Takeaways

• Free product launch
• Leveraging technology for PR
• Building a community around the product
• Importance of AI in today's market
• Value of customer feedback in product development

Chapters

• 00:00 Getting the First Customers: Making the Product Free and Leveraging Technology for PR
• 06:52 Transitioning to a Premium Version and Building a Community Around the Product
• 19:37 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: The Role of AI and Marketing Strategies
  

References

• Aytekin Tank's personal website: https://aytekintank.com/
• Company website, JotForm: https://www.jotform.com/
• Aytekin Tank's Book, Automate Your Busywork: https://amzn.to/4ue0W58 (affiliate link, earns commission)
• Additional show notes & transcript from this Aytekin Tank Interview: https://first-customers.com/episodes/ep-63-63-aytekin-tank-ceofounder-of-jotform-from-0-to-100-millionyr
• Host Info: Paris Vega's personal website: https://parisvega.com/

This episode was originally recorded on October 11, 2024

Show Notes & Links:

https://parisvega.com/62-bert-waugh-transitional-youth-braking-cycles/

Episode 43 of the First Customers Podcast welcomes Beau Button, the CTO and cofounder of Atlas Reality. They're known for Atlas Earth, the largest virtual real estate platform in the world. Beau explains the virtual real estate world, the distinctiveness of their platform, the fascinating journey of Atlas Reality, and shares insights about being a technical startup founder.

Show links, notes, & transcript:

https://parisvega.com/david-cm-carter-entelechy/

Learn the secrets of how Barak Glanz of Coddy.tech got his first customers and grew his business using TikTok. Like so many episodes of this podcast, I learned a lot from Barak and will be testing out some of the strategies we discussed soon. If you want smart tips straight from a pro, this episode is for you.

Jeff is an expert marketer with decades of experience. In this episode he shares his journey from being in the military to becoming Mr Marketology. His practical actionable advice shows you how to get your first sales using digital marketing and automation.

Show Notes & Links: https://parisvega.com/jeff-beal-mr-marketology/

In this episode, Bryce Wuori, the CEO of Pavewise talks with host Paris Vega about how he's using AI to change the construction industry. He explains how Pavewise started as a simple project tool and grew into a big software company that’s now changing how construction projects are managed.

(Since this recording Morphio has been acquired by Hawke.)

Show Notes, Links, & Transcript:

https://parisvega.com/alberto-voltolina-mgg-north-america/

Topics

- Cold Calling

- In Person Sales

- Sales Dinners

- Event Networking

- High Ticket Sales

- Supply Chain

- Manufacturing Industry

In episode 44 of the First Customers podcast, I chat with the Eli Packouz, an inventor and crowd funding master. Eli created eight products over the last several years including his most recent and disruptive ‘Instafloss’. He shares the story of his exciting business adventures, how he recently raised $2.5 million from crowdfunding, and the strategies he used to get his first customers.

Highlights

• Insights and best practices for crowdfunding on Kickstarter.
• Raising $2.5 million in crowdfunding for ‘Instafloss’.
• The inception of ‘Instafloss’: A device capable of flossing all your teeth in 10 seconds or less.
• Manufacturing products in Mexico vs China.

Mentioned In This Episode

• Instafloss
• Singular Sound
• Eli Packouz book recommendation: Venture Deals

In episode 49 of the First Customers, we talk with Christoffer Sigshøj, engineer & co-founder of KiteX, a Denmark-based company that's pioneering the world's lightest portable wind turbines. Christoffer shares the company's journey from its initial concept of flying wind turbines to creating portable, efficient, and user-friendly products that are opening up access to wind energy.

In this episode, we are joined by Alexandra Tachalova, founder and CEO of Digital Olympus. Alexandra shares her entrepreneurial journey, starting from her days at SEMrush to creating a successful link-building agency that has worked with major clients like Vivint, G2, Wave, Finder, and Discover Cars. Tune in for an engaging conversation about the world of digital marketing, growth strategies, and customer acquisition.

Topics covered: 

• Immigrant Mentality
• Selling a business
• Startups
• Traditional Marketing
• Digital Marketing
• Marketing Philosophy, Strategy, and Tactics
• Community Based Sales

Show links, notes, & transcript:https://parisvega.com/angie-correa-executive-coach-speaker/

Talking with Angie was like taking a masterclass in sales. The principles she explained are worth billions. We had a great time discussing how she was able to successfully get the first customers for her business. We also went through her past experiences at large companies reviewing her sales process for getting $10,000,000 sales deals. 

