Podcasts about Bootstrapping

In this episode of Social Media Decoded, host Michelle Thames sits down with Johnathan Grzybowski, co-founder of Penji, a creative-as-a-service platform that helps businesses access top-tier design talent through a simple subscription model. Johnathan shares how he bootstrapped Penji from the ground up—with no investors and no safety net—scaling it into an Inc. 5000 company that has served thousands of clients worldwide. If you're a startup founder, creative entrepreneur, or small business owner looking for bootstrapping tips, branding advice, or scalable business models, this conversation is packed with value. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How Johnathan scaled Penji without outside funding The biggest challenges of bootstrapping a business (and how he overcame them) What makes customer experience a true differentiator in today's digital world How subscription-based services are shaping the future of creative work Lessons from managing a high-performing creative team and building long-term client trust Resources & Links Mentioned:

When you meet someone building a brand with soul, you feel it.  That's exactly what happened when I spoke with JW Wiseman, the founder of Curious Elixirs, a line of booze-free cocktails that doesn't just skip the alcohol but adds in adaptogens, bold flavor, and a whole lot of purpose. We discuss how this brand was born out of personal transformation, how JW is rethinking the celebration culture, and why staying curious has become a guiding principle for both life and business.  This is a story about conscious consumption, brand intimacy, and staying true to your values, even when it's hard. If you're interested in building something that blends health, flavor, and meaning, this one's for you. Here are a few highlights from the episode: * Why JW calls Curious a “functional celebration” brand, not just a drink. * The role of adaptogens and how they elevate the non-alcoholic experience. * Bootstrapping and finding the right DTC growth model in a nuanced category. * How they've built deep emotional resonance with their community. * The power of naming, storytelling, and ritual in CPG branding. Join us in listening to the full episode to hear what it takes to build a movement around conscious consumption, one bottle at a time. For more on Curious Elixir, visit:  https://curiouselixirs.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave The Story of a Brand Show a rating and review.  Plus, don't forget to follow us on Apple and Spotify.  Your support helps us bring you more content like this! * Today's Sponsors: Compass Rose Ventures - Advisor for CPG Brands: https://compassroseventures.com/contact/ Compass Rose Ventures can help your CPG brand increase customer lifetime value, expand into the US market, create an omnipresent omnichannel footprint, optimize customer journeys, build brand communities, and more. Visit the link above to learn more.    REViVE Amazon Marketing Partners: https://revivemp.com/ REViVE Amazon Marketing Partners helps better-for-you CPG brands win on Amazon with niche expertise, founder-led strategy, and a true partnership model. Built by a CPG founder with a successful exit, REViVE only works with brands they believe in. Curious if Amazon is right for you? Book a Free Deep Dive Strategy Session today.

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fXKVcwl8FS8How a BOGO Deal Bootstrapped Neven Eyewear to MillionsJonathan Strauss lost a $500 pair of sunglasses jet skiing—and turned that wipeout into Neven Eyewear. What began as a desperate liquidation promo turned into a DTC breakthrough. In this episode, Strauss reveals how a buy-one-get-two offer saved his brand, what's changed with Meta ads, and why scaling a bootstrapped Shopify store takes more grit than cash.Learn:Why BOGO x3 worked when nothing else didHow Neven ships worldwide with no VC moneyThe backend tech powering their crazy offerWhat most brands get wrong about Meta adsSponsored by:Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnelsCleverific – Smart order editing for ShopifyAddress Validator – Reduce delivery address errors & costsLinks:Neven Eyewear → neveneyewear.comSight for Sound → neveneyewear.com/pages/sight-for-soundJudge.me Reviews → apps.shopify.com/judgemeGlasson 360 Viewer → apps.shopify.com/glassonShopify → shopify.com

“You've got to get yourself into a position to exit and then put time on your side. Don't be in a rush to sell, but when you are ready, put a deadline in place for buyers to make an offer.” In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Dean Salakas, former Party People CEO, on Being sale-ready, forecasting like a CFO, and selling confidently on your terms.

On this episode host Pete Moore sits down with Spoonful founder Bradley Gifford, an entrepreneur whose discusses his fairly non-traditional path from digital marketing to healthy food innovator. He opens up about how a childhood wake-up call around his health spurred a lifelong passion for wellness, ultimately leading him to shed over 70 pounds and dive headfirst into the world of nutritious food. Pete and Brad explore the realities of launching a consumer brand, the structural challenges of modern food marketing, and the importance of genuine relationships—both with retail partners and the local community. He opens up about the discipline required to bootstrap a product-based business, the surprising gaps in the industry, and a recent investment from Pharrell Williams and the Brooklyn Nets ownership group. When it comes to marketing, Gifford mentions, "The trick is to tow the line from a positioning and a branding sense . . . where you're able to appeal to a wide variety of consumers, without compromising on any of the things that matter as a company. And that's really where your kind of magic can be found, and that's where Spoonful was born." Key themes discussed Challenges of healthy food accessibility and education. Brand differentiation in the competitive food market. Importance of community and local partnerships. Navigating premium pricing and brand positioning. Building relationships with retailers and customers. Funding, bootstrapping, and scaling a food startup. A few key takeaways:  1. Personal Health Journey Sparked the Business: Gifford's entry into the healthy food industry was deeply personal. After a childhood spent eating sugary cereals and developing high blood pressure at 12, he overhauled his lifestyle, losing 70 pounds. That made him passionate about making healthy food more accessible, enjoyable, and convenient—laying the foundation for Spoonful. 2. Gap in the Market for Healthy, Enjoyable Food: Working at the Dog Pound gym and later Spartan, he observed that even wellness-focused spaces lacked truly healthy, flavorful, and fresh food options. Many brands positioned as healthy didn't resonate with people who didn't already identify as “healthy” eaters. 3. Community, Accessibility, and Premium Positioning: Spoonful took a grassroots-first approach, focusing on being present in local cafés and community-centric spots rather than immediately trying to target big grocery chains. This emphasized deep relationships with partners, selecting venues with strong local reputations and limited healthy food choices—which allowed Spoonful to command premium pricing. 4. Building Brand Through Relationships: Bradley stressed the critical importance of face-to-face relationship-building in the early stages of Spoonful. Whether with café owners, staff, or customers, personal connections allowed for valuable feedback, trust, and loyalty. This also made community events and collaborations a key part of their growth. 5. Bootstrapping, Funding, and Thoughtful Growth: Spoonful was bootstrapped from the start, with a disciplined and selective approach to capital raising and expansion. Brad highlighted the challenges of working capital and the need for recurring revenue through B2B partnerships (like supplying offices.) He recently also secured investment from notable backers (Pharrell Williams and Brooklyn Nets owners), but also advocates founders rigorously vet growth opportunities, avoid overextending, and focus on sustainable, margin-positive deals. Resources:  Bradley Gifford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-gifford  Spoonful: https://www.spoonful.life    Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com  Promotion Vault: http://www.promotionvault.com HigherDose: http://www.higherdose.com

Celeste Hilling is the founder and CEO of Skin Authority, a direct-to-consumer skin health technology brand focused on merging cosmetic performance with immune-boosting skincare. With a background in research, marketing, and tech, Celeste leads the development of biotech-powered formulations that deliver visible results while strengthening skin's natural defenses.Since launching Skin Authority, Celeste has scaled the brand without paid media or a PR agency, leveraging strategic collaborations, emotional brand storytelling, and a rabid customer base to drive growth across North America and Europe. Her work has been featured on MSNBC, ABC, FOX, and in wellness circles as a fresh voice redefining beauty as part of whole-person health.Rooted in a science-backed, customer-led model, Celeste focuses on building high-retention product experiences powered by habit, transformation, and trust. Whether mentoring female founders or licensing next-gen skincare IP, she brings a playbook for scaling with authenticity, resilience, and long-term brand equity.In This Conversation We Discuss:[00:42] Intro[00:54] Exploring wellness through skin health[01:18] Bringing science into a vanity-driven space[02:06] Educating consumers with purpose and clarity[03:09] Reframing wellness as a real market need[07:06] Estimating costs and timelines realistically[10:27] Building momentum through word of mouth[11:58] Sponsors: Electric Eye, Social Snowball, Portless, & Reach[17:02] Bootstrapping growth with strategic partners[18:41] Investing in backend infrastructure early[20:18] Launching Ecommerce from day one[23:19] Collaborating early to build awarenessResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeBest Skin Care Products for All Skin Types skinauthority.com/Follow Celeste Hilling linkedin.com/in/celeste-hilling-8735a64Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connectDrive revenue through affiliates & referrals socialsnowball.io/honestRevolutionize your inventory and fulfillment process portless.com/Level up your global sales withreach.com/honestIf you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

In this conversation, Tyler and Rick discuss the challenges and adjustments of parenthood, particularly Tyler's experience as a new father. They explore the balance between work and family life, the dynamics of business growth, and the implications of freemium models in their respective companies. The discussion delves into the importance of customer retention versus acquisition, the value of free users, and the efficiency required in service-heavy business models. Throughout the conversation, they share insights on navigating these complexities while maintaining a focus on long-term success. In this conversation, Tyler King and Rick discuss various topics including the implications of free trials on conversion rates, the integration of AI in coding practices with tools like Cursor, and the evolving landscape of client retention and revenue trends. They also delve into the recent changes in Apple's App Store pricing policies and their impact on developers, as well as the importance of understanding customer segmentation in business strategy.

In this episode of Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur, host Tom Hunt chats with the legendary Rob Walling. A true veteran of the SaaS bootstrapping world, Rob shares insights from his two decades in the game, from building and selling Drip, starting the influential MicroConf community and the TinySeed accelerator, to hosting the 'Startup for the Rest of Us' podcast. They discuss the power of compounding effort, the crucial lesson of following market feedback, iterating your approach based on what the market wants, and the journey of building multiple successful ventures without relying on traditional VC. Rob reflects on the lessons learned over twenty years, offering invaluable perspective for any entrepreneur looking to build sustainable, long-term growth.

