Info

SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders

What if you knew data behind the fastest growing SaaS companies today? Each morning join Nathan Latka as he spends 15 minutes interviewing SaaS founders. You'll learn how SaaS CEO's launched their startup and grew it into a business. SaaS Founders range from bootstrapped to funded, MVP to 10,000 customers, pre revenue to pre IPO.
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders
2024
April
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2015
December
November
October


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: Category: business
Sep 14, 2016

Sweeney Daniel, a partner at Hustle and Grow and Click Bank University. He launched his first company in high school which lead him to working full time in digital marketing. He decided to leave the corporate grind and is now focused on helping others create their digital business while maintaining a fun lifestyle.

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
  • What CEO do you follow? – James Schramko
  • Favorite online tool? — Clickfunnels and Drip
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep?— Most of the time 7 and a half
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Spend money and invest in assets

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:34 – Nathan introduces Sweeney
  • 02:04 – What Hustle and Grow is and how it generates revenue
    • 02:11 – Marketing list, promoting digital products, and an agency
    • 02:20 – Selling marketing and affiliate products and working closely with ecommerce partners
  • 02:28 – Founded in 2016
  • 02:38 – Hustle and Grow’s website
  • 02:53 – 2016’s revenue will be close to $1M
  • 03:17 – The most successful thing sold
    • 03:39 – Partnership with Click Bank
    • 04:01 – Providing digital products to Click Bank customers
    • 04:48 – How Hustle and Grow landed the deal
    • 05:05 – The pay and the partnership
    • 05:50 – Commission based income
  • 06:36 – Online Course Academy
    • 07:25 – Sold about 100
  • 07:03 – Sweeney worked with 4 7-figure businesses
  • 08:06 –Why not another line of business?
    • 08:21 – Sweeney was an employee earning $60K+commisions
    • 08:55 – Sweeney’s tragedies in college
    • 09:09 – “You need to have your ducks in a row in order for your business to grow.”
    • 09:28 – If Sweeney’s dad didn’t pass away
    • 09:53 – The before and after
  • 10:51 – The trend from tragedy to realization
  • 11:46 – Tragedy –one if the things that makes or breaks people
  • 12:01 – Sweeney had 2 podcasts in the past
  • 12:36 – Nathan’s experience with podcasts
  • 13:08 – The big thing is that people puts out a course but doesn’t build a brand.
  • 14:07 – Brand first, product second
  • 14:17 – Connect with Sweeney on Facebook
  • 15:53 – The Famous Five
  • 18:32 - Grab FREE Facebook Ads and Ecommerce Guide for The Top Tribe

 

3 Key Points:

  1. You need to have your ducks in a row in order for your business to grow.
  2. Tragedy –one if the things that makes or breaks people.
  3. The big thing is that people puts out a course but doesn’t build a brand.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Toptal– Nathan found his development team using Toptal  for his new business Send Later. He was able to keep 100% equity and didn’t have to hire a co-founder due to quality of Toptal
  • Host Gator– The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks– The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible– Nathan uses Audible when he’s driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday – Sweeney’s favorite business book
  • Clickfunnels and Drip – Sweeney’s favorite online tools
  • Connect with Sweeney on Facebook
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

 

Sep 11, 2016

Michael Litt started his first video company, Redwoods Media, as his undergraduate thesis project. He then evolved with his partner to create another successful video software company, Vidyard. He has learned the value of supportive family and friends throughout his life as an entrepreneur.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – Behind the Cloud
What CEO do you follow? — Mark Benioff
Favorite online tool? — Gmail
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I try to.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – If you want to be an entrepreneur, surround yourself with people who love and support you. Focus on those relationships.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Michael
02:15 – He started at the University of Waterloo and Research in Motion
03:00 – He graduated at 25, and the Redwoods Media was built as his undergraduate thesis project
03:50 – He contracted businesses to sponsor their company
04:50 – They were passionate about the video company, and turned down jobs at places like Google
05:30 – Vidyard is a video platform for business
05:50 – They sell that technology to businesses on a monthly basis
06:10 – Average revenue per customer is about $30k
06:35 – They have an inside sales team
07:25 – Four categories of businesses and sales teams
07:50 – 132 people on their team, and they have almost doubled in the last year
08:15 – Growth pains are opportunities to learn
08:55 – Looking at retention instead of churn
09:25 – Gross retention is 95%
09:45 – Net retention is 135%
10:47 – They have raised $70 million in funding
11:00 – Customer acquisition cost is paid back in 1.5 years
11:15 – Average customer acquisition is $40000
11:45 – Customers stay for quite a long time, according to the numbers
13:27 – Why lifetime value is tricky
13:45 – They focus on payback period for their customers
14:25 – Being honest about their business and their numbers for customer acquisition costs
15:10 – They include hard costs, like any work supplies
15:40 – Total customers is private
16:05 – They are looking to triple the business for two years, and then double the business for the next three years
16:40 – It would show their potential to go public
17:00 – Building a fast growing, high-value business
17:25 – Tom Tunguz’s Blog
17:45 – Revenue is private.
18:15 – They broke through $1 million for their first full year of sales
18:45 – Michael has a holiday party every year at his office.
19:00 – Project Christmas has carried throughout their business
19:28 – The Fall is a great time to raise money
19:55 – Connect with Michael at Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
22:20 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Your first business ideas will develop into bigger, better projects.
Be honest about your company and spending.
Surround yourself with people who love and support you as you pursue your entrepreneurial dreams.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
Behind the Cloud - Michael’s favorite business book
Gmail – His favorite tool, besides his own
Tom Tunguz’s Blog – Learn about the best models that public companies use
Connect with Michael at Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Sep 10, 2016

