I Run A 7 Figure Business With 0 Employees
I Run A 7 Figure Business With 0 Employees
How can business owners turn passions into profit?
We’re at a pivotal time in history where starting a business is easier than ever. For example, my grandparents owned a grain mill in our small town of 600 people, a business built over three generations and nearly 100 years before it made decent money. Today, you could open a Shopify store and become a millionaire in two months. The world has changed drastically.
Everyone I know has a side hustle or passion project, making money from things they enjoy, whether it’s art, music, or other creative outlets. There’s so much opportunity now, and while many people trade passion for a paycheck, I believe you can merge both. That’s my focus: turning what I love into a way to make a living.
What strategies help risk-averse entrepreneurs start a business?
I’d say I’m probably the worst entrepreneur because I don’t like taking risks. I’m the anti-risk entrepreneur, which goes against the typical definition of entrepreneurship, where starting a business usually involves a lot of risk. I’m more of a “take small risks here and there” person.
The timing also worked out perfectly. I was in my early twenties, and my wife and I had just bought an affordable house without taking on a lot of extra expenses. That flexibility made it easier for me to start the business. Starting a business at 40 with five kids would be a different story.
In the early years, I made between $20,000 and $60,000 in the business but didn’t take a paycheck since I had a full-time job. I’d leave the money in the business, pay taxes on it, and not even pay myself, partly because I’m a penny-pincher.
When I got engaged, there was a turning point. My wife is a “super spender,” while I’m a penny-pincher. We make a good team, but it concerned me because I worried about how we’d handle money together after marriage.
When should business owners focus on short-term goals to drive long-term vision?
I’m focused on shorter-term business goals. A big one this year was securing a commercial space, which I did in February. Another goal is to hire my first full-time employee, as we currently rely on around 15 contractors, which can get expensive. I really enjoy the growth process—the small steps along the way. For me, fulfillment isn’t about some grand success at the end but about each step in getting there.
Personally, my wife and I have a son, with another child on the way, so providing a good lifestyle for them is essential. My ultimate goal is to have a specific lifestyle—a vision of living on a lake, enjoying life with my family. It’s not far-fetched, and that vision drives me daily, like a mental vision board always in mind.
How can business owners maximize profitability through controlled spending?
Frugality has been key. I’ve had many chances to buy high-end gear, but I held back. When I worked at an agency, we had over a million dollars’ worth of camera and lighting equipment. While that equipment improved product quality, it wasn’t enough to justify the massive cost.
My approach has been to buy just enough gear to deliver top-quality results and charge premium prices, while keeping scalability in mind. I focus on small, calculated expenses and aim for at least an 80% profit margin on projects. Maintaining a profit-heavy business with controlled expenses has allowed for steady, calculated growth. In contrast to industries where margins are thin, I focus on maximizing profitability on each project, which helps drive sustainable growth.
How do marketing and sales complement each other in driving business success?
Sales is essential, like the basic meals you need to survive, while marketing is the spice that makes it enjoyable. Marketing and sales have a constant push-and-pull relationship—they need each other. An organization that only focuses on sales will close deals, but it may miss out on fully understanding and connecting with customers.
As a marketer, I believe great marketing can drive sales on its own. When marketing is strong, people are naturally drawn to you, asking, “Where can I sign up?” or “How can I work with you?” Great marketing can even eliminate the need for hard sales tactics, as it draws customers in by delivering value and building trust.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
