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A
And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show. Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird.
B
What is this, your first date? Oh, no.
A
We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.
B
Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.
A
Anyways, get a'@libertymutual.com or with your local agent.
B
Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.
A
You're listening to the Travis Makes Money podcast presented by GoHighLevel.com for a free 30 day trial of the best all in one digital marketing software tool on the planet. Just go to gohighlevel.com travis. What's going on, everybody? Welcome back to the Travis Makes Money podcast, where it's a mission to help you make more money. On this episode of the show, my producer Eric is in studio. What's up, man?
B
Travis, do you remember back in the day when we used to not take our health seriously and we would just pound cakes? You know, I haven't had good times. I haven't had cake in months. Yep. I really haven't. Once I had cake.
A
My son's birthday was recent, so I definitely had some cake.
B
Oh, you ate cake?
A
Wow. Yeah.
B
God.
A
Okay. Letting myself go.
B
I haven't had any junk food in, like, couple days.
A
Dang.
B
I'm just kidding.
A
How do you feel?
B
No, I feel good. No, the only junk. Okay. The only actual junk food I've had in the last two weeks is I had. I've had 24. I've had 24 ruffles total.
A
Oh, okay.
B
24 ruffles because it's 12 as a serving size.
A
Yeah, yeah.
B
And on one day, I did two servings. Cause I had so many calories left over and I wanted some.
A
Yeah. Did you feel good about that decision?
B
Yes.
A
Really? I feel like sometimes when I'm trying to watch what I'm eating, it's almost worse when I get, like a taste of it.
B
No, no, no.
A
Cause I'm just like. Especially something like ruffles. Cause it's like you want to eat like half the bag.
B
Okay. So that's what I was worried about. But I also feel like. Cause usually that's how I feel. And I will say I also feel like that with. It's the reason I haven't done a lot of junk food is because I'll look at the serving size. I'm like, I won't Be satisfied with this amount. I'd rather just not and just imagine that I did, you know? But I will say so. I've done really. I think I've done really well. You can ask my nutrition coach over here. I've done very well.
A
You're doing very well.
B
Doing very well. And. But I think because I could. I knew I could only have two servings. Like, every chip I enjoyed. Like, some chips I ate. I took two bites of one chip. Like, usually I just take four chips and throw them on.
A
Close your eyes and focus on the taste.
B
Yeah, so. So I really enjoyed it. It was great. But you know what I won't eat right now is a bundt cake.
A
Why?
B
Because they sold out. No, I'm just kidding. There's a company, it's a Las Vegas company called Nothing. Bundt cakes.
A
That's fantastic.
B
I've never had it.
A
They are very good.
B
You wanna get some? Yeah. Well, it might not be fantastic anymore. They sold to a private equity company, so now some suit is gonna be deciding what goes in your plate. It's gonna start tasting like the Buddies cakes in the vending machine.
A
I don't know what the. It's like.
B
You've never had those?
A
No.
B
Okay. Sorry, mom. My mom and my dad. Sorry dad, too. They were, like, obsessed when they came out to visit, like, the first few times. Like, we want to try the vending machine cake. We want to try the vending machine cake. I was like, I've watched all the. I've watched all Vegas Starfish's videos on it. It's not fresh cake.
A
I feel like this is something that Jen talked about.
B
You know, I've seen those. I've seen the machines. I've seen that. Like, there's not a lot of action at the machines. And then we got it. Dude, it is abysmal cake. Like, I'm just like. And it's also so unhealthy. And it's like, if I'm gonna get it, it's just like. And also, I live near a cheesecake factory. If I want just like. If I want just like, a generic corporate cake, I'll just get a cheesecake. Yeah. You know who has the best, best cake? Like, yeah, baked goods. That's like a chain thing. Is whole foods really? Whole foods cakes. Surprising to me are so good. And they're especially their. I love fruit tarts. Do you like fruit tarts?
A
I don't know what that is.
B
Really?
A
It's like a fruit tart. Yeah, it's like a cake.
B
No, it's like a pie crust with like, it's like this. It's pretty much fruit, but it has some kind of like a goo.
A
Oh, oh, oh, yeah.
B
And some kind of.
A
That's when you know it's really healthy.
B
It's not this, like it's probably healthier than most stuff. But I love these, okay. Like I tear these up and they're so good at Whole Foods. That makes sense. So delicious. Whole Foods does not have good food in their like prepped food area. Like they're macaroni and all that. That's nasty. But their bakery is great. Just throwing it out there.
A
Anyway.
B
Nothing but cakes. Nothing. Bundt cake sold much? Let's watch a video about it, huh? It's a handy dandy clip here from the Review Journal, which is the best in Vegas journalism, right? I don't know. They do a lot of stuff.
A
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B
I read their stuff, you know.
C
Company is set to be acquired for over $2 billion.
A
Oh my God.
C
Years of rapid growth. Former Las Vegas based nothing Bundt cakes will be acquired by a private equity firm. The Wall Street Journal reported the now Dallas based company sold in 2021 and the largely franchise bakery chain expects to generate around $120 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization this year. The bakery was founded in Las Vegas in 19.
B
So how do they get first, how do they get to 2 billion?
A
Valuations change as revenue goes up.
B
But I mean I just, I'm trying to figure out like 1.2 million revenue, $2 billion.
A
120 million EBITDA. So that's what when she's saying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, that's ebitda. So that's like a true tell of the profitability of the company. So depending on the industry and the type of business, it'll be valued on top line revenue, a multiple of top line revenue.
B
Yeah, but how do you still be
A
valued on a multiple of EBITDA?
B
Yeah, but how do you get to 2 billion? Does that seem like a high?
A
It does seem high to me for like a restaurant bakery, those valuations, unless
B
they start packaging and putting in stores.
A
But again the, the, the multiple goes up, the more fortified the business is. So for a bakery like that to be doing 120 million in EBITDA, it just, it's so rare. So they, they will demand really high multiples. But I mean private equity also overpays for stuff. But they're okay with it. Depending on the investment thesis of the private equity fund.
B
Okay, it says the bakery was founded in Las Vegas in 1997.
C
I was 21997 by friends Dina Tripp and Debbie Schwetz.
A
They're happy.
B
Congrats.
C
It is now the nation's Debbie Schwetz.
B
You know what that makes me think of? Snl, Pete Schweddy. Schweddy balls.
C
This specialty cake company, a former Las Vegas.
B
Glad we got that last little bit. Yeah.
A
Gotta love the AI videos.
B
Schweaty. Okay, now I do it.
A
Do it.
B
But I'm gonna do the sweaty.
A
Oh no, that's good.
B
$2 billion. Everyone's comments were basically like, congrats on a fantastic run. They'll never be the same.
A
When did this happen?
B
This was five days ago.
A
Oh, wow.
B
Someone said, yeah, everybody's things basically are like them cakes about to taste like a dish sponge. They'll be closed in two years. That was my favorite cake spot. Oh, no. There goes the quality.
A
We'll see.
B
PE is the worst. I know they're talking about private equity, but that sounds like me in high school. Am I right? You want me to run how many laps, Coach? PE is the worst, huh?
A
Yeah, I think that's.
B
And then they said, look what happened to Sprinkles cupcakes. Another one bites the dust. Those cakes are going to taste like S H I T in a few years.
A
Spicy comment.
B
Bye. Bye. Nothing bunt cakes. Because just like all those before you, your cakes will never taste the same. Same. Guess I just bought my last cake before this announcement. Well, it was nice while it lasted, but every time these companies do a big buyout, everything changes. It'll never be the same. Another sense that company. It was a good run. How many of these do you want me to read? Yeah, it's downhill from here.
A
The rhetoric on that sucks.
B
Get them while they taste good. It's going to become smaller, crappier and more expensive. No, it's never going to be the same. No. When equity companies get involved, it ends up destroying the company. Just like Sprinkles. Sprinkles is a sad story. It just obliterated.
A
I never tried. Well, yeah, I take that back. I think I had one.
B
Who buys that trash? It's so gross.
A
You know what? Sprinkles Cupcakes makes me think of West Coast. Yep.
B
Yeah. Okay.
A
That's funny that you knew that.
B
Why would I not know that?
A
That's the lore.
B
Why would I not know that?
A
Because I didn't know if you'd seen that video or not. Yeah, I just had to watch it. That was the year that I was on tour, was when the recruitment video had that testimonial in there.
B
It was like, what was the other thing they said? They basically make it sound like you're so close to so many things.
A
Yeah, exactly.
B
And you're not
A
Santa Monica.
B
You're basically like going to college on the Waco Compound. And then they're like, you could submit Sprinkles Cupcakes and go to Six Flags Baseball. Beautiful Southern California.
