Own Pain Startups

Ryan Holiday is a bestselling author and entrepreneur who has built multiple businesses around stoic philosophy and parenting advice. His most notable venture is the Momentum Coin—a high-margin, low-complexity physical product inspired by stoic philosophy that sells tens of thousands of units annually. He operates Daily Stoic (400K subscribers) and Daily Dad (60K subscribers) as free email newsletters, leveraging content marketing and social media to drive organic growth across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.

Miss Excel is a creator who went viral on TikTok teaching Microsoft Excel tips and tricks through entertaining short-form videos. After getting featured in major publications, she created a course business that now generates six figures per month with minimal overhead (just a $97/month Thinkific subscription and a virtual assistant). She's expanding into the full Microsoft suite and using paid ads to amplify already-viral content, with a goal to reach $1M/month in revenue.

Greenbelly is a hardware company manufacturing high-quality meal bars for hikers, founded by Chris Cage. The company has been operating for over 5 years and has reached the 'middle game' stage of entrepreneurship. Chris has implemented repeatable processes for client acquisition and is managing the challenges of scaling beyond the initial 1,000-day bootstrap phase.

Eric Gilbert Williams built a Canadian-based roofing company that grew to $6 million in annual revenue before being sold. The company is an example of a "Sweaty Startup"—a traditional, physical services business grown using internet business skills and entrepreneurial strategies.

Cat Coquilette is an artist and illustrator who built a successful solopreneur career by licensing her artwork and designs to major retailers including Target, Urban Outfitters, and Bed Bath & Beyond. She transitioned from working a traditional 9-to-5 job while living with her parents to traveling the world on her own terms while maintaining creative fulfillment.

Greenbelly Meals is a manufacturer of high-calorie, stoveless backpacking meals for athletes and hikers, founded by Chris Cage. The company is currently facing significant hiring challenges, which Chris discussed in a podcast appearance focused on recruitment and team-building decisions.

Coran Woodmass left his corporate job and initially pursued location independence by buying and selling small web properties while based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After realizing this path wasn't fulfilling, he pivoted to found TheFBABroker, an agency advising and brokering quality deals for Amazon FBA business owners. The business reflects his shift from chasing entrepreneurial freedom to finding work that provides genuine fulfillment.

EasyChinaWarehouse.com is a third-party logistics company operated by Brian Miller in Shenzhen, China, serving Amazon FBA sellers and e-commerce businesses. Miller operates a diversified business model including the logistics company, a mid-six-figure Amazon FBA business, and a China sourcing agency, leveraging over a decade of experience living and working in China.

Monetize More is a 100-person monetization agency founded by Kean Graham that helps online brands optimize their ad revenue. The company emphasizes location independence as a key value and has grown through strategies focused on solving publisher monetization problems. The source provides limited detail on specific traction metrics or growth channels.

Find A Band is a New Zealand-based online booking agency for bands and musicians founded by Sam Browne. The startup was inspired by Sam's own experience as a musician and his recognition of gaps in the booking process. Sam attended the Dynamite Circle Austin event in April on a scholarship, which inspired him to dream bigger about his business.

Black Swan Ltd., founded by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, is a negotiation training and consulting business that translates high-stakes negotiation tactics from hostage situations into practical business negotiation skills. The company teaches emotional intelligence and tactical language selection to help professionals improve deal-making outcomes. Voss also authored the book 'Never Split the Difference,' which became a foundational text on negotiation principles.

Linjer is a mid-market luxury brand founded by Jennifer Chong and Roman Khan that manufactures and sells beautiful leather handbags and watches retailing between $200 and $500 USD. The founders have achieved massive success through savvy marketing techniques and strategic partnerships with factory owners. The company is notable for its approach to physical product entrepreneurship and marketplace research.

Eat My Words is a naming and branding agency founded by Alexandra Watkins that specializes in helping businesses and products choose effective names. Watkins is also an author of "Hello, My Name is Awesome," a book on the subject of business naming. The company works with founders and entrepreneurs to solve the critical challenge of branding and naming new ventures.

Smart Drug Smarts is a podcast hosted by Jesse Lawler that explores medicinal topics and explores curiosity-driven content. Despite lacking formal credentials in medicine, Lawler turned his genuine passion and curiosity into a full-time business generating real revenue through the podcast medium.

Strong Towns is a nonprofit organization founded by Chuck Marohn that provides a framework for helping cities and towns become financially stronger and more prosperous. The organization focuses on urban planning and community development through educational content and community engagement.

UglyMail is a browser plugin developed by Sonny Tulyaganov that allows users to see who is tracking their email. Built to address frustrations with invasive email tracking software, the plugin helps users understand privacy risks in their inbox.

Wait But Why is a long-form content blog founded by Tim Urban that combines detailed writing with stick figure illustrations on a variety of topics. The blog attracted significant attention, including direct outreach from Elon Musk who requested custom content about his projects. Tim has built this into a full-fledged business with partnerships and a growing audience.

The Property Podcast is a content-driven business founded by Rob Dix and Rob Bence, two UK property investors with nearly a decade of experience. They run both a podcast and a property management business, sharing investment strategies and market insights with their audience while managing properties for clients.

Regular Car Reviews is a highly successful YouTube channel hosted by Mr. Regular that combines car reviews with pop culture references and social commentary. The channel has built a substantial following by creating hilarious and impressive content that appeals beyond just car enthusiasts. Mr. Regular shares insights on starting content publishing on YouTube four years ago and the journey of growing the channel into a thriving business.

Red Kite Prayer is a cycling-focused content business built by Patrick Brady. Patrick has built a sustainable living through writing and podcasting about cycling, becoming known as a respected voice in the cycling community and earning recognition as one of the industry's favorite bloggers and podcast hosts.