Mathilde Collin, CEO and co-founder of Front. Her app has developed email and inbox features meant specifically for teams. Growing up in France, Mathilde realized that being an adult wasn’t fun—that getting a job usually meant a life of misery. She would not settle for that. She knew from the beginning that she had to create a job that she loved, and so Front was born.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? - The Hard Thing About Hard Things
What CEO do you follow? — Patrick Collison
Favorite online tool? — Front! and Slack.
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Yes.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – We can be happy at work. Get a job you love.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Mathilde Collin
02:00 – Front App is an inbox for teams.
02:25 – A SaaS company founded in 2014
02:50 – She started the business when she was 22.
03:05 – She realized a lot of people didn’t like their job, and she wanted to solve that issue for herself.
03:35 – 2015 revenue was $1 million
04:00 – 1210 companies use Front
04:20 – A large variety of company sizes
04:50 – Why they raised millions in capital.
05:25 – Email is complicated, so you need to invest in resources and good engineering.
05:45 – She already had a loan from studying in France.
06:15 – They raised with key people who could help.
06:37 – They wanted to invest in hiring super qualified people.
07:05 – Team of 21 in San Francisco
07:15 – Monthly expenses are about $200k
07:50 – How did you get over the psychological barrier of that red line?
08:20 – Spending money when you have money.
08:35 – A more rational spending plan.
09:05 – She will keep that money in the bank.
09:45 – That extra money has allowed for growth.
10:20 – She has people under her responsibility.
10:55 – She has one cofounder.
11:05 – How they determined equity.
11:15 – An even split for people who will be there for the whole life of the company.
12:05 – They have no marketing team.
12:25 – She publishes content at blog.frontapp.com and @CollinMathilde on Medium and Twitter.
13:10 – Customer lifetime value: Customer churn is 3%
13:35 – Revenue churn is negative.
13:45 – They sell three plans.
14:10 – Selling the upsell versions to new teams in the same companies
15:00 – An inbound sales team
15:15 – Monthly and annual plans
15:35 – Lifetime value is about 33 months, or $6300
16:15 – Valuation was not disclosed
16:45 – Her goal is to make as many people possible happy at this company.
17:20 – They will try to go public eventually.
17:40 – They want to keep their product as it is, which would be difficult if it were acquired.
18:15 – Why customers churn
18:25 – They dislike how often changes happen.
19:05 – They grow 10% each month
19:30 – They would like to hit $300k this year.
19:45 – Connect with Mathilde on Twitter at @CollinMathilde
21:30 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Get a job that you love.
Starting a business is hard—all entrepreneurs go through challenges.
In the early stages of your company, keep perfecting your product.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
blog.frontapp.com and @CollinMathilde on Medium and Twitter – Follow Mathilde and her company!
The Hard Thing About Hard Things – The business book that completely changed Mathilde’s outlook on her business.
Slack – The tool that Mathilde and her team use a ton at Front
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Sep 9, 2016

Joe Apfelbaum of Ajax Union. Joe has had several successful six-figure businesses, and Ajax Union is no exception. The company did $4 million last year, and they have plans to hit $6 million for revenue this year. Take a few notes from Joe’s playbook and take your own business to six-figure success.

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? - Think and Grow Rich, Traction, and The Miracle Morning. Getting Things Done
  • What CEO do you follow? — Tony Robbins
  • Favorite online tool? — Google Docs, Trello and MailChimp
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I sleep when I’m comfortable. Last night I got 9 hours of sleep
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – The importance of reading and studying books. Relationships matter.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:40 – Nathan introduces Joe
  • 02:35 – Joe just had his fifth kid
  • 02:55 – Ajax Union was not his first six-figure business
  • 03:30 – It started as a side gig
  • 04:05 – They did $500000 in revenue in 2009
  • 04:25 – 2015 revenue was $4 million
  • 04:45 – They shifted to focusing on their bottom line
  • 05:00 – Revenue per client is $10000
    • 05:15 – A focus on giving better service, not bringing in more clients
  • 05:25 – 20 employees
  • 05:55 – Their goal for 2016 is 6 million
  • 06:10 – Bottom-line margins were small in 2015
  • 06:35 – He wanted to run a smaller business and lose less money
  • 07:15 – The underlying cause of a lifestyle business
    • 07:35 – Paying himself well and living a good life
    • 08:00 – Take-home income was over $200k
  • 08:50 – First year revenue was $500000
  • 09:15 – Paid on a retainer basis
  • 10:25 – Unparalleled marketing support
  • 10:45 – Churn is irrelevant for this stage of the company
    • 11:20 – They turn down clients.
  • 11:35 – A focus on bottom-line growth this year
  • 11:55 – Working with Jacobtime
  • 12:30 – Joe is a killer marketer!
  • 13:00 – Taking stable businesses and helping them take off
  • 13:30 – An investor put in $1 million
    • 14:05 – They wanted the partnership
    • 14:45 – Valuation for his company was very good
    • 15:30 – An angel investment
    • 15:45 – Profit sharing
  • 16:15 – His podcast, CEO Mojo
    • 16:30 – Doing weekly interviews and figuring out the obstacles of getting to having six-figure businesses
    • 17:10 – A goal to grow a database of content
    • 17:25 – In the process of writing a book based on that content and creating courses
    • 18:30 – The true value of documenting the stories of entrepreneurs
    • 19:00 – He wants people to see that success in your business, life, and family is possible.
  • 20:00 – People can follow Joe at Facebook.com/joeapfelbaum and on LinkedIn
  • 20:20 – Snapchat and Instagram
  • 22:30 – The Famous Five

