In 2018, our guest, Tara Williams tried to find a weighted blanket her six-month-old son could safely wear to help soothe him and extend his one hour sleep windows. Shocked there was nothing available for this age group, she decided to create her own blanket, and the idea for Dreamland Baby was born. In 2019, Tara launched a successful Kickstarter, and a few months later launched an e-commerce store. Prior to Dreamland Baby, Tara spent 10+ years in the medical device industry in business development, and held marketing and sales positions at several startups. Tara graduated from Bentley University with a bachelor's degree in finance in 2009 and she now resides with her husband and FOUR children in Danville, California.Tara takes us step-by-step through her bootstrapped journey to launch her eCommerce business, sharing outstanding tips and advice for anyone considering this business model.To learn more about Dreamland Baby, please click here: https://dreamlandbabyco.com/Follow Dreamland Baby via:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamlandbabyco/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreamlandbabyco/Here's the link to my LTV/CAC ratio video: http://bit.ly/LTVCACRatioIf you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

Startup Life Show with Ande Lyons

Best Tips for Launching a Successful Bootstrapped eCommerce Business

"You have to be able to weather the startup storms, and nothing's going to do that for you unless you have the passion for the solution that you're providing... and a passion for what you're working on."Our guest, Andrew Lee Miller, also known as Andrew Startups, has spent over 15-years growing early-stage startups including 5 years in Dubai and 5 years in San Francisco. Since his third exit as Head of Marketing, he’s launched and grown tech projects in over 15 countries, driving traction for over $22,000,000 in funding rounds as a consultant via his company, GrowthExpertz. WOWZA!Andrew has also lectured in over a dozen countries about low-budget growth hacking strategies, he’s worked with both 500 startups and YCombinator projects, and he’s written for StartupGrind, StartupNation and INC magazine.You are going to learn so much from this extraordinary startup marketing man - and he is offering Startup Life Show listeners these awe*mazing discounts on his growth hacking services:1) Here is the link for 10% off on Andrew's course: https://andrewstartups.mykajabi.com/offers/LEyiwCGp/checkout?coupon_code=STARTUPLIFE2) Here is the link for 10% off on Andrew's monthly coaching services: https://andrewstartups.mykajabi.com/offers/9LLinA29/checkout?coupon_code=STARTUPLIFEWoo Hoo and thank you Andrew!!Please visit https://andrewstartups.com/ and please connect with Andrew on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewstartups/Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewstartupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewstartups/If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused, stay healthy – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

How to Grow Your Startup with No Budget

Our guest, Ben Jen, is a serial entrepreneur and investor who is actively involved in the Boston & New York City communities, and has been involved in numerous startups in the capacity of a co-founder, founder, executive, strategist, investor, and mentor. He is also a mentor and adviser for youth entrepreneurship startups and individuals, and he serves on the Board of Directors of several Boston-area nonprofit organizations. Ben shares terrific advice on what you DON'T want to do when pitching to Angel Investors, along with some tips to help you have a more successful experience when raising capital.Please visit https://www.benjenholdings.com to learn more about Ben Jen Holdings, and please connect with Ben via:Instagram: https://instagram.com/benjenholdingsLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/benjenonlineTwitter: https://twitter.com/bjen07921If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

