In this episode of Hunting Influence, Aaron is joined by Brian Shimmerlik, CEO and Cofounder of Vengo Labs. They discuss Vengo’s unique customer engagement platform and machines, how people make money and become valuable and top business hacks for entrepreneurs.
Key Facts
- Brian’s LinkedIn
- Vengo Lab’s website
- Vengo is high tech, compact and wall-mountable vending machine
- Almost 1500 Vengo machines and solutions are installed in gyms, colleges, hotels, and offices
- Vengo is an innovative way of connecting brands and consumers
- Vengo Labs is a partnership company between Brian Shimmerlik and Steve Bofill
- Vengo’s total funding amount is estimate to be $14 million
- Vengo vending machines enable brands such as Trident, Snapple, and Sour Patch to engage consumers
Key Takeaways
- Brian’s entrepreneurial journey began in sixth grade when he started selling flowers from his mom’s garden
- Brian has always been keen to learn how people make money and what makes them valuable
- Brian believes in self-awareness, which helped him to earn a million dollars from his business while completing his business degree at NYU
- During his role as an intern to the CEO of Conductor, Brian learned what it’s like to run a 30 person startup
- With the dream of starting a successful business, Brian received $17,000 seed capital to turn Vengo Lab’s dream into a reality
- Credibility is the key to Vengo Lab’s success
- Vengo Lab’s idea went through different stages, which also explains the learning curve for Brian. It started with building a 3D prototype and eventually progressed to the point where he was producing a machine that could keep customers engaged and guide them through their shopping journey
- Vengo’s first installation was in a bar, and now, Vengo has more than 1500 digital vending machines
- Vengo’s primary sources of revenue generation are digital media, content, advertising, retail sampling, and data collection
- Vengo’s biggest obstacle initially was streamlining logistics processes and partners. However, Brian and his team worked with vacant warehouses and turned it into a brand customized amenity
- Brian believes in building Vengo’s credibility and authenticity in people’s mind when pitching his business
- Over the years, Vengo has established prominent and long term partnerships that add value to the business’s growth
- Brian’s plan for Vengo Labs includes exponential growth, penetrating further offline platforms and a grand total of 15,000 machine installations
Brian’s Dream Acquisition Partner:
Key Resources
Quotes
“Entrepreneurs see what they want. They look at information, and arrange it in a way that they previously imagined”
Brian Shimmerlik
CEO & Co-Founder of Vengo Labs
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