Meet the CMO and co-founder behind one of the fastest-growing creative services in the world. From bootstrapping a startup to building an Inc. 5000 company, Johnathan Grzybowski has redefined how businesses access high-quality creative talent. In this episode, we dive into his journey with a global subscription-based design service, his approach to leadership, and the personal stories that fuel his mission to help others. Whether you're an entrepreneur, creative, or simply navigating the balance between business and family, Johnathan brings real, relatable insights you won't want to miss.Johnathan Grzybowski is the CMO and Co-Founder of Penji, a creative subscription service revolutionizing how businesses access top-tier creative talent. Bootstrapped from the ground up, Penji has served thousands of clients worldwide and earned recognition as an Inc. 5000 company. With a background in International Studies and Business, Johnathan transformed early entrepreneurial challenges into opportunities by making creative talent more accessible for businesses of all sizes.Outside of Penji, Johnathan is a storyteller and content creator. He hosts Dear Dads—a heartfelt platform for fathers to share their journeys, inspired by his love for his family—and Free Ideas, offering entrepreneurs actionable strategies to elevate their businesses daily. As a husband, father, and business leader, Johnathan's guiding principle is simple: help those who help others. Whether discussing business growth, bootstrapping success, or balancing life and leadership, Johnathan delivers authentic, practical insights to every conversation.Contact Johnathan:Email: johnathan@penji.co Website: https://penji.co/?nab=4  Remember to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss "Information That You Can Use." Share Just Minding My Business with your family, friends, and colleagues. Engage with us by leaving a review or comment. https://g.page/r/CVKSq-IsFaY9EBM/review Your support keeps this podcast going and growing.Visit Just Minding My Business Media™ LLC at https://jmmbmediallc.com/ to learn how we can help you get more visibility on your products and services. 

Is it possible to build a thriving $40 million agency WITHOUT the soul-crushing burnout and toxic client drama that plagues the industry? How do you scale a service business while fiercely protecting your team's well-being and your own lifestyle?On this episode of The Freedom Framework Show, host Sam Silverman sits down with Matt Linder, Co-Founder of the highly successful D2C growth agency, Strand Marketing. Matt pulls back the curtain on his journey from chasing the traditional CMO dream to intentionally building a "No-Burnout" agency by making a radical, yet highly effective choice: firing bad (even profitable) clients.Discover Matt's playbook for sustainable scale and intentional leadership, including:► The eye-opening moment that led him to ditch the corporate ladder for entrepreneurship.► Why Strand Marketing is proudly bootstrapped and debt-averse, and how it aligns with their lifestyle goals.► The "No-PTSD Agency" philosophy: what it means and the non-negotiables for creating a healthy, high-performing culture (Hint: It involves not working with a**holes!).► Actionable strategies for customer acquisition for enterprise brands *outside* the typical Google & Facebook channels.► The mindset shift required to prioritize long-term sanity and team well-being over short-term toxic profits.► How to reverse-engineer your business to support the life you *actually* want to live.► Matt's advice for anyone looking to transition from a high-pressure corporate role to building their own version of freedom.This conversation is packed with candid insights for agency owners, service-based entrepreneurs, leaders aiming to build better cultures, and anyone who believes that success doesn't have to come at the cost of your sanity. Learn how to build a business that respects your time, your team, and your life.Find Matt Linder's agency at: https://strandmc.com/Learn more about building your own freedom at The Freedom Framework: https://freedomframework.co(Keywords: Agency Growth, No Burnout, Firing Clients, Company Culture, Entrepreneurship, Lifestyle Business, Scaling Business, Service Business, Leadership, W2 Escape, Corporate Escape, Sam Silverman, Matt Linder, Strand Marketing, D2C Marketing, Customer Acquisition, Bootstrapping, Work-Life Balance, Intentional Business, Business Strategy, Marketing Agency)

If you're a woman business owner over 40, join the Dear FoundHer... Forum to find support, advice, resources and mentorship—JUST FOR YOU. It's all inside, without the gatekeeping and without the overwhelm. Use the code FOUNDHER at checkout and join us inside for just over $1 a day. Boxed wine had a reputation problem until Lauren De Niro Pipher turned it into a sustainable, design-forward product that now moves across both direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels.Juliet Wine was born from a simple question: why doesn't high-quality boxed wine exist? Lauren and her co-founder, Allison Luvera, saw an opportunity and built a premium product that's as practical as it is planet-friendly, without any prior experience in the wine industry. In this episode, Lauren shares how they took the idea from concept to shelf, starting with a custom crush model, distinctive cylindrical packaging, and a brand that challenges the stigma around boxed wine.They also talk about the power of community, how their networks shaped their businesses, served as focus groups, and helped them make crucial early hires. Lauren opens up about the risks they took, from firing an expensive agency to bootstrapping the initial phase of the company before raising over $6 million in funding.With a go-to-market strategy that launched both direct-to-consumer and wholesale at the same time, Juliet Wine was built to scale. Instead of traditional influencer marketing, they focused on gifting and letting the product speak for itself, building authentic relationships that continue to drive word-of-mouth growth.This episode of Dear FoundHer… shows us what it takes to build something new in a crowded category, and how a smart, scrappy approach can cut through the noise.Episode Breakdown:00:00 Why Community Matters for Founders06:00 Lauren's Career Journey Before Juliet Wine07:06 The Spark Behind a Sustainable Wine Brand08:47 From Idea to Product: Early Decisions and Setbacks13:04 Redesigning Boxed Wine with Packaging Innovation15:02 Bootstrapping and Raising Over $6 Million20:10 Hiring Independent Talent Over Big Agencies25:32 Customer Feedback as a Growth Engine31:02 Go-to-Market Strategy: Direct to Consumer and Wholesale38:48 Influencer Marketing Without Paying for Posts43:46 What's Next for Juliet WineConnect with Lauren De Niro Pipher:http://www.instagram.com/iamldphttp://www.drinkjuliet.com/Get on the Marketing Made Simple Waitlist: https://lindsaypinchuk.myflodesk.com/waitlistDear FoundHer Forum: https://www.dearfoundher.com/dear-foundher-forumDon't forget to follow Lindsay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchukFollow Dear FoundHer on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dearfoundherPodcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am joined this week by the incredible Jenny Fielding. Jenny is not only an accomplished venture capitalist and co-founder and managing partner at Everywhere Ventures, but also a published author of the book "Venture Everywhere," an exited founder, and a passionate community builder supporting female founders and investors. Today, we dive deep into her journey from growing up in Manhattan to becoming a successful investor in the venture capital landscape. You'll hear about Jenny's early life in New York City, her parents' entrepreneurial backgrounds running their own businesses, and how these formative experiences shaped her views on money and financial security. Jenny shares her traditional career path starting at JP Morgan after law school and how she bootstrapped her first startup while still working full-time. She discusses the emotional challenges of transitioning from a prestigious corporate job to entrepreneurship, the insecurities that initially held her back, and how she ultimately found the courage to chart her path. Listen as Jenny talks about her investment philosophy, balancing high-risk venture investments with conservative personal finance habits, and her commitment to supporting women in tech and venture capital. Jenny's story is a testament to the power of maintaining financial security while still taking calculated risks that can lead to tremendous rewards. Key Topics: Growing up in Manhattan with entrepreneurial parents and how that shaped Jenny's perception of money and financial security Bootstrapping her first startup while working full-time at JP Morgan and transitioning to entrepreneurship The fascinating contrast of having a high-risk venture investment approach while maintaining extremely conservative personal finances Investing in real estate as a strategic counterbalance to high-risk venture investments How Jenny discovered unexpected investment opportunities by following founders' visions (including early Bitcoin investments) The importance of dollar cost averaging and portfolio diversification when investing in venture capital Jenny's mission to support female founders and investors and create a more diverse tech ecosystem Connect with Jenny online: Get Her Book: Venture Everywhere LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyfielding/ Find more from Syama Bunten: Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod Website: https://syamabunten.com/ Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalystsummit.com/ Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Mayuran Yogarajah, the visionary behind Index Exchange, one of Canada's most successful ad tech companies. From the early days of Casale Media to growing Index Exchange into a global powerhouse, Mayuran shares the remarkable journey of scaling a bootstrapped business in an industry dominated by tech giants. We also dive deep into his expansion into venture capital with IX Labs and the latest innovations in ad tech.The Genesis of Index Exchange (00:02:10)* How Mayuran's journey at Index Exchange started and the pivotal moments that shaped its success.* The early days of Casale Media, their transition to Index Exchange, and the world of programmatic advertising.* Overcoming the challenge of real-time bidding and how they reshaped the ad tech industry.Building a Global Ad Tech Leader (00:10:45)* From a small team to 600 employees across 16 global offices.* The growth of Index Exchange and its mission to remain independent in a highly consolidated ad tech market.* The development of header bidding technology and how it revolutionized publisher revenue generation.The Power of Transparency & Trust (00:17:30)* Mayuran's approach to maintaining trust in a highly competitive industry and the company's commitment to transparency with their Client Audit Logs.* Why clients trust Index Exchange to keep their data safe and their processes transparent, unlike larger platforms like Google and Facebook.The Rise of AI in Ad Tech (00:22:15)* How AI is reshaping the ad tech space and what it means for the future of digital advertising.* The integration of machine learning and neural nets in improving data filtering and ad serving.* How AI tools are empowering ad tech companies to scale operations with efficiency.A Bold Move into Venture Capital with IX Labs (00:30:30)* The story behind the launch of IX Labs and how it aligns with Index Exchange's mission to diversify.* Mayuran's approach to backing early-stage companies and helping scale innovation in hardware and deep tech.* The importance of building a business with solid leadership, not just solid technology.Ad Tech and the Changing Market Landscape (00:38:00)* Why Index Exchange hasn't gone public yet and how they've managed to remain agile and successful without external investment.* The impact of changing global economics, how tariffs, recession fears, and rising interest rates influence ad tech budgets and strategies.As businesses in ad tech and beyond continue to navigate the shifting landscape, they must adapt or risk falling behind. Mayuran Yogarajah and Index Exchange are leading the charge, proving that with the right mix of innovation, transparency, and a commitment to scaling sustainably, success is within reach. Will companies in the ad tech world rise to meet the challenges of an evolving digital landscape, or will they struggle to stay ahead in an era where agility, transparency, and technology define the future of advertising?About Mayuran YogarajahMayuran Yogarajah is the co-founder and leader behind Index Exchange, one of the world's leading independent ad exchanges. With over 20 years of experience in the ad tech industry, Mayuran has been pivotal in transforming Index Exchange from its humble beginnings as Casale Media to a global leader in programmatic advertising. Under his leadership, the company has pioneered industry-shifting technologies like header bidding and continues to scale globally with offices in 16 cities worldwide. Mayuran is also the driving force behind IX Labs, where he is helping venture into the world of venture capital, supporting early-stage startups in hardware and deep tech.Connect with Mayuran Yogarajah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayuran-yogarajah/Visit the Index Exchange website: https://www.indexexchange.com/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

