How to Found, Fund, and Scale a Successful Startup | An Interview with David Roger, the co-founder CEO and of Felix Gray

Show Notes

How David Roger (The founder of Felix Gray) funded his company eyewear company via Indiegogo, how he landed a manufacturer in China, how he gained his first 10 customers, how he scaled his company and how he’s helping you to see better without strained eyes, chronic headaches, etc.

https://www.forbes.com/profile/david-roger/#713e53cb6e4a 

https://shopfelixgray.com/ 

https://www.forbes.com/profile/david-roger/#713e53cb6e4a

Show Notes – 

1. Yes, yes, yes and yes! Thrivetime Nation on today’s show we are interviewing David Roger who is the CEO and Co-founder of Felix Gray, which pioneered the Blue Light glasses space. David Roger, welcome onto the Thrivetime Show, how are you sir?! 
2. I know that you’ve had a ton of success at this point in your career, but I would love to start off at the bottom and the very beginning of your career. What was your life like growing up and where did you grow up?
3. When did you first figure out what you wanted to do professionally?
4. David, I understand that you and your co-founder Chris Benedict came from roles in technology and finance that required long hours in front of screens. They’d leave work with strained eyes, headaches, and blurry vision. David and Chris wished for a solution, but couldn’t find a product that truly married fashion with function.
5. When you did you first have the idea to go on all in and to start your company Felix Gray?
   1. NOTE: They decided to change that by launching Felix Gray in 2016—making high-quality lenses embedded with a proprietary Blue Light filtering technology, set in handcrafted Italian acetate frames. To date, Felix Gray has serviced over 400,000 happy eyes.
6. For those that don’t know the story, where does the name Felix Gray come from?
7. I would love for you to share about the science behind blue light?
8. How did you go about funding for Felix Gray and where did you physically start the company from?
9. How did you go about getting your first 10 customers?
10. When did you first feel like you were truly beginning to gain traction with your career?

 

NOTABLE QUOTABLE – “I went to Google, typed in San Francisco chauffeur or San Francisco limousine, I just filled out an excel sheet and I just started dialing for dollars, right? First ten guys I called, three of them hung up before I got a few words out, a few of them would listen for like 45 seconds and then hung up, and three of them said ‘I’m interested, let’s meet.’. And if you’re cold calling and three out of ten say ‘let’s meet’, you’ve got something.” – Travis Kalanick (Founder of Uber)

 

1. What was the toughest part of getting Felix Gray off of the ground?
2. When you were at the bottom, what did you learn most from this experience?
3. David in your mind what is digital wellness and why are you passionate about it? 
4. Today, I’d love for you to share with the listeners about the kinds of projects that you are up to?
5. How, you come across as a very proactive person…so how do you typically organize the first four hours of your and what time do you typically wake up?
6. What are a few of your daily habits that you believe have allowed you to achieve success?
7. What mentor has made the biggest impact on your career thus far?
8. We find that most successful entrepreneurs tend to have idiosyncrasies that are actually their super powers…what idiosyncrasy do you have?
9. You are super successful, but what do you struggle with the most…what is your weakness…what is your kryptonite? 
10. What are a couple of books that you believe that all of our listeners should read?
11. You’ve got the mic, what is one thing that you want to share with the Thrive Nation before you drop the mic?

Recommended Reading:

1. The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Five-Dysfunctions-Team-Leadership-Fable/dp/0787960756/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+5+Dysfunctions+of+a+Team&qid=1582322710&sr=8-1 
2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight – 

Barbarian Days by William Finnegan – https://www.amazon.com/Barbarian-Days-Surfing-William-Finnegan/dp/0143109391/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Barbarian+Days&qid=1582322816&s=books&sr=1-2