Archive for Business::Entrepreneurs

From Baseball to SamCart

Scott Moran - SamCart | LinkedIn

Scott Moran was just a student at Grove City College when he started experimenting with his future career options. Scott studied marketing and management while in college. Scott’s career all started when one brother said to the other brother, “Hey, I want to sell stuff on the internet.” And just like that, they began to bring to life their ideas. In 2009, Scott and his brother Brian started an online company called Train Baseball. Train Baseball taught the two of them many valuable skills. Each of them learned how to use Facebook ads, control an online company, and overall, learn how to sell. At its best, Train Baseball made around $10k a month. Despite this success, the two brothers still wanted to grow. They began to develop ideas and recruit others to their business. They recognized that they needed employees who were skilled with software developing, so they hired two to help them build SamCart. SamCart was launched in September of 2016. SamCart is an e-commerce company that helps you grow. SamCart is successful because they capitalize on webinar registration. They spend around 25,000 dollars a day on advertising their company. The email lists are constantly growing and providing customers with the opportunity to expand their knowledge with SamCart. The second way SamCart rose to success is their webinar training. SamCart offers educationally packed, and wisdom filled advice for the consumer. At the end of the training, SamCart will be mentioned. This gives the company more advertisement and awareness of their brand. Lastly, SamCart rose because of its digital products. They offer a bundle to enhance customer purchase decisions. SamCart powers entrepreneurs to start their own company, and to do it correctly. Now, SamCart is used by over 75,000 customers who altogether sell more than 2.8 billion dollars in products. From Train Baseball to SamCart the two brothers have certainly put in the work to succeed in their business.

Check out the official website here!

Fraser Doherty- Founder of SuperJams

 

SuperJam 100% Fruit Jams + 100% Nut Butters - All Natural & Delicious

Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, Fraser Doherty’s successful entrepreneurial endeavors stem from his close relationships with his family, particularly his grandmother. As a young child, Doherty loved to make jam with his grandmother. It was from these sentimental memories that SuperJam was born. At the age of fourteen, he started recreating his grandmother’s recipes himself and selling the homemade jams door-to-door in his neighborhood. He soon expanded his small business by owning a stand at local Farmer’s Markets and making deliveries via his bicycle. Originally, his customers consisted mostly of neighbors and church friends, but as his business expanded, however, he began to receive more jam orders than he could fulfill. When Doherty was 16, he dropped out of school to work on his business full-time. He had to rent a factory for a few days each month to meet the demand of his customers.

Doherty set himself apart from competition in the jam industry by making SuperJam from 100% fruit with no added sugar or artificial ingredients. This caught the attention of many large grocery store chains in Europe. In 2007, for example, Doherty was approached by Waitrose, a high-end supermarket in the U.K. Within the next few months, jars of SuperJam were on the shelves of 184 Waitrose stores across the U.K. and Europe. Many other large companies have since followed in their footsteps. In 2009, SuperJam hit $1.2 million in sales, a 60% jump from 2007. By 2012, Doherty launched SuperJam in Korea and Japan, where they had also become hugely popular.

Doherty’s love of making jam with his grandmother proved to be a very successful business venture. By 2019, Doherty had sold his five-millionth jar of jam. He was also awarded an MBE medal for service to business in the U.K. by Queen Elizabeth II. Additionally, SuperJam is exhibited in the National Museum of Scotland as an “Iconic Scottish Brand.” Doherty’s entrepreneurial spirit has not only led him to become financially successful but has also proved to be a charitable success as well. SuperJam hosts hundreds of free tea parties in Scotland, England, and Wales for elderly people who live alone or in nursing homes. These volunteer-run events are a great way to bring the community together and connect people of all ages through live music, dancing, and drinks.

To learn more about Fraser Doherty and SuperJam, click here.

