Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nick Ippolito, co-founder and CEO of SquareKicker, located in Nelson, New Zealand.

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

SquareKicker is a No-Code Design and Animation Extension for Squarespace websites. SquareKicker is focused on empowering designers with tools that are easy to use no matter your technical ability and powerful enough that even the most proficient coders will be able to work faster and more creatively to scale their business.

Tell us about yourself

I was working as a web designer specializing in building sites for clients on Squarespace and Shopify. I loved working with Squarespace, it's a great platform for clients to manage themselves, and after building the site, the handoff is seamless. However, I found myself continuously creating the same customizations for my sites. I realized this code would work effectively on any Squarespace website, so I saved these technical solutions for my future projects. I then started to consider how these customizations could serve other designers in the same way but take it a step further to allow them creative control without time-consuming and complex code. This was when the idea for SquareKicker was born.

This idea turned into a reality when my wife Hannah and I decided to drop everything, and with the help of two talented and creative developers, we formed a startup team of 4 and began the work to make SquareKicker a reality. Since launching SquareKicker, we have been blown away by the Squarespace community's response. Our first company value is "He Tangata," which translates to "The People." Within our team, our users, and all others we connect with, our approach to all situations is an attitude of putting people first. This really drives the heart of the company. We strive to empower designers with tools to empower them to create high-quality and creative sites faster than ever before.

"SquareKicker has enabled me to build really beautiful functional websites really fast, which in turn has seen a huge uptick in demand for websites from me." - SquareKicker Designer.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

One of the things I'm most proud of as a business owner is the company culture we have built. We set out to create the kind of company that we would want to work for. Each person who joins our team is not only a valuable asset to the company but, as a person, is a valued member of our team. We often hear our team describe how much they enjoy what they do, but also how much everyone genuinely cares for one another and enjoys working together.

The second thing I'm proud of is how quickly our software product has hit product market fit. This is a term used to describe how a product has met a real need for a specific audience and is confirmed by user growth and retention. Because of this, we have also developed a healthy relationship with the Squarespace team, and they have been very encouraging of our desire to work with them to serve Squarespace designers.

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

There are over a thousand things that could be on this list, but from a product point of view, and I would say it is prioritizing what needs to be built and when. There is an endless roadmap that can be created when we look at what new features to add to SquareKicker. As we focus on community feedback, one of our unique focuses is prioritizing building what is going to deliver the most value rather than what will sell the most subscriptions. In light of this, the first question we ask ourselves when creating a new feature is, "How will this empower designers?" This, of course, always hangs in the balance of wanting to scale, which requires new growth.

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

  1. Ship Fast & Ship Often. Too many great ideas sit on dusty shelves waiting for the perfect timing and opportunity. So put together the basic idea and get it out into the world. If you've launched an idea that is perfected, you have probably launched too late.
  2. Gather Feedback. When you have a concept, start jumping on calls or grabbing a coffee with as many people as you can. Form a set of questions you can ask and see what patterns emerge. Try to approach this with an attitude of investigation rather than selling. This will help you bring clarity to your idea and gauge the desire of your potential market.
  3. Clarify Your WHY. Starting and growing a business is wonderful, exciting, satisfying, and HARD! So make sure you have a clear 'why' to come back to on those hard days. This will help you make clear decisions and give you the motivation to power through. I recommend reading Simon Sinek's book "Start With Why."

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.squarekicker.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SquareKicker
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarekicker/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Squarekicker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ippolito/

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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