Startup Stories - Mixergy

By Andrew WarnerSociety & Culture Business Education

Startup Stories - Mixergy episodes

September 08, 2017 #1493 How a guy with no money launched a startup on Craigslist
Imagine you’ve got no money, but you want to start a company. How would you do it?
Well, today’s guest is a guy who was in that situation and decided he was going to start with nothing but a Craigslist ad. You’re about to hear how that took off.
Michael Georgiou is the founder of Imaginovation, which builds enterprise-level web and mobile applications.
Michael Georgiou is the founder of Imaginovation, which builds enterprise-level web and mobile applications.
Sponsored by
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
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1 hr 6 min
September 06, 2017 #1492 Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days
As a result of having done this so long, I get to see guests multiple times and see how their businesses have evolved. Today, I’ve got a three-time interviewee. His name is Chris Guillebeau.
When I first had Chris on we talked about his blogging business The Art of Non-Conformity. I was in awe of how his mission was both open to different ideas and also very clear. He knew his audience. They were travelers. They were people who were trying to get out of the 9:00 to 5:00.
Now, his business has changed. For some reason, he’s not focused on the guides, which did really well. He’s now got something called Side Hustle School. I want to find out about that and his new book coming out, “Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days.”
Chris Guillebeau is the founder of Side Hustle School, everything you need to create a new source of income without quitting your day job.
Sponsored by
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Pipedrive is a sales management tool for small teams with big ambitions. It visualizes one’s sales pipeline and helps to make sure important activities and conversations won’t get dropped. Salespeople really like it because it’s easy to use and intuitive. Managers like it because they don’t need to nag their team to use their CRM. It also sports built-in forecasting, integrations with other software such as Google Apps, MailChimp and Zapier and a powerful API.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
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1 hr 2 min
September 01, 2017 #1491 The story behind ShipMonk
Jan Bednar is the founder of ShipMonk, which is revolutionizing order fulfillment services for eCommerce businesses everywhere.
I invited him here to find out how he grew it from $1M to $4M to a $10M run rate in three years.
Jan Bednar is the founder of ShipMonk, which is revolutionizing order fulfillment services for eCommerce businesses everywhere.
Sponsored by
HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way. Thanks to their 24/7 – 365 days a year live support – which you can get via chat, phone and email – any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.
HostGator offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, one click WordPress installs and more.
Pipedrive is a sales management tool for small teams with big ambitions. It visualizes one’s sales pipeline and helps to make sure important activities and conversations won’t get dropped. Salespeople really like it because it’s easy to use and intuitive. Managers like it because they don’t need to nag their team to use their CRM. It also sports built-in forecasting, integrations with other software such as Google Apps, MailChimp and Zapier and a powerful API.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
1 hr 13 min
August 30, 2017 #1490 What happened to one of the most hated entrepreneurs on “Shark Tank?”
Today’s guest is an entrepreneur who was a little hated by Mark Cuban. In fact, the sharks on “Shark Tank” did not seem to like him. I think one of them said that he was the worst entrepreneur he ever met.
His name is Mark Aramli and he’s the creator and founder of BedJet. Do you ever go to bed and think, “It’s still too cold?” You want to feel nice and toasty but you don’t want to bundle up. Well, his BedJet product will allow you to make your side of the bed really warm.
If you’re sleeping next to someone who doesn’t want it nice and toasty, BedJet will allow that person to cool their side of the bed. That’s what BedJet is does. We’re going to find out how the business did after Mark’s appearance on “Shark Tank.”
Mark Aramil is the creator of Bedjet, which allows you to adjusts your bed temperature in seconds and fits any bed.
Sponsored by
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
Pipedrive is a sales management tool for small teams with big ambitions. It visualizes one’s sales pipeline and helps to make sure important activities and conversations won’t get dropped. Salespeople really like it because it’s easy to use and intuitive. Managers like it because they don’t need to nag their team to use their CRM. It also sports built-in forecasting, integrations with other software such as Google Apps, MailChimp and Zapier and a powerful API.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
1 hr 1 min
August 28, 2017 #1489 How to compete with giants (even if you don’t have a team)
How does a guy who doesn’t have a team create a clothing company that’s going up against giants?
And I’m talking about a crowded field, a mature industry. One of the things I remember learning from my business classes at NYU is when you’re in a mature industry, you’ve got to take business away from your competitors.
Today’s guest had a new idea he wanted to introduce into the athletic clothing marketplace and he wasn’t afraid to take on the big guys. I invited Sam here to talk about how he’s doing it.
Sam Mazumdar is the founder of Y Athletics, sportswear made with silver.
Sam Mazumdar is the founder of Y Athletics, sportswear made with silver.
Sponsored by
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
ViralSweep – ViralSweep is the sweepstakes and contests platform for businesses. ViralSweep lets you grow your email list and social pages, generate more leads, increase sales, and effectively make sweepstakes and contests one of your most reliable marketing strategies. Any Mixergy listener who becomes a ViralSweep customer will receive a complimentary audit on their first campaign, a $1,000 value. Go to ViralSweep to learn more.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
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1 hr 15 min
August 25, 2017 #1488 Case Study: Hiring a salesperson
There’s a pattern that I noticed and I want to understand it a little bit better.
The pattern is that successful entrepreneurs start out by understanding a specific customer pain, often by experiencing that pain themselves. Then they create a solution in the form of software that solves that pain.
