Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nick Kellet, Founder of Deckible, located in Kelowna, BC, Canada.

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

Deckible is Audible for Decks. You may be unaware that your typical card deck user owns 10+ decks. Card deck users are deeply passionate about their card decks, whether they use them for coaching/learning/creativity or for divination. And there are 100k unique decks in the world. There are even 25 coaches teaching people to create card-decks. Movies, Books, and Audio Books have all been successfully digitized. But nothing has been done to help alleviate the burden of carrying all your decks with you when you head out to play. While card-decks got overlooked, usage exploded. Decks grew due to: Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, Etsy, mindfulness, print-on-demand services, and the youth tarot trend. Decks are the new book.

Tell us about yourself

I invent for a living, and I get inspired by jumping into a new industry in which I know nobody, and I'm oblivious to the rules everyone subconsciously follows. Innovation is about seeing the world differently, spotting a problem, and doing something about it. I get excited by learning and solving and communicating new problems. I guess I just like beginner's minds.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Selling my company to Business Objects (now SAP) was right up there. We were their first ever acquisition. We sold less than 2.5 years after writing the first line of code. That was a beautiful rollercoaster ride. And a wonderful place to land. It was like a startup finishing school. Slightly less life-changed, but just as profound, was winning a Spiel Des Jahres prize for my board game GiftTRAP. I got invited to the ceremonies in Berlin. I got to be on stage with some of my board game heroes like Friedman Freiss.

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

Saying no. There's always too much to do. Living in a state of "never done" is so counter to our expected done list mentality. Saying no saves many days, but it's hard. Yes, it is always more fun. Say yes, and the door opens. So just carefully choose which doors you open fully.

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

  1. Know the problem you solve. I call this the "froto" - From: "Decks as home" To: "Decks in a pocket."
  2. Validate the people who want to pay for this. Ask strangers, not your mom or your friends.
  3. Get ready for a marathon, not a sprint. It will be an emotional rollercoaster, so this is not for the faint of heart. And perhaps most important of all is to act like you are creating a living thing. Feed it. Support it. And let it create its own natural momentum. If you have to push your boulder all the way to the finishing line, you will likely be broke and tired. Community is the most effective free tool you can leverage.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

If anyone has created a deck, it's not too late to join!
https://www.deckible.com/start

We're running a card deck usage survey
http://deckible.com/survey

Want to get a sense of Deckible? Here's a deep dive into what it can do.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.deckible.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deckible
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickkellet/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickKellet/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickkellet/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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