30: Developing One of the Largest Marketplaces Online with Collis Ta'eed

In this episode, Iris Smit, founder of The Quick Flick, shares her inspiring journey of creating a multi-million dollar beauty empire from her dorm room. Iris opens up about her struggles with self-doubt, turning down a Shark Tank deal, and hitting rock bottom before rebuilding her business from the ground up. Learn how Iris leveraged influencer marketing, radical transparency, and community engagement to grow her brand organically. This episode is packed with actionable insights on resilience, innovation, and building a standout brand in a competitive market.. Listen to Nathan and Iris discuss: - How Iris bootstrapped The Quick Flick with $10,000 - Leveraging influencer marketing to create viral moments - Turning down a Shark Tank deal and navigating the aftermath - The role of authenticity and storytelling in brand building - Scaling a beauty brand while maintaining a lean team - Expanding into new product categories and markets - And much more business advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

21 Feb 52min

✅ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → http://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial ✅ Prefer 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application → Already selling and want to scale? https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application What You’ll Learn in This Episode In this episode, Aimee Smale, founder of Odd Muse, shares how she went from designing £10 logos to building a £24M self-funded fashion brand. She reveals: ✅ How she launched Odd Muse with just £12,000 and no investors ✅ The pre-order strategy she used to scale profitably ✅ How she handled copycats like PrettyLittleThing ✅ The power of organic influencer marketing ✅ Her approach to community-driven brand building If you’re an entrepreneur looking to build a high-growth eCommerce brand, this interview is packed with insights on organic marketing, brand positioning, and scaling without outside funding. 📩 How We Can Help You Scale Your Business Faster 🔥 Want to learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+? Start your $1 trial today → http://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial 💡 Prefer a custom roadmap and 1-on-1 coaching? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application → Already have a store? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application 🔗 Connect With Nathan Chan 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan 💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/ 🔗 Connect With Aimee Smale & Odd Muse 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/aimeesmalex 💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-smale-330565134/ 🎯 Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies 📺 YouTube → http://bit.ly/2uyvzdt 🌍 Website → http://www.foundr.com 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/foundr/ 📘 Facebook → http://www.facebook.com/foundr 🐦 Twitter → http://www.twitter.com/foundr 💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/ 🎙️ Podcast → http://www.foundr.com/podcast

14 Feb 1h 4min

In this episode, Mike Smith, founder of Zero Co, shares how a backpacking trip around the world turned into a mission to solve the plastic waste crisis. Mike walks us through the early days of bootstrapping the business with his last $100K, moving back in with his parents, and how he raised over $750K through Australia's most successful Kickstarter campaign. He dives deep into the challenges of supply chain innovation, the power of radical transparency, and the tough decision to completely overhaul Zero Co’s business model after discovering flaws in its sustainability approach. Entrepreneurs will learn firsthand how to balance purpose with profitability, navigate manufacturing setbacks, and use community-driven marketing to build a loyal customer base. Listen to Nathan and Mike discuss: - The journey from an 18-month backpacking trip to launching Zero Co - Bootstrapping with $100K and leveraging crowdfunding to raise $750K - The importance of radical transparency in customer communication - Scaling a product-based business while staying sustainable - The challenges of manufacturing sustainable packaging and evolving the business model - How Zero Co is expanding internationally and into retail - And much more business and personal growth advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

7 Feb 1h 6min

In this episode, Cassey Ho, founder of POPFLEX and Blogilates, shares her journey from rock bottom to building two eight-figure brands. Discover how Cassey combined her passion for fitness and design to create unique products that solve real problems. She opens up about overcoming toxic environments, handling copycats, and the challenges of scaling while maintaining authenticity. Listen to how Taylor Swift’s unexpected endorsement of her signature skort skyrocketed demand and why community trust remains her greatest asset. Entrepreneurs will gain actionable insights on building brands, creating viral content, and navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Listen to Nathan and Cassey discuss: - How Cassey started Blogilates with a single YouTube video in 2009 and turned it into a fitness empire - The pivotal moment when Taylor Swift wore a POPFLEX skort, leading to 20,000 preorders - Cassey’s transparency about reaching rock bottom and how her husband’s encouragement led to a business turnaround - The importance of maintaining trust and authenticity with a loyal community - Practical advice on creating short-form viral videos that drive sales And much more business advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

