Entrepreneurship, Team Building, and Robots

Wayne Bennet, President and Founder of TeamWorx Team Building, joins Gus to discuss his experiences in team building. Together they explore building and battling robots as a team building exercise, staying ahead of the curve as an entrepreneur, and much more.

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Links
TeamWorx Team Building
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and has not been thoroughly reviewed for completeness or accuracy.

[00:00:11]  Gus Herwitz: Welcome to Tech Refactored, a podcast in which we explore the ever changing relationship between technology, society, and the law. I'm your host, Gus Herwitz, the Menard Director of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center.

Today we are talking entrepreneurship, team building and robots with Wayne Bennett. 

[00:00:31] Wayne Bennet: I am president, founder of Teamwork's Team Building that's been around just over 20 years now. 

[00:00:35] Gus Herwitz: I first met Wayne, oh five or six years ago at a conference at Santa Clara University where a bunch of law professors were having a conference and he came in to let us build robots and play with them in a battle royale, fight to the robot depth, and it was great. It was so much fun. In fact that this past summer when we were planning an event for our students who worked with the governance and technology center, that we reached out to Wayne and got [00:01:00] him to fly halfway across the country with a bunch of his robots and worked with us to recreate.

Experience, and let me tell you, a lot of fun was had, and yes, some robots were injured in the making of that team building event. We spend a lot of time on tech refactor talking to academics and researchers and the like, but you know, entrepreneurs and robots, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. So I reached out to Wayne after the event and asked if he'd be willing to hop on a call.

And talk about building stuff, about building a business and building robots and building teams through leadership. It was a fun discussion. I enjoyed learning more about Wayne's business and past, and you know, robots are just fun. So I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did, and I hope that you enjoy robots as much as I do

your team build exercise. Particular trade is robot construction and battle royale competitions. [00:02:00] And I couldn't resist talking to you, uh, because you, you check off so many of the boxes and Yeah. We're academics, we're, uh, wonky, uh, ivory tower folks in, at the university and the center, but we like technology.

We like entrepreneurship, we like business, we love people who do stuff. And you build teams, but also you're a doer. Yeah. 

[00:02:21] Wayne Bennet: No, I really appreciate that. Um, I think that's a wonderful, you know, description of me and certainly the robot program has been the, the pinnacle of really my time in team building. So it really represents, you know, a lot of what I think is awesome about, you know, when you take the time to have your folks come out and do a team building special, especially if you're an engineer, if you're into technology like you and you know, your peers and your, your friends and stuff.

It's one of the first events really tailored for that type of person. The Roll Robot program has been a really, really fun ride. It was a really big risk. It was something where I feel like I look to the [00:03:00] future and I think that's hard for folks to do, and I thought, you know, what's gonna be popular coming down for years to come?

What's, what's trending? That type of thing. And then I designed a program around that, so I wasn't really into. Seven years ago, and now I'm completely into it. In fact, going to the, you know, Battle Bots championship this weekend, , now I'm all about robots. I love it, um, because of the team building, and I'm super happy to hear that it had the type of traction with you because mm-hmm.

As a team builder, that's our hallmark is that if you refer it and come back to that team building, you know, it really was something special. 

[00:03:33] Gus Herwitz: Yeah. So that sound you might have just heard me make was not me being jealous. Not one bit about you going to the, uh, battle bots competition, but we'll, we'll open that to the side.

So, uh, I. Started doing the, uh, robot construction and battling approach seven years ago or so. I would love to just hear a bit about what you did before, how you decided to transition and that that's a scary thing. You are completely [00:04:00] pivoting your business to something new. You don't know if it's going to work.

How did you think about that risk? 

[00:04:06] Wayne Bennet: Wow, that's an awesome question and uh, you know, I'm getting flashbacks back to that period and, um, I've kind of been a cocoon. Temporary success over the last few years. So, uh, pandemic aside. So, yeah, no, that was a very risky pivot and I have to be honest, it had a lot to do with my daughters.

