From Startup to Success: Lessons from Timothy Armoo's Journey to an 8-Figure Sale with Fanbytes

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It’s Sunday, 17th March 2024, and in this week’s roundup, learn in 5 minutes or less:

• Career Story: How Timothy Armoo started and sold Fanbytes in a Multi-Million Pound Sale💸

• Productivity: The Best AI tools to get more s*it done 💻

• Make More Money at Work: Top tips to secure the bag 💴

• Weekly round-up: What else happened this week, from a potential TikTok ban and Meghan Markle’s new business idea set to make millions.

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NEED TO KNOW

This week, the key things you need to know are:

• Cryptocurrency - The most profitable sector in cryptocurrency in this bull run is Meme coins. One of the coins making crazy gains is Shiba Inu, which has grown by 177%

• Stock - These are the 20 best-performing stocks where you can have your money working for you.

• Careers Advice - Great advice from a CEO on how to create a career you love.

• Job Market - Tech layoffs have been the highest since the 2001 dot-com crash. Here is how laid-off employees are navigating the job market

 CAREER CORNER

How Timothy Armoo started and scaled Fanbytes and later sold it in £10,000,000+ Exit

This week, we are looking at the Career Story of an Entrepreneur.

We recently spoke to Timothy Armoo and learned about his journey from startup to success with Fanbytes. Here's a brief overview of his career story:

Timothy Armoo, a young entrepreneur with a passion for marketing and technology, founded Fanbytes in 2017 in his second year of university. Armed with a vision to revolutionize how brands connect with Generation Z through social media, Armoo started Fanbytes as a platform specializing in TikTok influencer marketing.

In the early days, Fanbytes faced its fair share of challenges. Armoo hustled tirelessly, building relationships with influencers, refining the platform's algorithms, and fine-tuning the marketing strategies to resonate with the youth audience. He managed to scale his operation to 80 people, working with brands like Nike, Samsung, and the UK government to run their social influencer campaigns. He sold it in May 2022 in a multi-eight-figure exit.

With dedication and innovation at its core, Fanbytes quickly gained traction in the digital marketing landscape. As TikTok surged in popularity, Fanbytes positioned itself as a go-to solution for brands looking to engage with the platform's burgeoning user base.

Through strategic partnerships, creative campaigns, and a deep understanding of youth culture, Fanbytes soared to new heights under Armoo's leadership. The company's unique approach to influencer marketing, leveraging data-driven insights and creative storytelling, set it apart in a crowded market.

In a recent interview, we posed several questions to Timo. Here are the key insights and quotes highlighting his perspective on the factors that led to his success:

✅ “The best high-income skills for my business were Marketing, Sales to large customers, and Public speaking to sell to larger audiences. As the team grew, I then focused on learning about leadership and business strategy to understand the commercials on how to sell a business.” These are the skills I would recommend to new Founders.

✅ “Self-belief is crucial to get ahead. Even if you don’t understand something, you should build an identity to figure out things and have self-belief. I have always backed myself to go and figure it out.”

✅ “You should start small and perform at a higher level as you progress.” Give yourself time to get better.

✅ “Dont let your ego make decisions, you will lose in the long run. Listen to employees’ ideas.” You don’t always have to be right.

✅ “Level up through books from people two steps ahead of you.” This will give you tactical advice on what to do next in your business from those who have walked the path you are on.

These are some of the highlights from our conversation; start implementing these tips to get ahead quicker if you have started a side hustle or launched a business full-time.

GET MORE SH*T DONE

Prioritize Tedious Tasks, Not Time Management

Like every corporate professional, time just has this way of flying in the day, and if you are not careful, you will reach 5 p.m. and wonder why your to-do list is still long with multiple items yet to be completed.

Busy professionals often focus on time management techniques. Here's a twist: Leverage AI to free up your mental space, not just your minutes.

Identify repetitive tasks that drain your focus (e.g., data entry, scheduling meetings, summarizing emails). Many AI tools can automate these, allowing you to concentrate on high-value activities that require strategic thinking and human connection. This frees up mental energy for what you do best, boosting productivity without cramming more into your day.

