“BlackSmith” Learning Center

Welcome to the Learning Center

Thoughts & Lessons from “The BlackSmith”

Mar 17 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Be Where You Are Needed Most

One very important tool for any Founder, Entrepreneur, and/or Venture Builder is "being where your feet are" as my friend Steve Nudelberg writes in his book... ⬇ Today, I am able to be present for my daughter, my wife, and our ventures because of proper preparation, planning, and scheduling... My daughter (the fundraiser for all who remember that) is having a tumor removed today so living it up in the hospital most…

Mar 17 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Be Where You Are Needed Most

Mar 16 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Your Mindset Will Determine Your Success

There's a lot of noise, doubt, and fear brewing inside the venture community right now... The mindset we show up with as Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Business Owners will determine our success... Let's jump into one of our BSV Launch Program modules to hit the high level stuff on "Fixed" vs "Growth" mindsets...If you want to learn more, connect with me, I'd be happy to share. #founders#entrepreneurs#mindset

Mar 15 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Why Do You Do What You Do?

Why do you do what you do? For me, its about one thing 👇 🚀 IMPACT 🚀 Once you're not struggling to pay bills and provide for your family, then you have a big question to answer... WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO? I've learned through multiple ventures and experiences that the IMPACT we make on other people's lives far outweighs the "financial" wins... Here is what financial success…

Mar 14 , 2023 | Andy Smith

You Are Whatever You Believe You Are

Are early-stage startup entrepreneurs business people or artists? Both... and we call them "BlackSmiths"... Here is why 👇 Like artists, startup entrepreneurs have: 🚀 a deep passion and sense of purpose for their work 🚀 a desire to create something new, innovative, and impactful, 🚀 a willingness to take risks and embrace uncertainty Additionally, 🚀 Just as artists often work independently or in small groups, startup entrepreneurs often operate in…

Mar 13 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Venture Building: Making Certainty Out of Uncertainty

Self-reflecting a bit on this morning's run about the very important question of "WHO"... 👇 As in... Who do we choose to surround ourselves with? On both the investor side of our business (our partners) and the founder's side of our business (the early-stage venture folks) there is one commonality... They're both entrepreneurs... They get the game and understand the need to create clarity out of uncertainty... Now, both are…

Mar 12 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Every Successful Business Started With A Dream

It starts with a dream... then we make plans... Then, the unexpected happens... 🤯 I think most founders will at some point experience the phrase, "Man plans and God laughs" Change, uncertainty, and unknowns aren't all bad... They can actually be great. But, I do think 👇 it serves as a reminder that life is unpredictable and that we must be flexible and adaptable in the face of uncertainty. While…

Mar 11 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Entrepreneurship is a Team Sport: Find Your Tribe

I hit the 50-yard line this week and turned 45 years old. The last decade seems like a blur... Exited two businesses, started at least half a dozen more, and continue to be supported by my tribe. 👇 Those of us that call ourselves "entrepreneurs" have taken on one of the loneliest, challenging, and uncertain professions I'm aware of... Every day, I speak to someone who is risking it all... …

Mar 10 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Money Is Not Always The Answer

Putting out content will both attract (and repel) your tribe. I am "attracting" a ton of Founders & Entrepreneurs who think money will answer all their prayers. In all my successful ventures 👇 🚀 We sold our way to success 🚀 What does that mean? It means, go find a customer, love on them, solve their problem, and use their success to propel your venture to the next success. Quit…

Mar 09 , 2023 | Andy Smith

The Importance of Having a Clear Vision in Your Venture

I saw a great post yesterday comparing Freelancers, Solopreneurs, Business Operators, and Business Owners. Now, from a BlackSmith's viewpoint: The Investor and The Venture Builder Investors typically provide funding in exchange for equity or ownership in a company, and their involvement is primarily financial. They may offer strategic guidance and connections, but their primary focus is on maximizing returns on their investment. On the other hand, venture builders take a…

Mar 08 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Identifying The Right Target Customers Will Kick-start Your Early-Stage Startup

After exiting a couple of ventures, I had a highly respected PE Managing Partner talk about their focus on later-stage ventures and he inferred that I would never want to start over again. Wrong 👇 I love early-stage ventures and building them from inception. If you've gotten your venture lifted off, but still building OR you've plateaued for some reason, here is my advice to you: 🚀 Stay in "Attraction"…

Mar 07 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Proper Delegation: One Key To Scaling Your Business

Are you so deep in the weeds of your businesses, that you're unable to make key decisions that move the needle? Here are three quick points to remember as you escalate your venture (I happen to be on an escalator so I'm being cute with words 🙄) 👇 1️⃣ Schedule THINK time 2️⃣ Delegate, Delegate, Delegate 3️⃣ Delete non-value-added activities (and people) You have to DECIDE if the "thing" you're…

Mar 06 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Money Is Not All You Need To Start Your Venture

We talk to so many founders & entrepreneurs who reach out to us looking for money. I want to make sure we all have a healthy understanding of money & timing 👇 Money is just one of the tools in the blacksmith's (aka entrepreneur's) tool belt that enables us to implement our vision, plan, and strategy. NOW, once you have product/market fit inside a healthy industry (think rock rolling downhill…

Mar 05 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How Do You Keep Your Work-life Balance?