And, um, I used to travel a lot and so my business was really built around getting on an airplane, going to these really big events. Um, I just one day woke up and I said, I never want to get on an airplane again. I never want to get on an airplane again. I can't handle. And then I thought, I started thinking about, once I had that epiphany, the most obvious thing struck me, which was that I live in Sacramento, right next to the Bay Area, which has just the most wealth and technology maybe anywhere in the world, all in one place.

And and so that's when I really started thinking about that. And so, yeah, there was a lot of risk in the beginning, but I was extremely optimistic. About the future of it because, you know, the events [00:05:00] that had been propelling our revenue for the previous, uh, years before I went into this robotic thing were, were largely revolved around charity team building.

So large companies wanting to do team building but make a difference. And so the number one example would be bike building. Were probably three years. We did 3000 events where they did team building and then they built a bike and then they gave the bike away to children from local charity, which is. . And then we did a program called School Makeover where you know, we went into the neighborhoods the most, the roughest neighborhoods in the roughest cities and found schools that were achieving results.

And then we found a corporate sponsor and we went in and completely redid their school with those corporate folks. Came and painted and redid things and became a brand new school. It was awesome, but things pivot. And I could see we needed a change. And you know what? My biggest fear, Gus, to answer your question, I guess in the longest possible, My biggest fear is to be outdated.

Mm-hmm. . And so if I'm thinking to the future and I'm [00:06:00] acting on a future goal that I feel like, that I'm energized about and I can see the market, I can, I know they're gonna like it if I can get it right. Is a much better place than if I'm making a bunch of money, but I, I can see my market becoming outdated, if that makes sense.

[00:06:15] Gus Herwitz: Mm. That, that absolutely makes sense. We, we just had a academic professor, Peter Squier from Georgia Tech at the university the other day speaking, and we recorded a podcast, which will be coming out a week before this one. And one of the things that he spoke about to the students in terms of his research path and how he thinks about things is, Was always looking to what's the next issue?

What's the next big thing? And he's just managed to stay ahead of the curve. And it's that same energy. Don't look to what everyone else is doing. Don't look to where the market is, Look to what's coming next, because that's where people are going. And if you can be there, then you're going to be there when everyone else arrives.

And it, it's. Fun. It's energizing and you're also helping create the market and filling it a need that others [00:07:00] really have. 

[00:07:00] Wayne Bennet: Wow, can I just say this exactly how I feel? You know, that's awesome. To come outta someone else's brain is just amazing.

[00:07:05] Gus Herwitz: Yep. So I, uh, should have asked this, uh, at the outset. What is team building?

[00:07:12] Wayne Bennet: You know, that is part of the problem. It is somewhat of a ubiquitous, I think what it means to folks is, Hey, I work on this team at work and we're gonna go do something. together that's outside of the office or that just takes us away from what we normally do. Cuz a lot of our events actually come to the office, you know, and mm-hmm.

but hopefully the robot building's so awesome. They are totally transported in that way. But it, I think that's the idea of it to most folks is that, um, let us build some bonds, let us see each other's human beings outside the office and that'll carry back and, and will be more forgiving and, you know, maybe we'll, uh, we'll be a better team.

I think for like 90% of folks, that's what. . And then there's some folks that really want, you know, they're a team and it's usually folks that are already achieving at a pretty high level, but they kind of wanna be [00:08:00] better. They're always looking to be better. That's definitely a lower, a much lower percentage than, you know.

[00:08:05] Gus Herwitz: What's success to you?

Not in terms of business, but when you're at an event, when you're working with a, a group of folks engaged in team building exercises, what do you look at and say, Wow, this is working. Something important is happening here. And y you also have to ask, what do you keep your eye on, perhaps in a, a group to say, Hmm, may, maybe things aren't gelling together, right?

I should step in, I should, uh, mix things up and try and rebalance the dynamics. You know, 

[00:08:31] Wayne Bennet: I'm a really big reader of human beings. And so, you know, whenever I'm doing these, I, I would say, you know, my number one goal is that every human in my event has a really positive experience, you know, and a meaningful experience.

And so, one thing I learned, I was a teacher for a brief period and, you know, blessed teachers, that is such a hard job. Um, but one thing I learned from that you can feel like you're doing. because your top students, you know, I taught middle school reading, are just really [00:09:00] nailing it with the book, you know, and they're mm-hmm.

