Chris Adamo is the Director of Business Development at Whereby.us, home of The New Tropic, the digital newspaper we all know and love in Miami. Just two years ago Chris went into the wilderness to disconnect and find his true passion, then found a way to bring it to life in his current projects with Whereby.us and others. We also get into the nitty gritty of how he escaped the 9-to-5 using some methods from Tim Ferriss’ book The Four Hour Work Week. He talks about his love for Miami and how he’s able to quickly build a network in cities across the country, using little bit of hustle tools we all have at our disposal. Learn about Whereby’s business model and Chris multiple “side hustles” including supporting community-building efforts like Social Venture Partners Miami. He also answers the mystery behind those bright colorful Hawaiian shirts. An overall great conversation with a leader in our rising entrepreneurial ecosystem. Thank you Chris! Mentioned in this Episode: News Sources WhereBy.Us The New Tropic The Evergrey Books The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle by Steven Pressfield The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Robert B. Cialdini Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist by Brad Feld Other Social Venture Partners Miami Buzzbox
This episode features a unique “hustler” that most of us have come across on our time here in Miami – the ridesharing driver from apps like Uber and Lyft. David Lowell is one of South Florida’s top Uber drivers, having amassed nearly 10,000 rides and over 5,000 5-star ratings at the time of the recording. Don’t assume that because this isn’t a typical Miami “startup” that there aren’t business lessons here – believe me, there are, and David and I touch on a handful right out of the gate. We get into the importance of “showing up” and how he’s often able to make more than other drivers with just a little more hustle. Having been a business owner himself earlier in life, he also shares advice for anyone considering a new job (including being a driver). We even get into “tech” as he shares his thoughts on Uber’s long-term pivot to self-driving cars and why he’s not concerned about it taking his job. Highlights: 1:48 – David’s approach to customer service & how little things differentiate him as a driver. 3:59 – Timeless lessons he learned from running his own businesses prior to Uber. 4:41 – Lessons in “showing up” from a ride given to two businesswomen in Brickell. 5:46 – The importance of approaching every ride with care. 6:33 – Secret lessons in making money as an Uber driver. 9:54 – Knowing your surroundings & how it translates to business success. 11:33 – How he sets goals as a driver & the importance of doing so in business. 14:48 – Lessons he’s learned as a driver that he wouldn’t have learned elsewhere. 15:55 – Some favorite stories from the road. Mentioned in this Episode: Applications: Usurv Books: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
I’m excited to bring you the power couple of Miami Tech that needs no introduction - Juha and Jo Mikkola of Wyncode. We dive deep into their story of: - How they came up with the idea to launch a coding bootcamp. - Why they chose Miami and moved here from Toronto. - Early days validating the idea for Wyncode. - The serendipity around closing their recent round of $1M funding. - Why they believe ANYONE can learn to code. Juha and Jo are recognized leaders in the Miami Tech ecosystem and share sound lessons in starting and growing a business, making this episode a must-listen for anyone in our startup community. Highlights: 3:20 - How their previous business experience has helped them build Wyncode.(Juha as an entrepreneur, Jo as an executive for the NHL) 4:21 - How they came up with the idea for a coding bootcamp after Juha attended one in Toronto. 9:15 - Advice they’d give to entrepreneurs on taking those first, difficult steps, including how having a self-imposed deadline helped them kickstart Wyncode. 11:15 - How they hedged their bet of launching in Florida by positioning Juha’s existing business to continue operating out of Florida. 25:24 - The importance of managing cash flow as an entrepreneur and why a bookkeeper should be one of the first people you hire. 29:12 - The story of getting their recent round of funding and why you should always make an effort to keep in touch with people. 35:00 - Why they are firm believers that anyone can learn to code. 42:10 - Closing questions - Best advice, Books, “Only in Miami” moment & what he’d do with $500 if new to Miami and starting a business. Mentioned in this Episode: People Ed Toro Matt Haggman Nancy Dahlberg Businesses CareCloud Books The Lean Startup by Eric Ries Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
