Founder's Leap

The frightening moment when someone decides to take the plunge and go full-time on their own project, without a backup job.

Hi! Welcome to the Founder's Leap newsletter.

I’m JD, and like many others, I'm trying to start my own business.

This involves failing a lot and learning from these failures. This often happens without seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for a long time - it's been over a year for me.

Hearing about others' success helps shortcut this process. It also gives me motivation to keep going.

Founder's Leap is my way of sharing the knowledge from successful people.

It's for those who are forever with one foot out the door, yearning for the right moment to leave. It’s for the ones that are tired of making someone else money while moving their own needle. It’s for the ones who are about to quit.

They have made it, and so can you.

Alex's history is one of the most inspiring out there. He went from bicycle courier to running a $7 million-a-year business in a decade, in a foreign country. His life path was full of ups and downs, but due to his resilience, he's made it and now serves as an inspiration to others.

Today, Find out his motivations, challenges, and the strategies he used. He took the Founder’s Leap from a secure job to a fulfilling entrepreneurial life.

What you will find today

• Founder’s card

• Background and current work

• Founder’s Leap and Monetization

• Growing as an entrepreneur

Founder’s card

Background and current work

Tell us about yourself, your background, and the path that led you to where you are today.

My journey to England in 2010 was initially planned as a temporary escape from a failed entrepreneurial attempt in Poland, where I had owned a streetwear shop.

It had started off well, attracting significant attention and achieving good sales. Unfortunately, due to my inexperience and some risky business decisions, the venture fell apart. I was left with debts that needed settling, so I moved to England with the intention of staying just long enough to get back on my feet financially.

However, the plan to return faded as I began to carve out a new life here. Over the years, I worked various jobs, starting as a bicycle courier, which was tough but taught me about resilience and perseverance.

I then transitioned into more stable roles, eventually finding myself in operations management for the UK’s largest private laboratory.

This experience reignited my entrepreneurial spirit, leading me to start a medical logistics company focused on the urgent delivery of medical supplies. 

We expanded rapidly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing vital testing services to big names such as Netflix and Amazon.

Despite the successes, and the steep learning curve, financial instability led to the liquidation of our ambitious project of a private lab.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m now focusing all my energies on building a new venture, BodyCheck.Me, which I believe synthesizes all my past business experiences into one promising enterprise.

Body Check Me is my current focus, aiming to integrate various health services under one umbrella. Within this new venture, one of our exciting projects is Perimeno, a specialized service for perimenopausal women.

This demographic often feels overlooked by mainstream healthcare, and we aim to offer comprehensive, tailored healthcare solutions that can make a significant difference during this challenging phase of their lives.

The service combines at-home blood tests with virtual consultations to provide insights and proactive health management.

This project not only helps in laying the groundwork for the larger Body Check Me vision but also serves as a critical test case for our approach to specialized health care, which we plan to replicate in other areas.

Founder’s Leap and Monetization

How much did you make before and after you start your bussiness?

During my initial days as a bicycle courier, I was making approximately £1300 a month. This increased to £2000 as I gained more experience and efficiency.

After transitioning to office roles, my earnings were reduced initially but eventually grew to a stable £32,000 annually as a senior operations controller.

Starting my own business initially pushed me back to a no-income phase, where I heavily relied on government support to sustain my family.

However, as the business stabilized and then expanded, especially during the pandemic, my earnings increased dramatically, reaching up to £10,000 a month.

Post-business sale and following some setbacks, I am now utilizing my savings to support myself and fund the initial stages of my new venture, with the hopes of surpassing my previous income levels once the business takes off.

Why did you decide you had to fully commit to your company - taking the Founder’s Leap?

The realization hit me when I saw my future mirrored in the faces of older colleagues who had spent decades in their roles without significant financial or professional growth.

I was ambitious and hungry for more than what my job could offer. The entrepreneurial drive never left me; it was just waiting for the right moment to re-emerge.

I knew I wanted more control over my financial future and a chance to impact the healthcare industry directly.

This realization came to me when I was working as a senior operations controller, a role that, despite its comforts, felt increasingly constrictive.

What was the scariest moment on the whole journey since leaving “regular job”?

The scariest moments are invariably linked to financial uncertainty. With a family depending on me, the pressure intensifies.

The most daunting times have been during transitions, such as when transitioning from the liquidation of the lab to starting anew with Body Check Me.

It's a stark reminder of the risks involved in entrepreneurship, but also a motivator to push through and strive for success despite the odds.

What was the most unexpected reward of quitting your job to start something?

One of the most unexpected rewards has been realizing how achievable certain dreams are. For instance, buying a car that I once considered a distant dream, and realizing that with the right mindset and effort, much more is achievable.

This has not only boosted my confidence but also expanded my horizons in terms of what I aim for in life.

It has been a liberating experience to see the tangible results of hard work and risk-taking, encouraging me to dream bigger and aim higher.

Growing as an entrepreneur

What marketing channel was the most important for your growth?

Initially, I heavily relied on word of mouth and referrals, which are incredibly powerful and cost-effective, especially when funds for marketing are limited.

As the business grew and resources became more abundant, paid advertising and strategic partnerships became vital. Utilizing online platforms to target specific demographics helped us reach a wider audience and scale up our operations more effectively.

Based on your experiences, what key piece of advice would you offer someone considering starting their own business?

My key piece of advice is to embrace risk-taking, particularly when you're younger and have fewer responsibilities. 

The entrepreneurial journey is fraught with challenges, but these are often balanced by substantial rewards.

Resilience is crucial; the road to success is rarely smooth, but perseverance and a willingness to adapt can turn potential failures into great successes.

Keep pushing forward, remain flexible, and be ready to seize opportunities as they come.

Where can people learn more about you and your products?

You can find more about my company and about Perimeno here, and you can reach how directly to me in my socials:
LinkedIn
X.com

You can also join my non-native-entrepreneur community here.

Thank you for joining us in this issue of Founder’s Leap, and a special thanks to Alex for telling us his amazing story. Reply to this email if you want to send me your feedback.

If you have a story to tell we would love to hear it! Fill out this form and we’ll get back to you.

See you in the next issue,

JD