Jaclyn Johnson

Oh, yeah. So we were bootstrapped. So it was obviously everything is felt 10 times more, I think, when you're bootstrapped.

Oh, yeah. So we were bootstrapped. So it was obviously everything is felt 10 times more, I think, when you're bootstrapped.

no so i put in initially fifty thousand dollars my partner put in two hundred and fifty thousand dollars as like a loan to the company we paid ourselves back actually within a year based on the profits and things like that that's the only capital that was ever put into the business

no so i put in initially fifty thousand dollars my partner put in two hundred and fifty thousand dollars as like a loan to the company we paid ourselves back actually within a year based on the profits and things like that that's the only capital that was ever put into the business

no so i put in initially fifty thousand dollars my partner put in two hundred and fifty thousand dollars as like a loan to the company we paid ourselves back actually within a year based on the profits and things like that that's the only capital that was ever put into the business

So I'm actually the worst person to ask about this because I paid myself the same salary for truly like 10 years. had the notion and what's widely known is like the founder never pays themselves a lot. Like the high paid founder is usually a red flag, depending on what your revenue is, obviously.

So I'm actually the worst person to ask about this because I paid myself the same salary for truly like 10 years. had the notion and what's widely known is like the founder never pays themselves a lot. Like the high paid founder is usually a red flag, depending on what your revenue is, obviously.

So I'm actually the worst person to ask about this because I paid myself the same salary for truly like 10 years. had the notion and what's widely known is like the founder never pays themselves a lot. Like the high paid founder is usually a red flag, depending on what your revenue is, obviously.

But for me, I basically, I think I went in at like $100,000 and I stayed at $100,000 for truly like 10 years. And so I was really just putting everything back into the business. I will say until I brought a CFO COO on probably in 2018 and she was like, you're grossly underpaid. And she was like, we need to change this. You need to make more money. And so that's when things shifted.

But for me, I basically, I think I went in at like $100,000 and I stayed at $100,000 for truly like 10 years. And so I was really just putting everything back into the business. I will say until I brought a CFO COO on probably in 2018 and she was like, you're grossly underpaid. And she was like, we need to change this. You need to make more money. And so that's when things shifted.

But for me, I basically, I think I went in at like $100,000 and I stayed at $100,000 for truly like 10 years. And so I was really just putting everything back into the business. I will say until I brought a CFO COO on probably in 2018 and she was like, you're grossly underpaid. And she was like, we need to change this. You need to make more money. And so that's when things shifted.

So I had a nice windfall from the first exit. So I used that money to actually buy my first house. So I had equity in the housing market, which was really great. And then I also had a really big windfall from an angel investment I made. So those two things were actually what really propelled me through the next few years. And then we did take distributions occasionally from the company as well.

So I had a nice windfall from the first exit. So I used that money to actually buy my first house. So I had equity in the housing market, which was really great. And then I also had a really big windfall from an angel investment I made. So those two things were actually what really propelled me through the next few years. And then we did take distributions occasionally from the company as well.

So I had a nice windfall from the first exit. So I used that money to actually buy my first house. So I had equity in the housing market, which was really great. And then I also had a really big windfall from an angel investment I made. So those two things were actually what really propelled me through the next few years. And then we did take distributions occasionally from the company as well.

Yeah, no, it's such a good question. And now I say, I always tell people, I'm like, you really have to prioritize your own personal wealth when building a company. Do you do that year one? Probably not. But like year four, year five, you really need to start thinking through your own personal exit strategy. What is the financial success look like for you?

Yeah, no, it's such a good question. And now I say, I always tell people, I'm like, you really have to prioritize your own personal wealth when building a company. Do you do that year one? Probably not. But like year four, year five, you really need to start thinking through your own personal exit strategy. What is the financial success look like for you?

Yeah, no, it's such a good question. And now I say, I always tell people, I'm like, you really have to prioritize your own personal wealth when building a company. Do you do that year one? Probably not. But like year four, year five, you really need to start thinking through your own personal exit strategy. What is the financial success look like for you?

Because I think we often put ourselves on the backbone. burner. So I would say it's typically a ratio of revenue, right? So there's a lot of things online you can read about this, et cetera, but like the revenue you're making should be reflective of your salary.

Because I think we often put ourselves on the backbone. burner. So I would say it's typically a ratio of revenue, right? So there's a lot of things online you can read about this, et cetera, but like the revenue you're making should be reflective of your salary.

Because I think we often put ourselves on the backbone. burner. So I would say it's typically a ratio of revenue, right? So there's a lot of things online you can read about this, et cetera, but like the revenue you're making should be reflective of your salary.