The Shopify Growth Show

Jim is joined by Draft.dev Founder/CEO Karl Hughes and they dive deep into the nitty gritty of how to bootstrap a business in a niche market.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE The benefit of niche markets when you’re bootstrapping Deciding to go all in on the niche Finding your product market fit How do you use your money to grow Accounting Hacks The importance of referrals in niche market growth Starting a launchpad business Niche Business ideas The mental challenge of writing your own playbookResources: draft.dev Jim Huffman website Jim's Twitter GrowthHit The Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is joined by Brian Sloan who has overseen meteoric success of an 8 figure company through developing a unique sex-toy. Brian shares tips and advice about how to grow and develop products in non-traditional markets.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE Getting into a unique product category How to develop manufacturing for unique products Scaling once product is developed: Non-traditional growth How to harness power of the press Becoming a part of the conversation How to choose staff for unique industries Resources:AutoblowJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim and Yonathan break down another Iconic piece of writing as they talk about David Sacks Substack article titled Your Startup is a Movement. They go over the main points and discuss what they agree and disagree with as well as contextualizing some of the ideas for new startup founders. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODEMarketing a Movement13 Steps definedFavorite QuotesAttacking the status quoPunching Up not DownWhat makes this iconicWho should read thisResources:Your Startup is a MovementDavid SacksJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is again joined by Yonathan as they continue their experiment of building in public. They update everyone on the progress of the agency, the productized service, and the D2C product as they move towards the insane goal of getting each business to 6 figures.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODEThe importance of setting goals/benchmarkUpdates on AgencyUpdates on EOSBusiness Model for Productized ServicePricing models for tiersValidating strategiesThrowing out the book in the first stage of developmentGoals for the $3M Challenge Resources:Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is joined by business coach Corey Wright. Jim and Corey dive deep into the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and get specific about how to implement this system in your business and what impacts can result from properly implementing EOS.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE What is a business coach What is EOS Where and when is EOS right for implementation How does it impact a business How do values factor into EOS What are the risks Resources:Corey WrightJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

This week, Jim is joined by Jordan Summers, the director of Growth at Growthhit. Jordan gets into the nitty gritty details of growth marketing strategies for D2C and other businesses. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE How to attract employees with a lot of options Finding the “sweet spot” of experience and growth The importance of visual assets in D2C businesses Hacks for getting visual assets without breaking the bank How to position Hero products How to test marketing approaches strategically The importance of focusing on channels that workResources: Jim Huffman website Jim's Twitter GrowthHit The Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is joined by Bash Jones, Co-founder of Homeplan to discuss how you can translate acquired life-skills into a successful scalable tech company. Bash shares his amazing story of enduring homelessness while hustling his way to success in both the Music and Tech industries.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODEPivoting from a simple idea to full blown startupTranslating life skills into a tech businessThe power of being prepared for a meetingHow to take off the blinders to find the big scalable ideasUsing free tools to bring in new customersThe power of story in copyResources:HomeplanJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is joined by Jordan Allen & Nick McLain of Doorsey, an app that is re-imagining the home buying process. Nick and Jordan share tips on how to enter an established space with a brand new idea and talk about what it takes to succeed.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· Pain points for first time home buyers· How to launch a new approach in an established industry· Idea validation tips· How to create a V1· When to fundraise· Get investors to follow your journey· Components of a good partnership· Upcoming trends Resources: · Doorsey· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

This week Jim goes on the Tropical MBA podcast to chat with host Dan Andrews about the pros and cons of running a successful agency, and how Jim has recently been encouraging and enabling his team to create new products via the internal ‘startup studio incubator’.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODETrials and tribulations of agency lifeTips for startup incubatorsResources:Tropical MBAJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· Updated on the $3m challenge· Naming Conventions· Frameworks for VC opportunities· Tips for entering the VC space Resources:MetaProp VC Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