What to Avoid When Pitching to Angel Investors

"We teach you what school is NOT teaching you to become future ready."Founders - get ready for a delicious ride with our guest, live streaming host and EduPreneur Dr. Ai Addyson-Zhang! Dr. Ai is the founder of Classroom Without Walls, an independent and progressive school to help young adults become future ready. As an Adobe Education Leader, Dr. Ai is passionate about incorporating social media and creative technologies to enhance student learning and to acquire skills that help them become ready to soar in life. Dr. Ai hosts two weekly live streaming shows, where she interviews thought leaders in social media and education such as Seth Godin, Mark Schaefer, and Neil Patel. She's also a HubSpot Academy instructor, and frequently speaks at academic and industry conferences around the world.She received her Masters and Ph.D. in Communication from Syracuse University and the University of Maryland, and you will love hearing her "side-hustle to full time business owner" startup story!"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." ~ Albert EinsteinTo learn more about Classroom Without Walls, click this link:https://www.classroomwithoutwalls.ai/Please connect with Dr. Ai and Classroom Without Walls via these social platforms:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aiaddysonzhang/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aiaddysonzhangFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AiAddysonZhang/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aiaddysonzhang/?hl=enYouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnAXrI72oxnaQBDDSMbFswQ?view_as=subscriberWatch Dr. Ai share: Why I believe in a Classroom Without Walls via this link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcBnvkw94RA&t=5sLearn more about Dr. Ai's 4-week Life Accelerator Program here:https://lifeaccelerator.classroomwithoutwalls.ai/reverse-squeeze-page36707589If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

EduPreneur Creates a Global Classroom Without Walls

"Make sure you solve a real problem and you have a real solution."Heini Zachariessen is the founder and CEO of Vivino , the world's largest online wine marketplace, powered by a community of millions of wine drinkers who use the Vivino app to scan and rate more than 2 million wines every single day. During his tenure, Vivino has grown into a community of 42 million users, raised $66 million in funding and rolled out a worldwide wine marketplace. Let’s take a moment to check out these stats: The Vivino app has over 52 million reviews, 151 million ratings, and 42 million users! YOWZA!Prior to starting Vivino, Heini co-founded several startups, including global internet and mobile security company BullGuard. Heini leads the team from Vivino headquarters in San Francisco, where he resides with his wife and three children.I discovered Heini from his popular YouTube series called Raw Startup – where he shares the BEST advice for all founders.To learn more about Vivino and download the app, please visit: https://www.vivino.com/Please connect with Heini via:LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/heiniTwitter: https://twitter.com/heinizachFacebook: http://facebook.com/heinizachPlease follow and engage with Vivino via:Twitter: https://twitter.com/vivinoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivino/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vivino/Watch Heini's YouTube channel Raw Startup here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHiSUe3Bo5cRMhE6BjttNUADownload Heini's Raw Canvas here: http://tinyurl.com/therawcanvasWatch Heini's video Idea For An App (Step-by-Step Guide To Get Started) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmbIJj_HR-4If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

How We Built the World's Largest Wine Marketplace

"The mindset by which you need to raise capital is incredibly important."Our guest, Jason Frishman is the founder and CEO of Netcapital, an equity crowdfunding platform enabling friends, family, and customers to invest in startups without being an accredited investor. Jason founded Netcapital to reduce the systemic inefficiencies he saw in the way early stage companies access capital. In his role at Netcapital, Jason has been mentoring, advising, and investing in early stage companies to help them raise their first round of capital.Here’s an interesting fact about Jason: he has a background in the life sciences, where he conducted research in medical oncology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Miami, where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Neuroscience.How Jason transitioned from neuroscience to a founder of a popular funding portal is a sensational startup story!Jason dives deep into the capital raise process and shares the best advice for newbie and experienced founders.Two favorite pieces of advice from our conversation:"Raising money is hard. And one of the most important things investors look for is passion. That passion has to come from you as the entrepreneur. Nobody can raise capital for you except for you. You are the best at selling your own equity.""The mindset by which you need to raise capital is incredibly important. It's not, Hey, I really could use $25,000 because I'm starting this thing. I need your help. I need your support. It would mean a lot to me. No. That's philanthropy. That's charity. That's not what people are interested in doing when they're taking a meeting with you as an entrepreneur to learn about your startup. Your mindset needs to be, I'm starting this business in this space. Here are the reasons why. This is why this is going to be a tremendous success. I'm giving you the opportunity to come along on this ride with me. I'd love to have you on board. This is what we're doing. This is what the terms are. Would you consider that?”Please visit Netcapital to learn more about this extraordinary funding portal:https://netcapital.com/You can connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfrishman and follow Netcapital online via:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/netcapital/Twitter: https://twitter.com/netcapitalInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/NetcapitalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Netcapital/If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