In this episode, Wes Bush interviews Olly Meakings, founder of Senja.io, about his journey bootstrapping a testimonial collection tool to $800K ARR. Olly reveals his unique story of building the business with a co-founder he's never met in person, their product-led approach, and how they maintained motivation through the challenging early years. Key Takeaways: [00:01:31] Origin story and meeting his co-founder Wilson via Twitter [00:06:38] Launching with the most generous free plan in the market [00:11:49] Shipping 100+ features per year while struggling financially [00:24:22] Year 3 breakthrough - growing from $20K to $60K MRR [00:29:05] Moving to a four-day workweek [00:38:09] Current team structure - just two co-founders and one technical hire [00:51:30] Knowing yourself and building a support network as a founder Links Olly Meakings on LinkedIn Senja

PFAS testing in Water takes 1-3 months according to the AWWA. How can FREDsense make it happen in 5 Days instead without cutting corners? Listen to this!More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Tom Fishburne is the founder of Marketoonist, a bootstrapped marketing cartoon business he started in 2010. He started drawing and sharing cartoons in 2002, and it took him 8 years to make the leap, despite having a successful career in marketing. 15 years later, Tom is still going strong, with the business making money from cartoon licensing, speaking gigs, brand deals, his book and more.Listen to the extended version of the show here: https://indiebites.com/membership/Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:23 - Moving to Czech Republic out of college02:16 - From Czech Republic to MBA03:19 - Starting cartooning04:03 - Tom's first client04:37 - Imposter syndrome05:20 - Pricing too low06:01 - Making the leap to full time07:08 - The terrifying moment of taking the leap08:08 - How Tom executed on his plan as a full time cartoonist?09:20 - Marketoonist revenue breakdown10:45 - Why Tom still does client work12:45 - Dealing with sh*tty clients13:55- Dealing with AI and competition15:55 - RecommendationsRecommendationsBook - Orbiting the Giant HairballPodcast - Fly On The WallIndie Hacker - David HieattMy linksTwitterIndie Bites TwitterIndie Bites YouTubeJoin the membershipPersonal Website2 Hour Podcast CourseSponsor - EmailOctopus

Andrew Gazdecki is a seasoned entrepreneur, 4x founder, and the CEO of Acquire.com, a platform transforming the startup acquisition process. With a passion for building businesses, he has successfully founded and exited multiple companies, including Bizness Apps, which he scaled to $10M ARR before its acquisition, and Altcoin.io. Through Acquire.com, Andrew has helped hundreds of startups get acquired, facilitating over $500 million in closed deals. His mission is to make M&A more accessible for bootstrapped founders and small startups, giving them the tools and resources to achieve successful exits. A recognized thought leader in entrepreneurship, SaaS, and startup acquisitions, Andrew's insights have been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Inc.com, and Entrepreneur Magazine. With a social media reach of over 350,000, he actively shares expertise and lessons learned from his journey to help the next generation of founders. When he's not simplifying acquisitions, Andrew enjoys cars, skateboarding, and surfing.   During the show we discussed: Steps to prepare a business for acquisition How Acquire.com streamlines M&A for startups Common founder mistakes when selling Maximizing startup valuation Preparing for due diligence Financing strategies for bootstrapped founders Using debt or equity to boost valuation Credit and financing impact on acquisition readiness Role of cash flow in exit planning Bootstrapping vs. raising capital Buying a business with limited resources Financing options for business buyers Risks vs. rewards of buying vs. starting a business Tips for first-time business buyers M&A trends affecting small businesses   Resources: https://acquire.com/  

Welcome to 'The Great Pursuit,' hosted by Ethan Song, where we delve into the world of entrepreneurship. In this episode, Ethan chats with Andy, the founder of Vessi, a fast growing footwear brand known for its waterproof, comfortable shoes. They discuss the journey of starting a sneaker brand, the importance of timing and product-market fit, and how Vessi managed to reach over $100 million in sales within seven years without external funding. Andy shares insights into transitioning from D2C to omnichannel, the complexities of entering new market segments, and the future of the athletic footwear industry. Tune in for an engaging conversation filled with entrepreneurial wisdom, market trends, and the story behind a burgeoning footwear empire.00:31 Meet Andy: The Footwear Entrepreneur01:13 The Journey to Starting Vests02:17 Designing Footwear: From Sketch to Sample04:20 The Success of Vessi: Timing and Innovation07:45 Market Position and Brand Evolution16:12 Future of Athletic Footwear17:48 The Challenge of Diversification in Sports Brands19:17 Nike's Recent Performance and Future Prospects21:46 The Impact of Lifestyle Trends on Athletic Brands25:30 Advice for Growing Brands32:06 The Role of the CEO in Brand Success34:10 Exciting Developments for 2025Subscribe to never miss an episode: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegreatpursuit.substack.com

Jenny Fielding is a veteran venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and Cornell professor bringing unique insights from multiple angles of the startup ecosystem. In this conversation, we explored the evolving landscape of startup funding, discussing how AI tools are changing the game for entrepreneurs, the return of bootstrapping as a viable strategy, and what VCs are really looking for in today's market.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro and Welcome(02:00) Current State of Venture Capital(05:00) Bootstrapping vs Traditional VC(09:30) Finding the Right Balance in Funding(13:00) Lessons from 2021's Funding Frenzy(16:00) What VCs Look for in Entrepreneurs Today(19:00) Evolution of Entrepreneurship Culture(24:00) Jenny's Book & Global Entrepreneurship(26:30) Key Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs(29:30) Women in Venture Capital(32:00) Building Diverse Networks in NYC(35:00) Looking Ahead to 2025(36:00) Closing Thoughts & Where to Find JennyEPISODE LINKS:Jenny's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyfielding/Jenny's Webpage: https://www.jennyfielding.com/Jenny's Twitter: https://x.com/jefieldingEveryWhereVC: https://everywhere.vc/

In this conversation, Tyler King shares his experiences as a new father while balancing work responsibilities. The discussion transitions into Tyler's recent work on LegUp Health, focusing on the challenges and opportunities in building a health insurance platform. They explore the concept of 'vibe coding' and how AI is reshaping software development and content creation. The conversation concludes with a brainstorming session on packaging benefits for LegUp Health, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and demonstrating value to potential clients.TakeawaysFatherhood brings unexpected challenges and joys.Work-life balance is crucial for new parents.Fundraising milestones can be a time for reflection.Vibe coding allows for rapid development with AI assistance.AI can enhance productivity but may lead to fragility in code.Clear communication is key in demonstrating value to clients.Packaging benefits effectively can unlock new opportunities.Understanding the market is essential for product success.AI tools can streamline content creation processes.The future of work may require new skills and adaptability.Chapters00:00 The Journey of Fatherhood03:16 Navigating Work-Life Balance06:21 Milestones in Professional Growth09:09 The Dynamics of Startups12:11 Innovations in Health Tech15:20 Vibe Coding and AI in Development18:19 The Future of Software Development21:11 Content Creation with AI25:43 Navigating the AI Landscape32:56 The Future of Learning in an AI World37:26 Innovating Benefit Programs49:06 Packaging Value in Health Benefits

Sandeep Parikh shares his journey of resilience after being displaced by the LA wildfires, discussing how the disaster tested his strength as a father, husband, and creator while inspiring new approaches to filmmaking and community building.• Surviving the devastating LA wildfires that destroyed over 9,000 structures and left countless homes uninhabitable due to toxic contamination• Co-founding Eaton Fire Residents United to map toxin spread through affected neighborhoods when official support fell short• Maintaining creativity despite compounding challenges to Hollywood from pandemic, strikes, and now natural disasters• Pioneering crowdfunding success with culturally authentic projects like DesiQuest and the upcoming film "Vidhya's Guide for the Afterlife"• Building genuine creative relationships with fellow artists instead of constantly chasing validation from industry gatekeepers• Leveraging community support to maintain creative independence and ownership of artistic properties• Transforming personal trauma into art that connects with audiences seeking authentic representation• Using "all parts of the buffalo" – drawing on diverse experiences from computer science to improv to create unique workWhen the LA wildfires tore through Sandeep Parikh's neighborhood, destroying over 9,000 structures and rendering countless homes uninhabitable from toxic contamination, he faced the ultimate test of resilience. But true to his nature as a creator, he found ways to transform disaster into opportunity.From the ashes of displacement, Sandeep co-founded Eaton Fire Residents United, a grassroots organization mapping the spread of dangerous toxins through affected neighborhoods when institutional support fell short. This community-driven approach mirrors his philosophy as a filmmaker – finding unconventional paths when traditional structures fail.That spirit of innovation has defined Sandeep's career, from his early days breaking ground with web series like "The Guild" and "Legend of Neil," to his current success crowdfunding culturally authentic projects like "DesiQuest" and "Vidhya's Guide for the Afterlife." He reveals the strategic thinking behind these campaigns, including a brilliant live improv show that served as both entertainment and fundraising event.Beyond financial success, Sandeep values the creative independence this model provides. After spending ten years fighting to regain rights to earlier work, he cherishes maintaining ownership of his art while building direct connections with passionate audiences. His journey demonstrates how authentic community building can replace traditional gatekeeping in entertainment.Throughout our conversation, Sandeep shares invaluable wisdom for creators navigating uncertain terrain – the importance of establishing genuine relationships with fellow artists, using "all parts of the buffalo" by drawing on diverse life experiences, and measuring success through depth of audience connection rather than conventional metrics. Even in disaster's wake, he shows how creativity can thrive through resilience, community, and unwavering authenticity.Join this powerful exploration of creative perseverance in the face of unprecedented challenges, and discover how disaster can become a springboard for your most meaningful work yet.Check out Vidhya's Guide for the Afterlife on Kickstarter and follow Sandeep's journey through his Patreon where you can join his community of supportersWebsite: https://www.position2.com/podcast/Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/Email us with any feedback for the show: spark@postion2.com

