No Followers Podcast: for Inventors, Builders, Entrepreneurs

Founders/Inventors fail because they expect traction to show up like a lottery win instead of a compounding system.Traction comes from: Repetition. Relevance. Relentless refinement. And a system that compounds.

NO FOLLOWERS Podcast Episode 28 from the First Strike Incubator. Share your questions, comments, follow, subscribe & join the conversation plus reach out to the In Focus Brands' Portfolio for your business, product or idea launch, growth, scale, operations, GTM and fundraising needs.

1:06 An instant traction myth episode.2:00 Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis found Wilsdorf & Davis in 1905.3:30 Fashion in 1905 was for pocket watches.4:05 It was called the wristlet watch.4:45 The entrepreneurial journey; wrong...wrong...wrong...right.4:54 Hans knew wristwatches were the future.5:25 They were the first to focus on precision movements in wristwatches.5:42 W&D watches are white labeled through jewelers.6:08 Hans trademarks "Rolex".7:07 What is your favorite watch brand?7:52 What do you think of when you hear the word "Rolex"?8:20 They were the first wristwatch to be awarded a certificate of performance.8:55 In 1914 they were awarded a Class "A" Precision certificate by the Kew Observatory.9:27 In 1919 they relocated to Switzerland.10:02 1926 was a game changer for them.10:20 It took 21 years to get them on the trajectory that would roll them into "Rolex".10:28 In 1926 they released, the Rolex Oyster case, the first waterproof wristwatch.11:39 I'm trying to find things everyone thinks had instant traction but did not.12:01 What if they tried to make the first dustproof/waterproof watch in 1905?12:32 Find the mvp. The best way to raise money is to sell product.12:58 What do you do when you have an idea? What do you do next?13:36 They distributed through jewelers at first.14:10 Packaging and distribution are the two things most people overlook.14:45 In 1931 they had the first self-winding wristwatch.15:33 A lot of their marketing was geared toward outdoor adventure.16:27 They could set their price because of their innovations.16:56 Rolex was rolled into a non-profit trust.17:37 They produce a million watches a year and have a revenue of $13+ billion.17:45 Get to market, understand the distribution channels and market need and get to revenue.17:56 Innovate, iterate and keep moving forward.18:05 Rolex is not an instant traction story.

Everyone loves the story of the overnight success and rarely look at the years of failure, iteration and obscurity that actually built it.

That’s why we created the Instant Traction Series:

*To kill the myths, hype and fantasy thinking that keep founders broke, distracted and delusional.

Every episode is a reminder of one truth:

Traction isn’t magic. Traction is math, learning systems, experience and time.

If you’re building for the long run, stop chasing the myth.

Start studying the operators who built the reality.

NO FOLLOWERS Podcast Episode 3 "The Myth of Instant Traction"

Share your questions, comments, follow, subscribe & join the conversation at the First Strike Incubator Network and reach out to the In Focus Brands' Portfolio for your business, product or invention idea launch, growth, scale, operations, GTM and fundraising needs.

0:23 There is no Instant Traction.1:38 A consultant wants to make a product company.2:26 We built this by taking risks.3:10 If you're not willing to take a risk we don't want you here.4:23 Difference between consulting and actually making the product.5:11 No product goes right from idea stage to out the door.5:57 Test it and see.7:08 They're building a product in a vacuum.8:18 When there's no hurdle everyone jumps in. 9:31 Famous companies that did not have instant traction even though you think they did.10:05 Bubble Wrap.10:30 Co-occurring conditions.10:55 The Wright Brothers.11:30 Validation.11:55 Apple and customer feedback.12:10 You need some amount of resilience.12:26 Where your customers congregate.12:44 Product market fit

Last Episode Drop on Business Relationships from the NO FOLLOWERS Podcast Themed Series: Working with Consultants (Part 2) with Cameron Erickson of Camelot Solutions & The Owners Reality.

Share your questions, comments, follow, subscribe & join the conversation at the First Strike Incubator Network and reach out to the In Focus Brands' Portfolio for your business and product invention launch, growth, scale, operations, Go To Market and fundraising needs.

