Archive for eCommerce

Jack Bloomfield: Millennial Aussie Millionaire

Jack Bloomfield is an Australian millionaire who started out making his fortune through eCommerce. Bloomfield was born and raised in Brisbane, and from the very beginning, he demonstrated a mind for business and entrepreneurship. He started out earning extra money selling lolly bags and mowing lawns. When he was 12-years-old, he had saved enough money from these businesses to create an app. By the time he was 15, he was very successful in the world of eCommerce, using the drop-shipping method to sell all kinds of random items. Jack Bloomfield became a self-made millennial millionaire before he finished high school, and this was only the beginning of his story. He’s gone on to be the founder of multiple businesses, Reshop and Disputify, and he is a great example of a successful young entrepreneur.

There are a few things that Bloomfield himself said in an interview are very important for the entrepreneur and played a part in his success. These tips are 1) passion triumphs profit, 2) have unrealistic goals, 3) be honest about the work, 4) not every idea will be your best, 5) plan every step, and 6) take your business seriously. I thought these were good points worth sharing. It is clear that Bloomfield put these ideas into practice in his own ventures, and I think his success speaks to the validity of these tips.

Overall, Jack Bloomfields story is an inspiring one and I think we can learn a lot from his narrative.

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!

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.

Lavish by Grace

Meet Sherline Raaw, a young entrepreneur who created a Christian apparel business during the pandemic. Sherline first had been waiting tables for five years but knew that she didn’t want to be a server all her life. Tired of her life as a server, Sherline needed change. She decided to join the Air Force for stability and for their benefit. During her time joining the Air Force, Sherline also just got proposed to by her boyfriend of four years, while still in tech school, and trying to move out of her parents’ home. Despite her busy schedule. Sherline still found time to be with God.

She kept having this idea of Lavish by Grace in her head, but she didn’t know where to go. Asking God for guidance in her busy schedule, she looked to Him for what to do next. Right in 2019, when the pandemic hit, everyone was at home. That’s when she really found time and got to design her brand more. During her time at home, she noticed the lack of minimal Christian apparel and decided to aim her business in that direction. She started creating minimal(istic) matching loungewear that still embodied Christ. Her own idea took 2 years before she launched it. This idea had been brewing for quite some time, but thanks to Covid, she really got to invest her time in it.

The mission of Lavish by Grace is, “we live in a world where everything runs out and everything has a limit. However, God’s grace, which has been lavished upon us, does not. There is no better word to describe it than lavish. Lavish by Grace was founded with the intention of sharing my faith and raising awareness of Jesus Christ using minimal and comfortable clothing,” says Raaw. This beautiful idea brings a strong community together with simple and comfortable clothing.

Despite her busy schedule, Sherline was able to launch Lavish by Grace, woman apparel, during the pandemic. She wanted it to be more than just minimalist, cute loungewear for woman though. She wanted to create a community centered on Christ and comfort. With her company, she’s done well to sell at high-quality apparel while continuing to foster the Christian mindset. Her business is only at its wonderful beginning!

From Prison to Penthouse, The Explosive Rise of Wes Watson

La comitiva de coches que Wes Watson lleva a la entrega de su Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport de 4 millones

Motor16.com. (2023). Wes Watson with his Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://motor16.com

The end seemed imminent for Wes Watson. Busted, arrested, and incarcerated, this California man’s life could have been defined by one word: doomed. The story of Wes Watson is one of incredible transformation, the epitome of reinventing oneself. He took his life of crime and ten years of incarceration, reshaped his direction, and nearly instantaneously forged a multi-million-dollar business empire. A few years ago, he was an inmate; now, he lives atop the world in a Miami penthouse. This is the story of Wes Watson, a man who overcame all odds, turned imminent defeat into victory, and is now thriving at a level comparable to Fortune 500 CEOs.

