Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show about how founders of early-stage companies launched their businesses.

Eli Halliwell shares his entrepreneurial journey from disrupting the haircare industry with innovative, microbiome-friendly products to his past ventures in the automotive space. Discover how he identifies opportunities for innovation, the challenges of changing routines, and the impact of AI on entrepreneurship.

Links

Website - sanssavon.com [http://sanssavon.com/] & hairstory.com [http://hairstory.com/]

Substack - Eli Halliwell [https://elihalliwell.substack.com/]⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omsalem/]

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Eli Halliwell's Entrepreneurial Journey

08:45 Innovative Approaches to Hair and Body Care

19:21 Eli's Unique Background and Early Career

27:38 The Evolution of Entrepreneurship in Today's World

42:14 Navigating the Haircare Industry

48:52 Innovative Business Models in Haircare

53:34 Challenges in Changing Consumer Behavior

56:10 Transitioning Leadership and New Ventures

01:00:08 Creating a New Brand: Sans Savon

01:06:35 Customer Acquisition in a Changing Market

01:09:41 Evaluating Growth and Future Steps

01:14:28 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

 057 - Revolutionizing Washing: The Science of Microbiome-Friendly Products - with Eli Halliwell, Founder of Sans Savon & Hairstory

Summary

Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show about how founders of early-stage companies launched their businesses.

In this conversation, Michael Kiss, CEO and co-founder of Symmetry Commerce, shares his journey from a tech-savvy childhood in Ontario to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the e-commerce space. He discusses his experiences at Shopify, the challenges of starting his own company, and the importance of leadership and company culture.

Links

Website - https://symmetrycommerce.com/

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/michael-kiss?originalSubdomain=ca [http://linkedin.com/in/michael-kiss?originalSubdomain=ca]⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omsalem/]

Chapters

00:0 Introduction to Mike Kiss and Symmetry Commerce

05:10 Mike's Upbringing and Early Influences

09:43 Education and Career Path to Shopify

14:42 Lessons Learned at Shopify

19:48 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship

24:38 Building Symmetry Commerce

29:52 Mindset and Growth as a Business Owner

36:29 Vision for Building a Better Shopify

38:34 Evolving Service Offerings and Differentiation

43:29 Balancing Business Strategy and Execution

47:18 Team Collaboration and Problem Solving

49:52 The Remote Work Advantage

51:58 Reflecting on Initial Business Plans

53:39 Navigating Challenges and Growth

55:52 Defining Growth Goals and Company Vision

59:16 Integrating AI into Business Operations

01:01:19 Personal Sacrifices in Entrepreneurship

01:05:30 Lessons Learned from Starting Over

01:09:56 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

056 - From Shopify to Startup. The 6-Month Plan That Outpaced Expectations, with Michael Kiss, CEO and Co-founder of Symmetry Commerce

Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show about how founders of early-stage companies launched their businesses.

Adam Hale shares his journey from digital media enthusiast to data analyst and AI innovator, detailing how he built a weather prediction website using AI tools in just hours. Discover insights on AI experimentation, SEO strategies, human connection, and turning side projects into impactful tools.

Links

Website - https://www.dryoutside.com/

LinkedIn - ⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omsalem/]https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhale2/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:29 The Evolution of Social Media and Personal Privacy

05:01 AI in Data Analysis and Website Development

07:27 The Role of AI in Daily Work

10:24 Building DryOutside: The Concept and Inspiration

12:58 Understanding Weather Conditions for Drying Clothes

15:41 The Journey from Idea to Launch

18:18 Initial Steps and Learning Process

21:14 Feedback and Iteration in Development

26:43 Building an SEO-Friendly Website

30:06 The Power of Reddit for Promotion

31:01 From Idea to Live Website in Hours

35:20 The Importance of Human Connection

37:34 Tech Stack and Data Sources

39:13 Unexpected Traffic Surge from Newsletters

42:58 Website Redesign and New Features

48:18 Feedback-Driven Improvements and AI Inspiration

53:13 Advice for Aspiring Project Builders

055 - The AI-Driven Side Project That Gained Global Attention, with Adam Hale, Creator of Dry Outside

Summary

Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show about how founders of early-stage companies launched their businesses.

