Endeavors

Copying Isn’t Cheating (in some cases)— It’s Smart Strategy

“I wanted to win the Olympic gold medal. She did it. I figured, if I copied everything she did, I would win the Olympic gold medal too.”

I’m paraphrasing here, but that’s what Nastia Liukin, Olympic gold medalist, told me the first time we met. She was referring to another gold medalist gymnast who practiced at her gym. We were just starting to work together on TULA, where she became our first brand ambassador. Her mindset stuck with me, especially since it’s an approach I’d used too.

Most people think copying is wrong — even taboo. They confuse it with theft.

Yes, stealing someone’s work or IP is theft. But borrowing a framework that works? That’s not theft — that’s mentorship in disguise. It’s how we learn from people who’ve already figured it out.

When we launched TULA, we “stole” two core playbooks:

  1. Go narrow and deep with one motivated retail partner — a strategy my partner Ken used while building Bobbi Brown.
  2. Lean heavily into influencer marketing — something I saw work firsthand while building Spinback.

At Troops, we borrowed another winning formula: build on top of a widely adopted platform for accelerated distribution. In our case, it was Slack. At Buddy Media and Spinback, it was Facebook. One was a social network for the enterprise, the other was for consumers. Same strategy, different platform.

Even when hiring, I use frameworks and interview questions inspired by leaders like Zuckerberg and Musk — not to imitate, but to learn from their pattern recognition and what has clearly worked for them. Specific interview questions and frameworks I “stole”:

  • “What’s something you’ve done that is exceptional?” – Elon
  • “Would I work for this person?” – Mark

Now let’s be clear: there’s a line. I’ve seen companies cross it — pixel-for-pixel clones, one-to-one knockoffs. That’s theft. That’s lazy. That’s short-term. It’s also scummy.

But copying a strategy with intention and ethics? That’s just smart. The truth is, some of the most effective outcomes in business (and life) come from studying what works and adapting it well.

Copying isn’t the enemy. Done right, it’s a shortcut to excellence.

Nastia Liukin, Olympic gold medalist and TULA’s first brand partner

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Walking Paradoxes: Why Our Contradictions Might Be Our Superpower

Humans are walking paradoxes—complex, layered, and often full of surprises. A scientist might spend her days decoding molecular structures, then go home and lose herself in oil paints. A finance executive could secretly be a poet, writing verses more moving than market trends. A waitress might be jotting down screenplay notes between tables, crafting stories that rival what’s showing on Netflix.

We often assume expertise must match a title, but some of the most profound insights come from the least expected places. And sometimes, it’s the combination of seemingly unrelated interests that creates true innovation. Steve Jobs is a perfect example—his fascination with calligraphy and philosophy, when fused with his love for technology, helped shape the aesthetic of modern computing. The Mac’s typeface and interface weren’t just functional; they were beautiful. That happened because of his paradoxes, not in spite of them.

On the flip side, titles alone don’t guarantee mastery. A parent volunteering part-time in a classroom might connect with students more deeply than a certified teacher. A high schooler passionate about geopolitics could out-analyze a foreign policy “expert.” And in the world of finance, we saw a retail investor like Roaring Kitty outsmart Wall Street veterans during the GameStop saga—doing his own research while hedge funds completely missed the mark.

When I was building TULA and Troops, I saw this firsthand. In the beauty industry, I was “the tech guy.” In tech, I was “the beauty guy.” But the randomness? That was the advantage. In beauty, we used SaaS playbooks. In SaaS, we applied consumer-brand marketing tactics. That cross-pollination made both companies better.

The truth is, skill, passion, and insight rarely wear name tags. They live in the curious, unpredictable spaces between our identities. That’s where magic often happens—where paradox becomes power.

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Lotame Acquired By Publicis Groupe

“Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire ad tech firm Lotame, expanding the holding company’s global identity and data-management capabilities.” – Digiday

About eighteen years ago, I met Andy Monfried, who offered me an internship at his online advertising startup, Lotame. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

After graduating college, I joined full-time. But there was a catch—I had to reverse commute from NYC to Columbia, Maryland, where our headquarters was based. My days started early, really early. I’d wake up around 4 AM, jump in the car, and drive two to three hours to the office. During the week, I stayed in a corporate apartment with Andy, fully immersed in the startup grind. Then, every Friday, I’d drive back to the city, catch up with friends, and do it all over again the next week.

I kept up this routine until we eventually opened a New York office.

Looking back, those long drives to Maryland weren’t just part of the job—they were the foundation of an incredible journey. What I remember most isn’t the commute itself but the people I worked with. I was surrounded by some of the smartest minds in technology, and those early days shaped the way I think, work, and lead today.