A millionaire within 18 months, but his story doesn’t start there. Wes Watson was born and raised in San Diego, California, where he embodied the coastal California lifestyle of surfing and skateboarding. At 12 years old, Watson began his journey down what would eventually become disaster, experimenting with marijuana. By the time he turned 14, Wes transitioned from merely using marijuana to dealing drugs, which eventually inclined him towards other illegal activities. Throughout the years, Watson’s involvement in crime escalated, with him frequently partaking in violence. In the end, his lifestyle caught up with him. After a dispute with a customer, Watson was arrested and imprisoned for assault with a deadly weapon, battery with serious injury, among other charges, resulting in a 10-year sentence in California prison.

It could have all ended there. Instead, immediately upon entering jail, Watson resolved to reinvent himself. Confinement was the crucible for his self-transformation. Instead of sleeping in, Watson began waking up at 3 AM, a practice he continues to this day. He focused on generating a meticulous daily routine involving physical fitness, discipline, and mindset development. Programming was also huge for Wes Watson. A topic he talks about frequently in his content, programming the mind is one of his keys to producing meaningful results in life. Watson’s strict adherence to programming while in prison earned him the admiration of fellow inmates.

Ten years later, in 2018, Watson was released and was miles away from financial freedom; he had hardly $200 to his name. However, he had something much more valuable: a deeply ingrained sense of discipline and an entrepreneurial plan for domination. In an age when people are pursuing fitness more than ever before, the former Californian prisoner launched Watson Fit, an online coaching business geared beyond just fitness but also to the entirety of life. The market differentiation of Watson Fit was this: it revolved around mindset, rather than a by-the-book workout plan. His philosophy is simple yet powerful: “Do the things you hate like you love them.” This saying of his is basically a proverb when applied to entrepreneurship. Much of his advice resembles the teachings of David Goggins, the American ultramarathoner whose bestseller Can’t Hurt Me is a commonly recommended book for modern entrepreneurs. Watson Fit takes individuals to the next level when implemented. His mission is to make clients the best version of themselves by making self-development a lifestyle. When one reaches the highest levels of self-development, Watson believes that money will automatically flow to them. The company quickly became a hit, attracting clients who not only sought gains in the gym but a complete overhaul of their lives.

One successful entrepreneurial endeavor was insufficient for the high ambitions of Wes Watson. His next income stream was personal branding, in the launch of his YouTube channel, GP Penitentiary Life, where he diffuses raw, unfiltered stories from his time in the prison system, in addition to motivational and gym content. His channel, which caters to the fitness and self-development communities, is a massive hit, with over a half-million subscribers. This led to a surge on Instagram as well, with him boasting nearly one million followers at the time of this article. Having such a large presence on social media allows Watson to monetize not only his posts but also serves as free marketing for his coaching program. What sets Watson apart from influencers in the way he markets his personal brand is his street-level intensity and raw advice on how to better oneself. Sugarcoating life is not something Watson specializes in, and this rawness appeals to his target demographic.

Ultimately, his core philosophy is extreme discipline in the face of competition. He is a strong defender of the belief that in order to achieve a high level of success, one must do what they hate, stepping outside their comfort zone. Suffering is not an option; it is mandatory for people to arrive at the destinations they desire since it yields mental resilience and opens the mind to higher levels of wisdom. In an age when the majority of people take the path of least resistance, his message stands out as bold. His daily routine is a testament to his beliefs; waking up at 3 AM consistently is something most Americans do not want to do. He understands getting up early as gaining a foothold on the competition. But waking earlier than others alone will not get high-aspiration individuals across the finish line. Suffering ought to be encountered in every area of life, according to his philosophy. Rigorous physical fitness, such as performing hundreds of burpees before other prisoners woke up, earned him respect in the penitentiary then and as an entrepreneur now. Lastly, Watson believes that self-love is essential, and that self-investment—in all forms, physical, mental, and spiritual—will forge a foundation of self-respect necessary to accomplishing a flourishing life.

