Todd Abrams went from being nicknamed "Lumpy" to an IFBB pro men's physique competitor and co-founder and CEO of ICON Meals, a company that delivers healthy meals to thousands across the US.
But ICON Meals is just the latest chapter in Todd's entrepreneurial journey. He's founded and successfully exited multiple companies, including Outdoor Solutions and Layer Technologies. From funeral home management software to cloud computing, Todd has consistently demonstrated his knack for identifying opportunities and building thriving businesses across various markets.
In this episode, Todd reveals a consistent pattern of identifying needs, seizing opportunities, and adapting to change. He illustrates the power of solving problems you encounter firsthand, the importance of being agile in the face of challenges, and the potential of combining passion with smart business strategies. Todd's experiences, from tech to food, underscore a fundamental truth in entrepreneurship: success often lies in making people's lives easier or better.
This episode will guide you in turning personal transformation into business innovation, and finding the sweet spot where profit meets purpose.
Catch the full thing here:
Here’s what we will explore below:
- Build Solutions from Your Own Needs
- Pivot or Perish
- Food as a Tool for Change
- First Mover Advantage
- Convenience is King
So why did Todd, a tech guy, decide to jump into the food world? It wasn't just about making a buck:
I truly believe food can change people's lives if it's used correctly. It's a tool. And from a business standpoint, I always have to have two things in any business I start. One is residual or recurring revenue.
Todd went from being the "fat kid" to a competitive bodybuilder, so he knows firsthand how the right food can change your life. But he's also a savvy businessman. By combining his passion for healthy eating with a smart business model, Todd created something that's both meaningful and profitable. It's the holy grail of entrepreneurship - doing well by doing good.
When Icon Meals was just getting off the ground, Todd saw an opening:
We were one of the first adopters and probably the first one in the custom meal space.
Todd wasn't content with the one-size-fits-all approach of other meal services. He figured people would love to build their own meals, choosing their proteins, carbs, and veggies. By being first to this idea, Icon Meals got a head start on the competition. It's a classic case of "the early bird gets the worm" in the business world.
When Todd launched Icon Meals, he zeroed in on what people really needed:
You have to have a solution to a problem, and for us, that solution was the element of convenience. We wanted to be that trusted partner, providing healthy prepared meals in a convenient, affordable fashion.
Todd saw that folks wanted to eat healthy, but life kept getting in the way. Between long hours at work and family commitments, who has time to meal prep? By tackling this everyday headache, Icon Meals carved out its spot in the crowded food industry. It's a reminder that often, the best business ideas don't reinvent the wheel - they just make life a little easier.
Todd's path from tech to meal prep wasn't a straight line. Along the way, he stumbled onto a golden rule of entrepreneurship:
We started as a need for hosting. I think a lot of entrepreneurs need to look at this - you can build multiple businesses or revenue streams from solving needs within your own company.
This lightbulb moment came when Todd was running his funeral home software business. He needed hosting services, so he built his own. That side project turned into Layered Tech, a major player in the hosting world. Todd found a business idea hiding in plain sight; sometimes your next big thing is just solving a problem you're already facing.
Todd's been around the block a few times in the business world. If there's one thing he's learned, it's this:
The biggest thing I see in life and in businesses is that many people can't pivot. They're stuck on the idea that things have to go a certain way. As an entrepreneur, you know that's not how it works. Life's going to throw you a lot of different curveballs.
This isn't just theory for Todd, he's lived it, weathering all sorts of storms throughout his career. His point? Don't get so married to your original idea that you miss the boat when things change. In the startup world, being stubborn isn't a virtue - it's a fast track to dying out.
