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A thread on how I got my start.
In April of 2018, I started working for an eCommerce platform startup, in sales.
I directly reported to @jmbolling.
At this point, I had no real sales experience, had created a failed BarkBox clone, and did email marketing for a consultancy.
In April of 2018, I started working for an eCommerce platform startup, in sales.
I directly reported to @jmbolling.
At this point, I had no real sales experience, had created a failed BarkBox clone, and did email marketing for a consultancy.
My eCommerce experience was truly limited.
I knew my way around Klaviyo but didn’t fully understand how to sell that service to the people who would need it.
I had no clue how to sell really.
I was broke and had to routinely choose between eating or filling up my car.
I knew my way around Klaviyo but didn’t fully understand how to sell that service to the people who would need it.
I had no clue how to sell really.
I was broke and had to routinely choose between eating or filling up my car.
When I started working for John Max, I knew the only thing I could do to get out of the hole I dug for myself was to work.
Hard. But also effectively.
And that’s exactly what I did.
I would record videos for prospects and put all my heart and soul into it.
Hard. But also effectively.
And that’s exactly what I did.
I would record videos for prospects and put all my heart and soul into it.
My favorite video intro ever was “Raindrop, drop top, I really love <brand name>’s crop top... design!”
Every prospect got my entire personality in a 2 minute video. All of my energy. A lot of care.
I’d do that all day, go home for a bit, return, then prospect until midnight.
Every prospect got my entire personality in a 2 minute video. All of my energy. A lot of care.
I’d do that all day, go home for a bit, return, then prospect until midnight.
. @bdumlauf hustled with me.
He got his job at the company by asking to pour coffee for free, just so he could learn about eCommerce.
He became the video editing intern (paid!) and off we went.
We learned eCommerce from one of the greatest operators ever imo: @jmbolling.
He got his job at the company by asking to pour coffee for free, just so he could learn about eCommerce.
He became the video editing intern (paid!) and off we went.
We learned eCommerce from one of the greatest operators ever imo: @jmbolling.
John Max taught us the foundations of eCommerce in the after hours.
We tools notes. We made plans.
We started testing things.
I’ll never forget the first $300 I spent on ads. Made $0, because that’s what I get for trying to dropship bikinis in August without care 4 customer
We tools notes. We made plans.
We started testing things.
I’ll never forget the first $300 I spent on ads. Made $0, because that’s what I get for trying to dropship bikinis in August without care 4 customer
That $300 spent on ads was my eCommerce education.
We negotiated a spot in a huge model photo shoot in the Bahamas, just needed to provide product. It didn’t arrive in time from China.
But we were cutting deals. Learning how to play the game.
We were on our way.
We negotiated a spot in a huge model photo shoot in the Bahamas, just needed to provide product. It didn’t arrive in time from China.
But we were cutting deals. Learning how to play the game.
We were on our way.
In January of this year, John Max left to focus on his agency work, his new eComm biz, and his growing family.
That left Blake and I without a direct boss and without direct guidance.
So we did what we do best.
Experimentation.
That left Blake and I without a direct boss and without direct guidance.
So we did what we do best.
Experimentation.
We figured out how to scrape FB and LinkedIn to create custom audiences.
I took a deeper dive into running ads.
Blake learned advanced copywriting, amplifying his natural ability to evoke emotion through written word.
And we didn’t just learn things.
We deployed.
I took a deeper dive into running ads.
Blake learned advanced copywriting, amplifying his natural ability to evoke emotion through written word.
And we didn’t just learn things.
We deployed.
We launched an email marketing service similar to FAM or a diet Mailchimp.
Wrapped an entire service around it.
Spent $15,000 in ads in 15 days.
I shot & edited the creative myself. No stranger to being in front of the camera now.
Set up the ads.
~$84k MRR, in 15 days.
Wrapped an entire service around it.
Spent $15,000 in ads in 15 days.
I shot & edited the creative myself. No stranger to being in front of the camera now.
Set up the ads.
~$84k MRR, in 15 days.
I closed just about every client myself, on the phone or on a Zoom call.