Da Bomb Bath – Caroline and Isabel Bercaw

Two young girls, Caroline and Isabel, grew up loving bath bombs. They were a fun mix of colors and made a regular bath a little more exciting. But, when the bath bomb dissolved, they were left with just some discolored water. Just like that, the bath bomb was gone. The Bercaw sisters wanted to make a bath bomb with lasting fun, even after it was long dissolved. Guided by the belief that everyone loves surprises, they created a line of bath bombs, experimenting with fizz, fragrance, and fun with a gift in the center of the ball like a toy, charm, message, piece of jewelry, and more.

These girls started making their product in their basement at the ages of 11 and 12 in 2012. Their business first started when they sold a few balls at their local fair in Minneapolis. By 2015, their product was in 30 shops in their area, and in 2016, after a business trip to Atlanta for an international trade show, they had stores across the country sell their product. At this point they were still producing in their basement – over 20,000 bath bombs a month!

Soon enough, Target wanted to sell their product in 1,800 stores all over the U.S. This prompted them to move their production to a warehouse near them. Their school allowed them time in school to work on their business, supporting them in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Today, this family business generates over $20 million in revenue per year and remains self-funded!

Da Bomb also seeks to give back to people around the globe, focusing their donations on The Water Project which provides rural communities in Africa clean drinking water. With every purchase of an “Earth Bomb”, contributions are made to this cause. So far, the business has helped to provide “clean drinking water and rainwater containment systems that serve over 10,000 people in 20 communities” (Da Bomb, 2024).

The Bercaw sisters have an inspiring entrepreneurial story. They saw a problem, they innovated, found a solution, and provided value to consumers across the country. And, because of their hard work and generous hearts, thousands of people now have access to clean water where they did not before.

 

Da Bomb Bath Fizzers: Handmade Bath Bombs With A Surprise Inside! (dabombfizzers.com)

Matt Mullenweg: WordPress

Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of Automattic and co-founder of WordPress, is a name worth knowing if you’re interested in tech, entrepreneurship, or just the power of an idea. Back in 2003, Matt was a 19-year-old college student who loved blogging but was frustrated with the limitations of the blogging platforms available. He saw gaps in design, flexibility, and control over content, so, like any true entrepreneur, he decided to create his own solution. He collaborated with Mike Little, a fellow programmer, to develop what would become WordPress, an open-source platform that anyone could use, customize, and improve. Their vision? To democratize publishing so that anyone, regardless of tech skills or budget, could share their ideas with the world.

WordPress’s appeal spread fast. Instead of just another blogging tool, it became a go-to for building websites of all kinds, eventually powering nearly half of the websites on the internet today. But it wasn’t just luck that made WordPress the giant it is—it was Matt’s belief in keeping it open-source. Open-source means the platform isn’t locked down by one company or hidden behind paywalls. It’s free for anyone to use and build upon, creating a vast community of developers, designers, and users all contributing to its growth. This community aspect has been one of the most significant forces behind WordPress’s success, helping it evolve from a simple blogging tool into a full-fledged website-building powerhouse.

Matt’s journey with WordPress isn’t just a story about building a product; it’s a lesson in entrepreneurship itself. For him, entrepreneurship wasn’t just about making money—it was about solving a problem he cared about and empowering others. Automattic, the parent company he founded, now oversees WordPress.com and other products, and it continues to grow based on the values he established: flexibility, freedom, and community. Matt’s journey shows that sometimes the best businesses start with a simple frustration and a vision to make things better. In his case, what started as a personal project to fix a problem has changed the internet forever. It’s a reminder that the best entrepreneurial ideas often come from a genuine need and the courage to create a solution, even if you’re just a college kid with a laptop and a dream.

John Collison: The Landscape of Tech

John Collison, Stripe’s co-founder, stands out as one of tech’s most down-to-earth visionaries. Hailing from rural Ireland, John wasn’t raised in the bustling tech hubs of Silicon Valley. He was a curious kid with big ideas, inspired by the endless possibilities of technology and determined to see what he and his older brother, Patrick, could build with it. By their teenage years, they launched their first successful venture, Auctomatic—a tool to help eBay sellers handle inventory. Not only did it work, but it caught fire. A Canadian company snatched it up in 2008 for $5 million, a small fortune for two young guys barely old enough to vote. But this win wasn’t the Collison brothers’ finish line—it was the spark.

Their big “aha!” moment came when they noticed a frustrating issue plaguing every online business: the painfully complicated process of setting up payments. Most companies, especially small startups, struggled to even begin accepting money online. So in 2010, the Collisons took on this problem and launched Stripe. Their approach was simple yet radical: let businesses start accepting payments with just a few lines of code. Stripe became a game-changer, cutting through red tape and technical barriers like a hot knife through butter. Startups, mom-and-pop shops, and eventually giants like Amazon and Google flocked to Stripe because, suddenly, getting paid was no longer a months-long ordeal—it took minutes.

John’s rapid rise to billionaire status is impressive, but it’s not really the point. His story isn’t just about wealth; it’s about reshaping what it means to be an entrepreneur. John and Patrick didn’t start with piles of cash or flashy marketing. They started with a mission to solve a real, persistent problem. Their journey shows that you don’t need to be flashy to be revolutionary—focus, persistence, and timing can be enough. John’s success reminds us that big change often starts with one well-executed idea and a willingness to build it step by step.

Scientific BodyBuilding- Jeff Nippard

Jeff Nippard is a Canadian entrepreneur, strength coach, author, YouTube influencer, and natural bodybuilder with a revolutionarily successful, new approach to the world of bodybuilding. With a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Newfoundland, Jeff went on to become a successful body builder in the International Fitness and Bodybuilding federation (IFBB). Jeff discovered a passion for coaching and training other health-conscious people to achieve their goals and develop better functioning bodies. Unlike other influencers and trainers, Jeff’s program for both health and business centers on science and human anatomy. His YouTube videos are more like thoroughly researched lab reports than the posing and flexing videos released by his competitors. Among the world’s viral fitness influencers, Jeff has built his own well-known brand around scientific studies and data. His channel, with content ranging from nutrition to cardio to specific exercises, has over 463 million views.

With a uniquely scientific and unaggressive approach to fitness, Jeff is both a commercial and social entrepreneur. His mission is twofold: help the world become physically stronger and healthier while developing his career as a pillar of the fitness world.

You can visit Jeff Nippard’s website here, where he sells his books and plans on fitness and nutrition.

About

Spotify and the Daniel Ek Story

Revolutionary music streaming platform Spotify is a giant in the world of streaming. Arguments have sparked up over what is the ‘best’ service, but the numbers do not lie, and Spotify takes the cake. I was curious to find out why Spotify is as popular as it is, and I landed on Daniel Ek.

Daniel Ek is the millennial entrepreneur creator of Spotify, and launched Spotify in 2008. Before Spotify, there were very few subscription-based music platforms that were legal. Spotify also offers a very affordable subscription price, and even offers college students a further discounted price.

Ek saw this problem where there were easy ways to access music through companies like Napster or Deezer, but the ways people were using these services was illegal. Daniel Ek wanted to help artists take back their music, while he could also make money off of this.

Today, Spotify has its very popular algorithm that suggests new music for people to listen to based on their previous listening history, and also shows them statistics like who their favorite artists were from a certain year. Spotify today is valued at over $70 billion and is the first place on the podium of music streaming platforms, and that is coming from an Apple Music subscriber.

Ben Francis: Gymshark

Ben Francis is one of those rare entrepreneurs who didn’t just build a brand—he built a movement in fitness culture. As the founder of Gymshark, he took a simple idea from his garage and turned it into a global brand that’s now competing with giants like Nike and Adidas. But unlike those big names, Francis started as a regular gym-goer who saw an opportunity to make workout gear that actually fit well, looked good, and felt like it belonged to the modern bodybuilding community.

Francis’ journey as an entrepreneur is relatable because he started young, balancing college classes and a job delivering pizza. His days were ordinary, but he had this intense passion for fitness and technology. So in 2012, he and his friends started Gymshark, literally printing t-shirts in his parents’ garage. Their goal wasn’t just to make money; it was to create workout gear that stood out from what mainstream brands were offering. Traditional brands didn’t focus on the tight, fitted clothing that lifters wanted—stuff that would show off hard-earned muscles but also be functional.

What really set Gymshark apart was Francis’ approach to marketing. Back then, social media was just starting to blow up, and Francis was one of the first to realize that influencers could make a brand cool. Instead of spending money on traditional ads, he sent free Gymshark gear to fitness influencers on Instagram and YouTube, making Gymshark gear a kind of badge in the online gym community. Suddenly, Gymshark wasn’t just a brand—it was a symbol of the fitness culture that valued authenticity and dedication over big budgets.

Even when Gymshark blew up, Francis kept focusing on what his audience wanted. He stepped down as CEO for a few years to let more experienced managers lead the brand’s growth. But in 2021, he returned as CEO with a vision to make Gymshark not just bigger, but better, aligning the brand with sustainability and other values important to younger generations.

Ben Francis’ story shows that entrepreneurship isn’t just about making money—it’s about understanding people and culture. His journey proves that a simple idea, driven by passion and creativity, can go head-to-head with industry giants if it truly connects with a community.

Shark Tank – Ring Doorbell

The journey of Ring is one of enterprise and grit. Founded in 2013 by Jamie Siminoff, Ring started off with this one potent idea-to create a smart doorbell that would make homeowners more secure by helping them see and talk to visitors through their smartphones. The felt need for this security adjustment and convenience-one that was getting increasingly prepared well for the product to be received by tech-savvy customers-was there in this case.

Despite the revolutionary idea, Siminoff struggled a great deal to find investors. Shark Tank in 2013 proved to be a turning point. He did not land a deal with the Sharks; however, the show proved priceless exposure. The exposure on a national scale set Ring into motion and attracted investors outside of the show. It was really about overcoming that first significant hurdle: his conviction in the product, and that he could change course on a dime.

And boy, did persistence pay off for Ring. The company continued to grow, and in 2018, Amazon bought Ring for a reported $1 billion. More than the validation of Siminoff’s vision, the acquisition epitomized resilience and adaptability-part of the very tenets of entrepreneurship. This story of Ring reminds one that the setbacks become the steppingstones to success, and with will and innovation, entrepreneurs can turn their dreams into reality.

 

https://www.geekwire.com/2019/shark-tanks-billion-dollar-blunder-startup-ring-went-tv-rejection-amazon-acquisition/

https://ring.com/products/battery-doorbell

Battery Doorbell - Satin Nickel

 

 

Reagan Thomas

R.J. Duarte- Founder of GreenWorx Landscaping

R.J. Duarte, a nineteen-year-old talented entrepreneur found his light for work. He was accepted into Colorado State University, although he decided not to go. R.J. at nineteen said “College wasn’t for me” and he said this because he had a landscaping business that was bringing in six figures. He said, “I figured I should stick with this” that is so impressive to have your own business that is driving in six figures at such a young age. R.J. started cutting grass at a very young age, he was eight cutting in Golden, Colorado. At the age of eight, he had a unique work ethic that really made his business successful. He was tripling his income every year even at this young age, and in middle school, he and his friend came together so they could cut more lawns. When R.J. was in high school, he named the company GreenWorx. After high school, his friend went to college, and it forced a split between the two. Although, R.J. just took everything back into control, and he saw a lot of room for growth and innovation. Then, he rebranded his company and made it a premium landscaping and maintenance company. Duarte had said a few things on his decision, “It’s higher margins for more risk,” and “That comes with headaches, but without headaches, there’s no reward.” This shows that he had a mind of an entrepreneur, and he was willing to go big or go home and innovate with his company. Now, GreenWorx is up to twelve to fifteen members on staff that is made up of mostly high school students. R.J. definitely made the right decision considering just as of this year, GreenWorx is bringing in right around $750,000! This is just so amazing to see the innovations that R.J. had to make, and the outcome was exactly what he wanted. Finally, Duarte said, “We’re hardworking, blue-collar people,” and “There’s nothing wrong with that.” This is awesome, he and his crew are very comparable, and they make a lot of money doing what they do.