Morning Momentum is back, and business leaders have something to say about it
The Morning Momentum is a program of the Knoxville Chamber that welcomes start-up founders to ask advice of more mature business leaders.
For the first time in a couple of months, the Knoxville Chamber hosted the very popular Morning Momentum series. It brings together the newest companies in Knoxville to receive feedback, critique, and advice from some of the area’s biggest business leaders.
For Wednesday’s session, the Chamber welcomed Waterman Cao, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AUBO Robotics, and Nate Webb, the Sales Manager for Legacy Concrete.
Cao went first, detailing the capabilities of his robots, which were a spin-off technology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. One of the robots, called “SwitchWeld,” is designed by welders for welders to improve efficiency and accuracy by 10x. The other robot is called the AUBO Palletizer, and it helps relocate packages from pallet to pallet.
“Both machines are great for reducing workers’ compensation costs. The SwitchWeld can be used for tasks that have a longer run time and lead to welder fatigue, and the Palletizer for the heavy lifting of boxes that weigh 15-20 pounds,” Cao said. “Both of these have great solutions and a proven return on investment. But, we struggle with how to communicate.”
He explained that the barrier to entry for implementing automation in small to medium-sized welding shops is somewhat challenging. People have a fair amount of questions; there’s training involved, and business owners wonder about the ROI compared to hiring another conventional employee.
The business community provided some substantial feedback about Cao’s business model and how to get into the ears of more business owners. Some of those suggestions included:
- Hiring a service team that can be quickly deployed to fix any problems with the robots, potentially free of charge.
- Justin Li, founder of Qore Performance, suggested hyper-focusing on a bottom-up sales approach. Targeting welders to become advocates for the tech in their workplaces.
- Getting active on social platforms (free advertising), shooting video content of the robots in action, and partnering with welding influencers.
The second presenter, Webb, represented Legacy Concrete, which opened operations in 2023. The company is still relatively new to the market and working to establish itself as a player in the residential, commercial, and foundation space.
Currently, they have a handful of employees who work on primarily referral-based residential projects. However, with the “overflow” of referrals coming in, Legacy Concrete cannot hire fast enough.
“We probably need about three people almost immediately to keep up with the demand, ” Webb said. “We’re having to turn down projects due to a lack of staff.”
His tangible goal by the end of 2025 is to onboard two new customers to get the company through the winter months and add a manager. Webb hopes this focus will help them land some larger-scale business and increase revenue long-term.
The business community provided some feedback for Webb, particularly as it pertains to scaling fast:
- Brandon Burton, who recently joined ORNL Federal Credit Union from FirstBank, cautioned the Legacy Concrete team from going after the “Big Fish” before they’re ready. “Focus on growing organically from those referrals,” he said.
- Damon Rawls, the District 1 Knox County Commissioner, suggested that Legacy Concrete become the “Referral King” and offer incentives to customers who leave Google reviews.
- And, Alicia Turner, the Founder of Turner Recruiting & Consulting, recommended focusing on hiring the right people for the job. “The people are the core of your success,” she said.
The next Morning Momentum will be on October 1.
What is Morning Momentum? Morning Momentum is a monthly series designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs troubleshoot issues that are hindering growth. Presenters have an opportunity to present for eight minutes about the barriers their company is experiencing and receive immediate feedback from seasoned business community leaders.
Any entrepreneur or small business owner who is facing a growth barrier is welcome to register to attend. It is not just for start-ups; helping existing businesses expand is also a priority of the Knoxville Chamber. Click here for the application.
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