How to Raise Your First Round of Capital

"Anyone launching a business should already have their dream team: their attorney, their accountant, their business insurance provider, and their banker."Sankeetha Selvarajah is the Principal Shareholder and Managing Attorney of Selvarajah Law P.C., a Boston law firm focusing on general business law and mergers & acquisitions. She is also the Founder of Bizto.Co, a business educational platform designed to assist small businesses and startup founders with short and long-term strategic planning through subject-specific seminars, and corporate coaching. Sankeetha is a favorite friend and mentor of the Boston startup community, and you can find her sharing her brilliance at many of the local startup venues, including the one I co-host every month, Founders Live Boston.You'll hear Sankeetha share valuable business advice for new business owners to help them create a sustainable, profitable business, along with explanations of typical legal documentation, including:* Entity decision: DBA/LLC/Sub-Chapter S/Inc.* Operating Agreements for Co-Founders* Convertible Debt instruments vs. Equity instruments* Trademarks and Patents* Labor Law and HR compliance issues * Exit strategies from a legal perspectiveWe also chat about the most common mistakes newbie founders make and our favorite book: Profit First!To learn more about Selvarajah Law, please visit: http://selvalaw.com/ and to learn more about Bizto.co so you can become a more profitable founder, please visit: https://bizto.co/.Please follow Sankeetha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sselvarajah/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biztoco/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BiztoCo/Here's a link to purchase a copy of Mike Michaelowicz' book Profit First: http://amzn.to/1UTgyYz DISCLAIMER: This recorded conversation is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Transmission of the conversation is not intended to create, and viewing and/or listening does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Viewers and listeners are advised to seek professional help if they are concerned about a specific legal issue.If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

How to Legal-Proof Your Startup

"We're a family business. We have three kids - a teenager, middle schooler and a kindergartner - we're all involved, and we're all learning."Our guest, Dawn Cordeiro, is the Co-Owner of Holyoke Hummus Company, a cafe, an award-winning food truck and a catering company based in Western Massachusetts serving falafel, hummus and other Middle Eastern treats. Dawn is also the Founder of DMC Consulting where she helps small businesses run successful crowdfunding campaigns and digital marketing strategies. Dawn has been highlighted at local Facebook and Google summits for her successful branding and storytelling, and she feels strongly that everyone should have access to this knowledge!Dawn dives deep into digital marketing strategies for newbie founders and small businesses, sharing:* Crowdfunding tactics* the BEST pricing beta test* small business growth strategies* digital brand stories* testimonial content postsPlease connect with Dawn on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-cordeiro-1798015/Holyoke Hummus: https://www.holyokehummus.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/holyokehummus DMC Consulting: https://www.rundmcconsulting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rundmcconsultingInstagram @holyokehummus and @rundmcconsultingIf you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

Digital Marketing Advice for Small Business Owners

Our guest, Edwin Alvarez, has 14 years’ experience working within the finance industry in roles ranging from internal operations, external client facing sales, and procurement. Three years ago Edwin became co-founder and CFO of CathWear, a cutting edge medical device accessory and garment producer, providing a comfortable experience for folks who need catheters. He’s been instrumental in working with CathWear’s original inventors to guide CathWear from patented idea, to developing its business model, to successfully securing equity and debt funding for the company. None of the co-founders has any prior experience in medical device or apparel product development, and they all work full time and have families! Edwin shares insights and advice they have learned through launching and building their medical device and apparel company, including:* managing a 9-5 job, family and a startup* sourcing manufacturing* smart money strategies* how to leverage supplier diversity programsBeing able to serve society for a greater good is something the original inventors and co-founders, Brian Mohika and Hector Arce forged while serving within the US Armed Forces. They each continue to carry this sense of duty with them as they embark on helping as many patients as possible with CathWear.To learn more about CathWear: https://cathwear.com/Amazon: https://amzn.to/37VP0voFollow CathWear online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/CathWearInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/cathwearofficial/Connect with Edwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinalvarez/Purchase The Road Less Stupid: https://amzn.to/38WoXV0If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

