Shideler B. on LinkedIn: Crumbl Cookies is dead. "It's just like the yogurt trend, no one buys big… | 18 comments (2024)

OpenAI's ChatGPT is down this morning. I'm realizing I might have created a new dependency. I use it to help me reword emails, brainstorm content ideas, and build SOP's. This past week, I used it to create a job offer letter in seconds, and I was able to export it into a Word doc.This is a relatively easy task, but in the past, I would have wasted 30 minutes on Google looking for a free template, only to get stuck at a paywall as I tried to download the template I personalized. 😅 Seeing some of these stupid little annoyances disappear as AI improves is incredible. 🤝Found this helpful? Repost for others🔼 DM me to talk funding or cashflow investing

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🛒 The Truth Behind Amazon's Cashier-less StoresRecently, I listened to a podcast about how Amazon's cashier-less grocery stores weren't as automated as we were led to believe. The Amazon Fresh stores, where customers would scan a QR code to enter and "just walk out" with their groceries, relied heavily on manual processes.Turns out, 1,000 people in India were manually tagging videos to ensure accuracy. Despite being an optimist, the longer I underwrite debt deals, the less I take things at face value. This whole scenario shows that even the tech giants sometimes use a bit of smoke and mirrors.As business owners and investors, let's remember—don't believe everything you see, and always keep a bit of skepticism handy. 🤝Found this helpful? Repost for others🔼 DM me to talk funding or cashflow investing

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Over the past year, I’ve been working on a side project.This project began as a way for me to document and remember the lessons I learned from avoidable mistakes and to share how I would do things differently. I soon realized that these insights could be valuable to others looking to start their own retail businesses.I've completed most of the content and am now developing supplemental templates, checklists, and other resources. Now, I’m at a crossroads and could use your help. I’m not familiar with selling anything online, creating a community, or knowing the best next steps.If you have any tips or know someone who could help, please reach out or tag them in the comments!

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I had an interesting conversation with a Little Caesars Pizza franchisee this week about their latest product launch: the Crazy Puffs! According to the franchisee, these new Crazy Puffs have been a huge hit, selling three times more than they initially anticipated.I had to try them myself, and for $3.99, this is the best value deal in America right now. The flavor, the quality, and the price point are simply unbeatable.If I were a Little Caesars franchisee, I would be absolutely stoked about this new winning product. It's always exciting to see such a positive response from customers and to have a product that not only meets but exceeds expectations.Have you tried the Crazy Puffs yet? What are your thoughts?🤝Found this helpful? Repost for others🔼 DM me to talk funding or cashflow investing

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Back in 2021, while working on the build-out of our first Crumbl Cookies store, I took a vacation to Lake Powell.My team felt tons of pressure to meet our deadlines because finding a location to lease had taken longer than we wanted. I ended up being in a bad mood the entire trip.Anyone familiar with the development process will know there is lots of waiting that happens at different stages. For example, we had been waiting on permits to come through for weeks, and of course, they finally got approved as soon as I got on vacation in a place with terrible cell service. This meant I had to coordinate many details with the GC, signage teams, future employees, equipment suppliers, and more.Experiences like this have tainted my feelings about taking time off. Looking back, I don't think spending that time on my vacation really moved the project along, but it did hurt my family relationships.No project is worth sacrificing your mental health and family time. I’ve learned that it’s crucial to set boundaries and truly disconnect when taking time off. Hope everyone enjoys their long weekend!🤝Found this helpful? Repost for others🔼 DM me to talk funding or cashflow investing

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I am 50 emails behind. Usually, that drives me crazy, but New York this past weekend was worth it!The artichoke pizza was incredible, but even more inspiring was the immigrant hustler mentality that seemed to pulse through the city.Using the subway made me feel like a true New Yorker, and the diversity of people I met was eye-opening. It reminded me of the value of stepping out of my usual Utah bubble.Mixing business with pleasure, we soaked in the city's energy and left feeling enriched and inspired.Having my wife Chloe Bennett with me made the trip even more special. Can'twait to get back to NYC!

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I'm headed to New York City this weekend for Broker Fair 2024! It’s my first time attending, and I’m planning to make the most of it. I'll be catching my first Broadway play, "Wicked," and going to a Yankees game.But the highlight will be connecting with new lending partners and meeting some fantastic people in the industry.Who else will be in New York and wants to meet up? Let's connect!

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As a multi-unit franchisee of Crumbl Cookies, we initially believed in giving our leaders the autonomy to manage their locations in the way they thought was best. However, we quickly learned that without consistent standards, it became nearly impossible to identify areas for improvement. This inconsistency led to a culture where it was easy to make excuses – blaming poor results on the location, the customers, or any other external factor.To fix this, we promoted one person to brand VP and tasked them with establishing a clear vision and set of values across all locations. This did require some employees to be let go because they couldn't accept our new standards or the leader we had chosen. Despite the initial pain, we've built a unified culture that holds everyone to the same high standards and empowers our team to take ownership of their success.It was painful in the beginning, but it has weeded out many of the excuses and was worth the short-term discomfort.🤝Found this helpful? Repost for others🔼 DM me to talk funding or cashflow investingThanks to AJ Richichi(CEO of Sprockets) for having me on the pod!

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