Bootstrapping to Success: How Johnathan Grzybowski Built Penji Without Investors

In this episode of Social Media Decoded, host Michelle Thames sits down with Johnathan Grzybowski, co-founder of Penji, a creative-as-a-service platform that helps businesses access top-tier design talent through a simple subscription model.

Johnathan shares how he bootstrapped Penji from the ground up—with no investors and no safety net—scaling it into an Inc. 5000 company that has served thousands of clients worldwide.

If you're a startup founder, creative entrepreneur, or small business owner looking for bootstrapping tips, branding advice, or scalable business models, this conversation is packed with value.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Johnathan scaled Penji without outside funding

• The biggest challenges of bootstrapping a business (and how he overcame them)

• What makes customer experience a true differentiator in today’s digital world

• How subscription-based services are shaping the future of creative work

• Lessons from managing a high-performing creative team and building long-term client trust

Resources & Links Mentioned:

💻 Penji Website: https://penji.co
📲 Follow Penji on Instagram: @penji.co
🎙️ Dear Dads Podcast: Listen Here
💡 Free Ideas Daily: https://freeideas.io

• how to bootstrap a startup

• bootstrapped business success stories

• customer experience strategy

• building a creative agency

• subscription business model tips

• how to start a service-based business

• creative team management

• small business branding and marketing

💬 Connect with Michelle:

🌐 Website: www.michellethames.com
📧 Email: [e-mail]
📲 Instagram: @michellelthames