Welcome back to Everyday Empires, where I chat with everyday people building ventures of their own and unpack how they did it.

Today, I’m excited to share something new with you. Usually I bring you written interviews, but today I’m bringing the first episode of the Everyday Empires Podcast. You can watch and listen above or via the Substack app. I’m also planning to upload to YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, but that might take a day or two. Let me know what you think 🫶🏼

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For this episode I sat down with Matthew Smith, founder of Wimp Decaf Coffee Co.

He’s led design at several startups, founded multiple ventures including Really Good Emails, and most recently led design as a partner at Bunsen Studio, a powerhouse creative studio serving science and frontier technology companies. Matthew is one of the best designers in the world and a veteran entrepreneur with experience across a range of industries.

This summer, when I saw him post about starting a decaf coffee company, my initial thought was something like, "wait, what?” Then I clicked through to the Wimp Coffee website and it all made sense. The brand work, from the name to the illustrations and the copywriting was all just so good. This wasn’t your ordinary coffee company. Through Wimp, Matthew was branding his own values. He was rejecting hustle culture, following his intuition, and betting on himself. Most importantly, he was having fun.

I smiled, nodded, and subscribed to the mailing list. And then the goods kept coming. The email drips were a masterclass in brand building. So on launch day I purchased my first bag of Wimp Coffee (the Kahlo roast), and then I did what I do best here at Everyday Empires and sent Matthew an email asking if he’d like to chat so I could get the backstory and learn how he brought Wimp to life.

We talked about

• The “why” behind Wimp and the problem with decaf coffee

• The first steps he took to go from an idea to a real company

• Why he started with brand

• The timeline from idea to launch

• Why he left a role he loved to start Wimp

• How he uses AI for decision-making and idea validation

Links and resources

• The Wimp Decaf Coffee website

• Decisive by the Heath Brothers. Matthew refers to this book when talking about making key decisions, such as which business idea to pursue.

• Made to Stick. Another book by the Heath Brothers that Matthew mentions.

• The Focus Course by Shawn Blanc. Matthew mentions how it was through this course that he had the epiphany that Wimp could be his main thing, and ultimately decided to leave his role at Bunsen to pursue Wimp.

• jetpacksandrollerskates is the illustrator Matthew hired to bring Kuma, the Wimp mascot, to life.

• Matthew’s business partners: Matt Patch (the roaster), Elijah Richards (the e-com guy), and Liam Tucker (the dev guy).

• “Meet the next Liquid Death,” an interview with Matthew that goes deeper on the brand work

Keep reading for a written version of our chat (edited for brevity) and my key takeaways…

The “why” behind Wimp Decaf Coffee

Ken: What sparked the idea for Wimp?

Matthew: I’ve always loved coffee but struggled with the effects of caffeine. After I quit drinking alcohol, caffeine started to feel like another source of anxiety and stress. One day, I was sweating while just typing on my computer and realized I needed to make a change. Cutting out caffeine led to better sleep and less stress, but decaf options were terrible. Most decaf uses low-quality beans and harmful chemicals like methylene chloride, which made me think—why isn’t there a decaf coffee that’s high-quality and free from all that junk? That’s when Wimp was born. I saw brands like Athletic Brewing and Liquid Death blowing up in niches, and thought: why not decaf?

Starting with brand

Ken: A lot of entrepreneurs focus on building a product first, but you started with branding. Why?

Matthew: For me, brand is what makes something real. The typical advice is to build a prototype or MVP first, but branding helped me clarify what Wimp was about. It gave me direction, and it was fun—something that energized me after long days in my previous agency life. I wanted Wimp to embrace the idea that decaf isn’t for the weak—it’s for people who value being present, connected, and balanced in life. The name “Wimp” flips the narrative on its head, and our mascot, Kuma, a playful bear, embodies that spirit of fun.

The decision to go all in

Ken: You were successful in your design career. What made you decide to leave it behind for Wimp?

Matthew: It came down to realizing I wasn’t on the path I wanted for the next five years. I was in a course with Shawn Blanc, working on my agency, when he asked us to envision our ideal work life in five years. When I looked at my current trajectory, it didn’t align. I wanted more control, fewer meetings, and to work on projects that truly inspired me. Around the same time, I was tinkering with the idea of Wimp, and it hit me—this wasn’t just a side project, this was the thing. I decided to take the leap and build something that aligned with my values.

From idea to launch

Ken: What were the first steps you took to make Wimp a reality?

Matthew: I spent six months playing around with branding, building a Pinterest board, and sketching out ideas. I reached out to an illustrator I admired and to bring our mascot, Kuma, to life. The moment I decided to go all-in, I started looking for the right people to work with—like a skilled roaster and an operations guy to handle e-commerce. I wanted to work with people who were smarter than me in their respective areas.

Using AI to make decisions

Ken: You mentioned using AI to validate ideas. How do you incorporate it into your process?

Matthew: I use AI to interrogate my ideas. I’ll ask it to challenge my assumptions, using frameworks from books like Decisive by the Heath Brothers. AI helps me look at things from different angles, asking questions like “What would make this idea a ‘yes’ or ‘no’?” It’s like having a thousand brains on tap to help me stress-test ideas. AI doesn’t replace talking to people, but it’s an incredible tool for brainstorming and validation.

Key takeaways

1. Lean into your story

Matthew’s personal journey—getting sober, quitting caffeine, and improving his mental health—directly influenced Wimp’s mission. He leaned into the narrative of decaf being for “wimps” and flipped the script, making it a lifestyle choice that prioritizes presence and well-being.

2. Brand before product can be a winning strategy

Most entrepreneurs rush to build a product, but Matthew started with brand. By creating a brand that resonated with his values and vision, Wimp’s identity became crystal clear before a single bag of coffee was roasted. This strategy gave him a clear direction and helped build early momentum.

3. Trust your gut, but validate with AI

Matthew uses AI as a decision-making tool, asking it to challenge his assumptions and validate his ideas. By leveraging frameworks from books like Decisive, he ensures his decisions are well-rounded and thoroughly thought through.

4. Take the leap, even if you’re a beginner

Though Matthew had no prior experience in the coffee industry, his design and branding expertise gave him the confidence to dive in. He surrounded himself with experts, from roasters to e-commerce pros, and wasn’t afraid to start from scratch.

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Matthew for sharing his time with me! Before you go, visit the Wimp website, scope out the branding, order some decaf, and give them a follow:

• The Wimp website: https://www.wimpdecaf.com/

• Matthew’s favorite roast: The Kubrick

• Follow Wimp on Instagram

• Follow Matthew on LinkedIn and Twitter where he regularly posts from behind the scenes as they grow Wimp

If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment to share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

See y’all next time,

Ken

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, where I chat with everyday people building ventures of their own and unpack how they did it.

Today, I’m sharing the story of Catie Shadley and her venture, Lemon Lines.

Catie couldn’t find greeting cards she loved, so she started making her own, which eventually led to her starting her own greeting card company, Lemon Lines.

When I came across Lemon Lines, I found myself chuckling as I looked through the cards and wondered who was behind it, and how she got started. So, I do what I do here at Everyday Empires and emailed Catie to find out!

Catie shared:

• The first steps she took to launch her business

• Her creative process and the role her family plays

• The advice she wish she knew when she started

What stood out about Catie’s story:

• Like many other founders, she filled a gap in the market by creating something she personally wanted to exist

• She’s clearly talented with puns, drawing, and distilling ideas down to their essence. As a designer, I know this is not as simple as it may seem.

• How she gets feedback on new card ideas, almost like a stand up comic might try out new bits - knowing that the difference between the joke landing or flopping might be ever so subtle.

• It’s just as much a creative outlet as it is a business, which I suspect is key to her consistency and the growth of Lemon Lines.

Now, let’s get to the interview (6 min read) …

Hi Catie, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! I read that you started Lemon Lines because you couldn’t find relatable greeting cards in stores and began making your own. Can you share more about what motivated you to take the leap and pursue this as a business, and secondly, what were the earliest steps you remember taking?

Catie: Before Lemon Lines, I remember roaming isles of stores and not finding a card that was as relatable as I wanted it to be, or that didn't really sound like me when I read it. I thought, "I'll just make one myself", so I did for a while. Then, friends at work started to ask if I could create cards for their friends and family. After creating with colored pencil and a cut out piece of paper for a while, I thought...maybe I can really do this. My friends were saying it, my coworkers were saying it. Maybe I should take the plunge, and see what happens! 

The first step I remember taking was finding a printer. I walked into Sixth Street Printing in Austin and said “Hey. I want to start a greeting card business. Do y’all print greeting cards? What do I need to know?” And they walked me through all the things to consider, what was worth the cost, what wasn’t, pricing, paper options, sizing and more. Super helpful as I was starting out! 

Another step was my husband surprising me with an iPad as a Christmas gift. The necessity in this whole crazy thing! 

When starting a business there are so many logistics to figure out, but we continue to work out the kinks along the way. I remember whenever I was officially an LLC I got in the car to drive somewhere and I felt excited and nervous and emotional and kind of scared all at the same time – yet it was the best feeling ever because I was doing the dang thing!

How did you come up with the name “Lemon Lines”? What does it signify for you and your brand?

Catie: I remember, I was on a road trip with my brother, husband, and sister-in-law, and I was noodling on a company name. I thought of Apple — and how simple their company name, but also how easily it resonates with their audience. Apple made me think of fruit and when I started to think of fruit, I thought of something that was punchy and cheeky just like the jokes in my cards. Voila: LEMONS.

I also wanted my company name to incorporate the drawing aspect of the product while being a pun in and of itself. I thought of common phrases that included lemons, lemon lime. I switched lime to “lines”, and thought, lines could be a reference to drawing lines, but also punch lines. I liked the cleverness, I liked the alliteration –  and that’s how Lemon Lines was born!

Since then, I’ve had a lot of fun with the branding and continue to iterate on fonts, taglines, and product accessories that are shipped with orders.

Can you walk us through how you got your first customers, and has any particular channel or strategy been most effective in growing your business?

Catie: Oh my gosh, my first customers were totally my friends. GREAT SUPPORTERS. Then it became friends of friends through my website. And then I found out about Faire, which gave me access to shops across the world and opened up a whole opportunity for wholesale.

Editor’s note: if you’re not familiar with Faire, it’s an online marketplace where brands like Lemon Lines can list their products so that retailers and boutiques around the world can discover and stock them in their store.

Catie’s Creative Process

I’m really curious to learn how your cards come to life. To give us an idea, can you walk us through the process you went through to create one of your recent cards?

Catie: I love this question because each idea has its own origin. Card creation is definitely a family affair. I have to run the joke by the ones who know me best and can give it to me straight. A lot of ideas are born from things I’m doing, or eating, or experiencing, or things my family says, or things my friends are into. 

My favorite part is adding touches throughout the design as an idea builds. For example I have a card that says “Olive me loves olive you”. I love sippin’ martinis, and wanted to make a card to commemorate this. I thought it would be so cute to have two olives ~in love~ in the martini glass. Then I thought, “They should be kissing” And then, “What if the little bubbles are actually hearts”, and then, “lipstick stain on the glass - yes!” I love when an idea builds as I create. It makes it that much more exciting to get out into the world.

Where does inspiration come from? Are you constantly jotting down ideas? Do you go for a walk and brainstorm? How’s that work, exactly 🙂

Catie: It’s super hard to sit and think of puns. If I try too hard, I come up with nothing! I have to just keep the idea top of mind. Try not to force it. I also think of which card sentiments I need more cards for! Sometimes it starts with the pun. Sometimes it starts with the image. “I really want to make a card with a seal on it.” Or “I’ve gotta make a card about my mom’s favorite nail polish color!” The sources of inspiration are ever-growing. Also, friends and family are always on it — if they think of a pun or say something clever off the cuff, it becomes a natural group brainstorm.

How do you manage running Lemon Lines while working a full-time job? Can you share how you make time for both and what a typical week looks like for you?

Catie: I really just try to do what I can outside my day job hours. I design at night if I’m super excited about an idea. I answer emails before or after work, or on weekends. I go to markets on the weekends as my calendar allows. Definitely could always be doing more, but that’s the reality with a full-time job and side hustle!

I noticed in your full-time job that you’ve worked closely with AI. Has it made its way into your workflow in any capacity?

Catie: Ah! I tried out ChatGPT for pun ideas once, but they were a tad too cheesy, or not the right kind of clever that I’m going for, so sticking with the ‘ol’ brain for now.

Insights & Reflections

Imagine someone reading this is considering starting their own greeting card company. What advice might you give them? What do you wish you’d have known when you started Lemon Lines?

Catie: Think about why you want to do it. Then let that be in the driver’s seat the whole time. For me it’s the joy of bringing joy from just an idea AND realizing that it is monetizable. Also, put a price on your time because it is valuable! What’s worth it and what’s not. Prioritize from there.

How has founding Lemon Lines changed you or impacted your life? 

Catie: It is the coolest thing to watch people laugh at something that you make – all in the right context, of course — in my case, greeting cards that are supposed to be funny ;-). 

It is such a rewarding feeling to create something from just an idea that people stop to look at, enjoy, and want to share with their people. When people stop at a market booth, for example, and start to laugh, I am automatically laughing with them. Then I think to myself “give them space, let them shop, stop eavesdropping” but it is hard to hold back that joy that comes from seeing jokes land and art resonate.

Another big impact this company has on me is the energy that comes with an idea put to paper (iPad). I get so giddy that I have to force myself time to sleep on the idea so that I can iterate and make it better before finalizing it for print.

Lastly, where should readers follow you and Lemon Lines to stay updated on your journey?

Catie: Visit lemonlinespaper.com to shop! 

Looking to carry Lemon Lines in your shop? Find us on Faire, or reach out below:

• Instagram: @lemonlinespaper

• Email: lemonlinespaper@gmail.com

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Catie for sharing her time with us! If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment to share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

See y’all next time,

Ken

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, where I chat with everyday people building ventures that transform their lives.

Today, I’m sharing the story of Cody Howard and his venture, Rowdee.

Cody had an idea he couldn’t get out of his head. As an avid outdoorsman, he wanted a shirt he could wear both on the trail and around town. When he couldn’t find anything on the market that fit the bill, he decided to make it himself.

As someone who is rather active outdoors myself, and who loves to spitball technical apparel ideas (don’t we all?!), I was curious to get the scoop and learn what it took for Cody to go from just an idea, to a real physical product and a brand people are raving about. So I did what we do here at Everyday Empires and emailed Cody to find out!

In our interview, Cody shared:

• The first steps he took to turn his idea into an actual business

• How he emailed and vetted 200+ manufacturers before finding the one

• How he used a combo of paid ads & an in-person event to get his first customers

• The advice he wish he knew when he was starting

And here’s what stands out about Cody’s story:

1. Like many founders I’ve chatted with, Cody designed a product to solve a problem he was personally experiencing and understood well

2. In the first 6 months he studied existing garments, and validated the need for the product by talking to mountain biking friends who had no idea he was up to something

3. He emailed 200+ manufacturers! That is wild to me and shows how much he cared about finding the right manufacturer. It also sounds like a lot of work, and is good to know this is what it might take to launch something like this

4. He’s embedded in the mountain biking community, and took a grassroots approach to launching his brand, which seems to have been critical in getting early traction

Now, let’s get to the interview (10 min read) …

Founding Story & Inspiration

Can you give us an elevator pitch for Rowdee? Who’s it for and what problem does it solve?

Cody: If you look around your closet today, you’d probably notice a few things. Yes, you should clean up the pile of dirty clothes on the floor, but you’ll also notice a number of items made only for specific events or activities. Most of these items you probably only wear a few times a year, but life isn’t like that. Your life is fluid; plans change with a text. Your perfect Saturday may include a hike, straight to coffee with friends, and a lunch date to follow. Your clothes can’t adapt like that, and if we’re being honest, that kind of pissed us off.

That’s why we created the Shindig Shirt, a shirt that looks at home in the office or at happy hour, but has the hidden tech to handle everything your active lifestyle may throw at it. From office to out of service, golf to grabbing a bite, Rowdee makes clothing for men that is as adaptable as your weekend plans. Now you can spend a little less time worrying about what to wear and more time living.

How’d the idea come about, and why’d you decide to actually pursue it?

Cody: I live in Boise, ID, a city that features 150+ miles of connected trails just 10 minutes from downtown. There is a river running through downtown that is constantly filled with fly fisherman or people floating. An hour north is world class whitewater rafting and 20 minutes east is Lucky Peak Reservoir.

To say that most people juggle 3-5 outdoor hobbies is an understatement, and I am one of them. Most of the time those activities end on a patio with a few drinks. One of those afternoons, I looked around and noticed that most of the patio was filled with people who were dressed well and clearly meeting for lunch… and then there was my motley crew wearing a mix of tech tees, jerseys, and skin tight lycra… when they didn’t necessarily have the body to be rocking skin tight lycra.

I thought to myself, man. It would be great if I could show up to a post-ride lunch without everyone around knowing that I had just been out on the trail. No packing an extra shirt, just something that could work in both places. But I had just gotten comfortable in my new job and absolutely loved (still do) the team that I was working with so I let it go. A few weeks went by and it was still on my mind. A few months went by and I shared the idea with my wife and then we started to see some similar products hit the market. Finally, I decided that the worst that could happen is I lose some money but gain valuable experience, so I went for it.