I deployed the year of sales training and practice I had to do so...
Never Split the Difference
Sandler (shoutout @ROGUEWEALTH)
Any book on sales, I read, took notes, and deployed.
I deployed the year of sales training and practice I had to do so...
Never Split the Difference
Sandler (shoutout @ROGUEWEALTH)
Any book on sales, I read, took notes, and deployed.
And then I asked for a raise.
For the 5th and 6th times.
At this point, I had created programs that made the company money. I created the backend fulfillment services, with Blake.
Never got that raise.
So Blake and I decided to venture out on our own, pursuing agency work
For the 5th and 6th times.
At this point, I had created programs that made the company money. I created the backend fulfillment services, with Blake.
Never got that raise.
So Blake and I decided to venture out on our own, pursuing agency work
And that’s how Julep Digital came to be.
On our last day at that job we signed our first paying client.
He still pays us today and is the best client I’ve ever worked with.
We added some clients, lost some clients, did great work throughout, and that’s how we ended up here.
On our last day at that job we signed our first paying client.
He still pays us today and is the best client I’ve ever worked with.
We added some clients, lost some clients, did great work throughout, and that’s how we ended up here.
Throughout all of this, @bdumlauf and I never lost sight of our grand goal:
Build Brands.
We knew this was the goal after watching a @glossier ad with the song Goodie Bag by @Still_Woozy playing.
I call it the Goodie Bag Inflection.
Here’s the ad
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgjKYNhfpo/?igshid=h92vt2fuf1h2">https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgjKYN...
Build Brands.
We knew this was the goal after watching a @glossier ad with the song Goodie Bag by @Still_Woozy playing.
I call it the Goodie Bag Inflection.
Here’s the ad
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgjKYNhfpo/?igshid=h92vt2fuf1h2">https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgjKYN...
All this time, I’ve learned eCommerce from the greats.
Twitter is my school. I got to see thoughts directly for the people that operate the kinds of companies and build the kinds of brands I want to build.
If you’re reading this, I’ve most likely learned from you, or will soon
Twitter is my school. I got to see thoughts directly for the people that operate the kinds of companies and build the kinds of brands I want to build.
If you’re reading this, I’ve most likely learned from you, or will soon
The following folks that I’ve taken a lot of notes from in no particular order:
@herrmanndigital @andrewfoxwell @dennishegstad @helena @web @soundslikecanoe @TaylorHoliday @TaylorSicard @zachmstuck @allthingsmarco @noahkagan @mrsharma @allenthird
And so many more. Lots of notes
@herrmanndigital @andrewfoxwell @dennishegstad @helena @web @soundslikecanoe @TaylorHoliday @TaylorSicard @zachmstuck @allthingsmarco @noahkagan @mrsharma @allenthird
And so many more. Lots of notes
I’ve learned and I will continue learning.
My recent journey into #NoCode was a function of needing to do stuff for agency clients that morphed into a desire to be unstoppable. To be able to build anything without needed any help. All driven by my love of learning and deploying
My recent journey into #NoCode was a function of needing to do stuff for agency clients that morphed into a desire to be unstoppable. To be able to build anything without needed any help. All driven by my love of learning and deploying
In 2020, I get to deploy at the biggest scale I’ve ever worked on.
I get to amplify a brand and grow it into something magnificent.
I’m going to work hard at it. I’m going to work effectively.
One day, I’ll get the Lambo
But it’s about the work. The process. The game I love.
I get to amplify a brand and grow it into something magnificent.
I’m going to work hard at it. I’m going to work effectively.
One day, I’ll get the Lambo
But it’s about the work. The process. The game I love.
And I’ll never forget being the broke kid in Fayetteville with no real skills.
I’ll never forget the feeling of having to choose between food and gas for my car.
Paying my $100 utility bill in coins and small bills.
Hard and effective work.
Love of the game.
To the moon.
I’ll never forget the feeling of having to choose between food and gas for my car.
Paying my $100 utility bill in coins and small bills.
Hard and effective work.
Love of the game.
To the moon.