How Two Nurses/Military Vets Created a Cutting-Edge Catheter Undergarment Medical Device

"I care so much about what I'm putting in my body and all these other factors of wellness, but I never considered what's in the beauty products I'm using every day."Our guest, Krysta Lewis, is the CEO and founder of Aisling Organics, a revolutionary high-performance organic makeup brand. With a focus on both purpose and profit, Krysta was originally inspired to launch Aisling Organics when realizing the unregulated chemicals in our cosmetics were causing chronic illness and there were no effective alternatives on the market. In short order, she led a team of dedicated, industry experts to develop and successfully launch Aisling Organics.Within two years of launch, Krysta has grown a successful e-commerce start-up and landed extensive distribution to earn her the recognition of one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Most Influential Entrepreneurs of 2018 and Young Entrepreneurs of the year.I first met Krysta when she was in the Babson Women in Innovation Lab here in Boston, and have been in awe and wonder while witnessing her trajectory from concept to international distribution. And yes… I am a happy customer, too!Krysta goes deep into how she launched, branded and built her startup, sharing terrific advice for founders, including:* supply chain strategy for launch and for scaling* why she pivoted from retail stores to an e-commerce/DTC strategy* consumer marketing insights and advice* how she leveraged pitch events to fund her startup and receive valuable feedback* understanding an opinion vs. advice* onboarding talentKrysta also shared these wonderful words of wisdom for founders:-> If you don't ask, the answer is always no -> You have to spend money to make money-> If it's not going to matter in five years, then don't spend more than five minutes being upset about it.Krysta would love for you to try Aisling Organics and has a special offer for Startup Life Show Listeners: please use the discount code STARTUPLIFE to receive 20% off your first purchase here:https://aislingorganics.com/collections/frontpage Woo Hoo and thank you Krysta!!To learn more about Aisling Organics, please visit: https://aislingorganics.com/And be sure to follow Aisling Organics via:Instagram: www.instagram.com/aislingorganicsFacebook: www.facebook.com/aislingorganicsIf you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://andelyons.as.me/ Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

Organic Cosmetics Startup: Purpose + Profit

"Then it just hit me - did this really happen? Am I able to teach a machine to diagnose individuals? If that's a possibility, what else can I do in this space? And I thought, I'm going to use this technology to enable every individual to receive world-class healthcare no matter where you are in the world. That really became the central point of my mission with Vastmindz."After graduating with a mathematics degree, our guest, Nik Seghal, joined Wall Street, spending most of his time working within algorithmic trading teams where he developed his passion for algorithmic science and artificial intelligence. He worked at Nomura and then joined Cowen & Company, a US based investment bank, where he was eventually made one of the youngest directors at the tender age of 25 and given the responsibility of managing an entire regional division. Despite his progression on Wall Street, Nik always had a passion for applying AI for social good and therefore decided to leave Wall Street to start his own company, Vastmindz, with a mission of improving health and wellness of the mass population using artificial intelligence. The company’s focus is on improving the diagnostic process, assisting clinicians/physicians and doctors with the early detection of life-threatening conditions. Nik believes the adoption of AI will uplift patient care, but he also has visions for using AI to make space travel safer through the continuous remote-health monitoring of astronauts and space passengers. Throughout our conversation, you can FEEL Nik's passion for his remarkable work in the world! He shares advice and insights on:* telemedicine* non-dilutive funding* vertical and horizontal partnerships* managing the long runway startup journey* pivoting and reiterating* listening to customers = your north starPlease visit https://www.vastmindz.com to learn more about Vastmindz, and be sure to connect with Nik here:Linkedin Vastmindz: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vastmindz/LinkedIn Nik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhil-sehgal-32513142/Twitter: https://twitter.com/vastmindz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vastmindz/If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VCs and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://provider.magnifi.io/andelyonsListeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