Noah Ohlsen and the business of being a Pro CrossFit Athlete We're excited to bring Noah Ohlsen (@nohlsen) to you, one of the top athletes in the CrossFit community and boasting a huge social media following of over 350K followers. We talk how Noah became a competitive CrossFitter while going to school full-time at UM and how he first realized the power of social media by experimenting on Instagram in the early days. We get into the streams of income he has available to him as a pro athlete in the “Sport of Fitness,” how it breaks down by category, and what he’s excited about in the future when it comes to growing a brand outside the sport. We're excited to bring this interview with "Miami’s Fittest Man" who shares his ups and downs as an athlete and passes on lessons of hard work, attention to detail, and making things happen when you’ve got your sights set on a goal. Highlights: 9:00 - Noah's mindset when it comes to putting in the work every day. 10:50 - Dedicating yourself to your craft. 11:51- What followers might be surprised to know about Noah. 14:37 - How Noah makes revenue by working with sponsors and competitions. 21:16 - Guido Trinidad on Noah's foresight professional branding and utilizing social media influence. 24:48 - Noah's advice on social media branding and why he takes it upon himself. 33:55 - How he deals with the backlash of having a large social media following. 39:15 - Questions from Noah's followers. 42:05 - Closing Questions – Best advice, Books, “Only in Miami” moments & what he’d do with $500 if he was new to Miami and starting a business. Mentioned in this episode Noah's Social Media: Twitter Instagram Maximus's Instagram Apparel: Nike Training Caffeine & Kilos Fitness Equipment: Strength Wraps RPM Jump Rope Exo Sleeve ROMWoD Supplements: Perfect Fuel Perfect Bar X-Werks Protein Marc Pro Books: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight
If there’s one episode Miami tech startups should listen to it’s this one, because Seth shares their formula for building a company WITHOUT the typical Angel and VC investment approach that pervades the startup culture, not just here in Miami but everywhere. I sit down with Seth Cassel, President at Everymundo to talk about how “going narrow to go deep” and focusing on an industry niche has led to a sustainable business and now future opportunities to expand into other industries. Why Seth was especially attracted to founder Anton’s unique philosophy to business growth, despite its differences from what he learned at Harvard Business School. Seth shares some great stories, including how getting banned by Google Advertising sparked the idea for their biggest business opportunity and how their philosophy of focusing on employee productivity surprisingly leads to employee happiness. Solid lessons here in lean startup philosophy, culture, and navigating a multilingual company with customers spanning the globe. Mentioned in this Episode: Software: Basecamp Jira Books: The Hard Thing About Hard Things The Culture Map
What can startups learn from a 200 year-old industry? It may sound like an unlikely correlation, but as it turns out, an exercise in turning around a railroad's operations can teach us a lot about what it takes to manage a startup. Today's episode is focused on answering the question "What are the most important things that someone should be working on when building a startup." In a separate Podcast I produced, I interviewed consultant Roy Johanson - his experience turning around the operations of a railroad give us some insight on how taking the time to observe a business, it's dealings and how its customers respond to the way things are currently being run can guide us to make beneficial changes that go beyond the scope of traditional management. Roy also gives us some essential questions that we should be asking ourselves while working in and on our businesses. His process appealed to us because it wasn’t just another story about an up and coming tech company’s 5 easy steps to startup glory and venture capital funding. Instead, it was based on enduring principles about business, innovation, and creating change that will be true for another two hundred years. His experience and previous work on the railroad exemplifies the idea that doing something worth doing will take time and more than a surface level understanding of the problems at hand. Highlights: 1:51 - "What are the most important things that I should be working on in a startup?" 2:17 - Cliff Notes" / The four key points of this episode. 4:01 - "What does a railroad have to do with innovation?" 4:45 - "Fly on the wall observation" of the organization and it's customers. 7:15 - Two sets of essential questions asked by Roy 8:11 - Asking "Why" and how it can be critical to finding what makes a problem challenging. 9:18 - Filtering out signal vs noise based on the organization you're working in. 10:59 - Talking to people and testing pitches. 13:12 - "Don't be afraid to change things" 16:51 - Putting yourself in other people's shoes. Mentioned in this Episode: Catalant The Lean Startup Movement The Innovator's Method: Bringing the Lean Start-up into Your Organization Value Proposition Design Perry Marshall: 80/20 Rule in Business