Do you find yourself struggling with always being "ON"? Here are some tricks we've adopted that might help you avoid redlining... 👇 👉 Schedule and Prioritize Exercise (or whatever physical activity you enjoy) 👉 We embraced "Slack" to eliminate the "feeling" of I MUST RESPOND NOW... It looks overwhelming at first, but appoint an expert to manage the flow. 👉 We brought on staff a Zapier expert... This allowed us…

Mar 03 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Are You Looking For Something Or Someone To Help Your Business Grow?

It's time to be bold, fellow Entrepreneur, Founder, & Business Owner. We "launched" the BSV Launch Program 🚀 so you wouldn't be alone.Apply Now if 👇 You or your business struggle with any of the following: 🚀 Technology adoption: Are you using the tools offered by Web 2.0 and now Web 3.0 inside your business? 🚀 Sales & Marketing: Do you have a consistent, measurable, and reliable "Attract" system in…

Mar 02 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Natural Disasters Expo USA: Day 2 Update

Day 2 of the Natural Disasters Expo USA starts today here in Miami Beach. Day 1 was a major success... Even reconnected with some #oilandgas OGs... Agenda for the day: 🚀 5:45am (reading + water/coffee + day prep) 🚀 6:45am (workout - trying a baller-looking south beach gym) 🚀 7:45am (short run - saw Kevin O Leary on yesterday's run) 🚀 9:00am (two video calls - both new biz opportunities) 🚀 10:00am (Going back…

Mar 01 , 2023 | Andy Smith

What Important Factors Do You Keep Your Focus On?

Funny story... Started first venture in 2007, recapped in 2012. We took a few of our early employees to Miami to celebrate (baby faces), and yesterday I had lunch at that same spot. Reflected on 👇 What factors led to that success? 1️⃣ It took an amazing amount of unwavering faith to never give up, keep going, and persevere through some insanely tough times. 2️⃣ It took meeting "just the…

Feb 28 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Are You Planning to Invest In Early-Stage Startups?

Data shows that there is an appetite to invest in small and early-stage businesses. Here are a few interesting stats around high-net-worth individuals and where they like to invest. 👇 👉 According to a survey by UBS Investor Watch, nearly 70% of investors with $1 million or more in investable assets say they would like to invest directly in private equity and other alternative investments. This suggests a significant appetite…

Feb 27 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Investing in Early-stage Startups is Fun

Yes, investing in early-stage startups is risky... Yes, the path is not always clear... Yes, it can very financially rewarding... Yes, it will build the muscles, wisdom, and fortitude to make 👇 REAL and LASTING IMPACT I'm a huge believer in investing in early-stage and small businesses when: 1️⃣ - The Founder, Entrepreneur, or Operator is Open Minded and Self Propelled 2️⃣ - There is Product / Market Fit 3️⃣…

Feb 25 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Why Is It So Hard To Invest In Early Stage Startups?

I founded BlackSmith Ventures to create impact for two different groups. On one side is the investor - someone who wants to take their resources, experience, and wisdom and deploy that into innovative early stage ventures. The other group is the entrepreneur & founder - these are individuals who are looking to turn a dream into reality. To avoid the pitfalls, risk, and difficulty with early stage startups, we put…

Feb 24 , 2023 | Andy Smith

The Power Of Excellent Customer Service To Your Business Growth

Owners of small businesses have a superpower if you choose to pull out your most powerful weapon... 👇 The BlackSmith Tool you have as a small business is SPEED & RESPONSIVENESS. Here are three (3) things we must do inside our blue-collar, old-school, niche manufacturing businesses to put us ahead of the big boys... 1️⃣ - When someone calls, emails, or messages us have someone knowledgeable as the first point…

Feb 22 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How Do We Make Investing Less Boring? - Enter the Early Stage Venture

My co-founder and I were the original investors in our first venture, ABUTEC. In fact, we were ultimately the only investors before we exited at an eight figure sum. How much did we risk? We both put in $34,500 to get the company launched and we ended up getting a line of credit for $100,000 before it got canceled in our first year because we were “too high risk”. We…

Feb 21 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Forging Success: How Starting a Business is Like Being a BlackSmith

We took a brief trip to our nation's capital and I stumbled upon the "BlackSmith" shop at George Washington's homesite. Here is why we chose to use the "BlackSmith" namesake 👇 In my early entrepreneurial days, think 2007 timeframe, we would be driving through heartland looking for business partners and we would routinely see what we termed as “BlackSmiths on the Corner”. We'd stop in, most of the time unannounced,…

Feb 20 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Are You Controlling Your Calendar Or Is It The Other Way Around?