A
But yeah, I think that rhetoric is. It's case by case. It's not a hard line. That happens with every single time there's a private equity acquisition. Also, what's the alternative? You just expect these people to never sell their company. That's silly.
B
Do you ever go to Casey's Cupcakes.
A
I do not.
B
You know what? Casey's Cupcakes.
A
I'm not a big cupcake guy.
B
Okay, dude, listen to me. That's crazy, first of all. Really?
A
Yeah.
B
Okay.
A
That's Jackie's thing. Okay, Dude, Jackie's Cupcakes on cookies.
B
We need sometime me, you, and Jackie need to go to Riverside, California, and go to Casey's.
A
So far, I'm out.
B
Go to Casey's Cupcakes. Okay. Because she was on the show Cupcake wars on the Food Network, and they have. This is what I would get. This is why I am the build that I am. They have cup shake? Yeah. Cup shakes where they take your cupcake. Guess what they do with it.
A
They put it in a shake.
B
They make it a milkshake.
A
Does it have the bits of cake in it and.
B
Yeah, dude, that is a chunky milkshake with cupcake in it, and it's so good.
A
There's a place in Chicago that has cake shakes that are, I guess, pretty famous. And I was very skeptical going into it, but it was actually really tasty.
B
Here's a question for you.
A
Portillo's, is that right?
B
Here's a Vegas question for you.
A
Okay, hold on.
B
Let me make sure I have the right name of the restaurant, because I always call it the wrong thing. What's your take? Okay, Travis, you're a Vegas local. I'm gonna queue this up as a clip, too. You're a Vegas local?
A
Yeah.
B
Have you ever been to Black Tap?
A
Yes.
B
Have you ever gotten the cake milkshake thing there?
A
Yes. The confetti milk.
B
What's your take on their stuff?
A
I think it's great.
B
Okay.
A
The burgers are really good. Like, the pictures that you see at Black Tap are always of their fantastical
B
shakes with, like, a slice.
A
They have, like, an actual slice of cake on top and stuff. Or the brownie one is really good because it has a brownie.
B
I'm not a big brownie guy.
A
I really enjoy brownies. But their burgers are also really good. Actually, when we just got back from Nashville and we were walking through the airport and one of their advertisements up on the screen, I pointed it out to Jackie. I was like, we have not been to Black Tap in a hot minute. We should go back there.
B
I heard you're actually a big fan when it comes to baked goods. You like Ding Dongs? The Hostess Ding Dongs? I heard you might have stolen some of those recently from your wife at the restaurant. They were not Ding Dong Port.
A
They were cupcakes.
B
Oh, cupcakes.
A
Hostess cupcakes.
B
What do those look like? Isn't that the same thing?
A
No, those are the ones with little frosting on top.
B
You know what's funny? When we went to go to the comedy show the other day and I, I rendezvoused with you, I almost brought some for Jackie, but then I didn't.
A
Great story.
B
I was like, that would be a really cool. It'd be a really cool moment.
A
But then I'd have to just carry.
B
But then I was like, then I have to have cupcakes. I have to go buy cupcakes also.
A
After that, we probably just would have split them.
B
You would have taken them. You grab them as we're leaving and you eat those too.
A
Yeah.
B
Thank you. Anyway. All right, so selling for $2 billion. Okay, here's a question. What's a company that has sold to private equity where you're like, oh, it's so much better now.
A
I feel like there's a lot more transactions that happen that you just don't
B
know that you're probably like plastic surgery. You only notice the bad ones.
A
Yeah, exactly. It's the placebo effect of like, well, now that it's private equity, it's probably bad. And then you look for bad experiences to confirm the belief that it's going to be bad. But if you never heard the news, you probably wouldn't even notice. So I can't think of any examples where it's like it got markedly better after private equity acquired them. And there are some where it has been the opposite of that. But I don't think that it's a direct indicator. Just depends on what the deal structure looks like. A lot of times, especially with those big transactions, the owners or the managers are staying on for a period of time. There's a handoff period, there's an earn out. There's revenue markers that they have to hit in order to be able to get the tranches of capital that it was actually sold for. It's not, it's not as linear most of the time in a way as like, oh, sold for $2 billion. That means that they got wired $2 billion on the day of completion. It's like rare, very rare for that to happen. In fact, I said, I said that one time about something recently we're talking about and the, we put out the clip on TikTok and there's a bunch of people in there. There were. Because I said, I said it sold for like $50 million cash or something like that. And some guy was like, cash you said cash and then you said it was wired.