This episode is one for the books with Otto Othman (@otto_othman) and Nedal Ahmed (@nedalaahmad) from Pincho Factory (@pinchofactory) - the first in a series of episodes featuring Endeavor’s entrepreneurs (@endeavormiami). Hear how these #miamihustlers came up with the idea for Pincho at a 4th of July BBQ, then nearly called it quits when the going got rough, to now having ten locations across Florida, including two at AAA (@americanairlinesarena). These guys know what it takes to start and scale a business and have a unique view when it comes to managing their team - putting employees first. Plus, great advice on how to escape the 9-5 and pursue that startup or side hustle. And If you haven’t checked out their burgers, pinchos, salads, and more - get in there! You won’t be disappointed.
Curious what it takes to truly start from nothing in Miami? Hear the story of how Matti Marshak came from Israel with no money and a job promised to him . . . then seeing that job fall through just weeks after arriving. Learn how he found his way into the tech industry by taking low-paying work and sticking things out until new opportunities arose. We can about how he and his business partner Avi later launched Pacific54, now one of the Miami startup scene's leading digital marketing agencies. Matti gives some advice on how to think about a digital marketing strategy while covering some of the most important metrics a company should be tracking. If there’s one guest I’ve had on this show who has lived the scenario I pose to every guest at the end of each episode - namely being new to Miami and only having $500 to start a business, it’s this guy! Highlights 2:30 The “only in Miami” moment that brought him from Israel to the US 4:30 Feeling hopeless 5:30 Working odd jobs to make ends meet 6:00 How delivering newspapers led to an opportunity in tech 9:00 How he got started in digital marketing 10:15 Finding a great developer in Romania 12:00 The value of having a co-founder 13:30 Transitioning from being a worker to a leader, and the pressure of being responsible for people’s well-being 16:00 How to handle clients when they don’t know what they want or have unrealistic unexpectations 21:00 - Best advice he’s received 21:45 - Pros & cons of doing business in Miami 23:30 - “Only in Miami” moments 24:00 - Favorite book and its lesson for Miami 26:45 - What he’d do if brand new to Miami and had $500 to start a business Mentioned in this episode Pacific54 Startup Nation The LAB Miami
Looking for an example of taking the long view when it comes to business? You’ve found it right here with Miami’s very own Jojo tea. We cover how Jojo came to be after Mike’s pursuit of acting took an interesting turn into yoga and meditation and the amazing story of how Jojo got it’s name, something that might put chills down your spine. Plus, the story of how Tico turned down a job opportunity to help build Jojo and what he’s learned about business in the process. An amazing story shared by these two Miami hustlers and solid lessons for anyone, especially when it comes to taking the long view in business. Other Highlights: The right way to drink tea (hint, it involves slurping, not sipping) How they are using Miami’s strengths in food & hospitality to create a new American tea culture. The ONE metric they’d navigate their business by . . . and why it certainly isn’t what you might expect. What they’d do if a major retailer came and wanted to put Jojo on their shelves Mentioned in this episode Jojo Tea - tasting room schedule DIRT Panther Coffee The Third Plate Tao Te Ching
What's Miami startup life really like? This episode is a bit different than others and for those loyal listeners who’ve noticed I’ve been publishing less episodes recently well this is the reason why - I’ve taken on an operating role in TIKD, the company I covered in EP 038, so am now deep into startup life. I thought it would be valuable for Miami entrepreneurs and hustlers of all types to put ourselves out there and hear our raw story, so here we go . . . this is TIKD at about 1 month, give or take and we cover some good stories here like . . . Blowing money on an overseas developer and switching to a US-based one . . . Why we’re frustrated with the first version of our product - and why that’s OK . . . Our “only in Miami” moment of getting scammed by a print vendor . . . How we went too big, too early, what we learned along the way but how sometimes it still pays to be aggressive and make things happen, even if the outcome isn’t perfect. What you’ll hear a lot of in this episode is the realization of that daily grind setting in . . . where we face resistance, that blank canvas everyday. We’re sharing our raw startup story right here for the benefit of all Miami hustlers, so have a listen, learn from our mistakes, and then start taking action - sometimes that’s the only way to learn.