Andrew is in Atlanta visiting friends and continuing to think about how to best integrate more AI features into MetaMonster to make the product stickier. Sean had his first demo of Margins and... everything broke! But that's okay!Links:Andrew's Twitter: @AndrewAskinsAndrew's website: https://www.andrewaskins.com/MetaMonster: https://metamonster.ai/Sean's Twitter: @seanqsunMiscreants: http://miscreants.com/Margins: http://margins.so/Sean's website: https://seanqsun.com/For more information about the podcast, check out https://www.smalleffortspod.com/.Transcript:00:00.93SeanThis is a new background. Where are you?00:07.44AndrewOh, you can tell how well my brain is working today. Good Lord.00:11.24SeanYeah.00:12.58Andrewi am staying with one of my college roommates in Atlanta. And after four years away from the South, my body has apparently completely forgotten how to function in a land of like pollen and pollinators. Every time I come to the South now, it's like the first three days I'm here.00:30.46AndrewMy nose is just like, fuck you, dude. So... Yeah, that's where I am. Check out my sweete my suite setup. I've got my suitcase with a couple books on it.00:38.71SeanAmazing.00:41.60SeanAmazing.00:42.00AndrewLittle, know, who needs a fancy stand-up desk when you've got a suitcase desk?00:46.59SeanYeah.00:49.28SeanYou can just record things. You can just do things.00:52.52AndrewYou know, don't have the fancy mic today.00:52.93SeanYeah.00:55.88SeanYep.00:56.28Andrewknow, the MacBook microphone is shockingly decent, maybe.01:03.40SeanYeah, your audio level is better than mine for what it's worth. So maybe should just swap. Maybe I should just... Yeah.01:11.52AndrewDude, it's all it's all an illusion. It's all just, like, stuff.01:14.81SeanExactly.01:16.03AndrewAnd you don't need the stuff to do things. You can just do the things without the stuff.01:21.45SeanYeah. You just record it your vlog and on an iPhone and put on the internet. You might get a couple hundred thousand subscribers that way.01:28.08AndrewWas it...01:29.24SeanThat's the Jackie Cho way.01:30.69AndrewI just heard the other day that... Dude, do you remember Call Me Maybe?01:36.79AndrewThe song? The, like, pop song?01:38.33SeanYeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right.01:40.12AndrewThat was recorded on a MacBook.01:43.03SeanWhoa.01:44.15AndrewBut yeah, that was recorded on a MacBook, like on iMovie.01:44.89SeanThat's sick. That's I didn't know that. but That's crazy.01:48.59AndrewIt was just like them holding a MacBook.01:51.86SeanI think have you heard Here With Me by David?01:58.63AndrewNo.02:00.87AndrewUh-huh.02:02.46SeanI think that guy did it on his like iPhone. With like an iPhone like digital audio workstation and just cut it up.02:10.33AndrewThat's sick.02:11.29SeanIt's pretty crazy.02:12.11AndrewThat's wild.02:12.22SeanI don't know. Kids these days, man.02:14.27AndrewThere really are no excuses. Yeah. yeah I think we might have a little bit of lag.02:18.70SeanYeah.02:20.30AndrewIt feels like we're lagging a little bit.02:22.62SeanOh, definitely. We definitely are lagging a little bit. Yeah.02:25.65AndrewOkay.02:26.21SeanOh, well, all right, if you're listening, we're sorry.02:26.53AndrewWell.02:29.21SeanWell, we'll do better.02:29.98AndrewYeah.02:30.48Seannot Not this week or next week. I'm traveling next week, so I will also have, I'll be on hotel Wi-Fi.02:34.68AndrewYeah. Also...02:39.24AndrewYeah. Zincaster's pretty good, though, at, like, cutting out pauses, so maybe there will be no lag to the user.02:40.21SeanYeah.02:45.18AndrewIt's just lag to us.02:47.08SeanMaybe, yeah.02:48.11AndrewUser, listener, what call this? Yeah. Okay.02:51.26SeanI don't know, people, friends.02:51.45AndrewAlright. What's going on with you? what's What's going on in Miscreants land?02:56.98SeanI don't know, man. Giant tax bill.03:00.15AndrewOh, yeah.03:01.44SeanThat's...03:01.85AndrewYeah. Sucks making money, huh?03:03.93SeanI know. It's the worst. i03:06.12Andrewthe03:06.64SeanLife is so much easier.03:06.85AndrewIt's so hard to be profitable.03:08.97SeanYeah. yeah Especially if all of our profits just went into last year's taxes. No, it's it's it's like...03:14.28Andrewnot all of your ta Not all of your profits went into last year's taxes.03:17.34SeanAll all of our profit this year so far are paying off the taxes from last year.03:24.24AndrewOkay, that's very different. This year so far is a quarter of the year.03:26.02SeanFor sure.03:28.38SeanFor sure. For sure. For sure. For sure. Yeah. and it's it's It's good. It's fine. We will just have more taxes to pay next year. And it'll just be this.03:36.53AndrewYeah.03:37.43SeanYeah.03:38.44AndrewOkay, wait.03:39.24AndrewControversial topic.03:40.69SeanYeah.03:41.17AndrewDo you pay estimated taxes?03:43.81SeanI would like to. hi03:46.39AndrewSo, no.03:46.59SeanYeah. I would like to. We don't.03:49.77AndrewI don't pay estimated taxes, and I don't currently have plans to start paying estimated taxes.03:55.40Seanwhy don't you have like a don't you get fined i'm not a cpa i don't okay yeah yeah03:56.97AndrewBecause... Yeah, but... Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you pay a penalty if you don't pay estimated taxes, which kind of bullshit.04:08.09AndrewLike... Okay, government, I'm not gonna go there. I don't wanna be the anti-tax guy. I actually think it's good to pay your taxes. I want the government to have money and exist, and I want social services to exist and national parks to exist.04:21.30AndrewSo I don't wanna be the anti-tax guy.04:22.12Seanagreed04:24.51AndrewBut, you know, at the same time, as much as I want all of the national, you know, public services to exist, I also don't, like, love, like, giving the government an interest-free loan if I don't have to. Yeah.04:39.67SeanRight, or getting fined for it if you don't. For sure.04:42.19AndrewYeah, well, I'm fine with getting fined for it if I don't. that's i'm I mean, yeah I don't know. but But yeah, so basically my thought is the penalty that I pay is relatively small.04:54.75SeanYeah.04:55.56AndrewAnd I don't know what my income is going to be quarter...

This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark. Is your business ready for investors? This week on Beyond A Million, Brad sits down with the serial entrepreneur and investor Scott Oldford to talk about bootstrapping, raising money, structuring deals, and breaking through the 7-figure ceiling.  Scott, whose entrepreneurial journey started way back when he was a kid, is now one of the world's leading business advisors and mentors. He's created powerful frameworks for scaling online businesses and has helped hundreds of founders push past 7 figures. Today, he's here to help you do the same. Tune in!  — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:43 Taking other people's money 00:10:18 How Scott approaches raising money  00:15:35 How Scott lost $15M 00:24:09 The impact of a personal brand 00:28:48 Making $1M at 16  00:37:32 The harsh truth about efficiency  00:41:59 The six-pillar framework and problem awareness  00:54:11 Unplugging for 6 months  01:01:54 Learn more about Scott  01:03:06 OBO and newsletters  01:09:43 Outro — Additional Resources:

Greetings & welcome back to the podcast. This episode we are joined by Mr. John Jeffrey - CEO of Saturn Oil & Gas - a TSX listed energy company with a market cap of ~$300M.Prior to assuming leadership of Saturn in 2016, Mr. Jeffrey was the area finance manager for a Fortune 500 engineering consulting firm in Canada. Mr. Jeffrey was also a founder and CFO for Axiom Group, a geological and engineering consulting company that has drilled over 800 wells within western Canada. Mr. Jeffrey also is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a MBA degree majoring in Finance.Among other things we discussed Bootstrapping to 40,000 boe/d, Mid-Life Cycle Assets & Perspectives of Junior E&P in 2025.Enjoy.Thank you to our sponsors.Without their support this episode would not be possible:Connate Water SolutionsATB Capital MarketsBroadbill EnergyJSGEPACAstro Rentals Support the show

saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love, brought to you by https://saas.group/, a serial acquirer of B2B SaaS companies. In episode #14 of season 5, Anna Nadeina talks with Anthony, Founder & CEO for DNSimple, a hosting and domain management automation solution. --------------Episode's Chapters---------------- 00:00 - Anthony's Journey into Domain Management 04:04 - Bootstrapping DNSimple 08:05 - Transition from Consulting to Product 14:06 - Customer Support and Team Dynamics 20:31 - Scaling and Team Growth 28:42 - AI in Business: A Measured Approach 32:47 - Setting Annual Objectives and Key Results 37:13 - Long-Term Vision and Exit Strategy 41:55 - Biggest Wins and Failures 43:50 - Secret Hacks for Motivation and Growth Anthony - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aeden/ DNSimple - https://dnsimple.com/ Subscribe to our channel to be the first to see the interviews that we publish twice a week - https://www.youtube.com/@saas-group Stay up to date: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaaS_group LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/14790796

In this episode, tech entrepreneur and JBKnowledge Founder James Benham shares his journey from coding in his college dorm room to leading a multinational software company serving the … Read More » The post EP. 102: Bootstrapping Brilliance: Building a Tech Empire from the Ground Up appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