Topics discussed:

• Retail Sales
• Corporate Sales
• In Person Sales
• Networking
• Eat What You Kill Sales
• Trust Based Sales

Show Notes

• John's book: Selling from Scratch https://amzn.to/41MZkCf (paid affiliate link)
• Sales Throw Down podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/SalesThrowdown
• Sales Practice Lab: https://offers.adaptedgrowth.com/AGSaleslab

Topics Covered:

• Networking
• CRMs
• LinkedIn Content Marketing
• One to One Networking
• Getting warm lead referrals from your LinkedIn network
• Look for strategic networking opportunities

(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

In episode 41 of the First Customers podcast, we are joined by Amy Jordan, a visionary entrepreneur who took the bold step of starting a travel agency during the COVID lockdown. She shares her insights on how she grew her company to over 18 agents working with hundreds of clients worldwide. Tune in to learn about her unique strategies, the challenges she faced, and her relentless pursuit of success in a seemingly impossible situation.

• [00:32] Introduction to Amy Jordan and her successful travel agency.
• [01:05] How she acquired customers during a time when travel was restricted.
• [02:12] Utilizing friends, family, and social media channels to connect with clients interested in destinations that were open during the lockdown.
• [03:20] Specializing in specific destinations like US theme parks and Mexico allowed them to provide detailed updates on policy changes.
• [04:05] Interacting with clients to keep them informed about daily updates and policy changes.
• [05:30] The importance of understanding supplier dynamics
• [06:50] Leveraging Facebook marketing, Google ads, and physical shows as things started to open up.
• [07:40] Being aware of what was happening in the countries where clients were traveling.
• [08:50] Amy's background as a travel agent and her desire to build her own team.
• [10:00] Reading a book that helped her in decision-making and not overthinking decisions.
• [11:20] Treating the business like an experiment to relieve pressure
• [15:05] Personal experiences with destinations and the overwhelming experience of visiting Disney World as a mom.

In episode 42 of the First Customers podcast, we're joined by Gareth Evans, the dynamic founder and CEO of VECKTA. VECKTA's marketplace has made impressive strides in the renewable energy sector, recently facilitating $150 million of renewable energy projects. With clients like Raytheon and Honeywell, Gareth sheds light on VECKTA's journey, its mission, and the future of renewable energy. Dive in to hear about VECKTA's humble beginnings and its vision for a sustainable future.

• The inception of VECKTA, and inspiration behind the name.
• Discussing the challenges VECKTA faced launching during the onset of COVID-19.
• VECKTA's recent achievement of facilitating $150 million in renewable energy projects.
• Insights into working with major clients like Raytheon and Honeywell.
• Discussing the significance of thought leadership in building relationships.

Show links, notes, & transcript:

https://parisvega.com/jk-molina-tweet-hunter-tweets-clients/

Topics Covered:

- Growing up in Guatemala

- Entrepreneurship as a kid

-  Door-to-Door sales

- Cold Calling

- Cold DMs

- Digital Marketing

- Monetizing your Twitter audience

- and a lot more!

Topics Covered:

- Creating in public.

- Entrepreneural Experimentation.

- Twitter Sales

(Since this recording, Baremetrics has been acquired.)

Show Notes & Links: https://parisvega.com/andres-glusman-meeetup-dowhatworks

In episode 39 of the First Customers Podcast, we sit down with Ali Schwanke, a successful entrepreneur who has leveraged the power of YouTube to generate over a thousand leads. Ali's YouTube channel, a top unofficial source for HubSpot tutorials, has garnered a following of 18,000 subscribers, proving the impact of her strategies. Ali shares her journey from her first customers to her growth strategy on YouTube. She delves into her experiences with various businesses over the years, starting from a humble photography business to becoming a YouTube influencer in her field. Listen in as Ali discusses her efficient content creation process, the power of search and recommendations in driving traffic, the role of YouTube in her business pre and post-pandemic, and key learnings about understanding customer priorities. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or an experienced business owner looking to tap into the power of YouTube for lead generation, this episode is a goldmine of insights and practical advice. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more inspiring conversations with successful entrepreneurs. Enjoy the show!

Topics Covered:

- Netherlands school system vs US school system

- Starting a business as a teenager

- Running a business part time

- Cyber Security Best Practices

- Life in the Netherlands

00:00 The Entrepreneurial Journey Begins

03:20 Acquiring the First Customers: Strategies and Lessons

08:19 Marketing and Outreach: Cold Email and Social Media

11:54 Delegation and Business Expansion

Nathan Hirsch shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing how he built FreeUp from a $5,000 investment to a $12 million revenue business.