CIC Miami is here! I sat down with Natalia Martinez-Kalinina (@soulafloat) to talk about all one of Miami’s newest centers of gravity, CIC Miami (@cicmiami). Natalia has a deep background in organizational psychology so we had an interesting chat around how she goes about building a team, what she looks for during interviews, and how she “tries out” candidates for a day before bringing them on full-time. We covered why CIC chose to expand in Miami, how she came onboard and why she has renewed faith in Miami’s potential after immersing herself in the ecosystem over the last year. We also talk about her side project, Love Lost Miami, a unique art exhibit that will take place during Art Basel and the lesson in entrepreneurship that we can take away from it. Natalia is a true “hustler” in Miami, making big things happen through her work in getting CIC Miami to where it is, but reminds us that the future is where the real work will need to be done. 2:30 - How she became involved in CIC Miami and why CIC chose Miami 7:30 - Advice to people thinking of taking on an entrepreneurial process 9:30 - What success would be for CIC Miami in a year 11:30 - Her side project Love Lost Miami, previewing some of the romantic and other stories of loss featured 14:00 - Lessons for entrepreneurs from Love Lost Miami 14:30 - Team building, what she looks for in hiring, and how she “tries out” candidates before hiring them 19:00 - How she helps people avoid burnout 20:20 - Other organizations in Miami that do a great job at team building 22:25 - Closing questions: best advice, book recommendations, only in Miami moments, what she’d do if new to Miami and had $500 to start a business Mentioned in this episode: Awesome Foundation CIC Miami Venture Cafe Miami The New Tropic Love Lost, Miami Ultimate Software Lulu’s Ice Cream Leading Teams Black Swan Theory
Wondering how the smallest insights can turn into massive opportunities? Trina Spear is the Co-Founder and President of FIGS (@wearfigs), a company with a rapid upward trajectory and roots right here in Miami. Trina shares the story of starting FIGS and how neither Harvard Business School nor Wall Street could prepare her for the humbling challenges of entrepreneurship. She shares how Co-Founder Heather got the idea for FIGS by noticing the horrifically unfashionable scrubs that her friend was wearing . . . then redesigned them and later validated the business idea from the trunk of a car. One thing led to another and now FIGS is taking the healthcare scene by storm with their fashion-forward scrubs designs. Trina shares what it takes to be a Benefit corporation focused on doing good in the world, including an overview of their new project at Miami’s Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Later, in one of my favorite parts of the episode, she shares what Oprah and Michael Phelps have in common and the business lesson we can all take away from it. Trina has amazing hustle and drive - some fantastic business lessons and powerful stories from a leader playing a big role in making healthcare a better place for everyone. #wearfigs Highlights 3:30 - How she decided to leave a great job on Wall Street to start FIGS 5:00 - How FIGS came to be 6:45 - How they validated the idea selling FIGS out of Heather’s SUV 8:45 - Her advice to people thinking of pursuing their own business 9:30 - The importance of having a Co-Founder and how she and Heather complement each other 11:30 - What she thinks about titles in a company . . . and how one employee completely changed his 12:15 - What she wishes she knew before starting FIGS . . . and how HBS didn’t prepare her for entrepreneurship 15:00 - Their biggest mistake early on . . . and advice for choosing investors and partners 19:15 - The value of having a direct-to-consumer business 21:45 - How they decided on price for the product 23:45 - Why they decided to not just sell scrubs but lifestyle clothing 25:45 - How she considers the competition . . . and lessons from Oprah and Michael Phelps 28:00 - How they decided to become a B-Corp 29:00 - Their project at Miami’s Nicklaus Children’s Hospital 30:45 - Brands they’d like to be mentioned alongside 32:30 - The one metric she’d use to navigate her business by 33:15 - Her productivity routines . . . and why they have walking meetings at FIGS > 34:45 - Closing questions: best advice, favorite books, pros/cons of doing business in Miami, what she’d do with $500 to start a business if she were new to Miami Mentioned in this episode The Hard Thing About Hard Things Shoe Dog Lean In Warby Parker Bonobos All Birds Charity: Water International Medical Corps Project Cure
