Latest news with #MichaelSpencer
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nash Dogs expanding into brick and mortar location in Old Hickory
OLD HICKORY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Nashville man known in Old Hickory for slinging 100% Angus beef hot dogs is growing his business even more by opening up his first brick-and-mortar location. Nash Dogs owner Michael Spencer has been building his business since about 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. While feeling unhappy with his corporate job, Spencer started looking for a new venture that could allow him more time with his family. 'I came up with a plan that I had to get out of that lifestyle of grinding 60 or 70 hours a week and still not having enough money to equate to what I was looking for long-term,' he told News 2. During his research, he came across a food truck operator and thought going into that line of business for himself could be the way forward. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More Hot dogs, Spencer said, are a pretty versatile food, in that there are multiple different types of hot dogs one can sell. Ultimately, Spencer decided on a quarter-pound, 100% Angus beef hot dog, for its juiciness, flavor and fragrance. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Spencer thought offering a low-cost item would be beneficial to those struggling financially amid the chaos of the time period. 'Hot dogs were depression food, originally,' Spencer said. 'It was a cheap food that people could eat.' Starting as just a cart in his grandfather's garage, Spencer has been able to grow his business steadily over the years. Initially, he brokered a deal with a local property owner to set up his cart in exchange for clearing the property of trash that people dumped onto it routinely. The Old Hickory location was formerly a gas station and then later was used as a Goodwill donation drop off location. After the Goodwill donations stopped occurring there, people still left items they no longer wanted. 'It was kind of an eyesore for the community,' he said. 'I found the landlord's phone number, called, and offered to haul the trash in exchange for a spot to host the hot dog stand.' He did that for about six months, he told News 2, then began looking for other locations. He started attending the Old Hickory Village farmers market on Tuesdays, then the Donelson farmers market on Fridays. 'Those two farmers markets really gave us great traction in the area,' Spencer said. After a while, Spencer said he was able to go to pop-ups at Metro Nashville Public Schools and at apartment complexes. He was then able to open a location inside Opry Mills Mall. The stand is located at the front of Entrance 3, near the Rainforest Cafe and Off Broadway Shoes. Now, after about five years, Spencer said he's gotten the community buy-in to open up a full-fledged brick and mortar location. ⏩ 'The idea came from my head, but it really had to take the community and the people around me being willing enough to invest their time, attention and dollars for me to really flourish,' he told News 2. His new store is located in the 1400 block of Robinson Road, next to the Piggly Wiggly in Old Hickory. 'I'm hoping it's the first of many,' he said of the brick and mortar location. Spencer's looking forward to the location, stating it'll offer him a better chance to give back to the community that's supported him over the years. 'I really think we all have a place in life to help serve one another,' he said. 'I believe if we don't take care of the next person, who will? Nash Dogs started off as a way to serve myself, but it's turned into a way for me to really be an outlet for people looking to grow. I fully intend to turn Nash Dogs into something more than just a hot dog brand. I think that we can have an impact on society and our community in a positive way—not just through food but through opportunities.' Ideally, Spencer said the Old Hickory location will be open this summer, though there are still several moving parts that still need to be nailed down before he commits to a firm opening date. No matter what happens, Spencer will keep everyone updated through Instagram. Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
India Today
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
Zeno Emara launched in India at Rs 64,000. Know all the details
Bengaluru-based electric mobility startup Zeno has officially entered India's two-wheeler EV space with the launch of Emara. The company calls their electric motorcycle the country's first Sport Utility Electric Motorcycle (SUEM). According to the company, Emara is designed specifically for mass-market commuters, and it aims to fill the large gap in the 100-150cc motorcycle segment, currently dominated by petrol models like the Hero Splendor and Honda Shine. The company was founded by former senior leaders from Tesla, Ola Electric, Apple, and Ather, bringing together global experience with a local vision. advertisementCEO Michael Spencer highlighted Emara's versatile utility, calling it 'tough enough for a full day's work, stylish enough for a date night, and flexible enough to charge however and wherever our customers need.'The Emara boasts a 250kg load capacity, the company states that the load capacity is more than double that of its closest EV competitor. The bike features 30% gradeability, 190mm ground clearance, and a 4kWh onboard battery (expandable to 8kWh) delivering a real-world range of 100km. It is powered by an 8kW peak motor and reaches a top speed of 95 km/h. Riders also benefit from up to 150 litres of lockable storage through add-on accessories. advertisement A major innovation from