Using Artificial Intelligence to Revolutionize Health Care

Our guest David Lowe had a sensational successful outcome with his first startup Uberpong, a company providing custom made ping pong paddles, where he partnered with major clients like the LA Dodgers, Nike and Red Bull before successfully leading the company to an exit. Now David is working on his second startup: Qwerky, a micro co-living brand that attracts like minded people to live together in co-living communities. In his recently-launched book 'Blow It Up: 21 Ways Your Startup Can Shake Up An Industry and Change The World' David looks at the entire life cycle of a startup from pre-launch to sale."If you are too proud to pick up the phone or email people, contact people for advice and actually get out there and go to networking events and ask for help, you're never going to succeed." During our delicious conversation, David shares:•His successful kickstarter campaign•How to ask for help•The best time to exit/sell your business•Why co-living is the next shared economy movement•How he overcame his fear of raising capital•His candid book about the startup life cycle: Blow it Up•His hard-earned mindset hacks for foundersTo learn more about Qwerky please visit: https://www.qwerky.co/You can purchase Blow It Up on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2VEvI8i Brush up on your Startup Lingo via David's Medium post here: https://medium.com/d-lowe-playbook/startup-lingo-a-glossary-of-business-terms-you-need-to-succeed-48473be7d4bfPlease connect with David via:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djlowe/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qwerkycoliving/Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidjloweFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/dloweplaybookIf you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://provider.magnifi.io/andelyons - use Discount Code STARTUPLIFE to receive 25% off!!Listeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

From Launch to Exit: The Full Cycle of a Startup

Our guest, Walt Brown, believes that, like a waterwheel, a good organizational operating system captures the source of an organization’s energy and direction, and then focuses that energy to power the organization.Walt is very familiar with launching businesses – in fact, he is seven for seven – woo hoo!During the last decade, Walt has helped transform the culture of more than 150 organizations across the country as an Implementer of the Entrepreneurial Operating System®. This process helps you, the business owner get everyone in the organization 100% on the same page with where you’re going, and how you plan to get there.Walt shares:* his entrepreneurship origin story - he comes from generations of entrepreneurs!* how to navigate a business's first 3 years using the Entrepreneurial Operating System* how to create the best culture for your business* best practices for hiring the right talent for your business - especially when you can't pay market rate salaries* a deep understanding of how to manage fear* terrific business model advice for service providers* his two books: The Patient Organization and Death of the Org Chart, Rise of the Organizational GraphPlease visit https://7q7p.com/ to learn more about Walt's remarkable work in the world, and be sure to connect with him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/walt-brown-1b61894/, check out his book https://thepatientorganization.com.If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://provider.magnifi.io/andelyonsListeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

How to Recruit the Best Talent for Your Startup

"The difference between success and failure is your perspective." Even with great ideas and passion, it's difficult to navigate the murky waters of entrepreneurship. Our guest, Michael Dermer, is an entrepreneur, lawyer, speaker, coach, author, and founder of The Lonely Entrepreneur – a one stop shop that understands the entrepreneur’s struggle and provides solutions to the business and personal issues we all face as entrepreneurs.Michael founded his first company, Incent One, in 1998. It was a pioneer in the health rewards industry, and Michael survived the harrowing experience of watching the company he built from the ground up almost get destroyed overnight by the financial crisis of 2008. Fortunately, there’s a happy ending to this startup story - Michael sold IncentOne in 2013. Whew and Woo Hoo!Today, Michael’s mission is to help unlock the potential of entrepreneurs worldwide by turning their passion into success through The Lonely Entrepreneur Learning Community. Click the play button to hear Michael's best advice to help you find success along your startup journey.Please visit https://lonelyentrepreneur.com/ to learn more, and be sure to follow Michael and TLE via:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldermer/Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelonelyeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_lonely_entrepreneur/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLonelyEntrepreneur1/If you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://provider.magnifi.io/andelyonsListeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

