The Top Entrepreneurs In Money, Marketing, Business And Life

Michael Litt started his first video company, Redwoods Media, as his undergraduate thesis project. He then evolved with his partner to create another successful video software company, Vidyard. He has learned the value of supportive family and friends throughout his life as an entrepreneur. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – Behind the Cloud What CEO do you follow? — Mark Benioff Favorite online tool? — Gmail Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I try to. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – If you want to be an entrepreneur, surround yourself with people who love and support you. Focus on those relationships. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Michael 02:15 – He started at the University of Waterloo and Research in Motion 03:00 – He graduated at 25, and the Redwoods Media was built as his undergraduate thesis project 03:50 – He contracted businesses to sponsor their company 04:50 – They were passionate about the video company, and turned down jobs at places like Goo

Mathilde Collin, CEO and co-founder of Front. Her app has developed email and inbox features meant specifically for teams. Growing up in France, Mathilde realized that being an adult wasn’t fun—that getting a job usually meant a life of misery. She would not settle for that. She knew from the beginning that she had to create a job that she loved, and so Front was born. Famous Five: Favorite Book? - The Hard Thing About Hard Things What CEO do you follow? — Patrick Collison Favorite online tool? — Front! and Slack. Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Yes. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – We can be happy at work. Get a job you love. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Mathilde Collin 02:00 – Front App is an inbox for teams. 02:25 – A SaaS company founded in 2014 02:50 – She started the business when she was 22. 03:05 – She realized a lot of people didn’t like their job, and she wanted to solve that issue for herself. 03:35 – 2015 revenue was $1 million 04:00 –

Joe Apfelbaum of Ajax Union. Joe has had several successful six-figure businesses, and Ajax Union is no exception. The company did $4 million last year, and they have plans to hit $6 million for revenue this year. Take a few notes from Joe’s playbook and take your own business to six-figure success. Famous Five:   Favorite Book? - Think and Grow Rich, Traction, and The Miracle Morning. Getting Things Done What CEO do you follow? — Tony Robbins Favorite online tool? — Google Docs, Trello and MailChimp Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I sleep when I’m comfortable. Last night I got 9 hours of sleep If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – The importance of reading and studying books. Relationships matter.   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Joe 02:35 – Joe just had his fifth kid 02:55 – Ajax Union was not his first six-figure business 03:30 – It started as a side gig 04:05 – They did $500000 in revenue in 2009 04:25 – 2015 revenue was $4 million 04:45 – They

Stacy Tuschl, who has maneuvered her way to the top with a brick-and-mortar business and has now entered the online world. She just launched her Level Up group coaching program, another step in the right direction as a true entrepreneur. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – Virtual Freedom What CEO do you follow? — Amy Porterfield Favorite online tool? — Google Calendar’s gTasks Pro Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Always. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Find a coach to work with immediately. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Stacy 02:15 – She has been in business since she was 18 02:40 – Her performing arts center and her online world are both sources of revenue 03:05 – She started teaching dance in her parents’ backyard when she was 18 03:25 – The business snowballed, and people started to pay her 03:45 – The company is now 11 years old 04:05 – Total revenue was 1.4 million 04:15 – Tons of expenses with a brick and mortar business. 04:35 – Profit margins we

Josh Herron, one of Bryan’s best franchisers at 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Josh and his partner Tyler have been through the grinder as entrepreneurs, but they have now created a franchise worth millions. Learn about franchising and if it’s the right path for you to become a business owner and start seeing dollar signs. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – Start with Why What CEO do you follow? — Jack Welch Favorite online tool? — iPhone Notes Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – All of your hard work will create something magical. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Josh 02:15 – Franchisers must be entrepreneurial by nature 02:35 – Josh got an opportunity to get into two franchises, and that was his first leap into entrepreneurship 03:10 – Wanting to be your own boss and becoming successful 03:40 – Josh was managing a 1-800-GOT-JUNK location when it got bought out by another owner, his friend Tyler 04:45 – It was an opportunity for Josh to

