Built from Scratch

The To-Do Dudes has officially turned five. What started out as yard work for my grandmother has turned into an operation with 36 team members, over 3,000 homeowners served, 7,000+ projects completed, and more than 500 five-star reviews on Google. Hitting this milestone has given me a chance to reflect on the journey. While we’ve had plenty of wins our team is proud of, there have also been many m...

Originally from Ontario, Canada, Sharuka’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2020, when she and her sister Navina turned a sewing machine and a passion for self-care into First Love —a brand rooted in fashion, wellness, and advocacy. What started with handmade silk scrunchies evolved into Everything Oil , a multipurpose hair and skin product Sharuka invested $20,000 of her own savings into. First L...

From hiring friends to building scorecards and screening 120+ applicants — here’s how our hiring and onboarding process evolved across field and admin roles. What we got wrong, what we fixed, and what you can steal to make your next hire your best one yet.  Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn .

This episode is for the entrepreneur at day one. After reflecting on my own journey, I’ve identified 7 key steps that helped me finally gain traction and move from idea to action. It took me a long time to figure things out — but my hope is that this episode can help you start stronger, avoid the stalls, and get your venture off the ground faster.  Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram , Fa...

Originally from Massachusetts, Matt dreamed of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. He started hustling early, launching a car detailing business at 13, proving his sales skills at 14 by selling a record-breaking 88 football booster cards, and leading an initiative as a 17 year old to raise $175,000 for cancer research in one night. His company Storage Scholars started in 2017 with $18,000, and has now...

We're currently experiencing a period of growth at The To-Do Dudes as we begin expanding into new markets. With that, the challenges of project management have become more complex. What worked last year will not continue to work this year. In this episode, I share what we used to do and how our approach has evolved today. Leila Hormozi Podcast Reference: https://open.spotify.com/show/5LMPzKk2...

In this episode, I talk about going from zero customers to a few customers during our Daytona Beach expansion. Using Alex Hormozi’s strategy of his “Core Four” to get customers, I show how we have adopted this for our customer acquisition strategy. This episode is for those that are just starting a company, looking for more customers, or expanding into a new territory.  Find Built From Scratch upd...

This episode is a bit different. As I reflect on Q1 of 2025, I’ve pulled together unfiltered audio memos and videos from throughout the quarter. To keep things raw and authentic, I only removed pauses to make your listening experience smoother. In this episode, I dive into: Why not fixing something that’s broken might actually be a good thing Why kids may hate school Why we should push even harder...

In this video I will talk about goal setting that took us from a failing company losing money, to hitting our first profitable year in 2024 with an even better outlook for 2025.  Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn .

Originally from Canada, Shubs graduated from the Ivey Business School and began his career in Mergers & Acquisitions and Innovation Banking. He was also part of the founding team of a Y Combinator-backed startup. Now, Shubs is the Co-Founder of Sharpstakes, a seven-figure business that provides sports betting recommendations. Since launching, he has attracted over tens of thousands of users na...

Is your week filled with distractions, an unorganized schedule, or, worse, no clear plan at all? In this episode, I break down my Sunday strategy for setting up a productive week. With a few simple adjustments, I’ve seen a big improvement in my focus, efficiency, and overall direction. Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn .

Five Founders on Hiring Employee #1 In this episode, I sit down with five entrepreneurs under 30 to discuss their experiences hiring their first full-time employee. These founders come from diverse industries, including food, collectibles, and labor staffing. You’ll hear from: Finn Gomez – Detroit Salsa Company Olivia Gargett – OG’s Bakery Chad Tjugum – Rarirty Coin Markets Adam Green – Stunio Zac...

Originally from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Canyon grew up as a multifaceted athlete, playing both baseball and hockey. His entrepreneurial journey began in 2019 when, as a senior in high school, he started a landscaping company called CP Landscaping Services. In September 2020, he decided to pursue a degree in finance and real estate, enrolling at the University of Wisconsin. Towards the end of his...

Sebastian earned his BBA from Babson College, graduating with the prestigious Dean’s Award Platinum Pin. He started his career as a Social Media Manager at ERIFIXSocial, building digital strategies from the ground up. In the underground rap scene, he made a name for himself as CHESCO, battling his way up to landing a Red Bull sponsorship. He’s also an Airbnb property owner, proving that his busine...

In this episode, I share my thoughts on the ten phases of building the To-Do Dudes team - from hiring neighborhood kids to creating a structured leadership and efficient field team operation.  Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn .

Originally from Edina, Minnesota, Michael started his entrepreneurial journey at a young age by reselling vintage clothes. In 2021, while attending Grand Canyon University, he went on to co-founded Chewk’s Cookies. What began in a dorm room quickly grew into a thriving business with two food trucks, a storefront, and features in outlets like Phoenix New Times . After selling his share of the compa...

Originally from Wyandotte, Michigan, Finn's journey began in middle school with a class assignment creating a pretend business. Inspired by his great-grandmother salsa recipe, he turned his idea into reality. Starting with local samples, it has grown into a storefront featured in 40 markets, including three Meijer stores. Finn has been featured on NPR, Fox 2 Detroit, along with other local ne...

Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Hunter’s entrepreneurial journey began in 5th grade, selling snow cones, flipping Jordan sneakers, and turning Goodwill finds into eBay gold. While he started strong, his path wasn’t without challenges. Living with a learning disability and battling self-doubt, Hunter transformed these obstacles into fuel for his success. He went on to study Entrepreneurship...

Originally from Manitoba, Canada, Maddie began her entrepreneurial journey at 13, landing a fashion internship with Triple Flip after pitching her designs to over 150 businesses. By high school, she co-founded Social Clothing, transforming a class project celebrating Canadian traditions into a full-time passion. In 2020, Maddie launched MAD Social Agency as a side hustle, quickly scaling it into a...

Originally from Huntington Beach, California, Jake’s entrepreneurial journey began at just 8 years old, selling hockey tape outside his local rink. Over the years, he’s built six businesses, including JPS Surfboards and Chore Hub, which employed 180 students to serve over 3,000 homeowners annually. At the end of 2022, Jake launched Snow Scholars, connecting college students with homeowners needing...

In this episode, I’m sharing my personal journey with performance evaluations—what we got wrong at first, what we’re doing better now, and how we plan to level up in the future to build stronger leaders. I’ll break it down into three parts: What We Did at the Start : And why it didn’t work. What We Do Now : It’s better, but still a work in progress. Where We’re Going : The changes we’ll make to tr...

Originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Justin grew up playing both basketball and football at a high level. In March 2022, he started attending Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, where he played Division II football. In 2023, Justin launched The Juice Products, inspired by his mom’s breast cancer diagnosis and the realization that many everyday products contain harmful chemicals...

From 2023 → 2024, I made five key changes that created for insightful takeaways. In this episode, I’m reflecting on those lessons and sharing the four adjustments I’m making to crush 2025. The new year is upon us—let’s make it the best one yet! Find Built From Scratch updates on Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn .

Originally from Bogota, Colombia Daniel’s family moved to the U.S. in 2015 in search of a better future. In 2019, he began his journey at Stetson University, initially pursuing a career in medicine, but quickly realized it wasn’t for him. Faced with the pandemic challenges of 2020, Daniel made a bold pivot, switching his major to business and launching his startup, in December of that year. Since...

Originally from Egypt, Kiro’s journey to the US began after a devastating cybersecurity incident bankrupted his family’s multimillion-dollar business. Seeking a fresh start, Kiro moved to the US with a mountain of debt and a determination to rebuild. In 2019, he began raising awareness about cybersecurity, a field he was deeply passionate about. Just a year later, in 2020, he founded his own compa...