 

3 Key Points:

  • Start your business as a side gig, and make the transition to owning your own business easier.
  • Create a lifestyle business that gives you more freedom to live a happy life.
  • Focus on the quality of the service you are providing before you start drawing in more customers.   

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
  • Think and Grow Rich, Traction, The Miracle Morning and Getting Things Done – Wherever you’re at with your life or your business, one of these books will be right for you!
  • Google Docs, Trello, and MailChimp – Joe’s favorite online tools
  • CEO Mojo – Follow Joe’s podcast to hear the stories of successful six-figure entrepreneurs
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

 

Sep 8, 2016

Stacy Tuschl, who has maneuvered her way to the top with a brick-and-mortar business and has now entered the online world. She just launched her Level Up group coaching program, another step in the right direction as a true entrepreneur.

Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – Virtual Freedom
What CEO do you follow? — Amy Porterfield
Favorite online tool? — Google Calendar’s gTasks Pro
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Always.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Find a coach to work with immediately.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Stacy
02:15 – She has been in business since she was 18
02:40 – Her performing arts center and her online world are both sources of revenue
03:05 – She started teaching dance in her parents’ backyard when she was 18
03:25 – The business snowballed, and people started to pay her
03:45 – The company is now 11 years old
04:05 – Total revenue was 1.4 million
04:15 – Tons of expenses with a brick and mortar business.
04:35 – Profit margins were not great
05:15 – She pays herself a salary and does distributions
05:50 – She strategizes with her CPA
06:15 – A team of 14
06:25 – Payroll was $350000 last year
06:40 – Unique sales were 2000 in a week
07:20 – Her coaching started the last couple years
07:25 – She wanted to challenge herself and help other people
07:55 – Selling one-on-one calls evolved into group coaching
09:00 – One-on-one coaching helps you get to know your customers and their needs
09:35 – Group coaching was launched last week
10:15 – Using Facebook
10:35 – She has about 2000 people on her list
11:05 – People could trust her and get behind her
11:24 – Spending on Facebook ads is $1200 for the first two weeks
11:50 – How her consulting business is doing.
12:50 – It was launched in November 2015
14:00 – A win-win and a partnership with her affiliates
14:35 – Writing a book was not to make money. She wanted to establish her expertise
15:05 – She wanted to help people get their businesses on track.
15:20 – Her last speaking gig
15:35 – About 50 people attended
16:00 – She made that event perfect, to attract attention for the future
16:20 – Her last paid speaking was for $1000
17:05 – How to know if a speaking opportunity is right for you
17:20 – Look at the audience and the connections
17:40 – Epic Launch is going to help her relaunch the book
18:20 – Connect with Stacy and follow her podcast, Business Rescue Roadmap.
18:35 – Text “Levelup” to 24587 to join her free Facebook community.
20:00 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Find ways to strategize and save with your brick-and-mortar business.
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and take on new business ideas.
Get to know your customers’ needs.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
Virtual Freedom – Stacy’s favorite business book
gTasks Pro – A new Google Calendars application that syncs your tasks to your calendar
Business Rescue Roadmap – A podcast to help you save your startup from going under
Epic Launch – Help to launch your book to the top of Amazon
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Sep 7, 2016

Josh Herron, one of Bryan’s best franchisers at 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Josh and his partner Tyler have been through the grinder as entrepreneurs, but they have now created a franchise worth millions. Learn about franchising and if it’s the right path for you to become a business owner and start seeing dollar signs.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – Start with Why
What CEO do you follow? — Jack Welch
Favorite online tool? — iPhone Notes
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – All of your hard work will create something magical.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Josh
02:15 – Franchisers must be entrepreneurial by nature
02:35 – Josh got an opportunity to get into two franchises, and that was his first leap into entrepreneurship
03:10 – Wanting to be your own boss and becoming successful
03:40 – Josh was managing a 1-800-GOT-JUNK location when it got bought out by another owner, his friend Tyler
04:45 – It was an opportunity for Josh to work with someone that he got along with
04:58 – The business did $750000 the year before it sold to his friend
05:30 – It was very immature when Tyler was looking to buy it
06:15 – The deal was more about what was needed for the business to grow
06:30 – The previous owners were very motivated to get rid of it
07:15 – As the business progressed, they bought an OxiClean franchise as well
07:45 – They bought the company to add more money to their bottom line
08:35 – Starting from the ground up
09:23 – What should people look for when buying a franchise?
09:40 – You can learn from people who have done it before
09:57 – You have a lot of support from others
10:10 – You have more freedom than you might think
10:25 – Some franchises have more upfront expenses
11:20 – OxiClean did $200000 the first year, top line
12:00 – They sold the business for $100000 and broke even
12:35 – Last year he did $5.5 million top line
13:00 – How to expand it
13:10 – Buying out other partners
13:20 – Advertising and good employees
13:40 – A huge opportunity even in a small town
14:14 – What do you do with the bottom line?
14:30 – A lot is reinvested
14:40 – They want to expand their footprint
15:05 – How to become a millionaire as a franchiser
15:20 – You have great support and you can maximize your business
15:50 – He’s doing better than some of the other people he knows
16:10 – Connect with Josh on LinkedIn
16:30 – Follow their Facebook Page, 1-800-Got-Junk? Kansas City
18:45 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Franchisers must think like entrepreneurs to be successful.
Owning a franchise will give you more freedom than you’d expect.
If you run your franchise right, it can become a million-dollar business.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
Start with Why – Josh’s favorite book
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Sep 6, 2016

