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Episode 222: Cam MacKugler – Cross-Country Gardener, Founder of Seedsheet

Cam MacKugler, the Founder of Seedsheet, joins the show to share his journey from Olympic-level cross-country skiing to inventing the roll-out garden. Hear how to offer custom and preset options, navigate a seasonal business, create machines for your product, the time Cam skied with a buffalo, and his investor pitch on a chairlift. This episode covers everything from Nordic skiing to AutoCAD. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• How did Cam get started skiing on Stratton Mountain in Vermont
• Where did the idea for Seedsheet come from
• How do you get over a devastating injury blow
• What’s the biggest difference between Seedsheet and traditional gardening
• Love me some fresh gardening puns
• How do you get the word out about your product
• Are there any activities or times of the day when you feel most creative
• What is the longest distance Cam has ever skiied

Connect with Cam at Seedsheets.com, LinkedIn, and WeFunder.com/Seedsheet.

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

Show Notes

• Intro & Cross-Country Skiing
  • [0:32] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:41] Connect with Cam at Seedsheets.com, LinkedIn, and WeFunder.com/Seedsheet
  • [2:15] Thank you, Cam!
  • [2:32] MacKugler
  • [2:58] Shoutout, Phyllis!
  • [3:18] How did Cam get started skiing on Stratton Mountain in Vermont
  • [3:44] Ben & Jerry’s, Burton
  • [4:06] Burr & Burton Academy
  • [4:19] Stratton Mountain School (SMS)
  • [4:32] Middlebury College
  • [5:18] What is Nordic Skiing aka Cross-Country Skiing
  • [5:35] VO2 Max Testing
  • [5:45] Lance Armstrong, Bjørn Dæhlie
  • [6:38] What possessed Cam to get into cross-country skiing
  • [6:58] Buddy the Elf
  • [7:26] Londonderry, VT
  • [7:35] U.S. Ski Team
  • [7:51] Bromley Mountain
  • [8:07] Come on, Cam!
  • [8:11] Shoutout, “Mr. Marshmallow” Steve!
  • [8:38] Shoutout, Dana & Adam!
  • [8:47] WHOOPS

• The Seedsheet Story
  • [9:17] Where did the idea for Seedsheet come from
  • [9:56] 2007-2008 Financial Crisis
  • [10:15] Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
  • [10:46] Bread Loaf Architecture
  • [11:03] LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
  • [12:21] Wild Business Growth Podcast #18: Greg Branstetter – President and Founder of Hippo Direct, Our Family Business
  • [12:39] ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)
  • [12:55] How do you get over a devastating injury blow
  • [13:48] Dartmouth College
  • [14:23] What’s the biggest difference between Seedsheet and traditional gardening
  • [16:45] QR Code (Quick Response)
  • [17:03] Olive Garden, Red Lobster
  • [17:58] What are the best-selling Seedsheets so far
  • [18:18] Easy Breezy Caprese
  • [18:32] Love me some fresh gardening puns
  • [18:45] How do Cam and team decide what their preset options are
  • [19:08] USDA Climate Zones
  • [19:24] Fairbanks, AK
  • [19:48] Millennials
  • [20:30] How do you navigate a seasonal business
  • [20:35] This is true
  • [21:11] Geotargeted Ads
  • [21:35] Does the toilet water go the opposite way in the Southern hemisphere
  • [22:16] How do you create machines for your product
  • [22:48] Ski Wax
  • [23:27] How do you get the word out about your product
  • [23:46] Word of Mouth (WOM)
  • [24:19] Kickstarter
  • [24:38] Angel Investors
  • [25:23] What was Cam’s reaction when he found out The Home Depot would try out Seedsheet
  • [26:10] Hefty
  • [26:58] What impact did Seedsheet see from Shark Tank
  • [27:32] Sales
  • [27:46] Hulu
  • [27:55] CNBC
  • [28:08] Infomercial
  • [28:20] Mark my words
  • [28:30] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [29:57] Does Cam still ski
  • [30:11] Shoutout, 2050 Olympics!
  • [30:30] What hobbies does Cam have in his free time
  • [30:35] Swing and a gardening miss
  • [31:05] Fly Fishing
  • [31:17] Are there any activities or times of the day when you feel most creative
  • [31:38] Books on Tape, Podcasts
  • [31:59] Central Park
  • [32:22] Dan Brown
  • [32:26] Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
  • [33:25] The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [33:38] What is the longest distance Cam has ever skiied
  • [33:56] West Yellowstone, Yellowstone
  • [34:23] Did the buffalo ever notice them
  • [34:56] Josh Allen
  • [35:03] How did Cam do an investor pitch on a chairlift
  • [35:36] VC (Venture Capital)
  • [35:38] Peak Pitch
  • [35:56] Elevator Pitch
  • [36:11] Balaclava
  • [36:34] Mike’s Way
  • [37:18] Noise Reduction
  • [37:22] What is Cam’s favorite trail on Stratton Mountain
  • [37:36] Bill Koch, 1976 Silver Medalist
  • [37:53] Peru, VT
  • [38:24] How long does it take to break in a trail
  • [39:15] Shoutout, Stratton Dana!
  • [39:38] Connect with Cam at Seedsheets.com, LinkedIn, and WeFunder.com/Seedsheet
  • [40:39] What are Cam’s Final Thoughts
  • [40:44] David Ortiz aka Big Papi
  • [41:25] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And 5 stars on Apple Podcasts & Spotify if you’re feeling super nice
  • [41:43] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [41:47] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
  • [41:49] 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
  • [41:55] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
  • 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, 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 Cam MacKugler 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 cross-country ski with them and buffaloes (or just them). Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!