Podcasts about bootstrap

This week on Founder Friday we are replaying a conversation with start up mentor and coach Matt Ainsworth, originally published in October of 2023, Matt and Scotty discuss effective strategies for idea validation and how this can help inform a start up's product market fit; a valuable conversation to re-explore for first time and early stage founders about to embark on validating their idea.Founder Friday is about works still in progress. Learning from success stories is important, but learning from founders still in the thick of getting to market is just as useful - and sometimes much more realistic.Find out more about Matt and Startup Founder Mindset at https://sfmindset.com--------------------------------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcastYou can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most brands focus on what works in November. Smart brands plan for what happens in January. In Part 2 of our Black Friday Growth Series, Jim Huffman shares the strategic lens every DTC operator should adopt before running another BFCM campaign.Following up on the tactical BFCM episode, Jim goes deeper — exploring the downstream effects of your Q4 strategy and how to win long-term. He covers what separates high-ROI brands from revenue-chasers, how to evaluate customer acquisition quality during peak season, and how to balance margin, brand, and lifetime value when everyone else is just trying to “make noise.” This isn't about bigger discounts. It's about smarter growth.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S EPISODEThe biggest mistake brands make during BFCMHow to set Q4 goals that don't backfire in Q1Why who you acquire in Q4 matters more than how manyOffers that build loyalty vs offers that attract deal-chasersHow to use BFCM for email growth and long-term leverageThe mindset shift that separates pro operators from seasonal brandsResources:Growth Marketing OS (Operating System) GrowthHitJim Huffman websiteJim's LinkedinJim's TwitterThe Shopify Growth School Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

In this episode of the Business of Laravel podcast, host Matt Stauffer sits down with Arvid Kahl, founder of Podscan, a platform that transcribes and analyzes podcasts. Arvid shares his journey from developer to entrepreneur, the challenges of marketing as a builder, and how deeply understanding your customers shapes great products. They also dive into the role of AI in development and marketing, and how Arvid began using Laravel. Matt Stauffer TwitterTighten WebsiteArvid on TwitterPodscanThe Boot Strapped FounderThe Boot Strapped Founder PodcastThe Startups for the Rest of Us Podcast The SaaS PlaybookStart Small, Stay SmallHooked: How to Build Habit-Forming ProductsIndistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life-----Editing and transcription sponsored by Tighten.

Are we sick of talking about AI yet? We're going to have to continue to talk about it for some time to come, it's becoming ubiquitous in our everyday life. On other levels, particularly when it comes to business and business strategy, we've really only cracked the surface of what it means and how we're going to have to deal with it.Gavin Reddrop joins us to work through what AI really means for growth. Gavin works with business leaders across Australia who want clarity and real AI implementation strategy.About Gavin Reddrop:Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/gavinreddropWebsite: https://gavinreddrop.com--------------------------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcastYou can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday is about works still in progress. Learning from success stories is important, but learning from founders still in the thick of getting to market is just as useful - and sometimes much more realistic.In this Founder Friday Scotty is joined by Dr Paul Browning, managing director of Vivedus. As former school principal for over 25 years, his passions are leadership, organisational culture and creativity. He is also the author of “Compelling Leadership: The importance of trust and how to get it” and “Principled: 10 leadership practices for building trust.”Vivedus is a learning Activation Model for education. In collaboration with the University of Melbourne, Vivedus provides schools with an AI-powered, SaaS-based framework integrating pedagogy, assessment tools, and teaching strategies. It aims to empower educators to teach and assess creative intelligence while giving school leaders real-time insights into teaching quality.About Paul Browning:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauldbrowning/Website: https://www.vivedus.com/-----------------------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcastYou can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Max is one of the visionaries that helped to create the truckload and logistics industries that we have today. As an early adopter of many safety, productivity and driver comfort, Max was very early on with items like power steering, air conditioning, steering stability controls, disc brakes, satellite communications, traction control, collision avoidance systems, electronics on engines years before it was accepted by the industry. He was one of the first to computerize his company in the mid 1980s. He would find technologies in Europe and push for implementation in the U.S. Max has developed companies in various industries with great success. He developed Paragon Trailer Rental which was sold to GE. He developed Xpress Data systems which he sold the software assets to Qualcomm. He started a company called Innovative Processing Solutions (a fintech software company) which was sold to US Bank. He co-founded a fintech company called TransCard which specializes in b to b and b to c payment applications. During his tenure at U.S. Xpress Enterprises, he completed 31 acquisitions with successful implementations. As a founder of US Xpress, he built the company to approximately $2,500,000,000 in total revenues. He has been on the SunTrust/Truist Advisory Board since 1994. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ridge scaled to $5M in revenue per employee using AI. CEO Sean Frank shares his tips on harnessing the power of AI to grow revenue. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

In this episode, Jess and Jeremy catch up on life and work, and have a chat about the everyone's favorite topic these days.