Brian Scudamore, who launched 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Brian’s unique perspective on his business drives him to take opportunities for growth, but he never wants to sell his company. He believes he must foster his vision to help others grow and evolve.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – The E-Myth
What CEO do you follow? — Robert Herjavec
Favorite online tool? — All his iPhone apps
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – All the failures needed to happen so that he could learn. Never compromise on the people you bring into your organization. Take hiring seriously.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Brian
02:00 – How did you get into 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
02:20 – He needed to make money for college, and that was the beginning of his business
03:10 – First year revenue was super low
03:30 – He dropped out of university four years later and made $100k
04:00 – 1997 was his first million-dollar year
04:15 – He makes money by hauling away junk
04:30 – 2015 revenue was 215 million
05:05 – 250 franchise partners
05:50 – Charges to franchisers are population based
06:40 – Helping franchise owners to be successful by keeping fees low
07:10 – The average owner varies from $200000 to $1 million
08:10 – Why go into the franchise model?
08:20 – Building together instead of going it alone
08:40 – Collaboration between entrepreneurs
08:55 – A crowdsource model
09:30 – It is a private company, focused on growth
09:45 – He did not raise capital.
10:15 – He generates personal wealth by collecting dividends
10:45 – He doesn’t care so much about pulling money out for himself
11:05 – Wealth is watching people grow and evolve
11:20 – He has no board of advisors
11:30 – He likes one-on-one advice from mentors
11:45 – He is going to have a month-long stay-cation with his family
12:15 – A legacy plan is in place, but there is no formal board
13:00 – They get emails on a daily basis from people who want to pay him for the company
13:30 – His business is like his child—he wants to watch it grow
13:55 – He is open to partnerships, but he does not want to sell and risk losing his vision
15:00 – Go to o2ebrands.com
16:35 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Help your employees be successful
Collaborate with a team instead of going it alone.
Take hiring very seriously.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
The E-Myth – Brian’s favorite business book.
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Sep 4, 2016

Nick Gray, founder and CEO of Museum Hack. Nick thought museums were SO BORING!! Before he launched Museum Hack, he used word of mouth to advertise his idea and give free museum tours to his friends. Now his business is making over 1 million dollars per year.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – The Power of Full Engagement
What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Bezos
Favorite online tool? — Revue
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No. Use SleepTracker.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Do less drugs.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Nick Gray
02:15 – How did you get into museums?
02:25 – “Renegade museum tours.”
02:40 – Revenue comes from charges for live tours
03:00 – Launched in 2013
03:10 – Over 10000 tours sold last year
03:20 – Total revenue was 1.3 million
03:30 – Average cost is $75 per tour
03:45 – Labor cost is $88 per person
04:15 – Net margin relies on high-end tours
04:40 – In the beginning, they got new customers from word of mouth
05:25 – First year revenue was $60k
05:45 – They want to attract people to keep coming back
06:00 – They need to up their repeat rate
06:15 – There are plenty of people to target
06:40 – He just started paying himself a salary
07:20 – His mom is his accountant
07:40 – He is learning to be a better CEO
07:50 – He supported himself with a full-time job at the beginning of the business
08:15 – He built up savings and committed to his museum business
08:40 – His last job gave him a very healthy salary
09:15 – He has always been a big saver
09:45 – His advice: Treating your passion like your job, and creating a demand by providing that product for free
10:30 – Some passions are worthless
10:45 – His team size is 12 full time and 25 part time, along with remote staff
11:15 – Expenses are up to $80k per month
11:40 – The pressure to break even does not worry him
12:10 – Moms and their lectures on receipts
13:10 – A connection with Trip Advisor
13:50 – “It was just a fluke.”
14:05 – His goal for this year is 2.2 million
14:15 – Museumhack.com and NickGray.net
15:45 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Create a demand for your product by offering it for free.
Treat your passion like your job until you can transition to that passion full time.
Build up your savings, and be willing to take risks.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
The Power of Full Engagement - Nick’s favorite business book
Revue – Nick’s favorite online tool
NickGray.net – Read Nick’s weekly newsletters
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Sep 3, 2016