JIm is joined once again by Brian Lockard the Co-founder of Bala shoes. Brian and Jim talk about fundraising strategies, how to research a products for a successful launch, and check in on Bala which had 7 figures in sales in its first 12 days.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· Launching with $1m sales without any ad spend· The value of product insight and understanding your customers· The challenge with Kickstarter campaigns· How to manage growth so it doesn’t become a liability· The problem with the “technology” approach in consumer goods· Pitch Tips· Fundraising Approaches Resources:Bala ShoesBrian Lockard: Making $1.5M in 7 Days Launching His Shoe Brand (#26) Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

On this episode, Jim is joined by Blake Emal. Blake tells us how he was able to go from dropping out of college to becoming a CMO in the matter of a few years. He deep dives deep on skillsets and strategies you need to grow an audience and how to leverage that to succeed in growth marketing.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· The value of working for an agency· Trying to prepare for jobs that don’t exist yet· “T” shaped skillsets· The importance of changing your title often· Formatting copy for the internet· Strategy for content creation: Tips and Tricks and core principals· The value of transparency and open sourceResources:Blake Emal TwitterJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is joined by founder and incredibly skilled chef Joel Gamoran. Jim and Joel talk about finding a new path and making your own opportunities in business and tips and tricks for developing an on-screen presence. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· Food as a way-of-life· Creating your own opportunities · The importance of getting reps· Tips to make the most of your 15 minutes of fame· How chance encounters can be life-changing · What do good support systems look like· Cooking secrets Resources:· Homemade· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· $3M Challenge Update· Product development surprises· How to grow without resources· New AI ideas in the design space· Consulting and agency tips· What content should you focus on· How do you approach different types of clients· Value vs. Volume· How to price services Resources:· Consulting Success· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's PlaybookAdditional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim and Yonathan debut a new segment where they break down iconic think-pieces written over the years. On this first edition they give their thoughts and takeaways from Sam Altman's iconic 2019 blog post "How to be Successful." TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· Compounding yourself· The importance of original thinking· Don’t be afraid to fail: You only need to score once to win· Getting rich by owning things· Why you might not always need to be a “force of nature”Resources:· Sam Altman Blog Post· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is joined by Craig Swanson, who has started more than 10 companies that continue to operate to this day. From co-founding CreativeLive to selling an e-product business for 8 figures, Craig has been incredibly successful in the e-product space and gives tips on how to increase growth in the digital marketplace and shares success (and failure) stories from his own life.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE Criteria for building an e-product business How to make failure a business strategy Separating family finances to afford business risk What to do when business strategy doesn’t align with personal work Learning from the customers and user generated content When can you raise prices and still entice new customers Half-baked ideas for a growth agency Resources: Craig Swanson WebsiteJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)

Jim is joined by ClickMinded co-founder Tommy Griffith and they dive into a subject that is often overlooked: personal finance strategies for founders. Both Jim and Tommy have lived and learned how difficult it can be to balance the different financial approaches you apply to business finances and personal finances and they share mistakes they've made and tips and tricks they've learned along the way.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· How to approach personal finance as a business owner· Betting on yourself vs. Betting on a stable market· The benefits and downsides to a high-risk tolerance· Is it better to own your own business or work around and get stock options· Angel investing: funds or single businesses?Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)Resources:· Clickminded· The Psychology of Money· I Will Teach You to Be Rich· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Rob Sobers joins Jim again to look ahead at 2022 with tips on what to watch and trends to keep an eye on before They share several half-baked startup ideas for the new year.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODEMarketing trends to watch in 2022Industries to watch in 2022 Company / startup to watch in 2022Person to watch in 2022What will flop in 2022? Half-baked startups for 2022Resources:· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Jim is joined by Angela Brugioni, the creative director for GrowthHit. Angela shares her experience and knowledge and walks through some of the strategies for brand creation and standing up creative materials on a tight deadline.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· What are the bare-bones brand elements necessary to launch a product or service· The differences between B2B and B2C marketing strategy· What questions do you ask to drive your brand strategy· Establishing a visual language for Brand· How to present options and mock-ups· How much do names matter, and what does that process look like· How much time do you spend on a logo· Takeaways from Handsome Chaos processResources:· Handsome Chaos· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Jim and Yonathan reflect on the wins and misses from 2021 and look forward to a new year with some of their favorite frameworks to set and achieve goals.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· Wins and Misses from 2021· Understanding why you don’t hit some goals· Jim and Yonathan personal and professional goals for 2022· Frameworks for setting goals and allocating energy RESOURCES:· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Jim is joined by New York Times best-selling author Mike Michalowicz, who's most recent book 'Get Different' is out right now and tearing up the charts. They talk about Mike's experience owning equity in multiple multi-million dollar companies, marketing tips, and keys to becoming a successful author.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· How to own equity in multiple businesses and be a full-time author· How to keep your employees satisfied in their roles· How to overcome the fear of putting yourself out there· Why is marketing an ultimate act of kindness· The importance of marketing relentlessly, especially in publishingResources:· Mike’s Website· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

For the last episode of 2021, Jim gives an update on an important milestone for the $3M Challenge, and unveils their new D2C brand and talks about the process of validating the business as well as the business itself. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· What are the steps to validating a D2C business· Finding a manufacturer· What problem does the product solve· What type of market research we’ve utilized· What are the key metrics for success· Pros and Cons· Steps moving forward Resources:· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Jim and Yonathan discuss an incredibly eventful and overall very productive year. They discuss wins and losses, major projects, and what will be helpful moving into a new year.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· Look back at 2021· Quantitative and qualitative reflection· Podcast, startup studio, and team changes· What got us here won’t get us there· Making the business units self-sustaining· Personal lifestyle design Resources:· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Bear Handlon joins to talk about his bootstrapped niche-apparel company Born Primitive. Bear talks about his experience starting his brand from a single product and building it up without any investment at all. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· How to turn a product into a company· How to build a supply chain· When do you make a side hustle your main focus· How to own the niche· How to choose between bootstrapping and funding· Lessons in brand building· How to turn rejection into motivation· The power of Branding· How do athletic disciplines translate to business· The importance of authenticity Resources: · bornprimitive.com· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Jim is joined by Richard White, Founder and CEO of businesses like UserVoice and Fathom. He takes us through his journey from being a part of the first YCombinator batch in Cambridge in 2005 with the founders from Reddit, Dropbox and Twitch to his latest YC backed startup, Fathom.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· The power of a cold email· How to get noticed by accelerators like Ycombinator· What advantages does Fathom bring to Zoom meetings· Fundraising strategies· Generating revenue when starting with a free service· Should you prioritize Monetizations or Growth· Stories from a startup· Half-baked idea to disrupt CEO headhunting Resources: · Fathom.video/pod· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Yonathan and Jim get into the nitty-gritty of a hugely important step on their $3M Challenge journey: validating startup ideas. They discuss how to identify, quantify, and increase product market fit and other helpful tips for deciding what startups present good investment opportunities.TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE · What is product market fit· How to measure market fit· What can you do to increase market fit· What are definitive examples· Best sample sizes· Pitfalls and variables Resources: · Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

The first check in since GrowthHit started its $3M challenge. A $300k deal fails, but Yonathan Ayenew joins to discuss key takeaways and important lessons we learned from the first step on this journey. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE · What are the Criteria for good investments· Where and how do you find opportunities· What is due diligence and how do you enact that· What were the red flags· De-risking strategies· The Walk-Away Takeaways Resources:· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Patrick Dossett, co-founder of the personal development toolkit Madefor joins to chat about how his time in the Navy SEALS prepared him for the unique challenges of founding his own startup, and he shares his tips for success and how to manage your team well even in a crisis. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE· How important is Grit and the ability to endure for founders· Can stress be useful· How a good team can make the difference· The benefits of being mission driven· Tips and tricks for leading through a crisis RESOURCES· Madefor· Jim Huffman website· Jim's Twitter· GrowthHit· The Growth Marketer's Playbook