Entreprendre, c'est d'abord accepter de recommencer.En 2007, Joffroy Louchart LOUCHERT quittait Apple pour créer sa première entreprise. Aujourd'hui serial entrepreneur, il lance Ember Copilot après avoir vendu Finalcad pour 70 millions de dollars. Un parcours né d'une conviction forte :→ Aider les entrepreneurs dès le premier jour,→ Transmettre l'expérience des scale-ups,→ Réduire le hasard dans l'entrepreneuriat.Joffroy n'a jamais créé seul. Avec son frère Jimmy Louchart et David Vauthrin, il a d'abord développé Knowledge Corp, puis Finalcad. 200 collaborateurs, des filiales à Madrid, Singapour, Tokyo. Mais aussi des erreurs précieuses :→ La nécessité de garder sa vision,→ L'importance du customer success,→ Trop de financiers, pas assez de terrain.Aujourd'hui, Ember Copilot propose un copilote IA spécialisé pour entrepreneurs. Pas un ChatGPT généraliste, mais une solution dédiée. Vision, mission, business plan, lead generation : tout pour créer son entreprise du premier coup.Son approche ? Bootstrap d'abord, communauté ensuite. 100 premiers utilisateurs qui décideront de la roadmap. Une sécurité des données renforcée. Et surtout, l'expérience d'un entrepreneur qui a vécu les hauts et les bas.Et toi, prêt à créer ton entreprise avec les bons outils ? Rejoins la waitlist d'Ember dès maintenantSite web : https://ember.do/frLinkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/joffroy-louchart/Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

As AI transforms the kind of tech we're using and job we're doing, are any of the “old” product and sales playbooks still relevant when it comes to B2B Software as a Service? And if not, what should we be doing instead?In this episode we're joined by Craig Brown, CEO and Co-Founder of Everest Engineering to talk about the changes to our standard ways of working we're seeing as a result of AI, what may change in the future, and which core principles of validation and testing are still relevant - for now, at least.Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/craigwbrownWebsite: https://www.everest.engineering/-------------------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcastYou can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our latest Founder Friday episode we're chatting to Sean Duffy, CEO and Founder of Stackle - an EdTech tool that is gaining momentum in the High Ed Space. Sean shares the journey and learnings to date with some strong insights on developing a sales process, market positioning, and managing long sales cycles. Learn more about Stackle at https://stacklehq.com/ and Sean Duffy at https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanjduffy/----------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcastYou can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren't just about slapping on a discount. In this episode, Jim Huffman breaks down the offer-led strategies and conversion playbooks top DTC brands use to turn Q4 into their most profitable months - without relying on bloated budgets or ad spend.Originally aired as a guest appearance on the Ecwid eCommerce Show, Jim reveals the full GrowthHit playbook for building winning Black Friday/Cyber Monday campaigns. He dives deep into offer-led growth, conversion rate hacks, retention strategies, email tricks that actually work, and how to survive the Q1 hangover. Whether you're a scrappy DTC founder or scaling a 7-figure Shopify brand, this is your tactical guide to owning Q4 without burning out or discounting your business into the ground.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S EPISODEOffer-led growth: the underrated strategy for converting in Q4The best bundles, BOGOs, and bonus offers that increase AOVTactical email patterns: “Oops” sends, internal leaks, and reminders that convertHow to turn customers into marketers for sustainable growthLanding page and ad setup that avoids performance burnoutWhy Q4 success starts with one hero productReal examples from fashion, consumables, and niche DTC brandsIf you're planning to “wing it” this Black Friday… don't. This episode gives you the framework to build offers, emails, and experiences that drive real growth  in any year. Subscribe for more.Resources:Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookThe Shopify Growth School  Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

AODocs manages business-critical documents for enterprises where downtime has real consequences—production lines stopping, construction projects delayed, containers sitting at ports. Founded in 2012 and bootstrapped to profitability by 2022, the company serves Google's data center builds, aerospace manufacturers' FAA certifications, and Veolia's water treatment operations. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Stéphan Donzé, Founder of AODocs, to unpack his 14-year journey from Google ecosystem specialist to Microsoft-compatible platform. Stéphan shares unfiltered lessons from the brutal 2014-15 years when cloud platform limitations broke customer deployments, why they've reconsidered fundraising every two years but remained independent, and how AI agents finally created the urgency factor their category always lacked. Topics Discussed: Surviving 2014-15 when Google Cloud platform performance limits broke at scale Bootstrapping via services company profits until standalone profitability in 2022 Why long-term document lifecycle management (10-30 year retention) resists VC timelines Expanding from Google workspace early adopters to Microsoft enterprise accounts The failed experiment with cloud reseller partners who couldn't deploy DMS Why marketing hire ramp time equals technical hire ramp for platform products Medium-sized industry conferences outperforming 30K-attendee mega-events on cost-per-lead Positioning as document foundation for reliable AI agent information access GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Transparent post-mortem communication converts crises into trust: When AODocs hit unexpected Google Cloud platform limitations in 2014-15—breaking deployments for customers running mission-critical workflows—they published detailed explanations of root causes outside their control and remediation plans. Stéphan explained: "We've always been extremely transparent...Yes, we screwed up here. Here is the thing we put in place so that it doesn't happen again." This approach consistently strengthened customer relationships during their worst incidents. For founders in business-critical infrastructure: your crisis response protocols matter more than preventing every outage. Bootstrap via complementary services revenue until product-market fit: AODocs funded development by merging with a Google Cloud consulting firm that deployed early Gmail enterprise implementations. Services profits subsidized product R&D while providing direct customer access. Stéphan described the deal structure: "I have a software company that has no revenue, but I can suck the profit of the service company until I make revenue." The model worked until 2022 when AODocs became independently profitable. For technical founders: identify services businesses with your target customer base as bootstrap partners, not just revenue sources. Partner technical capability trumps partner pipeline size: AODocs initially partnered with Google Cloud resellers (SATA, Onix) who had enterprise access but couldn't scope or deploy document management implementations. The inflection point came shifting to system integrators with actual DMS practices. Stéphan noted: "These guys don't really understand document management...they could not really help us deploy our product because they don't understand what we're doing." For complex B2B products: vet partners on technical delivery capacity, not just lead generation promises. Platform products require 12-month marketing onboarding: AODocs learned marketing hires need equivalent ramp time as engineering roles—not two one-pagers and go-to-market. Stéphan's realization: "It takes a year before someone is able to write the right things and to sense the essence of the product." This applies specifically to platforms with multiple use cases, not point solutions. For founders with horizontal platforms: budget full-year onboarding before expecting marketing productivity, or hire people who've sold similar complexity before. Founder must own category positioning until $10M ARR: Stéphan argues technical founders can't delegate core messaging early: "My personal take is that in the tech company the CMO cannot be anybody else than the founder itself at least for the first $10 million." This comes from watching marketing experts produce "beautiful words and lots of fluff but still not get the essence of what we're doing." For technical founders uncomfortable with marketing: you're avoiding your most important job in the early years. Regional 2K-5K conferences deliver better unit economics than flagship 30K events: While AODocs attends Google Next (30,000) and Gartner conferences, smaller regional IT decision-maker events generated superior cost-per-qualified-lead. Stéphan's finding: "If you look at the number of dollars you spend per lead that you get, the small events are surprisingly effective." This contradicts conventional wisdom about flagship event ROI. For enterprise B2B: test regional and vertical conferences before scaling spend on mega-events. Technology paradigm shifts create replacement urgency: AODocs positioned as "modern cloud-based document management" for years without forcing function to rip out legacy systems. AI agents changed the calculus entirely. Stéphan's repositioning: "If you don't upgrade your document foundation, you won't be able to benefit from the AI productivity acceleration." The urgency comes from AI agents requiring clean, validated document repositories—impossible with SharePoint chaos. For founders in infrastructure categories: look for adjacent technology waves that make your solution prerequisite, not optional upgrade. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role.   Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

