WHICH SOUNDS A LOT BETTER THAN $2,383 A MONTH!

P. GO CHECK IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE!

THESE ARE YOUR NUMBERS FOR THIS WEEK!

WE CONTINUE NOW WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WITH J DANIEL PLUFF.

THE SERIES HIGHLIGHTS BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL IN OUR AREA.

THROUGHOUT OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WE'VE INTRODUCED YOU TO SEVERAL CENTRAL NEW YORKERS WHO HAVE STARTED NEW, LOCAL BUSINESSES - - MANY OF WHICH HAVE SEEN IMPRESSIVE GROWTH.

SKANEATELES RESIDENT JEFF KNAUSS IS YET ANOTHER - HE AND A PARTNER ESTABLISHED DIGITAL HYVE - A DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY CONNECTING VARIOUS BRANDS TO THEIR TARGETED AUDIENCES.

IT'S GROWTH RATE WAS BOTH AWARDED AND RECOGNIZED BY NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS.

THE COMPANY WAS ACQUIRED FOR AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT, BUT LIKE SO MANY ENTREPRENEURS, JEFF WAS THEN READY FOR THE NEXT BIG THING.

AND, AFTER THAT, .

THE NEXT BIG THING.

OUR J DANIEL PLUFF GOT SOME BUSINESS ADVICE FROM JEFF, ALONG WITH HIS THOUGHTS ON THE >> TAKE NO OFFENSE TO THIS, BUT FOLKS LIKE YOU I FIND DIFFICULT FOR ME BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I CAN'T PIGEON HOLE YOU.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN RUNNING A COMPANY FOR 20 YEARS AND WE TALK ABOUT HOW IT STARTED OR HOW IT GREW.

YOU HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE, WHICH IS INTERESTING.

I THINK ONE SPOT THAT WE SHOULD REALLY HIT ON FIRST IS YOU CO-FOUNDED AND GREW A COMPANY CALLED DIGITAL HYVE.

THE GROWTH WAS PHENOMENAL.

YOU CHOSE TO SELL DIGITAL HYVE.

WHY?

>> WELL, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, FROM DAY ONE OF STARTING THE BUSINESS, WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD NOT KEEP THE BUSINESS FOREVER.

WE HAD A PLAN TO EXIT FROM DAY ONE, MY PARTNER AND I.

THE REASON FOR THAT WAS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED AT THE TOP THAT I'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS.

I KNEW THAT I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ENTREPRENEUR ADHD.

I LIKE TO LOOK AT PROBLEMS THAT EXIST IN THE WORLD AND CREATE MANAGE FROM NOTHING.

MY PASSION REALLY IS BUILDING COMPANIES, STARTING IT, GETTING IT OFF THE GROUND AND YOU KNOW, THE OPTIMIZATION AT A CERTAIN POINT OF SCALE TAKES A DIFFERENT MIND AND ONCE IT'S OUT OF THE CRAZINESS OF START-UP LIFE AND-- I LIKE TO GET IT TO A POINT WHERE THERE IS PROCESS INFUSED AND IT CAN SCALE, THAT'S WHEN I THINK A GREAT OPERATOR CAN TAKE IT OVERAND GROW IT FROM THERE.

>> IT STRIKES ME THAT SELLING IT WAS NOT A DIFFICULT DECISION, NOT LIKE SELLING YOUR BABY.

THIS WAS PART OF THE PLAN QUITE FRANKLY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

I HAVE A BELIEF THAT IT WAS IN THE-- IT WAS BORN FROM THE IDEA OF WANTING TO MAKE IT EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER THAN I COULD EVEN BRING IT TO AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT SELLING IT WAS FOR ME.

>> NEXT UP AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS TOUGH FOR ME BECAUSE NOW YOU GO ALL OVER.

I BELIEVE YOU ESTABLISHED A RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN, XO TACO, PARTNERSHIPS WITH SKANEATELES HIDDEN FISH AND CLOVERS, CORRECT?

IT BEGS THE QUESTION, WHY THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS?

THE FAILURE RATE THERE, AS YOU KNOW, QUITE HIGH.

>> YES.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS, FOR ME, ARE ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY BUILDING WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, WITH MICRON POPULATION GROWTH, BUSINESS GROWTH, TO REALLY MAKE A BIG IMPACT AND CREATE A LEGACY IN THIS AREA WITH GROWTH.

AND IN ORDER TO ATTRACT REALLY GREAT PEOPLE, IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO STAY IN THIS AREA, HAVE YOU TO HAVE GREAT PLACES TO GO TO BE ENTERTAINED AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE GREAT PLACES TO EAT.

>> I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT IN A SECOND, THE WHOLE IDEA.

THAT'S KIND OF NEAT.

IN BETWEEN THEN AND WHERE WE ARE NOW, ANOTHER ENTITY CALLED PROFOUND.

WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> SO PROFOUND IS A MASTERMIND GROUP AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE BRING TOGETHER YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF BUSINESS LEADERS FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK TO SHARE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH ONE ANOTHER TO BUILD GREAT EXPERIENCES AND TO BUILD LONG AND LASTING RELATIONSHIPS.