About a month ago, I was sitting down reflecting on the week and making sure I was "moving needles" and not just "busy". I asked myself why Monday's were sucking so bad. In that moment, I decided to make a change... If we let our calendars control us, we are losing the game, fellow Founders... We have an obligation to ourselves, our teams, and our families to proactively schedule our…

Feb 19 , 2023 | Andy Smith

A Final Update on My Daughter's LLS Campaign

Wanted to give the "Blacksmith" tribe a final update on my daughter's #LLS fundraising initiative for a Leadership class she is taking. Here is a video from her to you (her 2nd video) 👏🎬👏. I want to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey for: ➡️ Encouraging her ➡️ Donating to LLS ➡️ Letting me share her journey with you This is essentially the reason we created…

Feb 18 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Do You Have the Right People in Your Tribe?

Do you have the tools, structure, and clarity you need to get your business to momentum phase? Running a business alone is dang hard. I prefer to surround myself with those that 👇 Elevate, Motivate, and Accelerate me... Who do you have in your tribe fellow Founder, Entrepreneur, and Business Owner? I'd be happy to share my insights if you want to learn more, feel free to connect with me.

Feb 17 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Social Media: A Real Game-Changer

Does social media work for B2B companies or it just a B2C thingy? 👇 Got this question from an investor I was talking to recently. If you're not sold on the power of social media and all the tools available to you and your business, let's talk. We developed an entire "Attraction" playbook inside the BSV Launch program that we use for our own Operators and the Founders in the…

Feb 16 , 2023 | Andy Smith

What is the BSV Launch Program?

Spent time this week with Team RemainSafe as they are navigating an entirely new regulatory landscape in the Storm Shelter Industry. It's a similar landscape that I saw in the #OilandGas industry in 👇 early 2010 so the playbook is familiar. 🚀 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 IS THE BSV LAUNCH PROGRAM?🚀 The BSV Launch Program was designed to help you Unleash Your Business Potential. We’ve taken a proven 20+ year track record in…

Feb 15 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How Do You Market Your Business?

I recently learned a marketing philosophy that I think is game changer if you're running a small business. We're implementing it in real time inside our ventures and with the Founders in our Launch 👇 Program. You start with identifying the product or service that you offer. Next, what questions would your ideal avatar (aka customer) have related to these 7 topics: 👉 Price 👉 Problems 👉 Comparisons 👉 Reviews…

Feb 14 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How Do You Keep Your Focus?

I recently heard a really large and well followed "influencer" dispelling the notion of writing down your daily affirmation and documenting the things your grateful for in your life. Here is why I disagree 👇 If you're a Founder, Entrepreneur, or Business Owner in an early stage venture, I'm betting there are some really hard parts of your day. I might even venture to say that most days have some…

Feb 13 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Overcoming the Biggest Obstacles to Business Success

What is the biggest obstacle in our business path right now? Is it an external factor? Could it be an internal limit that we're putting on yourself that we simply don't see? Let's talk limits👇 As entrepreneurs and business leaders, we are constantly pushing the boundaries and taking risks to grow our businesses and reach new heights. But, is it clear from the beginning where we can take that business,…

Feb 11 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How Much Should a Founder Pay for Mentorship or Coaching?

So, it was December 2019 when I hired my first coach, mentor, and/or paid advisor - whatever you want to call it. I was at a place in my career where I was tired of doing this thing called entrepreneurship alone and ready to think bigger, expand my network, and reach the momentum phase inside my business as fast as freaking possible. This person showed up at exactly the right…

Feb 10 , 2023 | Andy Smith

What Is Acceleration Capital?

Here are two (2) benefits to raising "acceleration" capital once you have product/market fit nailed.👇 1️⃣ The 'right' investors bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, wisdom, and connections. That's a HUGE win for you - the Founder... 2️⃣ Acceleration capital allows you to pull bigger levers, hire faster, push further, and accelerate into the Momentum phase. Today's post is about why to raise versus bootstrapping (aka self-funding). Investors, what do…

Feb 09 , 2023 | Andy Smith

My 2023 CADREcon Experience

Big shoutout to my friend, mentor, and all-around rockstar Christina Daves for inviting me to CADREcon 2023. A wonderful event where I not only met some amazing people, but I took away actions that we can immediately implement inside our businesses. Shoutout to all the great speakers who commanded the stage and inspired the room... Took pages of notes.. Super event Derek and Melanie Coburn. The last 3 seconds of this video are pure "GOLD".…

Feb 08 , 2023 | Andy Smith

My Daughter's Journey of Raising Money for LLS

We had a breakthrough moment. 🚀 She filmed her 1st EVER video 🚀 Here has been the her journey & progress 👇 ➡️ - She started with a Facebook post that was essentially a friends and family round of fundraising. 👉 $250 raised ➡️ - She then asked if mom and dad would share it on Facebook (no real benefit because the algorithm wouldn't help us as we're not big…