Wondering how to keep your health on track through that Miami hustle? I’m excited to bring Jordan Kaplan (@kaplanchirosobe) from Kaplan Chiropractic in South Beach to you. He shares what it was like to nearly go bankrupt before his practice even opened and how he bounced back by bringing on a great team and building an office culture where patients stop by even when they’re not being treated. We also cover how to get a better night’s sleep, the benefits of “bulletproof" coffee . . . AND I get frozen during the episode is his office’s cryochamber. Some powerful lessons, health tips, and an overall positive vibe from one of our community’s emerging leaders. I’m proud to call Jordan my friend - he has big hopes for Miami and the community of people making it a better place every day. (Be sure pay a visit to @kaplanchiro - it’s my go-to place for healing, rejuvenation, and a great vibe). Highlights 2:00 - Realizing his gift for healing 2:50 - The miraculous experience with a chiropractor that piqued his interest in chiro 3:45 - How he learned business without having any experience 5:15 - Advice to other professionals considering their own practice 6:30 - How he's gotten past the fear of not feeling good enough 7:30 - How he was almost bankrupted before opening 8:45 - Why he thinks comfort is our worst enemy 9:30 - How chiropractic helps the body heal itself 10:45 - Advice on getting a better night’s sleep 12:45 - Thoughts on “Bulletproof" coffee 15:15 - Using cryotherapy for health, recovery, rejuvenation 16:30 - I get frozen in the Cryochamber; Jordan talks about celebrities who stop by and use it 19:15 - What “biohacking” means to him 20:00 - How Kaplan Chiro generates revenue 21:00 - How he and his team have created a healing environment where people love to stop by and hang out even when they’re not being treated 22:00 - The one metric he’d use to navigate his business by 22:45 - Thoughts on having celebrity clients 24:00 - How he’s built a strong company culture 25:45 - Being committed to developing his team personally and professionally 26:50 - What it’s been like having a family as an entrepreneur 27:45 - Closing questions: best advice, book recommendations, pros/cons of doing business in Miami, “only in Miami” moments, what he’d do with $500 if he was new to Miami Mentioned in this Episode Neuromore “Bulletproof” Coffee Cryotherapy The Obstacle is the Way The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
Wondering what it takes to get into your dream job or kickstart a passion project? I sat down with inspiring Miami hustler Leigh-Ann Buchanan from Venture Cafe Miami to hear how she found her dream job after working for 7 years as a commercial litigation attorney. We chat about her methods for networking authentically and how she’s handled the challenge of being a structured, process-oriented person now dealing with ambiguity and the “seat-of-your-pants" operations inherent in entrepreneurship. We cover the non-profit she founded, the NYAH Project and of course, the great work she and others at Venture Cafe and CIC Miami are doing to bring innovation to our entrepreneurial ecosystem, including their weekly event series every Thursday. Leigh-Ann is an emerging leader with her finger on the pulse of Miami’s rising entrepreneurial scene. Miami hustlers of all types can all learn from her perspective and how she worked her way into the leadership role at Venture Cafe. Highlights 2:15 - How she went from being an attorney to taking the leadership role at Venture Cafe Miami 3:15 - What she would recommend for someone trying to pursue a passion project 5:15 - Her advice on networking and reaching out to people 9:15 - How CIC and Venture Cafe are bringing an inclusive event environment to Miami 11:30 - What is was like launching the “startup” of Venture Cafe and advice to entrepreneurs 12:45 - Overcoming “analysis paralysis” to get ambiguous jobs done 16:00 - What she wishes she knew before launching Venture Cafe 20:15 - Her personal passion project, The NYAH Project 24:10 - Best advice, book recommendations, what she’d do with $500 to start a business if she were new to Miami Mentioned in this Episode The NYAH Project The New Tropic Lemon City Tea Originals by Adam Grant
