♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO INSIDE LOUISVILLE...

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

HERE, WE INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE MOST FASCINATING PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS IN KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

WHETHER YOU ARE A LIFELONG RESIDENT OR NEVER VISITED BEFORE...

CHANCES ARE, YOU'LL LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING 'INSIDE LOUISVILLE.'

TODAY'S GUEST... YOU MIGHT KNOW BEST BY HIS NICKNAME... DAN-O... >> WHAT'S UP, Y'ALL?

I'M DAN-O, OWNER AND FOUNDER OF DAN-O'S SEASONING RIGHT HERE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, COME ON IN.

>> DAN OLIVER IS THE CREATOR OF DAN-O'S SEASONING... WHAT STARTED AS A WAY TO SPICE UP MEALS FOR HIS COLLEGE BUDDIES... IS NOW A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BRAND, SOLD IN THOUSANDS OF STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TODAY, HE SHARES HIS STORY WITH US... ABOUT HOW HE GOT HERE... HIS MANY SET-BACKS... HIS SINK-OR-SWIM MENTALITY... AND THE PIVOT HE MADE IN 2020 THAT WOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE FOREVER... >> FEBRUARY, MARCH 2020...

I WAS TRAVELING THE COUNTRY.

THAT'S HOW I GENERATED MY MONEY TO GET DAN-O'S TO THE NEXT MONTH AND NEXT BATCH OF INVENTORY.

WHEN COVID IT, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.

I HAD TO DO SOCIAL MEDIA.

I STARTED DOING TIKTOKS EVERY DAY AND I STARTED DOING IT AND DOING IT AND SOCIAL MEDIA TOOK OFF.

I MET WITH A LOCAL MARKETING COMPANY, CROSBY INTERACTIVE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

DAN-O'S WOULDS GROWING SO FAST.

WE BROUGHT IN A TEAM OF PEOPLE AND TO BRING IN EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO MAKE WHAT MY MISSION WAS AND WHAT I TOLD PHIL CROSBY WAS, MY MISSION WAS TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

IT IS JUST A SEASONING AND IT MAY SOUND SILLY BUT MY MISSION WAS TO CHANGE THE WORLD WITH A SEASONING.

>> DAN OLIVER IS THE OWNER OF DAN-O'S SEASONING.

LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING.

GROWING UP IN LOUISVILLE, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE EARLIEST BUSINESS IDEAS THAT YOU HAD?

>> THERE IS ONE THAT STICKS TOUT ME THE BIGGEST AND THAT WAS A DISPOSABLE TOOTH BRUSH IDEA THAT I HAD.

I HAD THIS IDEA THAT COULD YOU HAVE A TINY LITTLE TOOTH BRUSH IN YOUR POCKET WITH ONE APPLICATION OF TOOTH PASTE AND SPENT LIKE 1800 DOING A MARKET AGO NATIONAL SIS WITH THIS COMPANY AND HAD A 60-PAGE BOOK ON WHAT COULD I DO WITH THIS PRODUCT AND IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I NEEDED, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER 20,000 DOLLARS AND I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN IT THAT MUCH.

SO I KIND OF JUST MOVED ON.

BUT IT WAS A COOL EXPERIENCE.

IT GAVE ME, OPENED MY EYES UP TO LIKE MARKET ANALYSIS AND STUFF LIKE THAT SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T REGRET AND I HAVE THE BOOKS AND SOMETIMES I'LL REFLECT ON IT.

>> I BET YOU LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND EVERY POINT IN YOUR JOURNEY HAS JUST BEEN STEPS TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

SO DID YOU ALWAYS LIKE COOKING OR WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR THE SEASONING COME ABOUT?

>> THE IDEA FOR THE SEASONING-- I HAVE BEEN MAKING THE ORIGINAL GREEN CAP FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.

EVER SINCE I WENT TO COLLEGE.

