EP345: Not All Fish Food is Created Equal with Chris Clevers of Hikari Sales USA
Release Date: 10/17/2025
EP359: Iron Sharpens Iron - With Marvin & Nikki Joles of In The Mix Podcast
The Pond Digger Podcast
Enjoy this conversation between Eric and the Jole's, Marvin & Nikki, focusing heavily on professional growth and community-building within the construction and asphalt industries. A central theme is the concept of "iron sharpens iron," which is discussed in the context of both personal development and professional accountability, particularly within coaching groups and through critiques during role-playing scenarios. The conversation highlights the unique work-life of one couple in the "dirt world" industry, covering topics like their joint attendance at industry conferences such as Equip...
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EP358: How One Event Flipped Our Hustle w/ Larry Delisanti of Side Hustle Squad Podcast
The Pond Digger Podcast
Eric's guest today is Larry from the The main topic of conversation is Larry's experience attending the Exposition, initially for equipment viewing, which unexpectedly led to a complete transformation of his business model—starting with raising prices, moving to better employee treatment, and adopting software like Jobber to streamline operations and payment collection. Both Eric and Larry emphasize the profound value of networking and socializing at these events, often citing specific learning opportunities that occurred outside of formal sessions, like at the bar. Larry also shares his...
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EP357: How Contractors Can Use AI to Bring Ideas to Life
The Pond Digger Podcast
Today's show documents a lively, late-night brainstorming session between two friends, Eric and Tyson, who are discussing branding and identity for Tyson's elite fire suppression business, Acefire. Fueled by whiskey and a fire in the background, the conversation quickly turns to leveraging ChatGPT, an AI tool, to formalize an "elite" group identity and an accompanying mascot, logo, and motto for Tyson's top employees. They discuss inspiration from military and fire department "brotherhood" aesthetics, focusing on a Reaper figure as a protector, and collaborate with the AI in real-time to...
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EP356: Negotiations Under Fire: Lessons From The FBI Down To The Jobsite
The Pond Digger Podcast
Eric speaks with two former law enforcement officers, Chris and Dave, regarding their experiences with hostage negotiation training and undercover work, particularly on a Vice detail involving arrests for public indecency and the pursuit of pedophiles. They discuss how the principles of negotiation skills, such as active listening, mirroring, and building rapport, are surprisingly transferable to the world of sales and everyday life. The conversation shifts to intense anecdotes from their police careers, including a close-quarters knife fight and the emotionally challenging nature of...
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EP355: Will ChatGPT Kill Google—and What It Means for Contractors
The Pond Digger Podcast
Timothy Warren of joins Eric on today's podcast. He discusses the impact of ChatGPT on the search industry and specifically on Google. Warren explains that Google had a "red alert" meeting after Chat GPT launched because the AI tool is superior to Google for complex search queries, though Google remains better for commercial, location-based searches. The discussion covers the history and rapid adoption of ChatGPT, Google's strategic response with tools like Gemini and AI Overviews—which are hurting many websites' traffic but serving Google's need to compete—and the changing landscape of...
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EP354: Rise of the LawnBots: The Future Is Already Mowing
The Pond Digger Podcast
Eric has a conversation with Todd Zimmerman discussing , a company focused on electrification and robotization in the landscaping industry, particularly through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Kress offers two main product lines: professional-grade 60-volt battery-powered tools for commercial landscapers and a pro-grade homeowner line, both utilizing advanced battery technology for power and cost savings. The core of the discussion centers on their autonomous robotic mowers, including the homeowner-focused iPilot and the commercial-grade Voyager, which use a combination of RTK, stereo...
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EP353: Finding Your Voice with Mr. Producer
The Pond Digger Podcast
Eric sat down with , a seasoned podcast producer and former radio professional, to discuss his career journey and the evolution of audio communication. Mr. Producer shares how a chance encounter at age fifteen led him to a job in radio, detailing his practice of cultivating a powerful voice for the airwaves. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the shift from traditional radio to the rise of podcasting, highlighting how the fragmented media landscape has replaced the communal listening experience of the past. Mr. Producer also recounts his involvement as an "early adopter" of...
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EP352: Who You Become When Your Back Is Against A Wall w/ Libby Delucien
The Pond Digger Podcast
Eric chats with and they discuss her remarkable journey from hitting rock bottom after a separation—being locked out of her house with nothing—to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the home service and software industries. She details how she leveraged her experience and skills to launch an organizing and cleaning company which quickly grew, leading to the creation of three separate software solutions for the industry. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on business philosophy, including the importance of a strong "why," leadership strategies, such as family quarterly...
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EP351: Building A Water Feature Business w/ Tyler Fisher of Atlantic-Oase
The Pond Digger Podcast
Eric speaks with Tyler Fisher about building and improving water feature businesses. They discuss a series of upcoming hands-on training sessions offered by at their Aurora, Ohio, facility during the winter months. These intensive three-day courses are designed to teach contractors and DIY enthusiasts skills ranging from installing fountains and formal spillways to advanced koi pond biology and maintenance, with a strong emphasis on getting practical experience rather than just classroom instruction. The training, which is notably affordable and includes hotel and meals, is presented as an...
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EP350: Unlock or Stay Stuck w/ Jonas Olson The Pest Control Millionaire
The Pond Digger Podcast
Today's podcast interview is with Jonas Olson, the "," where he and Eric discuss his rapid business growth and entrepreneurial philosophy. Olson emphasizes the importance of a strong mindset, competitiveness, and calculated risk-taking to achieve success, drawing on his personal history of being the youngest of four competitive siblings and working hard on a farm. A significant portion of the conversation is dedicated to overcoming business plateaus, such as the $2 million revenue "black hole," which Olson attributes to being the bottleneck and the necessity of hiring skilled integrators and...
info_outlineToday's episode features Chris Clever, the President of Hikari Sales USA, and Eric Triplett discussing the subject of aquatic fish food and fish husbandry. Clever asserts that most fish foods prioritize marketing over nutritional research, contrasting this with Hikari's extensive research and development process, which can take years and includes a dedicated research lab in Japan. The discussion explains how poor-quality food impacts fish health and water quality due to undigested waste and also covers the importance of feeding frequency, proper pellet size, and the company's preference for frozen food supplements over live foods due to contamination risks. Furthermore, Clever provides a brief history of the Hikari brand, which originated in the late 1800s by raising carp as food fish, and highlights the Saki-Hikari line as a top innovation featuring beneficial probiotics.
Key Takeaways:
- Prioritize food based on nutritional research and scientific development rather than focusing only on marketing stories.
- Feed fish small amounts of food multiple times throughout the day to maintain an optimized metabolism.
- Select the smallest size pellet your fish will accept to increase the surface area available for digestion.
- Avoid mixing different brands of fish food, as this disrupts the carefully balanced nutritional profile of a quality diet.
- Invest in both a high-quality fish food and an effective water conditioner to reduce long-term maintenance issues and enjoy your hobby more.
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