0:28 Signs that it is the right consultant for you.1:36 Build your internal dev team first.2:37 A startup going to a consultant first thing off the bat is taking a long road.2:48 Every business owner needs to do research.3:22 A consultant can reveal team inefficiencies. 3:56 You should be the expert about your own business. 4:20 Most entrepreneurs don't build teams right the first time.5:05 Having a consultant on your Board of Advisors is a long-term strategy.5:39 The consultant should not be there to "yes" you.6:08 There are two starting paths: building teams first and starting with consultants.6:55 The key is research, review and doing your homework ahead of time.7:18 Do you have all the resources to execute the plan?7:44 Consultants should give you options to fit your needs.8:22 Understanding your limitations.

Working with Consultants Part 1. Guest Cameron Erickson

The 6th of 7 parts in the NO FOLLOWERS Podcast Themed Series:
Business Relationships: Consultants
Episode 10: Working with Consultants (Part 1) with Cameron Erickson
Real relationships are earned through experience, consistency and honest conversations about what is needed, what fits and what doesn’t. That’s why our teams across the In Focus Brands' portfolio operate the way we do: operator first, proof driven and relationship anchored.
Share your questions, comments, follow, subscribe & join the conversation at the First Strike Incubator Network and reach out to the Portfolio for your business and product invention launch, growth, scale, operations, GTM and fundraising needs.

Most times consultants are not the answer.1:10 I do think there are some people who consultants are not right for.1:36 I think you are both right and wrong.1:49 I got into consulting because I disliked the consultants we were working with.2:43 I knew there was a better way to do this. 3:32 If you can't put it into practice, it's worthless. 4:11 There's a couple of considerations that come into play.4:40 You glossed over something real fast that is major.5:40 I'll give you a real-life example.6:24 Where you fall short is the execution.6:34 Understanding your customer.7:11 There's not a business on the planet that doesn't have finite resources.7:32 Nike can have a lot more failed products in R and D than I can.8:15 What consultant is going to tell you if they can't help you? 8:47 What questions should you ask before hiring a consultant?9:03 Consultants should be coming in to provide a specific solution.9:35 I take it from the strategic to the tactical and then the operational.10:26 Creating partnerships that work for all.

Conferences and EXPOSSXSW 2025. What is South by SouthWest?2:52 Philly hates Yankees fans.3:33 The Philly Bike Expo.4:32 It's good to get out in front of people and get real time feedback. 4:44 Learn how to read the room and observe people.4:55 We start by figuring out what our booth set up is going to be and make sure we are on brand.5:54 Have best practices for expos and figure out logistics.7:00 I am not sales pitchy, but I am always there to answer questions and engage.7:42 Our goals are to observe and get to know people.8:24 I want to learn from everyone I meet to see what I am missing.8:53 Bring your idea or product to where your target market is and see who responds to it.9:31 Gauge the perceived value of your product from your potential customers.9:50 It's information gathering to see if we are on the right track.10:22 Having a purpose and intention for going to these expos is step 1.10:32 We always set quantitative goals at conferences and expos.10:55 I am always looking to learn the phrases and jargon of each particular market.11:10 Don't try to be everything to everybody.11:38 The one thing I am always trying to figure out is their buying process.11:49 What do the customers go to first? Figuring out their priorities changes our marketing.12:13 Expos are hard work and expensive but can be fun and offer great opportunities.13:03 We should do a live podcast from an expo.13:42 Don't booth at first. Go and take notes and learn from your industry.

This is the 4th of 7 episodes of the NO FOLLOWERS Podcast Business Relationship Themed Episodes.

Healthy Conflict & Respectful Disagreeance.

Share your questions, comments, follow, subscribe & join the conversation at the First Strike Incubator Network and reach out to the Portfolio for your business and product invention launch, growth, scale, operations, and fundraising needs.