I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN IN 2000 SO WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE, IT WAS KIND OF WHEN I DEVELOPED THIS CONKEPT OF THIS RECIPE THAT I ONLY USED ON CHICKEN AND I CARRIED IT WITH ME FOR 15 YEARS AND I REMEMBER ANY TIME WOULD I GO TO AN EVENT OR PARTY OR SOMETHING, I WOULD BE LIKE, LET ME MAKE THIS CHICKEN FOR YOU GUYS.

NEVER ONCE DID I THINK TO SELL IT OR CALL IT DAN-O'S.

IT WAS JUST A BLEND THAT I USED ON CHICKEN.

>> HOW DID YOU GET TO THAT?

WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT?

>> FLASH FORWARD TO 2015, I WAS A BARTENDER.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT OUT OF COLLEGE, I GOT INTO SALES, INSURANCE SALES AND DID INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONIC SALES AND I FOUND MYSELF BAR SENDING AND AFTER FIVE YEARS OF DOING THE BARTENDING, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I WAS MISERABLE DOING IT AND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO REALLY LIKE SINK MY TEETH INTO.

I WAS LOOKING FOR A BUSINESS TO START.

AND LIKE I SAID, I ALWAYS HAD THESE IDEAS, DISPOSABLE TOOTH BRUSH AND OTHER IDEAS.

AND IT WASN'T UNTIL ONE DAY WHEN I BROUGHT THIS CHICKEN IN THAT WOULD I MAKE, THERE WAS ONE GUY SITTING THERE.

I REMEMBER IT WAS 5:00 ON A MONDAY, SHIFT CHANGE, NOBODY IN THERE.

ONE GUY AND I WAS LIKE, DO YOU WANT TO TRY THIS CHICKEN?

HE WAS LIKE YEAH SO I GAVE IT TO HIM.

HE TOOK ONE BITE AND I REMEMBER HIM LOOKING DOWN AND SHAKING HIS HEAD AND HE LOOKED UP AT ME AND SAID THIS IS THE BEST CHICKEN I'VE EVER HAD.

HE SAID WHY AREN'T YOU TELLING THIS?

I WAS LIKE DAN-Os?

THAT WAS MY AHA MOMENT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I HAD $8,000 SAVED UP IN THE BANK, WAITING FOR MY IDEA.

AND IT HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS.

I REMEMBER IT LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.

AND IT WAS LIKE DON'T SELL THE CHICKEN.

SELL THE SEASONING AND THAT'S WHEN IT HIT ME.

I HAD ALL THESE IDEAS BUT THEY TOOK A LOT OF MONEY.

I HAD $8,000 SAVED UP SO I WAS LIKE, I CAN DO THIS.

IT'S ENOUGH TO START A SEASONING BUSINESS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SUPER COMPLICATED.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF ENTREPRENEURS TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT AN A TO B JOURNEY.

YOU HAD A LOT OF SETBACKS AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST THE DISPOSABLE TOOTH BRUSH, EITHER.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SETBACKS THAT LED YOU HERE WHICH STARTED WHEN YOU WANTED TO BE A QUARTERBACK AT TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL.

>> THAT IS TRUE.

SO LIKE I SAID, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING BIG IN MY LIFE AND CHANGE THE WORLD SOMEHOW.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE THE NEXT BRETT FAVRE OR THE NEXT NFL QUARTERBACK BUT I NEVER GOT MY CHANCE WHEN I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I ACTUALLY QUIT IN MY JUNIOR YEAR AND I WAS VERY-- I CARRIED A CHIP ON MY SHOULDER FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT IT.

SO WHEN I HAD THAT AHA MOMENT AT THE BAR, AND I WAS LIKE, DAN-O'S SEASONING, I LITERALRY WENT HOME AND I TOOK LITTLE POST-IT NOTES AND I SAID I'M QB ON ALL THESE POST-IT NOTES.

I POSTED THEM EVERYWHERE.

I SAW ONE IN THE BASEMENT THE OTHER DAY.

I THOUGHT THAT'S FUNNY.

BUT IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT WAS, IT WAS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NOBODY CAN TAKE FROM ME.

