Scratch Your Own Itch

Everything I write about in this newsletter serves as a reminder to myself. It’s not that I always live up to these ideas—sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fall short. But I try. It’s not too late, be elastic, and you’re not too old for mentors—these are all things I remind myself of constantly.

I like to think these reminders are useful to others too, offering encouragement and food for thought. It’s easy to write about these concepts, but much harder to put them into action. And right now, I need to take some of my own medicine.

Life and circumstances change. Much of that is out of our control. As Epictetus, the Stoic philosopher (55–135 AD), pointed out—if it’s not in your control, move on and focus on what is.

The great news? If you look around, you’ll find plenty of examples of people who turned their personal struggles into something that helped themselves and others. If they can do it, why can’t we?

People Who Scratched Their Own Itch

1. Lizeth Cuara – Misty Phases Started by flipping Amazon return pallets and reselling items on eBay. Used insights and capital from flipping to launch her own product line.Created Misty Phases, a luxury postpartum wear brand. Business hit $5M+ in sales (2024).

2. Mark Wong – IMPOSSIBREW Wanted a healthier alternative to alcohol but couldn’t find one. Developed IMPOSSIBREW, a non-alcoholic beer with mood-enhancing ingredients. Rejected on Dragons’ Den but kept going. Now worth £12M+.

3. Aami – Mimi and Co Struggled to find quality reusable nappies for her baby. Began sewing her own, selling them locally, then online. Scaled from home without employees. Made £50,000 in one day from sales.

These are just a handful of people who turned personal frustrations into thriving businesses. But my favorite example is Rich Roll.

Rich Roll – Ultra Endurance Athlete & Podcaster

Struggled with alcohol addiction, poor health, and being out of shape in his 40s. Transformed his life through plant-based nutrition and endurance sports. Initially just shared his personal journey—not intending to start a business. Wrote Finding Ultra (2012) and launched The Rich Roll Podcast (2013). Monetized through sponsorships, books, online courses, and retreats.Built a one-person media business by leveraging authenticity and long-form storytelling.

You can check him out at Richroll.com 

When life throws you a curveball, focus on what you can control. Look around—there are plenty of people doing interesting things. Scratch your own itch and who knows where it could lead you.