0:57 How do you build a good relationship when you constantly disagree?2:12 Organizational Behavior 101, Conflict is Good.2:40 Respectful disagreeance is the cornerstone of democracy.2:55 We base our relationship on honesty and direct talk.3:16 We are aligned mission wise but see things from a different pov. That is a strength. 3:40 Healthy conflict is disagreement but not hostility.4:42 I want you to push back on me to make my point better or destroy it.5:15 Where healthy conflict exists there is growth.6:16 The best compliment is to be called "genuine".6:55 We can find better solutions through healthy conflict.7:14 Genuine means that I am willing to take a stand based on experience and being who I am.7:49 We try to talk about being genuine to people who are told "be something you're not".8:23 If you don't want to prove your statements then you've got nothing for me.8:38 We operate on finding truths and making informed decisions by following the data.8:56 We've taken the time to build real relationships and a real culture. 9:30 You're not going to build a real team overnight. It takes time and a lot of work.10:07 Have processes in place to manage healthy conflict and not shy away from it.10:35 I've worked in the white-collar and blue-collar worlds; they handle conflict differently.11:25 You need a healthy outlet for passive aggressive feelings in business.11:52 Ask hard questions to cut through the bs.12:35 We are a solo voice in a world filled with nonsense and bad advice.13:50 If you can't answer hard questions, you have nothing for me.14:40 I don't want to deal with disingenuous people.15:20 I am genuine. I put all of myself into my customer's projects.15:30 You have to be accountable for all you do, the good and the bad.16:06 It comes from a place of working towards growth.16:35 We are giving our clients an outside perspective on how to make things better.17:05 We have a culture where if we mess up, we try to fix it together17:32 You are never a solo in this endeavor, it is always a team.17:54 I hold myself to the highest standard.18:54 The thing about having a moral compass is that you always have your true north.19:44 It's ok for things to get elevated as long as it is in the best interest of moving forward.20:34 Behavior has to be modeled for people.20:58 It takes time to build trust.21:25 You don't have to agree, you have to understand each other.21:41 You have to know how to disagree in a healthy way and then prove it.

Share your questions, comments, follow, subscribe & join the conversation at the First Strike Incubator Network and reach out to the In Focus Brands' Portfolio for your business and invention launch, growth, scale, operations and fundraising needs.

0:23 How do you get through to people who are combative towards coaching?1:10 If you knocked it out of the park on your first design iteration, you are the best there is.1:45 If we don't tell you now, the market will tell you later.2:12 Sometimes you don't go to market.2:50 Our main goal here is finding the right products to take to market. 3:23 It's about the right resources at the right time. 3:50 You are not Nike.4:06 Even Nike at the beginning took calculated risks.4:17 You need one traction point.5:19 The example I always like to use is Apple.5:38 The iPod was the turning point for Apple.5:51 A lot of features were rolled into the iPhone.7:18 We have to take calculated risks.8:00 We are not selling the movie poster.8:12 They have to be open to the risk reward paradigm. 8:18 We are not guaranteeing success. 8:58 You have to be passionate about it. 9:18 True entrepreneurs don't put money first. It's freedom.

Part 2 of the Business Relationship Series
PARTNERSHIPS & RELATIONSHIPS: THE REAL ADVANTAGE
In our world, partnerships aren’t transactions. They’re the backbone of everything we build. For decades, our community and network have held a 100% retention rate; not because of contracts, but because of trust, clarity and shared work in the trenches.

Fostering Business Relationships.

0:52 Can I tell you a brief story?2:10 You Big Timed me!2:47 Sometimes you have to take the client because you need the money.3:18 I try to treat everyone like they are family.4:18 Respect is a two-way street. So is business. 4:52 Running and owning a small business is personal. 5:04 I don't view business as a zero-sum game.5:14 True Capitalism means you have to be honest in relationships.5:59 We rely on our relationships and networks.6:10 Big Timing.6:30 People don't hold themselves accountable.7:30 Sometimes people confuse activity with being busy.8:28 We look at everyone as a team member.9:05 Relationship Capital.9:52 What kind of person do you want to be? 10:30 I will always try to show up for somebody. 10:50 If you are running a small business, you can't burn bandwidth. 11:10 Economy of Scale. 12:25 That's my rant for today. 12:50 Honesty. 13:20 To be successful you don't have to be everything to everybody. 13:29 Being honest isn't being rude.

