Business

A Stroke Of Bad Luck Turning Into Profit: How Ivan Tapia Turned His Unemployment Around To Make Millions In The MLM Business

Published

5 years ago

August 13, 2020

If you somehow have yet to hear of Ivan and Monika Tapia, you are in for one inspirational story. The two entrepreneurs are a classic encapsulation of the American dream, and a continually driven power couple to boot. It is rare to hear of a “started from the bottom” story these days, but that is what makes them so special. The inspirational essence of their story is not lost on Ivan and Monika, and they reflect on the roots of their success every day as they strive to achieve their main goal: helping others succeed.

Ivan was born in Tijuana, Mexico and grew up with the dream of becoming a professional baseball player. He was quite a prospect, obtaining a temporary visa in order to study and play baseball at Southwestern College in San Diego, California. As fate would have it, he soon injured his shoulder and was unable to ever regain the playing ability he had enjoyed prior to the incident. This would be just one of the many problems Ivan would face before achieving his gradual rise to success.

Ivan finished receiving his degree in civil engineering at San Diego State University, all the while showcasing his incredible work ethic by holding down multiple jobs and internships, and soon after found a career with a small engineering firm.

Unfortunately for Ivan and his wife, the financial crisis of 2008 abruptly sent them careening off course into poverty and debt. Ivan was let go from his job just before the couple could celebrate their first anniversary. The competition in his field and his relative lack of experience resulted in a lengthy stint of unemployment and struggle. Ivan and Monika lost their house, their car, and any positive credit history they had established. Their life was in ruins. As if the stress levels weren’t high enough, the couple moved back to Tijuana only to discover that Monika was pregnant with their first child. The desperate situation incensed Ivan to come to realize he must focus his efforts on becoming 100% self sufficient and self employed.

At this point, Ivan was merely dabbling in a multi-level marketing endeavor, making a worrisome $500 a month and barely able to afford his small house in Tijuana. Truly committed to one another, the couple held tight and gritted their teeth for years as Ivan slowly began to establish more consistent employment, while always developing his entrepreneurial goals on the side. In 2011, Ivan finally began making significant income through his MLM enterprise. By spending every waking hour outside his full time job focusing on his goals, he was exponentially increasing his income through his own efforts. By 2012 he “fired his boss” and has not worked beneath anyone since. The rocky road that Ivan and Monika traversed to achieve the level of success they enjoy has forever grounded them, and shaped their ultimate goal: to help a billion people.

His focus is training and developing people in the realms of leadership, personal development, finances, and communication. “When I train people my focus is to be a bridge and help them to go from where they are, to where they want to go.” He explains. When asked for his top tips for readers looking to achieve the success he has realized, one of the main pieces of advice he offered was this: find a coach and a mentor.

“Who are you listening to? You need a mentor in the industry where you desire to be successful. There are two ways of learning in life, by mentors and their experience, or by your own experience only. It will be less painful to learn from mentors, as it’s wisdom you’re obtaining from somebody else’s experience.”

Ivan muses. Both he and his wife have sincerely shifted their focus from pulling themselves from the deep rut in which they were cast 12 years ago, and set their sites on making sure that those with a similar drive and passion for hard work and persistence need not go to such incredible lengths as them to also enjoy a piece of the American dream.

Instagram : https://instagram.com/ivantapiav

Business

Scaling Strategies for Bootstrapped Founders: Why Smart Startup Entrepreneurs are Ditching Traditional Agencies for Leaner Growth Machines

Published

1 day ago

September 4, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Today’s startups need to scale at top speed. Conventional methods for achieving business growth and revenue early are under fire. That’s why more and more savvy founders are abandoning the traditional marketing agency business model. They realize that the rules of the game have changed.

Leading this shift is Pablo Gerboles Parrilla, founder of Pabs Marketing. He’s a techpreneur and CEO whose unique perspective marries technological insight and marketing expertise.

For today’s founders, Gerboles believes the message is clear: cash flow and profitability don’t depend on VC funding. It’s time to ditch old-school agencies and turn to leaner, more flexible growth machines.

The age of scaling a bootstrapped startup: Why founders choose to scale without external funding or venture capital

“Startups are nothing like the established corporations traditional agencies are built to serve,” Gerboles says. “They need to be nimble and conserve their resources. The last things they need are bloated services with hidden fees and lengthy contracts. They need results, and they needed them yesterday.”

Traditional agencies position themselves as one-stop shops for marketing and growth, offering extensive teams and shiny presentations, but their campaigns come with a hefty price tag. Those structures work well for Fortune 500 companies needing big-budget omnichannel campaigns. For startups? They often translate to high retainers and little flexibility.

“If you’re a startup founder, wasting time and resources on presentations that don’t lead to actionable growth isn’t an option,” Gerboles explains. “You have to be data-driven and relentless in finding what works. Traditional agencies are just too slow and cumbersome to deliver.”

Successful bootstrapping can lead to sustainable growth: Lean growth machines for lean operations

Gerboles spent the last six years helping founders to scale their businesses quickly and sustainably. His background in technology and marketing enables these founders to break free from outdated agency models in favor of smarter alternatives. He combines lean growth machines built on systems and sophisticated AI-powered tools with the power of micro-agencies and niche contractors.

“Agility is everything,” Gerboles shares. “The best founders today aren’t looking for creativity for its own sake. They want to see scalable solutions.”

The foundation of Gerboles’s philosophy lies in automating human-driven processes through software. Whether automating lead generation and funnel tracking, optimizing campaigns for performance with AI, or streamlining day-to-day operational tasks, smart automation reduces costs and enables companies to scale faster.

Take marketing strategy, for example. Instead of handing over control to a traditional large-scale agency, modern founders can engage niche micro-agencies with expertise in specific domains like paid media, SEO, or influencer campaigns. These smaller, hyper-focused teams are far more nimble, deliver measurable ROI, and cost a fraction of the price.

“When you combine these micro-agencies with contractors and automation, you’ve bypassed a lot of unnecessary overhead,” Gerboles explains.

The importance of accountability, transparency, and results in scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders

For Gerboles, one major shortfall of traditional agencies is the lack of true accountability. “You don’t want vague creative promises or KPIs that could mean anything,” he says. “You want sharp goals and clear deliverables. Most of all, you want systems that let you track performance in real time. Nothing builds trust and drives results faster than data-driven accountability.”

The shift away from agencies is primarily driven by concerns over transparency and reliability. By leveraging smaller, specialized teams or AI-powered tools, startups can maintain a tighter grasp on their marketing and growth. When they find what works, they can iterate quickly based on live campaign data.

“Smart founders don’t have time to wait weeks for an update,” Gerboles quips. “When you build lean growth machines, you’re always connected to your performance metrics. You can pivot instantly. This model rewards consistency and strategic risk-taking.”

When Gerboles designs systems for startups, he emphasizes performance certainty. He eliminates guesswork and sticks to systems that work. It’s a philosophy that resonates with modern entrepreneurs who value clarity and efficiency above all else.

Scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders who don’t consider external funding: a blend of technology and micro-agencies

The evolution Gerboles champions is already well underway. The rise of AI, no-code platforms, and automation tools means startups can do more with less — and faster — than ever. Solutions like automated campaign optimization, predictive analytics, and content creation tools enable startups to scale their output without hiring a large team or committing to an agency’s payroll.

Meanwhile, on-demand contractors and micro-agencies provide laser-focused expertise on an as-needed basis. Whether it’s bringing in a TikTok ads expert for a short-term boost, hiring a conversion copywriter for a product launch, or testing AI-powered chatbots for lead management, lean growth machines are redefining the agility game.

“An expert contractor or a micro-agency specializing in your exact need will always be faster and better than the ‘generalist’ vibes you get from old-school agencies,” Gerboles notes. “Specialization and precision are the name of the game now.”

Founders who want to lead in the new era of business are increasingly following the path Pablo Gerboles lays out. They are choosing smarter systems, investing in the right tech stack, prioritizing accountability, and embracing speed at every level.

“Business isn’t a time to play safe,” Pablo says. “It’s about innovation and pushing edges within a clear strategy. Surround yourself with agile partners, hold processes to results, and find the tools that help you stay lean. That’s how you win in today’s game.”

Gerboles is a thoughtful entrepreneur committed to helping business leaders reinvent their approach to growth. From ideation to execution, his advice rings true: leave the bloated bureaucracy of yesterday’s agencies behind and build lean growth machines fueled by agility and results.