Follow us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/Video summary:In this episode of the Inside Commerce podcast, James Gurd interviews Dan Beckles, co-founder of Furniture Box, discussing the growth strategies in marketplace commerce. They explore the journey of starting a furniture business, the challenges faced in the industry, the importance of customer service, and the strategic partnerships that have driven success.Dan shares insights on leveraging technology for operational efficiency, managing inventory, and the recent investment in a new warehouse. The conversation also touches on future marketplace strategies and the significance of building strong relationships with partners like Wayfair.Key takeaways:1. The furniture industry presents unique challenges due to bulky products.2. Bootstrapping allowed for a focus on marketplace growth before building a website.3. Customer service is a core value that drives business success.4. Building relationships with marketplace partners is crucial for growth.5. Investing in technology can streamline operations and improve efficiency.6. Inventory management is complex but essential for multi-channel selling.7. A strong warehouse and distribution strategy can enhance fulfillment capabilities.8. Understanding data is key to making informed marketplace decisions.9. Consolidation of marketplaces can lead to better resource management.10. Future growth will focus on strategic partnerships and expanding into new markets.Chapters:[00:35] Introduction to Marketplace Growth Strategies[03:40] The Founder's Journey: From Idea to Execution[06:40] Navigating Challenges in the Furniture Industry[09:30] Building a Customer-Centric Business Model[12:40] Expanding into the US Market with Wayfair[15:40] The Importance of Strategic Partnerships[18:30] Leveraging Technology for Operational Efficiency[21:30] Inventory Management and Forecasting Challenges[24:50] Investing in Warehouse and Distribution Capabilities[27:40] Future Marketplace Strategies and Growth Plans

In this episode, tech entrepreneur and JBKnowledge Founder James Benham shares his journey from coding in his college dorm room to leading a multinational software company serving the … Read More » The post EP. 102: Bootstrapping Brilliance: Building a Tech Empire from the Ground Up appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

In this episode, tech entrepreneur and JBKnowledge Founder James Benham shares his journey from coding in his college dorm room to leading a multinational software company serving the … Read More » The post EP. 102: Bootstrapping Brilliance: Building a Tech Empire from the Ground Up appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

Is 3D printing the future of housing? In this episode of SaaS Fuel, Jeff Mains sits down with Lance Thrailkill — third-generation CEO of All Metals Fabricating and co-founder of Print3d Technologies. Lance shares how he's merging AI, automation, and 3D printing to disrupt the construction industry and solve the affordable housing crisis. From scaling legacy businesses to building $100K homes faster and cheaper, this is a blueprint for SaaS founders and innovators looking to reshape entire industries.

Mike first raised $30M for a marketplace that never truly had product-market fit. Then he bet only $10K on ButcherBox. A few years later, he's doing $550M in revenue and he's profitable. The difference is in his first startup he was just catering to investors— in his second one only to customers. If you're an early founder chasing growth, listen to how Mike ditched vanity metrics, found sustainable traction, and grew ButcherBox past $500M in revenue—with no outside funding.____Why You Should Listen1. Why not raising can often be a powerful forcing function.2. Why what VCs want is often not the same as what customers want.3. How to differentiate in what seems like a commoditized market.4. Why there is no stronger force in startups than true product-market fit.______Keywordsproduct market fit, bootstrapping, butcherbox, direct to consumer, CPG subscription, grass fed beef, founder lessons, Kickstarter, food startup, early stage founder_____(00:00:00) Mastering the VC Game(00:01:45) How I Raised $30M Without Product Market Fit(00:08:21) Why my VC-backed Startup Failed(00:15:34) Growing Revenue but Losing Money(00:28:07) Early Signals of Real Product Market Fit(00:34:59) Solving Supply Chain to Scale ButcherBox(00:39:43) Bootstrapping to $550M (The Power of Constraints)(00:51:18) Product Market Fit from Day One(00:52:42) Why Founders Need a Lifestyle PlanSend me a message to let me know what you think!

Andrew and Sean have a bet to see who can write the best cold email copy for MetaMonster, and early results are in. Sean has a name and domain for his new product - Margins and is letting the Miscreants team handle the branding. Links:Andrew's Twitter: @AndrewAskinsAndrew's website: https://www.andrewaskins.com/MetaMonster: https://metamonster.ai/Sean's Twitter: @seanqsunMiscreants: http://miscreants.com/Margins: http://margins.so/Sean's website: https://seanqsun.com/For more information about the podcast, check out https://www.smalleffortspod.com/.Transcript:00:01.15SeanWhat up, what up, what up?00:02.64AndrewI got some stats for you.00:04.12SeanYeah, tell me. Hit me. but yeah We should probably give some context first.00:08.26AndrewAll right. So Thursday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night, some night, there was a night last week when, I lured Sean into giving me a bunch of free consulting advice, in under the pretense of let's cowork and like work on things side by side.00:11.90SeanI don't know. I can't remember. One of the nights. Uh-huh.00:26.76AndrewAnd instead I just like for three hours was like, what do you think about this cold email idea? What do you think about this cold email idea?00:34.37SeanWe co-worked. We co-worked on your cold emails. You didn't lie to me.00:41.45AndrewFair, fair. I'll take it. I'll take it. So got some cold emails spun up. I knew this was something I wanted to do again now that the product was live. And it's early, early days, but i have, I've sent 200 emails.00:57.98AndrewAnd so I have some early results and01:00.84SeanDo we want to tell everyone what the five different emails were?01:05.39AndrewYeah, I narrowed it down to four after day one. I just canceled. There were two that were almost identical. And so I just killed one of them.01:12.61SeanOkay.01:13.75AndrewProbably shouldn't have, but like I'm incredibly impatient and no, no, it wasn't one of the ones that affects your bets.01:16.85SeanDoes it affect my bets? Oh, good, good, good. Sweet. That's what matters.01:22.88AndrewOkay.01:23.01SeanOkay, go.01:24.34AndrewYeah, yeah, yeah. So we've got four cold email templates. going these are meta monster cold email templates if that isn't blatantly obvious first one is just like classic sales email the uh the subject line is ai powered screaming frog and then it's just like hey i built this thing do you want to demo it i want to sell it to you classic sales uh sales pitch second one01:45.84SeanYep. Yep.01:52.92Andrewis almost the exact same, only instead of presenting it as a sales pitch, presenting it as, hey, I'm looking for feedback, which is true. i At this stage, I just want feedback and information, especially on our pricing, which I want to talk about later. Third one is one of your ideas that you pitched me, which is kind of like Try to write... i think your your pitch was try to write your cold email like you're writing a newsletter.02:25.14AndrewSo try to write it so that you're teaching the recipient something and then just also happen to be have to have this product that is connected to the thing you're teaching that you want but to try to sell.02:39.34AndrewAnd then the the fourth one was more of like a... Classic kind of growth hacky play, which is, hey, I want to interview you for our blog.02:55.21AndrewAnd so you and I placed a bet on this. Your bet, what did you bet?02:57.76SeanYep.02:59.95SeanSo I bet that the AI powered Screaming Frog, the first one, the traditional sales email would have the most opens because not because I believe in those, but because specifically AI powered Screaming Frog alternative is just a great subject header.03:04.78AndrewYep.03:07.11AndrewYep.03:09.83AndrewYeah.03:16.15Seanand then i also bet that the one that would bring you the most value quote unquote whatever that however we want to define that and is the newsletter one value isn't like you know someone actually demos most qualified leads basically you bet uh that the interview one would have the most opens and replies but the most valuable responses would come from the feedback yeah the feedback letter and whoever wins the other person to buy that the other person the up03:23.39AndrewYes. Yeah.03:37.69AndrewYes.03:44.46SeanThe loser has to buy the winner on Chick-fil-A.03:46.44AndrewYep.03:47.24SeanSo the stakes are high.03:47.32AndrewAll right. are you03:48.38SeanIt depends.03:48.87Andrewwhen are When are we cutting off the results, by the way? What's...03:51.67SeanWhat are the results that?03:54.65AndrewSo, currently, in fourth place in open rates, and tied for lowest response rate, I think.04:03.73Andrewoh i There's an asterisk on response rates that I'll explain later.04:06.58SeanOK.04:09.17AndrewNewsletter.04:10.39SeanOh, damn.04:11.29AndrewBut all of these have gotten crazy good open rates for cold email.04:16.19SeanOK.04:16.80AndrewThat is the lowest open rate at a 42% open rate so far.04:20.22SeanWhat's the highest?04:21.26AndrewHighest, I'm sorry to say, is the interview. Is the interview request at a 62% open rate.04:27.67Seanpretty good.04:30.75Andrew62 is pretty damn good. No replies on that one, though. No replies, no clicks that I can tell. no No interest coming out of that. So my guess is people are, like, opening it and then going, this is some no-name company that's trying to, you know, sell me something.04:45.44SeanRight, right.04:46.35Andrewi don't care about this.04:48.41SeanOkay.04:48.85AndrewThat would be my guess. I have booked two demos.04:57.58SeanOkay.04:58.43AndrewAnd have gotten direct feedback on our pricing from a third person who may still has expressed interest in booking a third demo.05:06.39SeanAnd this is from what? Which email?05:08.61AndrewSo here's the thing. One of them I don't know.05:12.15SeanOkay.05:12.74AndrewWhich sounds dumb. It's like, how could you not know? It seems like instantly missed the tracking. And I have had a... damn hard time figuring out i know the email but i've had a damn hard time figuring out which version they got sent uh in instantly software i think maybe if i paid for their crm version i'd be able to like track all of the the activity in more detail but i'm not paying for their crm right now and so it's like it yeah05:24.81SeanYeah.05:30.07SeanGotcha.05:36.24SeanProbably, yeah.05:40.51Seanand Unless, unless Incidentally wants to sponsor us, because we're both users.05:45.04AndrewTrue.05:45.50SeanYeah.05:46.06AndrewSo all I see ri...

In this episode of Live Life by Design, Jeff Mendez sits down with Brad Mortensen, the founder of RepCard, to talk about what it really takes to build something meaningful — in business and at home.From humble beginnings in door-to-door sales to creating a software tool used by thousands of reps across the country, Brad shares the wins, the failures, and the mindset shifts that made it all possible. More than just a startup story, this conversation dives into entrepreneurship, marriage, fatherhood, and how to create true alignment between work and family.If you're chasing success and trying to stay grounded at the same time — don't miss this one.