AND THE IDEA WAS TO, YOU KNOW, ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS VERY LONELY.

IT'S VERY HARD WHEN YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD SOMETHING.

IT'S DIFFICULT.

EVERY SINGLE DAY IT'S DIFFICULT.

AND TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE GOING THROUGH SIMILAR CHALLENGES AND HOW TO CAPITALIZE ON OPPORTUNITIES, CAN BE A GAME CHANGER AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE PROFOUND WAS BORN OUT OF.

>> YOU MENTIONED, YOU SAID SOMETHING A SECOND AGO.

YOU MENTIONED ENTREPRENEURS IN GENERAL ARE VERY LONELY PEOPLE.

THAT STRIKES ME AS ODD, HOW COME?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE LONELY PEOPLE.

THE JOURNEY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS LONELY.

>> GOTTA.

>> SO WHILE YES, YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE, EMPLOYEES, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE HARD TIMES AND NOT SURE HOW YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE PAYROLLS AND YOU LOSE A BUNCH OF CLIENTS, IT'S ON YOU TO FIGURE OUT.

ULTIMATELY BEING C.E.O., I HEARD THIS RECENTLY, IS THE HARDEST JOB BECAUSE YOUR JOB AS C.E.O.

IS TO GO OUT AND HIRE THE SMARTEST PEOPLE YOU CAN FIND AND YOUR JOB, ONCE-- AS C.E.O., YOUR JOB IS TO SAY HERE ARE THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE AND ANY CHALLENGE THAT YOU SUPER SMART CHALLENGE CAN'T FIGURE OUT, THAT'S FOR ME TO FIGURE OUT AND SO IT CAN BE A LONELY JOURNEY.

>> GOT IT.

OKAY.

SO NOW WE MOVE FAST FORWARD TO TODAY.

ANOTHER ENTITY CALLED OPIN, ON THE SURFACE, JEFF, IT STRIKES ME AS HAVING SOME SIMILARITIES TO PROFOUND.

TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> OPIN WAS BUILT AS A COMMUNITY FOR ENTREPRENEURS, SIMILARLY TO PROFOUND WHERE IT IS A LONELY JOURNEY, BUT WITH OPIN, THE IDEA WAS TO SCALE IT GLOBALLY.

AND SO WHAT IT IS IS THIS COMMUNITY FOR ENTREPRENEURS BUT ALSO WE HAVE THE WORLD'S MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE TEACHING LESSONS.

SO THE IDEA IS A: EVERYBODY THAT HAS HAD ANY KIND OF SUCCESS, AT LEAST THAT I'VE MET, WANT TO SHARE THAT SUCCESS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

THEY WANT TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES.

THEY WANT TO TELL THEIR STORY.

AND LOOK, WE GO OUT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL SPEND 20, 30, $50,000 ON THESE VIDEO SHOOTS AND WE'LL TELL THEIR STORY THROUGH A DOCUMENTARY-STYLE LENS.

AND NOW THEY HAVE THE LEGACY PIECE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL THEIR STORY THAT HOPEFULLY THEY CAN PASS ON TO THEIR GRANDKIDS AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY'RE TEACHING OTHER PEOPLE ALL ABOUT HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> SO I LOOK AT YOU.

YOU'VE GOT ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERIENCE; BUSINESS CONTACTS, SIT ON SEVERAL BOARDS.

SO I CAN LOOK TO YOU AND SAY, THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS PROBABLY A GOOD GUIDE OR CAN GAUGE THE CENTRAL NEW YORK ECONOMY.

I SEE A LOT HAPPENING LOCALLY.

>> YEAH.

>> DO YOU SHARE THAT VIBE?

>> I BELIEVE THAT CENTRAL NEW YORK IS ON THE PRECIPICE OF THE LARGEST GROWTH AND IMPACT JOURNEY THAT WE'VE BEEN ON, MAYBE EVER.

I HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW EVER, BUT CERTAINLY IN MY LIFETIME, AND YOU KNOW, MY KNOWN HISTORY.

>> WITH RESPECT, THAT'S A BOLD STATEMENT.

>> IT IS.

AND I BELIEVE IT FULLY.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT, IN MY LIVED EXPERIENCE IS THAT CENTRAL NEW YORKERS FACE IS WE HAD THIS MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY THAT LEFT, THE ECONOMY GOT WORSE AND SO MANY PEOPLE WERE STUCK IN THE PAST.

THEY'RE THINKING OH MY GOSH, ALL THIS STUFF HAS LEFT AND THEY FEEL BURNED BY THAT AND I GET IT, EMPATHETIC TO IT.

BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THERE IS SO MUCH OPTIMISM, AND SO MUCH POSITIVENESS COMING OUR WAY, WITH MICRON FOR YOU ARE, THE IMPACT THAT IS GOING TO MAKE IS HARD TO QUANTIFY AT THIS POINT.

