Jon Lee, CEO of ProsperWorks. Jon has jumped to many different industries, from gaming to tech to banking. As an entrepreneur with success in multiple companies, he believes in going after your business goals as soon as possible. Listen to his journey through his businesses and how he ended up with ProsperWorks.
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Kevin Davis, who came up with a creative solution for tech support. After waiting weeks to get his computer back from the Geek Squad, he thought there had to be a quicker, better solution. He created Geekatoo as a platform for people to find tech experts in their own neighborhoods.
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Byron Walker, owner of Survival Frog. Byron is passionate about scaling businesses that will change the world. Hear the breakdown of Survival Frog and what launched this company into huge success.
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Hamza Amir, who is the CEO of Blurbiz. As a marketing guru working for household names like Disney and Coca-Cola, Hamza saw a problem in the industry with mobile videos. He kept hearing the same complaints, but no one was doing anything about it. Hamza came up with the solution when he created Blurbiz.
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Danavir Sarria. After working as a freelance copywriter, Danavir wanted to stop working with clients and start working for himself. He created CopyMonk, a service that teaches people how to increase sales by producing effective copy. At only 22 years old, Danavir is making a place for himself as an expert copywriter.
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Joe Hyrkin, CEO of Issuu. Joe enjoys working in the publishing industry because it is driven by passion. It is a collective space for people who are moved about something to experience that thing together. Listen as Joe talks about Issuu, which has brought the publishing industry into a modern, digital context.
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Julie Fredrickson from Stowaway Cosmetics. Have you ever felt like your purse was so heavy it could take someone out with one swing? Every lip gloss, concealer, and eyeliner really adds up! Julie has a found a solution to this problem with Stowaway Cosmetics, which focuses on creating a more mobile product for women on the go. Listen as she tells us how she has transformed the beauty industry with products that actually get used.
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Phil Alexander, founder and CEO of ConceptDrop. His company has a mission to get your projects done while you’re sleeping. You can send your project to ConceptDrop and expect to see the end result within mere hours. Listen as Phil tells us about the incredible growth of his business and what he sees for ConceptDrop in the future.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – The Wall Street Journal
What CEO do you follow? — Sundar Pichai
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? — You’re not going to learn everything in business school. Start selling as soon as you can.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:05 – Nathan introduces Phil
01:40 – ConceptDrop
02:05 – Servicing over 300 brands
02:25 – A global network of sellers
02:58 – About 30% taken from the sellers
03:25 – They set the prices
03:48 – Upselling to the buyers
04:10 – The average buyer
04:25 – Started in 2012
04:50 – First-year revenue was a couple thousand
05:10 – Funds raised
06:00 – Valuation was between $5 to $7 million
06:20 – Reasons for the valuation come down mostly to growth rate
07:15 – Investors
07:30 – 300 buyers, and under 100 sellers
08:00 – Average seller makes $500 per project, with 4 to 5 projects each month
08:55 – Seeing great growth
09:40 -- $10,000/month to much higher
10:35 – Repurchase rates
11:24 – Total revenue for 2015 was just under $300k
11:55 – Last month, 50 companies used the platform
12:45 – Small, high-quality pool of freelancers
13:10 – A lot of potential in the near future
14:20 – phil@conceptdrop.com, @philalexander1 on Twitter
16:30 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
There is no perfect formula for starting a business.
High-quality service is a great way to make your business stand out.
Assess your business for its potential.
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 – Phil’s favorite online tool for marketing and sales
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Yahya Mokhtarzada, co-founder of Truebill. Truebill is a free online tool designed to keep track of all of your monthly subscriptions and find ways to save you money. With so many products requiring a subscription fee, Truebill keeps your bills more organized and paid on time.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – Onward
What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Bezos
Favorite online tool? — Ahrefs
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No chance.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Take bigger risks.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:10 – Nathan introduces Yahya
1:30 – Truebill keeps track of recurring bills and subscriptions
2:00 – Free for users
2:20 – Looking at transactions and making recommendations
2:50 – Business development deals
3:20 – Launched in January 2016
03:40 – Healthy growth each month
04:00 – Up to $50k/month at the end of the year
04:20 – Saving other people money
04:45 –$1.75 million in capital
05:15 – Agreement for future equity
06:20 – User data
06:40 – Deals with businesses for advertising
07:50 – Introducing users to the products of those businesses
09:00 – Total users signed up are 50000
09:25 – Activation metrics
09:50 – Different options to explore for the future
10:30 – “the low-hanging fruit”
11:10 – blog.truebill.com
13:10 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Consider taking bigger risks when you can afford to do so.
