Built from Scratch

Andrew is an Ohio native and the founder of dcdx, a branding agency he went all‑in on in 2020 when his senior‑year internship at Vanderbilt was canceled.

In the five years since, he’s helped build magnetic, Gen Z‑focused brands for Spotify, Chipotle, Crocs, Eventbrite and more. He made Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, was an Ad Age Gen Zers to Watch in 2025, and was even featured in FastCompany publication.

I got to interview Andrew after his recent launch of offline, a platform that brings social‑media branding into real‑world experiences.

He’s on a mission to make the future human, he’s redefining how brands connect with the next generation.

Andrew is just 26 years old.

Contact info:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-roth43/

Website: https://dcdx.co/

Website: https://www.offlinetalent.com/

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

I finally did it! After nearly two months of late nights, caffeine runs, and endless tabs, our “holy grail” data sheet is live. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on how I wrestled scattered spreadsheets, CRMs, and support tickets into one single, living dashboard and the three “N”s that made it all click.

• Niching: I used to believe we had to be everything to everyone. But once we focused in on what actually moved the needle, it was clear that cutting services made us better, not worse. By niching, it reduces the training required, logistical complications, and gives you more time to focus on the true demand of the customer.
• Numbers: It’s like taking a blindfold off. For too long, we had been navigating by gut feeling. Now we finally have the system that can show what our CAC, LTGP, # of inquiries, # of new customers, and other important metrics.
• Nurturing: I’ll admit, I tried to hand this new system off to my team and walk away, but that completely flopped. I had been working on this system for over 200+ hours. Instead, I share the pivot I made using the “Document → Demonstrate → Duplicate” framework that helped the team get up to speed fast.

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

In this episode, I share raw entrepreneurial reflections from memos I kept in April, May, and June. You’ll hear unfiltered thoughts on:

• How coffee has surprisingly affected me
• Choosing between logical and emotional decisions
• Why authoritarian leadership can diminish buy-in
• Pushing through moments when you’re on the verge of tears

Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster. My hope is that these lessons, even if small, give a boost to those finding their way. Keep moving!

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Originally from St. Pete, Florida, Cole is the founder of Opal, a mental health AI platform built to support therapists and patients. He began his career in machine learning after earning a Master’s in Computer Science from NYU. From there, he joined Morgan Stanley, then moved to Asapp, where he led the core AI team focused on improving communication efficiency for call centers.

That experience set the stage for his next chapter. In June 2024, Cole launched Opal—and in just one year, the platform has already reached 25,000 active users and earned a spot in the Techstars AI Health Accelerator, in partnership with Johns Hopkins and Florida Blue.

Cole is just 28 years old.

Contact info:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-s-smith/

Website: https://www.heyopal.com/

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

“You gave a great pitch… but did anyone actually buy?”

After 22 live presentations in just 6 months, I realized there’s a big difference between presenting and converting.

In this episode of Built From Scratch, I’m sharing 5 adjustments I’ve made to my pitch that helped me gain more traction — whether I’m in front of real estate agents, potential partners, or a room full of prospects.

From cutting the fluff to closing with a clear CTA, these changes made a real difference.

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

After five mentor sessions, I committed to morning deep-work sprints and uncovered three key insights:

• It always takes longer than you plan (Hofstadter’s Law in action)
• A cleared calendar is the fastest route to focus
• Big projects demand big time blocks

Plus a look at how a trusted team lets you disappear into focus work without everything else falling apart. No fluff—just practical steps to carve out uninterrupted time and tackle your most important priorities.

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

How blocking full days for deep work—like my ongoing Excel sprint—beats endless multitasking.

How Adam Grant, Kobe Bryant, and Steve Jobs eliminated distractions and embraced the process.

I’ll share my Wednesday deep-focus routine, kitchen-timer sprints, and the prep (sleep, nutrition, team updates) that makes it all possible.

Ready to move your “big rock” forward?

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Originally from Ontario, Canada, Leo’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2020 when he co-founded a nonprofit called Notzr while still in high school. During that time, he scaled to over 50 classes internationally and brought the platform into 20 schools.

In 2024, Leo joined Enttor as an unpaid intern and quickly rose to become its co-founder and CTO. He dropped out of UCLA to go all in, helping close their first enterprise deal for $30,000—with $500,000 in revenue projected this year.

Enttor has since raised $400,000 at a $10M valuation and now works with major DTC brands like Legacy.com. The team plans to raise their Series A by the end of 2026.

Leo is only 20 years old.

Contact info:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leojiaxu/

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.enttor.ai/

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Charles began his entrepreneurial journey in 2020 when he founded a platform for buying and selling crypto mining hardware—just two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

His interest in crypto mining started in 2016, when a friend introduced him to the Ethereum and Bitcoin. Four years later, Charles turned that curiosity into a Asic Jungle that has since grossed over eight figures in revenue, grown to a team of seven, and served Fortune 500 companies.

Recognized for his expertise, Charles was featured in Forbes in 2022 and continues to be a trusted name in the crypto mining space.

Charles is just 29 years old.

Contact info:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-wissa/

Website: https://asicjungle.com/

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

The To-Do Dudes has officially turned five. What started out as yard work for my grandmother has turned into an operation with 36 team members, over 3,000 homeowners served, 7,000+ projects completed, and more than 500 five-star reviews on Google.

Hitting this milestone has given me a chance to reflect on the journey. While we’ve had plenty of wins our team is proud of, there have also been many mistakes and lessons along the way.

In this episode, I’m sharing the five biggest takeaways I’ve learned in the past five years. Each year has come with its own challenges, scars, and valuable insights that have shaped both the business and me as a founder.

Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.