Mar 10 2025 31 mins 5
Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Thomas Rudy (https://x.com/@rudythesnowman)!
We dive deep into Thomas's fascinating entrepreneurial journey, starting way back with some rule-breaking mystery boxes on eBay in the early days of online business. We explore how he transitioned from that to the world of retail arbitrage, his surprising detour through college basketball (and almost becoming an accountant!), and ultimately his path into web development and the building of a successful performance marketing agency, 1020, which he eventually sold to Benzinga.
We also uncover the inner workings of performance marketing, the incredible growth he spearheaded at Benzinga, and his insights on the ever-evolving landscape of SEO and affiliate revenue.
Finally, we delve into his latest venture, Data Shopper, a company tackling data in a whole new way, moving beyond reliance on giants like Google and Meta. It's a story of hustle, scrappiness, and constant evolution in the world of business.
Questions This Episode Answers:
What was your very first online business ventureHow did you transition from basic programming to building and selling a marketing agency?
What exactly is performance marketing?
How did your performance marketing strategies contribute to Benzinga's rapid growth?
How does your new company, Data Shopper, help businesses target customers without solely relying on Google and Meta?
Enjoy the conversation!
Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.
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This week we covered:
00:00 Highlights
00:30 Introduction to the Entrepreneur's Journey
00:52 The eBay Mystery Box Venture
04:41 Transition to Software Development
06:58 Building and Selling an Agency
07:34 Performance Marketing Explained
10:02 Success with Benzinga
19:31 Challenges in SEO and Marketing
22:06 Introduction to Data Shopper
23:50 How Data Shopper Works
28:06 Legal and Ethical Considerations
31:05 Conclusion and Future Plans
