3 Businesses, 4 Kids, and 1 Pharmacy: The Unconventional Path to Angel Investing

From creating America's #1 cake mix to writing a $25,000 check that launched an educational empire—Corey Smith's unexpected journey unfolds in this episode of Startups with Stu. When Stuart Draper lost his third job in a row, it was Corey's unwavering belief that transformed a desperate situation into Stukent, a company that would eventually impact over a million students worldwide. But before becoming an angel investor, Corey walked away from his six-figure Boston career to save his father's struggling pharmacy in rural Idaho, dragging his California-raised wife Cindy into a life she never imagined. The Smiths reveal the hidden tensions of family business ownership, the brutal truth about equity distribution, and what happens when 87% of your investments fail. As Southeast Idaho's entrepreneurial scene evolves, Corey delivers a stark warning about integrity that every founder needs to hear: "Trustworthiness is a rare commodity." This conversation exposes both the triumphs and scars of building businesses that matter in places where most people say it can't be done.