THE BALL IS IN MY COURT.

WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS?

IT'S UP TO ME.

SO I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY COOL WAY THAT I WENT ABOUT IT, JUST I HAD THOSE REMINDERS EVERY DAY IN THE HOUSE.

>> SELF MOTOR INDICATION.

>> IT IS.

>> AND OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE OF YOUR OTHER SETBACKS.

YOU WANTED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL POOL PLAYER.

>> I DID.

I WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I DROPPED OUT OF-- I QUIT PLAYING ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND THEN I KIND OF BARELY SKATED THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS GOING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL POOL PLAYER.

I HAD NO INTENTIONS OF GOING TO COLLEGE.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENED A MONTH AFTER HIGH SCHOOL IS I GOT INTO A HEAD ON COLLISION AND BROKE MY FINGER WHERE I COOPERATE MAKE MY BRIDGE ANYMORE, HOW YOU HOLD THE POOL CUE SO IT WAS LIKE A MESSAGE FROM GOD BE LIKE THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO.

SO THEN, YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, I'M GOING TO SCOO SCHOOL, IF I HAD NOT GONE TO SCHOOL, I MAY INTO THE HAVE EVER FIGURED OUT THIS RECIPE.

I STARTED THROWING THESE SPICES TOGETHER AND FIGURED SOMETHING OUT AND HELD ON TO IT FOR ALL THESE YEARS BECAUSE I ALWAYS LOVED TO COOK.

UNDERSTAND AND IT WASN'T UNTIL 2015 THAT IT ALL CAME TOGETHER.

>> CAME TOGETHER.

IT IS A REALLY COOL STORY.

SO OKAY, IN 2015, YOU'VE GOT THIS IDEA.

YOU'VE GOT THIS GREAT FLAVOR.

ALL YOUR FRIENDS LIKE IT.

BUT WHAT IS NEXT?

HOW DO YOU EVEN TAKE THAT TO MARKET?

>> BECOMING THE ACTUAL PRODUCT?

THAT WAS THE HARD PART.

THIS IS JANUARY 2015.

I REMEMBER THE DAY I REGISTERED MY BUSINESS.

IT WAS APRIL 13, 2015.

AND THEN I REMEMBER THE END OF 2015, I HAVEN'T SOLD ANYTHING.

I WAS JUST FIGURING OUT HOW TO PACKAGE THIS PRODUCT, THEN I FIGURED OUT HEY, YOU OWE TAXES BECAUSE YOU STARTED A BUSINESS.

MARK CUBEIN ALWAYS SAYS IF YOU HAVE THE IDEA, START THE BUSINESS AND FIGURE IT OUT.

THAT'S WHAT I DID.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WASN'T TAKING ANY MENTORSHIP FROM SOMEBODY, I JUST DID IT.

I STARTED THE BUSINESS AND I STARTED TO FIGURE IT OUT AND I HAD A WHOLE FAMILY OF ENTREPRENEURS AND NOBODY COULD REALLY HELP ME IN A CONSUMER PACKAGE GOOD SO I HAD TO ASK GOOGLE EVERYTHING.

I HAD TO WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEOS, HOW DO YOU GET NUTRITION FACTS.

IT WASN'T FULL OF SALT, NO SUGAR IN THE RECIPE.

I WANTED THAT BIG AND BOLD IN THE RECIPE.

BUT THE FIRST LABEL THAT I EVER MADE, I FIGURED A LOT OF THINGS OUT BECAUSE THE FIRST LABEL DIDN'T SAY LOW SODIUM REAL BIG.

IT WAS JUST SMALL.

IT HAD A PINCH OF SUGAR IN IT AND ONCE I GOT OUT THERE AND STARTED SELLING THE PRODUCT, I STARTED TO FIGURE OUT, I NEED TO CHANGE THIS.

AND I NEED TO CHANGE THIS AND THIS LABEL IS A LITTLE BIT TOO FARMER'S MARKET LOOKING.