Jack Ellis is the co-founder of Fathom Analytics, a simple, privacy focused analytics tool launched in 2019. I last spoke to Jack on the podcast in 2021, where he talked about the inception and growth of Fathom, taking on a massive incumbent and why Jack loves working with a co-founder. In December 2024, Jack acquired his co-founder's share in the business, making him the sole owner (i think). Today, we're going to talk about why he made this unique move and what's next for Fathom.Timestamps00:00 Intro01:20 Jack finds out about EmailOctopus02:34 Why Jack acquired Fathom05:03 How can Jack afford this?05:28 Why did they not get an external buyer?07:17 Back to being a solo founder08:19 Innovating the the crowded analytics space11:09 Fathom's marketing and growth in 202512:34 How is Jack having fun?13:14 RecommendationsRecommendationsBook - Dopamine NationPodcast - Huberman LabIndie Hacker - Ruben GamezMy linksTwitterIndie Bites TwitterIndie Bites YouTubeJoin the membershipPersonal Website2 Hour Podcast CoursePodPanda (hire me to edit your podcast)This Indie Life PodcastSponsor - EmailOctopus

This week on Girls Gotta Work, we're getting spicy with Jordyn Evans, founder of Mingle Seasoning. From bootstrapping her way into supermarket shelves to launching the iconic "Por qué no los dos" campaign, Jordyn has been shaking up the industry one bold move at a time.She shares the real, unfiltered story of building Mingle, the marketing magic behind its success, and the pinch-me moments along the way. If you're ready for a masterclass in disruption, resilience, and doing business your way, this one's for you!You'll learn about:Bootstrapping as much as possibleThe marketing side of MingleThe pinch me moments along the journeyConnect with Jordyn on LinkedIn and with Mingle on the website and InstaFollow us on Instagram @girlsgottaworkpodcast and Hang out with Hayleigh on TikTok @hayleigh.hq. Join our Girls Gotta Work Facebook GroupIf you loved this episode, share it with your biz besties and leave a review - we love the love!  ❤️ HayleighThis podcast was produced by Good Chat Media

In this episode Sean is finally ready to reveal the new product Miscreants is building! Meanwhile Andrew's robotics team is getting dangerously close to qualifying for the World Championships, and the guys debate marketing new products. This episode was originally supposed to go out a couple weeks ago, but we're playing with our publishing schedule a bit. Links:Andrew's Twitter: @AndrewAskinsAndrew's website: https://www.andrewaskins.com/MetaMonster: https://metamonster.ai/Sean's Twitter: @seanqsunMiscreants: http://miscreants.com/Sean's website: https://seanqsun.com/For more information about the podcast, check out https://www.smalleffortspod.com/.Transcript:00:00:01.03SeanHow you doing?00:00:01.98AndrewI'm good.00:00:02.68SeanHappy Wednesday.00:00:03.55AndrewHappy Wednesday. Things are hectic. My entire life is robotics and also trying to launch a product on Monday. But yeah, I'm kind of delighted that I don't have, no offense, but I'm delighted I don't have any miscreants clients right now.00:00:09.88SeanHell yeah.00:00:16.49SeanFor yet, you know I got two product inbounds in like one day.00:00:21.53AndrewOh, I knew about one. I didn't know about both.00:00:24.39Seani got another Well, i actually, technically, Osuja's got another.00:00:28.53AndrewSo we're up to three. Great.00:00:29.56SeanYeah.00:00:29.65AndrewCool. Cool.00:00:30.24Seanyeah00:00:30.41AndrewCool.00:00:31.14SeanI can just not close them.00:00:31.22AndrewOkay.00:00:32.71SeanYou know?00:00:33.75AndrewI mean, I do like being able to pay my bills.00:00:35.38SeanCash.00:00:37.32AndrewSo yeah, I probably will tell them I can't start on anything until May though. All right, good.00:00:44.47SeanThat's fine. That's what we're telling everyone right now. We're all inbound that comes in. We're swamped for RSA at the moment. We can kick things off and start like loosely, but it's like hands-on keyboard stuff.00:00:57.38SeanEveryone's tied up.00:00:58.19AndrewNice. When is RSA?00:00:59.99SeanApril 28th. 26th is when Gyside starts.00:01:01.61AndrewOkay, cool.00:01:01.81SeanYep.00:01:03.19AndrewSo the reason that I can't start anything until May is, one, we're launching Metamonster, the beta, on Monday, and I need to like ramp all of our marketing back up, like start up Google Ads, start doing cold outreach, all that stuff again.00:01:17.34SeanHell00:01:18.56AndrewBut two... There is now a non-zero percent chance that my robotics team makes it to Worlds and has to raise $10,000 and figure out how to get 15 high schoolers to Houston in like two weeks.00:01:28.86Seanhe yeah. That's awesome. 10K. Okay.00:01:32.02AndrewYeah, I don't actually know what it will cost. That's just like kind of a number I'm pulling out of my ass. But like we need to pay for like 15 flights, hotel rooms, and to transport a robot across the country.00:01:36.40Seanokay00:01:43.57AndrewYeah.00:01:44.78Seanjust have them take the pieces apart, put it in a suitcase, and rebuild it. And then you...00:01:51.04AndrewYeah, that is that sounds like an idea from someone who has never touched a first robotics robot in their life.00:01:56.15SeanI've done Legos and failed at the at the tech whatever it's called, the kinetic Legos.00:01:57.97AndrewYeah, same thing. Same thing.00:02:03.14AndrewThe, like, robo-LEGO thing?00:02:04.71SeanYeah, yeah, yeah.00:02:05.70AndrewYeah.00:02:05.81SeanI tried once was over.00:02:07.62AndrewYeah, so...00:02:07.79Seanwent back. Yeah.00:02:09.30Andrewwe crushed our second competition again and what that means this is i'll try not to get too into the weeds because first robotics is so incredibly convoluted but basically we have racked up 112 district ranking points between our first two competitions you need about 70 to qualify for the state championships00:02:11.88SeanCongrats.00:02:21.21SeanNice. Overqualified.00:02:29.05Seannice00:02:34.30Andrewwhich, so we have officially qualified for states. I leave at 6.30 tomorrow morning to go to the state championship for the first time ever.00:02:37.49Seanoverqualified00:02:43.78AndrewOur team has never been. And then district rank points are also how you qualify for worlds. So generally speaking, if you get 150 state rank points, then you qualify for worlds.00:02:58.55AndrewAnd points at states count for triple what normal points count for so if we finish kind of middle of the road and make it into playoffs and like win a playoff match we will almost definitely qualify for worlds Which would be absolutely bonkers because then we, as I mentioned, have to raise a bunch of money, figure out how to get a bunch of kids to Houston, and compete against the best robots in the world as a tiny scrappy team that has never even been to States before.00:03:33.77AndrewAnd it gets crazier. I've been doing some research. I don't think a Detroit public school from like our school district has ever made it to Worlds.00:03:46.99AndrewThere's only one team from DHDC that's ever made it. And I think they might have been like a private team, a private school or a charter school or something. There are a ton of teams from the Detroit metro area who make it, but they're all in the suburbs.00:04:00.99AndrewI think we'd be the first Detroit public school from, at least from our school district, to ever make it to Worlds if this happens.00:04:08.93Seanthis is This is like a real like Mr. Shushita moment.00:04:11.87AndrewIt's crazy.00:04:12.81SeanThis is awesome. This is cool.00:04:14.19AndrewIt's like total Cinderella story vibes.00:04:16.66SeanYeah. was going to work.00:04:17.56AndrewNow, if we make it to Worlds, we are going to get obliterated.00:04:18.25SeanGlee.00:04:21.47Andrewwe are like I've been watching videos of some of the top robots, and they're insane.00:04:25.80Seanyeah00:04:28.59AndrewThere's a robot from San Francisco that is like, it can put up three or four X the points that we can put up in a given match by itself.00:04:37.99SeanGotcha.00:04:38.84AndrewIt's stupid.00:04:39.98SeanI see.00:04:40.96AndrewBut...00:04:40.98SeanWhat makes their robots so good? I see.00:04:43.63AndrewSo actually really, really fucking clever strategy.00:04:48.36Seani see00:04:49.24AndrewSo you have to know a little bit about the game to understand this, but basically like one of the core mechanisms of the game is, you get these like foot-long PVC pipes, and you have to deliver them to a station in the middle of the field and place them on a rung of this ...