Feb 07 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How To Level Up Your Entrepreneurial Game

Was talking to an investor recently and he shared that in the majority of businesses he is looking to invest in (small American businesses that have technical products), have a problem with the 👇 👉 FOUNDER 👈 He explained that he saw some common issues with the founders:- Closed mindedness- Limiting Beliefs- Wrong team- Lack of adoption of new techniques, ways of thinking, ways of doing business...- lack of being…

Feb 06 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How To Get Your Business To Momentum Phase

How do you get your business to "momentum" phase quickly? 👇 By creating small, micro, wins that you can build upon. Here is a text message I received over the weekend from a cohort inside our BSV Launch program. The Founder's Problem: Lead generation wasn't consistent or predictable The BSV Process: There are five (5) frameworks to business:👉 Attract - Nurture - Convert - Delivery - Resell/Upsell 👈As Founders, we…

Feb 03 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Adapting To The Speed of Change

Business is about the "AND"... ➕ Old School AND New School➕ Investor AND Entrepreneur➕ Elton John AND Dua Lipa (this song will pop you into your weekend) Together... We can be better... If you're looking to deploy capital into old-school businesses using new-school tactics, reach out. If you're the Founder of a real American business who makes real products that solve real problems, but feeling overwhelmed by the speed of…

Feb 02 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Do You Consider Your Venture A Media Company?

If you're a manufacturing company, engineering products company, or just a good ole fashion blacksmith, do you consider yourself a media company? I bet the answer is "no". We've change our mindset on it👇 A huge challenge for product companies, manufacturing companies, engineering companies, and industrial suppliers is "Attraction". Attraction means lead generation is consistent and predictable and you're getting as many qualified leads as you can convert. The companies and founders that we meet tell…

Feb 01 , 2023 | Andy Smith

3 Keys To Entrepreneurial Success

I've noticed that the more ventures I build, the more entrepreneurs that are created... Hopefully, that means we make it look sexy and it encourages others to dream big and live their best life. But👇 The journey is not one to be taken lightly fellow blacksmith. Being an entrepreneur comes with an insane RESPONSIBILITY. You are responsible for feeding the families of the ones who trust you enough to jump…

Jan 31 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How Did We Raise Early Capital?

Here's a Case Study on what we chose to do early on to set ourselves up to raise capital for our venture(s) 👇 Some Qualifiers:- All my early ventures were bootstrapped (my own time and money), but I found this limits growth and speed. - Not being apart of Silicon Valley and not having a huge network are huge limiters when trying to attract capital. - I don't believe you…

Jan 30 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Finding the Right Tool Will Help You Launch

Met recently with a true ‘blacksmith’ (i.e., Founder) who wants to launch his manufacturing business, but wasn’t sure where to start. It’s often the customer attraction piece that’s the hardest and causes "trade" Founders the most fear and uncertainty. So, what works? 👇 Yes, word of mouth still works. Yes, getting involved and spreading the word around your community still works. But, in today's times is about the "AND"... There…

Jan 29 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Remember Legos? Let's Compare it to Venture Building

Did ya'll play with Legos as a kid or ever just "build" stuff? Lego Building and Venture Building - The BlackSmith Man, Lego's were my jam. I had 2 or 3 buckets of random pieces that I'd put together and just build stuff. It took 4 Ingredients to do that: 1️⃣ - A big dream 2️⃣ - A playbook / framework of "how" 3️⃣ - YOU (the Operator, team, or…

Jan 27 , 2023 | Andy Smith

What Drives You?

Founders... what was the reason you started your business venture? Share your reason in the comments and I'll share mine below 👇 Venture 1: Started in 2007. The financial goal was simply... To make a living that would cover our current expenses - middle-class living. What drove me was a desire to prove everyone who said a 29-year-old couldn't start his own business - and succeed - wrong. Venture 2:…

Jan 26 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Wanna make a Big Impact?

Let’s talk today about what we’re doing inside BlackSmith Ventures: 𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑾𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 First, the “Investors” who entrusts their resources with us to make them an outsized return while lending their wisdom, experience, and knowledge to assist. Second, the “Founders, Entrepreneurs, & Business Owners” who own and operate real American businesses making real products that solve real problems. 𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑾𝒆 𝑨𝒓𝒆 We’re an authentic, driven, and experienced group of entrepreneurs…

Jan 25 , 2023 | Andy Smith

One Common Struggle Among Startups

Brand awareness is a common problem in many startups struggling to 'attract' customers. One tool we use inside BSV and the companies we work with is video. Here are 3 things I've learned about👇 Using video as a tool while being consistent on social media: 🚀 - You find your tribe 🚀 - You find your voice 🚀 - You recognize that continued growth and improvement is the name of…

Jan 24 , 2023 | Andy Smith

How do you find relevance?

