Dan Lewis is a founder who shares his entrepreneurial journey. He lost his job in 2009 and became a freelance designer, gaining his first client at a strip club. He met Andrew Cargill who taught him web development in exchange for vodka, and they co-founded PHPGenie and iGotMunchies. While iGotMunchies failed when a large takeout company entered the UK market, their web development business grew. They expanded to 10 employees in Wales and opened an office in Miami after an investment. Lewis later sold his companies to try a new idea, Digital Profile, which required a second attempt to get off the ground after initial failure.

1. I’m Dan Lewis
Founder of a few failures & successes
Follow me on Twitter & Instagram
@DanLewisTech

2. How did it all
start?
- Left University in 2006 after studying a degree in
design
- Worked in finance and in banks up until 2009
credit crunch hit – I lost my job
- Became a freelance designer
- Gained my first client – A strip club
- Had to find someone to help me

3. How I met my first co-
founder
- I met Andrew Cargill who taught me web
development in exchange for a bottle of vodka
and after a few sessions, I convinced him to join
forces and work with me.

4. Setting up two
companies
- Andy joined me as co-founder of PHPGenie
- Andy also was trying to setup a business called
iGotMunchies – I became the co-founder
- We decided to run with iGotMucnhies to start
with and do the web designing in the
background for extra cash

5. iGotMunchies fail
- “That big takeout company” entered the UK
market with online ordering
- We decided that hosting menus online was a
thing of the past and it was easier to earn money
building websites for others
- We gained investment from Alfred Gooding in
our web development business.

6. We grew
- We built a brand specialising in e-commerce
- We grew our team in Newport, Wales
to 10 within a few years
- Setup a company called Blurrt

7. Going to Miami
- 4 years in, we got introduced to the EX-CEO of
Hertz and Burger King International
- He invested
- Setup new office in the Miami, USA
- Changed the company name - TheGenieLab
- Apartment, based in Wynwood art district

8. Leaving & setting up
Digital Profile
- Sold Blurrt and TheGenieLab to try
something new
- Found a seed investor to help get the
idea off the ground
- 1st attempt we failed
- We started again and we are now
making good progress with further
investment

9. Lessons learnt
- Don’t sell your soul to the devil
- Pick people who see your vision not your profit
- Focus
- Lifestyle or sellout?
- There will always be haters
- Recruit for your weaknesses

10. Questions?
Thank you
Remember to follow me on twitter or Instagram
@danlewistech