How an 88 Cent Mistake Led to a $100M Empire. (Playbook with Al Doan) | Ep. #167
How an 88 Cent Mistake Led to a $100M Empire. (Playbook with Al Doan) | Ep. #167  
Podcast: The Koerner Office - Business Ideas and Small Business Deep Dives with Entrepreneurs
Published On: Fri May 09 2025
Description: Find my new community at https://www.tkowners.com/I sat down with Al Doan, founder of the Missouri Star Quilt Company, and the guy is just electric. We talked about how he turned his mom’s love of quilting into a massive business that transformed the tiny town of Hamilton, Missouri. What started as a small quilt shop and some YouTube tutorials eventually became a retail empire with 16 quilt stores, restaurants, a hotel, a magazine, and a whole lot more. Al's vision didn’t just grow the business, he's also bought up nearly the entire downtown district to create what he calls a "Disneyland for quilters."Toward the end, we bounce around some really creative business ideas, especially ones you could launch in small towns that most people overlook.You can find Al on Twitter and Instagram as @DrBillNye. Check out his company at missouriquiltco.com and their deals site at quiltersdailydeal.com.Timestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-ytAsk me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-askLearn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjkLearn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cofFollow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-xFree weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nlShare this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-allScrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os---00:00 The Quilting Capital of the World03:00 Building a Quilting Empire05:49 Creating Unique Shopping Experiences09:10 The Power of Content and Community12:00 Navigating Early Challenges14:51 Inflection Points in Business Growth17:47 Owning a Town: The Hamilton Story21:12 The Future of Small Town Businesses25:25 Transforming Small Towns into Destinations32:06 Building Unique Experiences Around Hobbies37:20 Unexpected Successes in Business Ventures40:14 Innovative Home Services Business Ideas45:51 Reimagining Small Town Economies