Does Miami really have a talent gap? I sat down with LAB Miami co-founder and #miamitech original Wifi Fernandez to hear the story of how he and his co-founders started Miami’s first co-working space with just a few hundred dollars and some wood furniture. We chat about how he’s shifted his focus to helping anchor institutions like FIU build Miami’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and of course, his favorite Miami startups. He also shares his thoughts on something we hear about all the time - the alleged talent gap in Miami. Wifi has been a leader in our community since the early days of Miami’s tech scene and we can all benefit from his perspective AND support the newest project he’s involved in - Startup FIU. Highlights 2:00 - Wifi’s story of starting The LAB Miami with his two co-founders 5:15 - Making through the hard days of The LAB 8:00 - Success stories from The LAB 10:00 - Thoughts on bringing on investors vs bootstrapping 13:00 - How StartupFIU came to be 14:40 - What they’re looking for in their cohort entrepreneurs 16:15 - Mini case study: how the Hialeah Tamale vendor could benefit from StartupFIU 19:00 - Tim & Wifi thoughts on Miami’s overall strategy for entrepreneurial growth 26:00 - Closing questions: best advice, books to recommend, what he’d do with $500 to start a business and new to Miami Mentioned in this episode The LAB Miami StartupFIU Team of Rivals Ernie Hsuing Kairos Wyncode Maker Faire Learner Nation Endeavor CareCloud MD Live ClutchPrep
Wondering what happens when you immerse into a problem long enough to spot opportunities right in front of you eyes? I sat down with Chris Riley from TIKD (@gettikd) to hear how he’s taking his team's track record of success in the energy industry and applying it to a tech startup with massive opportunity in an area we can all relate to - traffic tickets! Chris shares his biggest lessons as an entrepreneur, including: - the importance of giving yourself permission to come up with bad ideas - how to unlock opportunities that make people say “why didn’t I think of that" - why having a keen eye on cash flow is a cornerstone to building a business model that works Keep an eye on this Miami startup that has momentum and interest from top venture capitalists and others; some fantastic lessons to learn from Chris and his team at TIKD, not to mention a new and convenient way to save big on those traffic tickets and keep points off your record. Highlights 1:45 - How Chris and his team have launched entrepreneurial ventures in area where they have no experience 3:40 - How Chris’ experience getting a speeding ticket spawned the idea for TIKD 5:45 - How he immersed into the intricacies of the traffic system to identify the areas of opportunity 7:00 - The importance of using data to validate the business idea 8:30 - Why to be okay coming up with bad ideas 9:15 - How he and his team evaluate ideas and decides which to pursue 11:15 - Why they aren’t seeking investors at the moment 15:00 - How TIKD makes handling your traffic tickets cheaper, faster, and risk-free 18:30 - How to evaluate the cash flow attractiveness of a business 20:15 - Thoughts on using an overseas developer versus a US-based one 22:15 - Who they view as the competition 23:40 - How they’ve decided on rolling out geographically - local vs national 25:45 - Thoughts on business model risk vs execution risk 29:15 - Closing questions: best advice received, book recommendations, pros/cons of doing business in Miami, what he’d do with $500 and brand new to Miami Mentioned in this episode TIKD Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
