Daniel Stone

Daniel Stone is the owner of Bandolier Media, which he co-founded with his two partners in 2015. Since its founding, Daniel has helped the company grow exponentially, adding clients like Roto-Rooter, TikTok, Stanley and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. He has also been instrumental in creating and running Bandolier Media’s successful media properties including Unemployed Wine Guy, Classic Dad Moves and Casserole Queen. In 2022, after seeing an open space in the coffee industry, Daniel and the co-owners of Bandolier Media created the world’s first spicy coffee brand, Roasty Buds, which is sold nationwide and now includes seven flavors.

Where did the idea for Bandolier Media come from?

My partner Lou and I worked on a song called Beer Pong Anthem. We came up with the idea for the song and Lou wrote some of the lyrics. We then met Thom Shephard, who performed the song after he reworked it a bit. Then, our job was to promote the song on social media. We created a social media account, and everyone loved the content we created. Lou and I both came to the conclusion that brands would pay to have someone help with their social media and that’s how our creative social media agency, Bandolier Media, was born.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I am a dad of two beautiful daughters, so my day always starts with taking my kids to school. After I drop them off, I come home and immediately start journaling. I am big into journaling and have had a journaling practice for over 10 years. I journal very basic things, mostly reminders of what I’m grateful for about my family and friends. I then write down my daily to-do list. Sometimes I write it with pen and paper and other times I put it on my iPad. I detail everything into 30-minute segments. Sometimes I do that the day before at the end of the day. I really like doing this and it helps pull me through my day.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I bring ideas to life by surrounding myself with brilliant people.

I also use a variety of different tools to help bring my ideas to life including journaling about them. I find writing them down helps me identify potential opportunities, roadblocks and map out next steps. I also use helpful tools including Google Docs and Lucid Charts. Lucid Charts helps me visualize how to accomplish tasks.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Chat GPT. I am interested to see how people incorporate AI into their daily life to make it more productive.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Sticking to a consistent schedule. If it’s on my schedule, it might not get done, but it will get addressed.

What advice would you give your younger self?

To spend more time learning new things.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

The movie Casino is better than Goodfellas.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I highly recommend entrepreneurs journal as often as they can.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Having a good set of friends and advisors that I can call when things get tough. I have a few people that I can call that will help me discuss problems at work and come up with solutions on the best way to navigate them.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Cash flow management is a critical aspect of managing any small business, and I quickly realized this when facing some cash flow issues in the early days of starting Bandolier Media. To ensure that my cash flow was in order, I had to become knowledgeable on how to properly manage receivables and payments. Not only did I learn these concepts but also implemented them with my vendors by negotiating NET30 payment terms instead of difficult-to-manage NET60 terms.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

A notification system for when you are dehydrated.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

A subscription to the NYTimes. I wanted to be entertained and a little challenged. I’m a big fan of Thomas Friedman and Paul Krugman, their words have always helped me expand my thought process. Plus, I wanted to find some new recipes and Pinterest wasn’t cutting it for me anymore.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I’ve been loving LucidChart for brainstorming creative projects and ideas. Additionally, it’s awesome how Motion App takes items from my to-do list and automatically reserves time for them in my Google Calendar!

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I just finished Smart Brevity. It’s a quick read that is helping me make my emails engaging and to the point. I really also like the Check List Manifesto. I read that book over ten years ago and still live by the principles detailed in it. The book I have gained the most from is, I’m OK, You’re Ok by Thomas Anthony Harris.

What is your favorite quote?

I have a lot of favorite quotes, but here is one that I recently came across while reading Smart Brevity.

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”― Mark Twain

Key Learnings:

• Rituals and consistency are key for me to accomplish my goals and be successful
• Having advisors and people to help answer my questions when I get stuck is invaluable
• I am a visual learner, and mind mapping and organization help me organize my thoughts and successfully move projects forward
• Journaling is an extremely valuable tool for me to bring creative ideas to life. Journaling also gives me a daily opportunity to express gratitude for my family and friends.