What some folks helped me to realize as a teacher was, you know, but look, there's 20 students that aren't really responding, and there's like eight of them that aren't even connected at all. You know, the, you know, they're drawing or they're doing something else, or they just feel uncomfortable, whatever it is.

So, having said that, in my events, that is really, really my goal. I try to design them from the ground up, Number one. To have opportunities for engagement for everybody and not just the folks that are gonna be really into it. Because, you know, there's folks in all these robot programs where I don't have to do anything and they're gonna just have the best time.

And there's other folks that just need maybe just something, whether it be said or just the setup or, or, or something that they need just to feel a little bit more comfortable to unlock a really awesome experience, you know? And so that's when you say, do you ever step in and say, Yeah, I feel like I am always stepping.

Because I'm always concerned, I'm really reading folks. I'm really trying to be as supportive to as many folks as possible and to give folks that are really into it an exceptional experience. I know maybe you were [00:10:00] expecting more theoretical, perhaps, but you know, I'm really down with the people. I just want the folks that come with me to just the environment and be able to just let go of stuff and have a great time.

Almost be like a kid for a little. , create some of those bonds and then feel positively about me so that they will, you know, rate my company and, and, and other folks will come back. So that's kind of where my head's at. 

[00:10:19] Gus Herwitz: I, I think the, the idea you want to make folks feel like kids again, I, there there's so much fun and power to that and I expect it's really useful and I, I guess there are multiple, two groups that we could talk about, especially when we're talking about the the robot building exercises. I expect that you've got folks who are, "I love robots. I like technology, I like putting things together. Electronics, that's what I do." And then you probably have a lot of folks who are, "I can't even change the battery in the remote control, I don't know how this stuff works. And you want me to build a robot?" And I wonder what's the energy, the dynamic that you see between those two groups when you have them both playing together, working [00:11:00] together, but also my intuition, I could be wrong about this, but my intuition is that the folks who come in thinking, I can't do this, they do it.

And they actually get a lot more fun and enjoyment, uh, and education and growth out of the opportunity. 

[00:11:15] Wayne Bennet: Yeah, I mean, what I like to say is it's really about the teamwork. It's really a team building program that uses robots and in my intro, I always say, if you can build. A shelf from ikea, you can probably build this robot.

You know, it's, and in fact we model our directions, uh, after ikea, you know, just is the way they're visual and there's no extra bolts. And what's neat about that is that folks could talk about it between each other. So we have on my website, A blog and what's neat about this is it's really a history of almost all of our events.

You know, the winners, right? Get on the blog. Our event together was on the blog. Our first event together is probably on that blog, but there's examples on there that I just love that, just like for example, like four teachers, you know, that were at one time, eighth, all time in the build thing, you [00:12:00] know, because they just really hit it off and they were just great at teamwork and put the robot together, you know, just really quickly and flaw.

So it is really accessible to all people. I think it is the best of both worlds in the sense that it absolutely, if you can communicate, if you can just get it right and you can maximize your time, because really if you think about the robot program, there's, we have two events. Let's just take the first one.

You know, there's four component parts and, and the robot's been the same for five years at least, or six years, right? But, and so it's really about how do you get those four parts together more so than any prior knowledge about robots. And, you know, that has a lot more to do with like, am I sitting here doing nothing?

Should we put two people on the frame first because it's more, should we, you know, and just a constant communication of do you, do you have the right tool? Do you have this, do you have that? So it's really all about that. Um, and that's why I, I feel like it's the pinnacle of my career because it's what I love.

It's super accessible, you know, to everybody, which is super important to me. And then, but also super exceptional to [00:13:00] the folks that you're talking. The engineers, the tech folks, folks that their hobby at home, which I get a lot in the area, is building custom robots or drones. You know? So-

[00:13:10] Gus Herwitz: One of the things that I didn't appreciate the first time that I did, uh, the program with you nearly as much as the second time and the, the second time, I was more of an observer.

