A Toilet Paper-Filled Reflection of 2012

To say that this year has been a roller coaster is an understatement. However, most people use the metaphor to explain the ups and downs. I want to use it a little differently, in that the time spent moving up is simply preparing for the thrill of going down. The downward part is what I like to think of as the thrill and success of all the preparation before. Of course it might be rocky along the way, but once you get over those obstacles, you see the true success of the long hard hours you just put in.

Let’s think back to where I was last Winter break. I was taking my flight home thinking to myself, “how can I be productive in the airport and on the flight?” And then I knew! I could start to memorize the numbers about the company, like how many ads would a company get for $100 at half a cent per ad? Or how many rolls would that purchase get them? Little did I know that knowledge like that would soon become engrained into the back of my brain. There is no way I could have ever made a sale if I had to think about it and calculate that every time someone asked me how many ads they would be receiving. Just like everyone always says, knowing your numbers is essential to being confident and, as a result, making the sale.

I have to say, this summer really changed my opinion of what it is to be an entrepreneur. Previously, with all 3 of our first venues in Ann Arbor, I had a very hands-off responsibility. It was always Jordan calling me to ask my opinion, or making an ad, or doing some other backend work. But I soon came to the realization that a position like that is not what I want nor the way I can run the company. I need to have firsthand experience in order to be able to figure out the best and most efficient path to take. Anyway, that is the fun part!

A lot of people complain about how being an entrepreneur is such long hours and such long work. And it is, but there is no way I am going to complain about it. I love every aspect of this company, whether it is the glamorous parts or the grunt work. Without any of the grunt work, there would be no sense of passion and no sense of accomplishment to work from. When people ask me my favorite part of the company, my answer always consists of two parts. First, I love the learning aspect of the company. There are so many things that I have learned by running this company that school can never teach you. The best way to learn is absolutely by getting out in the real world and actually doing it, whatever it may be. Second, I love every meeting, regardless of the result. The passion that these business owners evoke is so unbelievable. They work with their heart and soul day in and day out, and it is so admirable.

Fast forward to August, which we can call the glamorous or the down part of the roller coaster. Jordan and I toiled through the summer, which was that ride up, preparing for what was about to come. As move-in date for my sophomore year approached, I received notice that I was a finalist in Entrepreneur Magazine’s College Entrepreneur of the Year. As you all know, this dream of mine came true due to all of your support. In addition to your support, we received national (even global) attention from media outlets such as CNN, CBS, CNBC, Fox Business, radio shows like the Bob & Tom Show and 1010 WINS, and publications like USA Today and the Detroit Free Press. The whole experience was absolutely surreal with more and more publicity coming the whole way. However, Jordan and I made that not to let it slow us down. This just meant that we gained recognition by more people and that more people were relying on us to make this happen. We had to work even harder, it was not a time to let down. We had to push ourselves right back up that hill to prepare for the next thrill that would occur.

After experiencing a summer working with Jordan, it was time to take all that we had learned and apply it by ourselves. The first few weeks were definitely rocky as we made our ways up that slope. It was an adjustment for me to basically start with a new slate in Jordan, and for Jordan to begin ensuring proof of concept and our plan for expansion. Fortunately, there has been a great reception in Durham and I was able to complete (or almost complete) 2 venues in Blue Note Grill and Devine’s. Keep your eyes open for updates on the move-in dates for our supply for these venues.

October marked a major milestone for the company. We acquired office space and hired our first two employees in Stover and Jose, who have been just absolutely incredible. This was no longer a cool idea, this was real. We had over 50 advertisers, 5 venues, and now 2 employees and office space.

The nerve-wracking part was our proof of concept. We knew we had a cool idea, but was it legitimate? Was it innovative enough to at least have potential to be the next big marketing tool? Fortunately for us, we not only had a great set of 30 initial advertisers, but it was also successful for them. So successful in fact, that we filled up our seventh venue just with renewals of companies who wanted to increase their spending with us!

Throughout this jibber jabber of a reflection on the year, there are a few things that I have taken from this year. First and foremost, this is real and this is happening. Star Toilet Paper is no longer a cool concept. It is a functioning business, bringing in revenue for ourselves as well as for other companies who advertise with us. Second of all, I learned what true hard work is. Yes, hard work in high school was playing 120 minutes of a soccer game in overtime or doing work until 11 PM to study for a test the next day. But real hard work is working to a deadline, staying up until 3 AM to complete a proposal for a potential client. But more than that, hard work isn’t bad. When that work is something you love doing, it turns into something fun, something that you look forward to doing. And lastly, I have to say that I have caught a bug. This entrepreneurial bug is not simply answering that I am an entrepreneur or I have my own business when someone asks me what my job is. It is a mindset and a way of thinking that consumes your life. You are always thinking of an innovative way to problem solve, or another way to disrupt the status quo, or perhaps it is just thinking a little bit differently than everyone else.

So what has 2012 brought us? A whole lot more than proof of concept. It has brought us a new found sense of motivation and a foundation for the future.

Our New Year’s Resolution for 2013: Expand and build a toilet paper empire. What exactly is ahead of us for 2013? Looks like you will have to stay updated to find out. Cheers to everyone and have a Happy New Year. And remember, Don’t Rush, Look Before You Flush!

I thought I would end the year off with a picture of Jordan and myself, just a few years ago. If these two knuckleheads can do it, then with a little heart and passion (or a lot), anyone can!