Growth Hit begins an exciting (and possibly crazy) journey as Yonathan and Jim announce the beginning of the $3M challenge and a transition to working in public. We put a cherry on top of this exciting chat with a visit from Mike Sroka, who is tearing things up in the Real-Estate software space. Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:The $3M Challenge· What are the benefits of working in public· Announce The $3M Challenge by GrowthHit· Which businesses have done the best in this space· What are the mechanics of this model· Acquiring vs building· Raising money or re-investing· What information gets put out there Mike Sroka of Dealpath· Where does inspiration for ideas come from· How do you launch in an industry that doesn’t support beta testing· Half-baked idea for the futureResources:The $3M Challenge by GrowthHitLearn more about DealpathJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Chris Lu joins me to chat about the wildly successful Copy.ai service and how he grew it from a startup to a 200k revenue a month with the right approach, a little luck, and an extremely effective tweet.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:Why should we care about AIBest use-cases for AI in businessCan AI create original content?What a well-placed tweet can accomplishHow to get to the magic SaaS moment quicklyThe value of an annual plan for bootstrappersPros and Cons of operating in publicThe choice to seek out VC and where to allocate investmentThe necessity to think bigNew ideas and opportunities in the AI and new-tech spaceResources:Try copy.ai for freeJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Today, we focus on the why as much as we do the how when it comes to starting businesses and being successful in the launchpad space. Mark Sandeno brings his insight from starting several successful businesses and shares strategies on how to take your successes and re-invest them wisely. Key Ideas from this episode:Where should you focus your timeStructuring teams for successHow does Airbnb sell experiencesThe benefits of diving in too fast and too earlyBest practices for launchpad agenciesWhen is a successful business not worth pursuingWhat makes the experience app specialWhy is it important for founders to build relationships with other foundersResources:Experiences AppHelpful HumanJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Listen to today’s episode about how Paul Graham, Y-combinator Founder, gives advice on how to come up with startup ideas.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:The blog post How to Get Startup Ideas by Paul GrahamWhat makes Paul Graham impressiveMain takeaways from the blog postOrganic vs recipe startup generationBest quotes from the blog postSome of the best points from the postDisagreements with the blog postWhy this read is iconicWho should read this blog post and whyResources:How to Get Startup IdeasJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Today, we're sharing financials. From losing $400k in 48 hours to hitting $2M in sales, I bring my business partner on to talk about the lessons learned growing our agency. Plus, hear how we met and become partners - it's not the traditional story.Here are some of the lessons learned running the agency:Niche Down in Your FocusFocus on Systems and OnboardingValue Based Pricing Invest in a premium website if you charge premium pricesCulture is EverythingResources:Losing $400k in 48 hoursJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

In today’s podcast episode, you’ll hear from Ben Wilson, who has his own podcast: How to Take Over the World. Listen in to hear about the energy, charisma, and common traits of people like Jobs, Edison, Napoleon, and Alexander the Great.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:How Ben came up with the name and concept of his podcastTraits you need to have to take over the worldThe energy of the people who are the best in their fieldsHow to maximize where energy goesThe function of charismaWhat it means to be half-insider half-outsiderAn unexpected common trait among leadersHalf-baked startup ideas that Ben hasThe nicest thing someone has done for Ben in his professional careerResources:How to Take Over the WorldJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

In today’s episode, we discuss an iconic blog post from Nathan Barry - The Ladders of Wealth Creation: a Step-by-Step Roadmap to Building Wealth. Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:Who Nathan Barry and his path to creating ConvertKitThe main takeaways from the blog postWhat is the Ladder of Wealth CreationHow building wealth as a skillInvesting your time in wealth creation or wealth creation skillsWhy SAAS companies should have their own ladderDisagreements with the author’s workWhy this is an iconic readWho should read this blog post and whenResources:The Ladders of Wealth Creation: a Step-by-Step Roadmap to Building WealthJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Nathan Barry is the CEO of ConvertKit, an email service provider that's gone from idea to $30M in ARR with zero funding.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:Nathan’s explains his framework: Ladders of Wealth CreationShould you start something yourself or acquire a businessWhy you should focus on a small niche when competing against a powerful incumbentHow he has grown ConvertKit from idea to $30M ARRHow he approaches capital allocation and leverage as a bootstrapped ownerHow to attract talented people when you have less money to offerWhat aged well and what didn't with Nathan's book Authority Resources:Nathan BarryConvertKitAuthority Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