It's a Scotty solo episode! Occasionally we'll be including an episode that is a (hot or not) take from our host Scotty Allen, and in this first edition he's going to reveal the Top Three Startup Pitches that need to go away for good!These three pitches are frequent fliers, and the reason they need to go away is because they simply don't work from a commercial model perspective. Scotty talks through each idea, how it's often presented, why it usually won't work (there are always exceptions!) and what you might try instead.We'd love your feedback on this episode - email Scotty direct at scott@theproductbus.com with your thoughts!----------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcastYou can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FFoDpod.com   Patreon   Merchandise   CC-BY-SA   "SCP-635" by sandrewswann, from the SCP Wiki. Source: https://scpwiki.com/scp-635. Licensed under CC BY-SA.

(Riverton, WY) - Mike Hoyt is the Director of the Bootstrap Collaborative and he joined us to tell us more about what they do. Hoyt is organizing an event October 28th in Riverton to discuss options for entrepreneurs and small business owners when it comes to raising capital. Listen to our full chat in the player below or by finding the County 10 Podcast on nearly any podcast platform!

"The beautiful thing about going through crisis is that you're forced to pause. The Lord uses those experiences to burn everything away that's not necessary and needed in our life and leaves us really clinging to Him." —Tanya PrinceSHOW NOTES EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Your "Rubble" is Sacred Ground: The moments of absolute failure are where true faith begins to be rebuilt. Stop Striving, Start Resting: Purpose is not sprinted toward; it's received in the rest that comes from remaining in Christ (John 15:5) Practice Open-Ended Prayer: Say, "Lord, what do you want to tell me about this?" and wait in the silence for the answer. Write Down the Whispers: Journaling records divine communication, making the Conversations with Jesus tangible and trackable over a season. Heal the Roots: Identify the generational or cultural lies (such as the bootstrap mentality) that prevent you from fully receiving help and surrender them to healing and transformation. Outpouring, Not Performance: Let your actions be a natural outflow of Who Jesus says you are, not a desperate attempt to earn His favor. Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens." —Carl Jung

In this episode we're excited to be talking with Anthony Eden, founder & CEO of DNSimple.For those who haven't come across it yet, DNSimple is a service that makes managing domains and DNS simple and developer-friendly. Like DNS, DNSimple has been around many years. I first met Anthony years back at Less Conference in Atlanta, around the time DNSimple was just getting off the ground. Jeremy and I also got to connect with Anthony recently at XO Ruby in Atlanta, where DNSimple was one of the sponsors.There's a lot of fun topics we covered, so hit play and get it started!Links:dnsimple.comanthonyeden.comXRuby Social

With a CV that includes Google and Facebook, you might think Luke Marshall would be an unlikely person to be passionate about helping startups with sales and scaling, but he's made it his mission to bring his experience and smarts to helping early founders navigate this tricky space. In this episode, we share the experiences of working with early stage startups and founders, and run through a list of things we'd love them to understand, do, or not do. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshwah/Website: https://www.lukemarshall.net/-------------------------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Founder Friday Scotty is joined by Tabish Bidiwale to discuss early learnings as founder of Fission, a tool aiming to help developers everywhere plan better and build something they actually want.Founder Friday is about works still in progress. Learning from success stories is important, but learning from founders still in the thick of getting to market is just as useful - and sometimes much more realistic.About Tabish Bidiwale:Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/tabishbidiwaleWebsite: https://fissionai.io/ and https://openspec.dev/------------------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere speaks with Brittany Hopkins Whitlick, founder of Lotus Yoga School and author of 'Dancing with Ourselves.' Brittany shares her journey from being a professional dancer to starting her own yoga studio, discussing the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way. The conversation delves into the importance of community in yoga, the role of ego in personal growth, and the dynamics of the drama triangle versus the empowerment dynamic. Brittany emphasizes the significance of gratitude and mindfulness in navigating the entrepreneurial journey, ultimately encouraging listeners to embrace their inner journey and the challenges that come with it. Guest Links: Website: https://www.brittanyhopkins.com/Book: https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Our-Selves-Practical-Harness/dp/B0DWT2W4SM

