The Unique Business Behind NYC's Hottest Bagel Franchise

This week on the pod I spoke with content creator, entrepreneur and venture capitalist Joe Pompliano.

Joe’s had a meteoric rise to the point where he’s working with F1 teams like Mclaren, interviewing people like Gary Vee, Dana White and Lance Armstrong, and investing in companies like Airbnb and Reddit.

But the wildest business he’s invested in to date wasn’t a big tech unicorn. It wasn’t even the professional sports league spearheading one of America’s fastest growing sports, although he has done that.

It was New York City’s most exciting bagel franchise - PopUp Bagels.

I asked Joe what went into his decision to invest into the now award winning franchise.

I was expecting a long breakdown around the macro tailwinds, founder strengths and other technical reasons.

But I got something a whole lot more entertaining:

“The bagel one was easy. I was just like, these are fucking awesome bagels.”

So this week I dug around on the internet to learn about the business behind these bagels.

This was no ordinary bagel business. Before Joe came on board, the founding team implemented a super creative approach to gain traction.

Here’s the 3 unique marketing strategies PopUp Bagels used early on to set off on their wild trajectory.

The Blueprint for Bagel Brilliance

Adam Goldberg didn't just bake bagels; he baked a new marketing approach. Here's a closer look:

1. Sneaker Drop Vibes For Bagels

From Day 1, Adam turned bagel buying into an event, creating a buzz usually reserved for limited-edition sneaker drops. "It's grown from five six seven eight people in my backyard to three four hundred people every weekend," Adam shared, illustrating the frenzy around each pop-up event. “You drop a link and then it sells out… it's something I was first exposed to with sneakers and supreme. That's why i've always called PopUp Bagels the Supreme of bagels.”

2. Subscriptions: Netflix for Bagels

Imagine having premium bagels by the dozen, set and forget on repeat. That's the genius of Pop-Up Bagels' subscription model. "We really love the idea of you know buying bagels by the dozen," Adam explained, “people who every week or every other week are buying bagels at a specific time and they have it set so that there's no line they just show up their bagels are there.”

3. Where's Waldo? The Pop-Up Philosophy

Before their official stores opened, Pop-Up Bagels first gained traction through surprise, popping up where you least expect them, keeping overheads low and excitement high while building out the validation for the business. It was guerrilla warfare on the traditional bakery model, and it won hearts (and stomachs).

The Takeaway

Joe Pompliano's decision to invest in Pop-Up Bagels wasn't just about the bagels. It was about believing in Adam's vision to transform a classic product into a cultural phenomenon. Through innovative sales tactics, a focus on community, and an unwavering commitment to quality, Pop-Up Bagels is more than a business; it's a movement.

My conversation with Joe dove into so much more than bagels.

Any business owner, or aspiring business owner, can implement his content strategies to build online audience for more sales and greater business opportunities.

Hit the link below to listen to catch a deep dive on the following :

• The content creation playbook to quit your job in 3 months

• The 2 must have ingredients for explosive social media audience growth

• Building an audience-first business: The new age model of entrepreneurship

• How to design your dream life: time & freedom vs building something bigger than yourself

• Behind the scenes on investing in ventures like a bagel franchise and the Premier Lacrosse League

• Joe's frameworks for selecting investment opportunities and assessing risks

You won’t want to miss this!