[quote style=”boxed”]Watch the competition and innovate. See what they do, do it better, and do it again and again and again.[/quote]
Brandon started his first business back in 2005 by selling rings and other jewelry to the Mormon community. Never intending it to turn into a full-time job for himself (or anyone else for that matter), he ran the business for about three years as a part time job, while working for other internet marketing firms. As SEO competition started to heat up, his hours were getting cut back which gave him more time to work on his “side” businesses. After a year of really focusing on his business full-time from home, he moved business operations into a 300 sqare foot office and hired his first employee. In 2012, just two years after moving out of his home office, Brandon’s business had nine full-time employees and was expected to do more than 2 million in revenue and had been doubling revenue every year since 2005. He received his first business award in 2012 when his primary business, Latter Day Products, was voted the fourth fastest growing company in Utah Valley–ranking with other companies like Vivint, Ancestry.com, and Digicert.
What are you working on right now?
Company organization and profitability.
Where did the idea for Latter Day Products come from?
While I was serving a mission for the LDS church.
What does your typical day look like?
Basketball is at 6:00 a.m. I go to the office at 8:00 and leave work between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. I’m in bed by 11:00 p.m. and brainstorm business ideas until 1:00 a.m.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I see things and figure out how they could be better. It drives me crazy sometimes.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Our business growth.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I worked bagging groceries at a grocery store. I learned how to form relationships with others.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I would watch and analyze our financials more closely.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Watch the competition and innovate. See what they do, do it better, and do it again and again and again.
What is one problem you encountered as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Tracking inventory. Inventory can be a huge cost, and if you don’t track it closely, it can kill you.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Come up with a better way to water grass.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be and how would you go about it?
Make international trade easier. I would use a universal currency and language.
Tell us a secret.
I once sold a domain name for $75,000.
What are your three favorite online tools or resources and what do you love about them?
Google Keyword Tool, Google PageRank, and Compete.com. I love knowing what keywords are used in popular searches and what competitors are doing.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
- @LDSChurch
- @Shaq
- @TheEllenShow
When was the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
Today, when an employee was trying to convince me to let her have the day off.
Who is your hero?
Bill Childs.
What is some business advise you would give to someone wanting to have a partner in business?
As Dave Ramsey said, “Anything with two heads is a monster.”
What motivates you?
The thought of retiring early and traveling with my family.
Connect:
Brandon Young on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/bdizzle
Brandon Young on Twitter: @CTRGuy
Brandon Young on Facebook: Facebook.com/CTRGuy
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.