Focus your business model on helping other people.
Start with “the low-hanging fruit” to get your business going.
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.
Ahrefs – Yahya’s favorite online tool for assistance with SEO.
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Raj Bhaskar, CEO and cofounder of Hurdlr. Hurdlr is an online tool that helps freelancers and entrepreneurs track their income and taxes. It helps people save money by calculating deductions within seconds. Nathan and Raj will discuss the beginning of Hurdlr and where they are headed in the future.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – The One Thing
What CEO do you follow? — Gary Keller
Favorite online tool? — Google Drive, Freshbooks
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 be so serious.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:03 – Nathan introduces Raj
02:15 – VisualHOMES acquisition price
02:35 – Revenue model
03:10 – Using proceeds from that as an investor and for Hurdlr
03:25 – Hurdlr launched a couple years ago
03:40 – It tracks finances and taxes for freelancers
04:25 – Competitors
04:40 – “Like Mint but for business.”
05:15 – Quick process compared to competitors
05:55 – They integrate with Freshbooks
06:20 – The business model
06:30 – They are currently pre-revenue
06:45 – Monthly or annual fee
07:10 – Other mobile solutions are different
07:40 – They have no desktop product
08:00 – Mobile is fast
08:30 – Founded 2.5 years ago
08:50 – Costs started in 2014
09:10 – Capital has been over $1.5 million
09:50 – 16 fulltime employees
10:25 – Usage metrics
10:45 – Mileage tracking
11:15 – Syncing with credit card
11:30 – Tens of thousands users, with 70% active once a month
12:00 – Pricing plan
12:20 – Simple and “part of the customer experience”
12:40 – “Pricing should bring a smile to your face.”
13:00 – Referrals
13:15 – Tracking savings through deductions
13:40 – The option to continue paying a monthly fee
14:10 – hurdlr.com with real-time chat
16:15 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Come up with a pricing model that you would feel comfortable paying.
Find a niche that sets you apart.
Use new technology to come up with helpful solutions.
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.
Google Drive and Freshbooks -- Raj’s favorite tools, besides Hurdlr
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Cory Gregory, a fourth-generation coalminer who has made it to the top in the fitness industry. Cory has now developed his personal brand on his website where people can pay $8.99 per month to get his top workout plans and his daily articles and videos on how to get into incredible shape.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – Rich Dad Poor Dad
What CEO do you follow? — Bill Phillips
Favorite online tool? — Quickbooks
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Have a strong strategy early.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:03 – Nathan introduces Cory
01:30 – Most money is in selling memberships and books on his internet business
02:00 -- $8.99/month membership
02:15 – Products in 100 countries
02:30 – Cofounder of MusclePharm
02:55 – Now a public company
03:15 – “A lot of Wall Street and a lot of boardrooms just really wasn’t for me.”
03:40 – Now owns 3%
04:00 – Went public in 2010
04:30 -- $40 million raised in capital
05:35 – “I learned a ton…. It changed my life forever.”
05:50 – He left the business about 9 months ago.
06:20 – “That thing’s bleeding cash.”
06:35 – Cory was in the programming and products side
06:50 – Proper management was a downfall
07:20 – “It was a rise to the top.”
07:40 -- $160 million in revenue
08:00 – Marketing was huge
08:40 -- Creating a personal brand
09:00 – “I feel blessed.”
09:20 – First gym started for $5000
09:30 -- The Old School Gym
09:40 -- $100k in memberships
10:00 – Biggest expenses
10:40 – six-figures in profit
11:20 – Revenue is more than $100k
11:40 – MusclePharm started at 30 years old
11:55 – corygfitness.com
12:05 – five 4-week plans every month
12:30 – Articles and videos every day
13:00 – Thousands of people use his monthly plan
13:20 – The reason for his vagueness
14:10 – Total revenue was $34k in his first month for his personal brand
15:20 – “There is nobody on the planet who can say they have done what I’ve done.”
16:20 – corygfitness.com, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram
16:40 – Business and Biceps podcast
19:00 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Don’t be confined to the environment you were raised in.
Develop your personal brand.
Find ways to make your service stand out.
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.
Quickbooks -- Cory’s favorite invoicing tool
Business and Biceps – Cory’s podcast
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Vincenzo Ruggiero, founder of Prospect.io. Vincenzo has a wife and two children, with one born just days ago. With the chaos of a new baby, Vincenzo has still found a way to support himself and his family and manage a new and growing business.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – Getting Real, Rework
What CEO do you follow? — Joel Gascoigne
Favorite online tool? — Freshbooks, Slack, Trello, Appear
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—No
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Be humble.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:15 – Nathan introduces Vincenzo
01:40 – Prospect.io is a sales software
02:00 – Recurring revenue from monthly plans
02:20 – Launched in January 2016
02:40 – June revenue was $17k
03:15 – Customer pays more the more they use it
04:10 – Average is $45/month
04:30 – How they have driven customers
04:50 – word of mouth
05:50 – Different types of customers
06:20 – Self-funded
06:45 – Team of 3
07:30 – The system in Belgium makes Vincenzo the sole founder
08:00 – Vincenzo started with other web businesses before he started Prospect.io
09:10 – His family (two kids)
09:35 – How he supports himself
09:45 – He lives off of savings and a very low salary
11:10 – The company breaks even
11:30 – Growth each month
11:50 – How they got such fast growth
13:15 – Customer churn is 6% monthly
14:25 – Customer acquisition cost is $50
15:00 – Lifetime value is $570
15:30 -- @VincenzoR on Twitter
17:35 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Plan out financially how you be able to afford to start a new business.
Don’t let your arrogance get in the way of your success.
A success work life does not have to take away from a success home life.
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.
Slack, Trello, and Appear – Online tools that Vincenzo uses for his business
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Andrew Kemendo, founder of Pair. Andrew was in Guam as an Airforce Intelligence Officer when he came up with an augmented reality idea to try out furniture and materials without having to buy or ship anything. The Airforce needed to build new facilities, and Andrew thought his idea would save a lot of money and headache. Now his company Pair is used by several large manufacturers to help people find the right furniture for their homes.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – Crossing the Chasm
What CEO do you follow? — Justin Kan
Favorite online tool? — Slack
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—Never.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Keep learning about paradigm shifting technologies.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:13 – Nathan introduces Andrew
01:40 – Pair is a tool to try out home furnishings before you buy them
02:30 – Free for consumers
02:45 – Andrew’s experience in Guam and how he came up with Pair
03:45 – They started working with architects
04:10 – Launched fulltime in 2015
05:00 – Funding over $900k
05:20 – First-year revenue was $10000/month
06:20 – Pilots in big cities
06:30 – Monthy and up-front fees
07:15 – Revenue in 2016
07:50 – 15 manufacturers and over 2000 products
08:30 – Transition for the company
09:10 – Architects to home furnishers
10:20 – Larger adjustable market
10:40 – Projection for $1.5M
11:20 -- 20000 products placed each month by app users
12:15 – CPC and CPM
12:55 – Ability to scale
13:25 – Pair on Twitter and Facebook
13:45 -- @andrewkemendo on Twitter and andrewkdot on Snapchat
15:45 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Embrace new technology to create a solution to a problem.
Don’t be afraid to change your business model to help your business grow.
Adjust your product to benefit a larger group of consumers.
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.
Slack – The online tool Andrew uses to stay organized at Pair
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Timur Daudpota, cofounder of Blurbiz. His business allows companies to create and edit videos and post them directly to Snapchat. Listen to Timur share his journey as an entrepreneur. He started out with skateboards, and now he’s jumped to Snapchat.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – Zero to One
What CEO do you follow? — Elon Musk
Favorite online tool? — Sketch
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—No
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Read more books.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:10 – Nathan introduces Timur
02:00 – Blurbiz is a SaaS platform
03:00 – They found a gap in Snapchat
03:35 – Customers can link their Snapchat account and post videos through Blurbiz
04:20 – Working with publishers
04:40 – They charge $2k to $5k per month
05:00 -- $60k in revenue last month
05:15 – Too early for churn
05:45 – Customer acquisition
06:20 – They pay themselves a $60k salary
06:35 – Fundraising is $425k total
07:15 – Valuation
08:20 – Team size is 8
08:30 – Commission based
09:45 – Based out of Mountain View
10:00 – Started with a skateboarding company
10:40 – Bringing back a classic skateboard design
11:00 – LED skateboard wheels
11:30 – Received prize money for their company
12:00 – Finding a better way to sell
12:20 – They connected their product with social media and sales jumped
13:00 – Equity for Blurbiz
13:45 – Follow Blurbiz on Snapchat
14:00 – 20000 views for every post on Snapchat
16:40 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Constantly find ways to improve your business.
If you find a gap in a certain company or industry, fill it.
Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur.
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.
