What separates a successful business from an idea that never leaves the drawing board? In this episode of Banking On You, Josh Rodriguez explores entrepreneurship from two perspectives separated by experience but connected by ambition.
Meet Jessie and Allison, teenage sisters and co-owners of Beaded by AJ. Armed with handmade bracelets, necklaces, phone charms, and plenty of determination, they’re learning firsthand what it means to run a business. From social media marketing and pop-up shops to managing inventory and resolving disagreements between co-founders, they’re navigating the challenges every entrepreneur faces.
Beaded by A and J YouTube
@beadedby_aandj on TikTok
@beadedby_aandj on Instagram
Alongside their story is that of John Catrubus, a longtime entrepreneur whose businesses include two Culver’s franchises, a real estate brokerage, and a real estate investment company. With more than 25 years of experience, John shares lessons on leadership, perseverance, customer service, team building, and what it takes to weather economic downturns, inflation, and even a global pandemic.
Culvers – Chesterfield location
Culvers – O’Fallon location
Together, their stories reveal a common truth: no matter the size of the business, success comes down to hard work, adaptability, relationships, and a willingness to keep showing up.
Whether you’re operating from a folding table at your first vendor event or leading a team that’s been together for decades, entrepreneurship is ultimately about building something meaningful and serving people well.
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Transcript
Host Josh Rodriguez
For three hot Midwest days, young entrepreneurs Jesse and Allison sold handmade bracelets, necklaces, phone charms, and other treasures.
Wedged between a sweaty Renaissance fair actor loudly hawking turkey legs in a buzzing snow cone booth with a mile-long line, they got a first-hand look at what business feels like. Selling, pitching, pivoting, wondering what would work and what wouldn’t.
Alright, so day the third day of your first what is this festival? How does how do you feel?
Allison & Jessie
Very tired. Bed now I’m sick. It was cool. It was interesting to see this type of experience. ‘Cause we’ve been to stuff like this, we just never like been on this side of it. What is that? Got to see from the vendor point of view. Yeah. It was very interesting. You have to really like present yourself well.
And that will bring more business, you know.
Josh Rodriguez
What would you do different next time?
Allison & Jessie
I would definitely p try to bring in the social media part of it more. Do socials more and also tell them because we didn’t tell anyone about our online shop. I think we told one person. I did say it a coup to a couple people being like that links to our shop our socials or it’s just a lot of work. It’s a lot of interaction with people and that’s just exhausting by itself and then hours of the day. Like half the day we’re here. It’s just a lot. It can be very contrasting. No it was a joke. I think it was a joke though.
John Catrubus
We’ve focused on three core businesses for approximately the last twenty-five years.
Josh
That’s business owner John Catrubus.
John Catrubus
Culvers Restaurants. We own and operate two in the St. Louis area. I’m the managing partner and operating partner. We’ve got Culvers of Chesterfield and Culvers of O’Fallon, Missouri, right off of Highway K. The other two businesses that we have focused on for approximately the last 25 years is real estate brokerage business and then also the real estate investment business. So those are really the three pillars that we have focused on: restaurant, brokerage, and real estate.
Josh
Twenty-five years is a long time. What keeps him moving forward? What gets him out of bed each day to face the grind?
John Catrubus
Well you want to be successful. and everybody has a different definition of that. for us, it truly is if people leave here happy, your business will be successful. So, you know, from the time we open at ten a.m. to the time we leave at ten PM, if we’re providing that type of customer service, the food quality in my opinion is outstanding. You have to do that each and every day. Every day you start at zero and you have to duplicate that over and over.
Josh
Whether you’re stringing clay beads or grilling up butter burgers, the rhythm of the small business owner is the same. The rent is due every day. And you’re the only one that’s gonna pay it. Small business is the lifeblood of the American economy. 99.9% of businesses are considered small. There are more than 36 million small businesses in the United States.
US small businesses employ 62.3 million people, 46% of the private sector. Nearly every business starts small. But very few intend to stay that way. As you can imagine, the small business journey is a bumping, meandering path. So let’s for just a little while take a peek at what makes small business owners tick. I’m Josh Rodriguez, and today we’re banking on Butterburger, brokering buildings, beautiful beads, and budding small businesses. and you. We’re always banking on you. Thanks for listening.
It’s become a central theme to the lore of American entrepreneurship. I’m talking about these fantastical origin stories, especially those in the tech field. You know the ones, I’m sure you’ve heard them. The trillion dollar company is supposedly born in dusty, dimly lit garages, somewhere buried in Silicon Valley. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak hunched over a secondhand desk in Jobs’s Cupertino, California single-story home. Classic.
Or what about Walt Disney’s first studio? Legend says it was in his Uncle Robert’s one-car garage on Kingswell Avenue in Los Angeles.
Those business origin stories are always fascinating. But it seems as time goes on, the facts get a little muddy. It’s really no different for Allison and Jesse.