I understand it took 18 months working through the details to produce your first product, the Shindig shirt. What gave you the confidence to put in all this energy up front? Did you have any doubts along the way?

Cody: It was the perfect mix of ambition and naivety that kept me moving forward. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, I’m also part of the target market, so I knew of a few companies that were making similar products. I made note of what I liked about them, what I didn’t like about them, and what could be improved. I only told three people during the first 6 months, which gave me ample opportunity to ask these same questions to friends who weren’t aware of my secret agenda.

When all of the answers seemed to match, I knew I was on to something that could really work. Then came the excitement of the prototyping process. It took months to figure out a fabric blend that was sustainably made and durable enough for the outdoors. Once that was set we moved into evaluating the fit, patterns and tech. Each prototype kept me motivated despite multiple delays and refinements. This led to the long 18 months of R&D which was vital to the success that we’ve seen in our first months. It’s a top tier product with a great price point, making it inherently shareable and leading to many referrals and repeat buyers.

The Shindig shirt is technical enough for the trail, yet casual enough for life. It’s breathable, wrinkle-resistant, UPF50+, packs into its own pocket, and comes in great patterns. For those of us who have no idea what it takes to design a product like this, can you walk us through the process? Was it as simple as a sketch? Did you have it all figured out from the beginning or did it evolve as you got into it? Did you collaborate with any experts?

Cody: This is a great question, because I had no idea what all went into this either before I began the process myself. I started with a simple sketch and a list of non-negotiables. Such as: no sweat stains, UPF protection, stretch for activity, and sustainably made. From there I researched everything I could to find out what went into it. I learned about tech packs, which is essentially a blueprint of the garment. I studied fabrics and fabric blends and filled my camera roll with the inside tags of shirts. Rather than taking an out of the box product and slapping a logo on it, I chose the hard path of building from the ground up.

This meant that I had to do a lot of research and make special requests to get the quality grade materials that I envisioned for our product. Paying way too much money for a sheet of buttons or a bundle of zippers to be mailed to me and losing sleep over details that very few customers will ever notice were some of the hoops I jumped through to make the Shindig Shirt.  This is what makes the shirt a standout—great design is invisible, it’s only when it’s done poorly that people tend to notice.

Everything in our shirts from the OEKO TEX seal fabric, UPF ratings, snap buttons, zippers, woven tags, and designs were either created by me or hand selected in partnership with our factory.

You’re using a manufacturer in Peru. Can you share why you chose them, and how you found them?

Cody: In the early days I think I cold called or emailed 200+ factories. From there it was about finding factories that had small MOQs. We needed to start small because I’m bootstrapping the business. Then it became a battle of what we wanted for our product. Most factories didn’t have the full capabilities of what we needed. They could do four way stretch materials, but not collars. Or they handled collars, but their machinery couldn’t handle the warp of stretched materials. After getting a list of factories who thought they could make what we had put in the tech pack, we got samples. Some were hilariously bad and a few were pretty good. So we refined and got another smaller round made.

Ultimately, we chose our factory partner because they were the highest quality and delivered the most detail with each sample. This was a sign that we could likely have a collaborative partnership and I’ve been happy to say that it has been to date. Personally, I’d love to have a US factory someday, but it’s just not possible for us at this stage.

Initial Momentum & Decisions

How’d you get your first customers? Where has most growth come from since?

Cody: Outside of friends and family, there were a few things that we did that helped kickstart our first sales.

First, I decided to launch pre-orders shortly after starting production. I got help from a friend and great photographer to shoot our initial website pieces and ads. I spun up some small budget meta campaigns and started getting a little traction.

The second was getting an opportunity to have a booth at the Boise MTN Bike Festival. We got offered a spot about two weeks before the event so I rush-ordered a custom booth, backdrop, and we considered it our “launch party.” All we had were samples, some t-shirts, a few hats, and a ton of koozies that we handed out. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.

To share our story and have people put in an order for a product that they won’t get for months was amazing. For that reason, I love in person events and hope to grow that presence in the future.

I noticed you’re making a lot of short form video content (and are quite good at it). How does this fit into your growth strategy?

Cody: Thank you! I really appreciate that. I’ve always loved video and I lead content strategy at my 9-5, so it’s fun to be able to stretch those muscles for the brand. I’d love to be putting out 10x more content, but simply don’t have the time.

Content in general has and will continue to be a cornerstone of the Rowdee brand. As a bootstrapped company, we don’t have the capital backing or ad budgets that most of our competitors have, so storytelling has to be our superpower. If we can create content that invites you into being part of our community and aligns with your lifestyle, then receiving a stellar product when you finally order will be a huge cherry on top.  My hope is that it will turn you into a brand evangelist who is excited to share the product with their friends.

While short form is an amazing opportunity for anyone who is not familiar with content creation, I’m actually trying to crack the longform code and am bullish on our YouTube channel being the future of Rowdee.

I love this stuff and could write an essay around this question alone so if anyone wants to chop it up or is also focusing on YouTube - you know where to find me.

I believe you’re running Rowdee on your nights and weekends, while working a 9-5. Can you give us an idea of the day-to-day for you and how you make time for it all? Are you still able to get out on the trails?

Cody: Ha! I wish. I still get out on the trails as much as possible, but about 10 months into the prototyping process we found out that my wife was pregnant with our first child, Theo. Let me tell ya, building a business and having your first child within the same year makes for very little sleep and a very necessary coffee subscription. It’s been the best whirlwind and a season that I’ll never forget, so thankful for all of it… but it does make for long days.

I am still working at an award winning advertising agency as the Director of Digital and running Rowdee simultaneously. I am thankful to be able to do both.  My position at the agency has afforded me both patience and perspective. Because I didn’t jump “all in” on Rowdee day one, I was able to last the 18 months to roll out our first products without cutting corners. Though Rowdee is much smaller than the typical brands we work with, it’s also given me perspective on what signals to pay attention to.

Do you have any key financial metrics, customer feedback, or other indicators of performance you’re comfortable sharing with us?

Cody: Having financial strains have actually helped us listen to the customer and make a better end product. We could afford three designs so we had to cut our launch to only two shirts and a few weeks after delivering all pre-orders we noticed that we were getting a lot of size exchanges for L, XL, and XXL sizes to size up. After speaking with some customers we found out that as our pattern went up in size most men needed some extra width across the chest and shoulders after hitting these size breaks.

It taught us that our product was great. Everyone seemed to love it, they just needed a bigger size. It also taught us the importance of starting small. Because we were able to find that out with only two styles we adjusted our pattern and have since released all new designs as a “relaxed fit” that has cut our returns and exchanges to below 8% (clothing industry average is 26%).

Insights & Reflections

If you could go back to the very beginning days of Rowdee, what advice would you give yourself?

Cody: That’s a great question. I would tell myself to spend less time researching and planning and more time doing. My typical pattern can end up in a hamster wheel of thinking about things and researching nonstop that I’m burnt out before I even begin the real work. While research has its place, I’m trying to remember that everyone is just trying to figure it out and the best thing we can do is take action with the goal of learning enough to know where to pivot.

Fail fast, fail often.

How has your experience with Rowdee changed you?

Cody: The last few years of getting started and almost 12 months of being in market have changed me more than I even know, but in one major way it has made me a more thankful person. Until you build something, you don’t really understand everything that goes into a quality product. From the product to the materials to the hands that crafted those materials, I’ve realized that Rowdee has been my own Thanks a Thousand journey.

Lastly, where should readers follow you and Rowdee?

For anyone that wants to keep up on our bootstrapping journey or just digs rad videos about the outdoors check us out on YouTube and Instagram.

If you’re another founder or entrepreneur, I periodically share BTS and caffeinated takes on building a brand at @rowdeehowee on X and @rowdeehowee on Instagram. If you’re reading this, hit me up. I’d love to connect with you.

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Cody for sharing his time with us! If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment to share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

You might also like these interviews:

See y’all next time,

Ken

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, where I chat with everyday people building ventures that transform their lives.

Today, I’m sharing the story of Isabelle Bilmes and her venture, PrettyClever.

Earlier this year, after years freelancing, Isabelle launched PrettyClever, the “everything design studio for startups.” Having been a founding designer at various startups, she knew exactly what sort of design partner they needed. So she focused her design services specifically on helping startup founders, packaged it up as “PrettyClever,” and began reaching out to her network.

Having worked as both a founding designer and an individual freelancer myself, I was curious to talk to Isabelle and learn more about her transition from freelancer to agency founder.

Hey, this is a quick note to let you know I’m experimenting a bit with this post, as this is the first time I’ve recorded a conversation with a founder. That means you can enjoy this conversation in two different ways:

1. Above, you can watch our full 35 minute chat

2. Or, below you can read the abbreviated version of our chat (5 min read)

I’d love your feedback. Do you prefer the video? The abbreviated text-only version? Both? Comment or simply reply to this email and let me know :)

Leave a comment

Isabelle and I talked about:

• How she came to focus on designing for founders and early-stage companies

• Transitioning from freelancing as an individual to branding as PrettyClever

• How she got her first clients, and the role VCs have played

• Finding the right balance between design work and running the business

• And the advice she wish she knew when she started

Keep reading for the key takeaways (5 min read) …

Founding Story and Inspiration

Hey Isabelle, thank you for joining us on Everyday Empires! To start, could you give us an elevator pitch for PrettyClever and explain the problem you’re solving?

Isabelle: Absolutely. PrettyClever is a design studio for early-stage startups, particularly those in the seed stage. We focus on helping founders with branding, product, and marketing design. My background is in both product and marketing, so I wanted to create a studio that could handle all design needs for startups. Initially, I aimed to be an AI-first design agency, but now I focus more on delivering quality work and using the necessary tools to achieve that.

Why did you decide to focus on early-stage startups?

Isabelle: I love working with founders at the early stage when they have brilliant ideas but aren’t sure exactly how to execute them. It’s a phase full of energy, and I find it incredibly rewarding. I’ve worked with later-stage companies and it’s just different. I knew I wanted to start something, so I considered how I can actually put all of my skills and experiences into something that I love doing, and that could also help the most people. Given all of this, it just made sense for me to focus on helping early stage founders.

You transitioned from working under your name to branding as PrettyClever. What prompted that change?

Isabelle: The decision came after some advice from an advisor at a VC firm. They suggested that startups are more likely to work with an agency rather than an individual, especially if I wanted to scale and hire more people. Branding as PrettyClever allows me to bring in other designers and engineers and offer a full-service package, which has been more appealing to clients.

Has it been easier to sell your services as PrettyClever?

Isabelle: Yea, I think the main thing is that it helps me frame my offering as a full solution. Whether they need branding, product design, or illustration, PrettyClever can help them. Whereas as an individual, I never even thought to present myself that way.

Where’d the name, “PrettyClever,” come from?

Isabelle: That’s actually really funny. I messaged my brother, who is also a founder, and I’m sending him all these ideas for names. Then I say, “I love EndGame, it’s pretty clever.” And he’s like, “That’s it. It’s PrettyClever!”

Initial Momentum and Decisions

Can you walk us through how you got your initial clients for PrettyClever?

Isabelle: It was a mix of direct outreach, leveraging existing relationships, and VC referrals. I reached out to founders of companies I was passionate about, and some came through word of mouth and my network. VC referrals have been particularly helpful, and I’m now focused on scaling that approach while balancing client work.

How did you balance your design work with the business development required to grow PrettyClever?

Isabelle: I’ve tried different approaches, like dedicating specific days to client work and others to business development. Mondays have been the best for outreach since people are more likely to check their emails. I’m still figuring out the perfect balance and considering hiring part-time help for design and social media to keep scaling the business.

When you started PrettyClever, did you have a specific vision of success in mind?

Isabelle: I try not to set rigid goals for myself to avoid disappointment. My focus has been on continuous growth and learning. Right now, I prioritize maintaining the highest quality of work while figuring out how to scale without compromising that quality.

Do you see yourself always being really hands-on with the design work, or do you plan to transition to a more operational role?

Isabelle: I love designing, but I also enjoy the operational side of growing the business. I’ve done design for many years, so I’m open to focusing more on business development. It’s about finding the right balance and ensuring the quality of our work remains high.

How do you structure your client engagements?

Isabelle: It varies. For branding and web design, I offer package deals. For product design, I work on a retainer basis due to the need for deeper engagement and research. I try to be flexible with clients and tailor the engagement to their specific needs.

Insights and Reflection

What does a typical day look like for you now that you’re running PrettyClever compared to when you were an employee?

Isabelle: Running my own business has definitely changed me. I wake up earlier, around 6 a.m., and have become more structured with my time. Balancing client work, meetings, and personal time requires a lot of planning. It’s empowering to take on all the responsibilities myself, and it has made me grow a lot as an individual.

Is there anything you don’t love about running your own business?

Isabelle: The business side can be unglamorous, with lots of mundane tasks that need to be done. Prioritizing social media, client work, and business development is challenging, but it’s all part of the territory. There’s nothing I don’t like; it’s more about managing the necessary tasks.

If you could go back to the beginning of the year when you were about to launch PrettyClever, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned that you wish you knew then?

Isabelle: I’ve learned a lot about the business side of running an agency, like being flexible and understanding why clients choose you over others. Humility and the willingness to learn have been crucial. Initially, I was rigid about my rates and services, but being more flexible and open to feedback has been valuable. To summarize: 1) crush your ego, 2) be humble, and 3) learn the business side.

Thanks so much, Isabelle! If you enjoyed this interview, please follow Isabelle on LinkedIn and check out her website PrettyClever.

Need a talented designer? You can reach out to Isabelle directly at isabelle@prettyclever.ai.

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Isabelle for sharing her time with us!

If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment to share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

See y’all next time,

Ken

Hey friends,

It’s been a while, but I’m back with another edition of Weekend Reads. If you’re wondering why I haven’t posted one of these recently it’s because, well, it’s because I have two toddlers.

Below you’ll find a handful of reads that caught my attention this week, and that I thought you’d enjoy as you wind down from your week and gear up for the weekend ahead. And if you find yourself with a case of the Sunday Scaries, maybe these will amp you up and get your wheels turning.

Now let’s get into this weekend’s reads…

The least they could do is carve it into a bear 🐻

Courtney Waters, mom of two littles and a fellow writer on Substack, wrote about always doing the most and how to balance that ambition with, well, doing less.

The Thursday List

The least they could do is carve it into a bear 🐻

The Thursday List documents a millennial mom’s efforts to build a cozier, more balanced life. Subscribe to receive weekly updates centered on easy perspective and habit shifts. There is a house that we drive by quite frequently with a large tree stump in the front yard. And really, it isn’t a stump as much as it is a full tree trunk. On one such pass-by…

Read more

2 years ago · 6 likes · 4 comments · Courtney Waters

Claim your enthusiasm.

Anna Mack writes about “portfolio careers” where you’re generating revenue from several disparate sources. The concept resonates with me, and I think it’s going to make its way into everyday conversation as more folks start side hustles, and build multiple income streams. In this post, Anna reflects on how she often answers the question “what do you do?” with hesitation, and makes the case that whatever it is, and however early you are on that path, you should claim it, own it.

Anna Mack's Stack

Claim your enthusiasm.

It’s been over a year since I made the decision to turn my back on traditional work and committed to networking and writing every single day. I’ve written shitty draft after shitty draft, met hundreds of people and made thousands of notes, and I’ve pressed publish on Substack more times than I ever thought I would…

Read more

2 years ago · 27 likes · 15 comments · Anna Mackenzie

Give them what they need

Guy Raz spoke about what a business is in simple terms, and offered a straightforward suggestion to find your next big idea:

There's a powerful lesson here: Your personal frustrations, the daily annoyances you face, they might not be as unique as you think. In fact, they could be the foundation of your next big idea.

So here's a thought to consider: If you're struggling to find your next big idea, start by looking inward. What problems do you face that no one seems to be solving? What solutions have you cobbled together for yourself that might benefit others?

That thing that's been bothering you might just be your next big idea in disguise. 

Catch the full post:

Guy Raz Newsletter

Give Them What They Need

Anyone who starts a business must answer a simple question: what problem am I solving and do other people have the same problem? It doesn’t mean your idea has to be completely original. (In fact, some argue NOTHING is original) It just means that–to build a sustainable business–you have to offer a product or a service that solves enough problems for enou…

Read more

2 years ago · 4 likes · Guy Raz

The Simple Newsletter Making $20M+ A Year With 1 Employee

This week I learned about a newsletter making ~$20m/yr, with 35k subscribers each paying $600 yearly. The author has been writing it for about 20 years with 100% organic growth (no paid ads, just word of mouth).

The website for it is nothing special, and you’d probably have no idea it’s such a profitable business.

It’s called The Van Trump Report, by Kevin Van Trump. He writes about agricultural commodities and trading, and started it because he realized his farmer buddies back home in Missouri were always picking his brain about the wall st side of agriculture, while his finance peers were asking him about the agriculture side of wall st.

It works because he’s providing tremendous value in a unique way. His background and experience enables him to provide a unique perspective that people trust, and that perspective is clearly worth quite a bit to his subscribers.

I find this fascinating and wildly inspiring. This is a newsletter that this man is writing from his home office. It’s making $20M per year! Let that sink in.

Here’s a great interview with him where he shares the backstory and gives some insight into how he thinks. I started watching earlier this week and couldn’t put it down:

That’s a wrap for this issue of Weekend Reads. I’d love to know if you enjoyed this post and want to see more like it (or not).

Reply or comment below and share your feedback 🫶🏼

Btw, I have a new founder interview coming to your inbox soon. They’ve built a great service business helping early stage founders shape the initial version of their brand and product, and I think you’re really going to enjoy it.

Until then,

Ken

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, where we chat with everyday people building ventures that transform their lives.

Today, we’re sharing the story of Emily Cole Groden and her venture, Evergreen.

In late 2017, while working as an attorney full-time, Emily started making waffles from scratch, and freezing them. As a busy mom, she wanted something quick and easy to feed her daughter that wasn’t loaded with preservatives, refined sugars, and artificial flavors.

Emily went all-in, worked late hours, and made countless waffles to bring Evergreen to life. Today, Evergreen is in thousands of stores across the country, and she’s on a mission to help families everywhere wake up with a win.

In our interview, Emily shared:

• The first steps she took to turn her homemade waffles into an actual business

• How she got into her first stores (great story)

• How customer feedback led her to overhaul her brand & packaging, resulting in a 50% increase in sales

• The advice she wish she knew when she was starting

And here’s what stands out to me about Emily’s story:

1. She was General Counsel for two companies and a mom. She was BUSY. Yet, she made time to pursue her idea.

2. She worked incredibly hard for a long time with no guarantee of success. I’m talking making waffles at 3am hard work. With two little ones at home myself, I can’t even begin to imagine how hard this was.

3. She focused on what mattered and executed at a high level. Many founders might waffle (hah) for months trying to choose a name before taking any steps. Not Emily. Her first two steps were to hire a packaging designer and to get certified to work in a commercial kitchen. Then she took her waffles to stores, prepared them on the spot, and won their business!

Now, let’s get to the interview (6 min read) …

Founding Story and Inspiration

Hey Emily, I’m so excited to have you here on Everyday Empires! To start off, I’d like to take us back to early 2019. You’re working your dream job as the General Counsel for Alinea, when you have the idea to create instant waffles that might look like something you’d make from scratch if you had the time – waffles without a bunch of preservatives, where every ingredient has a nutritional purpose. Can you share more about the genesis for Evergreen, and in particular, what compelled you to actually pursue the idea?

Emily: One night, when I was driving home from Alinea, I heard a podcast that happened to be talking about frozen waffles. Long story short, the $1.2B grocery category was still dominated by that brand in a yellow box.  At any other stage in my life, that fact would have gone in one ear and out the other. But I happened to be pregnant with my first daughter. Perhaps Alinea's reputation for questioning the status quo had rubbed off on me, because I found herself unwilling to accept that I was going to feed my future daughter "that brand." And so I bought a mini waffle iron on Amazon and got to work!

Not long after you started experimenting with waffles in your home kitchen, you made the decision to switch to part-time at Alinea so you could spend more time on Evergreen. At that point, how confident were you that your idea would succeed? Did you have any indication that you might be onto something, or were you simply willing to take the leap?

Emily: My waffle-making started as a hobby for my own family, but over the course of a year of tinkering with recipes, I came to the realization that I was only one of 33M moms in the US with kids 11 and under, and I couldn’t possibly be the only one looking for something better. While I thought I was onto something, perhaps my risk averse lawyer training got the best of me, because I wasn’t willing to jump in with both feet from day one.

What were the earliest steps you remember taking to turn your homemade waffles into a business?

Emily: The basics! I got certified to work out of a shared commercial kitchen and found a designer to make my first packaging. I decided to hire a real designer, as opposed to DIY, because I wanted to put my best foot forward. I wasn’t a 22-year-old right out of college with a ton of time for trial and error. I was in my 30s, with a baby, a mortgage, and a job that I loved and would be delighted to stay in if Evergreen didn’t work out.

Initial Momentum and Decisions

How’d you acquire your first customers? Did you go direct-to-consumer or was your first course of action to try to get your waffles into stores?

Emily: I walked into corner stores in Chicago with a duffle bag full of waffles, my household toaster, paper plates, and some maple syrup.  I introduced myself to the store managers and said, “Hi, my name is Emily, I make waffles, and I think they’d be a great fit here! Can I heat some up for you?” Much to my surprise, everyone I approached was willing to try our waffles, and after tasting them, decided to bring us in. You never know until you ask!

Where did Evergreen’s early growth come from? Were any particular channels or strategies most effective?

Emily: Whole Foods Market was our first big break and completely changed the trajectory of our business. After getting into our first few corner stores, I was feeling bold and sent an email to the Local Forager for the Midwest region. Much to my surprise, she was interested in trying samples, and shortly after I dropped them off, she said she wanted to put them on-shelf. Winning Whole Foods Market was not only a huge stamp of credibility that helped with future sales but it also enabled me to get out of the shared commercial kitchen and partner with our first manufacturer.

How did you finance the early stages of Evergreen? Did you seek outside investment, or did you bootstrap the business?

Emily: For the first 3 years, I bootstrapped the business. Because we were so cash strapped, it also meant that I did not hire a team. While this may mean we grew more slowly in the beginning than we would have otherwise, I also think it was an extremely valuable experience. First, I knew - and as a result, today, still know - everything about my business. Second, I learned how to spend wisely. Third, by the time I finally did hire, we had enough traction and proof of concept that I was able to attract top talent who have really accelerated Evergreen’s growth.

What was the most critical feedback you received early on, and how did it shape the product?

Emily: At our first major trade show in March 2023, we took the opportunity to ask 1,000s of people what they thought about our product. The number one piece of feedback we received was “I had assumed it was vegan” and “I didn’t expect it to be so delicious.” After hearing this over and over again, we decided we had to take a hard look at our packaging, and in January 2024 after nearly 12 months of hard work, launched a total rebrand. Whereas our packaging used to be white with cold, green block letters, now it has bright, warm colors with bubbly font. The goal was to make Evergreen more accessible and approachable, and the early data suggests we succeeded. Our retail sales jumped over 50% overnight when the new packaging hit shelves.  

How did you come up with the name “Evergreen”? What does it signify for you and your brand?

Emily: Over my lifetime, I’ve watched lots of diet fads come and go. First, fat was bad; now, it’s good. And so on and so forth. Because food trends are so fleeting, and the whiplash and confusion they leave in their wake can often be harmful to our health, I was determined to create a product that transcended any one fad or trend. In our products, we use only real ingredients that you could have found in your great grandmother’s pantry and you will likely be able to find in your great granddaughter's as well. We want our ingredients - and our brand - to be evergreen.

What steps did you take to build awareness and social proof for Evergreen in its early days?

Emily: Very little, to be honest. We launched in the second week of March 2020, right when the world was shutting down. At the time, Evergreen was barely a business and there were so many more important things happening in the world. It felt tone deaf to me to be out there posting on social media. We didn’t really start building a marketing strategy until my VP of Marketing joined our team, first as a contractor in late 2022 and then as an employee in 2023. Now, we are hyper-focused on spending as close to checkout as possible: promos, retailer media advertising, and in-store demos.

Insights and Reflection

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your journey with Evergreen that you wish you had known when you started?

Emily: Building a food brand is really hard.  So much harder than I could have ever imagined!  It’s also so much more fun and fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. The emotional roller coaster is real, and if you don’t believe in what you’re doing 200%, it will be too easy to hop off the roller coaster ride. So before you get going, make sure you’re all in and then buckle up!  

How has your experience with Evergreen changed you?

Emily: I used to hate public speaking. I would get so nervous that my husband had to remind me to breathe. Not kidding! Today, it feels like 50% of my job is public speaking, and it’s one of my favorite parts. I’ve come to the realization that it wasn’t that I was scared of public speaking, it’s that I wasn’t speaking about the right thing. When you find something you love, everything gets easier. I am so grateful to get to wake up every day and build a company and a product that I wholeheartedly believe in. I feel more fulfilled, more confident that I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing, than ever before.

Lastly, where should readers follow you and Evergreen to stay updated on your journey?

Emily: Please follow us at @eatevergreen on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and check out our store locator at https://eatevergreen.com/find-us to see where you can find us on shelf!

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Emily for sharing her time with us!

If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment to share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

See y’all next time,

Ken

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, where we share stories from everyday people building ventures that transform their lives.

Today, we're sharing the story of Tyler Johnson and his venture, Charlie Golf Co.

Last summer, Tyler was golfing with his 3 year old son. Noticing his son’s clubs strewn about, he searched for a golf bag that would fit him, but found all existing options too big. So, he dreamed up a toddler-sized golf bag. Just a few months after launch, he’s sold several thousand bags, seen his bags featured during this year’s running of the Masters tournament, and has a line of toddler golf clubs on the way.

Follow him @tylerjohnson_59 on X/Twitter where he shares behind-the-scenes stories and photos of the journey. His use of X/Twitter is worth studying, but more on that later.

In our interview, Tyler shared:

• How he acted fast to go from idea to product overnight

• The importance of storytelling rather than selling to people

• The value of just starting and learning along the way

• How selling in drops has accelerated demand

From Idea to Action

Hey Tyler, thrilled to have you here at Everyday Empires! To start off, I’d like to take us back to last summer. After noticing your 3-year-old son struggling without a proper golf bag at the driving range, you wasted no time. That very night, you began designing a toddler-specific golf bag and started searching for a manufacturer.

Could you take us through the process you followed that evening from idea to design? How did you approach finding a manufacturer, and did you have any prior experience in product design or manufacturing?

I first began searching for a toddler golf bag but didn’t find any that fit my eye. There are a couple out there but I thought they were overkill. We didn’t need a bag with 2 straps, many pockets, a stand, etc. The bag was going to be for a 2-5 year old. So, I made a mock up with dimensions and started reaching out to manufacturers. There were a few manufacturers that responded very quickly and I went through answering questions and explaining the details to a few manufacturers and eventually selected a few to buy samples from.

Editor’s note: Tyler’s quick action stands out to me. I’ve heard similar stories of incredible speed from idea to prototype from other founders of physical goods, including Chase Heckendorn of Swap Top and Kate Gaffney of Avryn Co. Open their stories in another tab and take note of the similarities:

I'm curious how you actually found manufacturers. Was it as simple as a google search?

I used Google Search a lot and also used Alibaba to have conversations with overseas companies. It was challenging but I found a couple of good ones that would respond quickly and that were willing to work with my idea. The most important thing was to get samples from multiple suppliers to see quality and understand how responsive and how quickly they were able to get the samples out. I was able to get on the phone and do a video call of the facilities as well.

Building Buzz and Growing the Waitlist

A few months later, in October, you had a waitlist with 150 folks. It would soon quickly grow into the thousands. How’d you get those initial customers on your waitlist, and where’s the rocket ship growth come from since?

The initial people on the waitlist came from X/Twitter. I was focused on telling a story about me and the brand rather than trying to tell people the amazing “features and benefits” of the product. In my opinion, people don’t want to be sold to. So, I focused on telling a story through my posts and began building the brand in public. People can relate this to this. It shows authenticity.

The growth has come from a few areas. Early on, it was Twitter/X. There was a day in late October where I had a post that went viral. It added nearly 800 people to the waitlist in one day. That was the start of it.

I also focused on using Instagram as my other social media channel. We continued posting on there and would try to put out 1 reel a week. It was slow at first but recently we have had a few reels really take off. I like to think of Instagram as more of a long tail, meaning, after you post, it can continue to deliver for months. Whereas, Twitter posts are really just 24 hours.

The Journey from Concept to Customer

How long did it take from having the idea to fulfilling your first orders, and can you walk us through some of the key steps you took to go from an idea to a product in customer hands?

The idea came to me in July 2023. I put up a very simple landing page. In fact, I’m not sure I have touched the landing page since haha. We drove traffic to that landing page to capture emails for the waitlist.

Once we received the initial samples, we made some modifications to it. We had the perfect size model at home with our 3 year old kid at the time. We communicated the changes to the manufacturer and they shipped us a new production sample.

I placed my first production run of 150 toddler golf bags in late August 2023. That was a large order for me at the time because I had no clue if they would even sell. At that time, I think I had 47 people on the waitlist. I knew I had to continue to focus on growing the waitlist after I placed the order so I continued to consistently post on my social media channels.

The bags arrived in early November 2023 and we launched in mid November. I had a lot of help from my family that first weekend to package and ship the bags. We learned a lot and have gotten much more efficient from then. You learn a lot as you go.

Before Charlie Golf Co., were you actively looking for a business idea, or did this opportunity just find you? What made you decide to jump head first into this with such conviction?

I have always had ideas of coming up with a business idea. I would always jump into something but it would just fizzle out. This time was different. It was something I was very passionate about. I love golf and I wanted to introduce my kid to the game of golf just like my grandpa did with my dad, and my dad did with me.

Love that. Out of curiosity, what are some of the ideas you tried that fizzled out?

Mainly just ideas that I tried but they were a handwritten note app and designing websites for small golf courses. Nothing too exciting!

The Art of the Drop: Driving Demand with Scarcity

You sell your bags in drops, with each drop selling out in a matter of minutes. Can you explain this process in simple terms for those unfamiliar? Is it as simple as sending a single email to your waitlist whenever you have a new bag, or is there more to it?

The original plan was to never do “drops”. On our launch day, we were completely caught off guard and sold out of the bags. We definitely weren’t expecting it. But it did a couple of things for me. 1) it allowed me to share a story on social media 2) it helped generate more demand.

The process is fairly simple. I would communicate details directly with the waitlist and provided a 10% discount code to everybody who joined the waitlist. 24 hours before the drop, I will send out an email with very specific details - ie, the time, the day, how many bags will be available, how people are on the waitlist, etc. I would then schedule another email for the specific time of the drop with a link to the store. At that specific time of the drop, I will update inventory numbers of the products in Shopify.

I would always have to wait for more inventory to get into my hands before I could schedule the drops. Any new products I would share on social media and to the waitlist beforehand.

Now that Charlie Golf Co. has been operational for a few months, can you share how the business is doing financially? Are there any customer feedback or stories that have particularly resonated with you?

We are a bootstrapped company. I didn’t want to take any loans, lines of credit, or outside money, even from friends and family. We continue to invest all of the revenue from the sales into more inventory. All of the money is tied up in inventory to try and catch up with our waitlist and the demand we are seeing.

There aren’t any particular stories but I love seeing when parents or grandparents send us pictures of their kids with the bags. The kids have such ownership of their own golf bags and parents tell me that the kids ask to play golf all the time. That’s what it’s all about.

Building a Brand from the Ground Up

Reflecting on your journey so far, what are two or three actions or decisions you believe have been crucial to Charlie Golf Co.’s rapid growth?

The first was to build an audience on social media and start collecting emails for the waitlist well in advance of any product release. I have found out that people are willing to wait for something they really want. When I started in July 2023, I had no following whatsoever. I just stayed consistent with it and continued to tell my story.

And secondly, it would be to just do it. It’s amazing how much you learn from solving problems and just figuring it out on the fly. It will never be perfect. There are many ups and downs. But it is very rewarding and fulfilling to solve problems and move forward every day.

What are the biggest challenges you face right now, and how are you tackling them? Is there anything specific that keeps you up at night as you plan for the future of Charlie Golf Co.?

Capital is an issue right now but I am holding strong and sticking to my original plan of bootstrapping. I know it is slower growth and I can’t buy as much inventory as I would like but people understand this as long as I communicate it clearly with them. Your customers will rally around you and cheer for your success.

The other thing that keeps me up at night is the supply chain. I always think about it. I am always trying to strengthen it.

I also think about competition. I know there will be more competition soon but I keep telling myself that it will just validate the market even more. And I also love competition so it keeps driving me.

Is there anything we haven’t covered about your journey that you think would be interesting or important for readers to know?

I think the biggest thing I can tell people is to tell a story or learn how to tell a story on social media. It’s best if you use a personal social account if possible. I use my personal Twitter account and then use Instagram as a brand page. All of the people on our waitlist were completely organic. If you learn how to tell a story and not sell features and benefits, it will create a very strong community of supporters that love to share the story with others.

Lastly, how can readers keep up with you and Charlie Golf Co.?

If you like golf and have a toddler, you can join our waitlist at:

https://waitlist.charliegolfco.com

Our main website is:

https://www.charliegolfco.com

My personal Twitter is:

@tylerjohnson_59

Our Instagram page is:

@charliegolf_co

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Tyler for sharing his time with us!

If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment to share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

See y’all next time,

Ken

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders.

This week, I’m featuring Matt Foster and his business, Motorboat Mechanics.

I saw a thread from Matt about how he started his business and knew I needed to chat with him. In short, he had the idea to start a boat repair business so he set up a basic website and published Facebook ads to see if there was any interest. That night, he got his first customer booking. Now, just two years later, he’s scaled it to $1M+ revenue per year and is operating in 4 cities and 3 states.

