Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jacob Yackley, co-owner of After The Tone, located in San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My wife and I's business is After The Tone, a vintage audio guestbook company! We send real rotary phones to events and weddings all over the world for guests to leave voicemails on for our clients to cherish forever! We also cut our vinyl records in-house as an added deliverable. Our customers are anyone that values connection and relationship, especially those who love to hear the voices of the ones they love. We really believe in the power of audio and how hearing the voice of someone you care about can instantly transport you back in time to that moment.

Tell us about yourself

After The Tone came about at our wedding back in November of 2019! Bailey had an idea of wanting to capture the voicemails of our friends and family, as voicemails have been a big part of our relationship over the years. After our wedding, a lot of friends and family asked who we hired - so we decided to take the leap and start After The Tone as a passion project, and it has grown from there!

What motivates me each day is to provide the best experience for our clients possible. The heart behind what we do comes from our own wedding and how special it was to have our phone there, watching our friends and family use it, and hearing everything back year after year on vinyl.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is being able to take care of and develop our amazing team. Each and every one of them work so hard to contribute to After The Tone's success day in and day out, and it is an honor, responsibility, and privilege to be in charge of them. We have a ton of fun working as a team, and being able to cultivate a fun and enjoyable work environment is an awesome feeling.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Negativity is a real thing, and people will do whatever they can to make sure that misery has company. Being able not to be bogged down by things that happen that aren't great or ideal and to move forward working hard positively is one of your greatest assets as a business owner.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. If you have an idea that you know deep down has a chance of being successful once it hits the market, do not let anyone talk you out of chasing that dream. You need to be able to take criticism, though, and you can't be delusional. Learn to discern the difference between valid advice and someone projecting onto you.
  2. If you want your business to grow, you need to think about all the things you are avoiding or don't want to do and go do those things. The only way to solve the problem is to go through it.
  3. Don't let haters/negativity/competition/etc. affect you. Put your nose down and work 10x harder than you think you need to. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't want to work hard. Dreams without action are just thoughts!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

This is your reminder to pick up your phone and call someone you love and tell them that you love them! Do it! :)

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://afterthetone.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afterthetone.co/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.