Business

Young Entrepreneur Andrew Hristo On Harnessing the Power of the Internet

Published

5 years ago

September 26, 2020

When asked what he wants to be known for and what he’d like his legacy to be, Andrew Hristo passionately conveys the message of financial freedom and the opportunity we all have to live on our own terms. According to Andrew, these possibilities are within reach for everyone, and it’s all thanks to the internet.

When the internet hit its first screens all the way back in October 1969, we had no idea that the one, simple message of “L. O”–sent 350 miles to a Stanford research institute in California, and which led to a system crash–would change the way we live and do business. Recent years have seen an explosion of online businesses dominating the earning sphere.

Online businesses are far more accessible to people who don’t have the funds to put up major capital. While there’s a greater chance of success for everyone, it still takes incredibly hard work and courage to get started. The first few months–maybe even the first few years–might be slow going and one will have to play around to learn what works and what doesn’t. So what’s the motivation behind striking out on one’s own? Why not stay where they are, safe in their bubble that’s held up by someone else?

For Andrew, it’s all about doing something he enjoys, and not living a life where he has to count the days to his next paycheck. One can find something they love doing, and then create a business around that. If one wanted to do this 20 years ago, they would have to come from a wealthy family, have a magnificent stroke of luck, or put in decades of work before seeing a significant profit. With the internet, aspiring entrepreneurs have the chance to launch their companies from their homes with little overhead costs and minimal risk.

Andrew knows firsthand about the power of the internet. He’s fulfilled his goal of being able to generate multiple six figures a year from his laptop, which he cites as one of his biggest successes. Andrew didn’t come from money and he didn’t live in a major city. He’s also just 25 years old. Hailing from a small town in South Australia, Andrew initially dipped his toes into the world of e-commerce when he was only 13 years old. Having access to the internet allowed him to sell products across the country, rather than being limited to the people in his town.

To keep up with Andrew, you can follow him on Instagram at @andrewhristo.

Business

Scaling Success: Why Smart Habits Beat Growth Hacks in Modern eCommerce

Published

1 month ago

July 26, 2025

Matthew Wiles

There’s a romanticized image of the eCommerce founder: a daring risk-taker chasing the next big idea, fueled by late-night caffeine and last-minute inspiration. But the reality behind scaled, sustainable brands tells a different story. Success in digital commerce doesn’t come from chaos or clever hacks. It comes from habits. Repetitive, structured, often unglamorous habits.

Change, a digital platform created by eCommerce strategist Ryan, builds its entire philosophy around this truth. Through education, mentorship, and infrastructure, Change helps founders shift from scrambling for quick wins to building strong systems that grow with them. The company doesn’t just offer software. It provides the foundation for digital trade, particularly for those in the B2B space.

The Habits That Build Momentum

At the heart of Change’s philosophy are five core habits Ryan considers non-negotiable. These aren’t buzzwords; they’re the foundation of sustainable growth.

First, obsess over data. Successful founders replace guesswork with metrics. They don’t rely on gut feelings. They measure performance and iterate.

Second, know your customer deeply. Not just what they buy, but why they buy. The most resilient brands build emotional loyalty, not just transactional volume.

Third, test fast. Algorithms shift. Consumer behavior changes. High-performing teams don’t resist this; they test weekly, sometimes daily, and adapt.

Fourth, manage time like a CEO. Every decision has a cost. Prioritizing high-impact actions isn’t optional; it’s survival.

Fifth, stay connected to mentorship and learning. The digital market moves quickly. The remaining founders are the ones who keep learning, never assuming they know it all.

Turning Habits into Infrastructure

What begins as personal discipline must eventually evolve into a team structure. Change teaches founders how to scale their systems, not just their sales.

Tools are essential for starting, think Notion for documentation, Asana for project management, Mixpanel or PostHog for analytics, and Loom for async communication. But tools alone don’t create momentum.

Teams need Monday metric check-ins, weekly test cycles, customer insight reviews, just to name a few. Founders set the tone by modeling behavior. It’s the rituals that matter, then, they turn it into company culture.

Ryan puts it simply: “We’re not just building tools; we’re building infrastructure for digital trade.”

Avoiding the Common Traps

Even with structure, the path isn’t always smooth. Some founders over-focus on short-term results, chasing vanity metrics or shiny tactics that feel productive but don’t move the needle.

Others fall into micromanagement, drowning in dashboards instead of building intuition. Discipline should sharpen clarity, not create rigidity. Flexibility is part of the process. Knowing when to pivot is just as important as knowing when to persist.

Scaling Through Self-Replication

In the end, eCommerce scale isn’t just about growing a business. It’s about repeating successful systems at every level. When founders internalize high-performance habits, they turn them into processes, then culture, then legacy.

Growth doesn’t require more motivation. It requires more precision. More consistency. Your calendar, not your to-do list, is your business plan.

In a space dominated by noise and novelty, Change and its founder are quietly reshaping the conversation. They aren’t chasing trends but building resilience, one habit at a time.