Travis Rosser
Co-Founder @ Kajabi
In this episode of the Startupr Founders Series, we sit down with Travis Rosser, the co-founder of Kajabi - the platform that revolutionized online education and powered over $5 billion in creator sales.
From launching side hustles on eBay to bootstrapping Kajabi from scratch, Travis shares an unfiltered, authentic look at how real businesses are built - the wins, the failures, and the mindset shifts you must make to scale.
Watch the full interview above or read the major highlights below.
From Side Hustles to SaaS Giant: How Kajabi Started
Travis started as a relentless entrepreneur, flipping products on eBay and selling scripts before SaaS was even a term.
He and his co-founder Kenny brainstormed over lunches at Chick-fil-A.
Inspired by early platforms like Basecamp (created by 37signals), they envisioned a service to help creators sell knowledge online without expensive tech stacks.
Their first MVP wasn’t polished — it was built with duct tape and hustle - but it solved a real pain point: selling digital courses without coding.
Quote:
"Your idea doesn’t have to be perfect - it just has to work for the right customer."
Lessons in Product-Market Fit: The Power of Finding Your First Real Customer
Travis and Kenny found their first customer through Twitter networking - Andy Jenkins (a well-known SEO expert).
They didn’t launch a brand. They solved Andy’s problem first.
By focusing on real customer feedback, Kajabi rapidly evolved into a creator-first platform.
✅ Related reading: How Joe Johnson of LedgerUp Pivoted to Find Product-Market Fit
Scaling Secrets: From 10 to 10,000 Customers
Travis shares how Kajabi scaled:
Influencer Strategy: Marketing to the “front row” - like getting Tiger Woods to use your golf clubs.
Powered By Branding: Kajabi embedded their brand in every customer’s sales page.
Affiliate Marketing: 50% lifetime commissions created evangelists.
Launch Playbook: They used Product Launch Formula techniques from Jeff Walker.
Result: 3,000 sales, $3M in 7 days, and a loyal customer base.
Hard Lessons: Stress, Burnout, and Staying Authentic
The explosion of customers led to 2,000+ open support tickets overnight.
Travis discusses the emotional toll of hypergrowth, anxiety attacks, and the importance of remaining yourself even as your startup scales.
Inspired by Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, he realized culture and customer experience were non-negotiable.
✅ Pro Tip: Travis’s book You, Inc. dives deeper into personal branding and entrepreneurship.
How to Separate Your Identity from Your Startup
One of the most profound lessons Travis shares:
You are not your startup.
After exiting Kajabi, he struggled to find his identity.
Through therapy, Tony Robbins events, meditation, and reflection, he rebuilt himself around his creativity, not just his company title.
✅ Key takeaway for founders: Focus on your gifts, not just your titles.
Travis’s Best Startup Advice
If you’re building your company today, here’s Travis’s advice:
Follow excitement. Build what you’re passionate about.
Stay authentic. Don’t fake it - you can’t fake greatness.
Visualize big, act small. Start with the dream and take micro-steps daily.
Pivot fast when needed. Kill bad features early.
Celebrate customer stories. It’s the heartbeat of your brand.
Travis’s Offer to the Startupr Community
📚 Travis is giving away five signed copies of his book You, Inc. to Startupr founders!
Message him directly on LinkedIn to claim yours.
✨ Recommended Reading:
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