I specifically asked Steli Efti to come on and tell us how he did it. Steli started Close.io after doing sales himself, understanding the challenges involved in using other people’s sales software and realizing, “There’s got to be a better way.” And then he created it, and that better way is now a piece of software called Close.io.
I want to understand the process of how it’s done.
Steli Efti is the founder of Close.io, a CRM that increases your sales by giving your sales team one place for all its communication.
Sponsored by
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way. Thanks to their 24/7 – 365 days a year live support – which you can get via chat, phone and email – any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.
HostGator offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, one click WordPress installs and more.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
1 hr 10 min
August 23, 2017 #1487 Selling on Amazon? Don’t miss this interview.
A few weeks ago, I interviewed an entrepreneur who sells cups on Amazon. He’s making a killing so I interviewed him to find out how he grew his business. When the interview was done, he shot me an email and said, “Andrew, if you really want you to understand how we know what to sell. There’s a tool that we use but the guy who created it doesn’t talk about the software much.”
Well, today I’ve got the founder of the company that makes this software. His name is Greg Mercer. His software is called Jungle Scout. Jungle Scout is a product research tool for Amazon sellers. It helps them spot opportunities for things to sell on Amazon. I’ve kind of given it a short description here, but in the interview, we’re going to understand more of what it does and more importantly, for me, how he built up this company and how well it’s doing and why it’s doing so well.
Greg Mercer is the founder of Jungle Scout, a product research tool for Amazon sellers.
Sponsored by
HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way. Thanks to their 24/7 – 365 days a year live support – which you can get via chat, phone and email – any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.
HostGator offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, one click WordPress installs and more.
Pipedrive is a sales management tool for small teams with big ambitions. It visualizes one’s sales pipeline and helps to make sure important activities and conversations won’t get dropped. Salespeople really like it because it’s easy to use and intuitive. Managers like it because they don’t need to nag their team to use their CRM. It also sports built-in forecasting, integrations with other software such as Google Apps, MailChimp and Zapier and a powerful API.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
1 hr 4 min
August 21, 2017 #1486 Finding Your Message, Building a Tribe, Changing the World
When I first planned to do this interview, it was about today’s guest’s book and I said, “Great, another bullshit book by a software entrepreneur.”
So I read this book within five minutes to prepare and I said, “Andrew, you made a big mistake. This is maybe the greatest, most powerful nonfiction book I read since Robert Cialdini’s book.”
Here’s the title of the book, “Expert Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Finding Your Message, Building a Tribe, and Changing the World.”
The guest is Russell Brunson, the founder of ClickFunnels. ClickFunnels helps you create pages that take someone who’s never heard of your business, get their e-mail address and convert them into a sale. And it’s all done without any coding.
Russell Brunson is the founder of ClickFunnels, which provides an easy way to market, sell or deliver products online.
Sponsored by
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way. Thanks to their 24/7 – 365 days a year live support – which you can get via chat, phone and email – any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.
HostGator offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, one click WordPress installs and more.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
1 hr 4 min
August 18, 2017 #1485 Can’t find a pain point? There’s another way to find your biz idea…
I’ve noticed entrepreneurs will see a big problem in the world and they’ll create a business to address the pain point and capitalize on it.
Today’s guest says he explicitly did not do that. He put down a list of criteria for what he wanted in a business and started thinking of businesses that fit. That’s what today’s interview is about.
His name is Perry Oostdam. He is the founder of Recruitee. Recruitee is cloud-based software that helps you hire better. They help you place your ads and more importantly, they help you manage the people who apply to work for your company in an intelligent way.
Perry Oostdam is the founder of Recruitee, a cloud-based software that helps you hire better.
Sponsored by
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way. Thanks to their 24/7 – 365 days a year live support – which you can get via chat, phone and email – any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.
HostGator offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, one click WordPress installs and more.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
1 hr
August 16, 2017 #1484 How a partner at Sequoia thinks about startups
This is what I love about San Francisco: I was out with my son and I met another father who was a founder.
He was telling me about his new startup but what amazed me was the way he thought about it and how he thought about entrepreneurship in general.
Today’s guest is a guy who thinks the way I want to think and someone I want to be influenced by.
Warren Hogarth is a partner at Sequoia and his latest company is Empower, a personal financial assistant on your phone.
I invited him here to talk about how he built his business but more importantly, what he’s learned about startups from being a partner at Sequoia.
Warren Hogarth is the founder of Empower, a personal financial assistant on your phone.
Sponsored by
Toptal – If you’re having trouble finding developers, Toptal is a network of elite pre-vetted software developers. You tell Toptal what you’re looking for, they search their network for the best people, they test the candidates, and then they present you with only the candidates who meet your individual needs. Once you pick someone you can start work with them the next day. They offer a no-risk trial period. Go to Toptal.com. Get the best of the best right now.
HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way. Thanks to their 24/7 – 365 days a year live support – which you can get via chat, phone and email – any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.
HostGator offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, one click WordPress installs and more.
More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint
Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
0 min