Every entrepreneur hits a pivotal moment in their journey. The kind where one risk either sinks the ship or becomes the move that saves everything.

For Colt Westbrook, that moment was a gut decision to invest in critical product parts — only days before the global supply chain fell apart.

In our debut episode, Colt shares how instinct, creating intentional culture and a commitment to product quality helped Walrus Audio grow through crisis, not in spite of it. Whether you're building a team, planning your next product launch or wondering if that risky decision might just be your best one yet, this one is for you.

About the guest: Colt Westbrook is the president of Walrus Audio, a boutique guitar effects pedal business based in Oklahoma City. He joined the company in 2014 when it had only three employees. Under Colt's leadership, Walrus Audio has gained a reputation for producing a wide range of effects pedals, including overdrives, distortions, delays, reverbs, modulations and more.

Episode highlights:

• The dealer revolution that changed everything: Discover how Walrus Audio transformed their industry by treating retailers as investors, not obstacles — and the simple communication system that made competitors scramble to catch up.
• The $500K gamble that saved their supply chain: Learn about the gut decision to stockpile semiconductors in a tornado shelter during COVID, and how strategic risk taking kept production running while competitors faced shortages.
• Building products that sound as good as they look: Get the inside scoop on Walrus Audio's product development process that balances engineering excellence with musician input — and why thinking about "version two" from day one can transform your entire approach to innovation.

Want to learn more about our guest?

• Check out Walrus Audio online
• Follow them on Instagram

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Credits:

The Uptick is sponsored by Global Payments: helping businesses move faster, sell smarter and scale stronger. From the start-ups to the been-there-done-thats, our commerce platform helps millions of businesses around the world stay ahead, knowing we spent yesterday thinking of what customers need tomorrow. Because if it has anything to do with commerce, we’re already on it.