We chatted about how he discovered the $1M opportunity with a few phone calls, how he tested the idea (clever) before going all-in, and the advice he’d give himself if he could start over.

My big takeaways:

1. Opportunities are everywhere. Matt spotted his opportunity minutes after a months-long project fell through. He’s clearly trained himself to spot opportunities in his everyday life.

2. Act now. Don’t overthink it. Matt tested his idea by making a few phone calls, then spinning up a simple landing page and Facebook ad campaign to see if anyone would book with him.

3. Speed wins. In his initial research Matt noticed the soonest any existing boat repair companies could get to him was within months. He realized if he could service clients sooner, he’d have an immediate differentiator.

4. Don’t be afraid to scale if you have a winning formula. I suspect most people who start a boat repair business don’t immediately scale it into multiple cities and states. Matt did because he has confidence in himself, his offering, and his team.

5. Don’t be cheap. If you try to save a few dollars early on, it could come back to bite you. Remember, time is your most precious resource. Sometimes it makes sense to spend a little more if it means saving time.

Hey Matt, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! Let’s go back to Jan 2022. You’ve just spun up a simple website and turned on a Facebook ad campaign to test an idea you have for a boat repair business. On your way home from your engineering job, you get your first customer booking. What’s going through your mind? Are you excited? Nervous? Do you even have any experience working on boats?

It was a mixture of both. Excited because I could tell that if we got a booking that quickly, this was an interesting idea. Nervous because I was certainly not an expert and I did not want to get in over my head on a project that I could not finish. The service request was a fuel leak issue. I thought it was a perfect first service - if it was simple, I could fix it right there. If it was above my comfort level, I could decline to work on it. Thankfully it was simple and I had it fixed in about 15 minutes.

Backing up even farther, before you ran this FB ad campaign, you were considering many different business ideas. But you weren’t moving forward with anything. What changed? How’d you go from inaction to action? And, how’d you decide to test the boat repair idea?

I had tons of ideas. From real estate, hardware products, service companies, you name it. But I was thinking about these ideas like an engineer. I did not ask the basic fundamental question - is this really a product or service people are currently asking for, or don’t know that they need yet? And - how will I convince them they need it?

Mobile Motorboat Mechanic was born out of a failed real estate deal. I had an agreement with someone who owned a large tract of semi cleared land near a lake to seller finance it to me, and I was going to turn it into a boat and RV storage lot. I worked on it for months with the owner. Toward the finish line, he decided to take an all cash offer from another buyer instead. 

I was pretty bummed out and on my drive home I was looking around at all the boats in the marina and other storage lots. I wondered, who was working on all of these? So I called the first 5 repair shops on google and asked for the soonest I could get my boat in for a service. 1-3 months was the answer I got back. I knew then that if there was that much demand and so little supply, I could take market share pretty quickly. 

At what point did you feel confident that you were onto something and it was time to go full-time on it?

Jan 15th 2022 I knew it was time to leave my full time job. It was January (slowest month of the year) and my phone was ringing non-stop. I had planned to quit my job in March or maybe April, but I knew then that I needed to get prepared before I got to experience the big “spring rush” I had heard about.

Just two years after starting, you’re now in 4 cities across 3 states. Why’d you decide to expand into other areas so quickly? Do you have a vision or end goal in mind?

I really believe in our core offering and philosophy. We hire the best technicians, we pay them above the industry average. We have a talented back end office who can manage locally and remotely across the country. We offer a product that people want in a form factor that does not exist. 

I like to frame it this way - when you get your boat repaired you can either 

1. Take it to a dealership, it will be there for a month, and it will cost a fortune. Trailer it there, drop it off, call to check in on it, drive back over, trailer it home. 

2. Call a local mobile mechanic. He comes to you! Much more convenient. Maybe he shows up, maybe not. Maybe he has insurance, maybe not. Hopefully he knows what he is doing. 

We combine the best of those two options. You get the speed and convenience of the mobile service, with the professional peace of mind of a dealership. 

Our end goal is to be in every boating market in the US. If our customers are usually boating out of Charleston, SC and decide they want to head down the coast to fish in Ft. Lauderdale, we want them to be able to call us and get the same level of service no matter where they are.

Can you give us an idea of how your business is performing? Revenue, profit or any other indicators you’re comfortable sharing with us?

• 2022 Revenue: ~$500k 

• 2023 Revenue: ~$1m

Professionally, is there anything keeping you up at night? Any big hurdles or concerns? Any aspect of your work that you really dislike?

Skilled labor is always hard to find. Especially with a niche skill set like marine repair. Many people believe that because they can work on a car they can work on a boat. The skills do not transfer well and there are many technical aspects that are different. 

Currently we have an aging population of Marine mechanics and not enough young talent entering the workforce. The fight for skilled labor will only get harder as time goes on.

Having been at this for two years now, if you could go back to 2022, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d give yourself?

It is easy to say this now, but don’t be cheap. 

I was cheap at the start because I was 24 years old, had no money and owned the business myself. I bought all old, used vans and equipment. They looked bad and were unreliable. 

I spent $14,000 replacing transmissions on service vehicles last year. If I had purchased new (or even just more expensive used) I would have saved time, many headaches and probably money.

I’ve noticed a lot of new entrepreneurs get caught up on the admin side of their business (incorporating, accounting, taxes, banking, health insurance, etc). How do you handle that stuff? Did you have it all in place when you quit your 9-5 or did you figure it out later?

I only did what was necessary and easy. Insurance, separate bank account, quickbooks, gusto, etc. 

I did all the important stuff after.

Lastly, where should readers follow you if they want to keep up with you?

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Matt for sharing his time with us!

If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment and share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

See y’all next week,

Ken

P.S. Follow me on X or LinkedIn for more insights from the founders I chat with

Hey friends,

Last Friday’s experimental first issue of Weekend Reads received a warm reception, so it’s back again this week. It’s still an experiment, so continue to reply and let me know whether you’re enjoying it or not.

As with last week, below you’ll find a handful of links that caught my attention recently, and that I thought you’d enjoy as you wind down from your week and gear up for the weekend ahead.

But before we do that, I want to share with y’all that we just crossed 500 subscribers! Amazing. Thank you all so much for joining me 🫶🏼

Let’s keep growing this community together! If you know someone who’d enjoy this newsletter, it’d mean the world to me if take a moment to share it with them:

Share Everyday Empires

Now let’s get into this week’s reads…

Apple’s new Sports app: a blueprint

Apple recently released a new app called Apple Sports. If you haven’t seen it, you might wonder why we need another sports app.

Eddy Cue explains it simply:

We created Apple Sports to give sports fans what they want — an app that delivers incredibly fast access to scores and stats

As soon as you open the app, you’ll see what he means. Apple Sports does one thing, and it does it better than anyone else. It gives you scores to the games you care about, and nothing else.

The value is created just as much by what the app does as what it doesn’t.

I believe you could come up with several great iOS app ideas by taking some inspiration from Apple Sports. What apps do you use often where you only use a fraction of the capabilities? Now make an app that does the one thing you use it for and nothing else.

Here are a few ideas:

• News app that delivers just 5 articles that are the most interesting to you. Nothing else. Nothing to scroll. Nothing to suck up time. Just 5 articles you actually care about.

• Music app with a single new playlist for doing focused work, delivered first thing in the morning. No other genres, no artists, no search. Just one playlist a day designed to do one thing: help you get work done.

• Financial app with your recurring transactions neatly labeled and sorted by cost (most expensive first). No net worth calculation, no investment tracker, no stock browser. Just quickly see your largest recurring expenses.

• Tasks app that only lets you add a max of 3 tasks for just today. If you don’t finish a task it rolls to the next day. Want to add a 4th? Remove or complete one first. No tags, backlogs, or folders. Just 3 tasks!

You get the idea. What apps can you cut down to a single, core feature? Then make that as fast and enjoyable to use as possible.

Rethinking the startup MVP

Linear, a much-loved issue-tracking and project management tool, recently wrote about how they think of MVPs, and how they’ve evolved in the 13 years since Eric Reis popularized the term in his startup classic, The Lean Startup.

Linear:

Today, the MVP is no longer about validating a novel idea as quickly as possible. Rather, its aim is to create a compelling product that draws in the early users in order to gather feedback that you then use to sharpen the product into the best version of many.

Two types of founders

Sari Azout:

There are two types of founders.

Those who do lots of research, validate ideas, test many prototypes, and iteratively get to a product

Those where the product vision emerges fully-formed in the founder’s eye before it is brought to existence.

The former is about problem solving, the latter is about manifesting a creative vision.

Problem solving is about taking an action to make something go away. Creating is about taking an action to bring something to life.

Both can achieve success, but some of the most interesting consumer products of our era weren’t solving clearly defined problems, they were bringing creative visions to the world.

Building Confidence In Yourself and Your Ideas

I’ve been finding more videos from YC (the fabled startup accelerator) in my YouTube feed recently.

This one from Dalton & Michael stood out to me. It’s similar to Sari’s quote above, in that they talk about the mistakes founders make validating their startup ideas and the importance of conviction.

At only 20 minutes, it should be relatively easy to sneak into your weekend:

That’s a wrap for this second issue of Weekend Reads.

I’d love to know if you enjoyed this post and want to see more like it (or not).

Reply or comment below and share your feedback 🫶🏼

Btw, I have a new founder interview coming to your inbox Sunday morning. They spotted an opportunity where most would never think to look, and have quickly built it up to a $1M+ revenue business operating in 3 states in just two years.

Until then,

Ken

P.S. Follow me on X or LinkedIn for more insights from the founders I chat with

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders.

This week, I’m featuring Nick Lafferty of .

Nick left his 9-5 in May of 2023 and has been documenting his process as a solopreneur building up his income to $30k/mo on his newsletter, The Early Exit Club. As a solopreneur, he does a variety of activities to generate income, including consulting, writing, and building an online community.

His newsletter is a must-read if you’ve ever thought about leaving your job to pursue self-employment. I binged it recently after I came across it, and my mind has been buzzing with ideas ever since. Before we even get into the interview, take a second to hop over to Nick’s newsletter and subscribe:

The Early Exit Club

I quit my job and built a $30k/month solo business in 6 months. Sharing uber transparent updates to help other aspiring solopreneurs do the same thing.

By Nick Lafferty

I chatted with Nick about his state of mind when he left his 9-5, where his income comes from, why he doesn’t charge hourly and what he does instead, how he used ChatGPT to come up with his newsletter, and his upcoming move from Austin to NYC.

My big takeaways:

1. He spent 10 years building up his skills and network before leaving his 9-5

2. Don’t charge hourly. Charge a flat monthly retainer or project fee instead

3. Sell your time to generate income in the short-term while you build scalable, progressively less hands-on revenue streams for the long-term

4. If content is part of your business plan, don’t sleep on LinkedIn

5. Don’t overthink the logistics of getting started (incorporating, finding a CPA, etc.). Just get going and figure that stuff out later

Hey Nick, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! To kick us off, I’d like to take us back to last May. You’re about to leave your 9-5 to freelance and build a $20k/mo solo business. What’s going through your mind? Why are you doing it? What’s giving you the confidence that you’ll be ok? Are you second guessing yourself?

Nick: I’m absolutely second guessing myself in the moments immediately after I put in my 2 weeks. I hung up with my boss and the first words out of my mouth were “what the fuck did I just do?” 

I quit a very good, very stable job with a great boss and great co-founders at a startup with tons of promise. I had nothing lined up but a dream and purposely didn’t have a plan B.

But I did have some things that gave me confidence

• A very solid emergency fund that could last me 6+ months with $0 income

• About $2k/month of advising income

• About $2k/month of affiliate income

So I wasn’t going back to $0/month in income which I feel like is extremely important. Because even though I had a good plan A, sometimes plans don’t work out. Or sometimes your HVAC unit breaks 2 weeks after quitting your job and you need to spend thousands of dollars to fix it, which is exactly what happened to me. 

But despite all of the worries, anxieties, and second guessing, I still knew it was the right path for me. I had spent 10 years building up my skills and my network, and it was time to cash in. 

I wanted to spend my working time doing more of the things that brought me joy and minimize all the stuff that didn’t. For me, that means fewer meetings, fewer slideshows and quarterly reviews, and no people management. 

Now I’m able to structure my days and weeks exactly like I want them. I try to take every Friday off to spend time with my wife and dog. I schedule all client meetings in the afternoon. I frequently decline prospective clients that aren’t a good fit for me.

You’ve written about not charging hourly for consulting work so that you don’t penalize your own efficiency. Can you share with us how you do charge, and how you communicate your fee structure to potential clients?

Charging by the hour is the best way to hamstring your income as a consultant. I charge a flat monthly retainer for my services, but you can also charge on a per project basis as well.

Here’s how that breaks down. I have two packages that I offer clients:

1. Growth Marketing Advising: 2-4 hours/month of mostly calls and very little hands-on work for me. This is me telling you how to do the thing (and often, what things not to do at your current growth stage) but not actually doing it for you. 

2. Operational Performance Marketing: Full service management of Google Ads and LinkedIn ads to hit your growth targets. This is me actively doing the thing for you. 

Both of those packages are wrapped into a flat monthly retainer. My rates for new clients right now are:

• Advising: $4k/month

• Operational: $8k/month

I arrived at these numbers by first massively undercharging myself when I first started out. After signing a new client I’d always raise my rates for the next client, typically in $500 or $1,000 increments. I also spoke with a lot of other consultants to ask how much they charge. Most consultants are more than happy to chat with you if you ask nicely.

I don’t negotiate my rates, but I do accept equity in the business in exchange for lowering my cash rate. Typically I ask for 2x the value in equity (e.g. if I lower my advising cash rate to $2k/month, I ask for $4k in equity) because taking equity is inherently risky. 

How successful you are at doing this comes down to how well you define your personal positioning. If you are known as one of the top 1% people in your space then you can, and should, charge appropriately for it.

Your solo business consists of a mix of near-term and longer-term strategies. Can you give us a brief overview of these different income streams and the ultimate vision you’re working toward?

My ultimate vision is to stop trading my time for dollars and build up a mostly-passive source of income. Right now all of my income comes from trading my time for dollars so I’m quite far from that ultimate goal. I hope to get there within the next 5 years by the time I turn 40. 

My income streams are broken up into:

• Short term: Consulting income. This is the most immediate exchange of my time for money.

• Medium term: Affiliate and digital product income. This takes a bit longer to get going but becomes more passive overtime once you’ve built a library of products and have consistent eyeballs looking at them. 

• Longer term: A paid community for current and aspiring marketing freelancers to ask questions, get feedback, and network. I hope to launch the first version this year and it’s powered by my newsletter and social media content, both of which are a heavy priority for me.  

When I quit my job I focused most on short term income. Now that it’s dialed in, I’m trying to carve out time to work on my longer term projects. It’s quite difficult for me to do that because the short term money is so good and I’ve filled up all available working time with that. Over the coming year I will continue raising my rates so I can take fewer clients while making similar income. Then I’ll use the additional time to work on my longer term projects, or at least that’s the plan 😀

Ever since discovering your newsletter, Early Exit Club, I’ve devoured a bunch of your old posts. It’s so good! I’m curious: how did it come about? And do you see it as part of your long-term revenue strategy?

It’s absolutely part of my long-term revenue strategy. But here’s my secret: I love writing it. The entire process of going from idea to fully flushed out post brings me so much joy and happiness. Then after I push send, seeing all the positive responses come into my inbox gives me all the motivation I need to keep going. 

The funny thing is The Early Exit Club wasn’t initially part of my exit plan when quitting my job. My long term plan was to learn to code and build a SaaS app idea I had. But I soon realized that it was naive of me to think I could do that successfully in a relatively short amount of time, so I pivoted into something I could immediately work on, which was writing. 

I had the idea at the gym one day and spent some time with ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas for a newsletter about transparently sharing your income as you worked towards a major goal. While ChatGPT didn’t ultimately come up with the name Early Exit Club, it gave me the words ‘early exit’. Here’s part of the transcript:

A quick domain search for ‘earlyexit.club’ and $10 later I was off to the races.

Editor’s note: funnily enough, I had a similar conversation with ChatGPT when I was dreaming up what would become Everyday Empires.

LinkedIn seems to play a pivotal role in your business, from helping folks discover your newsletter, to acquiring new clients. You even hired a LinkedIn writing coach. Have you had any “aha” moments or things you’ve learned that have had a big impact on your engagement there?

The best advice I can give is to write the thing that makes you the most nervous. After my last company Loom was acquired by Atlassian for $1b, I had the idea of showing exactly how much money I made as a way to unpack how equity in startups work. 

The idea of doing that made me insanely nervous, but it’s now my most successful LinkedIn post and newsletter.

People crave authentic, interesting, and vulnerable stories on social media. Gone are the days of showing your highlight reels: give us the real shit instead. 

I advise all of my clients to build LinkedIn into their growth strategy because it’s such a valuable place to build an audience by sharing your thoughts and opinions. All of my newsletter subscribers come from LinkedIn, either posting myself or commenting. It’s the best feedback loop I’ve ever had as a professional marketer: I post -> I get more subscribers.

