Startup Stories - Mixergy

Today’s guest is someone I originally turned down for an interview. Well, he emailed me back and told me how he was building respect-based sales funnels. I like respect. I like funnels. So I invited him here to tell me how he’s doing it. Bastian Ernst is the founder of Wild Audience, which offers respect-based funnels. Bastian Ernst is the founder of Wild Audience, which offers respect-based funnels. Sponsored byToptal – 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. ActiveCampaign – Improve your marketing & sales processes by upgrading to an automated platform. Start sending follow-up that adapts to your customers’ behavior so you are sending the perfect message at the perfect time. You’ll have happier customers and higher conversions. See why over 150,000 marketers use ActiveCampaign to create intelligent marketing that gets better results. If you’re with one of their confusing competitors and you want something new, you owe it to your business to check out ActiveCampaign. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

When I looked at the list of upcoming guests for this month and I saw that we had someone who ran a trampoline business I said, “Trampoline?” It turns out this is a story of a guy who created something in the real world that works like businesses have always worked, except much bigger. And that’s why my team wanted me to interview him. They said, “Wait until you see the numbers, Andrew. It’s a pretty impressive business here.” Today’s guest is Jeff Platt. He is the founder of Sky Zone, a chain of family entertainment centers that are trampoline based. Jeff Platt is the founder of Sky Zone, a chain of family entertainment centers. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

I watched today’s guest from a distance as he grew his business. And I watched a revolution happening. People were starting to shift towards publishing more of their content on sites like Medium but also on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Today’s guest saw that and said, “I’m jumping in.” I want to find out about the business behind this concept. The founder you’re about to meet is Greg Smith. He is the founder of Thinkific, software that enables individuals and businesses to create, market, sell, and deliver online courses on their own websites. They don’t have to host it, they don’t have to manage it, they don’t have to take care of the software behind it. I invited him here to talk about how he came up with this idea. Greg Smith is the founder of Thinkific, software that enables individuals and businesses to create, market, sell, and deliver online courses on their own websites. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Last year, I was invited to something called Fireside Conf, a retreat with no Internet, no distractions for entrepreneurs. While I was there I interviewed the conference founder’s cousin, Jeff Pulver. They never sent me the recording and I thought it was because my questions were rude and way too personal. Well, they’ve just given me a copy and I’m so proud of it that I’m publishing it now. Jeff Pulver sold his business for tens of millions of dollars and didn’t end up as happy as he thought. We’ll get into why in this interview. Jeff Pulver is the co-founder of Free World Dialup, Vonage, MoNage, Alchemist, and Zula. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Today’s guest started out as a reporter when a Tinder hack led to a business idea for connecting women. She’s a pro at getting media attention and I want to learn how she does it. Pamela Newenham is the cofounder of GirlCrew, a platform for women to make new friends. Pamela Newenham is the cofounder of GirlCrew, a platform for women to make new friends. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

I invited Brandon Evans back on Mixergy to talk about how losing his company & his wife led him down what he might call a “heart-led path.” In the process I think we all realized a few things about me. Brandon Evans Brandon Evans is the co-founder of 1heart whose mission is to foster a new generation of companies and leaders who create from their heart, aligned to their purpose, collectively elevating the consciousness of the planet as one tribe. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

A few years ago I interviewed today’s guest about his martial arts business Science of Skill. And I’m going to be honest with you, I thought the site just looked OK. But Dan Faggella, the founder, told me privately how I didn’t understand marketing automation at all. He actually came back to Mixergy to teach a course on it. He opened my eyes to how much marketing automation can transform a business. What I didn’t know at the time was that he wanted to sell Science of Skill as he was building it. He tried and he failed. But he tried again and he had success. I want to find out how he did it. Dan Faggella founded the Science of Skill eCommerce company, and sold it for over $1MM to fund TechEmergence (Emerj), an artificial intelligence research platform. Sponsored byToptal – 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. ActiveCampaign – Improve your marketing & sales processes by upgrading to an automated platform. Start sending follow-up that adapts to your customers’ behavior so you are sending the perfect message at the perfect time. You’ll have happier customers and higher conversions. See why over 150,000 marketers use ActiveCampaign to create intelligent marketing that gets better results. If you’re with one of their confusing competitors and you want something new, you owe it to your business to check out ActiveCampaign. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Today’s guest started out as a long-haired musician. He then became a real estate guy and then moved on to where he really got his reputation, the dating-advice space. I feel like he conquered it, became one of the biggest names in the space. His name is Eben Pagan and he now teaches people about entrepreneurship. His latest book, “Opportunity”, is about what opportunity is, how it works, and where to find it. I invited him here to tell the story of how he got a start in business. I want to find out how he came from a really tough background to building up a business using the ideas in this book to do it. Eben Pagan is an entrepreneur, author and investor, best known for teaching dating advice. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Today’s guest is someone who said, “I have no attachment to money.” And still, when I look at his revenue online, he’s doing tens of millions of dollars in revenue, and he did it by bootstrapping his company. So how does a guy who says he has no attachment to money make so much money? Robert Gryn is the founder of Codewise, which specializes in advertising technology. They have two big software brands. The first is called Voluum. It’s an ad performance tracker. And the second is called Zeropark. It’s an ad buying network. I’m going to find out how he built up this business and I almost feel like almost rip him apart. Robert Gryn is the founder of Codewise, which specializes in advertising technology. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