What happens when you build an 8-figure business in one of the most taboo industries - without a team, funding, or traditional ad channels? Brian Sloan did exactly that. And in this episode, he reveals the unfiltered story behind his wild entrepreneurial path. Jim sits down with Brian Sloan, founder of AutoBlow, to unpack how he built a global DTC sex toy brand that now generates 8 figures annually - with a team of just two. From eBay auctions to viral PR stunts, Brian shares how his unconventional path, deep product focus, and scrappy tactics helped him thrive in a space where Facebook ads and mainstream visibility were off-limits. This conversation pulls back the curtain on manufacturing, media manipulation, brand building, and what it really takes to scale when the rules don't apply to your category.Key Topics Covered:How Brian went from selling antiques to latex fetishwear to inventing AutoBlowThe viral crowdfunding stunt that made him internet-famous overnightWhy he ditched Amazon - even after major salesHow to get on GQ, Playboy, Howard Stern, and more without a PR teamThe power of press-worthy product ideasWhy focus (on just 2 SKUs) was his biggest growth unlockBuilding a lean team using a global network of niche freelancersIf you're building in DTC and feel like you're drowning in overhead or noise, this episode is a masterclass in focus, edge, and unconventional growth.Resources:AutoblowJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore the transformative world of commercial insurance, focusing on how a leading Canadian brokerage is leveraging technology and innovative strategies to deliver tailored solutions for business owners.Joining us is Michael Malfa, CEO and Co-founder of Boardwalk Insurance Corporation. With over 15 years of experience, Michael drives Boardwalk's mission to build Canada's most accessible and sophisticated brokerage platform, combining technology and expert guidance to elevate the client experience.Key Highlights:Scaling a Bootstrapped Business: Challenges and lessons from building a business from the ground up. Evolving Insurance Landscape & Brokerage Role: How technology enables brokers to deliver tailored, transparent solutions. Competitive Landscape & Future of Insurance: Key trends, opportunities, and the impact of technology on the industry. Technology & Workforce Skills: How brokerages are reshaping skill requirements across sales, operations, and customer service. Boardwalk's Vision & Recent Achievements: Milestones, digital innovation awards, and the long-term strategy for growth and impact.Special Thanks to Our Partners:RBC: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/dms/business/accounts/beyond-banking/index.htmlUPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWAGoogle: https://www.google.ca/A1 Global College: https://a1globalcollege.ca/ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspxFor more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Funding is a focus of so much conversation in the startup space, and yet so many ventures fail because founders don't understand how to match their ideas to a commercial model that can indicate the right approach to funding. In this episode we're joined by Liz Van Zyl, a highly experienced entrepreneur and founder who has recently joined Tractor Ventures as their Head of Partnerships. We discuss the challenges and misunderstandings around funding for early startups, and Liz introduces the idea of a “Funding Stack” as a way for founders to build a more effective funding strategy. Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/liz-van-zylWebsite: https://www.tractorventures.com/------------------The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travis and producer Eric break down one of the most polarizing topics in entrepreneurship: is it better to bootstrap a business, or raise outside capital? Drawing on personal experience and lessons from startup culture, Travis reveals the biggest mistakes founders make when chasing VC funding, why Silicon Valley's obsession with investment misleads so many, and the first principles everyone should use to decide how to launch any new company. On this episode we talk about:   The dangers and downsides of raising funding too early—even if the “checklist” seems to fit your business   Why bootstrapping builds discipline, pressure, and actual proof of concept (and how to get creative when money is tight)   When venture capital makes sense—and all the hidden costs of taking outside money, from loss of control to preferential contracts   How AI is changing the software startup equation, and shrinking the need to raise massive amounts of funding   Lessons learned from infamous failures (like Quibi) and the right ways to audit your business before chasing investment Top 3 Takeaways 1.  Bootstrapping is almost always the better first move; it boosts discipline, real market feedback, and keeps control in the founder's hands.2.  Raising outside capital adds pressure, complex contracts, and doesn't guarantee success; cash alone never fixes a business that lacks product-market fit.3.  Use trusted frameworks (like Reid Hoffman's Blitzscaling checklist), consult experienced founders, and remember: don't give away control unless it's truly required for growth. Notable Quotes   “If at all possible, bootstrap first—even just to prove your concept. Outside money makes everything more complicated.”   “Cash doesn't solve all your problems. There are usually bigger issues at play—product, marketing, market fit—that have nothing to do with funding volume.”   “The moment you take other people's money, it gets harder, not easier; discipline and focus will always win.” Connect with Travis Chappell:   LinkedIn: Travis Chappell on LinkedIn   Twitter/X: @travischappell   Instagram: @travischappell   Website: travischappell.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️

This special episode was recorded from the Buzzsprout podcast booth on Day 2 of Rails World 2025 in Amsterdam. Our guests (and fellow Rails World attendees) are Jesper Christiansen, Olly Headey, and Andreas Wagner. Together we have a roundtable discussion about our wishlist items as independent Rails devs toward the one-person end of the spectrum. Thank you to Buzzsprout for sponsoring the Rails World Podcast program, and for providing us the opportunity to attend and record!

