30: From Broke to Multi-Exit Founder: How Solving Real Problems Built Two 7-Figure Companies
Travis Luther, Founder, Time to Live, LLC
Travis Luther’s path to becoming a multi-exit founder is anything but typical. Born into poverty and raised by a single mom, Travis developed an entrepreneurial hustle from an early age—collecting recyclables and starting his first businesses as a teenager. But it wasn’t until he shifted his focus from passion projects to solving real problems that he unlocked scalable success.
In this powerful conversation with Bruce Eckfeldt, Travis breaks down the exact mindset and strategy shifts that led to the growth and sale of two very different companies: Queen Anne Pillow and Trial Line. He explains how understanding customer pain points, mastering unit economics, and choosing complementary partners were key levers in scaling fast and exiting smart.
Travis also reflects on a critical post-exit lesson many founders overlook: the emotional and existential challenges of what comes after selling your company. He candidly shares how freedom without purpose can lead to paralysis—and how he navigated that void to rediscover his "why."
Now, Travis is channeling his experience into Moso Pillow, a sustainable bedding brand built with environmental impact at its core, while also mentoring and inspiring underprivileged entrepreneurs through teaching, speaking, and coaching.
This episode is rich with founder-focused insights on building for scale, preparing for sale, and finding purpose post-exit. If you're building toward a business exit—or wondering what comes after—Travis’s story offers clarity, caution, and motivation.
Key Takeaways
Solving a real, painful market problem is more important than building a passion project.
Choose business partners with complementary skills—not just shared interests.
Know your exact cost of goods sold to price effectively and grow profitably.
Valet Ads taught Travis about high-margin, scalable ideas hidden in plain sight.
Queen Anne Pillow scaled fast with SEO and customer education during COVID.
Selling too soon without testing the full market may leave money on the table.
Life post-exit can bring emotional uncertainty if you haven’t planned what’s next.
Travis’s new venture, Moso Pillow, aligns impact, purpose, and entrepreneurship.
Contact Information:
https://travisluther.com/
https://www.instagram.com/travisscottluther/
