JP, a van-life entrepreneur, built a 7 million follower social media business using AI automation to publish 30 videos daily across platforms. He sleeps in his van at 24-hour stores, uses QR codes as marketing hooks, and now speaks publicly about his founder story and resilience.
Hi, excuse me.
Hi.
Are you a business owner by any chance?
Yeah, I am actually.
Amazing. So I wanted to interview you because I saw that QR code. So I wanted to know what kind of food do you sell?
Scan it.
What is it? I don't have my phone with me.
I sell Korean barbecue.
Korean barbecue? Are you Korean?
Yeah, I am Korean. Really? Not North, but yeah, I do a lot of Korean-inspired fusion, more American-style food. And actually, I have a book here. Really? I know. I'm actually going to a meeting right now. Okay, cool.
Oh, can I keep this?
No, my name's JP, by the way.
You're JP, nice meeting you. So I'm actually interviewing business owners because I would love to do a founder story for you, and I kind of wanted to get about your business, your story, and everything. I don't know if you're down for that.
Well, I wasn't ready for this, but let's do it.
Ready? Yeah. Well, you sure have like 10 QR codes.
Oh, uh, that's just part of marketing strategies.
Okay, amazing.
Yeah, yeah. So basically, you know, a lot of people see QR codes and they just, I don't know, instinctively I feel like want to scan it. I mean, you guys walked by, right? Did you guys be like, ooh, I got to scan that? Orā
Okay, but he says pop-up comedy, so you do Korean food and comedy?
Korean food and comedy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
You nailed it.
We're kind of in the middle of the street. Oh my gosh. So this looks like a house. Where is the food?
All right. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. It's just a ploy. Okay? Just like some people say you got candy in the van. I say I got food in my van. Look, it worked. All right? I apologize.
So you kidnap people like this?
Myā No, no. I show them what I'm about. I get them into the world of JP. And we're going to learn about that today.
Okay.
If you're interested. Okay. Okay.
Okay.
You seem nervous.
A little bit.
You haveā you're notā she's not alone. There's someone holding the camera.
Exactly.
You know when you watch those videos, you're like, who's holding the camera when it's clearly a prank? Yeah, there's a kidā there's a guy right in front of me. You are safe.
I'm safe.
He could take me. All right, let's actuallyā you can see with this recording too. Yeah, I'm always recording, which if you're an editor, you're like, that sounds miserable to sit through 24 hours. But no, it's live streaming.
It's live stream.
Yep. Sorry, surprise.
Actually, I've I've seen your videos before. Aren't you the guy that is like telling like tips about like saving money when you go to McDonald's or Chick-fil-A or things like that? So tell us about your crib.
I love van life because I love minimalisticness. I love efficiency. I literally have 14 of the same shirt and I just rinse repeat my lifestyle. I don't have to think about what I wear when I get up and I love that. I go to Wawa and I sleep at the Wawa because they're 24 hours and they don't care. And this is my garbage system. It's so genius, you know? I'm like my own self-checkout. And usually they're really nice. They'll come knock and ask me how I'm doing. I'm like, I'm good, I'm good. And sometimes give me a cup of coffee. Really? They know you already? Oh yeah. Oh my gosh. I'm like Tom Hanks in The Terminal. I have Wi-Fi at all times. T-Mobile, shout out. And unlimited, by the way. So I have internet everywhere I go.
So you don't have a house? This is where you live?
Yeah, no, I haven't. I've been doing this for over 2 years. Wow. And some people fantasize about van life and then they go through all the process of building the van and then they like don't know if they like it. I just bought this prefabbed and I just went on the road.
Where do you shower?
I shower right in here.
How doesn't it get like wet everywhere?
These doors close.
Did you shower today? Yeah. So you don't sell Korean, that was a joke, right?
Yeah, 100% don't sell Korean. I actually don't even know how toā I'm not Korean really. That's about as much as I'm going to show. If you open up one drawer in here, let's just say it's not safe for work, okay?
So you have books but you don't sell them?
Well, there's a story behind it. I'm in a lawsuit with my ex-fiancƩe. She's on the back.
Oh, so what's your business?
What do you do? So crazy. It's kind of similar to what you guys do, but my clients aren't in Orlando.
So you do social media too?
Yeah.
Amazing.
Systems and automations. I've been able to kind of have it self-run for me with AI and stuff like that. Right now I think I have about 30 videos that go live a day on different platforms.
What?
Yeah.
Why don't we go ahead and start shooting your founder story?
Yeah, honestly.
So I have a studio close by.
You know what's really embarrassing? I'd be downtown and I would be recognized by like some, like, you know, some college dudes and they'd be like, And I'd be likeā
Like a little duck?
You want to get more aggressive with it. It's advanced when you start running. Yes! Oh my gosh. Let's go to the studio, guys.
So we are going to set up. This is going to be the BTS behind it, and we're going to set everything, and I am excited to hear your story.
Yeah, I can't wait.
Yes. Okay, let's go. We're ready. How does it look? Oh wow, it looks amazing. Wait, it'sā can you move it a little bit to the right? That's perfect. Yep, that is center. Can you Apple Pay with that meter or no?
Yeah, I've got 11 minutes online.
Yes, I don't think I have enough coins, so pay Apple Pay for everybody.
Awesome.
So you are going to say, my name is JP, I am the founder of your company, and this is my founder story.
I'm JP. I'm a motivational speaker, and this is my founder story.
So I want you to start by saying your story. What is the lowest of the lowest point?
The lowest of the lowest point?
Yeah, because you can inspire other people to do what you did.
What if my worst thing is what's happened to me in the past 3 years?
You can say it too.
Yeah. Yeah.
Whatever. Whatever you want to talk about, we can do that.
Yeah, I think that's what it is.
Amazing.
I'm JP. I'm a motivational speaker, and this is my founder story. So I grew a food channel in 2013 to 2023, and during that time I had the highest high of my life. I was doing it, you know, I made it. I had over probably 7 million followers across all platforms, and I got comfortable. I think I got complacent, lazy. I lost the drive without me even knowing. In a blink of an eye, it was all gone. I lost my house. I lost my job, my relationship. We were a power couple. The channel was not a food channel. The channel was a relationship channel. It was our dynamic. It was our love for each other on camera. And the minute that love went away, the audience can see it before we even saw it. I had to leave. I got a van. I just started touring all over the West Coast just to get away from it. But I realized, just like doing that, it didn't get rid of the problem. It just was like a distraction. Definitely the lowest part of my life. I wanted to do something different. I need to like find myself again. And through that, I really got inspired and motivated to discover who I am as an artist or as a comedian or as a speaker or who I am as a person. So despite all that has happened, I've really found where I've been completely fulfilled with my next steps with motivational speaking, speaking to students, speaking to colleges, corporate events about my journey has really fulfilled me and how I can feel like I can make a difference for other people that are kind of going through similar struggles and seeing where they can find their voice too. This is my journey, and I would love to be a part of yours.
My life has not been easy, but I've never given up ā¤ļø #business #motivation
Sometimes a closed door is not rejection, it is redirection. #business #growth #rapidgrowth