From stay-at-home parents with a side hustle to folks freelancing full-time, everyone’s availability and life situation is different. To give folks a frame of reference, can you share a glimpse into your day-to-day life?

My wife and I both work from home and run our own online businesses. We wake up in the morning and immediately take our 15 year old dog Vito out for a walk around 7:30am. By 8am we’re having coffee and breakfast, and by 8:30 I’m starting my work day by checking emails, Slack, and the performance of my client’s ads. 

After checking in, I review my to-do list from the day before and prioritize the bigger work that needs doing. Sometimes it’s building out new campaigns, troubleshooting why some campaigns aren’t performing, or creating documentation. 

Vito gets another walk at 10:30am, this one shorter than his morning one. After some more work or the occasional meeting, we have lunch around 11:30 or 12.

My afternoon is usually filled with client meetings or networking calls. On really really good days, Vito gets another walk in the hiking trails by our house around 1pm, but this is dependent on me not having a lot of meetings that day and the weather being good. 

By 4pm I’m ready to finish for the day so I’ll write out my to-do list for tomorrow. I’ve found that I need separation between ending my work day and beginning my personal time, so I try to exercise every day by lifting weights. I workout at my city’s local activity center which is lower cost and filled with really sweet retired people, some of them are my neighbors who I often talk with. I’m usually back from the gym and having dinner around 5:30, then we settle in for some TV (currently watching True Detective Season 4).

I will do additional work after dinner if I need to, but it’s rare. I watch a lot of basketball (Go Mavs!) so that’s usually what’s on in the evenings as we unwind. 

I also rarely write my newsletter during the work week. It’s usually a Saturday/Sunday thing for me because I need space to think creatively about myself and my work, which is hard to do during the week when my cycles are spent on my clients instead.

Professionally, is there anything keeping you up at night? Any big hurdles or major concerns? Any part of your business you wish you didn’t have to do?

Right now I’m planning a big move from Austin to NYC which means downsizing our stuff. We’ve accumulated so many things while owning a home and very few of them will fit in a tiny NYC apartment. I love the process of removing clutter from my life so I find this very energizing. 

Renting a place in NYC means proving you make 40x the monthly rent in annual income, so I was very focused on exceeding that number in our target neighborhood and budget as well. 

This is the biggest move of our lives but we could not be more excited. Our best friend lives in Brooklyn and we’re focused on spending more quality time with the people that matter most to us. I also can’t wait to sell my car and move to a walkable area.

I’ve noticed a lot of new entrepreneurs get caught up on the admin side of their business (incorporating, accounting, taxes, banking, health insurance, etc). Do you use any tools or services to handle that stuff? Did you have it all in place when you quit your 9-5 or did you figure it out later?

I had a good handle on taxes because I’d been freelancing while holding down my 9-5 for a few years and I sadistically loved doing my own taxes and researching personal finances. I’m a big advocate of Solo 401ks and saving for retirement.  

I use an invoice tool called Wave because they don’t charge a monthly fee. I also use Bonsai to easily create new contracts because they have great templates that make you look really professional, but I usually cancel my subscription when I’m not actively in late stage conversations with clients.

That’s all the planning and admin work I did for my business until very recently. As long as you can easily create contracts and send invoices, that’s all you need to get started. I didn’t have an LLC until very recently when I found a CPA to do my taxes.

Health insurance is the most important thing to nail down before quitting your job. Because we’re both self-employed, my wife and I purchase our insurance through Healthcare.gov and we pay a total of $740/month for probably the worst insurance I’ve ever had. We’re both young-ish and healthy and have a good emergency fund, but I miss the company-sponsored insurance I used to get for very cheap.

Someone reading this wants to quit their 9-5 and build a solo business of their own. What’s the best piece of advice you can give them? Any must-read books or other resources come to mind?

Read my newsletter 😅. But seriously, find people you know who are 1-2 years ahead of you and pepper them with questions. Everyone’s story is different and we’ll all have different advice to give, but it’s so helpful to know other people who went through the same thing as you’re about to. 

You should also lean on your network to find your first clients. Reach out to former bosses, colleagues, and VPs who know your skills. Ask if they know anyone who needs help. Set your rates at a price that makes you nervous using my free rate calculator.

Before we wrap, is there anything about your journey we haven’t covered that you’d like people to know?

No, you asked great questions. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell my story!

Lastly, where should readers follow you?

Follow me on LinkedIn and subscribe to my newsletter!

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Nick for sharing his time with us!

If you enjoyed this, you can support Everyday Empires by taking a moment to:

1. ❤️ Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. 💬 Reply or comment and share your thoughts or ask a follow up question

3. 📤 Forward this post to someone who’d benefit from it

See y’all next week,

Ken

P.S. Follow me on X or LinkedIn for more insights from the founders I chat with

It’s Friday, the sun is shining here in Austin, and I’m feeling experimental. So today I’m bringing you a new post type that I’m calling “Weekend Reads.

Below you’ll find a handful of links that caught my attention recently, and that I thought you’d enjoy as you wind down from your week and gear up for the weekend ahead.

Who are you in the face of life's impermanence?

Maura McInerney-Rowley just launched Death Archetypes, a shared experiment in the lost art of death contemplation. There’s a 10 minute quiz you take to find out your death archetype. After which you get book recommendations based on your archetype. I found the quiz to be a bit of fun and thought provoking. Beautiful site design too!

Take the quiz to find out who you are in the face of life’s impermanence, and get some solid conversation material for the weekend ahead:

I’m the Phoenix, btw. Let me know your archetype in the comments!

How to build a 1.5 million following online as a writer

Have you ever thought about making a living online as a writer or content creator? I sure have. On this week’s episode of Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal, he interviewed Sheehan Quirke, the man behind The Cultural Tutor, a previously faceless Twitter account that’s grown from 0 to 1.6M followers in about 18 months. Before starting The Cultural Tutor, Sheehan was working at McDonald’s, unsure how he was going to make rent. In the interview, you quickly learn that though Sheehan’s Twitter account has grown incredibly fast, he’s been working up to this his entire life.

I personally found the interview fascinating. Add it to your weekend watch list:

90% of startups fail. Learn how not to.

We all hear the success stories, but we rarely hear about the failures. Yet, we commonly get the advice that you often learn more from your failures than you do from your wins.

When I came across The Failory this week, I knew I had to share it with you all. At the Failory, they share weekly interviews with founders of failed startups, so you can learn from their failures without having to go through the anguish yourself. Check it out.

Become a better writer in 60 minutes

Shaan Puri and Sam Parr of My First Million dropped a free masterclass in online writing this week. I’m about half way through at the moment, but it’s already full of insights and actionable ideas.

If you want to improve your writing online (and you should if you’re a founder or intend to become one), don’t miss this one.

That’s a wrap for this first issue of Weekend Reads.

I’d love to know if you enjoyed this post and want to see more like it (or not).

Reply or comment below and share your feedback 🫶🏼

Speaking of which, I have a new founder interview coming to your inbox Sunday morning. I binged this founder’s content when I discovered them and can’t wait to introduce them to you.

Until then,

Ken

P.S. Follow me on X or LinkedIn for more insights from the founders I chat with

Hey folks,

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders.

This week, I’m featuring Dave Dillon and his YouTube channel, Chase the Summit.

Dave’s been a YouTuber since 2018 and recently quit his job as a mechanical engineer to go full-time on YouTube this year. On his channel he reviews gear for fitness and the outdoors, and posts the occasional trail run vlog (which I personally am a big fan of, Dave!).

We chatted about his state of mind when he first started on YouTube, his doubts along the way, how his channel grew to become his full-time job, the advice he’d give himself if he could start over, and how his kids think he’s cool.

My big takeaways:

1. Don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back. Even Dave still struggles with it!

2. Follow your personal interests and passions. Otherwise you might lose interest before you ever give your channel time to grow.

3. “Someday” = never. If you want to build a venture of your own you have to make the time for it. Dave has 4 kids, and managed to publish weekly with a full-time job AND training for ultras.

4. When the going gets tough, keep going. Just like in an ultra, when everything hurts and your body wants to shut down. Just. Keep. Moving. Dave has been consistently posting weekly for 5 years and openly shared how he’s struggled with doubt along the way.

Hey Dave, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! To kick us off, I’d like to take us back to 2018. You’re posting your first videos to YouTube. What’s going through your head? Why are you doing it? Are you second guessing yourself?

Thanks for having me Ken! 2018… Man that feels like a lifetime ago. If you dig back on my channel far enough you’ll see that I wasn’t very consistent in 2018 and just used YouTube to share random ice climbing and hiking videos.

I started to post more consistently in 2019 when I started to train for my first 100 mile ultramarathon at the Vermont 100 Endurance Race. For the first time I decided to put my face in front of the camera and share my story about what it was like to train for an ultra while being a dad and having all of the responsibilities that came with that. I thought maybe if I shared my story I could somehow inspire other moms and dads out there to get outside of their comfort zone and try something new.

Funny thing is, I didn’t even tell anyone I was making these videos including my wife, kids, family… no one. I was sort of embarrassed by it but I did enjoy the process of making videos and the creative outlet it offered me so I continued to keep making them. I constantly second guessed myself, had a heavy sense of imposter syndrome (still do!) but I continued to push into that discomfort because I wanted to try something new.

Later, in  2019 I think I posted my first GPS Watch review. That’s when things shifted because that single video got THOUSANDS of views compared to only a couple of hundred on my training diary vlogs. I always had a technical mindset and it turns out that lends itself to doing tech reviews which seems to have translated into people liking the videos. That’s when I started to focus on the gear side of things and posting more consistently (1-3 times per week). The numbers kept going up, brands started reaching out, and here I am 3 years later! 

Did you have a vision from the outset about what you wanted your channel to be? How’d you come to that decision?

Great question, early on I always envisioned Chase the Summit as being a source of inspiration and a way for me to share my story. The channel name itself “Chase the Summit” comes from a lofty goal I had years ago to climb Mt. Rainier in Washington State. I was “chasing the summit” in terms of training and getting myself in shape by quitting cigarettes (yes really!) and overall improving my health. I never did climb that mountain! 

The vision has evolved since then though and now I pride myself in being a source of information AND inspiration in a way. The channel is a direct reflection of how my mind works. If I find it interesting, I’ll share it. I try not to over think it and hope like-minded people will be drawn to this style. The channel sort of wears two hats. In some sense it’s journalistic with news coverage in fitness tech realm, and of course product reviews. But I also share my race videos and vlogs as well. I have plans to diversify even more in the near future into more camping/hiking topics as well!

Have there been any low points along the way? Any moments where you’ve thought about quitting? Or maybe even just pivoting? Or has it been smooth sailing?

Yup, lots of low points. It’s probably hard to see from the outside but I’m my own worst critic. I always have a sense of imposter syndrome or the thought of “why would anyone care about what I have to say?” and since I work alone for the most part I can end up in an echo chamber.

Thankfully my wife is very supportive and is a great feedback loop.

The other low points come from doing this as a “real job” where money is a thing. I need to support my family, pay the mortgage, keep food on the table, etc… and unlike a traditional job YouTube revenue is VERY volatile and hard to predict which can be VERY stressful. 

When did you first realize you might be able to make real money with this?

I think it was during the pandemic times in 2020 that I had a couple of videos really pop off into the near-million view territory. When I saw the numbers that generated it sort of clicked like “Whoa, I get how people can make a living doing this now”.

This is your first year where being a YouTuber is your full-time job, right? Can you give us an idea of a day in your life? And, how does that compare to when YouTube was a side gig and you had to balance it with a full-time 9-5?

Yup! First year, it’s funny though. When I was working as a mechanical engineer 9-5 every day along with doing YouTube I used to daydream about how much free time I’d have once I could do YouTube full time.

Unfortunately, that daydream hasn’t really become a reality yet lol!

Once I quit my “real job” I had to form a real business with an LLC, hire an accountant, do all those business things. I think that’s the side of content creation a lot of people don’t see. When you do this for a living you’re a one man show. You’re the tax person, the business person, the PR rep, the HR department, the on-screen talent, the editor, etc… 

A day in my life… Let’s see. I typically wake up around 5AM. My wife runs/works out early morning so I get the kids up and out of bed. We have four kids ages ranging from 2 to 11 so they have varying needs of getting dressed, packing for school, getting dropped at daycare, etc… Once I get everyone on the bus and out the door I typically sit in front of the computer for a few hours either writing emails, typing up scripts or review notes, or responding to YouTube comments or instagram DM’s. I try to engage with comments as much as possible as it seems people really appreciate that!

Editor’s note: I just have to say, “Bravo!” 4 kids? Ages 2 to 11? I have two toddlers and man, the morning routine is challenging enough with two. I’m so inspired by how Dave managed all this and made time to consistently post to YouTube with a full-time job. No excuses, y’all! If you want it, make the time for it.

Now to touch on financials. Can you give us an idea of your income breakdown across adsense, sponsorships, etc. with whatever level of transparency you’re comfortable with?

Sure, I can’t share everything due to contracts and NDA’s but I did share what YouTube itself pays me in a recent video. In 2023, the channel brought in nearly 9 million views, and that converted to about $50,000 in YouTube adsense payments.

If you live in the USA, that doesn’t sound like a lot and that’s A LOT less than I used to make at my engineering job. Fortunately, that’s not my total income. Like you said, I also rely on affiliate deals and sponsorships. YouTube adsense probably makes up around 40-50% of my total income but again it’s not easy to track since it can vary so much month to month. I’m hoping for more growth this year!

Working as a full-time YouTuber with 120K+ subscribers and making trail running related content seems like a dream job to me. Is it?

Ha! Let me start this by saying YES, I have the best job in the world. I’m my own boss, I get to do creative things and play with the coolest tech on the market. My kids think I’m super cool because of it (which goes a long way lol) and my time is flexible which allows me to be a much more present and engaged parent.

That said, I think you’ll hear this a lot from people who seem like they have “dream jobs” like pro sports, actors, etc... Even a dream job is still a job. I spend a lot of time doing book keeping, taxes, writing emails, and all of that boring stuff. Some day’s I’m not in the mood to put my face in front of a camera or I’m sick and look terrible but I have a deadline for a product embargo lift and I HAVE to have a video ready.

There’s been countless nights where I’ve had to work editing straight through the night to have a video ready to post in the morning. And, of course there’s just general burn out from grinding so hard for years. I won’t complain though, I’d much rather be doing this than sitting in a cubical or pointless meeting!

If you could go back to 2018 when you were just starting out, and give yourself any advice, what would it be?

Great question. I’d probably say “Be yourself and find your own path”. I think early on I tried to copy or emulate the YouTubers I idolized. After doing this for a couple of years I notice the more I lean into my insecurities and the more vulnerable I make myself the more people seem to engage or relate to the content.

I’ve been thinking about starting my own channel. Having a hard time deciding whether to focus on tech or outdoors, and what my unique approach would be. If I lived somewhere with closer access to mountains, I’d probably make fast-packing and overnight adventure type videos. But, I live in the suburbs of Austin. Have any advice or things I can consider to help make a decision and take action?

I had similar issues early on. I always wanted my videos to be EPIC with big hikes or trail runs in the mountains or ice climbing videos. Truth is, I live 2-3 hours from the Mountains in New Hampshire and it was impossible to post consistently with that kind of stuff because I too live in the suburbs outside of Boston.

I think in your situation you should lean into the challenges you face. Maybe post videos about how to pack for a weekend trip, what your “every day carry” is, what emergency stuff you keep in your car for road trips or camping, how to dress/layer, etc… If you like tech, sure post about that too! And when you finally make it to the mountains or a camping trip include that as well.

Your youtube channel should reflect what you are personally passionate about otherwise your channel likely won’t survive!

Lastly, where should readers follow you if they want to keep up with you?

All the things! @chasethesummit on Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok. Oh! And I recently started taking my podcast a bit more seriously where you can listen to me rant for hours on end called the “Chase the Summit Trail Talk” (get it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify).

Thanks for the fun chat! Hope I didn’t talk too much!

That’s a wrap

No, Dave, you talked just the right amount! Here’s a massive thank you for sharing your time with us 🫶🏼

If you enjoyed this, consider taking a moment to:

1. Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. Reply or comment and let me know what you thought

3. Forward this post to someone who’d enjoy it

See y’all next week,

Ken

P.S. Follow me on X or LinkedIn for more insights from the founders I chat with

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders.

This week, I’m featuring Nadia Odunayo and her venture, The StoryGraph.

I was blown away by Nadia’s story, from how she started to how far she’s come, and the organic word-of-mouth driving The StoryGraph’s growth.

We chatted about:

• How she came to build a competitor to the Amazon-owned Goodreads

• How she let customer research guide her to product/market fit

• How she got to 2 million users as a one-woman dev team

Hi Nadia, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! To kick us off, can you give us an elevator pitch for The StoryGraph? What problem are you solving, and who are you solving it for?

The StoryGraph helps you to track your reading and choose your next book based on your mood and your favourite topics and themes.

We’re helping any reader, whether an avid one or someone who’s trying to get into the hobby, decide what to read next!

Where’d the idea come from and what motivated you to move forward with it?