I was walking around, I, I was actually taking photos of all, all the student groups working together. The, the way that you've designed this program, there are natural roles for folks to. Come into, You can't just have one person jump in and say, Oh, I'm going to do it all, and shove everyone el else outta the way.

And there are so many pieces that you need to have someone who is kind of supervising, keeping track of what's going on. And they're not the boss of the, the group, they're not the the manager per se. There's just an obvious role for someone to fall into there. Everyone will go off and do their, uh, own thing and as they finish each component, they bring them together and it, it all fits together.

And it, it's just a really [00:14:00] thoughtful, you have to operate as a team in order to put this together. Thank you guys. You're 

[00:14:05] Wayne Bennet: so insightful. This is like, so cathartic for me. And you're absolutely a hundred percent right. That's ex and it, it blends with things I was talking about really. Right. Which is everybody has to do their.

And may I just say one caveat that you're reminding me, which is, that's another thing I love about it, that you have to do your part. You can't just say communication and trust. You actually have to build the thing correctly and do your part or the, the actual robot, you know, doesn't work. So, I, 

[00:14:28] Gus Herwitz: I wonder, you spoke previously about the previous iterations or previous, uh, events that you did, uh, building ropes courses, um, and things like that.

Also a mechanical engineering sort of thing and putting together bikes. I know that's a activity that I've seen others do as well. Uh, especially in in the charity, uh, uh, setting. And that's a bringing together complex, lots of steps, lots of processes across all of these things. What is it that makes them so?

Useful as [00:15:00] team building sort of exercises. I mean, they're mechanical building exercises and they're team building exercises. Is there something about the building that works well with the building? Yeah, absolutely. 

[00:15:12] Wayne Bennet: I think that you can't have real growth and you can't have the type of experience that folks are anticipating having.

If we're allowed to stay inside of our amazingly complex and protective shells that we run around the professional world with, because folks wanna know who you are. Really. They wanna know your values or something about you. They wanna get a little deeper, direct, really way, who is Wayne? So that I could start figuring out if this is somebody I can trust and just kind of how to deal with them, or just how to have success with.

and I think you do need to be taken out of your element. And what I like about all those examples you gave is that there's something very real and you could just really see something authentic about them. When they're 50 feet in the air and they're trying to grab this thing and they're truly, truly scared and they [00:16:00] truly overcome it, you feel like they've given you an authentic experience and I think take that as.

The pinnacle. And then let's dilute backwards to the bike building and the robot building. And the, another great program I did with an astronaut who flew the space shuttle, we did this as a partnership, which was Rocket Building. Mm-hmm. , which was an awesome program. You know, that type of thing. The tangible element, again, heightens participation and heightens engagement because folks know they're gonna have to represent at the end of the day and when it's a professional setting.

Nobody wants to represent in a non awesome way. So that scenario of having a tangible thing and having to do something like not just talk, but lift the bike wheel, do whatever it is that you're doing, makes you more real, makes you more vulnerable, makes it have to work and makes ultimately folks get through the non-real and get down to the real, for lack of a better term.

I, 

[00:16:56] Gus Herwitz: I have to say. The worst possible participant for things like [00:17:00] rope courses because Good. I, I'm a, a rock climber. I love heights. I am completely comfortable. You're right. And, and I understand all the safety stuff. I take it seriously. Uh, and you, you get me up there and I'm like, Sure, I'll, I'll just run right across this, uh, a rope bridge or whatever and it's, it's perfectly easy.

Come on guys. So if it were an actual rope core setting, I know I would tone it down and be more helpful, but. Per perhaps not the most helpful person to have in the mix there, 

[00:17:27] Wayne Bennet: but, Well, yes and no. Like, let me give you an example. Let's say you come from some real estate office and there's a hotshot producer, and he or she comes with that kind of attitude and that sort of way of making others feel less great about themselves.

And so the whole office kind of, you know, you're taking the production but you don't, but the attitude is tough. And then you go out to the ropes course and you model this thing. You're so comfortable, and yet you're gracious. , that would be one example, you know, here now. Or the reverse is your total ass and they're like, Wow, is that how I am?