Whether you're a successful business person turned investor or you're a seasoned Entrepreneur/Founder, we've all been faced with the question, "How Do I Stay Relevant?". Here are some strategies that I've used recently.

Jan 23 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Do You Have a Business Playbook?

We hear a lot about about 90 day plans which are super important, but do you have a framework that you use inside your venture to ensure what you are focused on in those 90 days is moving the needle? Let me know in the comments if so.... If not, I'll share ours 👇 The goal with any framework (or playbook) is to minimize the noise, frustration, and that feeling…

Jan 21 , 2023 | Andy Smith

Have You Taken Your Eye Off the Ball?

I wanted to tell you about a frustrating misstep I had in my journey as an Investor, Entrepreneur, "Venture Builder", and Founder. We had just exited our first venture after working ~4 years with the PE firm who acquired us in 2012. I rec'd a call to acquire a business in a similar space as the first venture - Oil & Gas. The problem was 👇 I found myself relying…

Jun 01 , 2022 | Andy Smith

How to Choose the Right Steel for Your Storm Shelter

How to Choose the Right Steel for Your Storm Shelter You’ve decided to build a storm shelter on your property, and there are two ways you can go about it—you can build it yourself, or you can hire a blacksmith to create one for you out of steel. The latter option has several advantages, not the least of which being that you don’t have to lift thousands of pounds of…

May 30 , 2022 | Andy Smith

The True Meaning of Memorial Day

Memorial Day isn’t just about the start of summer and barbecues and pool parties; it’s about honoring those who served in the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives fighting for our freedom. It’s about remembering the sacrifices of our families, friends, and neighbors who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our way of life. It’s about letting these men and women know that we will never forget their…

May 24 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Blacksmithing Today: How Innovation is Forging a New Future

Blacksmithing in the 21st Century: How Innovation is Forging a New Future Blacksmithing—the art of shaping metal into tools, weapons, and other items—has an extensive history dating back thousands of years. For almost as long as there have been blacksmiths, there have been attempts to change how they work, with varying degrees of success. While the advent of electricity, then computers, and now software has brought about some major changes…

May 24 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Community Storm Shelters: How They're Saving Lives at Work

Community Storm Shelters: How They're Saving Lives After Tornadoes Strike Across the Country If you’re in the United States, you’ve no doubt seen the recent news on the spate of tornadoes sweeping across the Midwest and southeastern United States this week. If you’re following along at home, it looks like severe storms have torn through communities in at least seven states so far—Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee—with…

May 20 , 2022 | Andy Smith

How to know if you're ready to take your product to market?

How to know if you're ready to take your product to market Is your product ready to be taken to market? Is it innovative enough to beat out the other similar products out there? Does it solve an actual problem in the marketplace? Having answers to these questions is essential, but they’re not always easy to get. If you’re getting ready to make the big decision to take your product…

May 19 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Where does the term 'Blacksmith on the corner' originate?

Where does the term 'Blacksmith on the corner' originate? A blacksmith’s shop used to be a common sight in most towns and cities, whether or not they were actually full-time blacksmiths. For most people, the phrase blacksmith on the corner used to be common before it became something from the distant past of our grandparents’ generation. But how did this term come about? Where does it originate? The Origin One…

May 18 , 2022 | Andy Smith

10 Ways Stress Affects You (And What to Do About It)

10 Ways Stress Affects You (And What to Do About It) Stress can hit your mind, body, and spirit in many different ways, and it can be hard to figure out where exactly it’s coming from. Stress can also creep up on you gradually over time, with seemingly small sources of stress adding up over weeks and months until one day you realize you’re stressed out! In this article, we…

May 17 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Rising Tornado Activity Prompts Homeowners to Invest in Safe Room

Rising Tornado Activity Prompts Homeowners to Invest in Safe Rooms and Storm Shelters The number of tornadoes in the southeast United States has increased dramatically over the past several years, prompting more homeowners to invest in safe rooms and storm shelters that can protect them from life-threatening winds and debris. These rooms, which are built into homes or beneath homes and are typically stocked with supplies such as food, water,…

May 16 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Venturing into the Blacksmith's World: How BlackSmith is Back

Venturing into the Blacksmith's World: How Traditional Skills are Making a Comeback When you think of blacksmiths, you might imagine a quiet village in the past with smoke coming out of an old forge and lots of heavy tools lying around on tables and shelves. While this image describes a traditional blacksmith’s workshop, this profession is making a comeback in today’s society thanks to the need to build simple machines…

May 15 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Surround Yourself With The Right People: Especially Entrepreneurs

Surround Yourself With The Right People: Why Entrepreneurs Need A Strong Community Entrepreneurship is not always easy, and it’s more than likely that you will face challenges where you question your decision to start the business in the first place. It’s during those moments when you really need to draw from your support system, which includes your friends, family, mentors, advisors and other entrepreneurs in the same space as you…

