Ep 152 Matt Hunckler, Founder of Powderkeg: Accidental Communities That Spark Real Business Fireworks

Default Profitable

In this episode of the Default Profitable Podcast, I sit down with Matt Hunckler, a serial entrepreneur who's turned bruises and breakthroughs into a thriving tech community powerhouse. We dive into his journey from digitizing vinyl records in high school to founding Powderkeg, chatting about the gritty realities of starting service businesses, navigating pivots, and scaling tech ecosystems right here in Indiana. It's all about those early hustles, community-driven growth, and the hard lessons that come from serving others before chasing profits—perfect for anyone grinding through their own business adventures.

Have you ever wondered what happens when a casual beer meetup explodes into a nationwide tech network? What does it take to pivot from free advice in your inbox to a membership model that actually pays the bills? And how do you know when to zoom in on talent matching during a pandemic or double down on peer groups for CEOs hungry for real talk? Matt shares it all, wrapping up with a funny nod to his reluctant start—turns out, getting conned into community organizing at Binkley's bar was the best "mistake" he never planned.

Learn more about Matt Hunckler and Powderkeg at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunckler.

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