You know, kind of thing. [00:18:00] 

[00:18:02] Gus Herwitz: So anyway, there can be use for modeling bad behavior, I guess, if you can show, hey, this is bad behavior guys, now you can identify it in yourself. More use. Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:18:11] Wayne Bennet: As long as, Yeah, guess. Exactly. As long as the message is correct. Yeah. 

[00:18:14] Gus Herwitz: Yep. So. What's next for the robots? And, uh, you, you said you tried to stay ahead of things.

I, I would guess the, the robot course has nowhere near run itself, but, uh, hope not. What are you thinking for the future? 

[00:18:29] Wayne Bennet: Well, in the immediate feature, we have a super exciting event with Google at their office in downtown San Francisco as a way to encourage Google folks to come back to work. And we're talking hundreds of people.

We're gonna be there all day. I've, uh, incorporated a local robotics club to come work the event with me. So they're gonna get to see Google, uh, headquarters, eat at the Google Cafe and and hang out with Googlers all day and, and a situation where they know the robot and they can be really helpful. So it's, it's a, it's, I think it's an opportunity for those folks to get some interaction on a [00:19:00] semi even playing field.

So I think that's gonna be awesome for them, that's, that's very exciting for us. These large events with these large companies where they're using it as a tool for people to come back because that is trending. Gus. Mm-hmm. , to answer your question more accurately is that, you know, these companies, the number one thing on CEO's mind besides maybe their stock price today, is, how do I get my folks either back to the office, you know, maybe not permanently, but, but how do I get him into the office to build some morale on certain days?

Or how do I get some of that happen? . So that's very, for us to be a part of that trend is something that does have that traction for those folks. Yeah. I'll come to the office to build a robot today. You know, one thing, it's not super feed, but you know, we're already looking to the holiday seasons. So the last, this whole week I'm making holiday virtual escape rooms, you know, so, uh, this is, uh, part of our adaptation, right?

We talked about was in the pandemic. We went from lots of indoor business out our onsite business to zero. and we had to reinvent our entire business, and we did. And so one of the results of that is we created these holiday events in December and [00:20:00] they've been very popular. So now in a month when we used to do no business, We're gonna fill that month with something that we never did before two years ago, and may have a really great month, you know?

Mm-hmm. . But that's something we're starting today. I, I'm in the holiday spirit, you know, Monday and Tuesday at least. And then, you know, moving on, 

[00:20:14] Gus Herwitz: there's something a little darkly ironic about the pandemic having created a. Holiday escape room event. You're all locked in a room together. You, you have to get out and get, get distanced from one another.

Yeah. Or no. Yeah. 

[00:20:27] Wayne Bennet: You start in there and you gotta get out. Yeah, that's right. It's great guys. That's perfect. Yep. In a real, timely manner without breathing. Yeah. 

[00:20:33] Gus Herwitz: Yes. Um, there is a deadline on this, uh, escape room that's accurate. So I would like to just take a couple minutes to. Talk about the actual engineering side of the, the robots.

So you've explained the robots. They're modular, they're battery powered, relatively straightforward. Design, I guess it's probably four motors controlling each of the wheels. Radio controlled with a couple of [00:21:00] actuators. To control how they they move and how they use their attack arm to put it dramatically.

Yeah. Um, your, your requirements for building these were different than for a lot of robots and certainly things that you see on, for instance, battle bots. I expect they were different because these are meant to be lightweight, durable enough in their components to be taken apart and put back together by novices who know nothing and also easy to be put back together, um, and taken apart.

What was. Design process. How did you go about designing these? And for that matter, I'll just add, I guess this was, you were designing these before the modern era of, uh, 3D printers and lower cost CNC machines, . Um, so what was your approach in designing these? 

[00:21:46] Wayne Bennet: Yeah, it's a great question. Um, what's funny, I guess to answer the question in the beginning is, you know, I thought a battle robot was not in alignment with team building.

And so it really wasn't on my radar. You know, the first [00:22:00] robots I built were, were skill-based team events where you built this robot and you had to complete these skill activities faster than the other teams. And the team was kind of involved and it was fun stuff. Like the last one, you actually lit a match and popped a balloon with the match, you know, and boom.