Chris Evans, cofounder of Traffic and Funnels. Surrounded by incredible entrepreneurs, Chris decided that it was his time to build a success empire. His business Traffic and Funnels has taken a smart approach to business: They have focused on their strengths to get revenue, and now they are ready to expand.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – King Icahn
What CEO do you follow? — Trump and Zuckerberg
Favorite online tool? — Slack
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Yes
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Find and invest in a mentor

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:35 – Nathan introduces Chris
01:55 – Chris worked with a lot of amazing entrepreneurs and decided to build his own empire
02:40 – He helps experts built client acquisition systems
03:00 – 1 $5500 product, and an upsell
03:25 – Traffic and Funnels is a slick website
03:40 – The numbers
03:50 -- $660000 in revenue for 2016 so far
04:30 – The problem with paid marketing
04:50 – Understanding the market and validating the product
05:15 – The biggest mistake is not understanding that market.
05:40 – The higher value products had a larger margin for error
06:00 – Cost to acquire a client is $400 to $700
06:15 – Solid revenue goals
06:40 – Advice for the info-product space
07:00 – Have clarity
07:30 – You need a target and a specialization
07:50 – Track your numbers and know what you need to break even
08:00 – How do you think about stages for scaling?
08:25 – The revenue must keep up with the spending.
08:50 – Know your business model and your plan.
09:10 – Work your way backwards.
09:25 – Take out any emotion.
09:45 – An evergreen business
10:00 – A launch-style business is more stressful up front
10:20 – You have to be smart and build credibility.
10:50 – Why this model?
11:10 – To build up a kiddy and launch their own evergreen info product
11:35 – Starting with their biggest strength
11:45 – Building stability and growing
12:10 – Taking on more employees does not scare him.
12:30 – They can get through adversity.
12:44 – Go to trafficandfunnels.com and Facebook.com/chrisaevans
14:55 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Start with your biggest strength until your business has stability.
Create a plan and work your way backwards.
Understand the market and validate your product.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
King Ichahn - Chris’ favorite business book
Slack – Chris’ favorite online tool
Toptal – Great for people to get access to software developers
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Sep 2, 2016

Jonathan Gass of Nomad Financial. Jonathan founded his company because he decided to focus his career on entrepreneurship and startups. His business works with startups to help them make smart financial plans and fundraising decisions. Today we’ll learn from him about what pitfalls to avoid in our own startups.

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Give and Take
  • What CEO do you follow? — Johnny Rockefeller, of the book Titan
  • Favorite online tool? — Audible
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I try for 7 to 8.
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Listen to your gut when you are making decisions. Focus on culture.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:35 – Nathan introduces Jonathan
  • 02:10 – His main focus is entrepreneurship
  • 02:25 – He saw the same problems with most startup founders
    • 02:50 – They weren’t setting up their accounting systems to support decision making
  • 03:10 – He worked for Vimeo a few years ago
    • 03:25 – They had to pitch what set them apart from YouTube and other companies
    • 03:55 – Building tools to support video makers
  • 04:10 – Nomad Financial generates revenue for a number of services, paid for by the hour.
  • 04:30 – Their employees specialize in helping startups
    • 05:25 – A role as an advocate
    • 05:45 – Pushback from auditors
    • 06:00 – Staying on top of trends
  • 06:20 – What is a 409a valuation?
    • 06:58 – Startups mix that up with a valuation for selling stock.
  • 07:30 – Mistakes early entrepreneurs make with cap tables
    • 07:40 – No consistent terms
    • 08:15 – Even the software can’t always solve those problems
    • 09:00 – Understanding the implications of sale
    • 09:15 – One man who had an option to sell his company, but wasn’t really going to make any money
    • 10:10 – Nathan’s interview with Teachable (Episode 117)
  • 11:00 – Explaining preferred shareholders
    • 11:35 – Investors that ask for really aggressive terms
    • 12:00 – Be careful with the terms in your agreement
  • 12:35 – Smart money vs. “plain dollars”
    • 12:55 – People who are there to actually help the business
    • 13:25 – Understanding the goals of your investors
    • 14:50 – The importance of a fit culture and a fit vision
  • 14:40 – The friendliest investor for the entrepreneur
    • 15:00 -- Great term sheets, and providing great value
  • 15:15 – Interplay investors
    • 16:10 – Jonathan is making about 4 or 5 investments each year.
    • 16:35 – Seed-stage and a-round investments
  • 17:00 – Why put a portion of your portfolio into startups?
    • 17:20 – You keep that portion for that, and you use the other portion for other things.
    • 17:45 – Living for entrepreneurship and believing in these startups.
  • 19:00 – Connect with Jonathan at j@nomadfinancial.com  and nomadfinancial.com
  • 20:45 – The Famous Five

 

3 Key Points:

  • Set up your accounting to support decision making in your startup.
  • Be aware of your investor’s goals and what value they will contribute to your company.
  • You need a cohesive culture and vision, among founders and investors.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • Give and Take – A business book that teaches philosophies Jonathan lives by
  • Interplay – A reliable team of investors and partners
  • Toptal – Great for people to get access to software developers
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

 