In this conversation, Omar shares his journey from growing up in Jordan to becoming a successful entrepreneur in Australia. He discusses his experiences at Canva, where he learned valuable lessons about scaling and product growth. Omar reflects on the transition to founding Adora, a company focused on providing visibility into product experiences. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and the challenges of building a startup.



Website - https://www.adora.so/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/omsalem/



Chapters

00:00 Omar's Early Life and Influences

01:55 Lessons from Canva: Growth and Product Development

13:45 The Transition to Entrepreneurship: Timing and Readiness

20:15 Exploring Ideas: Product Growth vs. Education

28:21 Understanding Engagement Mechanics

29:21 The Birth of Adora

33:31 Frustrations with Product Visibility

38:28 Building a Solution

46:10 Navigating the Development Process

51:07 Lessons from Beta Testing

55:43 Insights on Founding a Business

01:00:47 Advice for Aspiring Founders



054 - The Gap Between Design and Reality — and How Omar Salem Built Adora to Fix It

Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show about how founders of early-stage companies launched their businesses into the world.

This week, Ian Black talks to Aidan Cramer about his business AI Apply, which leverages generative AI to help job seekers find and apply for the best job opportunities. Aidan also shares his experience in building multiple businesses and the importance of finding product-market fit. Aidan shares his philosophy on killing ideas that don't work and focusing on the core offering, as well as his growth targets and the strategies he is using to achieve them, including content creation and influencer marketing.

Website

https://aiapply.co/

Tiktok

https://www.tiktok.com/@aidancramer

Twitter

https://twitter.com/AidanCramer

We Discuss

What Generative AI is

Common Mistakes in Job Applications

Experimentation with Different Business Ideas

How to Achieve Fast Growth and Profitability

New Perspectives on Defining Product Market Fit

Listening to Customers and Their Ideas

Defining Success and Growth Targets

Content Creation and Strategy

Choosing the Right Co-founder

Sacrifices and Loneliness of Entrepreneurship

Motivations and Rewards of Entrepreneurship

Advice for Starting a Business

–––––––

Host: Ian Black

Intro Music:

⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life⁠ [https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life] License code: 9TQ4MEAPMU4WJWZ4

AI Revolution in the Job Market: Launching AI Apply - An AI-Powered Job Search Tool, With Co-Founder Aidan Kramer

Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show about how founders of early-stage companies launched their businesses into the world.


This week, Ian Black talks to Patrick Manning, the founder of Alio, an allergy-friendly protein bar company, who shares his journey from medical school to entrepreneurship. He saw a need for a protein bar free from the top nine food allergens and high in protein, and decided to create it himself. He shares his perspective on overcoming doubts and challenges as a founder and the unique lessons he has learned through entrepreneurship.



Website

https://livealio.com/



Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/livealionow



Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/livealio



Chapters

Introduction and Background

Identifying the Need for Allergy-Friendly Protein Bars

Transition from Medical School to Entrepreneurship

Finding a Mentor and Overcoming Fear

Lessons Learned from Starting a Business

Challenges in Recipe Development and Manufacturing

Rebranding and Refining the Product

Market Response to the Relaunch of Allio

Importance of Customer Feedback and Launch Strategy

Delegating and Bringing in Experts

Building a Team and Seeking External Funding

Organic Marketing Strategies

Effective Sales Tactics through Engagment with Facebook Groups

Sales Channels and Retail Expansion

Profitability and Margin Refinement

Shelf Life and Expiry Dates

Daily Operations and Balancing Work

Future Team Expansion

Overcoming Doubts and Challenges

Advice for Founders and Dealing with Doubt

Setting Goals and Managing Friction

Product Expansion and New Flavors

Challenges in Scaling and Retail Expansion

The Power of Creation and Overcoming Challenges

Where to Find Alio







---

Host: Ian Black

Intro Music:

https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life License code: 9TQ4MEAPMU4WJWZ4

Overcoming Your Fears By Bootstrapping An Allergy Friendly Protein Bar Business, with Patrick Manning, founder of Alio.

