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Episode 284: Greg Berry – Government Surplus Auctioneer, Founder of Municibid

Greg Berry, the Founder and CEO of Municibid and Surplus.com, joins the show to share his journey from city councilman to creating the online government surplus auction marketplace. Hear the most random items ever sold on Municibid, how to manage an online marketplace, whether to focus on buyers or sellers, how to nail a cross-country road trip in an RV, and a little Breaking Bad. This episode covers everything from tailgate vehicles to conga drums. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• How was a bridge sold on Municibid
• Why do people buy used police cars
• How big a problem is government surplus
• Who are Municibid’s competitors
• Bring on the Bongos!!
• Does Greg have an auctioneer voice
• What’s the hardest part of starting a business out of high school
• How do you stay entertained driving across the country

Connect with Greg at Municibid.com, Surplus.com, and on social media @Municibid and @GregMBerry.

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

Show Notes

• Intro & Creative Municibid Purchases
  • [0:30] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:45] Connect with Greg at Municibid.com, Surplus.com, and on social media @Municibid and @GregMBerry
  • [2:16] How do you pronounce Municibid
  • [2:56] Greg Branstetter – Wild Business Growth podcast #18: President and Founder of Hippo Direct, Our Family Business
  • [3:11] What’s the most creative use of a purchase on Municibid
  • [3:42] “How One Man Converted an Ambulance into a Tailgate Vehicle Masterpiece“
  • [4:28] Etsy
  • [4:43] Muni Lot Tailgates for Cleveland Browns games
  • [5:02] Browns-ified!
  • [5:15] Social Security
  • [5:16] What are the most commonly bought items on Municibid
  • [5:38] Crown Vic, Dodge Charger
  • [5:54] Backhoe, Loader, Dump Truck
  • [6:12] How was a bridge sold on Municibid
  • [6:33] Log Cabin
  • [6:52] Police Car Scene in The Hangover
  • [7:02] Why do people buy used police cars
  • [7:49] HEMI (Chrysler Hemi Engine)

• The Municibid Story
  • [9:28] Did Greg know he would turn out to be a used police car dealer
  • [9:46] Entrepreneur
  • [10:17] IT (Information Technology)
  • [11:38] Kelley Blue Book (KBB)
  • [13:21] Riding Mower
  • [14:41] How did people react when Greg started Municibid
  • [15:38] Congrats!
  • [15:46] How big a problem is government surplus
  • [16:42] Forfeited Assets or Seized Assets
  • [18:23] How has Greg grown Municibid
  • [19:00] Tell me about it
  • [19:14] Marketing
  • [19:26] Email, Direct Mail
  • [19:45] Is it harder to get buyers or sellers
  • [20:04] Google
  • [20:15] Google Ads
  • [20:23] Facebook Ads (Meta Ads), Instagram Ads
  • [21:45] How do you manage an online marketplace
  • [22:01] Bazinga
  • [22:54] How has the auction world changed over the years
  • [23:22] Sealed-Bid Auction, Live Auction, Trade
  • [24:35] “If not, it’s fine”
  • [24:48] eBay, Facebook Marketplace
  • [24:54] Who are Municibid’s competitors
  • [26:07] Customer Service
  • [26:35] craigslist
  • [26:37] Come to CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo) May 5-7, 2024 in Cleveland, OH! Save $100 off the in-person ticket price by registering at CEX.Events and using the coupon code: MAX100
  • [26:39] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Greg
  • [27:28] 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
  • [27:30] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23

• Inspiration & Creativity
  • [27:44] How do you stay motivated with a long sales cycle
  • [29:30] What irks me?
  • [30:00] M.B.A. (Masters of Business Administration)
  • [30:09] How do you stay creative
  • [30:22] Surplus.com
  • [30:49] Where’s Greg’s favorite RV (Recreational Vehicle) road trip he’s been on
  • [31:01] Highway 50
  • [31:50] Walt White
  • [32:15] Bring on the Bongos!!
  • [32:15] Conga
  • [32:35] Does Greg play music
  • [32:55] Breaking Bad Theme Song
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [33:21] Shoutout, Grandma Adele!
  • [33:47] What’s something surprising about being on city council
  • [34:20] Does Greg have an auctioneer voice
  • [34:26] Has he ever been to a live auction
  • [34:58] What’s the hardest part of starting a business out of high school
  • [35:39] Microsoft Certifications
  • [35:57] What’s the longest road trip Greg’s been on in his RV
  • [36:42] What’s his advice for anyone doing a cross-country road trip
  • [37:06] Rockies aka Rocky Mountains
  • [37:52] Connect with Greg at Municibid.com, Surplus.com, and on social media @Municibid and @GregMBerry
  • [38:19] What are Greg’s Final Thoughts
  • [39:21] 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
  • [39:31] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Greg
  • [39:37] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [39:39] Come to CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo) May 5-7, 2024 in Cleveland, OH! Save $100 off the in-person ticket price by registering at CEX.Events and using the coupon code: MAX100
  • [39:41] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
  • [39:42] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [39:46] 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 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 max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Greg Berry 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 repurpose some government surplus with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!