Ben Erwin – Wild Business Growth Podcast #305: Charitybuzz, The Secret Bucket List

More money to charity makes the world a better place. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth podcast guest, Ben Erwin. Ben is the CEO of Charitybuzz. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Full Transcript
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth podcast Summary

Episode 305: Ben Erwin – Charitybuzz, The Secret Bucket List

Ben Erwin, the CEO of Charitybuzz, joins the show to share his journey from deciding between money and nonprofits to leading the provider of once-in-a-lifetime experiences that support charities. Hear how to inspire your team and customers, provide magical experiences, create new offerings, start a business with a charity component, and the most memorable experiences offered on Charitybuzz. This episode covers everything from charity to The Ohio State Buckeyes. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What impact has Todd Wagner made on Charitybuzz
• How did Ben start at Charitybuzz
• Has he considered the official title of Chief Cheerleader
• The Secret Bucket List
• How do Ben and the Charitybuzz team split their time
• What’s led to the growth of Charitybuzz
• StamVegas
• What’s the hardest part of being in the charity space

Connect with Ben at Charitybuzz.com.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & The Ohio State University
  • [0:16] Register for the International Podcast Day webinar presented by Graphy: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3017266903021/WN_s3ErtxdgRAaSaHwxxu4sWg
  • [0:29] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:38] Connect with Ben at Charitybuzz.com
  • [2:10] Can’t talk
  • [2:18] Shoutout, Matt Scheff!
  • [4:39] How did Ben become a fan of The Ohio State University aka Ohio State Buckeyes
  • [5:56] Indiana University (IU)
  • [6:47] Bazinga
  • [6:58] Mark Cuban, Broadcast.com
  • [7:08] What impact has Todd Wagner made on Charitybuzz
  • [8:40] Taking me back to NYC

• The Charitybuzz Story
  • [9:44] How did Ben start at Charitybuzz
  • [9:48] The George Washington University (GW)
  • [10:30] Ramen Noodles
  • [11:19] Callaway Golf
  • [11:59] Value Proposition (Value Prop)
  • [14:21] How did Ben become CEO of Charitybuzz (Chief Executive Officer)
  • [14:50] Sales, Revenue
  • [16:35] Has Ben considered the official title of Chief Cheerleader
  • [16:42] Stephen Lease – Wild Business Growth podcast #291: Sunglasses Spirit Animal, Co-Founder of goodr
  • [18:04] Bill Shufelt – Wild Business Growth podcast #293: Athletic Brewing, Non-Alcoholic Beer Guy
  • [18:59] What experiences does Charitybuzz provide
  • [19:30] GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
  • [20:50] George Clooney, SNL (Saturday Night Live), Rao’s, Pappy Van Winkle, John Mayer, Steve Vai
  • [22:38] The Secret Bucket List
  • [23:15] How do Ben and the Charitybuzz team split their time
  • [23:44] Charitybuzz Auctions, Charitybuzz Sweepstakes
  • [23:58] Cher
  • [24:12] Charitybuzz Shop
  • [24:25] Charitybuzz Access
  • [26:16] What’s led to the growth of Charitybuzz
  • [27:43] Technology (Tech)
  • [27:56] Internet
  • [30:47] Mark Cuban Instagram
  • [32:12] Register for the International Podcast Day webinar presented by Graphy: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3017266903021/WN_s3ErtxdgRAaSaHwxxu4sWg
  • [32:14] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Ben
  • [33:31] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • [33:33] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23

• Charity & Entrepreneurship
  • [34:08] How do you start a business where charity is a component
  • [37:23] “The Anonymous Donor” on Curb Your Enthusiasm
  • [37:45] What’s the hardest part of being in the charity space
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [41:08] 2003 Fiesta Bowl
  • [41:24] Shoutout, Josh!
  • [41:49] Rubik’s Cube
  • [42:25] The Ivy, Tim Cook, Apple
  • [43:32] What are the origins of the term StamVegas aka Stamford, CT
  • [43:50] Westport, CT, Bobby V’s
  • [44:54] Shoutout, The Big D! Welcome to Fabulous Stam Vegas Sour IPA
  • [45:40] Connect with Ben at Charitybuzz.com
  • [46:59] What are Ben’s Final Thoughts
  • [47:12] Register for the International Podcast Day webinar presented by Graphy: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3017266903021/WN_s3ErtxdgRAaSaHwxxu4sWg
  • [47:22] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [47:31] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Ben
  • [47:34] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [47:35] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
  • [47:37] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [47:41] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding and professional-looking podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Ben Erwin on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And try out Charitybuzz with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!