In today’s episode, Miguel Fernandez talks about Capchase and how he was able to raise over $280M.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:What problem Miguel wanted to solve with Capchase and whyWhat the people who borrow from Capchase use the money forAdvice for bootstrap founders that are worried about raising moneyHow Miguel approached growing at such a large scale so quicklyWhat makes Miguel good at salesMiguel’s half-baked startup ideasThe nicest thing anyone has done for Miguel in his professional careerResources:Miguel FernandezCapchaseJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

In today’s conversation, we talk about with Charles Myslinsky about how to choose the right path to go down, whether the windfall from Wal-Mart changed his life, and what changes so that the timing of a project goes from wrong to right.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:The right path to go down when it comes to ventures that could be rocket shipsWhether the windfall from the Wal-Mart sale was life-changingLessons learned from working with Marc LoreHis half-baked startup ideasHow to define product and what Charles’s job title meansHow the CEO of Ojo decided he wanted the company to be product-ledWhere Ojo is goingThe nicest thing anyone has done for Charles in his professional careerResources:Charles MyslinskyOjoJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from David C. Baker, author of The Business of Expertise. Listen to learn about the tactics that can help you stay in the category of a thought leader or a decision-maker, the mistakes people make when positioning an agency, and how you should be thinking about pricing for your agency.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:The difference between being a decision-maker and an order-takerTactics to stay in the category of a thought leader or decision-makerMistakes in positioning an agencyExamples of how people starting today should focus their positioningWhy you should start with strategy and not executionHow you should price your services as an agencyA good margin for an agencyThe right size for an agency and the return for selling an agencyHow someone who wants to be a thought leader should think about contentDavid's half-baked startup ideasResources:David C. BakerThe Business of Expertise2BobsJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Can you be a leader and be lazy with your time and personal contribution to the workplace? Today’s episode is about an iconic read, in this case, a blog post by Andrew Wilkinson. In the post Lazy Leadership, he discusses delegation, building a machine, and working smarter instead of harder. Listen to the episode for a discussion about the blog post including the overall messages of the post, the best quotes from the post, and who needs to read this post the most. Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:What “Iconic Reads” is all aboutWho is Andrew Wilkinson?What does “Lazy Leadership” mean and the main takeawaysBest quotes from the blog postWhat we agree and disagree with about this blog postWhy this is an iconic readWho should read this blog post?Resources:Lazy Leadership by Andrew WilkinsonAndrew WilkinsonJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

What are the four types of leverage? How can you use them to grow a business or grow your career? Today’s guest is Eric Jorgenson,author of the book The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness. Listen to the episode to hear what Eric has to say about working with Naval, understanding and using the different types of leverage, and where to get started with a new idea.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:How Eric’s book with Naval came to beThe 4 different types of leverageWhere to get started with leverage as a business ownerEric’s half-baked ideasThe nicest thing anyone has done for Eric in his careerWhere to find EricResources:Eric JorgensonThe Almanack of NavalJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

My week doesn't start on Monday. It starts Sunday night when I do my weekly planning. I outline what I need to accomplish for this week to be successful and what I should not do. Here is how I attempt to avoid the fire drills that kill a calendar so I can focus on the high impact items. Resources:Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Business suits are a necessity for some, but they aren’t necessarily a comfortable or high-performance choice, and many men don’t like them. Today’s guest surprised himself and his family by going into men’s fashion to design comfortable, science-backed clothing for these kinds of situations. Aman Advani is the CEO of Ministry of Supply, a Boston-based clothing company specializing in comfortable clothes. Listen in to hear what Aman has to say about identifying pain points, what it means to tweak a product, and how to make a splash with a launch.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:How Aman got into the men’s fashion spaceHow Aman identified a pain point and decided to flesh out the ideaAdvice for looking for a partnerHow Aman started on proving tractionAdvice for making a splash with a launchTactics or hacks that worked from a growth standardWhat Aman sees in the future of fashionAdvice for entrepreneurs starting todaySkills Aman has had to acquire or let go of as a CEOAman’s half-baked startup ideasResources:Aman AdvaniMinistry of SupplyJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

