On this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast, host Ethan Van De Hey welcomes Dave Gulas — president and co-founder of Easy DC 3PL, a Kentucky-based third-party logistics company that provides warehousing, fulfillment, and transportation services for emerging e-commerce brands. With a second location in Baltimore, Maryland, and the company under two years old, Dave shares what it takes to start strong, survive the inevitable falls, and keep building when the excitement of a new venture gives way to the grind of sustained growth.
Watch the Full Episode with Dave Gulas
Building Easy DC 3PL From the Ground Up
Dave Gulas co-founded Easy DC 3PL and serves as its president. The company helps emerging e-commerce brands manage their warehousing, fulfillment, and transportation needs — a critical and often invisible piece of the supply chain that determines whether online orders reach customers on time. In less than two years, Dave and his team have grown the operation from a single Kentucky location to a second facility in Baltimore, Maryland.
When Ethan asks Dave about the biggest lesson from growing the company, Dave is honest about the challenge of scaling a logistics business. The operational complexity of managing inventory, coordinating shipments, and serving multiple brands simultaneously requires systems, discipline, and a willingness to figure things out in real time. There is no playbook that covers every scenario — you have to build the plane while you fly it.
Starting Strong Is the Easy Part
The title of this episode captures Dave’s core insight: starting strong is easy. The energy, excitement, and novelty of a new business or goal carry you through the first few weeks or months. Everyone starts with enthusiasm. The real test comes when that initial excitement fades and you are left with the daily grind — the repetitive tasks, the setbacks, the moments when progress feels invisible.
Dave talks about how the survival-based mind tries to protect you by signaling danger whenever something is uncomfortable or uncertain. He explains that when you feel resistance toward a goal, it is often not a sign to stop — it is your mind’s default response to anything unfamiliar. The growth happens on the other side of that discomfort, and recognizing that pattern is what separates people who survive the fall from those who give up at the first sign of difficulty.
Building a Growth Mindset Through Discomfort
Ethan asks Dave how he has developed a growth mindset throughout his career. Dave’s answer is characteristically direct: make it a habit to do things that are uncomfortable. If you want something and part of you is saying you don’t know how it will turn out, that uncertainty is almost a sign that you should go for it. Dave sees discomfort as a compass — it points toward the growth opportunities that your fixed mindset would rather avoid.
He connects this back to the daily operations of running a logistics company. Every day brings problems that have no obvious solution. The habit of leaning into discomfort rather than retreating from it is what allows Dave and his team to solve those problems and keep the business moving forward.
Mental Health Matters for Entrepreneurs
Dave and Ethan have a candid discussion about mental health in the context of entrepreneurship. Dave acknowledges that building a company takes a toll on your mental wellbeing, and ignoring that cost is not a sign of strength — it is a recipe for burnout. He emphasizes the importance of having outlets, maintaining relationships outside of work, and being honest about how you are actually doing rather than performing the role of the invincible founder.
Why This Episode Matters
Dave Gulas’s conversation with Ethan Van De Hey is a real-world look at what entrepreneurship actually demands beyond the highlight reel. If you are in the early stages of building something and wondering whether you can sustain it, Dave’s message is both honest and encouraging: starting strong is the easy part, but surviving the fall — and getting back up — is where real success is built.
Connect with the Encourage Mindset Podcast
The Encourage Mindset Podcast is hosted by Ethan Van De Hey and brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who share their real stories and strategies for growth. Subscribe on YouTube to catch every new episode.
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Matt LeBris: Turn Failure into Fuel for Success
- Eric Smith: Building a Winning Mindset in Business
- Dennis Yu: Adversity Builds Champions
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