I’m excited to bring to you the ladies of the Underline - Meg and Gita. Now, if you’re in Miami and don’t know what The Underline is, you should! We get into all that here, including the story of how Meg got the idea for it after a bicycle accident where she broke both elbows. There are some pure entrepreneurial lessons we can all learn here, including the importance of getting your idea out there to create your own luck, Meg’s practice of being comfortable with discomfort, and Gita’s push to never settle for anything less than excellent. Meg, Gita, and a huge team of supporters are working hard to transform our city with one of the coolest projects I’ve come across and we can all learn a lot from their hustle and drive. 1:55 - How Meg got the idea for The Underline 4:00 - How luck came their way when they started getting the word out 8:00 - Their vision for The Underline and what it will look like and mean for Miami 10:20 - Parallel lessons for entrepreneurs & businesspeople 16:40 - How businesses near The Underline can best take advantage of the opportunities it will provide 20:00 - How they stay focused when being pulled in multiple directions 25:00 - Closing questions: best advice, books, “only in Miami” moments, what they’d do with $500 if new to Miami Mentioned in this episode The Underline The Virgin Way The Obstacle is the Way Focus Outliers
I sat down with Brian Breslin, who we all know as the Founder of Miami’s largest tech community, Refresh Miami. Brian has been an entrepreneur since he was 15 and has lessons to share from those early days, including how he almost got put out of business by a lawsuit. We covered some of his lowest moments as an entrepreneur when he could just barely make payroll, plus why he chose to enhance his business experience through the formal education of an MBA. Brian talks about how he started Refresh Miami when he couldn’t find like-minded people in tech to hang out with along with his thoughts on the prospects for Miami’s growing tech scene. No one has seen more when it comes to Miami Tech than Brian and we can all benefit from his experience on the scene and as an entrepreneur. Lastly, stay tuned until the closing minutes of the show where Brian and I offer up a challenge to fund select Miami hustlers with $500 to start a business and be mentored by us. 2:05 - Starting Infinimedia as a teenager and growing it to its current state 4:40 - Lessons learned from his early venture and advice to startups 6:00 - Exposing fraud, being sued, and coming out alive 7:20 - Lowest points as an entrepreneur 8:00 - The story of how Refresh Miami came to be 9:20 - Proudest moments with Refresh 11:20 - Lowest moments with Refresh 12:50 - Deciding to pursue an MBA and the pros/cons of full-time vs Exec program 16:20 - Seeing a need in the education market and starting Simcase 19:10 - His thoughts on Miami tech - bullish or bearish? 23:20 - Common themes from failed & successful Miami startups 25:20 - Refresh’s new website - living, breathing document for where to go on all things Miami startups 27:00 - Closing questions: best advice, favorite books, habits / routines, what he’d do with $500 if new to Miami 33:20 - Brian and I offer $500 to Miami Hustlers to start a business Mentioned in this episode Everything Is Bullshit The Tim Ferriss Show Refresh Miami Simcase Infinimedia
I sat down with Chris Sopher, Co-Founder & CEO of Whereby.us and The New Tropic who, along with Co-Founders Rebekah Monson and Bruce Pinchbeck, are encouraging us all to “live like you live here,” through their daily newsletter, stories, and neighborhood guides covering all things Miami. Chris has some solid wisdom for startups trying to get traction, including how to avoid the mistake most commonly made by startups - making something nobody wants! Chris and his team are bringing great storytelling and “connective tissue” to the Miami scene through their writing, events, and support of companies seeking to engage authentically with all of us in Miami. He also shares the #1 question leaders should have on call at their disposal - some great wisdom here from a true hustler leading a solid team that’s committed to making Miami great. 