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In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Sarah Loretta, a former nonprofit worker turned digital architect. Sarah shares her journey from making $40K at a nonprofit to building a successful digital systems business through Notion templates and consulting.

Learn how Sarah:

- Started freelancing with no website or business plan

- Landed 40 clients in her first 6 months through strategic networking

- Turned a $47 Notion template into $120K+ in revenue

- Built her entire client base through referrals with zero marketing

- Leverages tool certifications and partnerships for business growth

- Transitioned from design work to high-ticket systems consulting

Whether you're a freelancer looking to scale or an entrepreneur building systems, Sarah's insights on creating multiple revenue streams and building valuable partnerships are not to be missed!

Watch the full episode @FundsAndFounders

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro & Where to Find Sarah

1:00 - Early Entrepreneurial Journey

4:13 - Landing First 40 Clients in 6 Months

7:46 - Video Production & Freelance Work

11:34 - First Big Website Project ($1,800)

15:07 - Taking the Leap from 9-5

20:48 - Journey from Design to Business Operations

29:32 - Finding & Monetizing Notion

41:03 - Building Multiple Revenue Streams

46:54 - Template Business Success ($120K+)

59:06 - Current Pricing Model & Strategy

1:02:41 - Tech Stack & Tools Breakdown

1:06:54 - Three Essential Resources for Beginners

1:09:42 - Interesting Recent Learning

1:13:13 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-up

#entrepreneur #business #startup #podcast #marketing #notion #sale #tools #aspirations #founder #freelancing

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In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Joshua Rosario, founder of J.Rozario, also has a luxury custom shoe brand. Joshua shares his journey from a shoe enthusiast with over 500 pairs to launching his own high-end shoe company.

Learn how Joshua:

- Turned his passion for quality footwear into a business

- Navigates the challenges of educating customers about craftsmanship

- Uses innovative hand-painting techniques to create unique designs

- Leverages e-commerce and custom 3D configurators to sell bespoke shoes

- Balances craftsmanship with scalability in a luxury brand

Whether you're a fashion enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, Joshua's insights on building a luxury brand and educating consumers are not to be missed!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction and Joshua's background

2:00 - Early entrepreneurial experiences and learning about human behavior

7:22 - The journey from shoe enthusiast to brand founder

12:45 - Explaining the J.Rosario brand and custom shoe process

17:30 - Challenges of educating customers about shoe quality

22:05 - The technology and craftsmanship behind J.Rosario shoes

27:40 - Marketing strategies and early sales experiences

32:15 - Balancing quality, craftsmanship, and scalability

37:50 - Tech stack and tools for running an e-commerce business

42:30 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

47:15 - Lessons learned from mentorship

52:00 - The importance of hunger alignment in business

56:45 - Closing thoughts and where to find J.Rosario online

#entrepreneur #business #startup #podcast #marketing #ecommerce #sale #scalability #aspirations #founder

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In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Becca, co-founder and COO of Workweek, a rapidly growing B2B media company. Becca shares her journey from customer success roles to building a multi-million dollar media business. Learn how Becca:

- Transitioned from The Hustle to co-founding Workweek

- Built a portfolio of niche B2B media brands

- Leverages the "knowledge expert paradox" to create valuable content

- Manages remote teams and builds company culture

- Balances work and personal life as a founder

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your media business, Becca's insights on content creation, audience building, and business growth are not to be missed!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction and Becca's background

1:06 - The start of Becca's entrepreneurial journey

2:19 - Transitioning from employee to founder mindset

4:09 - Building a strong co-founder relationship

5:51 - Managing conflicts and decision-making as co-founders

8:28 - From idea to launch: The birth of Workweek

12:02 - The "knowledge expert paradox" in B2B media

14:51 - Building and scaling niche B2B media brands

18:42 - Strategies for content creation and distribution

22:34 - The importance of authenticity in content

26:44 - Team building and remote work culture

31:35 - Insights on newsletter growth and audience building

37:35 - The role of personal branding for founders

41:26 - Balancing work and personal life as an entrepreneur

45:54 - Tech stack and tools for running a media business

50:51 - Resources for aspiring entrepreneurs

56:38 - Exciting developments and future plans for Workweek

59:30 - Closing thoughts and how to connect with Becca

#MediaStartup #ContentCreation #B2BMarketing #Entrepreneurship #WorkweekMedia #podcast #startup #founder

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In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Brennan Bliss, CEO of Propellic, a digital marketing agency specializing in SEO for the travel industry. Brennan shares his journey from building websites as a teenager to running a multi-million dollar agency. Learn how Brennan:

- Started his entrepreneurial journey at 13 years old

- Scaled his agency to 25 team members

- Niched down to focus on the travel industry

- Manages a remote team and builds company culture

- Balances work and personal life as a CEO

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Brennan's insights on agency growth, hiring, and financial management are not to be missed!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction and Brennan's background

2:20 - Early entrepreneurial experiences and website building

5:34 - Lessons learned from early financial mistakes

10:22 - The journey from web design to SEO agency

15:19 - Niching down to focus on the travel industry

22:02 - Team building and managing a remote workforce

26:44 - The process of scaling and hiring for an agency

32:57 - Insights on the travel industry and marketing strategies

41:26 - Long-term goals and future of Propellic

46:36 - Marketing tests and LinkedIn conversation ads

49:36 - Tech stack and tools for running an agency

54:13 - AI applications in agency workflows

56:32 - Book recommendations and resources for entrepreneurs

59:45 - The cost of mis-hires and importance of a good hiring process

1:02:42 - Balancing work and personal life as an entrepreneur

1:06:07 - Closing thoughts and how to connect with Brennan

#AgencyGrowth #DigitalMarketing #SEO #TravelIndustry #Entrepreneurship

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In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Tomer, a former structural engineer turned serial entrepreneur. Tomer shares his journey from designing skyscrapers to building multiple successful businesses, including an e-commerce brand, a virtual staffing agency, and an innovative product company.

