FAIL: "I Started an Online Wine Business Right Before Lockdown"

Josh Lachovic, ex-startup founder turned growth agency founder, shares his journey from digital marketing roots to founding a wine startup that experienced meteoric growth during the pandemic, only to face the harsh reality when lockdown behaviors proved unsustainable.

• Started in SEO and content writing at a PR agency, combining his tech background with writing skills
• Moved to Pact Coffee before their Series A, experiencing the shift from agency to startup life
• Joined health-tech Thriver as first employee and head of growth, growing from 500 to 100,000 customers
• Launched WineList in 2019, initially as a podcast before evolving into a subscription service
• Went full-time on March 1, 2020, with lockdown creating perfect market conditions initially
• Revenue jumped from £3,000 to £50,000 within months, leading to rapid expansion
• Pandemic success created false impression of product-market fit
• As restrictions eased, retention declined dramatically despite various pivot attempts
• Business shut down in September 2021 after funding fell through
• Reflects that he should have recognized warning signs earlier rather than letting money run out

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