Solutions for the Lonely Entrepreneur

As a startup, you need your target customers to find your business online. One of the top tactics you can use is search engine optimization (SEO), but it’s highly unlikely your customers are going to be searching for your brand name. That’s why having a strong SEO strategy in place the day you launch is so important for early-stage startups. While it’s a long tail game (at least 12 months!), it will more effectively and cost-efficiently promote your products or services to your target audience.Growing up in a lower-middle class family as the oldest of seven, and after spending seven years on-air in radio in Salt Lake City, Utah, our guest Damon Burton founded an internationally successful search engine optimization agency in 2007 called SEO National. I’m thinking seven is Damon’s lucky number!A husband and father of 3 kids, Damon has been featured on Forbes, Entrepreneur, BuzzFeed, USA Weekly, he’s spoken at conferences, and has optimized websites for INC5000 companies, NBA teams, and businesses featured on Shark Tank. Damon generously shares his top SEO tactics for Startups! I’m so excited for you to learn from this extraordinary entrepreneur – and let me know which tactics you’re going to implement, okay?Here are the links to Damon's recommendations, FREE SEO REPORT, Lost and Founder book, and Answer the Public:Free SEO Report: https://www.seonational.com/report/Free SEO Cheatsheet: https://www.seonational.com/free/Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074DGYVD5/https://answerthepublic.com/Please connect with Damon on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurdamon/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonburton/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/outrank/Website https://www.seonational.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/seonationalIf you’d like to receive an alert whenever I post a new episode, please follow the Startup Life Show wherever you listen to podcasts, including: Stitcher, Spotify or Apple/Google Podcasts… and let’s connect on social media! You’ll always find me hanging out at my favorite social media bar – Twitter! https://twitter.com/AndeLyonsDo you have a startup story you’d like to share on the Startup Life Show podcast? Please reach out to me via email – ande@andelyons.com. You'll find tons of curated DIY startup advice on my YouTube Channel Andelicious Advice: https://www.youtube.com/user/AndeliciousAdvice and please subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter, Let’s Stick Together -> http://bit.ly/AndeliciousNewsletterDo you need a pitch deck reviewed? I've raised millions from VC and thousands from Angels... and I'm a co-host of a monthly pitch event in Boston. I can make sure your deck is ready for investors and a pitch event. Click this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/PitchDeckAuditDo you need an “Urgent Care for Startup Founders” coaching session? You can schedule me by the minute here: https://provider.magnifi.io/andelyonsListeners - thank you so much for tuning in - I am genuinely grateful for your time and presence. Stay strong, stay focused – and please remember – you’ve got this – Cheers!Ande ♥

What Startup Founders Need to Know About SEO

Are you a newly minted founder or anticipating the day when you’ll be ready to launch a business? The Startup Life Show will add value to your startup life... without glorifying the startup journey. This podcast is devoted to bringing you the real stories from startup founders and the folks who fund them and serve them.Startup Founder Coach and Mentor Ande Lyons explores strategies and solutions, insights and inspiration through conversations with business owners who fought their way through the high level of uncertainty and often insurmountable challenges of a startup.Her interviews with experts will sharpen your startup tools and add best practices to your startup toolkit.Ande also shares her hard earned tips, tools and advice (from raising 4 of her own businesses!) to help Founders break through the roadblocks facing their businesses. Especially the most common of chokeholds on a business: the Founder's mindset.Maximize the joy and minimize the heartaches from your Startup Journey by following and tuning in to the Startup Life Show with Ande Lyons!

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Startup Life Show with Ande Lyons

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