NO BIG KROGER OR WAL-MART IS GOING TO PUT THIS IN THEIR STORE.

I NEED TO MAKE IT MORE COLORFUL AND GET IT TO THE RIGHT PRICE POINT AND I STARTED TO FIGURE OUT THINGS LIKE MARGINS AND MARKUPS.

AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED MY BUSINESS, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MARGIN AND MARKUP BUT WHEN YOU RUN A BUSINESS, HAVE YOU TO RUN IT OFF OF MARRIAGEIN, NOT MARKUP YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU ARE MAKING ON A DOLLAR AND HAVE YOU TO MAKE A HEALTHY PERCENTAGE.

IF YOU CAN'T MAKE 35% PROFIT MARGIN, YOU HAVE A HOBBY, NOT A BUSINESS.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE 35% PROFIT MARGIN.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, FIGURING ALL THIS STUFF OUT, THE IDEA HAPPENED IN JANUARY 2015, AND I DIDN'T HAVE MY FIRST ORIGINAL PACKAGING DONE UNTIL IT WAS AUGUST 2016.

SO ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF.

ONCE I KNEW THE NAME WAS DAN-OS, I HAD TO FIGURE OUT A LOGO.

MY, WE CALL THAT LITTLE DANNY.

I WENT BY DANNY FOR THE FIRST 33 YEARS OF MY LIFE BUT WHEN I STARTED DAN-OS, I HAD TO TELL EVERYBODY, JUST CALL ME DAN OR DAN-O.

>> SO DO PEOPLE CALL YOU DAN-O?

>> YEAH.

>> HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT.

>> MY LAST NAME IS OLIVER SO IT MADE SENSE.

I ALWAYS HAD PEOPLE CALL ME DAN-O.

IT'S NOT LIKE EVERYBODY CALLED ME THAT BUT FRIENDS CALLED ME DAN-O, ALWAYS MADE SENSE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE REALLY COOL THING ABOUT LITTLE DANNY, WHEN I WAS IN THE BAR, I KNEW I NEEDED AIR LOGO SO I REMEMBER WAKING UP AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

I REMEMBER I WOKE UP AND NEEDED A LITTLE HUCKLEBERRY FIN.

I PAID SOMEBODY $100 IN OUR KITCHEN AT THE BAR TO DRAW THIS LOGO.

IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BECAUSE I WOULD BE LIKE TWEAK THIS AND TWEAK THAT AND THEN I REMEMBER WHEN I GAVE HIM THE $100, IT WAS AFTER A SHIFT AND THERE WERE A BUNCH OF BARTENDERS IN THERE AND EVERYBODY WAS LAUGHING AT ME.

THEY'RE LIKE YOU REALLY GAVE HIM $100 TO DRAW THAT.

I SAID THIS IS MY LOGO.

PEOPLE WERE LAUGHING AT ME, RIGHT.

BUT IT'S FUNNY HOW THAT WAS PART OF THE MOTIVATION IS THE ANYWAY NARES NAYSAYERS, EVERYBODY WHO DOUBTED YOU.

SO LIKE I SAID, EVERYTHING WAS ALWAYS A COMPETITION.

SO PEOPLE DOUBTING ME, YOU KNOW, PUT A LITTLE MORE FUEL ON THE FIRE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> LOOK HOW TENDER THAT IS.

NOW WE ARE GOING TO SEAR IT UP, SET IT TO THE SIDE, GET RID OF THAT.

>> IT WAS ANOTHER WOULD BE SETBACK COVID IN 2020 THAT REALLY FORCED A PIVOT AND TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST THING THAT MAYBE EVER HAPPENED TO YOUR BUSINESS, RIGHT?

>> IT WAS, ABSOLUTELY.

I REALLY STARTED DOING THE-- THE FIRST FLEA MARKET WAS JULY 2017.

AFTER I DID SOME PIVOTS AND GOT MY LABELS RIGHT.

I DID MY FIRST FLEA MARKET.

