- Money Making Story
- Posts
- From $5K Projects to $3M: David’s Inspiring Story
From $5K Projects to $3M: David’s Inspiring Story
How David balanced his 9-to-5 while scaling Numa to a $3M business
Welcome to Money Making Story,
Today, we’re thrilled to share the story of David Rigs, who transformed his side hustle into a thriving $3 million marketing agency.
In this discussion, we’ll discuss his:
Top Advice from David
Starting with a Problem
From Side Hustle to Full-Time Business
Scaling the Business
Best AI Tool to Use
The Power of Partnerships
Insights on Building Successful AI Products
Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
A Story Worth Reading
Top Advice from David:
“Hard work is better than no work. Choose your hard. Starting a business is tough; being unemployed is tough. Life will always present challenges—choose the problems you want to tackle and embrace the journey.”
Long Angle: A Vetted Community for High-Net-Worth Entrepreneurs and Executives
Long Angle is a private, vetted community for high-net-worth entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals across multiple industries.
Our members are primarily self-made, 30–55-year-olds with $5M-$100M in net worth. Engage in confidential discussions, peer advisory groups, and live meetups.
Get access to curated alternative investments like private equity and private credit. With $250M+ invested, members leverage collective expertise and scale to capture unique opportunities.
No membership fees.
David Rigs, the founder of Numa, has an inspiring story of resilience, ingenuity, and success. Starting as a side hustle while working his 9-to-5 job, David scaled his marketing agency to $3 million in annual revenue—all without prior expertise in building websites or mastering SEO. His journey is a testament to problem-solving, leveraging partnerships, and sticking with the right kind of hard work.
Here’s a breakdown of David’s entrepreneurial journey, his strategies for growth, and advice for aspiring business owners.
Starting with a Problem: How It All Began
David didn’t set out to build a marketing agency. With a background in finance, his entrepreneurial spark ignited when he sat down with successful business owners and asked them a simple question: What do you hate?
The response was unanimous—marketing. Specifically, they despised their websites, which were clunky, slow, and outdated. Seeing an opportunity, David pitched his first website project for $10,000. Though rejected initially, one business owner agreed to a $5,000 website, and from there, Numa was born.
Despite not knowing how to build websites, David outsourced the work and focused on what he could do—selling. It was a “build-the-plane-while-flying-it” approach that worked. “Revenue drove every decision in the business,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of focusing on generating income before overinvesting in infrastructure or services.
Maximize Your Portfolio with These Free Daily Trade Alerts
Master the market in just 5 minutes per day
Hot stock alerts sent directly to your phone
150,000+ active subscribers and growing fast!
From Side Hustle to Full-Time Business
David balanced his day job while building Numa. Using evenings and weekends, he focused on selling websites. He set clear goals:
Build six months of financial runway.
Make enough revenue to justify quitting his job.
This methodical approach helped him transition seamlessly into full-time entrepreneurship. By the time he went all-in, Numa was generating $20,000 per month. “If I can do this on the side, imagine what I could achieve with full-time focus,” he recalls thinking.
Scaling the Business: From Productized Services to Comprehensive Solutions
Initially, Numa offered productized services: simple five-page websites at a fixed price. While this helped the company gain traction, it also limited growth. Over time, David transitioned Numa into a full-service agency, akin to a "doctor's office" for businesses. Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, Numa began diagnosing client pain points and offering tailored strategies across web design, SEO, and paid search.
This approach allowed for higher pricing, better client retention, and more strategic engagements. Today, Numa operates with a team of over 20 employees and continues to grow.
The Power of Partnerships
David attributes much of his success to leveraging partnerships. He identified complementary businesses—like branding agencies—that worked with clients before they needed a website. By partnering with these agencies, Numa received steady referrals, generating substantial revenue without extensive outbound sales efforts.
“Getting a customer to buy from you is hard. Getting them to buy more from you is easier,” David explains. His strategy involved building trust with partners and their clients, effectively creating a win-win scenario.
Insights on Building Successful AI Products
Drawing from his journey, Young shared valuable insights for AI-driven product development. His advice for AI entrepreneurs includes starting small, testing features as standalone products, and listening closely to user feedback. He stressed that AI technology should serve the product’s goals rather than dictate them. By first understanding the user’s problem, a company can determine whether AI is the optimal solution and manage expectations accordingly.
Young also emphasized the importance of authenticity in content creation. As AI-generated content becomes ubiquitous, he believes that genuine, human creativity will become more valuable. He sees OpusClip as a tool to free creators from the technical burdens of video production, allowing them to focus on creativity, ideation, and connecting with audiences.
Tired of your inbox being overwhelmed by newsletters? With Meco, your favorite reads are neatly organized in a clean, distraction-free space, making it easy to stay on top of the content you love.
Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Start Before You Quit: David advises against leaving a stable job to start a business. Building a side hustle while employed forces efficiency and proves the business model before taking the leap.
Focus on Sales: Sales should be the top priority for any new business. David’s early success came from dedicating two hours every morning to deep work on the most important task: selling.
Leverage Your Strengths: Without technical expertise in coding or SEO, David leaned on his strengths in communication and finance. “I didn’t know how to build a website, but I knew how to sell one,” he says.
Solve Real Problems: Businesses exist to solve problems. David found success by identifying pain points and offering solutions. His simple approach—asking people what they hated—sparked his journey.
Patience and Persistence: Building a business takes time. David highlights the importance of sticking with it, even when others quit. “It’s hard to lose if the other teams you’re playing against keep quitting.”
Learn More About David Rigs
Today, Numa continues to grow through strategic acquisitions, partnerships, and a focus on delivering value to clients. David’s vision includes expanding into complementary businesses while maintaining the high-quality services that have defined Numa’s success.
David Rigs’ story is a blueprint for anyone considering entrepreneurship. By starting small, solving real problems, and focusing on relationships, he’s built a thriving business that’s still growing. His journey reminds us that success isn’t about having all the answers at the start—it’s about being resourceful, resilient, and ready to learn along the way.
A Story Worth Reading
In 2008, the REAL genius behind Facebook's addictive algorithm left the company.
Everyone thought he was done.
Instead, he used the same psychological formula to build his own $6 BILLION empire.
Meet the man who has the world hooked:🧵
— Vinay (@vinayp10)
5:03 PM • Nov 15, 2024
We Value Your Feedback
Was this featured story helpful? Rate it, and let us know how we can improve.
How would you evaluate our today's newsletter?We read your emails, comments, and poll replies regularly. Your feedbacks help us to improve and deliver the best possible newsletter. |
Stay tuned for more stories that showcase the diverse ways people are achieving financial success. Until next time, keep exploring and keep learning.