Startup Stories - Mixergy

Where do you find inspiration for launching a company? Sometimes that inspiration can come from the most unlikely of places. Matt Barrie is Founder and CEO of Freelancer which is a global online freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace. When Matt was unable to enlist friends and family to help with a simple task when he was building his mom’s website, his simple job posting on a website looking for help netted immediate results and provided his “ah-ha” moment for launching Freelancer. Matt Barrie is Founder and CEO of Freelancer which is a global online freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace. Sponsored byHostGator – 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. 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. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

What if your business doesn’t need to have full-time workers in the office? Not every business needs to have internal employees. Nicole Grinnell and Liz Goddard are the Founders of CC: My Admin which lets you hire more than just virtual assistants. Nicole and Liz recognized that not every business needed a full-time staff and that some tasks could be handled remotely on a part-time basis and thus the collaborated to create CC: My Admin. Nicole Grinnell and Liz Goddard are the Founders of CC: My Admin which lets you hire more than just virtual assistants. Sponsored byActiveCampaign – 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. 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

What do you do when you come to that realization in your life that your pursuits are leaving you with a sense of emptiness? Jerry Colonna is one of the founders of Reboot which offers coaching services for individuals, teams and entire organizations. Jerry’s ah-ha moment was when he realized he was always pursuing the feeling of having enough and that he never was reaching that goal. Now, he helps other founders and entrepreneurs find their fullest potential. Jerry Colonna is one of the founders of Reboot which offers coaching services for individuals, teams and entire organizations. Sponsored byHostGator – 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. 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 Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

When the biggest consulting firms in the business won’t even let you get your foot in the door, how do you get experience to launch your own firm? Garrett Mehrguth is the founder of Directive which is a lead generation-based search marketing company for B2B enterprise with a focus on SaaS. Garrett lived on a food budget of $12 a day, cleaned toilets and bid jobs on Fiverr all the while learning about search and lead generation so he could launch Directive. Garrett Mehrguth is the founder of Directive which is a lead generation-based search marketing company for B2B enterprise with a focus on SaaS. Sponsored byHostGator – 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. 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 Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Every traveler is different and every trip is different. There’s no one ground transportation solution to fit everyone. Where do you go to find the best solution for you? Rod Bishop is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Jayride which provides seamless transport experiences for travelers by allowing them to compare and book ground transfers around the world. Jayride reimagines ground transportation by offering an e-commerce marketplace solution for travelers where they can comparison shop just like they do for flights and hotels. Rod Bishop is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Jayride which provides seamless transport experiences for travelers by allowing them to compare and book ground transfers around the world. Sponsored byHostGator – 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. 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 Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Companies looking for product fulfillment services can find themselves mired down by all of the fees involved from shipping to service fees. Does it have to be that complicated? Jason Macek is the Founder of Dollar Fulfillment which offers product fulfillment services for a dollar per order. Jason has bootstrapped Dollar Fulfillment to almost $10 million a year in revenue. Jason Macek is the Founder of Dollar Fulfillment which offers product fulfillment services for a dollar per order. 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

How does a marketing agency stand out in the crowd and rise above the noise to work with some of the top names in the tech industry? Julian Shapiro is the Founder of Bell Curve which is a marketing agency and training program. Julian uses reverse engineering to determine the patterns that work for specific types of companies in order to develop a growth strategy quickly for the client. Julian Shapiro is the Founder of Bell Curve which is a marketing agency and training program. Sponsored byAhrefs Ahrefs is a full-suite SEO toolset that helps you grow your search traffic, research your competitors and monitor your niche – powered by the best and most complete data in the industry. Sign up for our paid trial at $7 for 7 days 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 Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

A lot of us have a love-hate relationship with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents. Who wants to take the time to document every procedure in your company? Trent Dyrsmid is the Founder of Flowster which automates workflow for companies as a SOP Management Tool. Trent Dyrsmid created SOPs for his own business and when people started asking for their own, that’s when he knew he needed to create his own software and Flowster was born. Trent Dyrsmid is the Founder of Flowster which automates workflow for companies as a SOP Management Tool. 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. Pilot – You didn’t start a business to track financial statements or make cash flow spreadsheets. Using Pilot for bookkeeping gives you back the freedom to focus on your business. Pilot does accrual basis bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online, so you’re never locked into a proprietary platform. Plus, you’ll work with the same person each month, so you can rely on them to become an expert in your business. Mixergy listeners get 20% off Pilot Core for 6 months at pilot.com/producthunt. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Finding someone to help you with tasks and errands whether big or small can be challenging. How do you find someone who is reliable? Tim Fung is Co-Founder and CEO of Airtasker which is a services marketplace allowing people to outsource chores and errands to people in their local community. After asking a friend to help him move, Tim was inspired to create Airtasker to create a marketplace for people to connect to have tasks done. Tim Fung is Co-Founder and CEO of Airtasker which is a services marketplace allowing people to outsource chores and errands to people in their local community. 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

What if your dream of “making it big” doesn’t pan out? Do you fold your cards and call it quits? Gabe Schillinger is the CEO, Producer and Engineer behind Legion Beats which offers quality beats and hooks, mixing and mastering and promo. Out of desperation when his musical aspirations seemed to hit the skids, Gabe started selling beats online and discovered a whole new breed of “middle class musicians”. Gabe Schillinger is the CEO, Producer and Engineer behind Legion Beats which offers quality beats and hooks, mixing and mastering and promo. Sponsored byHostGator – 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. Pilot – You didn’t start a business to track financial statements or make cash flow spreadsheets. Using Pilot for bookkeeping gives you back the freedom to focus on your business. Pilot does accrual basis bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online, so you’re never locked into a proprietary platform. Plus, you’ll work with the same person each month, so you can rely on them to become an expert in your business. Mixergy listeners get 20% off Pilot Core for 6 months at pilot.com/producthunt. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Developing a marketing strategy that is successful can be a painful and intimidating process. What’s the secret of successful marketing? Amy Porterfield teaches business owners, educators and entrepreneurs the profitable action steps for building a highly-engaged email list, creating online training courses, and using online marketing strategies to sell with ease. Amy is making $5M a year in revenue with her Digital Course Academy. Amy Porterfield teaches business owners, educators and entrepreneurs the profitable action steps for building a highly-engaged email list, creating online training courses, and using online marketing strategies to sell with ease. 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

We all know that the video conferencing tools that are out there make video conferencing a painful experience. How do you make video conferencing a helpful, inclusive experience? Max Makeev is a Co-Founder of Owl Labs which offers a 360-degree smart video conferencing camera. Max Makeev and his Co-Founder, Mark Schnittman created a 360-degree all-in-one vieo conferencing device that centers virtual conferencing around remote participants. Max Makeev is a Co-Founder of Owl Labs which offers a 360-degree smart video conferencing camera. Sponsored byPilot – You didn’t start a business to track financial statements or make cash flow spreadsheets. Using Pilot for bookkeeping gives you back the freedom to focus on your business. Pilot does accrual basis bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online, so you’re never locked into a proprietary platform. Plus, you’ll work with the same person each month, so you can rely on them to become an expert in your business. Mixergy listeners get 20% off Pilot Core for 6 months at pilot.com/producthunt. Ahrefs Ahrefs is a full-suite SEO toolset that helps you grow your search traffic, research your competitors and monitor your niche – powered by the best and most complete data in the industry. Sign up for our paid trial at $7 for 7 days More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Long before TK Kader sold ToutApp, the company almost died. What sent the company on the downward spiral and how did they recover? TK Kader is the Founder of the ToutApp which is a sales engagement software platform. After a board meeting where the members told TK to cut the company down to 15 people, TK refused to accept that ultimatum and ended up with the largest quarter in company history. TK Kader is the Founder of the ToutApp which is a sales engagement software 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. Pilot – You didn’t start a business to track financial statements or make cash flow spreadsheets. Using Pilot for bookkeeping gives you back the freedom to focus on your business. Pilot does accrual basis bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online, so you’re never locked into a proprietary platform. Plus, you’ll work with the same person each month, so you can rely on them to become an expert in your business. Mixergy listeners get 20% off Pilot Core for 6 months at pilot.com/producthunt. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Figuring out the intricacies of allowing special offers with subscription billing is the stuff nightmares are made of. What do you do if you don’t have the time or the coding ability to figure that out? Krish Subramanian is a Co-Founder and CEO of Chargebee which is a subscription management and billing solutions system. Krish Subramanian and his three Co-Founders realized the need for simplifying subscription billing and set about solving it with the creation of Chargebee. Krish Subramanian is a Co-Founder and CEO of Chargebee which is a subscription management and billing solutions system. Sponsored byAhrefs Ahrefs is a full-suite SEO toolset that helps you grow your search traffic, research your competitors and monitor your niche – powered by the best and most complete data in the industry. Sign up for our paid trial at $7 for 7 days 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 Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

When a new employee joins your company, do you find the onboarding process to be cumbersome and time-consuming? Chris Ronzio is the CEO and Founder of Trainual, which is a modern training platform for fast growing businesses. Trainual takes the headache out of the onboarding process and puts it into a modern training platform and grew the company from $10k/month to $100k/month in just 7 months time.   Chris Ronzio is the CEO and Founder of Trainual, which is a modern training platform for fast growing businesses. 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. Ahrefs Ahrefs is a full-suite SEO toolset that helps you grow your search traffic, research your competitors and monitor your niche – powered by the best and most complete data in the industry. Sign up for our paid trial at $7 for 7 days More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint