Many of you know I am a sucker for a great entrepreneurial story. Show me someone who gets a hair-brain idea and runs with it. Turning an accidental side business into a wildly successful “real” business and you have my complete, undivided attention.
I’m especially a fan of the story if I was in on part of that story. That is the way it is for StudioPress founder Brian Gardner. He had the hair-brain idea of taking something that is free (WordPress/WordPress Themes) and making money from them. Than helping other people make money from that same idea. In turn, keeping him and any nearby Starbucks very happy.
StudioPress creates the themes that run all my WordPress websites. It was one of his first themes that got me sold on the idea of using WordPress as something more than an online journal.
Andrew Warner of Mixergy.com got Brian to sit down in front of a webcam and tell us his story. (Interview with Brian Gardner) This is a great story for any would-be entrepreneur – Online or offline – to hear and to learn from. A modern day, no experience, learn as you go, tale of an idea that went viral and some of the roadblocks and accidental success that can happen along the way.
It’s an interesting story in many ways. One of the biggest was the fact that when he started, not many people believed you could (legally or otherwise) build something with WordPress and charge for it. Brian did. He later changed his business model to be in more compliance with the WordPress community and he still made money. Something he did not have to do, but did it for his family and the sake of the growing WordPress family.
Than you have the whole “I am here because of you” fan base that has been built up around StudioPress. He talks about how that impacted him. That something you built has changed other peoples lives and livelihood, The fact that your little idea, that little business being run out of your home, that thing you built out of frustration, is now being used to create businesses and income for other people. Mine included.
I highly encourage you to listen to the interview. (Mixergy.com)
Here is the link to StudioPress. (yes, it’s an affiliate link!)
And to Brian… You Rock!!
See you in Vegas this weekend
About Mark Anthony
