Loans & Leases: How We Found the Money to Build the Business
Thu Jul 03 2025
Everyone talks about the wins in entrepreneurship—the flashy moments, the big milestones, the Instagram-worthy highlights. But what about the gritty, unfiltered side of building a business? In this episode, we dive into the real story of how we financed Culture Studio from the ground up.
From throwing parties to fund our first studio to taking loans from friends and family, refinancing homes, and navigating the complicated world of bank loans, we share the financial journey most people don’t talk about. You'll hear how we hustled in the nightclub scene, made sacrifices, took unconventional risks, and learned valuable lessons along the way—lessons that apply to any business, big or small.
We also get into:
✔️ How a $45K friend loan launched the business
✔️ Using entertainment money to fund the dream
✔️ The $60K home equity loan that changed everything
✔️ The game-changing discovery of Amex financing
✔️ SBA loans, machinery, and navigating banks
✔️ Perseverance, trust, and the reality behind the "overnight success" myth
If you’re building a business, thinking about financing options, or just curious what it really takes to grow, this episode is for you.
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Everyone talks about the wins in entrepreneurship—the flashy moments, the big milestones, the Instagram-worthy highlights. But what about the gritty, unfiltered side of building a business? In this episode, we dive into the real story of how we financed Culture Studio from the ground up. From throwing parties to fund our first studio to taking loans from friends and family, refinancing homes, and navigating the complicated world of bank loans, we share the financial journey most people don’t talk about. You'll hear how we hustled in the nightclub scene, made sacrifices, took unconventional risks, and learned valuable lessons along the way—lessons that apply to any business, big or small. We also get into: ✔️ How a $45K friend loan launched the business ✔️ Using entertainment money to fund the dream ✔️ The $60K home equity loan that changed everything ✔️ The game-changing discovery of Amex financing ✔️ SBA loans, machinery, and navigating banks ✔️ Perseverance, trust, and the reality behind the "overnight success" myth If you’re building a business, thinking about financing options, or just curious what it really takes to grow, this episode is for you.