StoryGraph was born out of a smaller side project I was working on. Goodreads was my favourite app at one point, but there was one thing I couldn’t do: make lists that were private only to me or shared with a small group of friends. I also wanted to be able to track my progress through these lists via a pretty dashboard. So I started working on an app that hooked into Goodreads and provided that very function.

However, after having such a fun time coding up a demo, I knew I wanted to do this full-time if possible, so I started doing customer research, starting with people I knew who read books. While people weren’t excited about my specific product idea I learnt that there were several existing pain points with Goodreads and other reading trackers and so I decided to focus on building a product that solved for those.

Editor’s note: note how Nadia decided to do customer research early-on, realized quickly that people weren’t interested in what she started building, and actually used what she learned to zero in on something that people did want. It’s easy to fall in love with your idea and go heads down building it. Don’t do that. Take a page out of Nadia’s book, and talk to people to see if they actually want what you’re making. Then, actually learn from those conversations and iterate.

How’d you find your initial users? Where has growth come from since?

The initial users were the people that I’d done customer interviews with when I was trying to figure out if there was a product worth building. Some of them introduced me to others. I also had a landing page up which brought in strangers and I cold-DM’d several people who were part of the books corner of Instagram, Bookstagram. This was all at the beginning of 2019. One of the people I reached out to on Instagram, Abbie Walker, started working at StoryGraph later that same year and still works with us to this day!

Then, in June of 2020 we exploded due to some viral tweets, growing from 1k to 20k registered users in three days! Since then we’ve been growing ever since, with spikes now and again due to social media posts or other media mentions.

In December of 2023 we passed 2 million registered users and we have currently have just over 5 million unique monthly visitors.

Editor’s note: If you open the links above to the social posts that helped StoryGraph grow, one thing that stood out to me is each of the tweets that went viral talking about StoryGraph was posted by someone with a low follower count. In other words, it wasn’t like they had some influencers talking about them. This just goes to show how loved their product is, and how it’s clearly resonating with people in an authentic way.

How do you define success for The StoryGraph, and how close are you to that vision?

I recently found the mission statement that I wrote down for the company I wanted to build:

We exist to enhance the lives of avid readers everywhere and to inspire non-readers to discover the joy of reading.

We are already seeing evidence that we’re achieving this every day via customer feedback emails, social media posts, and App and Play Store reviews, which is awesome, but I also see lots of helpful, critical feedback, especially surrounding the UI and UX of the product. I want to get to the point where all of these common pain points are handled and we’ve exceeded expectations when it comes to the design, user experience, and performance of the app. Then I’ll feel like I’m fully realising the vision!

If you could go back to the start of The StoryGraph, what advice might you give yourself?

Not to worry so much during the tough times, or the “dark days” as I called the two week effective standstill we had when that first spike came about. You’ll always find your way out! All of the problems we're facing have been faced by someone else before us. There is a solution out there!

Are there any books that have been particularly helpful in your journey as a founder?

The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick. It really helped me start to hone my customer interviewing skills, forcing me to go into interviews with a clear hypothesis and an open mind, and making me stay far away from leading questions. It’s so short. Everyone involved in any sort of product development should read it!

Editor’s note: I second Nadia’s recommendation here. The Mom Test comes up all the time in my circle of startup founders, product people, and designers. I’ve personally read it a few times and applied its lessons in conducting the hundreds of conversations I’ve had with customers at the startups I’ve worked for. If you’re thinking of starting a venture of your own, this is a must-read.

Before we wrap, is there anything about your story we haven’t covered that you’d like readers to know?

Despite our growth, and my wonderful co-founder Rob Frelow, I’m still a one-woman dev team (amongst all the other jobs I do in the running of the company)! I tell the story in a talk I gave at the inaugural Rails SaaS Conference in LA in October 2022 titled “Getting to One Million Users as a One-Woman Dev": 

Lastly, where should readers follow you if they want to keep up with you?

To keep up with StoryGraph:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.storygraph/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thestorygraph

• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the.storygraph

• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thestorygraph

• Mastodon: https://bookstodon.thestorygraph.com/@thestorygraph

To keep up with me (Nadia), personally:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nodunayo

• Instagram (mainly for my dancing): https://www.instagram.com/nodunayo/

That’s a wrap

A massive thank you to Nadia for sharing her time with us!

My big takeaways:

1. Don’t fall in love with an idea and force it. Be open to the reality that people may not actually want it

2. Talk to potential customers as early as possible (see #1)

3. You don’t need a big team to do big things

4. Organic word-of-mouth is the holy grail

5. Read The Mom Test

If you enjoyed this post, consider taking a moment to:

1. Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. Reply or comment and let me know what you thought

3. Forward this post to someone who’d enjoy it

See y’all next week,

Ken

P.S. Follow me on X or LinkedIn for more insights from the founders I chat with

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders. Today, I’m excited to share the story of Kate Gaffney and her venture, Avryn Co.

A personal quest for the perfect key wristlet led Kate to create Avryn Co., a beloved brand crafting minimalist, leather essentials from their studio in Greenville, SC. Follow them @avrynco on Instagram.

We chatted about:

• How her quest for the perfect key wristlet led to starting a business

• How she went from idea to first customer in 6 days (6 days!)

• A simple formula to launch a successful product

Hi Kate, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! To kick us off, can you tell us about Avryn Co.? What is it and who is it for?

Avryn Co. is a female founded company on a mission to lighten the everyday load of women with our handcrafted leather wristlets and wallets.

Where’d the idea come from and was it obvious you should take action on it or were you on the fence about it?

The idea for our first product came from a personal daily pain point–my keys, in my hands, where other things (children, groceries, work bags, coffee cups) needed to be.

Sure, key wristlets abound, but none I could find checked all the boxes. The boxes being…

• Stylish (genuine leather preferred)

• Easy to slide over my wrist

• Flexible and sleek

• Easy on/off for keys, fobs etc (main keyring cannot be a split ring)

Once the solution came to mind it was obvious that I wanted to make it not only for myself but also for others that I thought might be out there searching for the same solution.

We added the card wallet a few months later to create the perfect minimalist grab-and-go option!

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Editor’s note: I just want to quickly point out that Kate was solving a pain point she experienced personally. She noticed something in her life (the keys in her hands) that she imagined could be better, and envisioned a solution. This is a common pattern among founders I’ve spoken with.

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Can you briefly walk us through the steps you took to go from an idea to a real product in customers' hands?

We started with just the wristlet (no wallet) and went from idea to Etsy shop and our first sale in 6 days.

I knew exactly what I wanted to make and had a general idea of how to make it so I ordered a hole punch, leather, grommets, and keyrings and once it all arrived I was able to make a small batch of wristlets with two different leathers. We took product photos the next day and launched the Etsy shop. Our first sale was to a friend that bought it for another friend who still uses that first wristlet to this day.

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Editor’s note: Did you read that? 6 days! Kate went from idea to Etsy shop and her first sale in 6 DAYS. Talk about being action-oriented. Wow! Worth noting that another founder I featured who has a physical product built his first prototype the day after he had the idea. There seems to be something to making it “real” as quickly as possible when you have an idea.

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How’d you get your first 10 customers? Where has most of your growth come from since?

We started on Etsy, so our first 10 customers were a mix of buyers who found us on the Etsy marketplace, and friends/friends of friends that heard about Avryn Co. on Instagram. We’ve grown largely through organic marketing on Instagram and word of mouth + gifting. Having a giftable product definitely helps with organic growth.

Do you have any key financial metrics, customer feedback, or other indicators of performance you’re comfortable sharing with us?

In just under 4 years we’ve helped give a hand to over 20,000 women through our wristlets/wristlet-wallet sets. We have over a thousand glowing 5 star reviews and receive positive customer feedback nearly daily on Instagram through DMs or story shares.

What’s the best thing about being the founder of Avryn Co.? Have you had any “pinch me” moments?

This whole journey is a pinch me moment. I never set out to start a “for real” business so the fact that I’m almost 4 years into running a business that helps women every day and allows me to have the work flexibility I want for myself and my family is pretty dang cool.

I love that! Now, let’s say someone reading this is considering launching their own physical product. What’s the best piece of advice you could give them?

Start simply. One solid problem-solving product and great photography can take you pretty far and help you feel out if the demand is there before you go all-in.

Are there any key resources (online communities, websites, services, books, etc) you’d suggest they check out?

I’m not a great reader of nonfiction or business books in general. And most business podcasts stress me out and make me feel like I should be doing more, faster, bigger, better (there are a few solid exceptions).

My best resource has been watching and talking with other business owners. Even from afar you can start to tell what’s working, what isn’t, and lessons you can apply to your own business.

To others I would say, look to the other small businesses in your community or businesses you admire that share some behind the scenes online and learn through observation first. If you want their advice or help, make it as easy as possible for them to say yes. (make your questions clear and easy to answer, take them to coffee/lunch, offer something you have/know in return). Business owners love to be helpful but are also extremely busy so making it an easy yes will help everyone.

Re: services, I think there’s a lot to be said for using the right services but it depends a lot on what sort of business you’re running. In general I’d say keep it simple until simple no longer works and then ask another business what they did to solve X problem.

Lastly, where should readers follow you if they want to keep up with you?

Our monthly email newsletter keeps our community up to date on what’s coming up, and Instagram (@avrynco) is where we love to show behind the scenes and connect with our community. Readers can learn more about what we offer and shop at avrynco.com!

That’s a wrap

If you enjoyed this post, consider taking a moment to:

1. Like this post to get it in front of more future founders

2. Forward this post to someone who’d enjoy it

Until next week,

Ken Seals

P.S. Follow me on X or LinkedIn for a BTS look at writing this newsletter

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders. Today, we're sharing the story of Saron Yitbarek and her venture, Not a Designer.

Saron recently redesigned The Storygraph, an upstart competitor to Goodreads. You’d never know it, but her background is actually in engineering, not design. As a non-designer who designs, she just launched Not a Designer, which is already helping thousands learn to design. Follow her @saronyitbarek on X.

Hi Saron, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! To kick us off, can you give us an elevator pitch for Not a Designer?

Not A Designer offers design bites for devs. Design is a super powerful skill to have, but most developers don't know how to design and find it intimidating. We're making design accessible so developers can build better, and more beautiful, products.

Where’d the idea come from and what motivated you to move forward with it?

I've always loved design and had to do a lot of it for different product ideas over the years, but I've never been trained as a designer. This is my way of leveling up and sharing what I learn as I learn it.

How’d you find your first subscribers? Where has growth come from since?

I have a personal newsletter of about 500 people where I give occasional, personal and professional updates. My first 100 subscribers came from that newsletter. The rest came mostly from Twitter, I have a decent following there, and people sharing the newsletter. I had a great spike over the new year where over 1K subscribed and that was from one popular person sharing it on Twitter and on Mastodon!

Do you have a vision for Not a Designer? Is there an ideal outcome you’re working toward?

I want this to be a revenue-generating side hustle. I'd love to have a combination of sponsors, courses, maybe even a book one day! If I can help developers get more comfortable with design and also make money from it, that would be amazing.

It seems like you have your hands in a few ventures. What does a typical day look like for you?

A mess lol. Most of my days are working on my startup, evenings are for my incredible daughter, and nights are for Not A Designer. Throughout the week, I also do my best to incorporate self care, which includes therapy and exercising. I feel like I'm still figuring out a good system for getting it all done but I'm doing my best!

I saw you’re launching Big Cash Money 2024 (love the name!), a free support and accountability group for entrepreneurs. Can you tell us more about that and why you’re launching it?

Sure! At the end of last year, I decided that I wanted to take my speaking career and Not A Designer more seriously. I wanted to increase my personal revenue from different streams of income and realized that there are actually a ton of other people doing the same thing -- many of them were friends! I'm hoping to build a tool for people like me and wanted a way to both help folks reach their goals and also get to know them better, so I came up with Big Cash Money 2024. It's a small group of just 35 people and applications close Jan 12, so get yours in!

Apply to join Big Cash Money 2024

Editor’s note: I love what Saron is doing with Big Cash Money 2024. I started Everyday Empires with a mission to inspire folks to start a business of their own. BCM2024 is directly aligned with that goal, as the purpose of the group is to help folks with a side hustle or business make significant progress toward their revenue goals this year.

It’s also worth noting that BCM2024 is totally free. Saron breaks down how she’s able to do this (and why) over on bigcashmoney2024.com.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give to someone who might want to launch their own newsletter this year?

There's no silver bullet for growth. The good thing is, there are tons of things to try and you can attempt it as many times as you'd like, and it takes a lot of attempts! Don't be afraid to put yourself out there, always be talking about your newsletter, and always be marketing. You never know what retweet moves the needle.

Before we wrap, is there anything about your journey we haven’t covered that you’d like readers to know?

I'm bipolar and I'm pretty open about my mental health. I take medication and go to therapy and they help a ton, but the bad days suck and the manic days are super annoying. No matter how good things look on the outside, you never really know what someone's really going through. I'm very grateful to have things under control most days, but sometimes it's overwhelming and I just have to get through it. I think the more open and honest we are about our mental health journeys, the less alone people suffering will feel, so I try to be open about mine. If you're struggling, I hope you know that you're not alone ♥️

Lastly, where should readers follow you if they want to keep up with you?

The best place to follow me is my twitter: @saronyitbarek. And if you have any design topics you'd like me to cover, my DMs are open!

That’s a wrap

A massive shoutout to Saron for sharing a glimpse into her journey! If you enjoyed this issue of Everyday Empires please click the “like” button below.

Every “like” helps this newsletter get in front of more future founders 🫶🏼

Until next week,

-@kenseals

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders. Today, we're sharing the story of Chase Heckendorn and his venture, Swap Top.

A dinner chat about kids' Crocs led Chase, a father of three, to ask, "What about shoe-charms on a hat?" This simple question sparked Swap Top, now a fast-growing business with reach across 48 states and a feature on Good Morning America. Follow him @chaseheckendorn on X.

Hi Chase, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! To kick us off, can you tell us about Swap Top? What is it and who is it for?

Swap Top is this first hat that uses interchangeable shoe-charms to style the front billboard section of the hat, making it completely customizable. It's for anyone who likes the idea of showcasing their hobbies and/or interests on the front of a hat, but it has become really popular with kids in the 5 - 12 age range.

Can you briefly walk us through the steps you took to take Swap Top from an idea to a real product in customer hands?

Sure, but first I need to share a little background - we were sitting around the dinner table one night discussing our boys’ new obsession with Crocs. They wanted to wear them every day, but the schools don't really like them (not great for gym-class/sports in general), and we kept having issues with them losing charms on the playground.

This initially sparked the idea... "I wonder if anyone has ever done this on a hat?" 100 Google searches later, we couldn't find it anywhere. We knew we had something.

The next morning, Brynn (my wife) and I went to Dick's sporting goods down the street. We picked up a pair of all-white Crocs and a black Northface trucker hat. With supplies in hand, we took it home and built our first hand-stitched prototype. Even though it was a rough representation, being able to visualize it really sealed the deal for us.

We thought it was awesome.

So did our three boys, who are 8, 10 and 11, and who we've since learned are our target audience. 

From there, we started looking for manufacturers, both locally & abroad. We hired someone on Fiverr to create a 3D rendering for about $250, showing the charms pop into the holes.

This process actually took a while. Most manufacturers just want to stitch a new slogan/logo on hats they already produce, which wasn't what we needed. Even though it took longer than expected, something drove us to keep going.

We finally found a manufacturer who understood and they immediately got to work. They came up with two prototypes for us. We received them in March, right before leaving on a Spring Break ski-trip, so we brought them with us.

I can still remember wearing them in the airport and people giving us weird looks.. like, "what is that?!" We loved it.

We chose our favorite of the two prototypes & ordered 150 black/white hats in the Youth 8+/Adult size. They arrived at the end of April, so we officially launched on May 1st.

How’d you get your first 10 customers? Where has most of your growth come from since?

While the first 150 hats were being manufactured, we built a simple website with a stock notifications sign-up page. This way we could start collecting customer emails. We initially reached out to friends, family, neighborhood contacts, etc. and built up a pretty good email list. We launched an email campaign as soon as the hats arrived & landed our first 10 orders within 24 hours of launching.

After the excitement of the first 10 orders, we realized this thing wasn't going to sell itself. We also started to get some customer feedback for the first time... the charms, they were falling out. Shoot! The same problem that led us to come up with this idea is now happening with our product. We couldn't have that.

At this point, we had sold roughly 50 hats, and we completely halted sales. We called our manufacturer to adjust the charm-hole size (we made it smaller for a snug fit) & split the order into 2 sizes (Kids 5-7 and Youth 8+/Adult).

The new & improved hat design with multiple colors and sizes arrived just before June 1st, so we held a launch party in early June at a local neighborhood brewery.

We also emailed all of our early customers and told them we'd be happy to exchange an original hat for the new design. Nearly everyone took us up on it. We were shocked how many people showed up to support us that day & we sold a ton of hats in person. This gave us hope that we were on to something.

Ever since our launch party, it has been a constant experiment to see what works. Local pop-up markets, school & charity events, influencers, TikTok, Instagram, meta ads, giveaways, etc. Anything we could think of, we tried.

