Who is Joe?
Joe is the co-founder and CFO of “Twos ✌️” – an app that helps people simply remember *things*. More importantly, Joe is a resident of Tampa Bay, a die-hard fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, an avid rollerblader, and the sole proprietor of a mean chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Tell us more about your role in Twos?
As I’m sure you’ve heard before, being a startup founder requires you to wear many hats. So my day-to-day is rarely the same but I absolutely love it. At the core, I am responsible for our financials, marketing, relationship building, and anything else that feels like it will drive success for our company.
What is the most difficult part of your job? But the most rewarding one?
Content marketing. Since we are a consumer-facing app, all of our marketing comes from social media and word-of-mouth. TikTok, Instagram reels, and Youtube Shorts are all new but effective ways of getting in front of large audiences. The challenge is making content that people want to watch while highlighting your product in an agreeable way. So we are constantly trying new things but when videos get going in terms of views, likes, and other engagement – it is very intoxicating.
Is there anything that you would change about your professional path?
I feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity where I am in life. I would have never expected to be running my own company at any point in my career, let alone something I am so passionate about. What has worked well are my limited liabilities combined with a low cost of living, which give me the opportunity to make the most out of this experience. So no changes as of yet.
What’s your key strategy for the development of your company?
Having a co-founder with a complementary skill set to my own. Parker is one of the best all-around programmers in the world and had the initial vision for Twos. I make myself most valuable in the areas that he needs support in while he is focused on building the product and being the anchor for the company. We call ourselves the yin and yang – two completely different sides with a little bit of each other in both.
What do you think about the next period of time, keeping in mind the pandemic and the new business climate? How will your industry be affected?
People will always need a great place to write things down. Our ancestors have been writing for thousands of years from using blood on cave walls to quill and feather. The benefits of writing are most clear to those who make a habit of it. I also believe that the pandemic has shown the benefits of journaling your thoughts and feelings for which Twos is a great platform. Of course, the business climate will be a challenge but nothing a great product and team can’t overcome.
Please name a few technologies which have the greatest impact on your business.
I realize how this may sound – but the technology that has made the biggest impact is Twos. My co-founder and I use Twos for every *thing*. From our weekly sprint goals, daily to-dos, ideas we have for the business, etc. Founders and business owners are always on the move so having a quick, easy, and accessible place to write *things* we want to remember has made a huge impact.
What books do you have on your nightstand?
I am currently reading “Traction: how any startup can achieve explosive customer growth.” Recently finished both “Atomic Habits” by James Clear and “Fundraising” by Ryan Breslow (while taking notes in Twos). I highly recommend all three for a healthy dose of reading for anyone who is looking to start their own business.
