Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Joiner.
Hi Tim, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been an entrepreneur from my earliest memories. My Dad used to let me help him work on the apartments he owned, and he would teach me how to make invoices. I literally remember making invoices in crayon. “Painted 2 closets. 2 x 25¢ = 50¢.” And my dad would give me my two quarters or whatever. It was an amazing education in business starting when I was 4 or 5 years old.
As I got older, I started mowing lawns. When I got too many to handle on my own, I started hiring my friends. I eventually had almost 100 accounts and stayed pretty busy throughout Jr. High and High School.
When I was 13, I bought my first computer from an Internet auction site. This was in the 1990s and the internet wasn’t very big, and nobody was buying stuff online. I found a site where I could buy a computer for a lot less than I would pay at Best Buy, so I invested my life savings and bought it. Then I put an ad in the newspaper and sold it… for $400 more than I paid! It took a week, and I made as much money as I had the entire previous summer mowing lawns. So I did it again.
Eventually I started buying the parts and putting them together, which increased my profit margin. Then people started asking me if I could help them FIX their computers or hook up a new printer or upgrade their CD ROM, so I would take their computer home, set it up in my bedroom, and get on the phone with technical support until I solved their problem. I took lots of notes, and basically got an IT degree over the phone from various tech support hotlines.
Over time, I gained the reputation for being good with technology, and people started asking me if I could build them a website. “Of course! I’d love to build you a website.” I had no idea how to build a website, but I figured there were books in the library that would tell me how to do it, and I was as smart as the next guy, so I was confident I could figure it out.
I eventually built the first website for my city, and one for the public library system, and the YMCA, and a few other large organizations — all when I was still in high school. It was a great time to be in the technology and marketing business!
As time went on, I decided that I wanted to do really excellent work. Back then, I was the designer, the programmer, the writer, the project manager, the sales guy, etc. And you know what they say: “jack of all trades and master of none.” I was an “OK” designer, and an “OK” writer and all of those things, but I wasn’t GREAT at any of them. And I wasn’t sure if it was very practical to become great at all of those things, so I decided I better start hiring people that were better than me.
Over time, the web design business evolved into a marketing and advertising business. After college, I met someone who wanted to sell her agency, and it seemed like a win-win for me to buy it, get all of her customers, and hire her as my creative director. It was better for both of us. That was my first acquisition, and it was the beginning of a lot of growth for both me and the (now larger) organization.
Next, we added business consulting, coaching, media buying, and audio/video expertise through several acquisitions and key hires.
Since then, I’ve completed a number of acquisitions and exits. I’m working on business number 24 today (along with several other earlier ones that I still have). I’m currently involved in several real estate ventures, oil & gas operations, a men’s shoe company, a personal branding growth agency, business coaching and consulting, and some other stuff (including AI) that is very early stage.
It may seem that all of these things are random and disconnected, but the thread that connects them all is GROWTH. I love being a catalyst for growth: personal, professional, and organizational, and most of what I do is characterized by that drive.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, not smooth. I can remember nearly going bankrupt in those early days–and not just once! There were many times where on a Monday I wasn’t sure how I was going to make payroll that Friday, but God always took care of us, and we never missed one. There were lawsuits and threats of lawsuits. I had key employees leave because they got a better offer (that I couldn’t afford to match). I was part of several difficult partnerships. Not all of my companies were successful, and some of the lessons I learned were quite expensive!
Dan Sullivan says, “always be on the winning team or the learning team.” I’ve had lots of “learning team” moments, but I’ve never given up. And if you persist long enough, usually things turn out ok.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Impact Avalanche / Artelio?
Although I’m involved in a number of different ventures, there are two that are perhaps most relevant to your readers:
Impact Avalanche
Impact Avalanche (ImpactAvalanche.com) helps high-octane entrepreneurs and other thought leaders grow their “know, like & trust” list by multiplication. Most successful people have spent years or decades building a strong network, but they’ve done it one-at-a-time over thousands of coffee meetings, lunches, and dinners. We help leaders create value at scale, using social video and other digital tools. The result is a much larger sphere of influence, more brand awareness and name recognition, and ultimately many more opportunities.
Artelio
Artelio (Artelio.com) is a men’s shoe brand based right here in Greenville, SC.
We design the shoes here, with design influences from Italy and engineering influences from Germany. Then our artisan shoemakers in Brazil make them the old-fashioned way, using the finest leathers and other materials we can find. We deliver these handmade shoes straight to your doorstep, anywhere in the United States (and a few foreign countries, too!)
Who else deserves credit in your story?
So many!
My mom and dad, for their early support, encouragement, and education. My mom homeschooled me from K-12. My Dad taught me most of what I know about life and business.
My professors at Bob Jones University, where I earned 3 degrees.
My wife, who has been a blessing and encouragement for our 20+ year marriage.
My business coaches and business partners, which are too numerous to mention. I can’t name all of them, but here are a few that deserve special mention: Dan Sullivan, Jim Wiginton, Cliff Keller, Joseph Bartosch, Mike Buiter, Teresa Easler, Jeremiah Dew (JDew), Niko Bronzatto, Elias Bustos, and many more!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://timjoiner.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growwithtim/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growwithtimjoiner
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timjoiner/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@growwithtim
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4cfL4N2PTvXqfsfSzZn3Ws
- Other: Artelio.com | ImpactAvalanche.com