1:30 - Background before starting Whereby.us 3:00 - Why he felt comfortable leaving a stable job at The Knight Foundation to pursue a startup 4:20 - How they validated the idea before launching 6:40 - How the philosophy of “writing what you know” can be a lesson for early-stage startups 7:30 - What he wishes he knew before launching Whereby.us 9:40 - How they are taking a different approach from the typical internet content model 11:45 - His journey and development as a leader 12:45 - One of his early leadership mistakes 16:00 - Actionable advice for developing new business 18:10 - His philosophy behind “human-centered design” and what startups can learn from its wisdom 21:00 - The limitations of the Lean Startup approach 23:00 - Why they are going small and local vs big and global 26:00 - His number one metric for success 28:00 - Reasons for why Whereby.us could be a success and/or failure 31:40 - Closing questions: pros/cons of doing business in Miami, “only in Miami” moments, best advice ever received, books, what he’d do with $500 and brand new to Miami Mentioned in this episode: Whereby.us The New Tropic Leaders Eat Last Human-Centered Design
If you’re in Miami and don’t know who Guido is, you should! Not only is he the founder of one of Miami’s top gyms and the co-founder of a truly global Fitness Festival that takes place in Bayfront park in January, but he’s also a long-time CrossFit competitor, achieving high accolades in the sport including making it to the pinnacle of competition, the CrossFit Games, a grueling competition which features the fittest athletes in the world - truly the major leagues of fitness. Guido is a businessman, coach, family man, and an inspiration to countless here in Miami and beyond, including myself. We can all learn a lot from the hustle and drive behind his start as a fitness professional and his growth as an entrepreneur. I’m honored to call him my friend and if there’s one person who epitomizes what Miami hustle is about, it’s this guy. So entrepreneurs, business people, cross fitters, whoever you are, listen up! Some deep and actionable wisdom here from the one and only Guido Trinidad (@guidotrinidad @thewodapalooza @peak360crossfit @perfectfuelmeals ) Highlights 2:30 - Athletic background, including time as a pro football athlete in Europe 3:30 - Short stint as an elevator salesman, picking up skills but realizing “corporate America” wasn’t for him 5:00 - Planning his exit from corporate America and getting started as a fitness entrepreneur 6:00 - Getting his first clients 7:00 - Increasing sales by scaling from individual clients to larger groups 8:00 - Finding his first brick and mortar location out of desperation and serendipity 10:00 - Starting the gym with no money, using his car to light the gym 11:45 - Getting kicked out of his space because of a shady business deal 12:30 - Why he says the best educator in business in getting actual experience 13:15 - The benefits of being naive 13:45 - Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and those stuck in an unfulfilling 9-to-5 15:00 - Workout intermission with Noah Ohlsen @nohlsen 15:20 - A 10-minute workout for entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and anyone “too busy” for fitness 17:45 - How one of his clients lost 100 pounds and no longer needed his pacemaker 20:15 - Simple nutrition for weight loss, muscle building, and overall health 21:00 - How Peak360 generates revenue and makes fitness fun 23:00 - Why he doesn’t compete on price but provides more value than what his clients pay for 24:00 - His one metric for business success via @benbergeron 25:15 - Building a global fitness festival in Miami featuring 20K spectators and 80+ sponsors (Wodapalooza) 26:45 - How identifying their “why” transformed the festival and catapulted its growth 29:00 - Why they never based decisions based off money . . . and are making money as a result 30:00 - Pros and cons of doing business in Miami 31:10 - “Only in Miami” stories 31:20 - Daily habits that keep him on track - investing in himself, family time 33:20 - Book recommendations 34:40 - What he’d do if he were brand new to Miami and had $500 to start a business 36:30 - Final advice - going for it, handling adversity Mentioned in this episode Peak360 Athletic Performance Wodapalooza Fitness Festival Perfect Fuel Meals Jim Rohn The 5 Love Languages The War of Art Success Magazine #miami #crossfit # wzamiami #crossfitgames #miamifitness #bearolemodel #entrepreneur #success #progenex