Sometimes, the road to success is quite literally a long drive, wrapped up in a lot of patience —but if you’re surrounded by the right people, it’s always worth it.

Congrats Andy, Jeremy, and the rest of the Lotame team. Incredibly well-deserved!

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How I Outsmarted a Trademark Troll Shaking Me Down for $552

One of my favorite wins in business started with a trademark troll trying to extort me for $552. Here’s the story.

My co-founder, Dr. Raj, had just published an article in Health Magazine. As the medical editor for the magazine, her work was featured regularly. This particular article included a generic, stock photo of a woman—nothing fancy or AI-generated, just a plain image.

The photo looked like a non-AI version of this…

At the time, we were building content for our website, tulforlife.com, to boost credibility, SEO, and web traffic. (Side note: We eventually acquired tula.com, but that’s another story.) When Dr. Raj’s article went live on Health Magazine’s site, I reposted it to our blog, crediting her as the author and linking to the original article. Standard stuff, right?

Life went on. We kept building our business, sharing content, and selling products. Then, out of nowhere, I got a letter in the mail.

It was a trademark violation notice. The claim? We had used the stock photo without proper rights. The demand? Pay $552 or face a lawsuit.

Enter the Trademark Troll

After some digging, I discovered that this company’s business model was essentially a scam. They scraped the internet for photos being used out of compliance, then sent demand letters to unsuspecting businesses. Their game? Intimidation for profit.

Now, $552 might not sound like much, but in the early days of TULA, every dollar counted. Paying even $100 for a random blog photo felt like a gut punch. But the alternative—getting sued—wasn’t any better.

I was furious. A classic trademark troll was shaking me down, and I felt so incredibly frustrated that I had to deal with this bullshit.

Seeking Advice

I called a lawyer friend, who advised me to pay the fee and move on. “It’s not worth the hassle,” he said.

“Fuck that!” I snapped.

Next, I called my brother, who’s also a lawyer. His advice was slightly different: reach out to the troll, explain that the author of the article is our co-founder, and chalk it up to a misunderstanding. Maybe, just maybe, they’d let it slide.

Spoiler alert: they didn’t.

My brother got on a call with the troll’s representative, but it quickly turned hostile. “She basically told me to pay up or get sued,” he reported.

My brother was as angry as me. Maybe more.

Back to square one.

The Lightbulb Moment

Frustrated, I decided to dig deeper. Where did this photo even come from?

I ran a reverse image search on Google. Among the results, two stood out: one linked to the trademark troll’s website, and the other to a personal blog. On the blog, I found the same photo, along with others like it.

That’s when it hit me: what if I bought the photo outright? If I owned it, they couldn’t sue me for using my own property.

Taking Action

I called my brother with the idea. “Let’s buy the photo directly from the photographer,” I said. “We’ll ensure the rights cover digital and all-time usage—past, present, and future.”

“I love it!” he replied.

I reached out to the photographer, negotiated the deal (because of course, I had to), and secured the rights to the photo. The contract explicitly freed us from all liability and granted perpetual ownership.

Here’s the email exchange…

And, here’s the agreement…

Now armed with full ownership, we prepared our counterattack.

Turning the Tables

My brother called the troll to inform them that we now owned the photo outright. Their response? They went ballistic. “You can’t do that!” they yelled. “You still have to pay us, or else…”

So, we played their game.

We took their original legal letter demanding $552, copied it word for word, and switched the defendant’s name from mine to theirs. Then, we sent it back to them, demanding they pay us $552—or else.

I was so happy…

“FUCK OFF TROLLS!”

Guess what?

We never heard from them again.

Victory Over the Troll

And that’s how we outsmarted a bottom-feeding, low-life trademark troll, turned the tables, and declared absolute and glorious victory.

Sometimes, the best wins come from refusing to roll over—and finding creative ways to fight back.

How I Outsmarted a Trademark Troll Shaking Me Down for $552 Read More »

Personal Day – A New Health and Beauty Company

Last week marked a significant milestone with the announcement of our new company, Personal Day.

Having had the privilege of working on successful brands like TULA and Dibs Beauty, I’ve learned important lessons about what truly makes a health and beauty brand resonate. One key takeaway? Authenticity matters. In an industry flooded with celebrity names stamped on generic products, real success comes from a brand with a genuine story, purpose, and mission.

