Taylor Hersom is one of the most successful rags-to-riches members to ever grace the Trends community. He…
❤️ Is Sam Parr’s favorite Trendster.
💰 Built a $5m+ company using a smart subscription model. 💪 Started from literally nothing — he even quit his job with no prospects. If you show up to Thursday’s virtual AMA with Taylor, you’ll not only learn how he did it, but also you’ll get to pepper him with questions. If you’re building a subscription business, this event will be a gold mine. |
Be there! We’re not gonna tell you twice. 🤨 -Kristin Now on to this week’s newsletter… TL;DR -
Latest Research: Get your ass outdoors: 10+ ways to make bank as parents ditch the digital.
- Operator’s Guide: Co-founders are in short supply — here’s how you can land the perfect partner.
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Community Insights: 💰Validating an idea without funding, ⬇️ ChatGPT usage is down, and 💻 don’t miss today’s e-commerce networking!
P.S. If you’re as bummed as we are that you didn’t take home the billion-dollar jackpot last week, take a lesson from the economist who won the lottery 14 times.
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From Screens to Streams: Embracing the Great Outdoors |
With any big trend, there are inevitable spinoff trends that pull consumers in the opposite direction. So with the rise of AI and XR, we’ve been keeping our eyes peeled for opportunities that have nothing to do with tech. One trend that’s gaining solid traction is the rise of the nature classroom. |
Global Google search interest, six-month rolling average. Source: Google Trends |
Most parents these days have at least a twinge of concern over how plugged in youngsters are, and the trajectory is likely to continue strongly. One of the solutions? Get ’em outside, embracing nature.
Hence the growing consumer interest in nature classrooms. There are many flavors of these, from classes that literally take place in forests (in Portland, obviously), to indoor options that incorporate a high level of biophilic design.
Whatever the form, science shows that nature-based learning for children and adolescents: - Improves engagement and and general behavior
- Enhances academic performance and attention
- Boosts social-emotional well-being
- Increases health and self-esteem
The list goes on. So why aren’t nature classrooms more common?
The obvious answer is lack of easy access to green spaces, and there is dough to be made by helping schools (and parents) get their kids’ nature on. Here’s a bunch of ways you can get started.
🌳 Rent out “nature classrooms” in built-up areas. There are thousands of undeveloped or vacant acres across major US cities. Neighborhood groups have recently cleared out vacant lots to make way for community veg gardens and parks in Detroit. Nature classrooms could be next.
Focus on lots in close proximity to schools, spend a couple thousand planting trees and setting up veg gardens, and then rent your parks out on an hourly basis to schools, parent groups, or educators in the area — much like private dog park rentals.
🌾 Farm experiences are in surprisingly high demand. Approach farmers or owners of small plots and work with them to create afternoon or weekend excursions designed for specific age groups.
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Old MacDonald’s farm is in demand. Global Google search interest, six-month rolling average. Source: Google Trends |
🍂 Approach existing schools and offer to turn a suitable area of their grounds into a nature classroom, and maintain it for a monthly fee.
🌱 Plantify indoor classrooms. Create a service that greenifies classrooms and other school spaces to bring nature in (more tips on that, here).
🏞️ Offer nature boot camps. Combine nature-focused weekend (or summer) camps with:
👢 Focus on outdoor-friendly clothing. Clothing trends are also cashing in on the “natural” action. For example, search interest for “barefoot shoes” is soaring, and we predict it’s one of many apparel trends that will focus on outdoor-friendly, natural options. Just like y’all go to Target in your athleisure, it’s possible outdoor gear will become the new everyday wear (how else will people know you hike?). Jump on the bandwagon early with durable, high-quality kids’ options.
This is a perfect opportunity to incorporate the circular economy. With 80% of millennial parents looking for more eco-friendly kids’ gear options, you could focus on sustainable fabrics, rentals, and brands that support environmental causes.
➕ Incorporate the nature-positive trend. “Nature positive” involves the protection and restoration of natural processes, ecosystems, and species. And it’s a growing priority.