And it ends in your time and, and. , there's a group from, I'm almost pos if it was Meta, and they're like, No, we wanna, this, this person works for us, that builds robots for this show, battle bots, and we want a team building and surprise him, you know? Mm-hmm. and can you make those things battle or can we modify?

Actually, I'm sure, I'm sure what they said is, can we modify 'em to do this? You know? But anyway, my memory, whatever it is, uh, but once we made that program for them and then I just threw it up on the website, totally contrary to what I believed. It instantly became the most popular program we had. So it, when I compared the two and I said, Hey, you know, we also have this great team event.

It's like the skill thing. It's a team event, you know, Zero. Mm-hmm. robot's a hundred, you know, it was just the battles, you know? So I say that because my [00:23:00] design process was really, really led. Um, I tried to be as customer facing as humanly possible because it was not a market that existed. There wasn't something that was already super successful.

I think one of my greatest qualities is just realizing my complete limitation of my own, you know, ability to read what millions of people would like or what tons of people would like. Obviously beyond my pay scale, but what I can do is make these different versions and watch 'em, and then from there get obsessed.

And so like some of the things we did engineering wise that were difficult to overcome, and once we did make the program much better, uh, you know, if you think about like RC even robots in the, in the high school competitions, they, they rarely have. and no RC product, plane, boat, car, whatever. You know, none of 'em are pushing into something.

Mm-hmm. as a choice, as a choice feature. You know, they don't, they want to go all of 'em, right? Mm-hmm. , and so finding motors that had unique [00:24:00] quality, and engineers are gonna laugh because I don't know exactly what it is, but they, maybe they do, but it's that unique quality where they don't have heat resistance to.

To physical resistance. So in other words, the motors on our robots now can run forever pushing into another robot and have zero or very little heat increase. And so that took our program from this like novel. This is a really great idea, Wayne. This is a really, See, this was the most fun we've ever had because, Now the motors are overpowered for one.

They're not just like even powered. They're like, as you notice, you know, you hit the thing and the, the robot flips up and they can smash into each other and they can flip each other. And very importantly, they don't time out. You know, you could push into 'em, you can smack, you can do things that we couldn't do before.

We kind of found that particular motor that ended up being a big breakthrough. For a long time we had interference issues. It was this terrible issue we had, you know, where the robots would time out and we actually worked. The manufacturer of our motor [00:25:00] controller board, right, And, and strangely enough, like with the person who designs the software, we got down to the, the person and they couldn't really help us, but through trial and error.

I know, right? The ending of that story should be, and they fixed it, , but it really wasn't. And, and so we tried to change certain things through trial and error. We did fix it permanently, so it's not an issue anymore. So there were things like that along the way that elevated the program, and each time one of those breakthroughs came, it became closer to being fun, just like really fun.

Beyond a great idea, beyond a good teamwork. It became really fun at some point because of those engineering improvements. It 

[00:25:39] Gus Herwitz: seems really simple, but it's really complicated and it's unforeseen challenges and, uh, adapting to them. It, it sounds like you had a good team building process in coming up with a team building process.

[00:25:52] Wayne Bennet: I really did, and you know, I was benefited by a series of really great. And we look for young folks that are [00:26:00] interested in technology or in Sacramento and probably looking to get to the Bay Area. We understand we're gonna have 'em for 18 months or, or, or two years, but they're the sort of folks that have that type of work ethic and curiosity and engagement and passion.

where they are bringing that young energy and that different mindset to the process. And I have benefited greatly from, I luck out three great employees in a row. That all really helped me to be more creative, to get different solutions and to make it more fun for folks. You know, keeping in mind it's not I, I'm 52, I can only kinda see things so much, and.

21 or 23, and then they can just see things I can't see. Mm-hmm. . So that was, that was a big part of it too. But yeah, it was a great journey and it's great to end at something that, like you said, that simple, reliable, fun, and it was just from nothing. If you think about, and a lot of people will empathize with this, entrepreneurs, people that are pushing the, uh, you know, Peter, Peter will appreciate this.