When I first met Lili Reinhart, I had no idea who she was (no offense, Lili!)—nor was I familiar with her role in Riverdale. But as I got to know her, something clicked. It became clear that Lili wasn’t just another face. She embodied what most great entrepreneurs do: a deep understanding of the problem at hand, with a desire to roll up their sleeves and do the work.

Lili’s personal battle with acne and mental health isn’t just a backstory; it’s her driving force. She brings real passion and lived experience to the table—qualities that are essential for building a meaningful brand. Her entrepreneurial spirit shines through in every conversation. Of course, she’s also an incredible actress with a dedicated community, but it’s her authenticity and dedication to this mission that truly set her apart and is part of the reason we got excited to build this brand.

So, that’s the scoop on Personal Day—and a bit of love for Lili and fun to revisit the health and beauty category, in a similar, but different way to what we did at TULA. We’re excited about the journey ahead and invite you to follow along.

Fun times ahead!

More news on our announcement here and below.

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ThunderVC Pod = EP 50 How Dan Reich Cracked the Code to Multiple Successful Exits

I had a chance to join Jason Kirby on his Podcast to talk all things startups, fundraising, M&A, and bouncy balls. Jason also started and sold a few companies and is now running a company called Thunder VC where he’s helping founders navigate the wild world of fundraising and M&A.

His show notes and full video are below. It’s a good one.

→ Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot “Why My Mom Became My First Customer Service Rep”
→ Choose Partners Wisely “The Day I Realized My Business Partner Was on the FBI’s Radar”
→ Embrace the Unexpected “How Throwing College Parties Led to a Marketing Company”
→ Turn No’s into Yes’s “The VCs Said No. So We Did Everything They Said We Couldn’t.”
→ Follow the Wave “When Facebook Was Rising, We Rode the Social Media Wave”
→ Stay True to Your Vision “Why I Left a Cushy Corporate Job to Build My Dream… Again”
→ Build Relationships, Not Just Companies “How Saying No to an Investor Led to Multiple Deals Down the Road”
→ Think Beyond the Fundraise “The Goal Isn’t Raising Money. It’s Building a Profitable Company.”
→ Give Back “Why I Angel Invest: It’s Not About the Money”

ThunderVC Pod = EP 50 How Dan Reich Cracked the Code to Multiple Successful Exits Read More »

Joining Michael Karnjanaprakorn On His Podcast

I recently had a chance to catch up with my friend Michael Karnjanaprakorn. We’ve known each other for at least a decade or so now from the early days of the New York Tech ecosystem. This was a fun one.

Full video below and here.

And, some highlights that Mike pulled out from our conversation.

Dan Reich: “Business is a video game.”

I asked Dan Reich who has sold four companies to Salesforce, Buddy Media, and Procter & Gamble:

“Why are you still building companies instead of retiring and riding off into the sunset?”

He shared a conversation with a fellow serial entrepreneur:

CEO: “Do you still play video games?
Dan: “Yeah, I do still play video games.”
CEO: “So do I. But this business is a video game, and it’s a game that other people gave me money to play. If I win, not only will I make them money, I’ll make money too. And I love the video game.”

Dan reflects on this analogy:

Dan: “He was right. The journey is the prize. I tell everyone I have a career conversation with: People who optimize for money are not happy, and people who optimize for happiness end up finding money.”

In this episode, Dan dives into:

• His transition from 4x founder to building a venture studio.
• His playbook for building companies.
• His advice for navigating a post-exit journey.

Joining Michael Karnjanaprakorn On His Podcast Read More »

Joe Grand hacked time to recover $3 million from a Bitcoin software wallet

In 2022, I embarked on a crazy journey to unlock a Trezor hard wallet holding over two million dollars worth of cryptocurrency. It felt like a wild goose chase, each step filled with tension, anticipation, and ridiculous commentary in my group chats. As we got closer to cracking the wallet, we realized that there were many others out there facing similar predicaments, desperately needing help to recover their lost digital fortunes.

When Joe Grand finally succeeded in freeing my coins, it was a moment of immense relief and high-fiving. But more importantly, it sparked an idea. We saw an opportunity to assist others who found themselves locked out of their cryptocurrency treasures.

Thus, OffSpec.io was born—a company dedicated to helping people recover passwords, private keys, and other crucial cryptocurrency data from hardware and software wallets. Our mission is to provide a lifeline for those navigating the complex and often unforgiving world of digital assets, ensuring that no one has to endure the anxiety and uncertainty that I experienced.

And just this week, Joe did it again, this time with some help, and a very different problem and approach.

The video and story are here. Also posted below.

And if you or anyone you know are in need of some help recovering crypto currency, please drop us a line.

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