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In this week's episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Ryan Atkinson and I discuss how he transformed Spacebar Visuals from a new venture in 2023 to a thriving, six-figure business in just two years. Ryan shares his journey, the importance of outbound outreach, and the exact tools and strategies he's used to fuel his rapid growth.
Contents
Watch the Full Episode
From Corporate to Entrepreneur: The Spacebar Visuals Journey
Ryan's entrepreneurial story began with a clear vision: work when, where, and with whom he wanted. Raised in a small town in Iowa, he spent time at HubSpot before moving to Austin and starting Spacebar Visuals. His passion for video marketing and B2B sales drove him to create a business that would help software companies produce impactful video content, such as explainer videos and product demos.
- Background: Ryan’s first entrepreneurial itch came from being around small business owners. After working at HubSpot and gaining invaluable sales experience, he co-founded Spacebar Visuals in 2023 with the goal of serving businesses in the video marketing space.
- Initial Struggles: In the early days, Ryan faced the challenge of landing clients. While they experienced a few lucky wins in their first month, the following months were filled with uncertainty and growth pains.
The Power of Outbound Outreach
One of the key elements in Spacebar’s success has been its outbound approach. Instead of waiting for inbound leads, Ryan used his experience at HubSpot to craft sequences of cold emails to potential clients.
- Tech Stack: Ryan uses tools like Apollo.io for list building, HubSpot for email sequences, and Instantly.ai for domain warming. With just $500-700 a month in outbound costs, Spacebar has seen impressive results.
- Cold Outreach: With a focus on B2B software companies, the team sends targeted emails, LinkedIn messages, and marketing emails. Ryan emphasizes the importance of having multiple domains to avoid deliverability issues and recommends always including a direct call to action, such as scheduling a call.
By using a combination of personalized outreach and a solid tech stack, Ryan was able to generate significant revenue in the business’s early stages. His commitment to relentless action led to initial success and growth, allowing him to navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
Overcoming the Hardships of Entrepreneurship
Ryan’s story is not without its struggles. Like many entrepreneurs, he faced difficult months, battling stress and doubts about his company’s future. However, through persistence and a strong focus on cash flow, he overcame these challenges.
- Stress and Struggles: Q4 2024 was a particularly tough period, but Ryan pushed through and ended the year strong, with revenues increasing significantly by the first quarter of 2025.
- Growth Mindset: Despite these challenges, Ryan's ability to adapt and continue learning has been crucial. He constantly revisits his approach, whether that’s tweaking offers, adjusting pricing strategies, or even shifting his role in the company.
The Key to Spacebar’s Success
Spacebar Visuals’ success is grounded in a few critical decisions: focusing on outbound marketing, understanding their ideal customer profile (ICP), and never shying away from testing new offers.
- Offer Evolution: Ryan shared how Spacebar initially offered a low-ticket service but soon raised prices to match the value they were delivering. Today, their packages range from $7,000 to $12,000, and they focus on high-quality, high-value video marketing.
- Diversifying Outbound Efforts: Moving forward, Spacebar is looking at diversifying beyond outbound. Although their outbound approach has been successful, Ryan wants to ensure the business isn’t reliant on one channel.
Looking Ahead: What's Next for Spacebar Visuals?
As Spacebar Visuals continues to grow, Ryan is focusing on expanding the business while maintaining the personalized approach that has worked so well so far. The company is already on track to surpass its revenue goals for 2025, and Ryan has clear plans to diversify its outreach strategy further.
- Expansion Beyond Outbound: While outbound outreach has been the cornerstone of Spacebar’s growth, Ryan is exploring other avenues to reach potential clients. He’s considering adding paid media to his marketing mix and strengthening the company's content strategy to build additional brand awareness.
- Building a Sustainable Business: As Spacebar grows, Ryan is also focused on creating more recurring revenue streams. While video production isn’t typically a subscription-based service, he’s looking into ways to offer longer-term contracts or ongoing video needs for clients, which would create a more stable and predictable cash flow.
Ryan’s focus on long-term sustainability and adaptability positions Spacebar Visuals for continued success. He’s not just looking to ride the wave of growth—he’s preparing for what’s next by diversifying his approach and refining operations to ensure the business can thrive even as it scales.
Final Thoughts
For those looking to take the plunge into entrepreneurship, Ryan’s advice is simple: take action. He stresses that ideas alone are not enough; the key to success is execution. Don’t wait for the perfect idea—just start, learn along the way, and adjust as needed.
- Take Action: The most significant difference between a “wannabe-preneur” and an entrepreneur is action. Ryan urges aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace the process and push forward, even in the face of adversity.
Spacebar Visuals is a great example of how outbound outreach, persistence, and adaptation can lead to business success. If you’re looking to grow a business in a competitive market, taking notes from Ryan's journey could be incredibly valuable.
Links & Resources
- Learn more about Spacebar Visuals
- Catch him hosting the UpFlip Podcast
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