Sketch – Timur’s favorite online tool
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Cody Bradstreet. Cody has a background in accounting and was working for Dell when she realized she needed a backup plan for work. She opened up her own franchise of The Lice Place, where people can have lice manually moved without harsh chemicals. Find out how an accountant got her hands into the lice industry.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – Her own future book
What CEO do you follow? — No
Favorite online tool? — Quickbooks
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—Yes
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Love yourself. Forward fixes everything.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:00 – Nathan introduces Cody
01:20 – Started in accounting
01:40 – Worked at Dell
02:10 – She left Dell to “chase my dreams in the lice industry.”
02:30 – Started as a backup plan for possible layoffs
03:20 – She approached a small business, The Lice Place
03:50 – The transition
04:25 – Franchising
04:40 – Total revenue for the year before she bought it was under $50k
05:10 – Service to manually remove lice
05:50 – She did her own valuation
06:50 – Royalties
07:10 – A standard franchise model
08:00 – A goal to buy the whole business
08:50 – Why to buy instead of build
09:10 – Revenue for the last year was $250k
09:50 – Employees are the biggest expenses
10:10 – Advice for future franchisers
10:40 – “Get a good lawyer.”
10:55 – Connect with Cody on LinkedIn
12:45 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Put yourself out there to get into a certain industry or business.
Consider buying a business instead of building a new one.
Make sure you read the fine print before you start your own franchise.
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.
Quickbooks – Cody’s accounting tool
Evernote – Nathan’s favorite online tool
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Kenneth Lee, founder of TravelFlan. Kenneth has a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and has developed a business that makes travelling easier. TravelFlan has partnered with major airlines as well as thousands of individual customers to give them a personal digital travelling assistant.
Famous 5:
Favorite Book? – Zero to One
What CEO do you follow? — Elon Musk
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? — Quit school faster.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:10 – Nathan introduces Kenneth
01:30 – TravelFlan
01:55 – Customers pay on average $15
02:30 – Three sources of revenue
03:05 – History of the business
03:30 – He and his partner loved to travel
04:14 – First-year revenue in 2015 $120k
04:50 – They have a free service and a premium service
05:15 – 2000 customers
05:25 – May 2016 revenue from commissions from airlines was $25k
06:00 – Two large airlines use their data
06:30 – May total revenue was $50k
06:55 – Fundraising
07:30 -- $5 Million valuation
07:40 – Most of the team is in Asia
08:25 – Churn is not as applicable in this type of business
09:30 – Customer acquisition
09:57 – Team of 11 people
10:10 – travelflan.com or Kenneth.lee@travelflan.com
23:40 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Start with a very focused business and then expand as you see success.
If you have a good idea, pursue it immediately.
Find different ways to make revenue.
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 – Kenneth’s favorite online tool
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Peter Voogd. Peter helped several millennials make six figures and realized he could make a business out of it. His Gamechanger’s Academy helps promising entrepreneurs become successful within months. Under 30 himself, Peter is a best-selling author and a recognized leader for entrepreneurs and millennials.
Famous Five:
Favorite Book? – The Millionaire Fastlane
What CEO do you follow? — Elon Musk
Favorite online tool? — Infusionsoft, ScheduleOnce, Kajabi
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—No
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Stay strategic and intentional.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:10 – Nathan introduces Peter
02:05 – Gamechanger’s Academy
02:30 – Launched in 2013
02:45 – Connections for young entrepreneurs
03:10 – His past experience
03:30 – “Built a culture of excellence”
04:20 – He helped several young professionals become successful
05:00 – “I wanted to shift the culture for millennials.”
05:15 – gamechangersmovement.com
05:25 – Payment system
06:05 -- $297/month for the Platinum plan
06:50 – About 70% are on a yearly plan
07:10 – The Rookie plan
07:30 – Churn
08:00 – People typically stay for 7 to 8 months if they’re not on the yearly plan
08:50 – A focus beyond just the numbers
10:10 – Good retention for the industry
10:30 – How to get new people to find the site
10:50 – Podcast, book, content
11:05 – Referral program
11:20 – Biggest expenses
11:30 – Affiliate costs
11:45 – Organic traffic
12:30 – 6 Months to 6 Figures
13:00 –Self-published
13:15 – 135000 books sold, plus audio books
13:30 – Marketing
14:45 – Bulk purchases
15:25 – Peterjvoogd on Instagram and peterjvoogd.com
17:45 – Peter’s email list
18:00 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
It starts with your own effort and drive.
Consider how you can improve your own culture.
Make a business out of what you are good at.
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.
