- Underestimated
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- Boots on. Sleeves Up. Businesses Built.
Boots on. Sleeves Up. Businesses Built.
No fluff, no shortcuts—just two founders who saw a problem, got in the trenches, and built something real.
Eric Harrison
April 11, 2025
Neither of them waited for permission.
They didn’t raise capital.
They built with what they had—skills, service, sweat, and a genuine care for their customers.
This edition of Underestimated is about the founders who didn’t start with perfect positioning or polished branding.
They started with a problem.
They solved it manually.
And then they scaled it deliberately.
 | Jaime Salcedo LITERALLY puts out fires for a living. He’s also been a professional tattoo artist for 13 years. And oh by the way he’s the founder of Painless Picasso. “I had dislocated my shoulder in a fire. I couldn’t tattoo. I was sitting at home, in a sling, when a client asked what numbing cream to use,” Jaime says. “That’s when I finally looked into it.” This one’s for anyone who’s ever turned a text into a business. Read his full story here! |
Matt Foster didn’t grow up fixing boats. But after five unanswered service calls, he realized the marine industry was broken—and built Motorboat Mechanics to fix it. What started with a scrappy Facebook ad is now a multi-city mobile repair company scaling through marinas, systems, and word-of-mouth trust. “I just paid attention. I spotted a gap. And I went for it.” This one’s for anyone who spotted a gap and dove in headfirst. More about Matt here! |  |
If these stories hit a little too close to home, good.
You’re not the only one figuring it out as you go. There’s a whole group of us doing the same—comparing notes, trading wins, and building real businesses without pretending to have it all together.
Some of those people are already in Thrive.
Some aren’t yet.
You’ll know which one you are.
— Eric 👋
 | Thrive is where founders find their people. |