May 14 , 2022 | Andy Smith

The Origins of Entrepreneurship: How Blacksmiths Forged the Way

One of the earliest creators was the blacksmith, whose occupation has existed since before the Iron Age. The smith forged iron and other metals together to make products, such as weapons and tools. Today, we’re forging entrepreneurial mindsets and creativity through Blacksmith Ventures, our company that’s designed to help grow products, brands, and companies alike. To explore these origins further, here are five things you might not know about the…

Feb 25 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Safety, Security, and Confidence... RemainSafe

Blacksmith Ventures was founded to take innovative and emerging products to market...at scale. Our first acquisition was a local storm shelter manufacturer in north Alabama who was dominating the local #homebuilders market. Our vision, and investment thesis, is to create a nationwide brand around #emergencypreparedness. Something, we believe, is critical to our basic needs as humans around safety, security, and confidence. We quickly rebranded the company to RemainSafe in order to add products and serve both…

Feb 07 , 2022 | Andy Smith

My Kids Found Out I'm Cool - At Least I Thought...

So, here are a few take-aways from Saturday night shenanigans at “Casa de la Smith”. Some backstory…. I love learning trendy new things, watching where the fast paced cool kids are going, and being adapt at this new world of e-networking. I love it so much that over the last few months, I set out to emulate the trends of setting up a personal website/blog, getting myself a calendly…

Feb 06 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Life is about balance, Entrepreneurship is about cash flow...

Life is a balancing act and you get to choose the parameters. I made the choice to be a husband, a father, and run multiple companies. That sometimes means we spend a little time at a coffee shop on a Saturday afternoon between games catching up on this past week and looking ahead to the week ahead. Today, the task is completing our 13-week cash flow projections for Blacksmith Ventures, RemainSafe, CISTANT, and…

Feb 01 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Are You Focused On What Matters

Feeling frustrated with everything going on in your startup? Not sure if you are winning or losing? You're not alone, Entrepreneur, Founder, & Business Owner 👇 Here is a "how to" video on how to get clear, focused, and winning... https://www.youtube.com/embed/nZIWuI83fy4 At Blacksmith Ventures, we call it Focus On What Matters... Smartsheet is working great for us. Hope this is helpful, friends. Andy Smith - Entrepreneur

Jan 30 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Alabama Offering Storm Shelter Tax Credits in 2022

Team RemainSafe was onsite this week at the installation of an Above Ground 6x8 Storm Shelter. These units are FEMA Compliant which allows you to qualify for both FEMA Grants and Tax Credits. In Alabama, the state legislature recently passed the Storm Shelter Tax Credit Act that allows residents of the state of Alabama to receive a tax credit of 50% of the costs of their storm shelter (up to $3,000) on…

Jan 30 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Do You Have the Right Team Supporting Your Startup?

How is growing and scaling your #startup going? It's a wet and wild adventure on the #entrepreneurship waters... As you guide your raft down the river your success (or failure) depends on who you choose to row alongside you, your knowledge of the river, and your ability to guide the raft in times of uncertainty. I explained Blacksmith Ventures to a couple of founders this week like…

Jan 21 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Chattanooga is Entrepreneurship, Today was for Entrepreneurs

Today started early with a 6:30am departure to head up toward Chattanooga, the "GIG CITY"... 🌆. Chattanooga is a small, but wonderful town full of entrepreneurs, technology, and innovation. The first meeting of the day was with a wonderful fella named "Leo". Leo has spent the last seven (7) years designing and patenting a manufacturing process for converting CO2 to Graphene. This is pretty incredible because CO2 is a…

Jan 18 , 2022 | Andy Smith

How do you ensure your truck doesn't leave your site overweight?

Dressed up in our PPE, steel toed boots, and fancy AXL Eye hard hat to go to the beach ('aka' 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖). So, why is everyone just standing around staring at a pole with a white gizmo on top? Well, the mine CEO recognized a problem and asked for a solution. From that not so simple question, "Can you solve my problem?", AXL Eye was developed. AXL Eye…

Jan 17 , 2022 | Andy Smith

The Highlight of My Career

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dHNMWOUlUls We sometimes use the struggles, tough times, and "failures" to talk about the entrepreneur's journey. But, we have to remember that this is also one of the most rewarding career paths we can choose. Today, I wanted to share a video on the highlight of my career. It has nothing to do about money and everything to do about "IMPACT". Impacting others... Maybe even one…

Jan 16 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Do Relationships Matter in business?

We're closing out the first two (2) weeks of 2022 and I've had the joy to meet with multiple entrepreneurs this week who've developed great products (or manufacturing processes), but call and ask "𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁?". The reason is that #Entrepreneurship is hard... It takes a myriad of skill sets (sales, marketing, engineering, finance, human resources, accounting, website development, etc, etc) to grow and scale your business. I'm finding that each of us…

Jan 16 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Can We Really Construct Buildings From Air?