When a PR agency contacted me and said, “Hey, Andrew, do you want to interview the author of a new startup book?” I said, “No.” To be honest, I didn’t even look at. And they said, “Wait, this is the startup playbook by two authors. One of them is Rajat Bhargava.” I said, “Wait a minute, that’s the guy behind Yesware. This is not just a guy who has one idea for a business. This is guy who has started multiple businesses.” And even though today’s guest is super successful, when he tried to raise money for his current business, he kept getting turned down for a reason we’ll talk about later. I’m going to find out how he built up this business and so much more. Rajat Bhargava is currently the founder of JumpCloud, which securely connects people to their IT resources. Rajat Bhargava is the founder of JumpCloud, which securely connects people to their IT resources. Sponsored byToptal – 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. ActiveCampaign – Improve your marketing & sales processes by upgrading to an automated platform. Start sending follow-up that adapts to your customers’ behavior so you are sending the perfect message at the perfect time. You’ll have happier customers and higher conversions. See why over 150,000 marketers use ActiveCampaign to create intelligent marketing that gets better results. If you’re with one of their confusing competitors and you want something new, you owe it to your business to check out ActiveCampaign. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

(To see how Brennan’s software customizes a site, check out this link.) When I hear an entrepreneur whose business is doing well is shifting his focus, I get curious. I think, what the hell are you doing? You finally hit it, things are working, people respect you for it, why would you shift it? That’s what today’s guest has done. It’s courageous and I want to understand why he did it. Brennan Dunn is the Founder of RightMessage, software that changes the messaging on your website based on who’s on your site. In this interview he’s going to talk to me about what I’m doing wrong at Mixergy. I’ll also ask him about what’s going on with his previous company. Brennan Dunn is the Founder of RightMessage, software that changes the messaging on your website based on who’s on your site. Sponsored byToptal – 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. ActiveCampaign – Improve your marketing & sales processes by upgrading to an automated platform. Start sending follow-up that adapts to your customers’ behavior so you are sending the perfect message at the perfect time. You’ll have happier customers and higher conversions. See why over 150,000 marketers use ActiveCampaign to create intelligent marketing that gets better results. If you’re with one of their confusing competitors and you want something new, you owe it to your business to check out ActiveCampaign. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Before Mixergy, I was a student like many of you. And in my car on the way to school, I would listen to SAT word recordings. I loved it. The problem is those books are such a pain in the butt to carry around. And I hate to sound like somebody who’d care about this stuff. But you look a little bit lame carrying a bunch of standardized test prep books. Today’s guest had a similar view of the world. He said, “Why are all these books being lugged around? They’re so antiquated. There’s a better way. There’s technology. It’s been invented. Come on, get with it.” And he created a company. Ujjwal Gupta is the founder of BenchPrep, a comprehensive learner success platform. He’s the guy responsible for creating a lot of the software that the ACT and other organizations are using. They’re white labeling it and using it for their students. I want to find out how he did it. Ujjwal Gupta is the founder of BenchPrep, a comprehensive learner success platform. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

I’m excited to have today’s guest on because I kept hearing about the membership software he created. As someone who has a membership site myself, I should have had him on a long time ago. Micah Mitchell is the founder of Memberium which allows anyone to build powerful, automated membership sites with WordPress and Infusionsoft. I’m going to ask him how he came up with the idea, how he bootstrapped it by doing work for other people as a consultant. Micah Mitchell is the founder of Memberium which allows anyone to build powerful, automated membership sites with WordPress and Infusionsoft. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Matt Watson is the founder of Stackify which helps developers improve their applications. The company he started before that was called VinSolutions. They offered a collection of software for auto resellers. He sold it to Autotrader and there were a bunch of different rumors about what the price of the sale was. Biz Journal said he sold that company for nearly $135 million. It ended up being $150 million. I want to find out how he did it. Matt Watson is the founder of Stackify which helps developers improve their applications. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

He’s not the founder. He’s not super-comfortable being the front guy. So how did David Sinick take over PaleoHacks? (And why was he so anxious about this interview?) David Sinick runs PaleoHacks, a place that allows you to connect with others who are on the journey to learn how to live, eat, and move better. Sponsored byToptal – 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 – Ready to take your website to the next level? Whether you’re a first-time blogger or an experienced web pro, HostGator has all the tools you need to create a great-looking website or online store. A wide range of options includes cloud-based web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Visit www.hostgator.com/mixergy to see what HostGator can do for your website. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint