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: michelle@michellethames.com📲 Instagram: @michellelthames