From $29 to $100M: Jobber’s Climb

"I think it was actually a really valuable exercise to make sure that Sam and I were actually aligned on how we were thinking about this and where we were trying to go. Most startups fail due to founder conflict. Having things written down creates a lot of alignment."

• Documenting plans can help co-founders align on vision and strategy.
• Open communication prevents misunderstandings and conflicts.
• Investing time in planning strengthens the founder relationship.

"I have an unbelievable amount of respect for solo founders. I know I could not have succeeded as a solo founder. When I think about the number of times over the last, you know, 14 years, where I was ready to throw in the towel and Sam was there, talked me out of it."

• Co-founders can provide emotional support during tough times.
• They help balance the ups and downs of the startup journey.
• Having a partner increases resilience and sustains motivation.

"Our servers are being run off my wife's credit card. She was the only one with a job amongst us."

• Founders often need to make personal sacrifices in the early stages.
• Creative solutions, like using personal resources, can bridge funding gaps.
• Dedication and belief in the vision can justify personal risks.

"We've never come across some silver bullet feature that changed anything. We've never stumbled across some silver bullet marketing channel that changed everything."

• Focus on incremental improvements; they compound over time.
• Consistency and perseverance are vital for long-term success.
• Don't expect a single breakthrough; growth often comes from cumulative efforts.

"We kept that open mind and we kept soaking up their knowledge, and then taking that knowledge and infusing it into Jobber, Jobber continued to grow."

• Engage actively with investors to gain valuable insights.
• Regular communication with investors can guide business strategy.
• Investors can provide mentorship and help refine KPIs and metrics.

"Again, Edmonton, Alberta, no one raised venture capital out of Edmonton, Alberta. We did not know what this meant."

• Persistently network and seek introductions to investors.
• Be prepared to face numerous rejections before success.
• Leverage any available resources and be creative in your approach.

"Don't fall in love with solutions, fall in love with problems."

• Focus on solving real customer problems rather than building features.
• Continually engage with customers to understand their needs.
• Build products that address core issues, not just feature requests.

"He picks up the piece of paper, he says, if this is your business plan, you're fucked. He then just demolishes us."

• Mentorship can be invaluable in refining your business model.
• Constructive criticism helps identify gaps and improve strategies.
• Understanding your market thoroughly is essential before pitching to VCs.

"Never raise money from anyone who you wouldn't have over to your parents' house for dinner. Really simple advice, it was fantastic."

• Choose investors you respect and can partner with long-term.
• Investors should bring more than just money; consider their network and expertise.
• A strong investor-founder relationship is like a marriage.

"We went for 6 months, every couple days talking to a business, showing them our product, and hearing the word no."

• Forrest and his co-founder persevered despite constant rejection.
• They asked why customers said no and used that feedback to improve.
• Founders should persist and iterate based on customer feedback.