Infusionsoft -- Peter’s favorite online tool
ScheduleOnce -- Peter’s scheduling tool
Kajabi – Peter’s membership site portal
Gamechanger’s Academy – A top source for millennials and entrepreneurs
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Jodie Fox, a woman who has solved the problem of constantly hunting for the right pair of shoes. Her company Shoes of Prey has raised over $24 million for its system that allows every pair of shoes to be completely customized.
Famous 5:
Favorite Book? – Getting Things Done
What CEO do you follow? — Tom Ford
Favorite online tool? — Slack
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—No
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Do everything before you’re ready.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:13 – Nathan introduces Jodie
01:50 – Shoes of Prey—Women can design their own shoes
02:20 – Peer play
02:55 – Women wanted a physical interaction with their shoes
03:15 – First offline store
03:40 – Costs for stores
04:14 – Launched in 2009
04:20 – Funding to date is $24M
04:35 – Every pair is custom made
04:58 – Their website has a gallery for inspiration
05:10 – It’s a social interaction about shoes
06:05 – Customization can start with an inspiration shoe or from scratch
06:40 – Customers have complete freedom
07:25 – How much time people spend making a shoe
08:15 – Acquisition costs
09:45 – Mass-produced shoes are cheaper to produce
10:30 – Pairs of shoes sold
10:55 – Some people design and never buy
11:15 – Their investors
12:00 – Competitors
12:25 – Average sale is $225
13:03 – Team of over 220
13:30 – Production in China
13:40 – They built their own factory there
14:15 – A video of the process at their factory
14:40 – First-year revenue was less than $50k
15:00 – Jodie was not in the fashion industry when she started her company
16:40 – She was brainstorming with friends on the beach
17:15 – Her cofounders are her ex-husband and their groomsman
18:10 – Shoes of Prey wants to eventually grow to other clothing
19:20 – Pay per customer
19:40 – 75% is word of mouth
20:05 – Campaigns
20:50 – Testing offline methods
21:25 – youtube.com/jodiefox
21:35 – jodieannfox on Instagram or @jodiefox on Twitter
23:40 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Find a niche and you’ll have a business with no real competitors.
Don’t let complicated relationships get in the way of your business’s success.
Make your business a unique experience for the customer.
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.
Slack – Jodie’s favorite online tool
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Frank Ricotta, CEO of BurstIQ, which helps professionals and businesses in the healthcare industry connect. Frank has been through the grinder as an entrepreneur. Huge crash-and-burn businesses have gotten him to this point.
Famous 5:
Favorite Book? – The Executive in Action
What CEO do you follow? — PayPal
Favorite online tool? — Slack
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—No
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Trust your instincts, and don’t lose your balance.
Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:13 – Nathan introduces Frank
01:44 – BurstIQ is a platform service
02:00 – They help their customers create a network
02:53 – Founded in April 2015
03:05 – Frank had been working in health and saw an issue
03:24 – There are three founders
03:52 – First-year revenue was $150k
04:05 – Involvement in several other startups
04:25 – His “crash and burn” story
05:29 – The cofounders
05:55 – May 2016 customers: 10
06:20 – Average pay per customer is $250k to $1M
06:35 – A focus on the base plan
07:00 – $75k/month
07:35 – No patterns yet for churn
08:45 – Customer acquisition cost
09:00 – Inside sales and partners
09:15 -- $150k to $200k
09:40 – 12 team members
10:00 – What ratio Frank likes to see
10:40 – “Work to keep your head above water”
11:09 – The company’s capital
11:37 – Valuation for BurstIQ
12:40 – They want to raise $5M
13:10 – Based in Denver
13:55 – Techstars
14:25 -- @fricotta or Frank Ricotta on LinkedIn
16:26 -- The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Come up with a business that makes something simpler.
Being an entrepreneur means experiencing failure along with success.
If you don’t stretch yourself to reach high goals, no one will believe that you can ever achieve them.
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.
Slack – Frank’s favorite online tool to connect with coworkers and customers
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Ari Meisel, host of the Less Doing Podcast. Ari’s book Less Doing, More Living has sold over 30,000 copies and has been translated into six other languages. Even with four children, Ari stays on top of his consulting business that continues to bring in more revenue every month.
Famous 5:
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Nick Kullin of Second Flight Consultancy. Nick started his first business at just thirteen years old. As he continued with tons of other jobs after high school, he realized he wanted to go back to how he felt as a thirteen-year-old. He wanted to be an entrepreneur again.
Famous 5:
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Lillie Cameron, a brand new mom who also runs her own business. She started EcoSafe Spaces with her now husband. The company provides design and building services for green, eco-friendly construction. She also works with Rackspace, which has recently revamped its policies for maternity and paternity leave.
Famous 5:
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