B
Oh, my God.
A
It's not cash.
B
Yeah, it's like.
A
Okay, clearly have no context of what a deal structure looks like or term cash actually means. But most of the time it's not a cash deal. They're not getting $2 billion of cash deposited in their account. But I don't know what the inner working of this deal looks like. My point is to say that, like, that is not always a direct indicator that the product or the quality is going to go downhill immediately now that it's owned by somebody else.
B
Hey, you know, it's funny, all these comments. Nothing. Bundt Cakes has been owned by an equity firm since 2021.
A
Oh, really?
B
They're the ones selling it. Roark Capital owned it, so they bought
A
it from the founders and then now they.
B
Yeah, I think that it's probably a. To guess, I'd say it's pricing where they're heavily involved and then there's ownership, but now it's being sold to a big investment firm. $2 billion. So they were founded in 1997. You're a big fan of Nothing But Kings. You're like a big mega super fan. How many locations across the U.S. do they. Do you think they have?
A
Well, that was a surprising number to hear because I didn't realize that they were outside of Vegas because I thought
B
it was a Vegas thing.
A
Yeah.
B
So, I mean, this is going to blow your mind.
A
130 million EBITDA. I can't imagine a single locations doing. That's just one north of a million, so I would say 150 to 200 higher. Really?
B
I love doing this. I love when we get stuck in these. Higher, lower.
A
250.
B
Higher.
A
400.
B
Higher.
A
600.
B
Higher.
A
Really?
B
Yes.
A
Damn. How many?
B
700 to 800 locations across the US
A
so each location is doing significantly less than a million.
B
Yes. Future plans. The brand aims for 1,000 units by 2027 under new ownership.
A
Wow. And it's a franchise now, I presume. Okay, thanks, Sherlock.
B
I presume it is. Game is afoot.
A
I don't know.
B
That's not British.
A
I mean. Well, I mean, they're definitely going to hit me.
B
How much do you think it costs to buy a. Should have done cakes.
A
You should have done cakes. So much easier.
B
Can you imagine your health if you owned a cake store?
A
You know what's been surprising to me about owning the Acai bowl store is that I don't eat a lot of AC bowls. So now, now that I have that experience in the Future. I'd be like, yeah, we're just. We're just going to go with what's most profitable.
B
Not honestly, the only place that I. I could see if I, like, owned it and I. Or worked there. Probably more realistic at this point in my life. I don't know why I said that. Why I just put myself in that bucket. I have nowhere to go but down.
A
When you're doing the best you've ever done.
B
Hey, listen, people, you're doing robbed. Okay, I just got the. Okay. Anyway, if a Chipotle. If I owned a Chipotle, I think I like. Because I was thinking about this today. I was like, if there's one restaurant I could eat at every day, I could. And I've been eating a lot of Chipotle. I could eat Chipotle, I think, every day because there's just enough variety to just cycle around.
A
I was gonna say, but that's the nice thing. I feel like about. If I were in that space, it'd be more like, I could make whatever I wanted, but, like, I grab a bowl, but I'm saying, like, steak in it.
B
If you owned a Panda, you couldn't. I couldn't eat panda every day.
A
Right.
B
I couldn't eat McDonald's. I could. I could do that. They'd be better anyway. How much do you think it costs to have a franchise?
A
The franchise fee? Yeah, I would say the franchise fee is close to $50,000, $45,000. Okay.
B
What do you think the royalty fee is?
A
7%.
B
6%. What do you think the marketing fund fee is?
A
2%.
B
No, 5%.
A
5%.
B
Yeah, but that's.
A
I mean, 6% royalty. 5%.
B
Yeah.
A
Marketing fees. I mean, that's 11% of your top line going straight to.
B
Well, apparently you're selling a lot of cakes. Nothing.
A
But apparently it's working. Nothing bumps them.
B
And the requirements is a minimum $150,000 in liquid capital and $600,000 net worth.
A
Yeah, there's ways around that.
B
Sure.
A
Anyway, they're trying to expand. You know what I mean? They're not trying to.
B
Yeah, right, right, right, right.
A
Do an audit of your personal finances.
B
I can't believe there's that many locations, and I've never been inside one. I literally thought there was, like, maybe three.
A
I've definitely not seen them outside of Vegas, so apparently we're just not looking for them.
B
Where. Where are they? Locations.