You know that when you're, when there's nothing there and you're going into that, Sometimes you can end up with the iPod or you know, that perfect, simple [00:27:00] thing. But it meant it was a journey to get there. It was so many failures and, and non cool things. Mm-hmm. and clients that weren't really super psych.

To get to this thing. And, uh, so that was it. That was the kind of the journey. Mm-hmm. , 

[00:27:13] Gus Herwitz: There's something I think really deep in the fact that the complex, we're going to build robots that accomplish some complex task and, uh, that model didn't work as well as the, we're going to smash stuff sort of model.

And I, I wonder it goes back to just being kids. Maybe there, there's so. Cathartic or there's something unifying to everyone at some level, I think enjoys smashing stuff and. Brings out a different part of who we are and lets us see and interact with that other part of our colleagues, especially, you need to build the robot first, then you get to smash things.

So it, it's a interesting, uh, yin and yang sort of, uh, what do you, Now, I've 

[00:27:59] Wayne Bennet: thought about this [00:28:00] forever. What do you take away? What takeaways do you take from that example, you know, and you've done 'em. Why do you think they choose? You were alluding to it right there. I feel like you're on the right track, but you know, what do you think?

[00:28:10] Gus Herwitz: So, I, I would guess two things. First, uh, there, there's something visceral, uh, really visceral about the, the smashing sort of thing. And it, it's just fun when you're playing with the robots. And the greatest thing in the world is when you, you're able to flip one of the other ones over on its back and, uh, or you, you get completely two robots just smashed together and kind of locked together like lions in the Serengeti in the middle of some fight, and neither of them is.

And it's the most exciting thing. There's some anticipation which one's gonna move first. A and also there is competition when, which one of us can get our robot to light the match and pop the balloon there. There's some technical, we're gathering up points, competition, but when it's a. Yeah, I just flipped Merck's robot over

That was just [00:29:00] awesome. And there's something more, uh, uh, direct about it that, uh, just makes it that much more fun. Yeah, 

[00:29:06] Wayne Bennet: I, I couldn't agree with you Mark. You know, I really couldn't. And it's fun too cuz we do get a lot of folks that say I don't wanna battle, you know, it's I great time building, I don't wanna battle.

And then they get out there and battle and then afterwards and they're like, That was so, I'm so glad you encouraged me, you know, to try. That was really, really, really fun. Mm-hmm. , 

[00:29:23] Gus Herwitz: I should have asked earlier, um, since you mentioned that you transitioned, you made this pivot, at least in part because you want to be home with your family and your daughters more.

Are your daughters into engineering? Are they into robots at all? 

[00:29:35] Wayne Bennet: Absolutely. So, okay, so I have two daughters and parents will know that. Absolutely. It could be a completely different Right, and, and mine, ours, one of. Uh, you know, her favorite show was, oh gosh, I really wanna remember the name of it cuz the name is awesome.

But it was basically about a, a hydraulic truck that had all this hydraulic things and could change things. And his friends were trucks and, you know what I mean? So, like her whole life, she has been, uh, much more into [00:30:00] the, the, the engineering, the machinery, the type of, that type of thing. And she's the one that's super excited.

So I took her to a local robot program at Sac State and you know, we spent the whole day. Um, she, both my daughters watched the Battle Bots every episode with me and they know all the bots and they've met Tombstone Ray Billings, you know, and, uh, in fact they are the reason I have a partnership with him, I feel like, cuz I met him in person and my daughters were there and they had built, uh, this model of his tombstone.

And he looks at it and he goes, You know, that's not easy to do. And it's not, it's a hard model to put together. And I think that he instantly appreciated that she actually took the time to build. brought it, got his autograph. And then I have this like, partnership with the most famous mm-hmm. , you know, professional robot battler.

So yes, they do, but you know, a little bit like me in the sense that they have a lot of interest, uh, and they're certainly fascinated by robots, but they're not, it does not dominate their life at all. And, uh, we'll [00:31:00] just see, you know, they're 10, 12, and 10 mm-hmm. . And so if they, I'm hoping, I am hoping of course, that they, they want to get into it.

