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245 - He Built a 9-Figure Business & Helped Over 1 Million People Start Theirs with Stu Draper

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Manage episode 514699988 series 3591759
Content provided by Nikolas Hulewsky. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Nikolas Hulewsky or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

MY NEWSLETTER - https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Stuart Draper about how to get your first customer and scale from $0 to $2M in 4 years.

I had a freaking treat talking to Stu Draper today. He's an incredible startup founder who just had an eight figure exit from his EdTech company, Stukent, which helped over a million people learn digital marketing. His companies have been on the Inc 5000 list ten times, and he knows exactly how to get your first customer when you're starting from zero.

We chat about his journey starting his first digital marketing agency, getfoundfirst.com, during the 2008 recession and why he prioritized being a family man by building a professional baseball field and indoor-outdoor pool over buying a Lamborghini.

Stu shares actionable insights on how entrepreneurs can secure their crucial first customer (hint: it might involve working for free) and explains why starting a service-based business is often the best low-risk way for first-time founders to learn entrepreneurship and get in the game.

We dive deep into why catching the early wave of AI automation agencies today is just like catching the digital marketing wave 15 years ago—and why AI agency opportunities mirror what made so many digital marketing agency founders millionaires by age 32.

Finally, he tells us why focusing on sales and marketing—not mastering your P&L or balance sheet—is the most important part of building a successful business, and how he scaled to eight figures without being a financial expert by hiring a great CFO.

Enjoy the conversation!

__________________________

QUESTIONS THIS EPISODE ANSWERS:

  • What is the most important first step in getting from zero to your first customer?

  • Why is starting an AI automation agency today similar to starting a digital marketing agency in 2008?

  • What is the lowest-risk path for a new entrepreneur to get in the game?

  • How did Stuart Draper use a free customer strategy to land his first paying client?

  • When scaling a business from bootstrap to exit, why should startup founders focus on sales and marketing instead of the P&L?

  • How do you create mission vision values that turn customers into believers?

  • What's the best way to get your first customer when you have no LLC, no website, and no business email?

  • How did Stu scale to an eight figure business without being a financial expert?

  • Why are service-based businesses the best first business for entrepreneurs?

    What are the biggest business opportunities in 2025 for first-time founders?

  • __________________________

    Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.

    Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at [email protected] with your thoughts.

    __________________________

    MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe

    Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y

    Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284

    YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT

    __________________________

    This week we covered:

    00:00 The Journey of Growth and Learning

    02:59 Navigating the Digital Marketing Landscape

    05:47 Getting Your First Customer

    09:06 The Power of Vision and Shared Language

    11:58 Innovating in Education Technology

    14:52 The Importance of Sales and Revenue

    18:11 Lessons from Entrepreneurship

    21:01 Opportunities in AI and Service-Based Businesses

    23:55 Final Thoughts and Future Opportunities

  •   continue reading

    247 episodes

    Artwork
    iconShare
     
    Manage episode 514699988 series 3591759
    Content provided by Nikolas Hulewsky. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Nikolas Hulewsky or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

    MY NEWSLETTER - https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe

    Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Stuart Draper about how to get your first customer and scale from $0 to $2M in 4 years.

    I had a freaking treat talking to Stu Draper today. He's an incredible startup founder who just had an eight figure exit from his EdTech company, Stukent, which helped over a million people learn digital marketing. His companies have been on the Inc 5000 list ten times, and he knows exactly how to get your first customer when you're starting from zero.

    We chat about his journey starting his first digital marketing agency, getfoundfirst.com, during the 2008 recession and why he prioritized being a family man by building a professional baseball field and indoor-outdoor pool over buying a Lamborghini.

    Stu shares actionable insights on how entrepreneurs can secure their crucial first customer (hint: it might involve working for free) and explains why starting a service-based business is often the best low-risk way for first-time founders to learn entrepreneurship and get in the game.

    We dive deep into why catching the early wave of AI automation agencies today is just like catching the digital marketing wave 15 years ago—and why AI agency opportunities mirror what made so many digital marketing agency founders millionaires by age 32.

    Finally, he tells us why focusing on sales and marketing—not mastering your P&L or balance sheet—is the most important part of building a successful business, and how he scaled to eight figures without being a financial expert by hiring a great CFO.

    Enjoy the conversation!

    __________________________

    QUESTIONS THIS EPISODE ANSWERS:

  • What is the most important first step in getting from zero to your first customer?

  • Why is starting an AI automation agency today similar to starting a digital marketing agency in 2008?

  • What is the lowest-risk path for a new entrepreneur to get in the game?

  • How did Stuart Draper use a free customer strategy to land his first paying client?

  • When scaling a business from bootstrap to exit, why should startup founders focus on sales and marketing instead of the P&L?

  • How do you create mission vision values that turn customers into believers?

  • What's the best way to get your first customer when you have no LLC, no website, and no business email?

  • How did Stu scale to an eight figure business without being a financial expert?

  • Why are service-based businesses the best first business for entrepreneurs?

    What are the biggest business opportunities in 2025 for first-time founders?

  • __________________________

    Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.

    Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at [email protected] with your thoughts.

    __________________________

    MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe

    Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y

    Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284

    YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT

    __________________________

    This week we covered:

    00:00 The Journey of Growth and Learning

    02:59 Navigating the Digital Marketing Landscape

    05:47 Getting Your First Customer

    09:06 The Power of Vision and Shared Language

    11:58 Innovating in Education Technology

    14:52 The Importance of Sales and Revenue

    18:11 Lessons from Entrepreneurship

    21:01 Opportunities in AI and Service-Based Businesses

    23:55 Final Thoughts and Future Opportunities

  •   continue reading

    247 episodes

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