Our Blacksmith Ventures team recently met with an entrepreneur who is "constructing buildings from air". Actually, they are creating 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗘 from 𝗖𝗢𝟮. Graphene is the world's strongest material, and can be used to enhance the strength of other materials. His patented process is synthesizing graphene flakes from atmospheric carbon dioxide gas. This is a win for the environment while creating a structural element that could change our future in many ways. This product has the…

Jan 13 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks

Do you guys remember this game? It was released the year I was born. I loved it. Fast paced, loud, both hands popping at once... But, yet simple to understand and execute. This is how I've been feeling lately... You see 👇 as entrepreneurs, business owners, and founders, we are at a unique crossroads between 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 & 𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 and our 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. On one side is technology which is…

Jan 11 , 2022 | Andy Smith

"Now What" Jam Session #2

Here is your invitation for our monthly Jam Session where ZINEB LAYACHI, Kevin Belz, and I come together to talk all things related to #entrepreneurship. This week is about Relationship building and whether we should consider an ROI (aka Return on Investment)... The format is interactive (if you want to participate and share) and engaging (if you simply want to listen). Entrepreneurship is tough so we'll attempt to unpack some of the challenges…

Jan 09 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Helping Real People Solve Real Problems is Why We Wake Up

Yesterday, I posted about the intersection between 'the blacksmith' and 'automation'. Today, I want to recognize two of our RemainSafe teammates who wake up every day (and stay up very late in Carol's case) serving customers who desire human contact, human touch, and a good ole fashion phone call to learn how we can help them feel safer, more secure, and more confident. RemainSafe was Blacksmith Ventures first acquisition…

Jan 08 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Creating a Revolution of "Blue Collar" Entrepreneurs...wanna join

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rS9ZyskXNN8 It hit me this week the technology & trade intersection that we have created. One on hand is the "blue collar" worker - the blacksmith. On the other hand is technology & software - aka automation. I, sadly, spent the whole week telling everyone who would listen about a new 'snippet' software I was introduced to that allows me to automate my entire workflow 🤯. Couple that with landing…

Jan 07 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Molded and Forged to Make an Infinite Impact on Others

When the clock struck 12:01am on January 1, 2021, we were knee deep in finalizing the acquisition of SteelSafe Shelter, Inc - a decade old storm shelter manufacturer based in Madison, Alabama (USA). Still today, our vision for the acquisition hasn't changed. We strive to build a nationwide emergency preparedness brand thats sole purpose is to provide safety, security, and confidence to a world that needs it now more than ever. I…

Jan 07 , 2022 | Andy Smith

HUGE NEWS: Alabama Announces Storm Shelter Tax Credit

Good news, Alabama! The state of Alabama has announced that effective January 1, 2022, residents of the state of Alabama will be eligible for a 50% rebate (in the form of a tax credit), up to $3,000, for the purchase of a qualified Storm Shelter. Call RemainSafe at (256) 506-9449 or visit us online at www.RemainSafe.com. You can also email sales@remainsafe.com https://www.youtube.com/embed/nTcphk99HZs

Jan 05 , 2022 | Andy Smith

"Facing Fear" by Kevin Belz

What is the most terrified, run-for-your life scared you have ever been? For me, it’s Roger the Rooster. The following story is 100% truth. Growing up, one of the neighbors, Al, worked at a chicken house. He often brought home mutant chickens. Think 2 heads, 6 wings, 4 legs...yeah for realz, these creatures lived and existed. But, the one beast he had that defied logic was Roger The Rooster. Roger’s gift was he never stopped…

Jan 04 , 2022 | Andy Smith

In Times of Uncertainty, Triple Down on Confidence

I really hate fear! I also really despise complacency. But, I love 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. Confidence allows us to reach for new goals, tackle new obstacles, and simply means "𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚". Today, Team RemainSafe is moving into our new manufacturing and production facility so we can triple down on 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. If you live in the southeast US, December was the deadliest and most active tornado season to date. I met friends over the…

Jan 02 , 2022 | Andy Smith

Is the Uncertainty Crushing You?

This was the view from my wife's car as she drove to exercise on New Year's Day. The sun was just starting to rise and she needed to be up on those hills behind this bridge where she would meet her friends for their annual run. The problem was she couldn't see past this bridge. The path was lost in a deep fog. The road ahead was unknown, uncertain, and…

Dec 31 , 2021 | Andy Smith

RemainSafe's FEMA Compliant Storm Shelters Being Delivered

RemainSafe is a BlackSmith Ventures portfolio company that acquired the decade old storm shelter company, SteelSafe Shelters. December 2021 has set the record for the deadliest December in history and our teams are working hard to fill demand. RemainSafe offers a wide variety of above ground and below ground storm shelters, tornado shelters, and safe rooms. For more information, visit us online at www.RemainSafe.com or call (256)-506-9449. We are installing shelters throughout the…

Dec 30 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Storm Shelters Save Lives

The tornados that ravaged through Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, and Arkansas on Dec 10-11 resulted in the deadliest on record in December. The final count that night had 👇 𝟲𝟵 Confirmed Tornados𝟵𝟬 Confirmed Fatalities𝟮 EF-4 Tornados RemainSafe is one of our BlackSmith Ventures platform companies and focuses on the design, manufacturing, and installation of FEMA Compliant Safe Rooms, Tornado Shelters, and Panic Rooms. I want to take a moment to recognize Carol Robertson for working…

Dec 28 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Why is Social Media So Hard, ugh?