BUT I BELIEVE IN IT AND I BELIEVE IN THE SUPPLIERS THAT WILL FOLLOW THEM.

I BELIEVE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WILL FOLLOW THEM.

THE EMPLOYEES THAT WILL FOLLOW.

IT'S A VERY EXCITING TIME.

>> SO, AND I'M WITH YOU.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNGER PEOPLE COMING INTO BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, I'M EASILY IMPRESSED BUT I'M IMPRESSED TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE STARTING BUSINESSES, DOING WELL RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AND IT'S CONTINUING.

THE QUESTION THOUGH IS YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO START A BUSINESS, TO GET SOMETHING GOING?

>> I THINK IT'S MORE THAN JUST STARTING A BUSINESS BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING POSITIVE, EXCITING AS WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

AND ALSO WE HAVE FERTILE GROUND WITH OUR EDUCATION SYSTEMS, OUR GREAT, YOU KNOW, INSTITUTES THAT ARE IN THE AREA, PUMPING OUT REALLY SMART PEOPLE AND ALL WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS BUILD GREAT BUSINESSES THAT KEEP THEM AROUND.

AND LIKE I SAID, BUILD GREAT COMMUNITY, RESTAURANTS, ENTERTAINMENT, THINGS TO DO.

IF WE CAN DO THAT PIECE OF IT, ALONG WITH INDUSTRY, WE ARE GOING TO WIN.

>> BACK TO JUST STARTING A BUSINESS THOUGH.

HOW DO YOU TAKE WHAT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA AND KNOW THAT IT'S A GOOD BUSINESS IDEA?

>> SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT STARTING A BUSINESS, SO MUCH OF THAT IS AN EXCITING PROSPECT OF LIKE A GREAT IDEA.

BUT REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, THE MAIN REASON THE BUSINESSES FAIL IS BECAUSE THEY RUN OUT OF MONEY.

RIGHT?

THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.

>> CAPITAL ISSUE.

>> IT'S CAPITAL IN THE WAY OF LIKE I THINK SHARK TANK HAS CHANGED THE PERCEPTION AROUND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SOME.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK, OKAY, I HAVE THIS GREAT IDEA.

I'M GOING TO RAISE MONEY.

AND I JUST AM SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, THAT BELIEVES THAT IF YOU CAN START A GREAT-- ESPECIALLY A LOCAL REGIONAL BUSINESS, IF YOU CAN START THE BUSINESS BY SAVING UP AND MAYBE A FRIEND'S, ASKING FRIENDS AND FAMILY IF HAVE YOU TO.

I PREFER TO BOOTSTRAP WHICH MEANS YOU START THE BUSINESS ON YOUR SAVINGS.

YOU GET IT SELF PROPELLING IN A WAY THAT YOU GO OUT AND GET CLIENTS, YOU GET REVENUE, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO START THE BUSINESS.

START SMALL, GROW FROM THERE.

AND IN MY OPINION, YOU HAVE A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF SUCCESS BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT RELIANT ON CONTINUING THE INVESTMENT FLY WHEEL OF GOING AFTER INVESTMENT AFTER INVESTMENT.

>> SURE.

I THINK THAT'S GREAT ADVICE.

BUT HERE IS KIND OF A WRAP-UP QUESTION FOR YOU.

IF I SAID TO YOU, THERE IS NO DIGITAL HYVE, IN PROFOUND, NO RESTAURANTS PUTTING IN FRONT OF YOU A CLEAN SLATE.

>> YEA.

>> WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS MIGHT YOU WANT TO START OR GO INTO NOW?

WHAT LOOKS INTERESTING TO YOU IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK MARKET?

>> SO THE THESIS THAT I'VE HAD WHEN STARTING BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CENTRAL NEW YORK MARKET IS TYPICALLY CENTRAL NEW YORK IN TERMS OF LIKE EVOLUTION OF BUSINESS OR ADAPTING, YOU KNOW, NEW TECHNOLOGIES, IS A COUPLE YEARS BEHIND.

IT'S NOT A KNOCK.

IT'S JUST THE TRUTH.

AND THAT'S A MASSIVE ADVANTAGE FOR ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED IN STARTING A BUSINESS, THE REASON DIGITAL HYVE WORKED SO WELL IS THAT WE DID DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN A TIME THAT NEW YORK CITY, BOSTON, LAMP, THE BIG MAJOR MARKETS, THERE WAS A DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY ON EVERY CORNER.

FOR US, IT WAS ALMOST BLUE OCEAN TERRITORY BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING WHAT WE DID IN THE WAY WE DID IT.

AND SO RIGHT NOW I WOULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT HOW CAN YOU, SIMILAR TO WHAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH DIGITAL MARKETING, HOW CAN YOU TAKE A.I., LEARN ENOUGH ABOUT IT SO YOU CAN BECOME THE RESIDENT EXPERT IN THISSER AND HELP BUSINESSES APPLY A.I.

TO THEIR BUSINESSES.

I THINK THIS THE THAT WOULD BE A MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY.

>> I MAY HAVE TO COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT A.I.

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