Nick Green, Co-founder and CEO of Thrive Market, discusses his journey from struggling to secure funding to building an online grocery giant focused on healthy living. He shares how they creatively overcame initial setbacks and navigated the world of venture capitalism, eventually winning over critics with grassroots support from health influencers. The conversation dives into unexpected challenges, like a marketing mishap with coconut oil, and the importance of adaptability in entrepreneurship as they achieved rapid growth while staying mission-driven.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Accidental Entrepreneur
Nick Green saw an opportunity to become an SAT prep tutor while in high school.
He started by tutoring individuals, then expanded to classes held in his garage.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Incubate While in School
Consider incubating your business idea while still in school.
This allows for a running start and reduces the risk of pursuing entrepreneurship.
insights INSIGHT
Early Exit Trade-offs
Selling a business early can provide financial security but may not be fulfilling.
Pursue ventures that align with your values and passions for long-term satisfaction.
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In 'The 4-Hour Workweek', Timothy Ferriss presents a step-by-step guide to 'lifestyle design', encouraging readers to question the traditional notion of retirement and instead create a lifestyle that prioritizes freedom, adventure, and personal growth. The book teaches how to outsource life tasks, automate income, and eliminate unnecessary work using principles like the 80/20 rule and Parkinson’s Law. Ferriss shares his personal journey from a corporate workaholic to a location-independent entrepreneur and provides practical tips and case studies to help readers achieve similar results. The book emphasizes the importance of focusing on high-value activities, taking 'mini-retirements', and living life to the fullest in the present rather than deferring enjoyment until retirement.
The Paleo Manifesto
Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health
John Durant
In 'The Paleo Manifesto', John Durant argues for an evolutionary and revolutionary approach to health by examining how humans can thrive by mimicking elements of their natural habitat. The book blends science, culture, anthropology, and philosophy to provide insights into diet, movement, sleep, and other health concerns.
In 2013, Nick Green set out to solve a vexing problem: in many parts of the country, it’s hard to get access to healthy groceries. As a solution, Nick and his co-founders launched an e-commerce mashup of Whole Foods and Costco, where members purchase healthy foods online at a discount.
When it came time to ask venture capitalists for funding, dozens of VC’s said no–but thanks to hundreds of small checks written by health bloggers, Thrive Market pulled together enough money to launch in 2014. Within a year, the founders had proven the VC’s wrong, but still scrambled to fuel the pace of growth, while keeping the business afloat. Today, Thrive Market has over 1.5 million paid members and, last year, brought in over $500 million in sales.
How I Built This with Guy Raz 
