Episode 33

From Homeless to Millionaire: The Empire Built from Nothing | Hunter Burkey - E33

Published on: 13th September, 2024

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Join us as we sit down with Hunter Burkey, Partner at Next Level Valet and CEO of Next Level Security. Hunter shares his incredible journey from living in his car to building two successful businesses in Austin, TX.

👉Hunter's early struggles and how he turned his life around

👉The birth of Next Level Valet and its rapid growth

👉Expanding into security services during COVID-19

👉Challenges of scaling a business and managing 300+ employees

👉Innovative employee engagement strategies

👉The importance of adaptability in entrepreneurship


Watch the full episode on  @FundsAndFounders 


#Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #AustinStartups #ValetService #SecurityBusiness


0:00 - Introduction of Hunter Burkey and his current roles

0:35 - Brief mention of failed business attempts

1:10 - Hunter's experience being homeless and living in his car

9:10 - Discussion about failed businesses and lessons learned

17:06 - Addressing fears and challenges in the early days of the business

19:07 - Major setback: losing a significant client and nearly shutting down

30:40 - Handling the challenge of parking 2300 cars per night

35:48 - Current size of the valet company (approximately 150 employees)

41:20 - Insight into company culture and employee communication

42:37 - Transition from valet services to starting a security company

47:30 - Introduction to Formula One events through valet connections

49:23 - Hunter's involvement with the F1 travel team

50:53 - Construction Security

55:08 - Scaling the company

1:00:00 - Closing remarks

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Funds and Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs
Welcome to "Funds & Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs," where we dig deep into the stories of successful Austin founders. Instead of focusing on their successes though, we dive into their journeys, particularly the struggles and obstacles they had to overcome.

This weekly podcast is tailored for Austin founders navigating the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey and hosted by fellow Austinite Abhinav Sinha. Here’s what to expect by tuning into Funds & Founders:

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Join Abhinav as he takes you behind the scenes, exploring the highs and lows of building a company. This isn't your typical success story – we dive into the failures, the struggles, and those pivotal breakthrough moments that define a founder's path.

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Abhinav's approach is refreshingly different. Rather than dwelling on success, he crafts casual conversations that unravel the untold stories. Identify the setbacks that helped them grow, the lessons learned from failures, and the breakthrough moments that fueled these founders.

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If you're a budding Austin entrepreneur seeking the inspiration and insight needed for building a successful company, "Funds & Founders" is your go-to podcast.