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Global Google search interest, six-month rolling average. Source: Google Trends |
Your nature classroom could focus on a small-scale version of nature positivity by using only endemic and indigenous plants, educating learners on local flora and fauna, including lessons on how to be more environmentally friendly, etc.
👲 Tennis coaches, football coaches, and… nature coaches? Ya gotta admit, not so far-fetched. Just like swimming and music lessons, nature lessons could soon be the norm.
Provide extracurricular activities as a nature coach, and/or train nature coaches and connect them with schools. |
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Four Steps To Landing a Co-Founder |
Last week we presented a litmus test to determine if you really need a co-founder.
Next up is how to find one (or more), including hot tips from Trendsters who forged the path before you.
1. Know your goals “It’s about what YOU want,” Trendster Doug Macdonald told us. So be clear on exactly what you want to build, and sure that you’re ready to give up some control and decision-making power in exchange for the support of a partner.
Doug went the co-founder route with his retention marketing biz, roping in his best friend. In six months of operation they’ve retained 100% of their customers (quite the flex), and tripled their team size. Romain Torres is also an advocate of the co-founder relationship. “No one brings their 100% to work everyday. Having a co-founder can motivate you to keep going, even in tough times,” he told us.
And he’d know; he’s successfully sold two businesses with his co-founder.
2. Identify candidates
The most obvious place to look is your closest circle. There’s no shortage of famous sibling co-founders, or BFFs setting up shop in a garage.
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The OG garage team, the co-founders of Hewlett-Packard. Garage broker for startup founders, anyone? Image source: SFGate |
Why? Because it’ll take a lot less time to build trust — an essential ingredient in a co-founder relationship.
Granted, your sibling or bestie won’t always be the best fit for your needs — and sometimes the friend or family dynamic can complicate business matters.
Former co-workers or school friends are great alternatives. You’ve seen them in a professional capacity, so it’s easier to envision working with them on a venture than, say, your little brother.
If your close circle is coming up dry, you can go the “Tinder for co-founders” route and hit up some apps. Scary, we know — but worth a leap of faith if you do your due diligence. Options include:
👥 On Deck (gaining traction recently)
☕️ YC’s own dating app co-founder matching platform
💼 Good ol’ LinkedIn. Find someone with relevant industry experience and slide into their DMs. Get referrals from alumni groups to add an extra layer of trust
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A little co-founder snooping goes a long way. Source: Northwestern University’s LinkedIn page |
Or… tap the Trends community!
3. Testing fit Once you’ve got a shortlist of candidates, start dating around.
Like actual dating, prioritize the “fit.” Don’t just focus on shiny objects (Ivy League degrees, successful ventures in other verticals, famous last names)… Go down your list and see if they check off boxes like: - Do you actually like the person?
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Do they buy into your vision?
- Do they share your values and work ethic?
- Is this the right time for both of you?
The last one is a critical factor. Make sure your co-founder is ready to fully commit — and you’re not their rebound.
If they’ve just lost an income and want to latch onto something desperately, let them take the time to figure out what they really want first. You don’t want to start building and be left alone when they find their next steady paycheck.
Romain has rushed into business with a co-founder before, ignoring all the red flags… And the guy bailed right before a fundraising round. After months of legal untangling, Romain still has nightmares about it.
So even if a potential co-founder has passed the vibe check, try working with them on a trial basis for six to 12 months, so you can observe them in a professional setting.
4. Get it in writing Trendster Arlene Battishill co-founded a business with her (now ex) wife years ago.
The business survived — the marriage didn’t. She has hella tips for the spouse teams out there.
The biggest one? In a co-founder “marriage,” making it work long term is just as important as tying the knot. But unlike a real marriage, a prenup is not optional; it’s compulsory.
Make sure everything is in writing, and legally binding. A simple, clean agreement will save you a world of pain in the long run.
Here are some resources to get you started: 📈 A handy tool to help you split equity fairly 📜 A free template to generate co-founder agreements
⚖️ A nifty legal service to tie it all together Happy building, y’all!
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This week’s Trends send was brought to you by Kristin Egan, Shân Osborn, Susie Ippolito, Cyan Zhong, Rebekah Slonim, and Brad Wolverton. 😉
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