Brian Scudamore, who launched 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Brian’s unique perspective on his business drives him to take opportunities for growth, but he never wants to sell his company. He believes he must foster his vision to help others grow and evolve. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – The E-Myth What CEO do you follow? — Robert Herjavec Favorite online tool? — All his iPhone apps Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – All the failures needed to happen so that he could learn. Never compromise on the people you bring into your organization. Take hiring seriously. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Brian 02:00 – How did you get into 1-800-GOT-JUNK? 02:20 – He needed to make money for college, and that was the beginning of his business 03:10 – First year revenue was super low 03:30 – He dropped out of university four years later and made $100k 04:00 – 1997 was his first million-dollar year 04:15 – He makes money by hauling away junk 04:30

Nick Gray, founder and CEO of Museum Hack. Nick thought museums were SO BORING!! Before he launched Museum Hack, he used word of mouth to advertise his idea and give free museum tours to his friends. Now his business is making over 1 million dollars per year. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – The Power of Full Engagement What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Bezos Favorite online tool? — Revue Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No. Use SleepTracker. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Do less drugs. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Nick Gray 02:15 – How did you get into museums? 02:25 – “Renegade museum tours.” 02:40 – Revenue comes from charges for live tours 03:00 – Launched in 2013 03:10 – Over 10000 tours sold last year 03:20 – Total revenue was 1.3 million 03:30 – Average cost is $75 per tour 03:45 – Labor cost is $88 per person 04:15 – Net margin relies on high-end tours 04:40 – In the beginning, they got new customers from word of mouth 05:25 – First year reven

Chris Evans, cofounder of Traffic and Funnels. Surrounded by incredible entrepreneurs, Chris decided that it was his time to build a success empire. His business Traffic and Funnels has taken a smart approach to business: They have focused on their strengths to get revenue, and now they are ready to expand. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – King Icahn What CEO do you follow? — Trump and Zuckerberg Favorite online tool? — Slack Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Yes If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Find and invest in a mentor Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:35 – Nathan introduces Chris 01:55 – Chris worked with a lot of amazing entrepreneurs and decided to build his own empire 02:40 – He helps experts built client acquisition systems 03:00 – 1 $5500 product, and an upsell 03:25 – Traffic and Funnels is a slick website 03:40 – The numbers 03:50 -- $660000 in revenue for 2016 so far 04:30 – The problem with paid marketing 04:50 – Understanding the market and validating the product 0

Jonathan Gass of Nomad Financial. Jonathan founded his company because he decided to focus his career on entrepreneurship and startups. His business works with startups to help them make smart financial plans and fundraising decisions. Today we’ll learn from him about what pitfalls to avoid in our own startups. Famous Five:   Favorite Book? – Give and Take What CEO do you follow? — Johnny Rockefeller, of the book Titan Favorite online tool? — Audible Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I try for 7 to 8. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Listen to your gut when you are making decisions. Focus on culture.   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:35 – Nathan introduces Jonathan 02:10 – His main focus is entrepreneurship 02:25 – He saw the same problems with most startup founders 02:50 – They weren’t setting up their accounting systems to support decision making 03:10 – He worked for Vimeo a few years ago 03:25 – They had to pitch what set them apart from YouTube and other comp

Roy Man, CEO of Dapulse. Dapulse is a tool designed to solve “inherently problematic” management strategies in businesses. The company has a philosophy of being transparent with their revenue and numbers, all of which you can find on their Instagram page. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – The Hard Thing About Hard Things What CEO do you follow? — Avishai Abrahami Favorite online tool? — FullStory Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — No regrets. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:20 – Nathan introduces Roy Man 01:50 – What is Dapulse? 01:55 – A management tool for your company 02:20 – Solving something that was “inherently problematic” 02:30 – A SaaS business launched in February 2014 03:00 – Currently over 5000 customers 03:20 – Each company, or customer, pays a certain amount, depending on their team size 03:50 – Total MRR in June was $360k 04:15 – See screenshots of their numbers on Instagram 04:50 – They have raised $9 million 05:00 – They start