Along the way, something really cool happened. The very first influencer we connected with lives in our neighborhood, and she offered to do a post for us. We sent her kids hats, and she put together an awesome video. In the 48 hours following her post, we had a record sales day.

Whoa, we thought.

We looked at each other and said, "This is it! Influencers are the way to spread the word!"

My wife then connected us to another, slightly bigger influencer. She did a post.. and again, another record sales day. So we continued looking for more connections.

Through one of our earliest influencer connections, we got our lucky break.

On August 1st, just 3 months into this thing, we received a call to have our product featured on Good Morning America in September. One of the influencers we connected with had shared our product with the team at GMA. We honestly had no idea if we could make it work, but we did the only thing you do in that situation and said, "We're in!".

The segment on GMA was fantastic and the orders started flooding in. After the TV spot was done, we still had a lot of leftover inventory and we had a taste of what it was like to get that kind of exposure.

Our next move was to join LTK - a pretty exclusive influencer network. In September & October we continued experimenting with influencer partnerships and landed some great connections.

However, we were still looking for something more consistent. All I kept hearing about from other founders was Meta ads, Meta ads, Meta ads. So in November, I switched gears and dialed into Meta Ads. It worked. Incredibly well, especially during Black Friday & Cyber Monday.

So now we have two main avenues for growth: Meta ads & Influencer partnerships.

Do you have any key financial metrics, customer feedback, or other indicators of performance you’re comfortable sharing with us?

We've processed well over 2,000 orders to 48 States in the US in the first 7 months of launching. DTC e-commerce, all fulfilled in-house (literally from our home!).

Can you share a glimpse of your day-to-day life as the founder of Swap Top? What does a typical day look like for you? 

I wake up around 6ish, drink coffee, and try not to work before 8 AM. Brynn & I have 3 boys, so I hang out with them and read while they get ready. When the boys go to school, I get to work. I typically do the morning shift of packing orders, meaning everything that came in after 5 PM the day before. I throw those in my car and take them to the post office. Then I head to my office and listen to one of two podcasts: My First Million or Limited Supply.

Limited Supply is my current favorite. I keep a running weekly to-do list with more than I can typically complete in a week, so I do as much as I can. Things like abandoned cart email flow, email pop-ups with discount codes, creating new Meta Ads, Black Friday planning etc.

Fortunately, I have a lot of flexibility. Some days I get a lot done, and other days I run errands/workout and recharge my creative battery. 2-3 nights a week I have to chat with our manufacturers as well to keep things running smoothly on that end.

Have you experienced any low points as a founder?

Of course, there have been plenty.

When we realized the charm-holes were too big on our first 150 hats, that was tough. We wasted thousands of dollars on inventory and hadn't yet confirmed if it would even be worth it.

The slow-times between the highs were also really hard.

We'd go from a 50 order day, thinking we're on top of the world, to 2-3 days in a row with zero sales.

The hardest stretch of all was probably August 1st - Sept 7th while we were prepping for GMA. For a month straight, I was on zoom calls learning new software, meeting deadlines & prepping the website all day. Then I'd spend my evenings planning the fulfillment process & speaking with our manufacturers.

There were definitely some nights during that stretch where I was too exhausted to even think straight.

And what are the best things about being a founder? Have you had any “pinch me” moments?

Absolutely, I've had my fair share of those as well.

Being an entrepreneur for over 10 years, I've pursued numerous ideas and owned several businesses.

I'm no stranger to the grind.

From the very start, Swap Top stood out. It took-off in a way unlike anything I've experienced before.

Things seemed to just fall into place. While I know we've worked hard, there are days when it feels like success is simply drawn to us, with opportunities continuously arising.

This journey, experiencing so much good fortune with a new business in such a short period of time has been an incredible experience.

The first day we hit over 100 orders, getting featured by influencers with over a million followers, and seeing our product on Good Morning America – all these moments have been incredible.

Let’s say someone reading this is considering launching their own hat company. What’s the best piece of advice you could give them?

Seek out the most successful hat companies you can find. Figure out who the founders are, find them, reach out to them & learn from them.  E-commerce is cool because the blueprint is easy to find. It's on X, it's on Instagram, it's on podcasts. Also, make sure to test your idea with a small audience before going all in. 

Are there any key resources (online communities, websites, services, books, etc) you’d suggest they check out?

I'm a big fan of biographies about founders and if you are building a brand, there are definitely some good ones to check out. Let My People Go Surfing (Patagonia) & Shoe Dog (Nike) are both excellent.

X is the most incredible resource when it comes to finding & learning from founders. If you can't find them on X, they are usually on IG. Many of them get little to no attention (in comparison to the size of their brand) so you'd be surprised who you can talk to.

I'm also a big believer in linking up with likeminded people in a mastermind group. I've joined a couple of communities on Slack. For e-commerce in particular, I have to give a big shout out to the Limited Supply podcast. This is the most actionable and informative podcast I've ever listened to. 

Before we wrap, is there anything about your journey we haven’t covered that you’d like readers to know?

Yeah, I have to give Brynn some credit here, and I think it's an important part of my experience. We have very different strengths, and having her by my side to build this brand has been an incredible experience. I know I wouldn't be in the position I am today if I was doing this solo. I'd seriously think about either partnering with your significant other, or finding a co-founder to launch with. There will be plenty of disagreements, but it's so much better than trying to do it all yourself.

Lastly, where should readers follow you if they want to keep up with you?

The best place to follow me is on X @chaseheckendorn. You can find my brand at theswaptop.com and @theswaptop on IG.

That’s a wrap

A massive shoutout to Chase for sharing a glimpse into his journey! If you enjoyed this issue of Everyday Empires please click the “like” button below. Every like helps this newsletter get in front of more future founders ❤️

Until next week,

-@kenseals

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders. Today, we're sharing the story of Joline Rivera and her venture, Rbel Bee Sweets.

Personal health challenges led Joline Rivera to create Rbel Bee Sweets, a brand that’s redefining snack time. Joline’s path from tackling insulin resistance to launching a honey-based snack line exemplifies her passion for healthy, natural alternatives. Follow her @JolineRivera on X.

Hi Joline, thanks for being on Everyday Empires! To kick us off, can you tell us about your business? What is it, what problem are you solving, and who are you solving it for?

Rbel Bee Sweets is a healthy honey snack brand.

Why honey? Because HONEY IS BETTER THAN SUGAR.

On average Americans consume 20 teaspoons of sugar (80 grams) per day. Seventy-five percent eat too much sugar and 18% meet the criteria for obesity. Refined sugar is very inflammatory and has zero nutritional value. These statistics are backed by research.

We’re not asking people to give up sugar… technically honey IS sugar. BUT, it’s also a functional food. It’s nutritious but has benefits beyond its nutrition—it’s anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial.

Rbel Bee Honey Gummies is an all-natural gummy, sweetened with honey combined with other functional ingredients, like saffron, vanilla, and blue oyster mushrooms. Rbel Bee Honey Gummies is proof that sweet snacks can be healthy and taste incredible—our gummies have benefits beyond satisfying a sweet tooth.

What compelled you to start your business? Was it obvious to you at the time that you should start it, or were you on the fence?

A few years ago, I was training for a triathlon—swimming, biking, and running nearly every day. You’d think I’d be the picture of health, but it was the exact opposite. The harder I trained, the worse I felt. I gained weight, inflammation filled my body and I felt sick most of the time.

My doctors made it worse. Instead of listening to me, they questioned and doubted me. “Are you being honest about what you're eating?” they’d ask.

Then I found a 25-year MD and functional medicine specialist. He not only believed me, he told me he could help. He ran some blood tests and found that I had insulin resistance—I was on the verge of type 2 diabetes like many in my Hispanic family. Instead of prescribing pills, he wrote me a food prescription. It was an incredible list of functional foods I could eat, and a list of foods to stay clear of, like refined sugar. In six weeks, I dropped 20 pounds of body fat, completed my triathlon and a few years later I’m no longer at risk for diabetes.

This is when I learned that food is medicine.

I still WANT MY SWEETS. That’s when I turned to the bees...

Can you briefly walk us through the steps you took to take Red Belly Honey from an idea to a real product in customer hands?

This is exactly when I started Red Belly Honey—when I learned that bees were adding hemp to honey naturally. The benefits of hemp and honey both are huge and I knew I wanted to share if I could. I also knew very quickly that Red Belly Honey was too singular and required too much education. It’s also a big risk for some stores to sell a product with hemp—and I quickly began R&D for the first two years of running Red Belly Honey to launch what I knew was more easily understood.

In late February of 2023, I launched Rbel Bee Sweets. I had gathered the data on my audience, I knew what people were looking for and I knew I had to show them the other uses, benefits, and how convenient it can be to enjoy honey and sweets.

Editor’s note: The first product Joline launched, which she mentions above, is Red Belly Honey. This is a CBD-infused honey (infused by bees!). Joline leveraged customer feedback and insights to go on to launch Rbel Bee Sweets which is focused on providing honey-based sweets (no CBD).

Do you have any key financial metrics, customer feedback, or other indicators of performance you’re comfortable sharing with us?

Red Belly Honey was difficult to get into stores, and even harder to get distribution, however, our online sales were great—but not necessarily a great way to scale the business like we wanted. Our AOV $128, our Reorder Rate 45%, and our COA was $13. We gathered thousands of positive reviews only to be asked by Square (our payment processor) to take them down or be shut down. This is one of MANY obstacles in running a CBD business.

It’s crazy how much we can do now that we’ve launched RBEL BEE SWEETS. We were able to go into the Sweets & Snacks show for the first time this year (they don’t allow CBD). Not only allowed in but nominated for an Innovation Award. In the nine months since we launched RBEL BEE, we’ve gone into 200-plus stores, have been nominated for three innovation and taste awards, have on-boarded with USFoods and have another big announcement coming.

I understand you prioritize regular exercise, eating well, and getting plenty of sleep. How do you manage that while also running three companies?

It’s really easy. I put it myself first. Sleep, nutrition, exercise—in that order. Nothing will ever get done if I’m not well rested or worse, sick.

Before I launched our CPG brands, I ran my own creative agency—I’m very familiar with what it takes to turn off my desk light, close my computer, and walk away with no guilt.

I learned a long time ago to make myself a priority. I come first because if I don’t—I’m no good to anyone or anything. I make sure I’m meeting my trainer 3 times per week, I run on my own a few days, mostly because I love to see Lake Michigan no matter what time of the year, and more than any of that, I make sure I get at least seven to  eight hours of sleep.

People often ask me if I always eat healthy…the short answer is no. I eat what I want, when I want but I also make sure I don’t go overboard. I know when I need to clean it up.

Health is eating well, exercising, and sleep but wellness is doing what makes me feel good. Wellness can be a run, a good book (most of the time both), a warm blanket, snuggling with my dogs, a good movie, dinner with friends…or ice cream.

When I’m working, I work hard. I’m loading/unloading boxes, packing shipping orders, and much more. There’s nothing in the company I haven’t done. I hit the ground running every day, but I would not represent the brand well if I didn’t talk about what it means to set boundaries for myself, say NO when I need to, and never accepting anything less than what I deserve.

I heard you have a “take your shot” moment every day. Can you tell us more about that? What role has it played in your journey?

This is huge. I’m never afraid to ask for something I want. I can’t remember how long I’ve known that “two out of three is good—yes, no, and maybe” I live by that. I will talk to anyone, ask for anything, take a chance, or go for something whenever I have a chance.

This has been huge for me and the team—I have investors and opportunities with people that even surprised me. It’s how I got into college after setting out on my own as a teenager. It’s how I made it through college, my master's degree, landed my first job, how I worked for Food Network, moved to Chicago, art directed shoots for some of the most influential Fortune 100 companies and then launched Red Belly and then Rbel Bee Sweets.

It’s how I’ve ever done anything. It’s never occurred to me I can’t, so I keep taking the shots.

Have you experienced any low points as a founder?

Every. Single. Day.

There isn’t a day that goes by that something doesn’t happen. It can be anything…the printer messed up, the honey didn’t arrive, the order was canceled, the store rejected you, your team is having issues, and we forgot something important. It’s frustrating, sometimes maddening, and sometimes it feels like taking a bullet.

BUT—I grew up in a dysfunctional environment, I learned how to count on myself at a very young age, perseverance is second nature to me. I’m so grateful for that—this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I don’t focus on things for very long, I mean, I can’t. I might never get out of bed. I have to keep going. I have to get back up and try again. Just because something doesn’t work by drawing a straight line, I’ll go at it another way. Eventually, I’ll make it happen. It might take me longer, but I always get there.

The most recent was finally feeling okay to pivot. I read somewhere that nearly 50% of startups pivot and that pivot leads them to success 70% of the time. It took me a while to feel proud of this pivot. At first, it felt like failure but I realize now what we’ve accomplished in the last eight months was a HUGE lift and I’m really proud of my team and I. We are doing it.

And what are the best things about being a founder? Have you had any “pinch me” moments?

You wouldn’t believe who I’ve had conversations with—or who’s eating our gummies. I can’t disclose them now, but if you had told me I’d be talking to them I would not have believed you.

Outside of that, we were recently awarded the QUEENS CHOICE AWARD from the National Honey Board that recognized Rbel Bee Honey Gummies as one of the most innovative food and beverage of the year! I mean, damn, that’s pretty great considering I started it in my kitchen.

We concur - that is pretty great! Let’s say someone reading this is considering launching their own packaged food company. What’s the best piece of advice you could give them?

Figure out your intentions before you start, don’t use your own money, and know what you’re signing up for is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. Make sure you’re ready for it. Startups, whether launching, running, or being dedicated—it’s not for wimps.

Are there any key resources (online communities, websites, services, books, etc) you’d suggest they check out?

Follow Mike Fata, listen to him, listen to every podcast, go follow the people he’s talking to, read what they write, go all the way down the rabbit hole, and keep digging. Same with John Foraker.

I was fortunate enough to find, meet, and talk with a bunch of people in the middle of the pandemic on Clubhouse when there was nowhere else we could go. I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity and window of time. I’ve met and talked to so many incredible people in the CPG1 space.

Find the people who inspire you and make more than just connections. The great ones will be your mentors, people who inspire you, and if you’re lucky, your friend. They will give you time when you need it most.

Before we wrap, is there anything about your journey we haven’t covered that you’d like readers to know?

I remember going through a VERY rough patch and I made the mistake of confiding in someone who doesn’t understand what it takes to be a founder or risk it all in a startup, or what I’m working toward. Instead of getting good advice or support and strength to keep going they told me “you know…it’s okay to quit”.

My disappointment quickly turned into something else, it infuriated me. Anyone who tells you it’s okay to quit is secretly hoping you do. I will never forget this conversation as long as I live—I should thank them for adding fuel to my fire. And someday I may reach out to clue them in. Being motivated is one thing but when you’re dedicated to something, quitting is never an option.

That’s a wrap

A massive shoutout to Joline for sharing a glimpse into her journey! Before you leave, be sure to check out Joline’s venture and follow her:

• Website: Rbel Bee Sweets

• Twitter/X: @JolineRivera

• LinkedIn: Joline Rivera

• Instagram: @rbelbeesweets

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this issue of Everyday Empires please click the “like” button below. Every like helps this newsletter get in front of more future founders ❤️

Until next week,

-@kenseals

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders. Today, we're sharing the story of Verdi Kapuku and his venture, Appshine.

Drawing on hard-earned lessons from his previous startup, Verdi has propelled his design agency, Appshine, towards early success. Follow him @FrenchMajesty on X.

Editor’s Note: Everyday Empires is looking for more relatable founders to interview. If you know a founder (or are one) whose journey could inspire others to launch a venture, please email me at kenseals@gmail.com or reply to this email!

Can you give us an elevator pitch for Appshine? What gap did you see in the market, and who are you solving it for?

Appshine is a UX/UI design agency that helps tech startups design and build apps that drive more sales and retention.

The gap I saw in the market was that so many people were launching design subscription agencies1 but many had poor positioning. They didn't clearly define what they did for their clients besides "I will do design for you in exchange for money."

Most founders I know don't deeply care about that. However, I figured if I could use my business acumen to use design as a function to drive tangible business growth rather than vague aesthetic points, I would be the clear choice in the eyes of the tech leaders.

What was the turning point for you in making the shift from software engineer to entrepreneur?

In truth, I am unemployable. I tend to get bored at a job after 6~8mo and I'm always more interested in doing my own thing. From the moment I discovered tech when I was 12 I knew I'd one day want to start my own company in this industry. I guess I've stayed true to that dream/vision.

How’d you find and book your initial clients? Where has growth come from since?

The first few came from Product Hunt, then the majority of our revenue has come from cold outreach with a decent chunk coming from referrals (last quarter it was 24% of our revenue).

Do you have any advice for someone getting started with cold outreach?

Adjust your expectations and then just do the work.

Expectations: You only have 2 resources to ever spend to grow your business. Time and money, right? If you're getting started and have no money to buy awareness and leads, then you will need to spend time. That's inevitable. So expect to spend a lot of time and get very little results in the beginning. Some months that meant 2-3hrs/day, 5 days/week to get 0 new customers at the end of the month for me.

