From Total Shutdown to Success: How Jay Koller and Vision Collective Survived the Impossible - Jay Koller

In this powerful episode, Matt sits down with longtime friend and business partner Jay Koller to unpack one of the most dramatic comeback stories in business ownership. Jay shares how he acquired Vision Collective — a high-stakes event production company — in late 2019, only to watch the entire industry collapse months later as COVID made live events illegal overnight.

What follows is a raw and inspiring look at survival, leadership, and the power of company culture. Jay opens up about losing over $4 million in business in a single week, the emotional weight of leading a team through crisis, and the creative pivots — from holographic graduations to trucking logistics — that kept Vision Collective alive.

He also shares how their values-first culture not only brought employees back, but turned key team members into owners and helped the business exceed its $10M goal in under five years.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you have what it takes to weather the storms of entrepreneurship, this one’s for you.

 

Timestamps:

[0:01] – Matt introduces guest Jay Kohler and their partnership

 

 

[2:50] – Jay’s background in entertainment and theater

 

 

[4:01] – How Jay approached and acquired VX3 (roll-up acquisition) 

 

 

[8:00] – COVID hits: $4M in lost events and a full business shutdown

 

 

[15:30] – SBA loan pressure and building an ownership group

 

 

[17:31] – Survival mode: pivoting into virtual events and cloud production

 

 

[23:45] – Pivoting into trucking and creative partnerships

 

 

[23:23] – Hosting concerts, benefit events and holographic graduations during COVID

 

 

[31:05] – Free rent, lender negotiations, and strategic financial moves

 

 

[35:00] – Jay’s emotional burden as a leader during crisis

 

 

[41:15] – Vision Collective hits and exceeds the $10M goal

 

 

[42:23] – Jay’s plan to strengthen the company for the future

 

 

[44:35] – Succession planning: giving ownership to key employees

 

 

[48:09] – Reflections on those who supported him during adversity

 

 

[50:15] – Jay’s first business: burrito sales at 15 after crashing a car

 

 

[56:00] – Final reflections on passion, people, and showing up for your work

 

 

 

 

Resources & Links

 

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