Change with Colton

In this episode, Colton interviews Grace Ling, the founder of Design Buddies, the largest design community in the world.

Grace shares her journey from bioengineering to UX design and how she started Design Buddies to make friends in the design industry. She emphasizes the importance of experimentation and embracing discomfort as a founder.

Grace also discusses her approach to content creation on LinkedIn and the importance of being authentic and not worrying about what others think. She provides insights on approaching sponsorships, the impact of AI on design and entrepreneurship. Grace highlights the value of mentors and encourages listeners to take action and pursue their goals.

Takeaways

• Embrace discomfort and be willing to experiment as a founder.
• Authenticity is key in content creation on platforms like LinkedIn.
• Don't be afraid of judgment and focus on adding value to others.
• Approach sponsorships as collaborations and find mutual value.
• AI will play a significant role in the future of design and entrepreneurship.
• Identify pain points in your own life and explore business ideas around them.
• Mentors can provide valuable guidance and support on your entrepreneurial journey.

Connect with Grace: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graceling/

Design Buddies: https://www.designbuddies.community/

Connect with Colton:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-kaplan/

Schedule a chat:

https://calendly.com/kindlabz/connecting?month=2024-04

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Change with Colton Podcast 8 - with Shaan Arora, the Co-founder of Alia We talk about: - The origin story of Alia - Shaan's mantra of adaptability and resilience - The importance of focusing on storytelling and brand values when starting an e-commerce brand - Insights on scaling the company, focusing on organic content, events, and outbound strategies - Encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to get started Connect with Shaan: Linkedin: ⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaan-arora/ Alia Technologies: ⁠https://www.alialearn.com/home-2⁠ Connect with Colton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-kaplan/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/colton.kaplan X: https://twitter.com/ColtonKaplan Subscribe to Colton's Newsletter: ⁠https://www.coltonkaplan.com/

⁠⁠#founder⁠ ⁠#startup⁠ ⁠#podcast⁠ ⁠#entreprenuership⁠ ⁠#business⁠ ⁠#confidence⁠

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In this episode, Chris Kaufman, co-founder and advisor at StockX, shares his journey in entrepreneurship and the importance of design and branding in building a successful business. He discusses the day-to-day experience as the Chief Creative Officer of StockX and the role of design in shaping the company's creative direction and brand identity.

Chris also talks about overcoming failure and self-doubt, building a strong company culture, and motivating and empowering employees. He shares insights on identifying passionate and motivated hires, acquiring the first 1,000 customers, and the pros and cons of bootstrapping versus venture funding. Lastly, he explores his passion for art and creativity and emphasizes the importance of culture and teamwork in business. Key Takeaways 🙌

1. Design plays a crucial role in building a successful business, as it helps shape the brand identity and user experience. 2. Overcoming failure and self-doubt is a common experience in entrepreneurship, and it's important to embrace it as part of the process and approach challenges with a growth mindset. 3. Building a strong company culture is essential for long-term success, and leaders should lead by example, show vulnerability, and foster trust and collaboration within the team. 4. Hiring passionate and motivated individuals is key to building a successful team, and leaders should create an environment that encourages learning, experimentation, and taking initiative. 5. Acquiring the first thousand customers can be challenging, and it often requires experimentation, seeding the platform, and demonstrating activity to attract both buyers and sellers. 6. The decision to bootstrap or seek venture funding depends on the type of business and its growth potential, but venture funding can provide the necessary capital and resources to accelerate growth. 7. When pitching to investors, it's important to clearly articulate the problem being solved, the potential for growth, and the strength of the team and its ability to drive revenue and long-term sustainability. 8. Exploring art and creativity can provide a different perspective and outlet for expression, and it's important to make time for personal passions and interests outside of work. 9. Culture and team are crucial aspects of any business, and it's important to align with organizations that share your mission and values to create a fulfilling and impactful work environment. ________________________ Connect with Chris: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetkauf/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaufstagram/ ArtClvb: https://www.artclvb.xyz/ ________________________ Connect with Colton: Subscribe to Colton's Newsletter: https://www.coltonkaplan.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/colton.kaplan Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-kaplan/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coltonkaplan Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColtonKaplan

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Change with Colton Episode #6 - Nilay Parikh, Founder of Arvist

We talk about: - Supply chain - Arvist.ai, the supply chain digital twin platform - Overcoming rejection - Mental health - Techstars - Navigating the founder community - Hiring in startups

Connect with Nilay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parikhnilay/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nilayparikh13

