Unfunded.fm’s Post

“Time freedom is one of the main reasons I started this journey. You get more freedom on the other side if you make it through.” - Aaron Cowper, Founder of ShopGrok In this episode of the Unfunded podcast, Joan Westenberg interviews Aaron about his journey of bootstrapping his business for more freedom, highlighting the challenges and triumphs faced along the way. 🌱 From early struggles to winning significant contracts and navigating through personal setbacks, Aaron's story showcases the resilience and dedication required to build a successful business without external funding. 🚀 Listen to the episode to learn more from Aaron about building an independent business with: ⚡ Emphasis on cash flow management, customer acquisition, and product iteration for bootstrapping founders. ⚡ The importance of balancing work and family commitments to avoid burnout. ⚡ Building a supportive network of mentors and peers. ⚡ Leveraging organic growth strategies and focusing on customer needs. ⚡ Transitioning from survival mode to growth involves scaling the business and diversifying revenue streams. Tune in to hear Aaron delve into the significance of family, time management, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance while pursuing entrepreneurial goals. 🎯 Aaron offers insights and valuable lessons for aspiring founders on their bootstrapping journey. 🛠️ Listen to Unfunded wherever you listen to podcasts. 🎧 #startup #startups #startupstories #bootstrap #bootstrapped #bootstrappedstartup

Listen to the latest episode of Unfunded? Host Joan Westenberg interviews entrepreneur Aaron Cowper, the founder and CEO of ShopGrok. 🌱 From leading price strategy at one of the biggest supermarkets in Australia to starting his own venture, Aaron has consistently demonstrated his expertise in retail analytics and big data. 🚀 Despite facing personal and professional challenges, Aaron's level head and unwavering commitment to his goals shines through. ⭐ Learn more in the episode about Aaron Cowper from ShopGrok: 🎯 Former Head of Price Strategy & Analytics at Woolworths Supermarkets 🎯 Ex-McKinsey & Company consultant 🎯 Expert in revenue management, pricing, and promotional effectiveness 🎯 Passionate about using big data for agile decision-making 🎯 Bootstrapped ShopGrok and balances work-life commitments In the episode, Aaron shares more about his startup journey including: 💡 The significance of cash flow management for bootstrapping founders. 💡 Balancing work and family commitments to avoid burnout. 💡 Building a network of mentors for support. 💡 Leveraging organic growth strategies and customer focus. 💡 Transitioning from survival mode to growth phase. Aaron’s insights on balancing entrepreneurship with family life and maintaining a healthy work-life balance are truly inspiring. ✅ Tune in to Unfunded for insights on entrepreneurship, family, and the importance of resilience! 🎙️ #startup #startups #startupaus #bootstrap #bootstrapped #bootstrapstartup #entrepreneur #entrepreneurs #techstartups

New Unfunded episode on bootstrapping to success with Aaron Cowper from ShopGrok! 🚀 In this latest episode of the Unfunded podcast, host Joan Westenberg sits down with the visionary founder of ShopGrok to explore the behind-the-scenes stories of how the business was built. 💼 Aaron shares his incredible journey of building a successful retail SaaS company from the ground up, without external funding, and offers valuable lessons for all aspiring entrepreneurs. 🌱 Key lessons from the Unfunded episode with Aaron: 🎯 The importance of cash flow management, customer acquisition, and product iteration. 🎯 Balancing work with family commitments to avoid burnout and maintain long-term energy. 🎯 How to build a supportive network of mentors and peers. 🎯 Leveraging organic growth strategies and focusing on customer needs. 🎯 Transitioning from survival mode to scaling and diversifying revenue streams. Tune in to Unfunded and hear Aaron's valuable insights on what it’s like to build a startup without external funding. 🎧 #podcast #newpodcast #startup #startups #bootstrap #bootstrapped

How does a coworking space business owner pivot to an online business? Find out on Unfunded. 👀 Podcast host Joan Westenberg interviews Sheree Rubinstein, CEO and Founder of One Roof, about her journey to create a digital membership for women business owners. ⭐ Sheree started her career as a corporate lawyer but was driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to foster social enterprise. 🌱 Leaving a corporate career to run a coworking space in Melbourne, One Roof estimated it had engaged 10,000 women, across four cities, and hosted over 500 workshops. 💼 Then when the pandemic hit, Sheree made the difficult decision to walk away from a big property deal, return capital to investors (with the support from advisors), and then pivot to an online business. 🚀 Even though it felt like building the business from the ground up again, the One Roof brand has gone from strength to strength online now supporting +1,500 women across the world. 🌏 Learn more about the resilience needed for entrepreneurship, the importance of community building, and what it takes to bootstrap a business for long-term sustainability on the Unfunded podcast. 🎙️ Catch up on Unfunded wherever you listen to podcasts. 🎧 #podcast #newpodcast #womeninbusiness #bootstrapping #bootstrap #startup #startups #digitalbusiness #onlinebusiness

What does it take to raise a million dollars, then decide to give it back? 👀 Find out in the first episode of the Unfunded podcast where host Joan Westenberg interviews CEO and Founder of One Roof, Sheree Rubinstein. 🚀 In the episode, Sheree shares her journey from corporate law to founding a co-working space dedicated to women-led businesses and the subsequent pivot to a digital business membership platform. 🎯 Listen to the Unfunded episode with Sheree to learn more about: 💡 🌱 How to be adaptable and find innovative ways to test new business ideas 🌱 The impact of building strong community relationships and fostering collaborations 🌱 When to decide to raise capital vs focusing on profitability  🌱 How to embrace a sales mentality as a founder  🌱 What is an “elephant business” and how to build a long-lasting business foundation Subscribe to the Unfunded show wherever you listen to podcasts. 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gq9Rdcqk #bootstrap #bootstrapstartup #startup #startups #womenledbusiness #womeninleadership #womenentrepreneurs #femalefounders #womenintech #womeninstem #womenintechnology #womenentrepreneurs

What tech can help create a better work culture with more productivity, engagement and retention? Melbourne-based startup Mentorloop is improving company cultures across the globe - so far facilitating over 50,000 mentorship connections in +15 countries. In one of the first ever episodes of the Unfunded podcast with Joan Westenberg, Mentorloop Co-founder and CEO, Lucy Lloyd shares their story of championing the transformative power of mentoring. During the episode, Lucy discusses valuable insights from the challenges of VC funding, how they navigated the decision-making process around VC funding, and why they ultimately opted for a self-funded path. In this clip from the podcast, Lucy explains how the right connections can enrich your life and more on the wide-reaching impact Mentorloop can have within businesses. Listen to the Unfunded podcast brought to you by DayOne.fm wherever you listen to podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gZRk6dis