Photo Courtesy of Intelligrated Information International (3i)
You absolutely have to get out of your comfort zone. That is where the magic happens.
Name: Intelligrated Information International (3i)
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Mobile App: SuppleMENTAL
Product / Service Offering: Mobile App called SuppleMENTAL
Co-founder Interviewed: Tim Mielke
Other Key Management Team Members: Nick Moore, Greg Buns
This article is part of our Business Startup Spotlight series featuring entrepreneurs and their companies. We hope that these founders’ interviews will inspire and motivate you as you undertake your own entrepreneurial journey.
Tell us a little about yourself with a focus on what motivates you?
I’m an externally motivated person. This project really drives me because I can see the need and potential to help so many people all across the world. The people who have heard the idea loved it and are eagerly waiting for it to become available. I constantly think of ideas for future upgrades and these all serve as motivation to make it the best it can be.
When did you establish your company and where did the idea originate?
We established the company in March 2016 so we are very new. I have written two books about nutritional supplements (The Book of Supplement Secrets: A Beginner’s Guide to Nutritional Supplements, and The Supplement Guide: An Unbiased Review of the Best and Worst Sports Supplements). These addressed the issue that most people have no idea what they are putting into their body, and for the most part, take blind advice from an undereducated store clerk who, at the end of the day, wants to sell products. I wanted to get the information from my books to phones, without them being the typical e-book. That idea quickly turned into our application.
What need or needs does your company seek to fill for its customers?
We want to put the buying power back in the customer’s hands. Having worked in the nutritional supplement industry for about a decade plus doing freelance work and my own research, I have seen just how uninformed buyers are when it comes to supplements. Again, taking blind advice or relying on a paid endorsement is really no way to get the most from a supplement.
What is the one thing that sets your company apart from its competitors?
We are third-party and unbiased. We are not out to sell a specific supplement line.
What was the biggest challenge you faced while getting your company up and running, and how did you overcome it?
The amount of information out there is immense. Sifting through it all takes time. You just have to set a goal with an end-date, set aside time every day to work on it, and make sure you do what you need to do to reach that goal.
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Are there resources you have utilized that other founders might find compelling or useful.
Our best resource has been networking. It has taken us from three guys building this in our spare time to a network that can mold the application into a major force in the supplement industry.
Interested in learning more about different resources? See our Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Spotlight Series.
What steps have you taken to secure funding for your company and what, if anything, would you do differently if you had to start over?
If we could start over, we would have a stronger revenue model from the start. None of us have a business background; it was all a mystery to us. After being accepted into the UpTech program, our business model is more solid.
Have there been any questions you have had as an entrepreneur of a fledgling startup that you had a particularly hard time finding the answers to?
We have had plenty of questions, but nothing that we were not able to find the answer. We have a great network of advisors that have been able to help us at all stages along the way.
What challenges, if any, are you grappling with?
Again, the amount of information that we have to sift through is massive. It just takes time.
Seeking tools to guide you through the startup process? TurboFunder Concept is Free and can help map your path!
What is the most helpful tip or “hack” you’ve ever learned, stumbled across, or been given?
Get out of your comfort zone! As a naturally introverted person, meeting new people can be tough. I knew if I wanted to be successful that I would have to start networking. Since doing so, although it may not be available just yet, it has grown so fast lately. I sometimes cannot believe I have gone from a desk and a laptop to an actual company with two partners, a freelance employee, and an office. I am a member of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, a member of UpTech 5, and more. So you absolutely have to get out of your comfort zone. That is where the magic happens.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your company?
We should be looking for beta testers by the end of the year.
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Sandra Sloan
Sandra has previous supply chain and business operations experience which she is leveraging as an author with FundingSage focused on spotlighting entrepreneurs and their startup efforts.