Max Pechersky, co-founder of PromoRepublic. His company focuses on helping marketing freelancers get new ideas and strategies for content marketing. As PromoRepublic continues to grow, the company is stretching its boundaries to provide more products for freelancers. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – Intercom on Product Management What CEO do you follow? — Favorite online tool? — Wunderlist Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Almost never. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — It’s ok if someone doesn’t like me. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:20 – Nathan introduces Max 02:05 – The co-founder of PromoRepublic 03:00 – He owns thirty percent of the company 03:20 – It’s a software service that helps with content marketing. 03:45 – Solving the frustrations of marketing freelancers 04:10 – The business was founded at the end of 2013 04:45 – First year total revenue – 30000 euro 05:00 – Now he has 10k in recurring revenue 05:50 – Total customers: 600 06:10 – Customer pricing is about $12 per

Brian Wong, who started his company Kiip after getting laid off. As his company has grown and matured, his cofounders have moved on. But Brian is incredible grateful for his company and believes in sticking to your decisions and putting your whole heart and soul into your business. Now Kiip is on track to make $20 million this year, so he must be doing something right.   Famous Five:   Favorite Book? – Predictably Irrational What CEO do you follow? — Evan Spiegel Favorite online tool? — Evernote Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Stop taking everything so seriously. Everything is going to work out.   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:20 – Nathan introduces Brian 01:50 – Kiip is embedded into apps, and it rewards you for achievements in those apps 02:45 – 50/50 revenue share with brands who provide the rewards 03:20 – The economics of partnering with a brand like Gatorade 04:00 – Customers must claim the award for either company to get

Deepak Goel, the mastermind behind his new company  KarmaCircles. Deepak says the company is the next-generation LinkedIn. He believes he has found his calling in life as an entrepreneur in the social networking niche.   Famous Five:   Favorite Book? – Give and Take What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn Favorite online tool? — Mint, Appear.in Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Absolutely. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Don’t stay in a company for more than two years.   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:05 – Nathan introduces Deepak 01:50 – KarmaCircles is an app that connects entrepreneurs with successful business people 02:55 – Pilots with business schools and corporate companies 03:15 – No money the first year 03:30 – What companies are similar to KarmaCircles 04:20 – A LinkedIn of the future 05:00 – All free pilots right now 05:45 – Why they are not charging for the app now 06:40 – Will the customers pay when they make that shift? 07:10 – If

Massimo Chieruzzi, CEO of AdEspresso. His company, founded in 2013, is now so profitable that he says they don’t need fundraising! Massimo sees only growth for AdEspresso in the future as Facebook ads continue to evolve and improve.   Famous Five:   Favorite Book? – Predictably Irrational What CEO do you follow? — Rand Fishkin Favorite online tool? — HubSpot Do you get 8 hours of sleep?— No If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Don’t start a startup. Get some experience for a corporate business first.   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:05 – Nathan introduces Massimo 01:30 – AdEspresso was first on The Top on Episode 70 01:50 – Focus on growing and reducing churn 02:25 – Revenue is about $400k/month 02:38 – 2015 total revenue was $3M 02:50 – Fundraising has reached $1.8 Million 03:30 – “We have been profitable this last year, so we don’t need the money.” 04:00 – More than 4000 customers 04:45 – Learn about AdEspresso at Adespresso.com 05:00 – Churn is 7% and is decreasing 0

Adam Tishman, cofounder of Helix Sleep. His company gives every customer a custom-made mattress that is even more affordable then retail brands. With several options, customers can come up with hundreds of different combinations to build their perfect, individualized mattress. Learn about Helix Sleep’s goals to continue expanding and to provide the best customer experience. Famous Five:   Favorite Book? – Made to Stick What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Gross Favorite online tool? — Moat.com Do you get 8 hours of sleep?—About 7. If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Learn about customer lifetime value and customer acquisition. Take risks earlier.   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:25 – Nathan introduces Adam 01:45 – Helix Sleep 01:55 – Custom-made mattresses 02:20 – The price is always the same for the consumer 02:50 – Costs to produce are up to $500 in the mattress industry 03:50 – Net margin 04:20 – Growth of the business 04:35 – Founded a year ago 04:45 – Thousands of mattr