What do you do when wholesale feels like success but starts killing your brand? For the founders of Mestiza, it meant rewriting the playbook. In this episode, they share how they survived COVID, pivoted to DTC, and built a multi 7-figure fashion business - while raising kids and refusing VC money.Jim is joined by Luisa Takas and Alessandra Perez-Rubio, the powerhouse duo behind Mestiza - a New York-based fashion brand worn by celebrities and loved by loyal customers. The two dive into how they broke into Neiman Marcus early on but quickly realized wholesale wasn't sustainable. From there, they detail how COVID forced a DTC pivot, how their hero product (“The Shimmy Dress”) became a game-changer, and how they've grown profitably while bootstrapping. This is a behind-the-scenes look at resilience, customer obsession, and building a brand with values. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S EPISODEWhy wholesale nearly derailed their brand visionHow COVID forced a DTC rebirth that changed everythingThe power of flagship products like the Shimmy DressTactical tips for customer feedback, crowdfunding, and growthHow they raised a friends-and-family round and used SBA loansWhy being moms made them better foundersThe co-founder dynamic that's lasted longer than most marriagesIf you're building a brand and wondering whether to go DTC, how to grow without VC money, or how to survive the messy middle - this episode is pure gold.Resources:MestizaJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

Pendragon Wachtel is an experience indie developer, publisher, and team founder. He has built titles from the ground up both with and without funding. In this session, we will overview how to get from zero to funding, but most importantly, how to survive the time between the two. We'll cover how to avoid high turnover, how to maintain structure, and how to deliver a build to investors that can really impress them.

Pour l'épisode de cette semaine, je reçois Philippe Romano, cofondateur et CEO de KBRW.KBRW, c'est une solution logicielle spécialisée dans les systèmes de gestion de commandes (OMS) et de gestion d'entrepôts (WMS) à destination des grands comptes, avec une forte présence dans des secteurs comme le luxe, l'automobile, l'alimentaire ou encore la grande distribution spécialisée.Au cours de cet épisode, nous sommes revenus sur le parcours de Philippe, de ses débuts dans le B2C avec Shopping Adventure à la création de KBRW et son pivot vers le B2B. Il nous explique comment ils ont su séduire de très grands comptes (8 clients du CAC 40 !) sans jamais lever de fonds, en restant bootstrap, et en investissant dans la haute performance technique, la fiabilité en production et la flexibilité produit.On a parlé de :la transformation des supply chains,la montée en puissance du modèle Product-as-a-Service,la place de l'IA dans l'order management,l'importance du go-to-market indirect avec les intégrateurs,la stratégie d'internationalisation,et bien sûr, de la vision long terme de KBRW.Un échange passionnant avec un fondateur lucide, exigeant et structuré, qui construit un éditeur critique pour les plus grandes entreprises européennes.Vous pouvez suivre Philippe sur LinkedIn.Bonne écoute !Mentionnés pendant l'épisode :KBRWSAFe – Scaled Agile FrameworkRégis Medina – Expert LeanPour soutenir SaaS Connection en 1 minute⏱ (et 2 secondes) :Abonnez-vous à SaaS Connection sur votre plateforme préférée pour ne rater aucun épisode

This special episode was recorded from the Buzzsprout podcast booth on Day 1 of Rails World 2025 in Amsterdam. Our guest, Mariusz Kozieł, is the CEO of Visuality, a Ruby on Rails agency based in Poland. We chat about Mariusz' career progression from developer, to engineering manager, to CTO, and now CEO. We also talk about his and Visuality's efforts to foster technical community with the Ruby Community Conference and Ruby Europe.Thank you to Buzzsprout for sponsoring the Rails World Podcast program, and for providing us the opportunity to attend and record!

Military spouses often face challenges when seeking jobs. They raise their military families while one parent is frequently deployed for months or years at a time. Military members regularly PCS to a different duty station, making it difficult for a spouse to remain employed. Entrepreneurship is a good way for a military spouse to earn some extra money. Monica Fullerton created Spouse-ly, an online business that spotlights and supports businesses owned by military spouses, transitioning service members and veterans. Meet this successful entrepreneur and learn more about her business, path to a rewarding career and more in the fourth and final episode of Veteran Entrepreneurs, a special four-part podcast series from The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast. Special Guest: Monica Bassett.

What if you could turn BBQ ribs into a $250K/month Shopify business? That's exactly what Andrew Buehler did  and it started with crowdfunding, cold emails, and serious sales hustle.Jim sits down with Andrew Buehler to unpack one of the most unexpected eCommerce growth stories out there how he launched a premium BBQ brand and scaled it to $250K+ per month without outside investors. Andrew shares his step-by-step process for using crowdfunding to launch, how he activated his network to get early traction, and the exact sales skills that helped him scale. It's scrappy, smart, and full of lessons for any founder.Key Topics Covered:How to successfully launch with crowdfundingWhy activating your personal network is the ultimate unfair advantageWhat actually matters when you're launching on ShopifyCold email and sales tactics that drive real customer acquisitionDesign insights that helped build brand credibility fastWhy resilience is more important than fundingIf you're looking for a launch playbook rooted in hustle - this episode delivers the goods (literally and figuratively).Resources:Urban SmokehouseJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

In this conversation, Jhovanny Maxi shares his inspiring journey from a newcomer in the real estate industry to a successful entrepreneur and founder of Maxi Properties. He discusses his early experiences, the challenges he faced, and how he transitioned from residential to multifamily and commercial real estate. Jhovanny highlights the importance of perseverance, networking, and learning from failures, as well as providing valuable advice for aspiring real estate investors.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true ‘white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a “mini-mastermind” with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming “Retreat”, either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas “Big H Ranch”? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