Allison & Jessie
So we’re beated by A and J. It’s we’re both sisters and we co-own.
it started I ordered a seed beets. Technically it started a long time ago. ‘Cause like every Christmas I would ask for bracelets do not count. Okay, you’re trying to tell you if I didn’t ask for bee kits every year like that, I wouldn’t have bought beats on my own. What do you mean? That’s why I bought beets. You bought beats after I told you we should start a business, then you started buying the beats. This is totally a common thing. This happens all the time.
No. Sunny? No. I mean police in the knee just need pee fight. No. I started making bracelets as dad. I started making those nylon cord bracelets.
Sonny, maybe I’m confused. Maybe Sunny’s confused. Something about a business. But it didn’t really start off ’til dad said you guys can make money selling these, why don’t you?
Josh
Yeah, but you were actually you were making videos too. That’s when I thought that you guys would actually have something.
Allison & Jessie
No, we didn’t start making v videos till we had the idea for the business. And then you said we should wait on making the business official until we got some following online. Because then we could actually get orders.
Josh
And I was right. We’ll see.
Let’s be honest, it doesn’t really matter who had the idea first. What matters is that someone had enough passion to act, to take a risk, and start something new. For Jessie and Allison, it was beads and bracelets, which became beaded by AJ. For John Catrubus, it was butter burgers.
John Catrubus
Over twenty years ago a friend of mine approached me and there was only one Culver’s in St. Louis at the time. I believe it was in St. Charles and he said if you get time go up there and try the burger. went up there, had the burger and you know the rest is really history. He said, you know, outstanding product, outstanding brand and it’s been a great, great run.
Josh
John took his friend’s burger advice and fell in love. He found a brand and a product he could truly stand behind. And that makes all the difference.
Josh Contrubus
It’s excited to Yeah, it’s absolutely critical. I mean you have to believe in what you’re selling. it’s something that I have a passion for. I want you know every customer to leave, you know, here happy. and truly everything on the menu is outstanding. The brand, you know, in general, everything that they do, the attention to quality, attention to food safety, attention to detail. Just couldn’t couldn’t be happier with you know twenty plus years.
Josh
If you live anywhere within striking distance of a Culver’s, please try a butter burger. Myself, I’m partial to the mushroom in Swiss.
Josh Contrubus
Absolutely. The Wisconsin cheese curds, that’s a staple. So anybody that goes to Culver’s I know they’re gonna get fresh cheese curds from Wisconsin. So
Josh
John loves what he does, and he has for more than two decades.
John Contrubus
Culvers. yeah, this is my passion. Like I said, I really enjoy working here every day. You know, one thing with culvers, you’re an owner operator. You’re you’re not an absentee owner. So I’m here every day interacting with the guests and you know I have been fortunate over all these years. I think right now we probably have over ten people that I’ve worked with that, you know, we’ve worked together for over 20 years. Wow. So it’s been outstanding.
Josh
You’ve gotta love what you do, because if you don’t, the tough times are gonna wear you out. And rest assured, they will come.
Allison & Jessie
Okay. So we have clay bead. I’d say clay bead are the most popular in general, like more known. I just give like summer vibes. They’re very bright and colorful and yeah. Then seed bead have been very popular at this festival. People just really like them, especially with our deal. They’re just they’re small and dainty, although the colors still pop and are very delicate. And then we have our glass bead ones, which are our most expensive, but they take the most materials and the most time. They’re very nice just to look at. They sparkle.
Josh
Don’t you just love the chime in her voice. But a beautiful product is only the beginning. Sooner or later the excitement fades, reality shows up, and you find out what you’re really made of.
John Contrubus
Yeah, it’s absolutely critical. I mean you have to believe in what you’re selling.
Josh
Yes, there is a certain romance to the starting line, the clean website, the pristine logo, the excitement of telling everyone what you’re building, but then real life shows up.
And it couldn’t really care less about your strategy or your business plan. That shift from the theory of running a business to the bruising reality of execution is where the real test begins. For Jessie and Allison, their online dream ran headfirst into the reality of shipping fees.
Allison & Jessie
Yeah, I would say I would lean more on towards growing as like an in-person business instead of an online. Like just ’cause online is nice and you can get some. Yeah, but no one wants to pay for shipping. True, shipping is a big problem right now.
Josh
So they pivoted from the digital only world to pop-up stores. But in-person business brings a whole new level of grit. Slow times, selecting prime locations, and the heavy lifting of setup and teardown.
Allison & Jessie
We’ve had two different pop-ups besides this. This is our third one. And regional we’ve had they were just like city-wide yard sales and we just made a stand. Although I will say they could have been much more popular, but the areas we were in were like residential, like very, very residential.
Josh
Grit isn’t something you can order on Amazon. It’s about showing up. John has spent twenty-five years learning that lesson.
In 2008, the economy crashed. Recently, inflation has doubled his costs. During the pandemic, COVID shut down his dining rooms. And where was John in all of these situations? Well, you could find him in an apron, in the drive-thru with his team. Because when the ship is taking on water, the captain has to be with his crew on the deck.