A
I would have. I would have guessed, like, if you would have said, like, hey, guess how much they sold for? I literally. I probably would have Been thinking around like 50, like 40, 50 million or something like that. Because I just had no idea that they were close to a thousand locations. That's crazy. I think it's like over 90% of franchises never get more than a hundred locations. But also speaks to the simplicity of the menu.
B
Yeah.
A
In. In especially you're just getting nothing.
B
Bunt cakes.
A
That's right. And it says it in the name. And that's all they do. And probably the only way to scale to those types of numbers, like raising Cane's only does two burgers or oh
B
my God, I love Raising Canes.
A
Dave's Hot Chicken. You know, like how many freaking chicken places can become multi billion dollar companies? A lot. You know what I mean?
B
Yeah.
A
You just think that that is over after something like Chick Fil A pops up. It's true.
B
No, Popeyes is way better than Chick Fil A. I'm confused. Yeah. Okay. They're in 40 US states. In Ontario, because I was running too. Like, are they?
A
I really just have not kept my eyes open.
B
There's four in Vegas.
A
Only four?
B
Yeah, but that's what I. I would have thought. There's four in the whole thing. And they're all in Vegas. 550 locations across more than 40 states, plus Ontario and Canada.
A
Shout out. Well, they're pushing close to that thousand then.
B
Well, I have a. I have a nice warm cake downstairs waiting for me. Is they warm? I don't know anything about bundt cakes.
A
You can warm it up.
B
Okay, well, let's go eat one.
A
They are very tasty though.
B
As we close out.
A
It's basically like a better version of a cupcake to me.
B
Okay.
A
They're great. Anyway. Go to nothing. Bundt cakes. You will not regret that decision. Well, I guess you probably would regret that decision, but not while you're eating it. And let us know if the quality drops. I don't. I have a feel, like you said. It's funny because everybody's pretending like this is the thing that's going to drop the quality when they've been owned by a different fund for the past five years without people knowing. I don't think that's going to happen. But let us know if you have a bad experience at nothing. Bundt cakes. Now that they've been acquired for north of 2 billion with a B dollars selling bundt cakes. Crazy good for them. That's it for this episode of the show. Remember, money only solves your money problems. But it's easier to solve the rest your problems when you got some money in the bank, so let's start there. Here on the Travis makes money. PodC. Thanks for tuning in. Catch you next time. Peace.
C
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Host: Travis Chappell
Co-host/Producer: Eric
Date: May 20, 2026
In this episode, Travis Chappell and his producer Eric dive into the news that Nothing Bundt Cakes—a bakery chain that started in Las Vegas—was acquired for north of $2 billion by a private equity firm. The conversation blends sweet indulgence with sharp business analysis, as they unpack how a simple niche product grew into a massive franchise, the business mechanics behind such a valuation, and audience concerns about quality after private equity takeovers. The tone is lively, playful, and insightful, making complex concepts accessible through relatable banter and humor.
On acquisition skepticism:
"Congrats on a fantastic run. They'll never be the same... them cakes about to taste like a dish sponge." — Eric, reading social comments (09:08)
On the nature of PE deals:
"Not all private equity deals end in disaster. You only notice the bad ones—it's like plastic surgery." — Travis, (14:31)
On scale and surprise:
"700 to 800 locations across the US..." — Eric (17:17)
"I would’ve thought there's four in the whole thing. And they're all in Vegas." — Eric (21:13)
On franchise fees:
"The requirements are a minimum $150,000 in liquid capital and $600,000 net worth." — Eric (19:41)
On the product itself:
"It's basically like a better version of a cupcake to me." — Travis (21:34)
Final thought:
"Go to Nothing Bundt Cakes. You will not regret that decision. Well, I guess you probably would regret that decision, but not while you're eating it." — Travis (21:39)
Travis and Eric offer a conversational, humorous, and accessible discussion that skillfully mixes financial acumen with relatable food talk. While maintaining a light, self-deprecating energy (“I have nowhere to go but down,” jokes Eric), they demystify business jargon and spotlight the real-world consequences—both fears and hopes—when beloved brands go corporate.
This episode is a mix of entrepreneurial insight and fun pop culture banter, centering on the incredible growth and recent mega-acquisition of Nothing Bundt Cakes. If you want to understand how a niche bakery evolves into a billion-dollar brand, what private equity really means for your favorite foods, and how everyday decisions (and snacks) tie into making and managing money, it’s a must-listen—with plenty of laughs guaranteed.