In this remastered episode, I explore a risk most people don't notice: the risk of being too comfortable. Comfort isn't bad. It feels good and gives us a sense of stability, but it can easily lead to laziness and complacency. I discuss how being too comfortable in your career, business, or personal life can prevent growth and leave you unprepared for sudden changes.I share personal stories, including my experience in volunteer work and running my business during challenging times like COVID-19. I talk about how hardship can push you to innovate and grow, why planning for the unexpected is crucial, and simple ways to step out of your comfort zone to stay productive, creative, and moving forward.

docs.search("indie, founder, rails, successful") => Jason Bosco / TypesenseIn this episode, Jeremy and Jess sit down with Jason Bosco, co-founder of Typesense, an open source, typo-tolerant search engine. Jason shares how he and his co-founder committed to simply showing up every day, putting in consistent effort, no matter how small, and how that patience eventually compounded into success.We dive into Jason's journey from VP of Engineering at Dollar Shave Club to building his own company, why Typesense has chosen to stay customer-funded instead of VC-funded, and how open source has been central to their mission of democratizing search. Along the way, Jason offers insights on perseverance, product focus, and the long game of building an indie software company and how it can all good and difficult can take a toll on health. Jason BoscoCEO & Co-Founder at TypesensePreviously VP of Engineering at Dollar Shave Club Previously VP of Technology at Verishophttps://x.com/jasonboscohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbosco/https://www.crunchbase.com/person/jason-boscohttps://github.com/jasonboscoA good way to describe Typesense is that it's an open source alternative to Algolia and an easier-to-use alternative to ElasticSearch. https://github.com/jasonboscoFeatured Videoshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cdH1F6zbIghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER8FDiCMPCYhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QymF4NUmALMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNLA8RCrYwkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Z3BYwizzwFeatured Linkshttps://typesense.org/abouthttps://typesense.org/blog/To Raise VC, or Not. Choosing The Road Less Travelled.The unreasonable effectiveness of just showing up everydayWe bought HUNDREDS of billboards in San Francisco, for our open source producthttps://gorelay.co/t/pursuing-an-open-source-bootstrapped-long-run-path-towards-serving-the-fortune-1-million-with-typesense-s-co-founder-jason-bosco/915https://livecycle.io/blogs/dev-x-project-jason-bosco/

Vince Mayfield is cofounder and CEO of TalkingParents, a co-parenting app for communication and coordination used by divorced parents raising children. Cofounder Stephen Nixon was a lawyer with family cases who recognized the need for a secure, unalterable communication record to improve co-parenting and family harmony.  He pitched a development company owned by Vince and Louis Erickson to build the first app. They came together to cofound TalkingParents in 2012. Stephen worked with judges, courts, and lawyers to build awareness and get their first customers. The app records and stores all communications between co-parents, including chats, message, phone calls, and calendars. The company started growing and eventually became profitable as word spread, they charged more for the product, and the app improved.  TalkingParents is now a profitable and growing company with well over $10 million in revenue, 65 employees, 100,000 paying customers, and 500,000 people using the app. They are self-funded with no outside funding. Quote from Vince Mayfield, cofounder and CEO of TalkingParents “The company you are when you have 5 million in revenue and maybe 40 people, it's not the same company you are when you've got 20 million in revenue and say 80 people. It's not. You've got to iterate and change.  “And you've got to have the stamina for that. You've got to be willing to put in the effort and do that. Yeah, exactly. There's no shortcuts to this.  “I love it when people tell me, I've got an idea and I'm going to start up and it's going to go viral overnight. And my first thought is bulls--t. It's not going to happen that way. “It's much harder than everybody thinks. You hear about the overnight success, but what you don't see is the 10-year grind that it took to get there. And the sacrifice and delayed gratification that goes along.” Links Vince Mayfield on LinkedIn TalkingParents on LinkedIn TalkingParent website The Practical Founders Podcast Tune into the Practical Founders Podcast for weekly in-depth interviews with founders who have built valuable software companies without big funding. Subscribe to the Practical Founders Podcast using your favorite podcast app or view on our YouTube channel. Get the weekly Practical Founders newsletter and podcast updates at practicalfounders.com.

Odd Bunch founder Divy Ojha scaled from 87 to 100,000+ customers without VC funding by focusing on problem validation, lean operations and retention techniques.For more on Odd Bunch and show notes click here. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

This episode takes me back to the early days of Neat Apparel, when Claudio and I were just getting started. For those who don't know, Claudio is my business partner on Neat - our sweat-proof Shopify brand and he has one of the most fascinating backgrounds of anyone I've ever worked with.He graduated from Stanford at 20. Climbed to the top of Wall Street. Then pivoted into entrepreneurship—first with a soccer brand, and now with me in performance apparel. In this conversation, we talked through the moment we decided to go all in on Neat.We broke down the actual negotiations that brought us together, why we decided to buy IP before launching, and how we thought about scaling the brand through content, storytelling, and founder alignment. Looking back, it's wild to see how much of that conversation still shapes how we run Neat today.

Let's discuss River's life. Fasten your seat belts – this will be a bumpy ride. Spoilers! We're discussing River Song's timeline as best we see it. We don't have any spreadsheets, calculus, or alcohol but we do have aspirin, a sense of humor, and special guest Nate from Temple of Geek. We'll cover her birth ...

