Paul McCarthy – Wild Business Growth Podcast #217: Simplicity Super, Founder of Snapfix

Simplicity is a phenomenal focus for a business. That’s the case for this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Paul McCarthy. Paul is the Founder and CEO of Snapfix. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Full Transcript
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth Podcast Summary

Episode 217: Paul McCarthy – Simplicity Super, Founder of Snapfix

Paul McCarthy, the Founder and CEO of Snapfix, joins the show to share his journey from growing up with 11 siblings on a farm in Ireland to creating the maintenance platform for the world. Hear how to stay focused on simplicity, expand internationally, instill a culture where it’s okay to make mistakes, the tradition of jumping in cold water at Forty Foot, and how often he gets confused for Paul McCartney. This episode covers everything from running for the bus to user experience. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What’s Paul’s best memory from living in the East Village
• How was his childhood growing up on a farm in Ireland
• When did he notice WhatsApp wasn’t efficient for task management and project management
• How did the team develop the tech side of Snapfix
• What are the most commonly used features
• How has Paul been able to market Snapfix
• What does he do to wake his mind up in the morning
• How was it seeing the Moai in person

Connect with Paul at Snapfix.com.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & Growing Up on a Farm in Ireland
  • [0:32] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:43] Connect with Paul at Snapfix.com
  • [1:57] Paul Wall
  • [2:40] What’s Paul’s best memory from living in the East Village
  • [3:05] Murray Hill
  • [3:19] Uber
  • [3:32] How was Paul’s childhood growing up on a farm in Ireland
  • [3:52] Shoutout Fred & Barb! Forever Fred
  • [4:20] What did growing up on a farm teach Paul about life and business
  • [4:54] Entrepreneurship
  • [5:31] What was Paul’s favorite and least favorite task to do on the farm
  • [6:32] I’d watch that movie
  • [7:11] What did Paul learn from growing up with so many siblings

• The Snapfix Story
  • [8:44] Vivid Verbs
  • [9:02] How did Paul get into the hospitality and maintenance industries
  • [9:17] Computer Science (CompSci)
  • [9:28] Post-it Notes
  • [10:46] When did Paul notice WhatsApp wasn’t efficient for task management and project management
  • [11:33] How did the team develop the tech (technology) side of Snapfix
  • [11:47] CTO (Chief Technology Officer) Cathal Greaney
  • [12:07] Apple, Android
  • [12:27] Microsoft Word
  • [12:59] IT (Information Technology)
  • [13:24] How does Snapfix keep their focus on simplicity
  • [14:03] Product Designer
  • [14:34] Trim that fat
  • [14:42] What are the most commonly used features of Snapfix
  • [15:11] Punch Lists
  • [15:39] Apps, QR Code (Quick Response)
  • [16:22] Slack
  • [16:49] How has Paul been able to market Snapfix
  • [18:42] Customer Service
  • [19:04] How do you expand internationally
  • [19:26] Social Media, Email Marketing
  • [19:55] Word of Mouth (WOM)
  • [20:08] Come on, (Ant)Arctics!
  • [20:43] What are some key decisions that have been inflection points in the growth of Snapfix
  • [22:22] How do you instill a culture where it’s okay to make mistakes
  • [22:39] CIO (Chief Impatience Officer)
  • [23:10] Twitter
  • [23:51] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool. Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [24:28] Caught you, Paul!
  • [24:45] How does he utilize simplicity (the “s” word) outside of work
  • [26:27] How do you handle jumping in the water in the winter
  • [26:42] Forty Foot, Google
  • [26:53] James Joyce, Martello Tower, Ulysses by James Joyce
  • [27:17] How does hopping in cold water refresh your mind
  • [27:47] How often does Paul hop in the water
  • [28:37] What does he do to wake up his mind in the morning
  • [29:19] Come on, Paul!

• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [29:42] What’s a Weird Talent Paul has
  • [30:36] ESP (ExtraSensory Perception) not PSP
  • [30:43] What’s a pet peeve Paul has
  • [31:45] Lots of numbers
  • [31:56] What’s a quirk Paul has
  • [32:35] 487 times exactly?!?!
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [33:21] The Village Idiot
  • [33:52] Shoutout, Tommy McNeil!
  • [34:23] Easter Island
  • [34:58] How was it seeing the Moai in person
  • [35:39] How long would it take Paul and his 11 siblings to get ready for school in the morning
  • [36:19] How often does he get confused for Paul McCartney
  • [36:24] Eddie Murphy
  • [37:02] Connect with Paul at Snapfix.com
  • [37:30] What are Paul’s Final Thoughts
  • [38:21] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And 5 stars on Apple Podcasts & Spotify if you’re feeling super nice
  • [38:46] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [38:48] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
  • [38:51] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [38:56] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Paul McCarthy on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. And brave the frigid waters of Forty Foot with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!