Andrew just launched MetaMonster! Andrew and Sean dig into how the launch is going so far (spoiler alert: not great), whether the product is overpriced, and what to try next. Then the guys talk about the demo for Sean's new product and what to name it. Links:Andrew's Twitter: @AndrewAskinsAndrew's website: https://www.andrewaskins.com/MetaMonster: https://metamonster.ai/Sean's Twitter: @seanqsunMiscreants: http://miscreants.com/Sean's website: https://seanqsun.com/For more information about the podcast, check out https://www.smalleffortspod.com/.Transcript:00:00:00.75SeanWelcome back. How is robotics?00:00:02.92AndrewRobotics was good and bad. Bad good? Good bad?00:00:07.35SeanOkay.00:00:08.00AndrewSo we got our butts kicked. Like, plain out, got our butts kicked.00:00:10.85SeanOh.00:00:12.28AndrewWe got there. The robots were insanely good, all of them. We played well. Like, there's this crazy advanced stats thing in robotics.00:00:22.25AndrewSome probably, like, 20-year-old or something.00:00:22.12SeanYeah.00:00:26.42Andrewbuilt a website called StatBotics that pulls the live data from... All the live data is published through the site called the Blue Alliance from every match.00:00:36.61AndrewAnd he runs that through some sort of equation, statistical...00:00:40.43SeanCool.00:00:41.28Andrewthingy and creates he calls it EPA estimated points added which is supposed to because like robots always compete in teams of three and so EPA is like how much of your total score did you actually contribute to the the team estimated points added so anyway this is a long rambly way to say that like throughout the competition so we were00:00:47.18SeanOK.00:00:56.35SeanOh, what what does what does EPA stand for?00:01:00.84SeanOK, OK, gotcha. OK.00:01:09.00AndrewThere were 40 robots in on our field. 160 robots at the competition total, by the way. Four fields going simultaneously all right next to each other. So it's like pure chaos. It's wild. It's really fun and interesting and crazy.00:01:22.28SeanYeah. Sweet. sweet00:01:23.97AndrewWe go into the the weekend ranked top 20 in EPA, like maybe 17 or something like that. And our goal was to end up like around that range at the end of qualifiers like if we had ended up around that range gotten picked for playoffs we would have been a lock for worlds uh our epa stayed around that range like we were at one point as high as like 11 we finished 22 in epa and then like fluctuated kind of between that range so we were playing well our driver was driving well00:02:00.39AndrewBut we just got our butts kicked in the actual matches. And EPA is definitely not perfect. It's not everything. like you know It has a bunch of obvious flaws. And so like you know just because our EPA was good didn't mean we were doing well. but But like we had some hiccups here and there.00:02:12.63SeanYeah.00:02:15.77AndrewBut like objectively, I think the team, like the kids drove well. I think they played well. But we ended up ranked out 40th. so we just got whooped we hit we won one match the entire weekend00:02:25.28SeanDamn.00:02:30.61SeanBut out of the top 40. Yeah.00:02:34.09Andrewuh well top 160 like top 40 we there were 40 in our field 160 robots there total and most of the robots never play each other so you don't really know who the top 40 are00:02:37.13Seanokay00:02:46.33SeanI just meant like of the state.00:02:48.19Seancause00:02:48.29AndrewYeah.00:02:48.68Seanbecause00:02:49.17AndrewWe were top 160. sixty Again, what I'm saying is like, 160 the state.00:02:51.79SeanYeah.00:02:54.51Seangod i Got it, got it, got it.00:02:55.25Andrewyeah00:02:55.52SeanMakes sense.00:02:57.41AndrewAnd so like that part sucked. like It sucked to lose a bunch of matches. it really You could tell it was like wearing on the kids. After a while, we had a little bit of drama that we had to work through with the team. like some you know you know it It was sort of getting to people, and it was causing some conflict and tension and stuff.00:03:15.63AndrewBut the good side of it is we worked through all of that. We got our first win. We celebrated the heck out of that.00:03:25.17AndrewCelebrated the heck out of the seniors, you know, just, you know, making it to states and their senior season and all of that. And then really cool on Saturday.00:03:35.58AndrewSo that we didn't get picked for playoffs. so we just had Saturday to chill, which was honestly really nice and fun. And like, just got to spend a lot of time. Like the team got spend a lot of time bonding and hanging out and watching robots do cool robot shit.00:03:49.53Andrewand then we were one of four teams who won an award called the rising all-stars award which is given to a team that is like has grown drastically and is on an upward trajectory which is exactly what we are and so that was really cool it was it was really cool to get that and so like00:03:55.32SeanSick. I love it.00:04:03.57Seanlove it00:04:10.31AndrewFinal rankings in the state, which again are imperfect in the same way that stats are imperfect and all this stuff, but final ranking in the state, we finished 91st in the state out of like 600 teams. So still objectively an incredible season, drastically overperformed where we thought we were going to be,00:04:29.92AndrewThe bar like just keeps getting raised every season. you know i think clearly our goal you know our goal for this season was to get to States. And now our goal for next season is pretty clearly get to Worlds.00:04:43.00AndrewWhich is just a crazy thing to say. Because like four years ago, 2020 season, this team was down to one kid.00:04:44.94SeanYeah, absolutely.00:04:51.22AndrewAnd like barely getting a robot a functioning robot to competitions. Yeah.00:04:55.84SeanYeah.00:04:56.24AndrewAnd now we're like, no, we think we can realistically compete for Worlds within the next few years.00:05:03.07SeanI mean, that's awesome. Like, I hope everyone is super proud of all all of that. So that's pretty sweet.00:05:08.54AndrewYeah, I think they are. like Once they got over the initial losing streak, and then like we got the win, and then we got the award, and I think that the team was able to like feel really proud and really excited.00:05:44.08SeanNice.00:05:20.89AndrewAnd yeah, a bunch of the kids are like excited for the offseason. They want to take on offseason projects, and they're like really excited for next season. Some kids who we might have lost because they were going to other schools want to come back and be part of the team, even if they go to another school. So like vibes were really good, even if we objectively got our butts kicked.00:05:44.94SeanWell, nice. Good job. Good job. Good stuff.00:05:47.71An...

The point of our discussion revolves around the evolution of Fanlist, previously known as Pod Inbox, and the strategic decisions that informed its transformation into a comprehensive platform for creators. In our dialogue, I had the distinct pleasure of engaging with Pat Cheung, the founder and CEO of Fanlist, who shared his journey from a successful venture-backed enterprise to a bootstrap model that emphasizes community and creator engagement. We explored the rationale behind the recent rebranding and the shift from a subscription-based model to a commission-based structure, which reflects a commitment to supporting podcasters and other creators in their monetization efforts. Throughout our conversation, we delved into the nuances of bootstrapping, the importance of community-centric approaches, and the necessity of adapting to the evolving landscape of content creation. As we navigate these insights, we aim to illuminate the path for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to establish their ventures with efficiency and purpose.The discourse encapsulated within this podcast episode presents a rich narrative centered around the entrepreneurial venture of Pat Cheung, the founder and CEO of Fanlist, formerly known as Pod Inbox. This evolution signifies a pivotal moment in Cheung's journey, as he shares the motivations and inspirations that guided him towards establishing a platform dedicated to enhancing audience engagement for podcasters and creators. The conversation begins with a retrospective examination of Cheung's entrepreneurial background, transitioning from a venture-backed healthcare enterprise to the burgeoning landscape of podcasting, where he identifies a key pain point: the need for meaningful interaction between creators and their audiences. Cheung's innovative response to this challenge is the development of a web-based audio messaging platform, which serves to improve the quality of audience engagement, thereby allowing creators to cultivate a more robust relationship with their fans.A theme throughout the episode is the transformation of Fanlist's business model, shifting from a subscription-based approach to a commission model. Cheung articulates the strategic rationale for this pivot, emphasizing the importance of accessibility for creators who often face financial barriers in their pursuit of success. By eliminating upfront costs traditionally associated with subscription services, Fanlist positions itself as a supportive ally in the creator economy, where the primary objective is to facilitate the growth and sustainability of creators' endeavors. Cheung's insights into the evolving landscape of monetization reveal a thoughtful consideration of the broader implications of business models within the digital content sphere, where community and creator success are paramount.As the conversation progresses, Cheung reflects on his experiences as a bootstrapped entrepreneur, sharing valuable lessons learned along the way. He navigates the complexities of maintaining capital efficiency while pursuing innovative solutions, drawing contrasts between his previous venture capital experiences and the realities of bootstrapping. This dialogue serves as a profound exploration of the intersection of innovation, community, and sustainability within the entrepreneurial landscape, ultimately culminating in Cheung's belief that the success of creators is fundamentally intertwined with the platform's success. The episode not only provides a keen insight into the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Chung but also serves as a testament to the transformative potential of the creator economy in reshaping how we engage with content and communities.Takeaways: The evolution of Pod Inbox to Fanlist illustrates the importance of adaptability in business. Engagement strategies for podcasters can significantly enhance their connection with their audience. ...

In this conversation, Tyler and Rick discuss various aspects of long-term product strategy at Less Annoying CRM, including personal updates, business growth, customer retention challenges, economic concerns, product development, and the importance of identifying ideal customer personas. They explore the balance between adding features and maintaining simplicity, as well as the need to adapt to changing market conditions.

History may not repeat itself, but it certainly rhymes. Vibe coded games, like a flight simulator from @levelsio, are reminiscent of early iPhone app store games like Flappy Bird and Paper Toss. How else are consumer tech cycles evolving? Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano welcomes back investor Semil Shah for their quarterly check-in. They talk about the landscape of VC seed investing, the impact of AI on tech hubs like New York, LA, and the Bay Area, and whether accelerators like Y Combinator still have the same edge?Flight Simulator: fly.pieter.comEpisode Chapters:(01:22) LA vs NYC Tech Scenes(02:54) AI's Geographic Pull(05:37) Gaming as Future Consumer Tech(08:35) Vibe Coding(17:40) Seed Investing in the AI Era(25:13) The Series A Crunch(36:03) Rising Series A Standards(41:14) Bootstrapping vs VC for AI(45:26) Value of University Degrees(55:32) YC's Expanded Cohorts(57:52) Overlooked Seed TrendsStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Adam Robinson once struggled with a stagnant email SaaS stuck at $3M ARR, but he kept experimenting until he found how to solve a problem no one else was tackling—and everything changed. Suddenly, buyers were begging for his identity-based marketing tool—so he spun out Retention.com and grew it to $14M+ in annual profit with no outside funding.In this episode, Adam reveals why he ignored “scalable hacks” until his product proved undeniable, the two keys that finally unleashed product-market fit, and how he uses no-friction brand marketing on LinkedIn to sign up thousands of new leads.____Why You Should Listen1. He chose profit over fundraising – Adam shows how ignoring “growth-hack hype” and focusing on real word-of-mouth built a wildly profitable SaaS.2. Shocking pivot to product-market fit – A failed email tool spun out a game-changing identity product that users demanded.3. The #1 trap killing early-stage founders – Why “growth hacking” tactics fail without genuine pull, and what to do instead.4. Bootstrapping to $14M profit – His surprising path from 3M stalled ARR to unstoppable momentum (with a team of only six).5. LinkedIn brand building done right – How to attract thousands of perfect-fit leads—no spammy sequences required._____KeywordsBootstrapped SaaS, Product Market Fit, Email Marketing Growth, Founder Lessons, B2B LinkedIn Strategy, High Profit Margins, Startup Pivot, Word-of-Mouth Marketing, Early-Stage ExperimentationTimestamps(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:57) A Bootstrap Story(00:06:33) Why Bootstrapping Often Means You Can't Lose(00:10:36) The downside of raising VC(00:19:53) A Case Study: Constant Contact(00:22:45) Find an Unsolved Porblem(00:32:06) PMF and Word of Mouth(00:46:45) Piece of AdviceSend me a message to let me know what you think!