Zeno is its multi-modal charging ecosystem—a first for India. Emara users can choose between battery swapping, fast charging (at Zeno or any public Type 6 charger), or home charging. This patent-pending technology aims to eliminate range anxiety while giving customers total freedom over how they charge. Zeno plans to begin deploying charging infrastructure in key areas by late 2025 and aims to roll out 20,000 charge points across India by 2029, ensuring that no rider is more than 2.5 km away from a Zeno charging facility in launch also brings flexible and accessible pricing to the market. Customers can either purchase the bike with the battery (full ownership) or opt for the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model, where they buy the bike and subscribe to battery use. Under full ownership, the standard price is Rs 1,19,000, with pre-order offers starting at Rs 1,00,000 for the first 5,000 units. In the BaaS model, the bike is priced at Rs 79,000, with early bird pricing starting at Rs 64,000. BaaS subscribers can choose between prepaid energy plans—Rs 1,500/month for 48kWh (approx 40km/day) or Rs 2,500/month for 120kWh (approx 100 km/day)—or go with a postpaid option at Rs 52 per kWh. Full Ownership Standard price: Rs 1,19,000Pre-order pricing:First 5,000 orders: Rs 1,00,000Next 5,000 orders: Rs 1,04,00010,000-20,000 orders: Rs 1,09,000Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS)Standard price: INR 79,000Pre-order Pricing:First 5,000 orders: Rs 64,000Next 5,000 orders: Rs 69,000Next 10,000 orders: Rs 74,000Pre-orders for the Emara are now open, with customers able to reserve their unit by paying Rs 935 via the Zeno website or mobile app. Those who book early will receive exclusive discounted pricing and priority delivery slots, with shipments scheduled to begin in early to Auto Today Magazine
Fast Company
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fast Company
This ex-Tesla employee just launched a cheap electric motorcycle
Tesla sales continue to plunge. But a former Tesla employee's startup now has a long waiting list for a very different type of product: an electric motorcycle aimed at customers in Africa and South Asia. The startup, called Zeno, officially launched its first product today, a sport utility electric motorcycle called the Emara. Ranging from $1,000 to $1,500 depending on the market, it's designed to be cheaper than gas alternatives—and do a better job of carrying heavy loads or multiple passengers on rough roads. The battery, which is sold separately, can either be charged or instantly switched out at swapping stations. After a soft launch with several dozen customers in small Kenyan cities several months ago, it already has loyal fans. Zeno's founder and CEO, Michael Spencer, had never been a car guy. Instead, he'd worked at Tesla because of its bigger vision for sustainable energy—how battery storage and solar power fit in with mobility, and what it would take to replace fossil fuels at a larger scale. But then he realized it would be possible to work faster outside of Tesla. Spencer left Tesla in 2022, after four years of scaling up the Model 3 and Y, deploying Superchargers, and leading the company's energy business. 'I had a pretty deep understanding of what was and wasn't working at Tesla,' he says. He also had worked in Africa in the past, and recognized that the fastest growth in greenhouse gas emissions was happening in emerging economies. 'I came to some conclusions that the original Tesla master plan was going to be, somewhat paradoxically, easier to execute on and accomplish and achieve in emerging markets,' Spencer says. '[These are] markets where there's still a lot of greenfield development opportunity for energy infrastructure. A large portion of the population isn't grid connected yet, but is being grid connected quickly. GDP growth is increasing, the middle class is growing, and energy consumption is increasing.' One point of intervention: motorcycles. When someone living in a country like Kenya earns enough money to buy a vehicle, it's typically a gas motorcycle. Spencer saw an opening for a better electric version. Chinese manufacturers make electric scooters, but they aren't well suited to the common use in Africa: three or four passengers, with heavy loads, on rugged, bumpy roads. High-end electric motorcycle brands for other markets, like Damon, were unaffordable. Other companies hadn't focused on redesigning the standard, mass-market 150cc motorcycle from the ground up. 'We started with a similar thesis as we did at Tesla, which is, whatever we make has to be as good or better than the options that [customers] have currently,' says Spencer. 'It has to be a more delightful vehicle to operate. We set out to create a better vehicle than the most popular 150cc motorbikes: carry more load, go faster, handle rougher terrain, go up steeper hills. Better across all of those, but then still affordable and accessible.' Adding performance and range to the vehicle added cost. So to make it affordable, the startup had to rethink the business model. Customers have the option to buy the bike without a battery—the most expensive part—and then rent batteries at swapping stations. 'It allows you to treat the vehicle and the battery separately, as two different commercial assets, and allows you to sell the vehicle up front more affordably and spread the cost of the battery out over time,' Spencer says. 