Jeremy Andrus: The Turnaround Entrepreneur behind Traeger Grills

In this revealing episode, Stan sits down with Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger Grills, to delve into his gripping experiences in entrepreneurship and business transformation. Jeremy shares the tumultuous journey of rethinking and reinventing Traeger Grills amidst economic upheavals, tariffs, and a toxic corporate culture. The conversation covers the critical importance of negotiation, managing complex supplier relationships, leveraging partnerships with major retailers like Costco, and the power of transparency in leadership. Alongside anecdotes from his time at Skullcandy and a harrowing poisoning scare in China, Jeremy offers invaluable insights into building a resilient business that's not just about survival, but winning.00:27 Meet Jeremy Andres: CEO of Traeger Grills01:12 Navigating Challenges: COVID and Tariffs02:47 Reinvention and Survival Strategies05:38 Transparency and Team Communication10:43 Jeremy's Harvard Business School Journey13:16 Early Entrepreneurial Struggles17:17 Joining Skullcandy: The Early Days21:55 Negotiating Deals and Raising Capital29:05 Acquiring Traeger Grills: The Surprises30:04 Acquiring a 27-Year-Old Business30:35 Cultural Challenges and Realizations33:01 Negotiating a Buyout33:34 Revamping the Supply Chain34:37 Dealing with Toxic Culture36:59 Retail Negotiations and Battle Scars37:25 Costco's Tough Negotiation Tactics48:38 Supplier Negotiations in China55:54 Building Strong Supplier Relationships01:03:33 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsHost Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years. #AllThingsNegotiation #NegotiationStrategy #DealMaking #BusinessLeadership #EntrepreneurMindset #MethodicalThinking #BATNA #Leverage #SalesLeadership #FounderLife #CLevelLeadership #StrategicThinking #BusinessPodcast #StanAndJeremy #Traeger