Today, the entrepreneur Wes Watson expands his empire further. He owns mansions in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and Miami, Florida, living an extravagant bi-coastal lifestyle fueled by his profits. The other day he moved into a penthouse in Miami, his third luxury residence. He wears a half-million-dollar watch to the gym, and his supercar collection is highlighted by a bright-orange Bugatti Chiron. His net worth is estimated to be around $30 million. Fortune 500 CEOs get paid as much as the value he has personally created through his mindset. Despite his outward success, he remains committed to his core principles. He still wakes up at 3 AM, constantly seeks self-improvement, and posts loads of daily social media content. To maximize self-development, Watson now brings together groups of like-minded individuals and entrepreneurs who are dedicated to making money and achieving freedom. His success story is not merely one of entrepreneurial triumph but one characterized by breaking free from limitations and creating a lifestyle that incorporates growth in all spheres.

Wes Watson got out of jail just six years ago. Instead of letting his ten-year incarceration define him, Watson is the epitome of an entrepreneur. He creates value and impact through an innovative mindset. His net worth was $200 upon release from California prison, but now he lives a wealthy lifestyle in the beautiful towns of Rancho Santa Fe and Miami, pulling up to the gym in a Bugatti Chiron. He went from prison to helping millions break out of their own prisons by teaching people to do the things they hate. The story of Wes Watson shows that no matter where you start, you can achieve greatness in entrepreneurship if you’re willing to embrace discipline and work relentlessly.

 

Written by Carson Batzel, 9/23/2024

Danya Sherman: Creating Knope

Danya Sherman, founder and creator of Knope, turned a terrible experience into a successful business opportunity that has taken off immensely. While studying abroad in 2016, someone unfortunately slipped drugs into Sherman’s drink and took advantage of her. Sherman took this real-life experience and created Knope Drink Covers, described as “a cocktail napkin that changes color when it comes in contact with just a few drops of liquid laced with drugs.” Danya Sherman was specifically interesting to me because, while investigating her story and product, it was evident how she saw a problem and created a solution. As an entrepreneur, one of your primary jobs is to find problems and respond by creating a solution. Sherman took a tragic life experience, saw the problem, and created an effective solution in the Knope Drink Covers. Sherman also expanded her brand to not only include drink covers – but also tests that allow someone to test their drink for up to twelve different drugs of abuse. investigating Sherman and her brand has been inspiring to me because she solved a major problem and created multiple solutions in response.

Davis Siksnans – Founder of Printful

In the rapidly expanding world of e-commerce, print on demand services have played a key role in helping businesses sell customized products without the need for a large inventory. This also means that young entrepreneurs are able to launch and scale companies with virtually no startup cost. A pioneer in this industry is Davis Siksnans, who co-founded Printful when he was 22. Printful has since become one of the biggest print on demand services and is valued at over 1 billion dollars.

Siksnans started his business as an online store that created print on demand posters with motivational quotes. As his company grew, he quickly realized that there was an opportunity to expand into the biggest category on the internet – clothing. At that time, there was already some competition in the industry, so Printful had to differentiate itself to draw customers away from the other providers. Siksnans achieved this by making Printful user-friendly and easy to integrate with e-commerce sites, such as Shopify. This took the logistical headaches out of print on demand and e-commerce services, which was the key to Printful’s success.

While Davis Siksnans did not start a “0-1” business, he became a highly successful entrepreneur because he looked at the problem differently than his competitors. He didn’t invent print on demand apparel, but he revolutionized the industry by making the experience user friendly so that anyone can start an e-commerce store. As mentioned earlier, Printful has grown to become one of the top competitors in the industry and is valued at over 1 billion dollars. They continue to thrive and explore new possibilities within the print on demand industry. Siksnans story clearly shows how creativity and innovation can create opportunities even when there are already other competitors. He looked at the problem differently, and that resonated with the market.

 

Audrey McAlister: Sunrise Hill Boutique

SunriseHillBoutique Etsy Header

Audrey McAlister is eighteen years old and started a polymer clay jewelry business when she was sixteen.  When she was ten, she would make food for her dolls out of clay.  When she was sixteen, she found some old polymer clay and wanted to express that same joy, passion, and creativity she had when she was younger.  When she looked on Etsy, she found people were making food out of clay and into jewelry pieces.  I met Audrey over the summer at a camp.  She has so many skills and is always trying to improve her business and connect with customers.

