Aerial View:

• Intro thoughts

• Mindful Minute: Reflecting on 2 years of building a startup.

• Conscious Consumer: Plant Paper

• Quote of the day

• 3 key questions to reflect on

What’s up men, welcome back. A few days ago marked the 2 year anniversary of the official incorporation date of NADS. If you don’t know, NADS is the e-commerce business in which I spend most of my time. I have 2 partners in the business, and it has been an epic journey so far.

I believe that building something (anything really, but specifically a business for our purposes) is the ultimate growth hack. You’ll learn more about yourself in a short period of time than you thought possible. It’s incredible.

So for today’s mindful minute, I’m going to share some key takeaways from the past two years of building my first brand.

Mindful Minute - Reflecting on 2 years of building a startup.

I’m 2 years into building my first brand, and it has been awesome. And challenging. And invigorating. And painful. It has been an experience I wouldn’t trade and am grateful for everything that has come with it. I wrote up a handful of prompts that I just fired back my gut responses for, hope you guys get something out of it! Jumping in.

Gun to head response for “What are my biggest 3 takeaways yet?”

1. Opportunity is everywhere. Victims can’t see it.

2. Introducing yourself is a superpower and a lost art. How do you move forward quickly? With the help of others. You won’t get that help without first making an introduction and THEN asking the right questions.

3. Rest is productive. Realizing when rest is called for is a skill you must learn and practice in order to advance.

2 Years in, what 5 words are at top of mind for me right now?

1. Steadfast
2. Gratitude
3. Impact
4. Leadership
5. Early

3 Tips for anyone trying to start a brand or new business

1. The only way to fail is to quit.

2. Make sure the market (the people) call for or WILL call for your product/service before jumping in. They don’t need to now, but if you have utmost conviction that they WILL, start. Now.

3. Your job is to be the best multitasker you can be. You have to be pretty good at a LOT of things. Not just an expert at one.

3 Hardest lessons I’ve learned

1. No one else can be held to the standard you hold for yourself. 110% is NOT realistic for anyone else. If you can get 80% from others, take it, that’s a win.

2. If you don’t prioritize time away from building, your body and mind will make you.

3. Business is personal. It needs to be. Let it be. That can be used to your advantage.

Key priority at the moment?

Focus
As we scaled the business over the past 2 years and established a little history of growth/success, opportunities presented and continue to present themselves everywhere. One thing I am continuing to work on is realizing that at 28 years old and as a first time founder/operator, one thing is enough for now. My toxic trait is that I want to do more. More more more. But in order to do more, I must first do less. So my focus at the moment is underwear, for men. That’s all. How can we be THE underwear brand, not just AN underwear brand? That is where my mind resides at the moment (for business purposes)

Other focuses OUTSIDE work: Guitar, cooking, re-learning Italian, my dog, prioritizing vitamin D, meditation, travel, relationship building, and more family time.

Favorite part of the past 2 years?

Learning.
The pace of learning has been so rapid and uncomfortable at times that looking back on it, I can’t help but smile as I think about who I was then versus who I am now. Still a goofy immature young guy, but now I have clarity of purpose, unshakable resolve, and a zest for life that I didn’t have in years past. All from building something that serves others.

Final thoughts

I love our business, our team, our mission, and what it has led me to so far. Learnings, hardships, victories, experiences, relationships- all of it has been epic. I think everyone should build something. Big or small, it doesn’t matter. The learnings that come with building are 10x better than any MBA program out there. I’ll die on that hill. Both internal and external knowledge but more than that: application. Application of knowledge is everything. How are you using what you know? Challenge yourself on that one.

I want to take a second to slow down and acknowledge that I feel incredibly grateful for all I’ve experienced thus far, and it feels as though I am just getting started.

Mom and dad, if you’re reading this- thank you. I would not be the person I am today, working on what I am working on, making the impact I am grateful to be making, without any and everything you have done and continue to do for me, and our family. I am hopeful to one day be able to give back to you guys in a way that expresses my genuine gratitude, appreciation, and love for you both.

To my siblings- one love guys. Thank you for the support in the early days, and the continued support today. And for all of the days before and days to come. You guys are my best friends and I cherish each of you.

To my team at NADS- thank you for all that you do in executing the mission. For showing up each day and working towards changing the world, one pair of underwear at a time. Thank you each for believing in me and trusting my vision. And thank you for putting up with my sporadic impulsive tendencies and energy. You guys are incredible, and keep this thing moving forward. Beasts.

To everyone else- thank you. For just being here reading this, for following along, for ordering underwear, for any/all of it. I love you all, I am pumped for what is to come.

Conscious Consumer

Cutting out toxins in our environment is integral to achieving overall health. That includes in places you may not think to look. Toilet paper for example, makes contact with one of the most absorbent parts of the body, and thus is prime to take in any chemicals in your toilet paper. I use PlantPaper to avoid bleaches and formaldehyde exposure, through the butt.

Quote of the week

One more rep. One more shot on goal. Sometimes the only way to get closer to winning is to eliminate another future mistake. There is no such thing as failure, only feedback. Adapt this mindset and you will succeed. It is inevitable.

Rise and Reflect - 3 Questions to Inspire Impactful Action and Critical Reflection

1. What would I do tomorrow if I knew I could not fail?

2. If money, comfort, or external pressure was not a concern, how would I choose to spend my time?

3. What am I doing daily to get closer to the answers above?

My Ask of You

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Thank you for being here.

Sails up, eyes open.

Until next time,
Dan Baird