Episode 492: Ron Cohen of Battle Born Smokers - Reno, NV. From Construction to Backyard Griller to BBQ Champion to [FOOD] Trailer Entrepreneur. WHO ATE MY RIBS? The MOJO Behind the BIG TROUGH BURRITO.

What does it take for a man to walk away from a successful 30-year career in commercial construction and dive headfirst into the fiery, competitive world of professional barbecue?

This episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPREPRENEURS Show brings you the incredible story of Ron Cohen, the founder of Reno’s Battle Born Smokers, in a masterclass on reinvention, grit, and the relentless pursuit of a passion.

Ron shares his journey from accomplished construction company owner to a rookie on the barbecue competition circuit. He gives a raw and hilarious account of his first contest, where he and his team, thinking they were "king shit at Turd Island," promptly "made a fool of themselves." This humbling trial by fire wasn't a deterrent; it was the spark that ignited a deep obsession with mastering the craft, pushing him to learn from the tight-knit barbecue community and begin racking up awards.

This is where the story takes a brilliant turn. Discover how Ron leveraged his three decades of construction expertise to gain a unique competitive edge. He recounts the "aha" moment of designing his own ultimate barbecue food trailer, a mobile machine so innovative that the professional builders had never seen anything like it. Hear how he sold his Blazer and his Harley to pay for it in cash, drove to Tennessee to pick it up, and then spent two months personally finishing the build to his exacting specifications—a testament to a craftsman's dedication.

This conversation is packed with hard-won wisdom from the pit. Ron pulls back the curtain on the secrets to his acclaimed barbecue, from his unconventional but effective technique of smoking briskets from frozen to lock in flavor, to his smart menu engineering, like creating "The Trough" burrito to ensure no delicious ingredient ever goes to waste.

This is more than a story about barbecue; it's a powerful lesson in second acts. It's about how the skills you've honed in one life can become your superpower in the next. For anyone who has ever dreamed of turning a weekend passion into a thriving business, Ron Cohen’s journey is an unmissable dose of inspiration.

 

IG: @battle_born_smokers

Address: www.battlebornsmokers.com 

 

Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast

 

Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )

 

Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.

 

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Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?

 

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