I WANTED TO DO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND I ENDED UP DOING LIKE $3700 SO I WAS LIKE, I CAN DO THIS.

I CAN QUIT MY BARTENDING JOB, TRAVEL THE COUNTRY.

I DID THAT FOR THREE YEARS AND THAT'S HOW I MADE MY MONEY.

I WAS DOUBLING MY REVENUE SO I HAD A GOOD SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

I WAS DOING GREAT.

NOW LET'S FLASH FORWARD TO COVID, THAT'S WHEN COVID HIT.

>> BUT AT THAT POINT WHEN YOU ARE SELLING AT FLEA MARKETS, WAS THAT YOUR PLAN ALL ALONG?

LIKE I'M DOING GREAT WITH THIS?

>> IT KIND OF WAS.

LIKE WHEN I FIRST DID MY FIRST FLEA MARKET I WAS LIKE, HOPEFULLY I'LL DO A THOUSAND.

WHEN I DID 3700 I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I CAN QUIT MY JOB.

CAN I DO THIS.

I CAN MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO JUST BE ABLE TO GET BY TO KEEP BUILDING MY BUSINESS UNTIL IT TAKES OFF.

SO AND I NEVER HAD A PLAN B.

IT WAS ALWAYS DAN-Os SO WHEN I QUIT MY JOB AND I WAS 100% COMMITTED, FLASH FORWARD TO MARCH 2020, COVID HITS, I NEEDED A PLAN B BECAUSE I COULDN'T DO THE FLEA MARKETS ANYMORE.

IT WAS ALMOST A BLESSING FOR DAN-OS BECAUSE WHAT IT DID WAS, I FOCUSED ON TIKTOK.

IT WAS THIS NEW APP AND I SAW ALL THESE CREATORS GETTING REALLY BIG ON THERE AND I STARTED MAKE CAN TIKTOKS TWO OR THREE A DAY AND POSTING AND IT TOOK A WEEK OR TWO AND I STARTED GETTING TRACTION.

I NEEDED $200 A DAY TO SURVIVE IN MY MIND.

AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I'M DOING 800 BUCKS AND ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY AND SO I WAS LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH A MARKETING COMPANY AND THEN WE ENDED UP MAKING NOT JUST A MARKETING DEAL BUT A REAL PARTNERSHIP AND THIS WAS A GUY WHO KNEW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.

HE OWNED A MARKETING BUSINESS FOR 20 YEARS.

SO IT WAS BASICALLY BRINGING IN THE RIGHT PARTNER AND LETTING HIM HELP ME BUILD THIS WEBSITE AND GET THIS STRUCTURE IN PLACE TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, HE SAW THE VISION WITH ME AND MY VISION WAS WITH DAN-Os, PEOPLE ASK ME, DID YOU EVER SEE DAN-O'S BEING THIS BIG?

I SAID ABSOLUTELY.

IT WOULDN'T BE THIS BIG IF I DIDN'T VISUALIZE THIS AND THINK IT WOULD BE THIS BIG.

THAT'S WHY I HAD TO REDO MY PACKAGING IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE IT WASN'T READY FOR THE BIG SHOW.

SO I GOT EVERYTHING READY AND PUT EVERYTHING IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO BE ABLE TO GET MY BUSINESS TO WHERE IT GOT IN 2020 WITH COVID, AND THEN WHEN COVID HIT, IT WAS BASICALLY LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY IN DISGUISE.

I THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF DAN-OS BUT IT WAS REALLY THE BEGINNING.

I'VE DONE ALL THE HARD WORK, ALL THE FIGURING STUFF OUT.

THREE YEARS OF ON THE ROAD, SET UP ON AMAZON, GOT MY WEBSITE, AND THEN IT WAS LIKE WHEN COVID HIT, THIS TIKTOK OPPORTUNITY, IT WAS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

AND I WAS THERE.

I WAS SEASONED.

I WAS READY FOR IT.

>> I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.

