but with ninety-eight percent of lettuce in the US coming from California building a dominating lettuce company is a daunting mission. But with his self-proclaimed stubborn nature, Gib dug in his heels for the long haul.

Before any produce could even be sold, it was imperative for Urban Produce to receive certification for GAP/GMP (Good Agriculture Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices). The certification provided a layer of accountability to help customers trust this new startup company.

One of the initial challenges Urban Produce  faced was finding those trusting customers and ensuring that distribution processes were in place to get the greens to customers in a timely fashion. Careful not to bite off too much too quickly, father and son built a loyal customer base one customer at a time. Confident in their product, the duo simply lets the lettuce do the talking. And the lettuce has been talking…a lot. So much so, that  Urban Produce has expanded distribution beyond the confines of the Waco area. With regular deliveries to San Antonio and Houston, this lettuce is outright screaming.

Urban Produce trudges through the normal layers of regulations and inspections that come with being a food producer. Inspections and annual audits from the USDA help ensure proper growing and handling techniques. Gib feels that food safety is a paramount concern, so while the regulations may be at times be an annoyance, they’re all necessary in order to keep food safety on the front burner.

All-in-all, the proof is in the pudding… or maybe it’s better said, the proof is in the lettuce. No herbicides – no insecticides – no pesticides, but loads of tasty deliciousness. Gib’s hopes of putting Waco on the map as the “Lettuce Capital of Texas” may not be too far off.

Click here for a great article about Gib Reynolds and his success with Urban Produce.

For more information about Free Enterprise at the Baugh Center, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/freeenterprise/.