Ep 225: Turning a Car Accident into a Million Dollar T-Shirt Company With Rishi Narayan, Underground Printing

When Rishi Narayan’s car broke down, his tow truck driver provided an opportunity that changed everything.

In this episode, Rishi Narayan, Founder of Underground Printing and several other companies, shares his story while imparting the principles of entrepreneurship. He talks about how a great product or service will ultimately lead to more word-of-mouth than paid ads ever could. Listen up and learn from this seasoned entrepreneur!

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE

• Most successful businesses started as side hustles. You don’t have to quit your job and give up everything else to start a business.
• We often think that scaling means 100%-200% growth but often is instead slow and steady.
• Crowdfunding is a great customer discovery portal.
• Not all businesses are built on high returns.
• Focusing on the fundamentals is essential. It’s easy to get lost in the noise as you scale, but there’s a reason these practices are ‘tried and tested’.
• Ultimately, scaling is going to rely on word-of-mouth more than anything else. Paid ads will grow increasingly saturated until breaking even with ads is next to impossible.

Recommended App: Super Human Snooze Email Function

https://superhuman.com

Recommended Podcast:

Armchair Expert https://armchairexpertpod.com

SmartLess Podcast https://www.smartless.com

WorkLife https://www.adamgrant.net/podcast/

Business Wars https://wondery.com/shows/business-wars/

TODAY’S GUEST

Rishi Narayan is an entrepreneur and early-stage investor based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He founded several companies, including Underground Printing, Chibor Angels, and AFC Ann Arbor.

He also hosts the South U Stories Podcast. He is currently a lecturer for the Center for Entrepreneurship and serves as the board chair for the Ann Arbor Sports Commission.

Connect and learn more about Rishi and his company here: 

Website: https://undergroundshirts.com

https://rishinarayan.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishinarayan/

As a thank you for listening, we’re offering our podcast listeners a completely FREE eCommerce Growth Plan for your brand! In this plan, we’ll dissect what’s working and what isn’t with your current marketing efforts, and give you all the tips needed to see immediate results. To learn more, click here:

https://mindfulmarketing.co/growthplan-app

This episode’s sponsor is Finale Inventory- the ultimate solution for accurate and efficient inventory management. Trusted by thousands of brands, Finale offers seamless integrations with over 80 sales channels and platforms.

With customizable workflows and reporting features, Finale empowers you to streamline operations and scale your business with ease, preventing overselling and maximizing profitability.

Whether you're juggling multiple platforms, expanding your product range or just looking for a way to reduce operational chaos, Finale has the tools you need to succeed. Step into the future of e-commerce with Finale Inventory.

Learn more here: Finale Inventory