Executive Summary
Shopify Masters episode in which the host talks with Zachary Quinn, co-founder of Love Your Melon and founder of Oceanfoam, a foam roller brand made with algae. Zachary says he picks ideas by keeping a long whiteboard or phone list and noticing which ones keep rising to the top. He says Love Your Melon began as a college class project, grew to over 40,000 college ambassadors, and gave almost 10 million dollars to pediatric cancer research and over 250,000 beanies to kids, before he and his partners passed it on in their 30s. He says it took about two years after the sale, including becoming a father and taking his first job, before he was ready to start Oceanfoam. He says he first wanted ocean recycled plastic, learned it cannot be made into foam, and then found algae based material through a pair of algae slides. Shopify, which produces the show, is the sponsor named in the description. PARTIAL COVERAGE: the captions cover roughly the first 12 minutes of the 35 minute episode, so later topics are not summarized. All claims are Zachary's own and are not independently checked. Nothing here is medical, fitness, financial or legal advice.
Key Takeaways
Keep a list of ideas
Zachary says he keeps a whiteboard or phone list and notices the ideas that rise to the top.
Purpose beyond profit
He says it is not just running a business to make money, and Love Your Melon was built to have an impact.
A class project that grew
He says Love Your Melon began as a class project and grew to over 40,000 college ambassadors.
Giving at scale
He says the company gave almost 10 million dollars to pediatric cancer research and over 250,000 beanies.
Starting over is not an empty page
He says after the sale he got his first job and became a father, and it took about two years to feel excited to start again.
A product he needed
He says he chose foam rollers because they helped him personally and he wanted an active family brand.
A sustainable dead end and a pivot
He says he learned used plastic cannot be recycled into foam and found algae material through a pair of algae slides.
The Conversation Breakdown
Keep a list of ideas
⏱ Untimed topicZachary says he keeps a whiteboard or phone list and notices the ideas that rise to the top.
Purpose beyond profit
⏱ Untimed topicHe says it is not just running a business to make money, and Love Your Melon was built to have an impact.
A class project that grew
⏱ Untimed topicHe says Love Your Melon began as a class project and grew to over 40,000 college ambassadors.
Giving at scale
⏱ Untimed topicHe says the company gave almost 10 million dollars to pediatric cancer research and over 250,000 beanies.
Starting over is not an empty page
⏱ Untimed topicHe says after the sale he got his first job and became a father, and it took about two years to feel excited to start again.
A product he needed
⏱ Untimed topicHe says he chose foam rollers because they helped him personally and he wanted an active family brand.
A sustainable dead end and a pivot
⏱ Untimed topicHe says he learned used plastic cannot be recycled into foam and found algae material through a pair of algae slides.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Idea list tally - Zachary's method
Keep a running list and let the best ideas rise on their own.
Build for a need you have - Zachary's product rule
Make something that matters to you and your family.
Tie the product to the mission - Zachary's Oceanfoam story
When a sustainability path fails, find another way to keep the mission.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Start a running list of business ideas and tally which ones you revisit.
- ✓Write down a product you personally need.
- ✓Check one supply assumption with a manufacturer before you commit to a story.
- ✓Treat Zachary's personal fitness use as his own, not health advice.
Notable Quotes
“you start to notice the ones that rise to the top”
“an empty page is sometimes quite scary”
“I wanted it to be a sustainable brand”
The One Thing to Remember
Zachary Quinn says he picks business ideas by tracking a running list and noticing which rise to the top, and that purpose and a personal need drove both Love Your Melon and Oceanfoam.