Here are some specific examples of AI tools that can automate tasks for busy professionals:

• Data Entry: Tools like Nanonet use AI and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to automatically populate spreadsheets and databases from physical documents, receipts, or digital scans.

• Scheduling: AI assistants like Clara by Microsoft can analyze your calendar and suggest optimal times for meetings, taking into account attendee availability and potential conflicts.

• Content Creation: AI writing assistants like Kaola and Jasper can help draft emails, social media posts, or even blog outlines, saving you time on the initial brainstorming and writing.

Try these over the course of the next few weeks and let us know how you get on 😅

BEST FROM TIKTOK THIS WEEK

@careersbychris

Save this because it will help you prep for nearly every interview! There are core questions you should always prep for because you will l... See more

LEVEL UP

How You Are Going to Get Promoted This Year Guide

When I worked at Atos in 2015, I had a goal to go from Contract Manager to Senior Commercial Manager. I knew if I could get a promotion, it would mean more responsibility, but I also knew that I had the ability to demand more money when I jumped ship. In order to get promoted, this is exactly what I did that worked for me. Try these:

1. Support Your Boss: Take the initiative to address your supervisor's concerns and alleviate their workload, showcasing your reliability and commitment to the team's success. Offer to cover their duties during their absence to demonstrate your dependability.

2. Seek Feedback: Continuously strive for improvement by actively seeking constructive criticism and investing in skill development. Demonstrating openness to feedback signals your readiness to grow and adapt.

3. Foster Relationships: Cultivate strong connections within your organization, as they may influence promotion decisions. Treat colleagues with kindness and respect, fostering a supportive work environment that encourages collaboration. This will also help when it's time when your manager goes around and asks for feedback on your performance…

STUFF WE ARE LOVING RIGHT NOW

Interactive Investor is the perfect investment platform. It is a low-cost, award-winning, online investment platform enabling you to invest in stocks easily and manage shares, funds, SIPPs, ISAs & more.

Course Careers is ideal for someone trying to get into a career with Tech and start for FREE.

Skillshare is perfect for those keen on learning a new skill and for continual learning in the creator economy. Anyone can take an online class, watch video lessons, create projects, and even teach a class themselves on topics ranging from videography, Facebook ads and growing a personal brand on Tik Tok.

MEMES & BANTER

BEFORE YOU GO

Celebrity News:  Meghan Markle, formerly known for her role in 'Suits' and later as a duchess, has launched a California-inspired lifestyle brand named American Riviera Orchard. This venture marks her return to the world of lifestyle branding after the closure of her previous blog, the Tig, seven years ago. Read more about her new venture here.

Business: The National Association of Realtors has reached a significant settlement, marking the end of the traditional 6% commission on home transactions in the US. This landmark agreement, resulting from antitrust lawsuits, involves a payment of $418 million in damages and eliminates commission rules, promising to lower the costs associated with buying and selling homes substantially. Read more here

Tech:  US politicians are considering legislation that would prohibit TikTok in the United States unless its Chinese owners divest the company. This move comes amid concerns regarding the app's data security and ties to the Chinese government despite its widespread global user base. Read more here to find out why the US wants to bank TikTok and when it could happen.

Travel: For career professionals who frequently travel for business, finding ways to minimize expenses while maximizing comfort and convenience is key. One strategy professionals employ to achieve this balance is leveraging travel points and miles. By strategically accumulating and redeeming points, professionals can unlock a world of travel benefits and elevate their travel experiences to new heights. To learn more about how to maximize your travel points and unlock their benefits, check out this article here.

QUOTES & MOTIVATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

• 1-2-1 Consultation Careers Advice: Most people take this time to ask me for guidance for their career, turning their high-income skills into a consultancy business, improving their CV/Resume or Proposals to secure 6-figure+ jobs and high ticket day rates/retainer contracts.

• Career Growth Bundle Pack & Personalised Resume Review: Download the bundle to get everything you need to achieve your career goals.

• Personal Finance & Wealth Builders Bundle Package: Supercharge your finances with a suite of tools.

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