He discusses the importance of customer trust, effective marketing strategies, and the significance of hiring the right people to scale operations.

Nathan emphasizes the need for feedback from initial customers to improve products and services, and he offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs on mastering hiring and delegation.

Varag Gharibjanian, MIT grad & founding partner at Actuate, works with companies like Qualcom, Lenovo, & Bose to grow their revenue & helps emerging startups get their first customers. Get ready to dive straight into the world of sales with Varag, who is here to spill the secrets on snagging those crucial first customers. Whether you're just starting out or looking to revamp your sales strategy, this episode is packed with golden nuggets on building a sales process that truly works. Don't miss Varag's expert tips on marrying technology with sales to build relationships and drive success!

David Smooke, Founder & CEO of HackerNoon, a technology website that publishes 50 stories per day read by about 4 million people every month. He takes us on the journey from selling his skills as an agency, through the grind of building HackerNoon for years without pay, until finally landing their first advertising deal.

Show Links HackerNoon: https://hackernoon.com/

HackerNoon for Writers: https://app.hackernoon.com/new

HackerNoon for Brands: https://app.hackernoon.com/brand

David Smooke on HackerNoon: https://hackernoon.com/about/David

Show links, notes, & transcript:

https://parisvega.com/karthik-suresh-ignition/

Show Notes & Links:

https://parisvega.com/mark-ross-smith-status-match/

Show notes & links:

https://parisvega.com/billy-samoa-saleebey/

Show Notes & Links:

https://parisvega.com/liam-corcoran-ok-synthesis-loki-nameless-moses-rainbow/

Show Links, Notes, & Transcript: https://parisvega.com/sergey-lechshenko-beverly-english-ukraine/

Topics covered:

• The biggest, most common problem startups have when trying to get their first customers
• Selling without selling.
• Emotional Intelligence
• Emotional Triggers
• Traditional Marketing
• Digital Marketing
• Content Marketing
• Getting more from your content

Dominic Rubino shares his experiences of getting his first customers and growing businesses from zero to $120 million in sales and from six franchisees to over 200. He emphasizes the importance of sales and customer-centric approaches in business growth.

Show notes, links, and transcript:

https://parisvega.com/alex-levin-regal-io/

Show Links, Notes, & Transcript: https://parisvega.com/ron-karr-velocity-mindset/

Listen to episode 50 of the First Customers podcast featuring Adam Haugen, an inspiring pastor who doubled the size of his church within a year. Adam shares his proven strategies for growth, offering insights valuable for leaders in any field. This episode is not just a success story; it's a masterclass in effective leadership and community building.

Episode Highlights:

• Adam's journey from the business world to leading a church.
• Strategies for growth and engagement in a nonprofit setting.
• The importance of understanding culture and community in growth.
• Adam's three-step engagement pathway for new churchgoers.
• Overcoming challenges and resistance to change.

Pete Grett, founder and CEO of the BlackRock Group, shares his experience of acquiring his first customers in the supply chain logistics industry.

He emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships and leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn to stay connected with potential customers. Pete also discusses his content marketing strategy, which involves using AI tools to create and distribute engaging content.

He highlights the significance of balancing digital scalability with personal human interaction in service-based businesses. Pete recommends books for entrepreneurs.

Dan French, CEO of ATX Acquisitions, shares his journey in real estate investing and the challenges he faced along the way. He discusses the importance of finding customers and vendors, the differences between active and passive investments, and the lessons learned from his early deals. French also talks about the benefits of forming a long-term partnership and balancing real estate with other passions.

Discover how Jeremy’s innovative approach to customer acquisition and branding propelled Swag.com to become the fastest-growing company in its sector, ultimately leading to its acquisition by Custom Ink.

Now at the helm of Swag Space, Jeremy shares invaluable insights into starting from the top, the importance of focusing on unscalable things in the early stages, and why understanding your customer can make or break your business.

Building with an Exit in Mind: Arthur's philosophy on creating a business that's attractive to buyers.

Show Notes & Links: https://parisvega.com/liz-parker-lt-results/

Marty M. Fahncke is an acquisitions advisor with Westbound Road who has done 1 billion in revenue and over 450 million in acquisitions over his career.

Show Notes & Links: https://parisvega.com/esteban-dalel-watermelon-tools/

Show Links, Notes, & Transcript: https://parisvega.com/how-to-get-1000-new-customers-without-spending-a-dime/