Sep 1, 2016

Roy Man, CEO of Dapulse. Dapulse is a tool designed to solve “inherently problematic” management strategies in businesses. The company has a philosophy of being transparent with their revenue and numbers, all of which you can find on their Instagram page.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – The Hard Thing About Hard Things
What CEO do you follow? — Avishai Abrahami
Favorite online tool? — FullStory
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — No regrets.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:20 – Nathan introduces Roy Man
01:50 – What is Dapulse?
01:55 – A management tool for your company
02:20 – Solving something that was “inherently problematic”
02:30 – A SaaS business launched in February 2014
03:00 – Currently over 5000 customers
03:20 – Each company, or customer, pays a certain amount, depending on their team size
03:50 – Total MRR in June was $360k
04:15 – See screenshots of their numbers on Instagram
04:50 – They have raised $9 million
05:00 – They started with raising $1.5 million
05:40 – The startup mentality
06:20 – Their valuation was 3.53 million
07:00 – A solid product with a good market
07:15 – A year of product marketing and finding what people were using for management
07:50 – “People think in tables.”
08:25 – The product market fit
08:45 – They started to launch and scale and did a convertible note
09:10 – Their last round of funding was $5 million, with a post valuation of $28.5 million
09:45 – First year revenue was less than a million
10:20 – Customer acquisition cost varies
11:10 – Average is about $600
11:55 – Monthly customer churn is 2%
12:20 – Negative revenue churn
13:30 – Lifetime value is great
14:20 – Churn is not relative in terms of money
14:40 – As you scale, some customers will leave
15:10 – Expand your customer circle as much as you can
15:25 – Team size is about 35
15:40 – Total 2015 revenue was about 3 million
16:35 – Connect with Roy at roy@dapulse.com
17:05 – Roy’s Blog on Medium
19:30 – The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Create a product that has strong market potential.
Spend time getting to know what your customers will want out of your product or service.
Expand your customer circle as much as you can.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
FullStory – Roy’s favorite online tool
The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Roy’s business book recommendation
Toptal – Great for people to get access to software developers
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Aug 31, 2016

Max Pechersky, co-founder of PromoRepublic. His company focuses on helping marketing freelancers get new ideas and strategies for content marketing. As PromoRepublic continues to grow, the company is stretching its boundaries to provide more products for freelancers.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – Intercom on Product Management
What CEO do you follow? —
Favorite online tool? — Wunderlist
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Almost never.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — It’s ok if someone doesn’t like me.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:20 – Nathan introduces Max
02:05 – The co-founder of PromoRepublic
03:00 – He owns thirty percent of the company
03:20 – It’s a software service that helps with content marketing.
03:45 – Solving the frustrations of marketing freelancers
04:10 – The business was founded at the end of 2013
04:45 – First year total revenue – 30000 euro
05:00 – Now he has 10k in recurring revenue
05:50 – Total customers: 600
06:10 – Customer pricing is about $12 per month
07:00 -- $650000 raised
07:30 – It was a grant and a soft loan.
08:00 – Churn monthly is 8%
08:50 – They had to decide which customers to focus on
09:30 – They moved to freelance marketers
09:50 – It’s about $100 in acquisition cost
10:30 – The average person stays for about a year.
11:14 – Additional revenue streams
11:25 – Social media templates
11:40 – Like stock photos for social media posts
12:00 – Max@PromoRepublic.com
13:30 – The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Channel your product toward a specific market.
When you start to see success, look for additional revenue streams.
Come up with an idea that solves a fundamental problem.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
Wunderlist – Max’s favorite online tool
Intercom on Product Management – Max’s favorite business book
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Aug 30, 2016

Brian Wong, who started his company Kiip after getting laid off. As his company has grown and matured, his cofounders have moved on. But Brian is incredible grateful for his company and believes in sticking to your decisions and putting your whole heart and soul into your business. Now Kiip is on track to make $20 million this year, so he must be doing something right.

 

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Predictably Irrational
  • What CEO do you follow? — Evan Spiegel
  • Favorite online tool? — Evernote
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Stop taking everything so seriously. Everything is going to work out.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:20 – Nathan introduces Brian
  • 01:50 – Kiip is embedded into apps, and it rewards you for achievements in those apps
  • 02:45 – 50/50 revenue share with brands who provide the rewards
  • 03:20 – The economics of partnering with a brand like Gatorade
    • 04:00 – Customers must claim the award for either company to get money
  • 05:00 – Why they use email to deliver the awards
  • 05:38 – Brian’s journey to where he is now, at age 25
    • 06:00 – He found himself in business development
    • 06:55 – Laid off in 2010
    • 07:00 – He met with a few venture capitalists, and a startup seemed like the right direction
    • 08:00 – He and his two cofounders got started
  • 08:30 – They started with $300k
  • 09:30 – Total capital now is $32 million
  • 09:45 – Last year’s revenue was $11 million
  • 10:00 – Margins are increasing as they are becoming more efficient
    • 10:40 – Reducing server costs, marketing costs, and creating different revenue streams
  • 11:25 – They have a unique revenue model that brings in “new money”
  • 12:35 – Engagement rate is 10%
  • 13:10 – Both of Brian’s cofounders have left to do other things
  • 13:45 – How Brian feels about his company’s growth
    • 14:15 – “At the end of the day, it’s what your exit is.”
    • 14:50 – He feels thankful for what he has with his company
    • 15:15 – “Make your decision and don’t look back.” You can always dream about what could be better or different, but follow through and stay committed to what you have.
  • 16:50 – Goal for 2016 is $20 million
  • 17:00 – Hopes to grow the margin more
  • 17:15 – Twitter @brian_wong and Snapchat at bwong91
  • 19:20 – The Famous Five

 

3 Key Points:

  • When you make a decision, completely commit to that decision.
  • It does no good to daydream about what could be better or different. Channel that energy into improving what you have.
  • Take advantage of an opportunity when it is put in front of you.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • Evernote – Brian’s favorite online tool
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Aug 29, 2016

Deepak Goel, the mastermind behind his new company  KarmaCircles. Deepak says the company is the next-generation LinkedIn. He believes he has found his calling in life as an entrepreneur in the social networking niche.