They wanna run my business through, they. Or they just meet, see the robots, and they get that early saturation like I did for ropes courses where they just, you know, when you're a kid and you're around something and your parents do it, and then you're involved with them, and my kids are involved, they go to the office, they see the robots, they have been on a couple events, We've gone on vacations purely sponsored by events.

Mm-hmm. . And so they understand exactly what you know, and then they see the hotel, they get all that. So I had a certain saturation. It ended up really helping me to have some kind of niche in life that. Monetize. And yeah, of course I hope that they, in whatever way that they works for them, if it's directly for my company or just being, you know, maybe in those buried companies, maybe being an engineer, maybe driving a race car, whatever it is they wanna do.

But if they're influenced by this sort of serendipitous influence of robots in our lives, I would feel extremely happy about it. I don't see how they couldn't. The level of fandom we have for battle bots is [00:32:00] just mm-hmm. alone is, is pretty significant. 

[00:32:02] Gus Herwitz: Yeah. Well, it's really great. It's really cool. I mean, building stuff is fun. Um, and build-

[00:32:08] Wayne Bennet: They like models. Oh, Gus, gosh, sorry. Mm-hmm. Yes. You, thank you. So our favorite thing once a month, dad, we're going to the model store. So that's something that's really already, like, they love going. We go to the model store, they pick out some model, be it rebuilding. K five Blazer from 19, you know, 92 or a horse made outta what, whatever it is, and they come home and we build it together.

So I would say that is something I guess I didn't think of, but you reminded me. Yeah, that is a great example of how it kind of probably. Influences them in that way. 

[00:32:38] Gus Herwitz: I hope. I hope. Yeah. Well, I, I think it must because it, it, it's what, it's what you're doing it, it's what team working. It's what your job, It's uh, many ways what your life is about.

And I think you are a great model of what building. Is about because it, it's not just building a team. It's not just building a robot, but it, it's learning to [00:33:00] work together and manage expectations and understand all the various parts and how to leverage your strengths and weaknesses and work together with others and.

Accomplish some goal and, uh, that, that's a foundation for success for anyone doing anything. So I, I, I think Thank you. That's amazing. Hopefully, uh, this isn't intended to be, but hopefully this is some, some good advertising for UA because, uh, I love what you're 

[00:33:25] Wayne Bennet: doing. , you know, it's great. Is I, earlier I said, you know, you said what was in my head, and now this time you said what was in my head better.

So no, this is like even, uh, you know, I couldn't pay people to write copy and, and more, just more getting to the essence of it, uh, I just really appreciate your appreciation of it. It really touches me and, uh, you folks are doing such amazing stuff. The reason I got on a plane now, I think you understand, you know, me getting on a plane and coming out to, to do that event, how much I was interested in you folks and what you were doing and how cool.

I just think it is the intermingling of the, of the three, [00:34:00] uh, topics and the different departments and all the stuff that you're doing is to. Super energizing and and thank you for asking me to come on your podcast and just talking to you makes me feel better about myself. I wanna thank you for that too, us.

You're an amazing listener. I can see why you're a podcast. Uh, 

[00:34:15] Gus Herwitz: host. You know, that's, uh, greatly appreciated and thank you for that. And thank you for taking the time to chat with me today. And, uh, I'm, I'm really hopeful that you will continue to grow the business because it, it's so much fun. And, uh, I would love to see you share with more people.

[00:34:32] Wayne Bennet: Gus, you're so awesome. Really appreciate you having me on today. And, uh, we'll talk soon, I hope.

[00:34:40] James Fleege: Tech Refactored is part of the Menard Governance and Technology programming series hosted by the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center. The NGTC is a partnership led by the College of Law in collaboration with the colleges of Engineering business and journalism and mass communications at the University of Nebraska.

Lincoln Tech Refactored is hosted and executive produced [00:35:00] by Gus Herwitz. James Fleege is our producer. Additional production assistance is provided by the NGTC staff. You can find supplemental information for this episode at the links provided in the show notes to stay up to date on the latest happenings within the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center.

Visit our website at ngtc.unl.edu. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram at UNL_NGTC.