Danny Soos
Overview
Danny Soos is an entrepreneur who previously founded and ran a company focused on custom cabinetry and kitchen design. He recently experienced a challenging business situation where competitors effectively hired away most of his team in what he described as a "hostile takeover." Despite this setback, Danny is exploring a new venture in the same industry, focusing on an AI-powered design service that would empower contractors to offer design-and-build solutions, potentially increasing their earnings. He met with Gary on May 20, 2025, to discuss this business concept and potential opportunities.
Background & Professional Details
- Founded and ran a custom cabinetry and kitchen design company for approximately six years
- Previously worked with a German manufacturer but found international partnerships challenging
- Planning to attend a USF event to network and explore his new business concept
- Considering approaching VCs to gauge interest before fully developing prototypes
- Has extensive knowledge of the cabinetry, remodeling, contractor, and technology intersection
- Connected to Stefan through Matt Prusak (CEO of American Bitcoin)
Professional Focus
- AI-powered design services for home remodeling
- Creating business opportunities for contractors to upsell design services
- Custom kitchen and cabinetry solutions
- Development of user-friendly design tools for contractors
- Potentially creating a "business in a box" franchise-like model for contractors
Connection to Gary
- Met in person on May 20, 2025, to discuss business ideas
- Shares mutual connection with Stefan (likely referring to Stefan Elbeli)
- Both interested in entrepreneurship and business development opportunities
- Potential for future collaboration or idea-sharing in custom construction/design space
Personal Insights
- Appears pragmatic about business challenges and learning from past experiences
- Values being "not too attached to the outcome" when negotiating or exploring opportunities
- Willing to pivot and explore new approaches based on market feedback
- Recognizes the importance of focus, especially in early stages of business development
- Seems to be experiencing some burnout or stress from previous business challenges
- Enjoys the Austin lifestyle and has lived there since approximately 2022
Potential Collaboration Areas
- AI-powered design tools for custom home renovations
- Connecting with government funding opportunities in housing/construction
- Exploring synergies with Gary's education and construction contacts
- Potentially leveraging Gary's connections to high-net-worth individuals for investment
- Sharing insights on entrepreneurial challenges and opportunities
Key Quotes
"I think the real need we can fulfill with the technology that's available is like, small contractors basically can earn more money if they can offer design and build."
"I think I'm pretty uniquely positioned. So and I'm kind of taking it more a little bit from like almost like a high-level view of like this is the sort of thing we think about building."
"This is what scares me honestly is like it's still in the very hard category you know there's some companies that like are more likely to succeed and they tend to be smaller and some companies that are less likely to succeed they could be a lot bigger."
"The way I see it is I'm going to go to USF next week just start talking to people. I'm just going to give it a couple of months probably to just work through the kinks and stuff, figure out like how it's going to work."
Interactions
- 2025-05-20: In-person meeting with Gary in Austin. Discussed his new business concept focused on AI-powered design services for contractors, past business challenges, and potential opportunities moving forward.
Next Steps
- Connect regarding potential government funding opportunities in housing/construction
- Follow up after his USF networking event to hear about progress
- Consider introducing to relevant contacts in the construction or investment space
- Share any insights about HUD or other government initiatives that might be relevant to his business concept
Transcripts
| Transcript ID | Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-20-danny-soos-ai-kitchen-design-opportunity | 2025-05-20 | AI-Powered Kitchen Design Business Opportunity Discussion |