Learn how Tomer:

- Transitioned from a 9-to-5 job to entrepreneurship

- Built a 7-figure e-commerce business

- Successfully launched a product on Kickstarter

- Developed and scaled a virtual staffing agency

- Balances multiple businesses and projects

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Tomer's insights on product development, e-commerce, and business growth are not to be missed!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction and Tomer's background

3:06 - The importance of business models in entrepreneurship

7:52 - Transition from engineering to e-commerce

12:02 - Insights on private labeling and wholesale

18:42 - The birth of Sableflow and product development process

26:28 - Balancing business relationships with family and friends

31:16 - From concept to finished product: The Sableflow journey

37:05 - Kickstarter campaign strategies and lessons learned

42:39 - The transition to Effortless Hire and virtual staffing

46:10 - Common mistakes business owners make with virtual assistants

49:29 - Misconceptions about offshore hiring

52:27 - The importance of hiring before creating SOPs

55:24 - Three valuable resources for entrepreneurs

59:20 - Startup tech stack and tools

1:01:24 - Favorite entrepreneurial stories and lessons

1:06:13 - Closing thoughts and where to find tomer's businesses

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In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Jon, former CEO of Hyperlinks Media and current organizer of Tiny Talks in Austin. Jon shares his journey from starting an SEO blog in high school to building and selling a successful digital marketing agency, and eventually launching a community-driven event series. Learn how Jon:

- Built a 7-figure SEO agency from his dorm room

- Pivoted to content marketing and affiliate sites

- Knew when it was time to exit his business

- Started Tiny Talks and grew it to 200+ attendees

- Balances passion projects with financial success

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Jon's insights on SEO, content marketing, and community building are not to be missed!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction and Jon's background

2:31 - Starting an SEO business in high school

7:17 - Scaling the agency and hiring employees

12:03 - Pivoting to content marketing and affiliate sites

18:42 - Deciding when to exit the business

22:34 - The origin of Tiny Talks

27:41 - Memorable Tiny Talks stories

32:25 - The importance of in-person connection

37:29 - Running Tiny Talks as a passion project

41:33 - Advice on finding your niche

45:22 - Book recommendations for entrepreneurs

49:51 - Event planning tips from "The 2-Hour Cocktail Party"

54:26 - Closing thoughts and where to find Tiny Talks

#podcast #digitalmarketing #seo #contentmarketing #communityservice #community #entrepreneur #business

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In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Ryan Atkinson, CEO and co-founder of Spacebar Visuals. Ryan shares his journey from working at an aquatic center to becoming a growth specialist at HubSpot, and eventually launching his own successful video production agency.

Learn how Ryan:

- Started multiple podcasts to network with entrepreneurs

- Built a 6-figure agency in less than a year

- Uses cold outreach to land high-value clients

- Manages a remote team and builds company culture

- Balances multiple projects and businesses

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Ryan's insights on sales, marketing, and agency growth are not to be missed!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction and Ryan's background

3:45 - The power of podcasting for networking and personal growth

7:22 - Transitioning from side hustle to full-time business

10:15 - Building an agency vs. creating a SaaS product

14:30 - Client acquisition strategies and outbound marketing

19:05 - Email marketing tactics and closing deals

23:40 - Pricing strategies and maintaining margins

28:15 - The challenges of running a service-based business

32:45 - Tech stack and tools for running an agency

35:20 - Book recommendations for entrepreneurs

38:30 - The importance of rereading books

42:33 - Why Ryan moved to Austin and who should consider it

46:37 - Exciting future technologies (AI video generation)

48:47 - Podcast post-production and marketing tips

53:42 - Closing thoughts and where to find Ryan online

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In this captivating episode of Funds and Founders, Catalin, co-founder and CEO of Linnify, joins us to discuss his journey as a serial entrepreneur and product development expert. Catalin shares valuable lessons from his experiences with previous startups and offers advice on avoiding "shiny object syndrome" while staying focused on long-term goals. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or an established founder, this episode is packed with practical wisdom for navigating the startup landscape. In this insightful conversation, we explore:

👉 Linnify's mission to simplify life through innovation

👉 The challenges of taking ideas from concept to product-market fit

👉Strategies for effective product validation and market research

👉Common pitfalls founders face when launching new products

👉The pros and cons of focusing on personal brand vs. company brand

Watch the full episode on @FundsAndFounders

#Entrepreneurship #ProductDevelopment #StartupAdvice #RemoteWork #innovation

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction and Linnify's mission

00:04:29 Product validation and market research

00:11:58 Founder pitfalls and early startup experiences

00:24:52 Managing remote teams and company culture

00:27:33 Misconceptions about offshore development

00:32:08 Future plans for Linnify

00:39:52 Personal brand vs. company brand

00:43:24 Catalin's support system

00:45:02 Startup tech stack and tools

00:47:24 Discussion on recommended resources for entrepreneurs

00:48:05 Question from previous guest about entrepreneurial moment

00:49:33 Catalin's question for future guest

00:50:13 Host shares anecdote about previous guest's entrepreneurial moment

00:50:56 Discussion on the impact of first business check

00:51:17 Where to find Catalin online

00:51:42 Closing remarks and future plans