Third Wall Starter Story: How We Got Here

Since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be a founder. The specifics of the company didn't matter; all I craved was the thrill of building something from scratch. By the time I could legally drive, I was no stranger to the internet hustle life – selling sneakers online, making my own clothes, flipping phone chargers on eBay, building websites – fine-tuning my sales, marketing, and negotiation skills along the way. 

In college, I wrote my first book exploring the relationship between childhood bullying and entrepreneurship. It wasn't your typical writing gig; it was an intensive process involving countless interviews with a diverse group of founders. Each story became a valuable lesson, an opportunity to sharpen my interview skills and refine my craft.

Not long after, I dove headfirst into the world of technology and entrepreneurship by starting a biweekly newsletter. Twice a week, I unleashed my curiosity, exploring the dynamic landscape of tech, interviewing founders, investors, and marketers, and sharing these insights with a growing audience of readers.

Writing the book, running the newsletter, spending years consuming content from the top entrepreneurs and marketers in the world, and then getting to interview them first-hand - these experiences coalesced into the creation of Third Wall. It's a testament to the synergy of my two passions: the power of language and the thrill of building something from the ground up.

The Early Days

In November 2021, I decided it was time to try my hand at freelancing. Simultaneously, I noticed a gap in the market. Web3 was booming and people were desperately craving simple breakdowns of the mess of the crypto-bro-jargon spanning their Twitter feeds.

And so, I set out to bridge the gap, offering a voice of clarity, breaking down the intricate concepts of blockchain and cryptocurrencies into digestible pieces for the masses. 

I landed my first client in no time, serving as one of the first freelance writers for nft now.

Soon this spread to other technologies – artificial intelligence, deep-tech, retail, real estate, and more – where I offered insights and guidance with a touch of wit and accessibility.

One client turned to two, two to four, four to ten, and so on. Rather early on, I quit my job and went all in. I began taking on larger projects – rebrands, hub and spoke content spreads, building content engines from scratch – and with each one, I was learning more and more. 

Eventually, it got to a point where it was simply impossible for me to do all the work alone – a freelancer’s dream. 

Most freelancers at this crossroads choose one of three options: Stick as a one (wo)man show, continue to build slowly by outsourcing research and other small tasks to other freelancers, or develop into an agency model. 

There’s no right answer. It’s truly a personal decision. But for me, it was a no-brainer. 

I wanted to build something bigger than myself. A full-team of people who shared the same passion for technology and storytelling that I did. And most importantly, a vehicle to help use my talents to make others’ stories and companies shine. 

The TED Talk-Tipping Point

A little over a year in, things were going well. Third Wall Creative had a steady drumbeat of projects rolling and a roster of happy clients – But I still didn’t know what we sold.

More importantly, I didn’t know why we were selling it.

For the first year, we did a little bit of everything for everyone. And while I do see immense value in being a generalist (Third Wall still has Steph Curry range), refusing to niche down even a little bit is a recipe for disaster. 

I only knew one thing: We wrote damn good content and copy. And clients loved us. 

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This all changed when a colleague, Fran Ayala, showed me Simon Sinek’s famous 2009 TED Talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Action. In 18 minutes, he explains that all the world’s greatest leaders and brands think, act, and communicate in the exact same way – which just happens to be the complete opposite to everyone else:

“That’s how most marketing is done,” says Sinek. “We say what we do, we say how we’re different and how we’re better and we expect some sort of behavior – a purchase, a vote – but the goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.”

Watching Sinek’s TED Talk kicked off a week-long discussion between Fran and I about why we do what we do and what makes clients fall in love with us.  

Finally, it clicked.

Our Words Create Your Movement

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When crafted well, a few words can mobilize millions – of shares, customers, advocates, dollars, and more. 

At Third Wall Creative, we believe in the power of stories that speak to our universal human emotions. We’re experts at distilling complex and highly technical concepts into content that a wider audience can rally behind. 

Our copywriters know their sh*t, but our work is 100% bullsh*t-free. We acknowledge the need for complexities, but they shouldn’t be roadblocks to connection. 

Whether it’s building end-to-end content engines, simplifying complex topics into compelling long-form content, or delivering an all-you-can-eat buffet of copy, we use our words deliberately, showcasing your businesses’ social proof, while surprising and delighting people with the nuances of what you do.

But it all starts with understanding your business — how it operates, your biggest strengths, and weaknesses, and which competitor you (maybe not-so) secretly want to crush like a cockroach.

This goes way beyond content marketing. 

Each client onboarding starts by diving deep into your brand's essence, unraveling its mission, vision, and values. 

Next, we move on to understanding your target audience, industry landscape, and competitive positioning. 

Only then, armed with this knowledge, do we infuse these elements into every piece of content we create. 

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