An Interview With Eden Gold
Nothing will be perfect at the start; all you can do is strive for improvement. For instance, our social media content has improved significantly. Compared to when I first started creating it, it’s now ten times better. I’ve improved my skills at speaking into a camera, editing videos, and I’ve invested in professional lighting.
The entrepreneurial landscape is more vibrant and challenging than ever, with young entrepreneurs at the forefront, driving innovation and redefining the boundaries of success in the business world. These dynamic individuals are not only creating new products and services but also building sustainable business models that thrive in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven environment. Their journeys are filled with lessons of resilience, strategic innovation, and the relentless pursuit of growth. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Thomas Veneruz.
Thomas Veneruz, the owner of TrophyTitan, graduated from the Honors Business Administration program at the Ivey Business School. TrophyTitan was created to disrupt the outdated realm of personalized fantasy sports trophies and to inject a fresh fully custom product into the space. With a strong entrepreneurial background, Thomas has a passion for building businesses from the ground up. This marks Thomas’ third venture and he’s held roles at Scotiabank and JP Morgan before he decided to pursue TrophyTitan full-time.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about cultural sensitivity, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I was fortunate that, at a young age, my father encouraged me to start my own business after witnessing the success of a family friend’s son in the same industry. He provided me with the necessary equipment to begin, which consisted of a lawn mower and weed trimmer. Additionally, since I was still years away from
obtaining my driver’s license, he drove me to clients’ houses that were outside my immediate neighborhood.
The company my father helped me start was called Grass Master, a property maintenance and landscaping company that I started at the age of 12. Eight years later, we had accumulated over 70 weekly customers before I sold the business to a competitor. The profits from this business provided an amazing foundation for me and enabled me to finance my own tuition at one of the most expensive business programs in Canada.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
It’s tough to choose, but when I first launched TrophyTitan, I attempted to secure a partnership with major a sportsbook by going from office to office in Toronto, with a nice suit on, my product, and a pitch deck. To my surprise, this worked, and I managed to establish connections with three tier one sportsbooks and even had the opportunity to pitch to the head of corporate strategy at a multi-billion-dollar company. While we didn’t finalize a deal with anyone, those contacts could still prove to be invaluable in the future.
You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Three-character traits needed to become a successful entrepreneur are: natural curiosity, grit, and the ability to embrace rejection.
As a founder, I wear many hats. Running social media accounts to build a following and writing blogs to improve Google rankings are tasks I never imagined myself doing. Learning how to do these things often involves trial and error. Without a natural curiosity for understanding how things work at a granular level, I believe executing these tasks would be challenging.
We encountered shipping mistakes by manufacturer when orders began coming in for our fantasy football trophy. Despite being on vacation, I stayed up until 3 am troubleshooting to ensure everything was straightened out. Emailing customers late into the night to address the issues ended up earning the company some loyal customers. Dealing with situations like this requires grit.
I’ve experienced instances where a blog reporter promised to feature my company but didn’t follow through, and a large corporation ghosted me after we were close to finalizing a partnership. Rejection is a constant occurrence. Remember, you’re running a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s crucial to take rejection in stride.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview about young entrepreneurs secrets to rapid growth and success. To start, how would you define success?
From a business standpoint, success, to me, means establishing a business that truly resonates with customers, creating a relationship akin to friendship between the company and its clientele. From a personal standpoint, success means having the financial freedom to pursue work that you love.
What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly contributed to your startup’s growth, and why do you think it was so effective?
We’ve had videos on TikTok go viral simply by filming our product and using an AI-generated voiceover to discuss its features. Initially, using a non-human voice felt strange, but it resulted in great engagement metrics for our posts and continues to be one of the best video marketing assets for TrophyTitan.
Can you share a critical pivot point in your startup’s journey and how you navigated the decision-making process?
Our initial product, the Parlay Plaque, was designed to turn your digital bet slip into a physical trophy. Unfortunately, sales were sluggish due to a misclassification of our product by social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Their algorithms incorrectly flagged our product, preventing us from promoting it, despite their policy allowing the sale of gambling-related items such as poker chips.
Due to the challenges faced with the Parlay Plaque, we redirected our efforts towards launching a new product that wouldn’t encounter similar advertising hurdles. Which led to us introducing the first fully customizable fantasy football trophy. This product debuted on January 1, 2024, and within the initial month, we achieved sales of over 50 units from across the globe.
How do you balance the need for rapid growth with maintaining a sustainable and healthy company culture?
Currently, with just myself and my web developer running the company, creating a healthy culture isn’t something we’ve had to tackle yet. However, personally, I believe it’s important to pace yourself since success doesn’t happen overnight. There are many weeks where you will find yourself working all seven days, so taking a step back to celebrate product launches or small milestones is something that friends and family have encouraged, which I believe is great for mental health. For me, the biggest thing is going to the gym five days per week. It helps clear my mind and allows me to handle any issues that arise during the week.
In what ways has your personal definition of success evolved since the inception of your startup?
For me, success remains unchanged: it’s having the financial freedom to pursue work that you love. If the work I’m doing at TrophyTitan can evolve into a flourishing business that can hire multiple employees, that would be a dream come true, as I genuinely enjoy what I’m doing.
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Things You Need to Succeed as a Young Person in Business?”
1 . First, if you have a great idea that you believe in and have done the research on, you need to take the leap. You need to trust yourself that you will figure things out as you go.
2 . Second, nothing will be perfect at the start; all you can do is strive for improvement. For instance, our social media content has improved significantly. Compared to when I first started creating it, it’s now ten times better. I’ve improved my skills at speaking into a camera, editing videos, and I’ve invested in professional lighting.
3 . Third, you need a support system of mentors and friends who will give you candid feedback, even when it’s not positive. For example, after receiving feedback from a large group of people that our fantasy hockey and basketball trophy designs were good to go live, one of my most trusted friends said, “Come on, this just isn’t it. This won’t sell. It lacks substance and has too much white space.” This prompted me to go back into editing mode, and our final result is now leagues better than the design we almost locked in.
4 . Fourth, be mentally prepared for people to doubt your idea and to become comfortable with hearing no. Focus on those who genuinely care about you and your business; they’ll offer the most valuable feedback and support. Everything else is just noise — tune it out.
5 . Fifth, don’t be afraid to demand a seat at the table and refuse to take no for an answer. For instance, when I attempt to partner with a large corporation, I set reminders to follow up weekly until I hear back. Even if they say no, I focus on the positives and try to add value to keep the door open for future collaboration.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring entrepreneur that you wish someone had given you at the start of your journey?
Entrepreneurship is like to running a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to pace yourself and your team. Wearing multiple hats and having an endless to-do list is common, so it’s important to recognize when to take breaks and ensure that your team doesn’t burn out.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Regardless of your current position in life, we all have unique skills and traits. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to refine these qualities, and continuously build upon your foundation. Once you identify your strengths, don’t settle for anything that doesn’t allow you to utilize them. Embrace your uniqueness, stay resilient during challenging times, remain grounded in success, and always strive to do your best.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Follow us on Instagram @trophytitan, visit our website at trophytitan.ca, or reach out via email at tom@trophytitan.ca
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold
Startup Savvy: Thomas Veneruz Of TrophyTitan Shares Their Secrets For Rapid Growth and Success was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.