 

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Give and Take
  • What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn
  • Favorite online tool? — Mint, Appear.in
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Absolutely.
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Don’t stay in a company for more than two years.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:05 – Nathan introduces Deepak
  • 01:50 – KarmaCircles is an app that connects entrepreneurs with successful business people
  • 02:55 – Pilots with business schools and corporate companies
  • 03:15 – No money the first year
  • 03:30 – What companies are similar to KarmaCircles
    • 04:20 – A LinkedIn of the future
  • 05:00 – All free pilots right now
    • 05:45 – Why they are not charging for the app now
  • 06:40 – Will the customers pay when they make that shift?
    • 07:10 – If customers like the product, they will stay
  • 07:40 – Target annual contract value size
    • 07:55 – 500 users per month for business schools
    • 08:45 – It can be used by any company that does networking
    • 09:00 – Much larger contracts for corporate companies
  • 10:10 – Capital from six angel investors
  • 10:40 – 6 people on their team
    • 10:50 – They pay $3000/month for six engineers
  • 11:40 – Differences between them and the company Clarity
  • 12:00 – Social networking is Deepak’s “life calling”
  • 13:00 – Karmacircles.com/Deepak
  • 15:00 – Giving of yourself for free will circle back to you
  • 15:45 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:

  • Find the industry that you were made for.
  • If you give to others freely, you will see karma come back around to you.
  • Believe in your business and set high expectations.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • Mint – Deepak’s favorite online tool
  • Appear.in – A video conversation tool that requires no download
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Aug 28, 2016

Massimo Chieruzzi, CEO of AdEspresso. His company, founded in 2013, is now so profitable that he says they don’t need fundraising! Massimo sees only growth for AdEspresso in the future as Facebook ads continue to evolve and improve.

 

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Predictably Irrational
  • What CEO do you follow? — Rand Fishkin
  • Favorite online tool? — HubSpot
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep?— No
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Don’t start a startup. Get some experience for a corporate business first.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:05 – Nathan introduces Massimo
  • 01:30 – AdEspresso was first on The Top on Episode 70
  • 01:50 – Focus on growing and reducing churn
  • 02:25 – Revenue is about $400k/month
  • 02:38 – 2015 total revenue was $3M
  • 02:50 – Fundraising has reached $1.8 Million
  • 03:30 – “We have been profitable this last year, so we don’t need the money.”
  • 04:00 – More than 4000 customers
  • 04:45 – Learn about AdEspresso at Adespresso.com
  • 05:00 – Churn is 7% and is decreasing
  • 06:00 – How long their customers stay
  • 07:10 – 35 people on their team
  • 07:20 – Monthly expenses are around $280k
  • 07:45 – They are growing by at least 15% every month
  • 08:00 – How the company is sustainable
  • 08:30 – Customer acquisition is less than $10
  • 08:45 – Paid acquisition is only content promotion
  • 09:20 – They were founded in 2013
  • 09:30 – What would Massimo sell his company for?
  • 10:20 – @MassimoCw on Twitter or massimo@adespresso.com
  • 12:10 – The Famous Five

 

3 Key Points:

  • Allow yourself to gain knowledge from different experiences.
  • Find ways to lower your acquisition costs.
  • Get into an industry that has a long life ahead of it.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • HubSpot – Massimo’s favorite online tool
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Aug 28, 2016

Massimo Chieruzzi, CEO of AdEspresso. His company, founded in 2013, is now so profitable that he says they don’t need fundraising! Massimo sees only growth for AdEspresso in the future as Facebook ads continue to evolve and improve.

 

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Predictably Irrational
  • What CEO do you follow? — Rand Fishkin
  • Favorite online tool? — HubSpot
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep?— No
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Don’t start a startup. Get some experience for a corporate business first.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:05 – Nathan introduces Massimo
  • 01:30 – AdEspresso was first on The Top on Episode 70
  • 01:50 – Focus on growing and reducing churn
  • 02:25 – Revenue is about $400k/month
  • 02:38 – 2015 total revenue was $3M
  • 02:50 – Fundraising has reached $1.8 Million
  • 03:30 – “We have been profitable this last year, so we don’t need the money.”
  • 04:00 – More than 4000 customers
  • 04:45 – Learn about AdEspresso at Adespresso.com
  • 05:00 – Churn is 7% and is decreasing
  • 06:00 – How long their customers stay
  • 07:10 – 35 people on their team
  • 07:20 – Monthly expenses are around $280k
  • 07:45 – They are growing by at least 15% every month
  • 08:00 – How the company is sustainable
  • 08:30 – Customer acquisition is less than $10
  • 08:45 – Paid acquisition is only content promotion
  • 09:20 – They were founded in 2013
  • 09:30 – What would Massimo sell his company for?
  • 10:20 – @MassimoCw on Twitter or massimo@adespresso.com
  • 12:10 – The Famous Five

 

3 Key Points:

  • Allow yourself to gain knowledge from different experiences.
  • Find ways to lower your acquisition costs.
  • Get into an industry that has a long life ahead of it.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • HubSpot – Massimo’s favorite online tool
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Aug 27, 2016

Adam Tishman, cofounder of Helix Sleep. His company gives every customer a custom-made mattress that is even more affordable then retail brands. With several options, customers can come up with hundreds of different combinations to build their perfect, individualized mattress. Learn about Helix Sleep’s goals to continue expanding and to provide the best customer experience.