Description:Parker Olson started PodPitch - an AI-powered tool that simplifies outreach for podcast bookings - with no coding experience. Within a year, that company generates 6-figures in monthly reoccurring revenue. And the best part? Parker believes that you can do the same, as long as you can recognize this one thing  . . .In this episode, Parker shares the strategy that he used to identify a niche market, the sales questions he asked during his product launch, and the importance of learning from your failures as an entrepreneur.He also breaks down why bootstrapping gave him more control than traditional business funding, how to get customer retention, and the importance of tracking key metrics in your business. For all aspiring entrepreneurs out there, Parker's insight will change your perspective on sales and product development.Takeaways:- Parker invested his life savings to learn about making money online.- His Twitter account grew to 750,000 followers through strategic content and retweets.- Living in a tent for two years taught him perseverance and focus.- The Forage experience highlighted the importance of a viable business model.- Pod Pitch was born from the need for efficient podcast guest outreach.- Sales techniques are crucial for understanding customer needs.- Asking customers to pay on the spot reveals true interest.- Building a business requires both grit and a sound financial model.- Networking and outreach are key to finding new customers.- Learning from failures is essential for future success. Asking the right questions can shift business direction.- Bootstrapping can lead to more control and quicker decisions.- Understanding your funding approach is crucial for success.- Profitability can take time, even for high-revenue businesses.- Entrepreneurship requires a realistic understanding of challenges.- Effective customer acquisition is key to growth.- Identifying pain points is essential for product-market fit.- Metrics guide informed decision-making in business.- Experimentation is vital in discovering effective marketing channels.- Founders should leverage social media for genuine connections.Tags: Podcasting, Niche Markets, Product Launch, Customer Retention, Business funding, Product DevelopmentResources:- Start Your Business Today:  ⁠https://links.upflip.com/44g3N3T- Connect with Parker: https://www.instagram.com/parkerolson_/?hl=en

In this weeks' Scale Your Sales Podcast episode, my guest is Manoj Ramnani.   Manoj is the Founder and CEO of SalesIntel, a company committed to providing the highest quality B2B contact data on the market. SalesIntel's research team hand-verifies every contact to ensure 95% accuracy on data. As the CEO, Manoj drives the strategic vision of SalesIntel, establishes and fosters key partnerships, and is building out the executive team that will make SalesIntel the leader of the data sector.   In today's episode of Scale Your Sales podcast, Manoj brings extensive expertise in B2B data and entrepreneurship, with experience in both bootstrapped and venture-backed ventures. In this episode, he shares insights on selecting the right financial path for startups, optimizing the tech stack, and navigating evolving go-to-market strategies. Manoj also explores the shifting role of sales teams in response to economic and technological changes, highlighting how Sales Intel leverages human-verified data and AI to drive accurate pipeline generation.   Welcome to Scale Your Sales Podcast, Manoj Ramnani.     Timestamps: 00:00 Bootstrapping vs. VC Insights 04:08 Startup Challenges and Lessons Learned 08:22 Strategic Fundraising and Sales Optimization 11:19 Consolidation of Tech Platforms 16:14 GTM Product Innovation Challenges 17:06 Empowering Buyers, Shifting Sales Strategy 20:23 Innovative Products Need Customer Feedback 24:36 Prioritizing Quality in Data Service 28:11 Optimizing Go-To-Market Strategy 30:16 From Engineering to Sales Intel 34:10 Focus on Events, Community, Partnerships 36:29 Empowering High-Performance Teams   https://www.linkedin.com/in/manojramnani/     Janice B Gordon is the award-winning Customer Growth Expert and Scale Your Sales Framework founder. She is by LinkedIn Sales 15 Innovating Sales Influencers to Follow 2021, the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Customer Experience Nov 2020 and 150 Women B2B Thought Leaders You Should Follow in 2021. Janice helps companies worldwide to reimagine revenue growth thought customer experience and sales.   Book Janice to speak virtually at your next event: https://janicebgordon.com   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaniceBGordon   Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast   More on the blog: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/blog   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScaleYourSales   And more! Visit our podcast website https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast/ to watch or listen.

Paul Shrater went from selling a million-dollar Hollywood script to building a multi-business empire that powers product brands for celebrities, creators, and even NASA. His journey is a masterclass in grit, innovation, and scaling smart systems that run without the founder. Through bootstrapping, operational focus, and saying “no” to bad deals — Paul proves you don't need outside money or hype to win big. • Turning rejection from manufacturers into a thriving fulfillment and co-packing company • Bootstrapping his first eComm business from four shelves and a computer • Helping celebrities and influencers turn passion into scalable product brands • Partnering with creators to build legacy income streams beyond their 15 minutes of fame • Navigating the TikTok Shop explosion and how it's threatening Amazon's dominance • Embedding product into entertainment to create viral, high-converting content • Structuring equity partnerships based on value, not just fame • Designing cross-training systems so his businesses run without him • Using cultural awareness and empathy to lead teams more effectively • Shipping fruitcake to space — and turning it into a case study in creative problem solving My Links Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach Having challenges scaling and growing your business? Book a meeting with me: https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy Link to show notes: https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/hollywood-to-hustle-paul-shrater/ Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com  Linkedin  Instagram  YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace Kennedy sits down with Maxi Heidenblut, the founder of Häppy Candy, a better-for-you gummy candy brand with 70% less sugar—without using artificial sweeteners. Maxi shares her journey from working in asset management to launching a CPG startup, tackling the challenges of bootstrapping, cold-calling manufacturers, and navigating the retail landscape. She also discusses how Häppy Candy is making waves in independent stores and national retail, leveraging social media, influencer marketing, and trade shows to expand its footprint.Tune in to hear how Maxi is reshaping the candy industry with a healthier, delicious alternative—all while managing a full-time job in New York City.Listen in as they share about:Overview of Happy CandyProduct Development and ManufacturingChallenges as a First-Time FounderBusiness Launch & Initial GrowthRetail & Expansion StrategyDTC (Direct-to-Consumer) & Social Media StrategyChallenges of Bootstrapping & Financial PlanningFuture GoalsEpisode Links:Website: https://haeppycandy.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/haeppy-candy/ Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.Show Links:Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

In this episode, homesteader Tony Barlow talks about the financial prudence of bootstrapping a business and the patience that needs to come with it.   Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!   Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow Modern Grower:  Instagram  Instagram Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:  Carrot Cashflow  Farm Small Farm Smart  Farm Small Farm Smart Daily  The Growing Microgreens Podcast  The Urban Farmer Podcast  The Rookie Farmer Podcast  In Search of Soil Podcast Check out Diego's books:  Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon   Ready Farmer One on Amazon **** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Want To Watch The Matt King Show?Watch Here: https://www.youtube.com/@mattkingatx In this episode Brian Luebben shares his journey of building a seven-figure business from scratch, interviewing over 500 multimillionaires and billionaires, and the keys to achieving financial freedom. Brian and his guest dive into the shadow side of life, exploring regret, remorse, and forgiveness. They discuss the importance of taking consistent action, setting clear goals, and cultivating intentional relationships. Additionally, Brian reveals his strategies for avoiding the pitfalls of success, balancing ambition with presence, and the importance of data-driven decisions in achieving excellence. This insightful conversation highlights the hard work required to build wealth, the value of being vulnerable, and the power of gratitude and intention in living a fulfilling life.Learn More About Action Academy: https://actionacademy.com/ Listen To The Action Academy Podcast: https://www.actionacademypod.com/ Get $100 off your ticket to the Austin Entrepreneurial SummitUse Promo Code MKSAES100 https://rb.gy/i3vypl 00:00 Building a Business from Scratch00:48 Interview with Brian Luebben: Insights and Reflections01:13 Bootstrapping a Podcast: The Early Days02:06 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs02:40 The Importance of Mentorship and Networking03:21 Lessons from Interviewing Successful People05:46 Balancing Confidence and Insecurity13:21 Redefining Success and Personal Growth27:07 The Role of Gratitude and Presence31:42 Supporting Others in Achieving Financial Freedom37:01 Personal Leadership Journey38:02 Learning from Successful People38:40 Intentionality and Clarity40:42 Accountability and Peer Groups44:00 Navigating Relationships and Friendships46:03 Future of Entrepreneurship48:17 Business Acquisition Strategies52:26 Balancing Work and Personal Life57:50 Facing Fears and Personal Growth01:03:18 Data-Driven Success01:06:25 Conclusion and ResourcesConnect With Matthttps://themattking.com/ Learn More About Gobundancehttps://gobundance.com/tribeThe Matt King Show is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the untold stories of high-achieving individuals—entrepreneurs, athletes, investors, and visionaries—who have forged their own paths to success. Hosted by Matt King, the show goes beyond surface-level interviews, diving deep into the pivotal moments, mindset shifts, and lessons that shaped their journeys. With an engaging and thought-provoking approach, The Matt King Show isn't just about success—it's about the experiences, challenges, and philosophies that define extraordinary lives. This is where ambition meets authenticity, and where listeners gain insights they won't hear anywhere else.

In this episode, Dan Martell shares his journey from troubled youth to building and exiting multiple SaaS businesses. Dan reveals the strategies behind his Buy Back Your Time framework, showing entrepreneurs how to scale efficiently without burning out. He also discusses his early business failures, the lessons he learned from selling companies, and why understanding leverage is the key to sustainable success. This conversation is packed with insights on hiring, leadership, and building a high-growth SaaS company while maintaining balance. Listen to Nathan and Dan discuss: - Dan's journey from rock bottom to building successful SaaS businesses - The Buy Back Your Time framework and how to scale without burnout - The 1-3-1 method for decision-making and empowering teams - The four types of leverage every entrepreneur needs to scale - Bootstrapping vs. raising capital: when and why to take funding - How SaaS founders can optimize pricing, retention, and customer success - And much more business advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You'll get all-access foundr+, where you'll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine