Podcast Summary
From Skepticism to Success: Moiz Ali's Journey to a $100 Million Exit: Moiz Ali's story emphasizes the significance of perseverance, adaptability, and the willingness to learn in achieving remarkable success as an entrepreneur.
Moiz Ali, the creator of Native Deodorant, built a successful business from scratch and experienced a $100 million exit to Procter and Gamble. Despite facing skepticism and doubters along the way, Moiz persevered and proved them wrong. His determination and willingness to learn about the industry, even if he initially knew nothing about deodorant, showcases the importance of taking risks and being open to new opportunities. Moiz's story highlights the value of hard work, innovation, and resilience, ultimately leading to remarkable success. It serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs to trust their instincts, overcome obstacles, and turn their ideas into reality.
Taking Risks and Embracing Resilience in Business: Success in business often comes from taking calculated risks and being resilient in the face of setbacks.
Moiz Ali and his family took a risky yet profitable venture in cashing checks at their gas station. They would charge a percentage of the check and give cash to the customer, then deposit the check to the bank. While they experienced success over time, there was a significant setback when a check bounced. This caused panic and fear as they desperately tried to recover the money. Eventually, they realized the check was made out to FM Porter's business instead of him personally, leading to a lengthy process to rectify the situation. Despite the challenges, Moiz and his family persevered and saw the potential profitability in check cashing. It taught them the importance of taking risks and the value of resilience in business.
Borrowed branding leads to confusion and ironic situation: Unique branding is crucial to avoid confusion and potential consequences when borrowing elements from other brands.
Native Deodorant borrowed elements of their logo and color scheme from other successful brands like Harry's and Casper. They decided against spending a fortune on logo design and branding by simply using the same font as Harry's and the same colors as Casper. However, this led to confusion with a nearby business called Native Juice Co, which shared similar branding elements. Native Juice Co started receiving numerous phone calls meant for Native Deodorant, causing issues for both businesses. Despite this, Native Deodorant continued to order juice from Native Juice Co, creating a humorous and ironic situation. This takeaway highlights the importance of unique branding and the potential consequences of borrowing elements from other brands.
Creating a Liquid Stock Market for Residential Real Estate: By creating a platform where rental homes can be bought and sold as shares, this business idea aims to empower local entrepreneurs, build trust, and potentially dominate the real estate market in the future.
There is a potential business opportunity in creating a stock market for residential real estate. This means buying rental homes and selling shares of that real estate on a platform, similar to a traditional LP investing model. The key difference here is creating a liquid market on the site, allowing people to buy and sell shares of specific houses. This concept also involves empowering local entrepreneurs to buy and sell houses on the platform, providing an opportunity for them to receive reviews and build trust. The current models in this space have failed due to poor underwriting, focusing on commercial properties, and not creating a liquid market. With a successful implementation, this business idea could potentially own the majority of real estate in the United States in the future.
Real Estate vs Startups: A Safer Investment Choice: Investing in real estate provides stability, control, and potential income generation, making it a more secure option for retail investors compared to the uncertainties of startups.
Investing in real estate can be a safer option compared to investing in startups. The liquidity market for real estate investing is vast, and retail investors may find more excitement in investing in their local community and owning a tangible piece of property. With real estate, investors have more control and can monitor their investments closely. Additionally, by investing in rental properties, individuals can generate income and potentially expand their portfolio to purchase more properties. In contrast, investing in startups can be riskier, as it involves uncertainties and the potential for loss. Overall, real estate offers a more stable and secure investment opportunity for retail investors.
Innovative solutions for participation in real estate investment without property ownership.: New concepts like home options, Pipe for Real Estate, and Steady Capital offer alternative approaches to real estate investment, addressing challenges and providing upfront cash flow for landlords.
There are innovative solutions emerging in the real estate industry. One idea is the concept of home options, where brokers buy the right to sell homes at a later date. Another idea is Pipe for Real Estate, which allows landlords to receive their monthly rent as an annual lump sum payment, providing upfront cash flow. Lastly, Steady Capital offers a platform where individuals can invest a set monthly amount into real estate, similar to Robinhood's approach in the stock market. These ideas aim to address various challenges in the real estate market and provide alternative ways for individuals to participate in real estate investment without the need for direct property ownership.
Innovative Ways to Invest in Real Estate: Exploring Home Options, Steady Capital, and Pipe for Real Estate.: Investing in real estate doesn't necessarily require owning properties. Options like Home Options and Steady Capital offer alternative approaches to gain exposure to the market and generate income.
There are innovative ways to invest in real estate without actually owning properties. Home Options, Steady Capital, and Pipe for Real Estate are three interesting options discussed in the conversation. Home Options allows individuals to invest a set amount of money monthly into real estate projects vetted by proven operators. Steady Capital offers a similar approach, allowing investors to own a share of multiple properties and receive rental income. Pipe for Real Estate, although intriguing, is seen as similar to a cash-out refinance, which already exists. The conversation also touches on the potential disruption of the real estate industry due to changing commission structures and recent legal judgments against realtors. Lastly, the discussion briefly mentions the Founder's Card, a topic of interest to one of the participants.
Negotiating Discounts as a Group: A Strategy for Small Businesses: Leveraging collective bargaining power can help small businesses access valuable discounts and save on essential resources.
Negotiating discounts as a group can be an effective strategy for small businesses. Moiz Ali shares his experience of being part of a membership program that offers significant discounts on software, saving him thousands of dollars a month. He suggests that smaller businesses, particularly in niche industries like ecommerce, should organize and negotiate discounts with various platforms together. Ali references large companies like P&G, who successfully negotiate discounts based on their substantial spending. The idea of a founders club card, similar to AARP but for millennials, is discussed as a potential solution. Ultimately, the key takeaway is that leveraging collective bargaining power can help small businesses access valuable discounts and save on essential resources.
The Power of Offering Benefits and Incentives for Business Growth and Customer Retention.: Attract and retain customers by offering attractive benefits and incentives that highlight the advantages of your offerings compared to competitors, while also catering to their specific needs and growth stages.
Offering attractive benefits and incentives to customers is a powerful strategy for business growth and customer retention. By highlighting the advantages of their offerings compared to competitors, businesses can attract and retain customers, especially when there are discounts or special plans involved. This can be seen in the example of AARP, a club for retired individuals, which offers discounted health insurance and earns revenue through affiliate partnerships. Additionally, businesses like Y Combinator and Shopify cater to different stages of growth, providing benefits such as credits, processing charges, and customizable features. However, for businesses exceeding a certain revenue threshold, there is a need for specialized platforms to accommodate their specific requirements. Ultimately, tailoring benefits and services according to customer needs and growth stages is crucial for long-term success.
The drawbacks of using Shopify for small businesses: Entrepreneurs on a budget should explore alternative platforms like WordPress or WooCommerce, which offer more customization options and lower costs compared to Shopify. Careful consideration of specific needs and budget is crucial before committing to a platform.
Shopify may not be the most cost-effective platform for small businesses. While Shopify is popular and convenient for starting an online store, it may lack certain customizable features and can be expensive when it comes to add-ons and apps. Other platforms like WordPress and WooCommerce offer more customization options and lower costs, making them attractive alternatives for entrepreneurs on a budget. Additionally, the pricing structure of Shopify apps can be perceived as unfair and overpriced. This has led to opportunities for developers to create similar apps at a fraction of the cost. Ultimately, businesses should carefully consider their specific needs and budget before committing to a platform like Shopify.
Building Successful Businesses by Simplifying Platforms like Shopify: Convenient and user-friendly solutions are highly valued by businesses and customers. Due diligence and critical thinking are essential when evaluating investment opportunities. Genuine value and unmet needs are key to success.
There are opportunities to build successful businesses by providing simple solutions or improvements to existing platforms like Shopify. The conversation between Shaan Puri and Moiz Ali highlighted the potential of creating Shopify app clones and charging a flat fee, as well as the importance of user-friendly interfaces. This suggests that convenience and simplicity are highly valued by businesses and customers alike. Additionally, the discussion on Twitter real estate shed light on the presence of fraud and false claims within the industry. It emphasizes the need for due diligence and critical thinking when evaluating investment opportunities. Overall, these conversations remind us of the importance of identifying unmet needs and providing genuine value to consumers.
Moiz Ali's Insights on Investing: Diligence, Conservative Underwriting, and Long-Term Focus: Informed decision-making, adaptability, and resilience are crucial for successful investing, as highlighted by Moiz Ali's skepticism, allocation strategy, and impressive returns compared to the S&P.
Investing requires careful consideration and due diligence. Moiz Ali shares his skepticism towards certain investment deals and highlights the importance of understanding interest rates and market prices. He expresses a preference for investing with individuals like Moses Kagan, who demonstrate conservative underwriting and a long-term focus on reputation and profit-sharing. Moiz also discusses his investment portfolio, mentioning a significant allocation to bonds and stocks, with a concentration in Facebook, Shopify, and P&G. He emphasizes the difficulty and volatility of stock investing but highlights his impressive 30% return compared to the S&P's 10-12%. This conversation serves as a reminder that successful investing demands informed decision-making, adaptability, and resilience in the face of market fluctuations.
The Importance of Diversification in Business and Investing: Diversification in advertising and investments can lead to increased opportunities, wider audience reach, and potential for significant gains.
Diversification is crucial for success in business and investing. The interview highlights the importance of not relying solely on one platform, such as Facebook, for advertising or one asset, such as real estate, for financial stability. By diversifying their advertising strategy and investing in various platforms like TikTok, businesses stand a better chance of capitalizing on opportunities and reaching a wider audience. Similarly, diversifying investments allows individuals to mitigate risk and take advantage of undervalued opportunities. The story of Moiz's father buying undervalued real estate during the financial crisis demonstrates the potential for significant gains when recognizing underpriced assets. By seeking out and investing in undervalued opportunities, individuals and businesses can increase their chances of success and profitability.
Successful real estate investing and the importance of evaluating businesses before investing.: Gradually investing in real estate through dollar cost averaging can be effective. When considering investments, it's crucial to thoroughly assess a business's financial health and prospects for profitability.
Investing in real estate, particularly in San Francisco, can be challenging due to high loan requirements and unpredictable market value. Dollar cost averaging, as demonstrated by Moiz Ali's father, can be a successful strategy for gradually investing in real estate. When it comes to office space, it may be advisable to wait until 2023 or early 2024 to start considering investments. Additionally, certain direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies, like Allbirds, have experienced significant stock market declines, possibly due to mismanagement and financial obligations. It is important to thoroughly evaluate a business's financial health and potential for profitability before investing. Moiz Ali's cautious approach highlights the importance of understanding how a business generates revenue and its long-term prospects before making investment decisions.
Taking Control of Your Investments for Better Returns: Managing your own investments can lead to better results and higher returns compared to relying on wealth managers who may prioritize their own fees and give advice that does not align with market conditions.
Managing your own investments can be a full-time job if you want to be good at it. Wealth managers may not always have your best interests in mind and can be more focused on earning fees for themselves. Moiz Ali's experience with Goldman Sachs reflects this, as they advised against potentially lucrative investments in favor of keeping fees within their control. Additionally, relying on wealth managers may lead to recommendations that do not align with the current market conditions, as seen with the advice to invest heavily in bonds. Taking charge of your investments and staying informed can help you make better decisions and potentially earn higher returns.
Trusting Instincts Over Wealth Managers: Moiz Ali's experience highlights the need to trust one's own instincts when investing, as wealth managers may prioritize selling financial instruments rather than understanding markets. It is crucial to find a balance between financial success and personal happiness.
Moiz Ali learned a valuable lesson about the importance of trusting his own instincts and not relying solely on wealth managers. He initially invested a significant amount of money in a strategy that he later realized he didn't believe in, leading him to sell everything and take a loss. Ali points out that wealth managers are essentially like car salesmen, focused on selling financial instruments rather than understanding markets. This experience has reinforced his skepticism towards their recommendations and has led him to invest in safer options like treasuries. Additionally, Moiz Ali expresses his desire to start another company and emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between financial success and personal happiness.
Focusing on Creativity and Impact in Entrepreneurship: Sam Parr advises Moiz Ali to prioritize creativity, meaning, and impact in his entrepreneurial pursuits, rather than solely chasing financial success and replicating past achievements.
Sam Parr believes that Moiz Ali should focus on starting something from scratch and making it art, rather than pursuing another direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand. Sam recognizes Moiz's creativity and artistic abilities and suggests that he should utilize those talents to create something meaningful. Instead of simply chasing financial success, Sam advises Moiz to consider the impact he can make on the world. He suggests that Moiz venture into areas like healthy food options or baby formula that can improve people's lives. Sam emphasizes the importance of finding fulfillment and challenge in one's creative projects, rather than simply replicating past successes.
Moiz Ali's decision to learn from masters at Procter & Gamble (P&G) and sell his business proved to be the right choice for the success of Native.: Selling his business and partnering with P&G allowed Moiz Ali to learn from experts in product development and shelf space, leading to the growth and success of Native.
Moiz Ali made the right decision to sell his business and learn from people who are masters at growing a brand. He acknowledges that Procter & Gamble (P&G) has done an amazing job in making Native a spectacular brand. Moiz values the expertise of P&G in product development and shelf space, which has contributed to the success of Native. While there are moments when he sees things differently, he believes that selling his business was the right choice. Sam Parr highlights Moiz's clever response when asked about expanding Native's product line, emphasizing that P&G's strategy of putting the Native brand name on various products has been highly effective. Overall, Moiz's experience with P&G has taught him valuable lessons on growing a business.