[LAUGHTER] >> IT WAS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO GET IN FRONT OF ALL THESE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

>> SO MUCH OF IT, TOO, IS THE TIMING, YOU KNOW, IT WOULDN'T HAVE WORKED IF YOU HAD LAUNCHED CLOSER TO 2020 BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE FIGURED OUT EVERYTHING BEFORE THEN, PROBABLY.

AND THEN YOU KNOW, AND JUST YOUR MIND SET, THAT YOU SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY INSTEAD OF A SETBACK.

>> GREAT.

YEAH I DIDN'T KNOW.

I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME.

I DIDN'T KNOW-- I MEAN, YES, IT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT.

BUT AT THE TIME I WAS LIKE, IT WAS SINK OR SWIM.

>> AND WHAT KEPT YOU GOING AT THAT POINT?

WHAT MADE YOU NOT GIVE UP?

>> WELL, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS ABOUT DAN-Os, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST AHA MOMENT THAT I HAD WAS THE PRODUCT ITSELF, DAN-Os, THE RECIPE.

I KNEW IT HAD A FLAVOR UNLIKE ANY OTHER FLAVOR ON THE MARKET WHEN IT COMES TO SEASONING.

THE SECOND THING WAS THE HEALTHY ASPECTS, THE NOT BEING FULL OF SALT, THE NO SUGAR, THE ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS SO I KNEW IT COULD HELP PEOPLE IN THEIR DIETS AS FAR AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY DIETS OUT THERE THAT NEED A PRODUCT TO MAKE YOUR FOOD TASTE BETTER BUT WITHOUT ALL THE BAD STUFF SO I KNEW THAT.

THERE IS ONE AND TWO.

AND THEN THE THIRD THING, WHICH IS THE COOLEST THING TO ME, IS THIS WAS IN 2017, THE FIRST BIG STATE FAIR I DID, AND I REMEMBER THERE IS A LITTLE OLD LADY TRYING A SAMPLE AND SHE SAID THIS IS DANG GOOD.

AND IT DIDN'T EVEN REGISTER AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, YOU CAN GET TWO FOR $5 OR FIVE FOR 20 AND I'M GOING INTO THE SALES PITCH AND SHE IS LIKE NO, NO, NO, POINTING AT THE SIGN BEHIND ME.

DAN GOOD.

POINTING AT THE SIGN BEHIND ME.

>> DAN-TASTIC.

YOU DON'T KNOW...

THE FACT THAT THE FLAVOR IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER, THE FACT THAT IT CAN CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL INGREDIENTS ITSELF AND THE MARKETABILITY OF IT IS WHY I NEVER GAVE UP.

IT WAS JUST LIKE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS BELIEVE THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON AND THINGS ARE MEANT TO BE AND I HAD THIS ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND WHEN IT HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS AND I HAD THAT AHA MOMENT, IT WAS UNDENIABLE LIKE WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.

THE VISION TO ME WAS SET.

I JUST HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND SO I NEVER GAVE UP AND I FOUND OUT THE SHOWS WAS THE WAY I COULD QUIT MY JOB AND SURVIVE AND THEN WHEN COVID IT, I WAS WELL SEASONED AND READY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I MADE THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS, BROUGHT IN THE RIGHT PARTNERS AND RAISED SOME MONEY AND NOW WE ARE HERE WE ARE, MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS AND GETTING READY TO BE IN 30,000 GROCERY STORES.

>> WOW.

AND SO WHAT'S NEXT?

WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?

>> WE ARE GOING TO KEEP MAKING MORE SEASONING PRODUCTS.

IN THE BEGINNING I DIDN'T KNOW-- I WAS KIND OF AGAINST IT, BUT NOW THAT-- WE ARE COMING UP WITH THE BEST FLAVORS ON THE MARKET AND WE ARE STAYING HEALTHY FOR YOU.

SO WE ARE WORKING ON A CHILE LIME SEASONING, A STEAK SEASONING, A FISH SEASONING.

WE HAVE THESE NEW FLAVORS COMING OUT AND ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE AND MORE OF THE GOOD STUFF I KNOW THAT WE CAN CREATE.

AND ONCE WE GET MAYBE 10 TO 15 SEASONINGS OUT THERE, MAYBE WE'LL START GETTING INTO OTHER LIKE VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS LIKE ADDING SEASONINGS TO SAUSAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WITH SOME BIG CODE BRANDING OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHER MANUFACTURERS.

SO WE GOT THAT IN THE BACKGROUND RIGHT NOW THAT WE ARE WORKING ON A FEW THINGS.

>> ALWAYS THINKING, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> SO WHAT ABOUT BEING IN LOUISVILLE?

I KNOW YOU ARE BORN AND RAISED HERE.

IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT THIS IS AND REMAINS A LOUISVILLE BRAND?

DO YOU PLAN TO KEEP IT HERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE RAN A SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL FOR LAST THREE YEARS AND EVERYBODY IS LIKE HOW DESCROW THAT MUCH MONEY?

THAT'S A $3 MILLION COMMERCIAL.

NO, THAT'S JUST LOCAL.

YOU CAN DO IT FOR A LOT CHEAPER THAN $3 MILLION AND SO WE HAVE DONE ONE THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO DO.

MAYBE ONE DAY WE WILL HAVE A BIGGER COMMERCIAL THAT IS NATIONAL.

BUT I HIGHLY DOUBT IT.

>> NEVER KNOW.

>> WE ALWAYS WANT TO FOCUS ON OWNING OUR BACKYARD.

THIS IS WHERE BASICALLY EVERYBODY IN THE BUSINESS, WE ARE ALL BORN AND RAISED HERE IN LOUISVILLE AND, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY.

WE LOVE THAT WE ARE-- WIN THING THAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING LATELY IS KENTUCKY IS KNOWN FOR BOURBON, THE KENTUCKY DESERVE THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND DAN-Os.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE IT.

WHEN PEOPLE THINK KENTUCKY THEY THINK ABOUT DAN-Os.

>> THAT'S WULFF THAT'S WONDERFUL.

IS THERE ANYTHING PARTICULARLY ABOUT LOUISVILLE THAT IS HELPFUL FOR THESE KIND OF START-UP BUSINESSES?

I MEAN HAVE YOU FOUND IT TO BE A GOOD PLACE TO START A BUSINESS AND WHY?

>> WELL, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING MY FLEA MARKETS ANYBODY THAT IS GOING TO START A PACKAGE GOOD PRODUCT LIKE THAT GO, TO THE FLEA MARKETS.

SPEND $130, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I WAS WHEN I WAS DOING IT.

AND YOU ARE EXPOSED TO MAYBE 10,000 PEOPLE WALKING BY.

AND IF YOU HAVE A GOOD PRODUCT AND YOU ARE GOOD AT SELLING IT, YOU CAN START RIGHT THERE, JUST HOW I DID IT.

AND THEY HAVE THESE FLEA MARKETS LIKE I THINK THR FIVE OF THEM A YEAR.

IF YOU WASN'T TO SEE IF YOU CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE WHAT I DID, I WOULD SAY 100% PACKAGE THE PRODUCT, TAKE IT TO THE FLEA MARKET.

IF YOU CAN HAVE SUCCESS THE WAY I DID, YOU MIGHT BE ON TO SOMETHING.

>> AND YOU LEARN A LOT FROM THAT, I WOULD IMAGINE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> RIGHT.

>> ME ORIGINALLY, MY FIRST SHOWS THAT I EVER DID WERE FARMERS MARKETS.

THAT'S WHEN I FIGURED OUT I NEED TO GET SOMETHING MORE LIKE THIS AND GET AWAY FROM MY FARMER MARKET LOOKING PRODUCT SO IT, THE FIRST FARMERS MARKET I DID HELPED ME GET TO WHERE I WAS IN THE RIGHT POSITION TO TAKE THIS TO THE FLEA MARKETS.

