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Should a Full Nail Salon Open a Second Location? · How I Built This with Guy Raz

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Advice Line with Tope Awotona of Calendly

Today’s callers: Dominic in London faces challenges with profitability and scaling for his foldable bike helmet. Then, Ivana in Vancouver wonders how to maintain the momentum of her pet gear brand as she prepares for the arrival of her first child. Danny in South Carolina wants to expand her nail salon concept without making major trade-offs in her family…

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Notes

  1. What Is Calendly's AI Assistant Kali? at 5:39

    Tope Awotona says Calendly's AI assistant is Kali. The company has repositioned from a scheduling platform to a meeting assistant platform. Full answer

  2. Can Founders Ship Software Without Much Money? at 7:43

    Tope Awotona says founders can still launch application software without a lot of money. A frontier lab needs billions of dollars. Full answer

  3. Should a Hardware Startup Manufacture at Home or Overseas? at 14:12

    Guy Raz tells Dominic, who makes the Newlane folding bike helmet in the United Kingdom, to pick one path: push the made-in-the-UK label as a premium, or… Full answer

  4. Who Should a Bike Helmet Brand Market to? at 16:20

    Tope Awotona tells Dominic, who makes the Newlane folding bike helmet, to market to the person who gets the rider to wear a helmet, not only to the cyclist. Full answer

  5. Should a Founder Pause Growth for a New Baby? at 31:30

    Guy Raz tells Ivana, founder of Playfield, that an ambitious founder may need to put the brakes on for a couple of months. Full answer

  6. Why Did Calendly's Marketer Become Customer Success? at 32:44

    Tope Awotona's first employee at Calendly was an engineer. The next hire was a marketer, brought in to grow the top line and increase demand. Full answer

  7. What Is Builder Gel at the Nail Room? at 36:43

    Danny, who owns The Nail Room in Greer, South Carolina, says builder gel is a clear, thick gel applied to the natural nail so the nail gets stronger. Full answer

  8. Should a Full Nail Salon Open a Second Location? at 45:18

    Tope Awotona tells Danny, who owns The Nail Room, not to open a second location yet. Full answer

  9. How Should a Small Brand Pick Which Sales Channel to Focus on? at 53:31

    Tope Awotona says a small brand should pick one or two sales channels and put 80% of the founder's time there, while still keeping some diversification. Full answer

  10. Why Build Calendly Around the Customer? at 56:57

    Tope Awotona says the lesson 13 years into Calendly is to build a business around a customer and not a product, and he calls that shift maybe the biggest… Full answer

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