Arvist: https://arvist.ai/

Arvist Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arvist/

_______________________________

Colton's newsletter: https://www.coltonkaplan.com/

Connect with Colton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-kaplan/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colton.kaplan/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@coltonkaplan

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coltonkaplan

________________________________

Apply to Techstars: https://www.techstars.com/

#changewithcolton #podcast #founder #startup #arvist #podcast #entreprenuership #business #confidence #techstars

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Change with Colton Podcast #5 - with Ritwik Pavan, Founder of Krava We talk about: - His journey into entrepreneurship - Solving the housing crisis 🏠 - Homelessness - Overcoming self-doubt - Believing in your team Check it out, share with a friend, and subscribe!! Connect with Ritwik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritwikpavan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritwikpavan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritwikpavan Krava: https://www.getkrava.com/ Krava's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/krava/ Subscribe to Colton's Newsletter: https://www.coltonkaplan.com/ Connect with Colton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-ka... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colton.kaplan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColtonKaplan Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coltonkaplan Fragile: https://fragile.co/ Juna: https://www.heyjuna.com/

#changewithcolton #podcast #getkrava #founder #startup #podcast #entreprenuership #business #confidence

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Change with Colton Podcast #4 - with Rob Fajardo the Founder of Leave Normal Behind We talk about: - Finding your purpose - Leaving Normal Behind - Creating your superhero self - Lighting your inner flame 🔥 - Starting with Why - Creator economy There are many valuable insights! Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-fajardo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob_fajardo... Leave Normal Behind: https://leavenormalbehind.com/ Subscribe to Colton's Newsletter: https://www.coltonkaplan.com/ Connect with Colton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-ka... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colton.kaplan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColtonKaplan Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coltonkaplan Start with Why By Simon Sinek - https://www.amazon.com/Start-with-Why...

#changewithcolton #podcast #leavenormalbehind #founder #startup #podcast #entreprenuership #business #confidence

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Harshdip Deogan is the Co-founder of Eztrackr

We talk about:

- Helping job seekers organize their job search with Eztrackr

- Launching with 1 feature

- Talking to your users and actually solving a problem

- Having consistency

Connect with Harshdip: https://twitter.com/DHarshdip

Eztrackr: https://eztrackr.app/

Follow Eztracker on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eztrackr/

Subscribe to Colton's Newsletter: https://www.coltonkaplan.com/

Connect with Colton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-kaplan/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colton.kaplan/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColtonKaplanTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coltonkaplan

Testimonial.to - If you are a founder and want to integrate testimonials on your site check this out. The user interface and easy integration are worth it.

Affiliate Link: https://testimonial.to/?via=colton

YC Co-founder matching: https://www.ycombinator.com/cofounder-matching

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Jake Karls is the Co-founder of Mid-Day Squares & Rainmaker! He is the Co-founder of Mid-Day Squares, received Forbes 30 under 30, and is the modern-day Willy Wonka. He radiates positive vibes to the world and love his energy. We talk about: - Blocking out the noise - Overcoming self-doubt - Building community - Mental Health

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Gary Sheng is a NYC-based technologist and social entrepreneur dedicated to building tools, systems, and movements that empower people to 1) unplug from everything facilitating human downgrade, and 2) become agents of a better future. Gary is the Chief Operating Officer of Civics Unplugged, a NYC-based social enterprise he co-founded that empowers leaders of Gen Z with the training, funding, and network they need to become civic innovators that build a brighter future for humanity. He was recently honored by Forbes 30 Under 30 for his work helping build CU. Before co-founding Civics Unplugged, Gary served as a Software Engineering Team Lead at Google (on Google Cloud), as well as co-director of Dancing Pineapple, a popular electronic music blog and live events company that was followed by 100k+ feel-good music lovers. Recently, Civics Unplugged just launched the Dream DAO: a new, intergenerational, global, and interdisciplinary community that invests in the future of the web3 x social impact ecosystem, by providing diverse Gen Zers around the globe with the training, funding, and mentorship they need to leverage the power of web3 to secure a brighter future for humanity. You can learn more about Gary and how to connect with him at garysheng.com Colton and Gary talk about - Life Experiences - Obstacles - You Shaped Hole - Insecurities - Civics Unplugged

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Hi everyone! Colton here, this is the transition episode from Coffee with Colton to Change with Colton. On Change with Colton, we will be discussing how to unleash your confidence that has been hidden away deep down.

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