THEN I WAS EXPOSED TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND THEN THAT'S WHERE I REALLY SAW THE VISION TAKE IT.

>> SO ONE THING THAT YOU MENTION IS, AS A ENTREPRENEUR, YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO HAVE A PLAN B, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING.

WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?

>> WELL THERE IS PROBABLY A LOT OF ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE PLAN Bs BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL.

I WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.

ILLITERATE-- I TOOK THE $8,000 I HAD HAD TO MY NAME AND PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE.

IT WASN'T AN OPTION.

EVERY DOLLAR, EVERYTHING I HAD TO MY NAME WAS INVESTED IN DAN-Os.

AND THAT'S THE WAY IT STAYED FOR FIVE YEARS.

EVERY DOLLAR I GOT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY I MADE AS FAR AS PERSONAL INCOME BECAUSE I WOULD JUST KIND OF TAKE IT OUT OF THE BUSINESS AS I NEEDED IT JUST TO, I CALL IT ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL.

JUST TO GET BY, TO GET MY NEXT ORDER IN TO GO TO THE NEXT SHOW, PAY MY NEXT BILL, GET MY NEXT INGREDIENT.

SO IT WAS REALLY A GRIND.

THERE WAS FIVE YEARS THAT WAS JUST VERY DIFFICULT AND IT WAS JUST HAVING THAT VISION, HAVING THAT PASSION AND THE PASSION TO PERSEVERE THROUGH THE HARD TIMES AND REALLY SEE THE END GAME.

SO IT'S PRETTY COOL.

>> WE ARE GLAD YOU PERSEVERED.

SO REAL QUICK, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE MAGIC SEASONING?

>> I CAN TELL YOU.

THE ORIGINAL IS HOW I STARTED.

HAS A NICE ROSEMARY FLAVOR ROW FILE TO IT.

ROSEMARY IS MY FAVORITE HERB.

AND SO IT'S GOT A REALLY NICE ROSEMARY FLAVOR PROFILE BUT I USE LEMON AND ORANGE PEEL TO GIVE IT A CITRUS ZEST AND IT'S NOT OVERPOWERING AND THE GARLIC AND ONION IS IN ALL SEASONINGS, BASICALLY.

SO I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THAT'S MY MAIN FIVE FLAVORS GOING ON.

AND REALLY IT'S THE ROSEMARY, THE LEMON PEEL AND ORANGE PEEL THAT MAKES IT UNIQUE AND THERE ARE A FEW OTHER INGREDIENTS THAT WE CAN'T TELL YOU THAT IS A TRADE SECRET.

>> FAIR ENOUGH.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ THERE IS ONE THING I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE I WASN'T THE BEST STUDENT EVER.

BUT IF YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO BE RESOURCEFUL AND FIGURE THINGS OUT, THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE ATTRIBUTE YOU CAN HAVE IS LEARN HOW TO FIGURE THINGS OUT.

IF YOU WANT TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY CONSUMER PACKAGE GOODS, IT'S NOT REALLY THAT HARD.

IT'S JUST DOING IT.

IF I WENT BACK AND STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW, YOU COULD DO IT IN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

IT TOOK ME A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.

BUT LEARN HOW TO BE RESOURCEFUL.

FIGURE THINGS OUT AND IT'S NOT THAT HARD.

YOU JUST GOT TO DO IT.

>> SO ARE YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING NOW?

READY TO PUT YOUR NEXT BIG BUSINESS IDEA INTO ACTION?

CHECK OUT OUR BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO WITH DAN-O...YOU'LL HEAR HIS TOP 3 PIECES OF ADVICE FOR UP AND COMING ENTREPRENEURS... THAT'S ONLINE AT KET.ORG/INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ALL THINGS INSIDE LOUISVILLE ON INSTAGRAM AT KET-IN-LOU.

IF YOU HAVE STORY IDEAS TO SHARE, SEND THEM OUR WAY AT INSIDE LOUISVILLE AT KET.ORG.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT SUNDAY AT 12/11 CENTRAL... UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