Shane Monks O'Byrne teaches people how to build camper vans and live a van life. He shares his journey into entrepreneurship, the philosophy of van life, and the lessons he learned from building his latest startup - https://www.thevanconversion.com.


Contents:

 * Introduction and Background
 * Shane's Business: Teaching People to Build Camper Vans
 * The Philosophy of Van Life
 * Shane's Journey into Entrepreneurship
 * Choosing the Right Path as an Entrepreneur
 * Lessons from Investing Applied to Life
 * Balancing Details and Output in Design
 * Finding Fun and Passion in Work
 * Finding Passion and Interests
 * Using Childhood as a Starting Point
 * Questioning False Assumptions and Self-Doubt
 * Exploring Different Interests and Skills
 * Learning New Skills and Trying Something New
 * Learning How to Build a Van
 * Documenting the Van Conversion Process
 * Transitioning from Building Vans to Writing a Book
 * Launching the Book and Building a Sustainable Business
 * Preparing for a Long-Term Bike Journey
 * Handling the Business During Time Away
 * Starting a Business: Choosing the Right Direction

   

The Van Conversion Expert: How to Unlock the Lifestyle You’ve Dreamed of - with Shane Monks O'Byrne, founder of The Van Conversion Dotcom.

Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show where I, Ian Black, talk to founders of early-stage companies about how they launched their business into the world.

I’m talking with Lorin Winata, founder of Melati Drinks, and part of the Forbes 30 under 30 list for 2023.

Among many things, we discuss:

 * The history of Asian tonic drinks, dating back to 1293
 * What it means to be a non-alcoholic spirit, in the Better-for-you category
 * Borrowing extraction techniques from the perfume industry to create the most accessible drink
 * The loneliness of moving the business to a new country, new culture, with no network
 * Whittling down 150 classic ingredients from the spice islands of Indonesia, into the two Melati drinks
 * What it’s like to leave the male-dominated world of venture capital in Asia, to become an Asian female founder
 * The challenges you face doing everything for the first time as an entrepreneur, and why it gets easier.
 * And much more...

So sit back and enjoy the show!

Company website

https://melatidrinks.com/

Find Melati near you:

https://melatidrinks.com/pages/store-locator

Launching a non-alcoholic spirit brand in Asia and the USA, with Lorin Winata Founder of Melati Drinks (#50)

Welcome to Ready For Launch, the show where Ian Black talks to founders of early stage companies about how they launched their business into the world.

This week I’m talking with Brian Davis, co-founder founder of Parable.

Among many things, we discuss:

 * Why Brain Care is so important for an ageing population
 * The 4 Pillars of Brain Care
 * How to communicate the benefits of a product when customers aren’t problem-aware yet
 * The importance of finding founder-fit
 * The problems with fundraising and launching a business at the same time
 * Deciding to shut down the business
 * The problem with taking advice from Outliers
 * The lack of failure stories on social media

Sit back and enjoy the show!

049 - Launching and Closing A Daily Brain Care Business, with Brian Davis, Co-founder of Parable.

Welcome to Ready For Launch. This week I’m talking with Derek Sivers, ex-musician, ex-entrepreneur, TED speaker and four-time book author.

Among many things, we discuss:

 * Why New Zealand is the best place in the world to raise a kid
 * How to adapt your values to your current situation
 * The secrets to becoming a great speaker
 * What still terrifies Derek about speaking on stage
 * The best way to write a book
 * The value of self-publishing and retaining your copyrights
 * The importance of doing the opposite of your creative habits
 * What Derek’s latest book is all about
 * How your belief and perspectives change your actions
 * The barbell strategy of living in the extremes
 * Why graveyards are a great place to sleep
 * Useful beliefs about writing.

And so much more! So sit back and enjoy the show

Website

https://sive.rs/

048 - Launching A Literary Career: Derek Sivers Reveals His Writing Process For His Forthcoming Book, Useful Not True.

Insights into hidden challenges of launching new businesses into the world. We chat with founders before they've made it big, to hear what it's really like getting an idea off the ground.

Ready For Launch

Ian Black's Show

Podcast about van life, entrepreneurship, minimalism, and, most importantly launching a business.

Ian Black

Shows