Would you turn down funding after being featured on Shark Tank? Eric Bandholz did. In this episode, he breaks down how Beardbrand became one of the most iconic DTC companies 0 built on freedom, grit, and a wild Reddit strategy.Jim talks with Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand, about the raw, real story of building a DTC cult brand from scratch. Eric shares how he turned a niche grooming obsession into a 7-figure business - without funding, with help from Reddit, and by staying fiercely true to his values. It's a founder story that throws out the rulebook.Key Topics Covered:Why school nearly derailed his founder pathThe power of community-led growthHow Reddit became his early traction channelGetting featured on Shark Tank (and what happened next)Bootstrapping lessons and the real gift of staying leanProduct expansion done rightWhy building a network is your secret growth weaponIf you believe in the power of community, conviction, and scrappy marketing - you'll love this episode.Resources:Ecommerce ConversationsBeardBrandJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookThe Shopify Growth ShowAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

What if you could build a $25M+ business without raising a single dime?Jesse Pujji has done it - multiple times. From bootstrapping his first agency to launching Gateway X and scaling productized services in the DTC world, Jesse has a blueprint for founders who want to build big without giving away equity. In this episode, he shares how you can do the same. In this episode, Jim sits down with Jesse Pujji (Founder of Gateway X, Co-Founder of Ampush) to break down how he's built, scaled, and exited businesses without venture capital. Jesse reveals his “Bootstrap Advantage” framework, why he believes most founders overcomplicate their growth strategy, and the exact levers he focuses on to grow companies from zero to eight figures.This isn't a theory session - it's a behind-the-scenes look at the systems, mindset, and tactics Jesse uses to build bootstrapped giants.Key Topics Covered:The Bootstrap Advantage: Why it's the best path for most foundersHow Jesse validates new business ideas (quickly and cheaply)The difference between “Productized Services” and traditional agenciesGrowth levers bootstrapped founders must focus onThe psychology of staying lean while scaling bigJesse's personal workflow for launching multiple businesses at once If you're a Shopify founder, DTC marketer, or just someone tired of the VC hamster wheel, this episode is your blueprint.Resources:Jesse Pujji Twitter / XBootstrapped GiantsGatewayXJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookThe Shopify Growth School Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

What happens when a Venezuelan immigrant, a SodaStream, and a dream collide in Miami? You get Casalu—a bold, rum-based beverage brand that's shaking up the ready-to-drink market with Latin flavor, cultural pride, and entrepreneurial fire. In this episode of BizNinja Entrepreneur Radio, we crack open the story behind the can with founder Gabriel Gonzalez.From crashing parties to raise brand awareness to landing shelf space in major retailers like Whole Foods and Walmart, Gabriel Gonzalez's journey with Casalu is anything but ordinary. He shares how growing up in Venezuela and moving to the U.S. during political unrest shaped his hustle—and how a college startup program opened doors to venture capital, business mentorship, and ultimately, a breakthrough idea: a rum cocktail made for the modern Latino generation.Gabriel reveals how the cultural tide is turning, with Gen Z embracing both ready-to-drink convenience and Latino identity like never before. Casalu is positioned at that sweet intersection, and he's on a mission to make it the next Red Bull—but with way more sabor.This episode is packed with real startup lessons: from turning mockups into momentum, staying lean when temptation to "go big" hits, and building a brand that doesn't just sell—but represents. Gabriel's story is proof that when you chase purpose, the profits will follow. Get ready to be inspired, entertained, and maybe a little thirsty.TakeawaysCulture is a superpower. Gabriel tapped into Latino pride and Gen Z's evolving drinking habits to create a beverage that feels personal and powerful. Bootstrap like a boss. With $5,000, a keg, and a SodaStream, the Casalu team hustled their way to product validation before any investors wrote checks. Don't chase the hype. Gabriel warns against “perverse incentives” in the CPG world—reminding founders to stay grounded, smart, and authentic if they want long-term success.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Gabriel Gonzalez and Casalu01:40 Gabriel's Entrepreneurial Journey05:34 The Birth of Casalu10:26 Product Development and Market Fit15:12 Funding and Growth Milestones18:16 Retail Expansion and Brand Identity22:33 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs25:50 Partnership Dynamics in Business29:32 Personal Milestones and Future Aspirations

They didn't just launch a wine brand - they created a whole new category. In this episode, Kendra Kawala shares how Maker Wines went from cold outreach to category leader.Jim talks with Kendra Kawala, co-founder of Maker Wines, about how she turned B2B sales grit into DTC scale. From walking into wine shops cold to managing complex supply chains with 15 wineries, Kendra reveals the realities of launching a new product category — and why going B2B-first gave them an edge most DTC brands miss.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S EPISODEWhy Maker Wines isn't your typical DTC brandThe early grind of B2B-style salesManaging logistics across 15 partner wineriesWhat business school got right  and wrongChoosing the right co-founder for scaleOrder economics and conviction at launchApplying B2B thinking to consumer marketingIf you're launching something new — or want to scale smart — this is the episode you'll come back to twice.Resources:https://www.makerwine.com/Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookThe Shopify Growth School Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