How do you grow a D2C brand from idea to 8 figures?After working with 100+ brands at my growth agency, I have seen some raise $80M and others go on Shark Tank.Here are the 22 things to do if you want to guarantee success.Get the Product Right. If Not, Nothing Matters.Launch on the Back of Your Flagship ProductSolve a Real ProblemFocus on a Specific PersonaGet the Business Model RightCreate a MovementCreate (and Own) Your CategoryPick a Fight with the Status QuoBuild a Community EarlyA Cool Product Isn't Enough. Test Activation Tactics.Turn Your Customers into MarketersInvest Early in Organic TrafficRetention is the New CACCustomer Service as MarketingBuild Your Growth Strategy Around Seasonal Dips & SpikesFacebook / Instagram Ad TipsGoogle Ad TipsDon’t Reinvent the Wheel with Your Tech StackKnow Your Unit Economics, Then ScaleInvest in CRO to Unlock GrowthYour Pre-Launch Strategy Gives You an Unfair AdvantageContinue to Learn from the BestResources:How to Grow a D2C Startup (Tweet Storm)How to Grow a D2C Brand (A 22 Step Process)Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

One of the types of businesses that saw the most disruption during the pandemic was gyms. So as people start resuming their normal activities to the extent that seems worthwhile to them, how can you create a workout experience that they’ll gravitate toward? Charlie Givens, the founder of PowderHeart, has ideas about the importance of culture and a unique experience in fitness. Listen in to hear what Charlie has to say about how he got people in the door, what made him want to create a fitness experience, and what Charlie has learned from his own father over the years.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:What PowderHeart is and how Charlie thought of itHow Charlie got the first people in the doorWhat the pandemic experience was like for CharlieAdvice or observations that Charlie has taken from his own fatherWhat working with Bumble was likeStarting an agency for fringe sportsHow to monetize pickleballWhen Charlie decided that he peaked in high schoolThe nicest thing someone has done for Charlie during his careerResources:Charlie GivensPowderHeartJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Want to build a growth strategy but don't know where to start? Before you do anything you need to understand the competitive landscape to see what your competitors are doing and what they're not doing.In this episode, I talk about the four free tools you can use to understand where your competitors get traffic, what their ads and emails look like, and how they turn visitors into customers on their website. Resources:How to Spy on Tour CompetitorsMailChartsSimilarWebSEMRushFacebook Ad LibraryJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

If you want to be a successful founder, you will need to be productive. So what can you do to make yourself more productive? In today’s episode, you’re going to hear a conversation about productivity, habits, and goals that can help you discover what it is you need to do to be a more productive person and a founder.Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:Defining productivityHow to be more productiveWhat it means to choose a systemHow to figure out what to focus onWhat time-blocking is all aboutWhat to do when time-blockingThe morning routineTying a good habit with something elseApproaching the process of laying out goalsResources:Effective ExecutiveGetting Things Done7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleBullet JournalDeep WorkJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

Are you listening to lots of podcasts but not really retaining any information? If so, here are some ways I am looking to learn by putting knowledge into action. It's costing me $80k but I hope to make an ROI on it. The list includes angel investing, joining a board as a director, joining a paid mastermind or founder organization, and hiring a business consultant. Learn what I am trying to get out of it and why I am happy to pay for it.Resources:Jim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

What stands at the intersection of Slack and Zoom? The answer is Volley: a messaging app that gives users all of the richness of video with the asynchronous flexibility of text. Listen in to today’s interview with Josh Little, founder and CEO of Volley. You’ll learn about proving traction, building the product that you’re going to market, and getting the company to the next level, plus some new startup ideas. Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:How Josh got onto an entrepreneurial pathThe process of looking through ideas and choosing oneHow he launched VolleyHow Josh knew he had tractionWhere Volley is right now in terms of the future and growthChannels or tactics to get a company to the next levelJosh offers 5+ Startup ideasWhat Josh would do if he was starting todayResources:Josh LittleVolleyJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook

It's July 2021 as I record this so here is a mid-year update on my company GrowthHit. Today I discuss the following: A financial update on GrowthHitThe good things happening at my companyThe tough things that come with growing painsThe questions I have as a bootstrapped CEOWhat's ahead for the rest of the yearResources:The Hardest Day of My CareerJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's Playbook