Audrey uses Instagram to promote and advertise her Etsy store.  She offers unique deals and offers.  For example, around her birthday she offers a “Birthday Sale,” where she offered eighteen percent off the week of her eighteenth birthday.  Audrey also works to connect to her customers.  Most of her demographic are Christians, so she would post a Bible verse on Sundays.

She is not driven by the profits, but rather the joy of making something beautiful and reliving the fun she had doing this once at ten years old.  Audrey’s efforts demonstrate her ability to empathize with her customers and the ability to adapt.  Her advertising is appealing to her demographic and helps to draw in sales.  

Her creativity is inspiring.  Each of her designs are unique and handcrafted; she pays attention to even the minuteness of details, and ensures her customers are receiving the best product she can produce.  I am not artistically talented like Audrey is, but I can empathize with my customers like she does.  I learned that the work can be primarily for the joy of it.  She loves making this jewelry and continues to do it because of this love.

Dustin Williams – Photography to Fabrics

Dustin Williams, a Mississippi boy with love for cars, moved with all he had to Southern California after graduating high school. He moved into a friend’s house; all he had was a Subaru WRX and a camera. He began making money through photography by working at a high-end car dealership and doing weddings. He also had a YouTube channel that began seeing some success. As he grew his photography business, Legends Media, he made his own shirts and wore them in his YouTube videos. His audience enjoyed his sense of style and his brand and encouraged him to begin selling apparel, which he then did. His brand, Legends Media, saw very early success among his fans and quickly grew. Today, he does monthly drops based on his life and YouTube channel as well as a subscription for monthly t-shirts and other benefits. He now has 675k subscribers on YouTube and continues to grow at a rapid pace.

Dustin has been an entrepreneur from the start! He began making money by doing photography for people and then reinvested that money into what he loved, cars. He then used his cars to provide content for YouTube, and the rest is history. He has inspired me and many others to do what they love and to go the extra step. The motto he carries in his life and shares with others is “Do More.” He encourages his audience to always go the extra mile, because it may pay off in the future. His entrepreneurial mind has inspired so many, including me. His ability to make a living doing what he loves is very inspiring and makes me want to do the same!

TJ Hunt – Monetizing Your Hobby

Many YouTubers today can be considered entrepreneurs with the way they use their channel. One of these YouTubers was TJ Hunt. TJ started his channel when he was in high school. He wanted to document his time modifying his first car, a BMW 328i. Modifying his car was just a hobby, but it did not take long for him to realize that he could monetize what he loved. He began making more videos and soon bought a Subaru BRZ, the car that marked TJ’s rise onto the car scene. The more he modified that car, the more his channel grew. As his platform has grown, primarily on YouTube, his car collection has grown. He has owned a lot of cars and sold plenty, but today he still has that BRZ along with 15 more. He has been able to monetize his hobby of cars through YouTube’s monetization and brand partnerships.

TJ has also used his presence on YouTube to start his own clothing brand called Hunt & Company in 2016. As time has progressed, the quality of his products have only improved. I own quite a few products of his myself and you might catch me wearing some. TJ has been able to use content on his channel and a great design team to create quality products that his fans relate to and appreciate. As a result, the Hunt & Company has seen tremendous success and has proven very profitable for TJ. He has been able to hire full-time staff for the company and frequently releases drops for customers to sell out in minutes. TJ has been able to use his influence and platform to create more and make money in the process.

What TJ has shown me is that it is possible to make money doing something you love that most likely would not make money. In fact, his hobby typically spends more than it makes! He has inspired many others to create as well and do what they love. TJ also spreads awareness to mental health. During his journey making YouTube videos, he experienced a rough patch that really put a halt to his plans he had for life. As he worked through it, he told himself to always keep moving forward, and that is the slogan he carries with him from his clothing to the outro of every video. TJ has been able to spread a positive influence on many others and has shown his entrepreneurship spirit through all that he does.