From PhD to Van Life CEO: The Vansmith Story - RVE 408

From pupil dilation research to designing custom campervans, Roberto's journey is anything but ordinary! On this episode of The RV Entrepreneur, hear how Roberto, co-founder of Vansmith, went from academia (yes, he has a PhD!) to the wild world of entrepreneurship, including co-founding Oru Kayak and the story behind its Shark Tank success. Then, discover the origins of Vansmith, the challenges of building a business amidst a pandemic, including overcoming a shop break-in and supply chain chaos, and the importance of investing in employees. Roberto shares his approach to creating raving fans, insights into the changing demands of the camper van market, and whether a custom build is the right choice for you. Plus, find out where he sees the industry going and the biggest mistakes he's learned from (including a Metaverse van token!).Connect & Learn More:https://thevansmith.comhttps://www.instagram.com/the_vansmith/Resources:Navigating the Growth Phase on the Entrepreneurial Highway with Robert & Tosha Lackey of Bison | RVE 327https://therventrepreneur.com/rve327/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE RV ENTREPRENEURhttps://therventrepreneur.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Join the RVE community on Facebook!⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/therventrepreneurcommunity⁠Connect with RVE on all your favorite socials⁠https://therventrepreneur.com/connect⁠⁠Got questions or comments for our hosts? Leave us a voice message! ⁠⁠https://therventrepreneur.com/voicemail⁠⁠(NOTE: Audio submitted may be published on the podcast unless specifically requested otherwise.)Got a great story or tips to share with RVE Listeners? Complete our Guest Intake Form:https://therventrepreneur.com/guestform