Do the work: Just send a lot of outreaches. As much as you can tbh. If you have an automated email system, a benchmark to see sales come from it is minimum 400/week. If it's LinkedIn, max out the limits on your plan. I think it's 40/week I'm not exactly sure. If you are as targeted as we are and you're focused on hot leads, you can get away doing 50/week. That's what I started off doing and then reduced it 20-30/week because we have customers we now serve and need to focus on.

How do you define success for Appshine, and how does that align with your vision of creating valuable real-world applications?

I define it as helping more customers ship more products that grow their revenue and creating jobs to upskill workers in 3rd world countries.

Creating jobs to upskill workers in 3rd world countries? Can you share more about that? Why is that important to you and do you have a vision for how that will manifest?

I realize that Africa is a massive untapped well of potential. Those countries lack infrastructure but have huge amounts of human capital (1.2B people). Plus, low living costs make it a perfect target for cheap labor.

Here’s the opportunity: the desire to outsource and save on costs created lots of jobs and prosperity for China's manufacturing and India's IT market in the 70s and 80s.

However, today the cost of building in China is rising and India has had a difficult time maintaining a consistent quality standard, making it an unreliable partner. Thus, smart businesses are looking elsewhere for that cheap labor.

You see where I’m going with this, right? This is my master plan for changing the world:

1. Hire some of the brightest minds in tech from the USA at a premium

2. Hire a team of very cheap but smart young Africans and train them for 6 months

3. Then get that team to work under the tight directive of this USA tech worker

4. This will essentially allow us to have team units that have 1 brain and 10 hands

5. Allowing us to deliver 80% of the quality of the work but at 20% of the cost for businesses

If we can deliver on this core model, everybody wins and it could easily give birth to a $50B industry. :-)

Now, I’m not trying to do this next year. This is a life legacy thing.

I will probably die before I see the full picture come together but if I can help break open a new labor pool, I will have changed human history forever and 100s of millions of lives will be positively affected by the ripple effects of this change.

Editor’s Note: What an amazing vision. I’ve heard from other entrepreneurs that an ambitious goal that you’re energized to work toward day in and out can be the difference between success and failure. It gives them an edge in attracting talent & capital, and helps propel them through the hard phases when they otherwise might give up.

As someone who enjoys the challenge of complex engineering problems, how do you balance the technical aspects with the entrepreneurial side of running Appshine?

I intentionally stay away from engineering contracts for Appshine because they are too time consuming. However, I haven’t given up on SaaS.  I’m currently in the process of entertaining and validating a couple of moves.

Can you share a glimpse of your day-to-day life as the founder of Appshine? What does a typical day look like for you?

Wake up at 5am.

By 5:10 I'm out the door. I go for a walk and think, medidate, and thank God I'm alive for another day!

By 5:40am I'm at my desk where I do some planning for my day, planning what the team is gonna be working on, catching up on missed emails and messages, etc...From about 6:00am 9:30am I do the deep work that will require the most focus out of me. This varies day by day but it will either be designing for a customer, writing content, writing email sequences, planning & strategy.

Then the rest of the day is really a freestyle. It will be a mix of calls with my team, calls with customers, networking in person. Doing actual work.

Until ~5:30pm when I wrap up the work day.

There are some interruptions during the day. I take a 1h lunch break mid-day. I will typically take 3 10-15 min breaks to get up stretch, scroll TikTok or play Polytopia. I will also take about two 30 min breaks in the day to help out my stay-at-home wife with the baby. All in all, I spend about 10 hrs a day working.

Could you share some insights into the financial health or customer metrics that highlight Appshine’s current performance?

Overall, since we launched we have been growing about 60% MoM and if we can sustain this momentum we will cross the almighty $10K/month mark early into next year (Q1 2024).

From your experience with your last startup, Mora AI, did you learn any key lessons that you're applying to make Appshine a success?

Yes. As a first time founder I was way too focused on the product and not enough on distribution. It killed us and it was a very painful experience for me. Especially when a product we tried to launch failed, and then 8 months later we saw a company in space doing something VERY similar to get all the traction and awards. From then, I realized that I need to over-index on customer acquisition early on and improve the product over time. But most first-timers just don't get that... Unless you're a very lucky part of the 1% who just inherently understand that, most typically have to experience a very painful failure to shift that mindset and get it right. Especially if you come from an engineering/product background.

For our readers who are budding entrepreneurs, what advice would you share about moving from idea to execution?

You should be hyper-focused on customer acquisition. Your product or service can and should be halfway-crappy. It can't be totally bad because those first few customers won't give you good reviews but it should be scrappy. If you can figure out how to consistently get your thing in front of 5-10 customers a week, you'll learn quickly what's working and what's not. As you fix those things, you will start closing more of those people you're reaching. At first, you'll close 2 customers/week, then 4/week, then 8/week, etc... and you'll start getting traction.

Chase revenue first, product improvement second.

Before we wrap, is there anything about your journey we haven’t covered that you’d like my audience to know?

You shouldn't look for mentors, look for peers. By this I mean other people who are also trying to figure out this entrepreneurship thing with you and can hold each other accountable. You'll grow much faster if you're part of a cohort of other ambitious hard-workers. I know it can be tough if you don't live in a city with a thriving ecosystem but this can (and will) make all the difference.

There's a reason why the best founders have a strong network. And it's typically not because they are successful  since the network is built on the way up. Rather, it's because they seek to surround themselves with other smart and ambitious people and that drives them.

That’s a wrap

A massive shoutout to Verdi for sharing a glimpse into his journey! Before you leave, be sure to check out Verdi’s venture and follow him:

• Verdi’s business: Appshine

• Follow him on X: @FrenchMajesty

• Follow him on LinkedIn: @verdierkapuku

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this issue of Everyday Empires (or didn’t), please let me know in the comments, reply to this email, or DM me on X.

Until next week,

-@kenseals

No founder's tale this week – it's Turkey Day! And I'm carving out a moment to extend a big thank you to each and every one of you.

Thank you for subscribing, engaging, and sending cool founder stories my way. Couldn't have done this without you.

And to the founders we've chatted with – Yifan, Matt, Madison, Mitya, Max, Namya, Aaron – you've shared your journeys, from humble starts to hitting it big, serving up real inspo for us all.

If you've been pondering an idea or dreaming of a venture of your own, let these founder stories be your launchpad.

Here's a quick roll call of the amazing folks we've had:

- Yifan, who turned a simple idea into a profitable one-page website

- Matt, whose resilience carved the path for Tidalwave

- Madison, who leaped from a 9-5 to financial freedom

- Mitya, from Upwork freelancer to helming a multi-million-dollar agency

- Max, who unlocked the potential of Notion analytics

- Namya, balancing a 4-hour workday while running a cutting-edge design agency

- Aaron, spinning his Retool savvy into a vital service for startups

Each one of them, a story of grinding, winning, and sometimes, just winging it. Real people, building their empires one day at a time.

So, as you nibble on leftovers this weekend, maybe flip through these stories. Who knows? It might just be the nudge you need to kickstart your own venture.

Next week, we're back with more founder stories. But for now, enjoy the turkey, relish the downtime, and let's be thankful for the journey – it’s what makes it all worth it.

Happy Thanksgiving, folks! Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Catch you next week,

-@kenseals

Welcome back to Everyday Empires, your weekly interview series spotlighting everyday founders. Today, we're sharing the story of Aaron Via and his venture, The Online Tooling Company.

In just a few months, Aaron transformed his passion for Retool development into a full-fledged productized service business focused on early-stage startups. Follow him @viaaaaron on X.

Editor’s Note: Everyday Empires is looking for more relatable founders to interview. If you know a founder (or are one) whose journey could inspire others to launch a venture, please email me at kenseals@gmail.com or reply to this email!

Start us off with a brief description of your business: what is The Online Tooling Company, who is it for, and what sparked the idea?

The Online Tooling Company (OTC) is dedicated to empowering early-stage startups and small businesses through our innovative monthly subscription service, designed to streamline and expedite Retool app development.

My journey with OTC began after a year of freelancing in Product Operations and extensive Retool development. I was actively seeking opportunities within early-stage startups, particularly in roles that allowed me to delve deeper into the realm of Retool. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a role that perfectly aligned with my aspirations.

That's when inspiration struck. A conversation with you shed light on the Productized service model, notably popularized by Designjoy. It suddenly became clear to me that I could scale my Retool expertise using this model while simultaneously creating the job I had been seeking.

Before The Online Tooling Company, what was your mindset like? Were there other ventures or ideas you were contemplating?

In the year leading up to the inception of The Online Tooling Company (OTC), I found myself in a highly exploratory phase of both my career and personal life. My journey began with joining a startup right out of school, which experienced rapid growth, expanding from a mere 10 employees to nearly 100. This provided me with an invaluable opportunity to be a part of an incredible journey and acquire a wealth of knowledge along the way.

However, when circumstances took an unexpected and unfavorable turn, resulting in significant layoffs, including my own, it was a pivotal moment for me. While it was undeniably challenging to witness a venture I had been deeply involved with falter, it also presented a unique chance for me to reevaluate my aspirations and explore new avenues.

During this period of self-discovery, I embarked on various creative projects. One notable endeavor involved using DALL•E to generate images of famous individuals named "Bill" and then strategically pasting printed copies of these faces on "Post No Bills" signs throughout New York City, adding an element of artistic expression to the urban landscape.

I also embarked on a creative stunt, sending a receipt printer to Tom Sachs, programmed to print an "About Me" pitch for an open role he had at his studio. While this particular effort didn't result in the intended job offer, it did lead to meeting Sachs.

Additionally, I had the opportunity to contribute as a Production Assistant on several music videos with a record label in the city during this time. These diverse experiences further fueled my exploration of what excited and interested me, both from a career and personal perspective.

Throughout this exploration phase, I sustained myself by taking on freelance Product Operations work to ensure the bills were paid. Simultaneously, I engaged in interviews for full-time positions, primarily within the startup realm. However, I adopted a discerning approach in selecting my next major commitment.

I had learned from my previous role that, in order to perform at my best, I needed not only a strong alignment with the industry but also a significant level of responsibility and engagement. If the industry or my role didn't genuinely captivate my interest, I recognized that I risked becoming disengaged and less effective in my work.

This transformative period ultimately paved the way for the birth of OTC, as I harnessed my passion for Retool and seized the opportunity to create a venture that aligned perfectly with my interests and expertise, while also catering to the needs of early-stage startups and small businesses.

At what point did you feel confident that The Online Tooling Company was a promising idea worth pursuing? Was there a specific “aha” moment or sign that you were onto something?

The “aha” came twice I’d say. First, when I got my first Retool-only freelance client in early 2023 (before OTC was a thing) and again when I found the Productized Service model.

The budget and scope for the first project made it clear to me that I could provide direct value quickly and be compensated well. Discovering the Productized Service model made it clear how I could scale this and even simplify my offering to make it easy for prospective clients to understand.

Can you delineate the pivotal steps in creating The Online Tooling Company and perhaps share a rough timeline from ideation to securing your first client?

Here is a rough timeline in creating The Online Tooling Company (OTC):

Early 2023:

• I was already providing Retool development services to several clients on a freelance basis.

• My services were well-received, but I hadn't yet established a formal brand identity for this work beyond using my own name.

Mid-June 2023:

• This marked a significant turning point for OTC:

• I created a dedicated website for The Online Tooling Company, giving it a distinct online presence.

• To provide a formal legal structure, I established an LLC for OTC.

• I began actively promoting my services, particularly on social media platforms like Twitter/X.

Result:

• By making my services publicly accessible through a dedicated website and social media promotion, I expanded my reach beyond word-of-mouth referrals.

• This increased visibility and professional branding efforts led to new customer leads and inquiries, eventually resulting in securing my first client for OTC's Retool development services.

Describe a regular day for you. How do you strike a balance between work and personal time?

A typical day for me as a solo operator at The Online Tooling Company (OTC) is a dynamic blend of client work, administrative tasks, and growth-oriented activities. Balancing these responsibilities is key to my daily routine:

Morning (8:30 AM - Noon):

• I kick off my day with a Matcha around 9 AM, which is my version of Popeye Spinach.

• Mornings are dedicated primarily to client work. I prioritize and plan my tasks for the day during this time, aiming to stay ahead of client commitments.

• My goal is to complete as many client tickets as possible during the morning, which provides flexibility for the rest of the day.

Noon (12 PM):

• Around noon, I break for a smoothie and engage in some form of exercise, such as going to the gym or for a run.

• Following my workout, I have lunch, re-zap with another matcha and spend an additional 2-3 hours on client work.

Afternoon (3 PM - 6 PM):

• During this time, I shift my focus to social tasks, including coffee meetings, calls, administrative responsibilities, and outreach efforts.

• If I have personal errands to run, I often schedule them within this window.

Evening (8 PM - 11 PM):

• If my client workload is substantial, after dinner and some screen time, I may engage in another client work session in the evening, typically lasting a few hours between 8 PM and 11 PM.

• However, if I'm on top of tickets, I have days where I can concentrate this time on growing the OTC brand.

Flexibility and Variety:

• What's great about this setup is that my days can vary significantly depending on the state of my client work. When I'm not engrossed in client projects, I have the freedom to focus on OTC's growth and development.

• This diversity in daily activities keeps things interesting and ensures that I'm constantly tackling different challenges and solving various problems, making the work enjoyable and dynamic.

• It may sound odd, but one of my "cheat codes" is dedicating 2-3 hours on Saturday and Sunday to getting ahead or catching up on things. I find working on the weekend provides a no-pressure, uninterrupted flow and allows me to work on random tasks without feeling like I'm procrastinating or off-task from major projects.

How long has The Online Tooling Company been operational? How do you envision its success, and what milestones lie ahead?

OTC has been operational for just over four months now. While I do have specific goals in terms of the number of clients and gross income, the initial milestone was to create a job for myself that is both exciting and sustainable.

For me, success isn't solely measured by financial metrics. A significant part of the excitement and success I envision for OTC lies in the connections and collaborations it fosters. Already, it has allowed me to connect with a multitude of inspiring founders and companies, which I find immensely rewarding.

In the future, I aspire for OTC to become a dynamic engine that not only enables me to continue meeting remarkable individuals and builders but also provides opportunities for further engagement. One of these aspirations is to potentially invest in some of the clients I work with when they are fundraising.

As OTC continues to evolve and grow, these milestones will guide our path forward, contributing to both the business's success and its broader impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Is there anything keeping you up at night at The Online Tooling Company? Any big hurdles or concerns?

One of the constant thoughts that occupies my mind at OTC is the idea of scaling the business by hiring offshore developers. This would alleviate the load of building and coding, allowing me to expand the scope of the business. However, it's worth noting that a significant part of what led me to create this business is my genuine enjoyment of this technical work. Building in Retool is not just empowering; it's genuinely fun. It enables me to swiftly transform problems into scalable solutions in a matter of minutes.

While there may be a path to having 1-3 people working alongside me to build apps, I don't foresee this happening in the near future. I'm currently having a blast managing my workload and diving into the technical aspects of the work.

Moreover, I value being the face of the brand and the work I deliver. When I create Loom walk-throughs of tools I've built for clients, I want them to know that it's me personally handling their projects, rather than outsourcing to a random individual on a platform like Fiverr. I believe this personal touch and the human element play a significant role in how I provide value to my clients.

So, while the idea of scaling and outsourcing is a consideration, it's balanced by the genuine satisfaction I derive from the hands-on technical work and the personal connection I establish with clients, both of which are central to OTC's identity and value proposition.

Would you be open to sharing any key metrics or client testimonials that showcase the value The Online Tooling Company provides?

Certainly, at this early stage of OTC, the key metrics may not be flashy, but they are still significant milestones:

1. Sustainability: The fact that OTC has enabled me to fully support myself while living in a high-cost city like New York City is a testament to the business's viability and value.

2. Client Satisfaction: While specific metrics and testimonials may be limited at this point, the positive feedback and satisfaction from clients are invaluable indicators of the value OTC provides. Clients' trust and recurring business speak to the effectiveness of the services.

As OTC continues to grow and expand its client base, I anticipate accumulating a wealth of testimonials and metrics related to both money and time saved for clients. Comparing the cost-effectiveness of hiring OTC for tool development versus employing a full-time engineer to handle the same tasks will be a compelling story of value in the future. These metrics and testimonials will further underscore the benefits and impact of OTC's services on its clients.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Bet on yourself with the confidence to learn, not your ego.

With my early Retool projects before OTC, I said yes to clients while I had limited skills with the tool. I knew if I was given the opportunity, I could figure it out and solve the problem. I found ways to ask for help from people who had a deep understanding of the problems I was trying to solve and even asked for clarity and assistance sometimes from clients on technical questions. Because I had confidence in my ability to learn, it gave me some space to ask questions and be more vulnerable about what I didn’t know. If I tried to hide that because I felt insecure about my abilities, I would have been stuck for much longer and would have likely quit by now.

That’s a wrap

A massive shoutout to Aaron for sharing a glimpse into his journey! Before you leave, be sure to check out Aaron’s venture and follow him:

• Aaron’s business: The Online Tooling Company

• Follow him on X: @viaaaaron

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this issue of Everyday Empires (or didn’t), please let me know in the comments, reply to this email, or DM me on X.

Until next week,

-@kenseals