In 2021, I began to realize that the industries we serve at #BSV (Clean Energy, Oil & Gas, Logistics, Mining, and Emergency Preparedness) were going through somewhat of a digital transformation. I started getting more serious about Linkedin in August 2021 as many of our customers moved online (some had been there for a long time and some still haven't migrated online yet). In that time, I've met some amazing people from…

Dec 26 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Does Open Minded Leadership Work?

As we begin to slow down for the holidays and 2021 comes to an end, I find it empowering to refocus on what we can control, what we can influence, and what we can impact. To get clear, I believe we must start with an open-minded mental state. One of the greatest qualities of an Entrepreneur, Founder, or Business Owner is the ability to lead with an open mind. Here…

Dec 23 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Today, I chose my word of the year for 2022

As I write this on December 22, 2021, we find ourselves rapidly approaching the end of one year and the beginning of another. The two weeks around Christmas and New Years are a wonderful time for me to break old habits and create new schedules. The "pressure" of the work week is somewhat "off" and we are allowed to dream, create, relax, but still "do". You see, the life of…

Dec 17 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Why did I wait so long to learn this?

The entrepreneur and solopreneur win through speed, execution, and creativity... That's our super power. But what happens when you don't feel creative or you feel stuck? 👇 Let me introduce you to the power of "community". This year, I've been purposeful about growing my network - growing my community. Why...? Because we can get trapped in seeing the world, our lives, our path through our own eyes and our own…

Dec 14 , 2021 | Andy Smith

The Mindset around working together to grow, scale, and thrive

Social Media has become a critical part of our existence and its very hard to be great at it... Staying on brand, staying on point, staying on topic, being authentic, etc, etc. Jordan Triplett handles our RemainSafe social media and engages with clients on Facebook, Instagram, etc. We decided weeks ago to meet for 1-2 hours each Monday to plan, discuss, create, (be creative). But, we are very…

Dec 12 , 2021 | Andy Smith

How to Find Creativity

Are you a 'busy' entrepreneur?Are you feeling less creative these days?Here are the three (3) things I do to get creative 👇 👉 and win back my mindset... We all know the moment or moments, right? You're stuck, you're stressed, you are so busy you can't even think about stepping away. I felt like this Friday afternoon. Super "busy" week, lots of unknowns, lots of possible directions, limited clarity, Christmas…

Dec 11 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Deadly Tornado Rips through Kentucky and the South

Heartbreaking news as at least 70 people were killed in the state of Kentucky (USA) earlier today after 18 deadly tornados stormed through the south. Kentucky's Governor, Andy Beshear stated that "This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state's history,". Mayfield and Grace County were hit the hardest as this tornado traveled over 270 miles on the ground. Many surrounding states were impacted as well. Rescue personnel…

Dec 10 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Linkedin Doesn't Work - Now What?

Are you an entrepreneur, business owner, or founder struggling to grow. Struggling with the new way to sell digitally in 2022 and beyond. This may be the session for you. Here is a link to Sign Up... https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUod-6uqDwsHNGdsF-jX2w3UT8WKZUXN0Lw Who is this for? Early stage B2B foundersBootstrapping entrepreneurs and foundersBusiness owners who have reached their max potential and plateaued What are some of the topics we will cover? I…

Dec 09 , 2021 | Andy Smith

The life of a 2X Entrepreneur and Founder - Andy Smith

Andy Smith is a serial entrepreneur and most recently founded Blacksmith Ventures to build products, brands and companies focused on forging execution, creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset. Andy has founded and operated both B2B and B2B2C companies and loves taking an optimistic mindset, a great team, a strong network and an engineered approach to build great businesses with big visions and impactful and purposeful missions. Andy has a background in…

Dec 09 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Find Your Superpower Entrepreneur

Got this great question yesterday? How does #BSV and your clients protect your/their time to impact your families? I love this question so much! My answer 👇 Often times, our clients are wearing too many hats (or all the hats). We try to unlock the entrepreneur or founder's SUPER POWER. The gift they were given that can impact their business while unlocking their time. This allows them to live a fuller life…

Dec 09 , 2021 | Andy Smith

Decisions Based on Values

There is an endless number of HUGE powerhouse VCs, PE Firms, and Hedge Funds competing for business. We look at the entrepreneur, founder, and business owner in the same light we looked at ourselves over two decades ago when we started. Just regular people, trying to figure out how to start, grow, and scale a startup so we could feed our family. Our mission is to help Founders…