'And it solves for range. You can swap a battery at a Coca-Cola-sized vending machine. In about half the time it takes to fuel a motorbike, you can get another charged battery and sufficient range.' The biggest draw for customers is cost: Gas motorcycle drivers in Africa routinely spend more on fuel, in absolute terms, than commuters in California. In relative terms, it's much more: a $3,000 annual fuel bill can be 30% to 50% of their income. When the company soft-launched the product in small towns in East Africa several months ago, with a small network of charging stations, the first customers immediately saw a financial benefit. 'From the day after they've purchased it, they're seeing their take-home income going up 25%, or in some cases 35% or 40%. It's like going to somebody who commutes from Oakland to Palo Alto who drives a Toyota Corolla and makes $100,000 a year and saying, 'Look, switch to a Model 3, and you're going to now see your take-home income go to $125,000 a year,'' Spencer says. The cost was critical for investors. 'One piece of the puzzle for us is, do the economics work, or are you asking somebody to pay a green premium?' says Mike Winterfield, founder and managing partner at Active Impact Investments, which invested in a seed round in 2023 and another follow-on round in 2024 along with Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures, and others. (Zeno has raised $17.92 million to date.) 'Like, oh, I want a motorbike that's better for the environment, so I'll pay a little bit more—we don't like that. We like stuff that's cheaper, better, faster already for the consumer, and the environment is a drag-along benefit, so there isn't sales friction.' The design was another selling point. Some competitors were also working on electric motorcycles for the African market, but they 'sort of like slapped together components from other bike manufacturers and ended up with something that was subpar, and getting quite poor reviews from their early customers,' Winterfield says. Zeno, he says, 'built something that customers adored' from the beginning. The batteries can play another role: When they're plugged in to charge, they can support the grid by charging when demand is low. Customers can also take the batteries home. If they have access to electricity at home, they can charge the batteries there. But if they don't, the batteries can charge other devices when they're not in the bikes. 'We've got customers today who are driving all day on their motorbikes, swapping at swap stations, and then cooking on their batteries with energy-efficient induction cookstoves,' Spencer says. 'And then repeating the cycle the next day.' Through word of mouth, the company has already built up a waitlist of thousands of people, ranging from families who want to use the motorcycles to take children to school and run errands to ride-hailing drivers who use motorcycles on Uber-like platforms. Today's official launch opens up the first product to preorders in Kenya and India. The company is designed to scale rapidly, from building the product to charging infrastructure, and it plans to expand to other parts of Africa and Asia, Spencer says. While a small number of the motorcycles are already on roads, the company plans to deliver the next set of vehicles in 2026.
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Tory MP charged with two sexual assaults at Groucho Club
Patrick Spencer, the Tory MP, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault following an incident at the Groucho Club in August 2023, the Metropolitan Police has said. The charges relate to two alleged attacks on two separate women. The Conservatives suspended Mr Spencer on Tuesday afternoon and confirmed the Commons whip had been withdrawn. Rebecca Harris, the Tory chief whip, also asked Mr Spencer not to attend the parliamentary estate while police inquiries were ongoing. Mr Spencer, who is the MP for Central Suffolk & North Ipswich, is due to appear before Westminster magistrate's court on June 16. A Scotland Yard spokesman said he had voluntarily attended a London police station on March 13 for interview. Mr Spencer, the son of Michael Spencer, Baron Spencer of Alresford, is married with two children. He was elected as MP for the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich seat at the General Election last July with a majority of 4,290. A Tory spokesman said: 'The Conservative Party believes in integrity and high standards. We have taken immediate action. Patrick Spencer MP has been suspended from the Conservative Party, and the whip withdrawn, with immediate effect. 'The Conservative Party cannot comment further on an ongoing legal case.' In a statement a Met spokesman said: 'The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the Metropolitan Police Service to charge a man following an investigation by detectives. 'The Met has issued a charge and requisition to Patrick Spencer, 36, from Suffolk, in connection with an investigation into two sexual assaults, which reportedly occurred at Groucho Club in August 2023.'
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Business Standard
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Former Tesla hand steers Zeno Auto into India's e-motorcycle race
Surajeet Das Gupta New Delhi Listen to This Article San Francisco-headquartered Zeno Auto — founded by ex-Tesla top executive Michael Spencer — is set to challenge Ola Electric in the country's electric motorcycle market. The company, operating from Bengaluru, has already started the homologation process for its electric motorcycle, powered by a 4 kilowatt-hour lithium-iron phosphate battery. It plans to price it between ₹75,000 and ₹1.2 lakh. With a range of 100 kilometres (km) per charge, it aims to launch its maiden electric motorcycle in India in the fourth quarter of 2025. Positioned as a mass-market offering, Zeno hopes to address range anxiety by providing the battery-as-a-service through a