מאור שלמה לא תכנן להקים חברה שתמכר ל-Wix בעשרות מיליוני דולרים בתוך שישה חודשים. הוא פשוט רצה לבנות מוצר טוב, תוכנה שבונה תוכנה. ככה נולדה Base 44, לבד, בלי גיוס, בלי צוות, בלי מימון. התוצאה: מאות אלפי משתמשים, רווחיות כמעט מיידית, וקצב צמיחה מסחרר שהוביל לאקזיט מהיר. בפרק הזה הוא משתף את אדוה שיסגל בסיפור שמייצג באופן מסויים את התנועה שקיימת בענף - עבודה מהירה של יזם יחיד, ללא VC, ושנתמכת בבינה מלאכותית. מאור מספר על האסטרטגיות שעזרו לו להגיע לשם: בנייה קהילתית אמיתית ועמוקה, עבודה ב־Build in Public, שהפכו את המשתמשים למפיצים הכי חזקים של המוצר. הוא מדבר גם על ההחלטות שקיבל - למה נשאר Bootstrap לאורך הדרך, מה הוא חושב על התחרות, ואיך הוא עשה את זה תוך כדי שהוא מחזיק את כל התפקידים בעצמו: פיתוח, שיווק, תמיכה, מוצר וניהול. לצפייה בפרק בוידאו לחצו כאןSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It started with a nickname. Then became a joke. And somehow… a 6-figure DTC brand. In this episode, Ryan Rock shares how Fatboy was born and how he turned culture, community, and UGC into a real business.Jim sits down with Ryan Rock to tell the unconventional story behind Fatboy - a brand that started as a laugh between friends and ended up hitting six figures. From pop-up marketing to micro-influencer strategy, Ryan breaks down what it really takes to turn momentum into money (without VC money or fancy tactics).Key Topics Covered:How Fatboy started from an inside jokeThe early wins and major milestonesUGC-first growth and creative content playsPop-ups, local events, and offline hustleBuilding clubs and communities around the brandMicro-influencer and word-of-mouth strategyIf you're thinking about launching a DTC brand — or want to grow without paid ads — this episode is packed with scrappy tactics and founder truths.Resources:Fat Boy Surf ClubJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookThe Shopify Growth School Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

What would make someone spend a small fortune on the domain Couch.com? In this episode, Alex Back reveals the real reasons  and how it helped him build and sell a 7-figure business.Jim sits down with Alex Back, founder of Couch.com and Apt2b, to unpack the journey of bootstrapping an eCommerce brand and exiting with impact. From domain strategy to traffic growth and earnouts, this is a masterclass in building smart and selling well. Alex doesn't hold back on what worked, what flopped, and what he'd do differently.Key Topics Covered:Why “couches” was the niche of choiceThe surprising ROI of a premium domainBuilding sustainable traffic through SEOStructuring a strong co-founder relationshipWhat makes the right time to sellSmart growth hacks that moved the needleWhy earnouts might be underratedIf you're building, buying, or selling an eCom brand — this episode is packed with real talk and hard-won insights. Subscribe for more tactical founder convos like this.Resources:Couch.comJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookThe Shopify Growth ShowAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Alex Monahan graduated from Stanford University and founded OddsJam, the Bloomberg Terminal of sports betting. OddsJam was self-funded & acquired by Gambling.com, ticker GDC, for 160 Million Dollars in December. Top 3 Value Bombs 1. Follow your obsession and turn your passion into a thriving company by immersing in the industry and identifying key inefficiencies. 2. Bootstrap for control, stay focused, and make decisions that served the product and its users. 3. Content builds community. Creating YouTube videos about sports betting strategy grew an organic audience and fueled business growth. Check out the website to learn more - OddsJam Sponsors HighLevel - The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies. Learn more at HighLevelFire.com. Franocity - Franocity has helped hundreds of people leave unfulfilling jobs, invest in recession-resilient businesses, and create legacy income for their families through franchising. Get started today by downloading Franocity's Franchise Funding Guide at Franocity.com. Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com/host.  

Most brands start online. Robert Nelson did the opposite and it changed everything. He used real-world feedback, military discipline, and pop-up precision to launch a thriving DTC brand.In this episode, Robert Nelson of Just Mystic shares the unconventional path his brand took to gain traction - starting offline with brick-and-mortar and pop-up activations before ever building a Shopify store. With a Marine mindset and data-driven instincts, Robert explains why starting on the ground gave him an edge online.Whether you're validating a product or scaling DTC, this episode shows why doing it the “wrong” way might be exactly right.Key Topics Covered:Why starting with a physical location validated the product fasterHow in-person pop-ups revealed customer behavior and pain pointsThe move from offline to Shopify — and what changedMilitary leadership lessons applied to brand-buildingUsing basic retail economics to unlock higher marginsFollow The Shopify Growth Show for more real founder playbooks - from brick-and-mortar rebels to AI-native operators.Resources:Just MysticJim Huffman websiteGrowthHitAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51) 

In this episode of ClickFunnels Radio, hosts Chris Cameron and Ben Harris welcome Max Kyllonen, an expert in helping businesses scale by teaching personalized business strategy planning, management approaches, business development, and financial strategies. Max shares his thoughts on various business funding strategies, including establishing credit for small businesses, SBA loans, credit card stacking and VC funding challenges and alternatives. Tune in to gain some valuable insights into an approach to business funding that focuses not only on creating immediate financial resources but also sets the stage for long-term financial health and success! skool.com/thefundingformula summitpathstrategies.com/clickfunnels

From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2022. Our interviews on Entrepreneurs On Fire are meant to be evergreen, and we do our best to confirm that all offers and URL's in these archive episodes are still relevant. David Siteman Garland is the Co-Founder of Nrdly, and Founder of Siteman Garland Consulting. Besides bootstrapping a company that sold over 10 million dollars in online courses (The Rise To The Top) he is known as an expert in new media, online monetization and more. Top 3 Value Bombs 1. Be great in creating products and in marketing. 2. Focus on one strategy. 3. You can scale your software business by having a niche and being lean, mean, and fast instead of being broad and expensive. We've teamed up with DSG to bring you an incredible offer. Check out the templates and awesomeness Nrdly has to offer and get 25 percent off your first payment and a 30-day free trial. (limited time only.) - Nrdly Sponsor Franocity - Franocity has helped hundreds of people leave unfulfilling jobs and invest in recession-resilient businesses through franchising. Visit Franocity.com to book a free consultation and start your franchising journey with expert guidance.