31 Jan 57min

In this episode, Caleb Marshall, founder of Tropeaka, opens up about his journey from battling chronic fatigue to building a global health brand. After discovering the life-changing benefits of quality nutrition, Caleb and his co-founder launched Tropeaka to make healthy living accessible and appealing. Caleb shares his insights on scaling a brand with no initial marketing budget, leveraging influencer marketing, and competing in a saturated wellness market. Listen to Nathan & Caleb discuss: - Caleb’s personal health journey and how it inspired Tropeaka - Leveraging influencer marketing in the early days to grow on a budget - Insights into product development and creating high-quality superfoods - Lessons in competing in a saturated health market with a unique brand identity - Strategies for customer retention and building a loyal community And much more entrepreneurial advice... Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

24 Jan 54min

In 2014, Erin Deering gifted Triangl swimwear to relatively unknown legacy celebrities Hailey Bieber (Baldwin) and Bella Hadid. Their friend, Kendall Jenner, loved the products and reached out to Erin directly to get Triangl samples. Then Jenner posted on Instagram and tagged Triangl–that’s when everything went mad. But the success of Triangl didn’t come from just celebrity endorsements. It came from developing a product that looked and felt like nothing else before. In 2018, Erin exited the business, but that’s when she stepped back and learned more about who she is as an entrepreneur and person outside of the multi-million dollar brand she built. Listen to Nathan and Erin discuss: How Triangl started on a second date at the beach When their manufacturer stole their idea Why businesses undervalue word of mouth Their “one bikini sale a day” mindset Connecting with Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, and the Kardashians Dealing with copycats and competitors How they stayed lean amongst extreme growth Her mental health challenges in coping with success Coaching and mentoring women in business And much more business and personal growth advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

17 Jan 48min

We're diving back into another episode from the Foundr Archives to revisit my interview with Mitch Harper, founder of BigCommerce - as well as a long-time mentor and coach of mine who has been driving force behind Foundr’s success.  In this episode, Mitch Harper takes us behind the scenes of his incredible entrepreneurial journey. From building software at the age of 12 to co-founding one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms, Mitch shares the strategies and lessons that helped him scale BigCommerce from a bootstrapped startup to a billion-dollar company. He discusses the importance of mitigating risk in business, why he avoided venture capital for as long as possible, and how he cultivated a leadership style that allowed his team to thrive. Listeners will learn actionable insights into scaling a SaaS business, mastering e-commerce, and building a strong company culture. In this interview you will learn: - The journey of bootstrapping BigCommerce and raising $250 million - The importance of mitigating risk as an entrepreneur - Cultivating leadership skills and building a strong team - Navigating the challenges of scaling a SaaS business - The power of customer feedback in product development - Strategies for raising venture capital and working with investors Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

10 Jan 53min

Kendra Scott started her self-titled billion-dollar jewelry business out of failure. Her first business failed after 5 years, and she started selling handmade jewelry door-to-door as a side hustle. Now, Kendra Scott Jewelry is a billion-dollar business with 100 retail locations across the US. But success didn't come quickly. Through personal struggles, recessions, and rejections, Scott built a fashion business driven by an unforgettable customer experience. Listen to Nathan and Kendra discuss: - What she learned from her failed business - Fundraising and dealing with rejection - The best piece of business advice she still follows - Shifting her business model from wholesale to retail - The nightclub atmosphere of Kendra Scott stores - How philanthropy creates customer loyalty - How to weather the storm as a founder - Her new entrepreneurial memoir Born to Shine And much more founder advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

3 Jan 39min