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Writer's pictureKatie Bouma

The First Year of Our Business: What Worked and What Didn’t with Andrew Crapuchettes



Notes from the Producer

Andrew Crapuchettes started RedBalloon in the summer of 2021, as a side hustle to help his

local community. A few months later, it exploded onto the job board as concern over the vaccine mandate swept the country. Over a million Americans have visited RedBalloon.work to escape wokeness in the workplace, find like-minded employers, and maintain their medical freedom and privacy.


Founder and CEO Andrew Crapuchettes sits down with team member Aaron Youngren to discuss the challenges of RedBalloon’s first year – from the technical difficulties that came with their wild growth, to the mindset shifts that Andrew needed to make in order for RedBalloon to truly provide first rate value to its customers.

Andrew Talks About

  • How RedBalloon started basically by accident, and the problems that surfaced because of that foundation.

  • RedBalloon's astronomic growth after the government's vaccine mandate drove many Americans into a panic.

  • The growing pains that occurred while adding 90 businesses and thousands of job seekers each day.

  • The point where Andrew had to decide to turn his hobby business into a real business.

  • The gut check moment when the media wave that RedBalloon had been riding was suddenly over, and traffic drastically slowed.

  • The two realizations that Andrew had after asking his customers what they want and need.

  • RedBalloon.work's new features:

  1. Unlimited job postings for all paid plans

  2. Networking for freedom-minded businesses

  3. Guides from pro-freedom Legal and HR specialists

  4. Video courses and all-in-one systems for building courageous company culture


Katie's Favorite Quotes


"This is the only business where I received unsolicited thank you notes from people every single day."


"This is what a lot of people need to realize; what it looks like to start a business - it is a ton of hard work."


-Andrew Crapuchettes

Freedom Focus

Step 1: Don't forget that starting a business is scary and hard, but it's often a personal investment that is totally worth it.


Step 2: If you have a business, or are starting up, check out RedBalloon’s new resources for hiring, building out your HR function, or creating courageous work culture.


In this Episode

RedBalloon.work officially launched one year ago. As one of Andrew’s first hires, I have enjoyed a front-row seat to the inspiration that RedBalloon has brought to millions of Americans, and the intense challenges that have come with launching and building this business.


I really appreciate Andrew’s honest breakdown of the hard decisions, the missteps, and the critical moments in RedBalloon’s remarkable story. His raw account offers a valuable lesson for anyone starting or building a business. Even if you aren’t a business owner, I hope you are inspired to be brave, do the right thing, and tackle whatever challenges are ahead of you in your life and career.

Take Action, and Take Heart,

Katie

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