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Made to Stick
  • What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Gross
  • Favorite online tool? — Moat.com
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—About 7.
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Learn about customer lifetime value and customer acquisition. Take risks earlier.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:25 – Nathan introduces Adam
  • 01:45 – Helix Sleep
  • 01:55 – Custom-made mattresses
  • 02:20 – The price is always the same for the consumer
  • 02:50 – Costs to produce are up to $500 in the mattress industry
  • 03:50 – Net margin
  • 04:20 – Growth of the business
  • 04:35 – Founded a year ago
  • 04:45 – Thousands of mattresses already sold
  • 05:10 – Acquisition
  • 05:40 – Podcasts and radio
    • 06:30 – Really successful in the mattress industry
  • 07:05 – A business model that they can scale
  • 08:10 – A simple game, with one product
  • 08:30 – They use their revenue to fuel growth
  • 09:50 – Capital
    • 10:10 – Seed round just under $1M
  • 10:45 – Team of 16
  • 11:00 – First year revenue was lower than their monthly revenue now
  • 11:55 – The technology
    • 12:10 – An algorithm to make the customized mattresses
    • 12:25 – Coding is outsourced
  • 13:10 – The process for finding a developer on Toptal
    • 14:25 – Everyone is pre-screened
    • 14:50 – Legally, you still own the code
    • 15:20 – More affordable
  • 16:10 – Why they chose Toptal
  • 17:00 – Churn is not a focus for this type of business
  • 17:40 – Focus on building the brand
  • 17:55 – The customer experience
  • 18:14 – Hundreds of skews
  • 19:35 – Goals for 2016
  • 20:35 – helixsleep.com, blog.helixsleep.com, and Adam Tishman on LinkedIn or adam@helixsleep.com
  • 23:00 – The Famous Five

 

3 Key Points:

  • Find a way to provide high-quality products at a more affordable price.
  • Take risks earlier, and jump up the business ladder.
  • Come up with a business model that can be scaled.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • Moat.com – Adam’s favorite online tool to see how he compares to his competitors
  • Toptal – A platform for finding freelancers
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Aug 26, 2016

Michael Hollauf, cofounder and CEO of MeisterLabs. The company works to provide resources to collaborate across digital platforms. Now they are introducing a new service, MeisterTask, which focuses on better task management and a fun user experience. Hear about how MeisterLabs has hit the ground running and is continuing to introduce new tools to help businesses and entrepreneurs succeed.

Famous Five:

 

  • Favorite Book? – Rich Dad Poor Dad
  • What CEO do you follow? — Stewart Butterfield
  • Favorite online tool? — Slack
  • Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—Yes
  • If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Buy a flat in London. Be bold. Do it earlier.

 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  • 01:05 – Nathan introduces Michael
  • 01:35 – Managing director of MeisterLabs
  • 02:20 – MeisterTask
  • 03:10 – Trello was their inspiration
    • 03:40 – Better task management
    • 04:00 – Something more fun to use and focused on tasks
  • 04:15 – 550000 users
  • 05:10 – 60% of the downloads are through the app store
  • 05:30 – Some features only available in the premium model
  • 06:00 – 5000 paying customers
  • 06:50 – Why people upgrade
    • 07:00 – Better integration
  • 07:20 – Funding
  • 08:00 – MeisterTask revenue for 2015 was $20k
  • 08:20 – MindMeister was $2.5 M
    • 08:35 – Monthly recurring was $220k
    • 09:00 – 5 million users
    • 09:15 – 30000 paying customers
    • Collaboration for mind maps
  • 10:10 – Cost to acquire a new customer is about $30
  • 10:30 – 27% annual churn
  • 11:50 – Average customer stays for about 20 months
    • 12:05 – Monthly plan was changed to a longer plan, which increased retention
  • 12:30 – How MindMeister is growing
    • 12:40 – about $25k/month on Google Ads
    • 13:00 – best keyword is “mind mapping”
  • 13:30 – Competitors
  • 14:00 – Goal for the business is to create a suite of products
  • 14:50 – MeisterTask valuation
  • 16:00 – Michael Hollauf on LinkedIn
  • 16:22 – michael@meisterlabs.com
  • 28:35 -- The Famous Five

 

3 Key Points:

  • Don’t be afraid to draw from ideas of existing companies.
  • Establish your end goal for your business.
  • Be bold. Start your business early.

 

Resources Mentioned:

  • Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
  • Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
  • Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
  • Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
  • Trello – A similar service to MeisterTask that inspired Michael
  • Slack -- Another online tool that inspires Michael and his team
  • Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
1 « Previous 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Next » 44