Founders 15 #10 Web Smith
How does 2PM make money? Recurring revenue from subscriptions [$15 month / $120 year] and one on one growth consulting in the commerce, media, finance and agencies industries. I don’t foresee 2pm being a huge company [in terms of number of employees] ever. One of my inspirations is Ben Thompson and Stratechery.
Bootstrapping 2PM was a test of endurance: I did over 200 issues without paying myself. Do I really want this enough? Throughout my career I’ve shown a lack of endurance. I wanted this to be something different.
Who inspired you? Bill and Katie Henniger [Founders of Rogue]. What they built has been extraordinary. One of the most impressive companies in modern times.
What has your biggest sacrifice been in starting a business? Probably my mental health. I’ve had some tough times. Some moments where everything I thought about myself was tested...There were times where I didn’t think it was possible. That’s not necessarily an experience people feel when they are working typical jobs.
What would you tell yourself if you could go back to when you started the company? I’d remind myself that writing is a superpower. It’s something that could change how people view the company. I would have prioritized that sooner.
How do you want to be remembered? I didn’t throw in the towel. There are numerous stories of folks that don’t figure it out for a long time. But when they do figure it out it has a tremendous impact.