00044. How Sam Lillie Built Vinder, the World's First HI-Tech, Food Co-Op, with Less Than $20

On today's episode of Gritty Founder, Kreig Kent talks with Sam Lillie about how he built and grew Vinder. Sam shares incredible advice on being persistent, gritty, and starting a company with very little money.

Sam Lillie is the co-founder and CEO of Vinder. He's a local food activist, start-up mentor, speaker, long distance hiker and lover of burritos.

Some Questions Kreig asks Sam:

- What is Vinder and when did you start building it? (9:11)

- What is your big vision for Vinder? (23:29)

- What was the most important characteristic that you used to get you where you are today? (24:24)

- How important is it for a founder to have EQ? (41:09)

- If you could go back in time before you started Vinder, what advice would you tell yourself? (45:48)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

- About Sam’s background and all his entrepreneurial ventures growing up (4:18)

- How Sam started Vinder (9:02)

- The importance of persistence in entrepreneurship (24:24)

- Strategies for leading and managing people (35:41)

- Why you need EQ as a founder (41:09)

- As a founder you need excellent communication skills (47:13)

- You don’t need a lot of money to start a company (48:16)

Connect with Sam Lillie:

Twitter

Vinder

Also Mentioned on This Show...

Sam’s favorite quote:

“A soft, easy life is not worth living, if it impairs the fibre of brain and heart and muscle. We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage… For us is the life of action, of strenuous performance of duty; let us live in the harness, striving mightily; let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out.”

―Theodore Roosevelt

Sam’s book recommendation:

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries