Please, introduce yourself and your business.
Hey there, I'm Eve (pronounced ee-vee), and I'm the founder of White Elephant. We're in the business of helping fast moving companies design even faster. We help companies build and manage their digital properties with best practices. Platforms like Wordpress, Webflow, Shopify, etc. Because a good foundation goes a long way but a bad foundation that isn't maintained will make you pay.
How did you start your business?
I saw the pace of innovation and progress while working corporate and it killed my spirit. I saw that to get ahead you had to play a game by rules in which you had no say in. Most folks are at a massive disadvantage playing by these arbitrary rules and systems.
I did not want to be one of those players and decided I wanted to play by my own rules. Luckily thanks to college, I had a pretty great community and many of these folks became my colleagues. One day I needed help on a project because my hands were tied and my then future cofounder jumped in. Seeing how we worked together, we gave it another shot and another shot and eventually after a year or so we finalized the papers.
It all felt very natural and I'd say it has as much to do with timing as it does personalities. We were just in the right place in both of our lives.
How much revenue was your best year? (include margin if possible)
$400k+ and about 40% margin, which is on the higher end for agency work.
When did you notice traction when building your business? The “Oh S**t!” moment, what did that feel like?
Every business has this 'sink or swim' moment where your systems are getting crushed, you're behind on invoicing/collecting the money and you've got a buzz that seemingly lasts for weeks.
This was us in our third year when things had... started to go right. It felt like we couldn't miss. Pitches were working. Contractors lining up out the door. Ex-employees sending us referrals. Everything we had worked for up led to that.
What was your childhood like? Were you slinging candy on the playground?
Honestly, I spent more time on game servers than anything. When the internet started booming, I was chronically online. I made my first sale through ebay selling game characters or helping people level up their guilds.
I used to buy commissioned art and see what the process was like to sell things– this was pre Shopify, instagram, etc. I didnt just play online, I lived in it.
What has been your best marketing marketing channel?
Hands down being part of coworking spaces both locally and while traveling has been the best thing to ever happen to us.
We work with founders and teams, specifically startups, and these are the kinds of people you meet at coworking spaces. They have a bit of a chip on their shoulder, they're taking risks, they also are trying to create a game in which they establish the rules, so it just made total sense that we'd get along.
How many attempts at building something did you make before you found what you’re working on now? Did you always have an entrepreneurial drive?
The first company I joined out of college was acquired. I used this experience to test out a business and ultimately failed but the lessons I learned I carried onto the next one... and the next one. It took 3 failed ventures before hitting 2 home runs.
What is your biggest overhead expense?
Easily contractors and staff. Because we work in a coworking space, our rent is low but no matter where we go, staff costs will always take up a big chunk especially if you're working on huge projects.
What’s the most important skill you’ve learned?
I've learned that people don't buy into products they buy into stories and how it makes them feel. Whether you're pitching for a project or getting investor buy-in or even trying to right the ship for your team, a story goes a long way.
What do you spend the majority of your time doing, in a given week? (I think a lot of people hear entrepreneurs “work,” but may not understand what that means on a day-to-day basis.
I am constantly recruiting, selling and managing. This helps me reflect on and continue to refine the vision of the business, spot opportunities before they blow up and get a general pulse on things.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when first starting your business?
Everything takes so much more time and effort than you know. An overnight success took years in the making, so be patient and never let that passion die out.
The world of entrepreneurship can be misleading. Many people think it’s always easy and always glamorous. What’s a big problem you’ve faced as a business owner and what were the emotions behind it?
You have to realize that the buck stops with you. You wanted this, so you have to own it. Bad day, client issues, upset employees-- it is all your responsibility because let's be honest, they wouldn't be here if it weren't *for you*. This shouldn't be taken lightly.
Many people don’t know where to start in the business world, they feel stuck. They may want to start a business to become their own boss and create their hours. What is your best advice for someone who feels completely stuck?
Today is day 0 and there's never been a better time to start. You live in the most prosperous time in history and you should take advantage of it now to build your future.
Everyone, and I mean--everyone– starts from day 0. Some people get up to day 100 and then even fall back to day 0 because of mistakes or what not! Find what you're both passionate about and good at, and look for that sweet middle ground that you can sell.
You can find more about Eve on his website: