Business

How William Erbey’s ideas become reality

Published

5 years ago

September 22, 2020

How the entrepreneur, philanthropist and inventor Bill Erbey applies his philosophy to machines and medicine.

It’s rare to meet a serial entrepreneur who founded six multibillion-dollar publicly-listed companies, who applies mathematical and statistical concepts to his business projects. When questioned about their success, others choose happenstance over conspiracy; for William Erbey, it’s the application of math and statistics each time.

“For the last 50 years I have applied those concepts to my businesses wherever possible-my goal is to devise products that provide greater value to the customer, that can be produced at a lower cost, so I can compete on price if need be,” said Bill. In his case those projects almost always involved a technological solution grounded in math and statistics.

Bill has invented a patent-pending control system for generators and electric motors. In simple terms, it reduces the heat generated by half, and increases the engine’s efficiency by about 8%. The Kira motor technology will radically enhance the modern electric motor by increasing its driving range, which will significantly increase electric vehicles mass adoption.

A recent investment close to Bill’s heart is in the futuristic area of medical devices, and more specifically, in the medical technology associated with kidney failure.

“Of course, there’s obviously math and analytics involved here, but not the same type. What are the three biggest medical spends? – Kidney, cancer and cardiac. Do you realise that medical treatment involving kidneys in the United States will represent a $1.4 trillion spend by 2030, so it’s a massive issue”, he said in a recent RealVision interview.

What interested Bill specifically was John Erbey’s idea, changing the whole way of thinking about how one deals with kidney problems.

In essence most of today’s solutions are all about pushing fluid through the kidney, or “renal preload”. “Today, we try and put more fluid through the system, and we use drugs as well”.

For Bill it was the way the fledgling company is looking at the whole issue from outside the box. “The reason I invested in the company, besides him being my nephew” he smiled “was the fact that his solution was so elegant. “Why didn’t anybody think of looking at the problem in that way before? Why do you push fluid through the kidney-why wouldn’t you pull fluid through it instead? It is a very elegant and simple solution to a major problem”.

According to the Strataca Systems’ official website, the company believes ‘expensive medical problems require effective solutions’. Few problems are as large or as expensive as acute decompensated heart failure, which leads over 1 million hospital admissions in the USA each year. The primary reason for hospitalisation is congestion-fluid overload-which leads to shortness of breath’. Since the kidneys are responsible for fluid management, as renal function is compromised, the morbidity, mortality and costs for these patients rise. The company is developing patented technology to improve urine output and decrease congestion.

The problem that is being addressed is hugely significant in numbers alone; between eight and 10% of the world’s population suffers from cardiorenal syndrome-that is, kidney failure. In real terms that’s 12 Americans dying each day.

What separates Bill from many investors, is that he really is interested in the minute detail of how the product or service works. He’s a man who really cares about making people’s lives better – it’s his key to success. He wanted to know exactly how the medical device worked and what was the thought behind it. And he’s therefore able to explain the details.

“By pushing liquid through the kidney, you put more pressure on it-the kidney itself is in a semirigid sack, so it actually starts deteriorating the kidney function. So it was interesting when my nephew explained to me exactly how they deal with the problem today. It was like my understanding of the Internet”. Today, the cure for this ‘congestion’, rather like the cure for the increased Internet congestion, is again trying to push more stuff through the system. The kidney pushes back and basically nothing happens. John spent four months thinking about why nobody had ever thought about the problem in his way. So what he does is use negative pressure to pull the urine out of the kidney. It’s already through the animal testing stage and is now going through human testing”.

And like his other projects combining investment with innovation, machinery, conservation, Internet streaming, Bill believes that this will ultimately help people to not have to go on dialysis.

“It’s a horrible thing and certainly significantly truncates one’s life expectancy. As I said it’s a $1.4 trillion market which is amazing. And that figure represents the US alone. Globally it’s probably closer to $3 trillion. So it’s a massive market, and he has a very strong patented protection around the idea”.

It’s no wonder that they call Bill Erbey a Renaissance man; looking at his myriad of inventions and investments, he certainly seems to exemplify the expression “the man with the Midas touch”. Watch this space.

Business

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

Published

2 days 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.