A 7-part Series starts today on the NO FOLLOWERS Podcast. The topic: Business Relationships.

In our world, partnerships aren’t transactions. They’re the backbone of everything we build. For decades, our community and network have held a 100% retention rate; not because of contracts, but because of trust, clarity and shared work in the trenches.

Deal Breakers: A NO Prepisode

If you want to understand why this matters and why our partners stay for decades; these episodes from the First Strike Incubator break it down from every angle.

0:34 A NO Prepisode.

0:56 What are deal breakers for you?

1:23 I think you are using the term "partner" incorrectly. It is more of a collaboration.

1:43 We have to separate customer from partner as they are different levels of deal break.

2:11 Our joint customer was not appreciative off all the bending over backwards we did.

2:30 They should have seen beyond the dollar amount. We created more value for them than that.

2:50 Most clients don't care about the work. They only care about results.

3:12 I like my customers to feel like they should have paid more.

4:16 For me deal breakers are dishonesty, the lying and the b.s.

4:50 First level for me is honesty and doing what you say you will do.

4:59 Second level is do you understand the depth of work you are asking for.

5:38 A customer had $25,000 to build a motorcycle but wanted an $80,000 build.

6:09 Even though they only had $25,000, they see an $80,000 bike in their mind.

6:32 At that moment we have a fundamentally different valuation.

6:53 Isn't your job to educate the customer about the proper value?

7:19 There are things you can pick up on in my experience.

7:50 I've heard you say, if I have to convince you of the value then you will never get it.

8:25 Most people up front don't understand the value of the work involved.

8:56 It's not them saying I don't have the budget, I'm fine with that.

9:29 I will work with that person all day because they understand what it takes.

9:39 Have honest communications and real relationships.

9:54 A deal breaker for me is if my expert opinion on time and budget is ignored.

10:35 If someone already makes the exact thing you need, buy it from them.

10:42 Listen to me. It is never cheaper to make it custom.

11:21 A Ferrari 488 is $300,000. If you want me to custom build you one, it would be $1,200,000.

11:37 Ferrari already has all the infrastructure, knowledge and experience to build it.

12:21 This is based on the past 10 years of doing this and having conversations with many people.

12:30 The customer that had $25K and wanted an $80K bike build was never going to be happy.

13:18 Despite things going wrong, we delivered. They didn't understand the process.

13:35 They are not buying the process. They are buying the finished good.

13:55 Have the right conversations up front to set expectations correctly.

14:22 Customers don't know what goes into making an iPhone.

14:30 Fox makes the iPhone for Apple.

15:07 Every client complains at some point. Fox only exists because of Apple.

15:15 A more tangible example would be with problems with our new car.

16:03 They paid you for a service, they don't care how you get there. They just want it done.

16:52 Is that really a deal breaker or are you going to figure it out and renegotiate?

16:56 In my experience if you come in with a fundamental misunderstanding, that's a deal breaker.

17:31 I would love comments on this to see where people draw the line.

17:41 A perfect / imperfect example.

18:22 You didn't listen to those red flags.

19:10 No matter how good your idea or product is, this doesn't work if you are not coachable.

The last episode in the marketing theme series from First Strike Incubatoron the NO FOLLOWERS Podcast

"The Power of Market Testing".

Why, How and a recent product focus group recap from the team.

Share your questions, comments, and Point of View with us.

Follow, Subscribe, Like and stay tuned for new media and events coming in 2026 on the In Focus Brands' YouTube Channel.

The power of testing ideas.0:58 We have to break it to make it successful.01:13 Viagra. 02:25 Most people aren't one trick ponies.02:40 Hyper focus on one target market to get started.02:55 We live it with our products.03:58 Focus on doing one thing extremely well.04:50 Dyson vacuums.06:23 People will say you are an instant success.06:42 They don't share their failures.08:13 Ten steps to instant success is total bs.08:25 It's a process and not a formula.09:33 The incubator is about the feasible and the marketable. 09:52 No guarantees. True risk capital.