John Contrubus
You know, I guess it’s my perspective, they don’t work for me. We work together, and I truly believe that and I think leading by example, this is not a business you can just drive by, pop in. If you’re here working with them, leading by example, I think that goes a long way. Yeah, absolutely. I mean obviously there were a lot of businesses closed. We had the drive thru and you know, the the thing I would advise to anybody that’s looking to open a business that you know, you need to be committed to do what is necessary in all times. I mean that was a period of time. For the most part I was here open to close. and that’s what was required. Yeah. So it’s okay to to have bumps, you know, bruises, you know, potholes along the road, but you know, as long as you don’t have high highs or low lows, it’s a marathon and stay the course. Don’t get overly excited or too upset that you know, manage with a steady hand. Yeah. Daily. It must be maintained daily.
Josh
And that steady hand matters when the team is only two people, especially two teenage sisters, sharing not just a business, but also a bedroom.
So what would you guys what kind of advice would you give to other kids that want to get into business no matter what it is?
Allison & Jessie
Don’t do it with a sibling. Stick together even if it gets hard. Cause especially with a sibling, it can be really or just any co-owner it can be really difficult sometimes.
Josh
I’ve witnessed you guys lots of arguments over the last year. Tell us about those and how they how you’ve been able to resolve them.
Allison & Jessie
We haven’t. I said we haven’t.
Josh
Maybe I should tell everybody how I’ve helped you to resolve them.
Allison & Jessie
Honestly you gotta compromise a lot for certain people. You know. Sometimes people don’t have the best ideas, but you gotta let them do it. ‘Cause my own ideas are genius. So talking it out, yes.
Josh
They walk it out, they talk it out, they argue, compromise, and find a way forward. Occasionally they have to call in dad to referee. He can usually help them figure things out most of the time. Scale that over 25 years, and you can build something extraordinary. Like a franchise where core employees stay by your side for decades. That doesn’t happen on accident, it happens by design.
John Contrubus
You know, I’m very fortunate, as I had mentioned, with our core team. I view it sometimes, you know, it’s not a matter of quantity. You want good core people that care. And we’ve been very fortunate, you know, from that standpoint, sometimes less is best. You just focus on core people that want to be here. You make sure your goals are aligned. And we’ve been able to create that culture. So really it goes back to creating a culture in your environment.
You know it starts every day and the the people that are here once you hire new people they see how it’s operated.
Josh
And then there are those surrounding and supporting your team, those trusted partners that you just can’t do without.
John Contrubus
It’s one of the most critical things you can do once you do that is build your team. Not only within your business, you’re gonna have a business attorney, you’re gonna have a banking relationship, you’re gonna have a CPA, you’re gonna have an insurance team. You need to surround yourself with the very best people and build your team. Relationships.
Josh
And of course mentors, they always play a key part in the success of a small business.
John Contrubus
No, you know what really my mentor, it was just my dad. He came over from Greece and I just watched what he did to make a living for his family. I watched him work eighteen hours a day. So he was also in the hotel restaurant business, just doing different banquets, different hotels and I watched him go, you know, from one job to a second job in a day and I just learned the work ethic from him. So…
Josh
Jessie and Allison are just starting their small business journey. After their first pop-up store, they settled their accounts and brought their savings to West Community Credit Union to prepare for what’s ahead.
Allison & Jessie
After that, probably more booths. Save some for more especially since it’s the summertime, save some for more events.
Josh
Where are you gonna save it?
Allison & Jessie
In a can. West Community. Yeah. West Community Credit Union.
Josh
They’re still young, yet standing where John once stood. Building a foundation, designing their future. Saving their hard-earned money at the same cooperative institution that helped support John’s Covers journey.
John Contrubus
and Richard Dillard who has been my contact, my loan officer. he’s been absolutely unbelievable when times are great, when we’re having slow periods, you can pick up the phone, so you hear the cliche that are you you you hear the saying, okay, we’re a local bank and we’re we’ll be hands on and then you get an 800 number. Richard is probably one of the best in the business.
And you know, just between him and the resources you have at West Community, I would highly recommend anyone to partner with your organization.
Josh
Appreciate the kind remarks, John. But remember, at West Community and Tigers Community Credit Union, we’re banking on you.
Thank you so much for listening to Banking On You, powered by West Community and Tigers Community Credit Union. Check out the show notes for details on Jesse and Allison’s jewelry business, beaded by AJ. And if you’re in the area, be sure to stop by John’s Culver’s locations in Chesterfield and O’Fallon for a delicious butterburger. Tell them Josh sent you. You know, we have just a few more episodes left in season two of Banking On You, and there are still some great stories to come. We don’t want you to miss any of them. Please.
Follow us on all the socials at banking on you pod and subscribe, comment, and rate, do all the things on this podcast app and any of the others where you listen and enjoy great podcasts. Once again, I’m Josh Rodriguez. Thank you for listening. Catch you next time.
