Photo Credit: Justin Archer

So I self-taught. I reverse-engineered everything I wanted to know — not to pass a test, but to build something real.

Now I help startups do the same. From launching brands like Toolbox, to building growth loops that scale without bloated ops, to engineering AI workflows that turn friction into flow — I turn problems into playbooks.

I wasn’t polished. I was pressure-formed.
And I don’t just grow companies — I build systems that refuse to stay small.

Proven Startup Builder

From Spark Fiber to Toolbox — A Career Built in Real Time

I didn’t start with a blueprint. I started with a shovel.

At Spark Fiber, I was co-founder, marketer, and trench digger — literally. We laid fiber in our own neighborhood, and I led hyperlocal campaigns that turned cold knocks into warm leads. I pitched HOAs, crafted flyers, and even got the FCC to follow us on Twitter.

From there, I built Virtual You, a digital agency before “digital agency” was a category. I ran Facebook Ads for realtors and chiropractors, rewrote restaurant menus to drive margin, and turned forgotten brochures into front-door revenue.

Then came Toolbox — my most refined system to date. A peer-to-peer tool rental marketplace built to empower DIYers with access, education, and inspiration. I ran every growth lever:

• SEO strategy
• UX/UI redesigns
• Paid traffic
• Content and community
• Branding, analytics, and funnel optimization

If there was a lever, I pulled it. If it didn’t exist, I built it.

Other Notable Projects:

• Outposts Plus → Designed a webinar engine that consistently drove $1M+ in qualified leads through emotional insight, educational framing, and strategic scoring.
• Gmund Cars → Acquired and SEO-recovered a penalized site into a passive revenue asset.
• Extras → Produced, cast, and starred in a web series — blending story, production, and creative direction.
• Dinner Engineered → A YouTube channel merging content clarity with food obsession.
• Your Day Trading Academy → An affiliate site built from scratch — full-funnel, search-driven.

Each project added a new layer: strategy, storytelling, systems thinking.
Each one sharpened a different edge.

Built by Adversity. Optimized by Curiosity.

But here’s the thing: none of this happened from a place of stability. I’ve faced more than just technical challenges.

I’ve survived childhood abuse and emotional neglect. I’ve struggled with ADHD, Asperger’s, and mental health hurdles that most people wouldn’t see on the surface. I was homeless for over a year and a half. During that time, I didn’t just survive — I continued building.

What I gained:

• Mental toughness that’s unfazed by high-pressure situations.
• Emotional resilience that makes startup chaos feel manageable.
• Deep creativity born out of the necessity to entertain and motivate myself.
• A resourcefulness muscle most people never get to develop.

Working with toxic people? Been there. It taught me how to recognize red flags fast, how to manage emotional labor, and how to build cultures that don’t break people down.

When you’ve had to lead yourself out of the dark, leading others becomes second nature.

In just six years, I went from surviving with nothing but grit, to building a life that I love on my own terms. No handouts. No shortcuts. Just relentless learning, resilience, and resourcefulness.

Now imagine what that kind of transformation can do for your company!

The Takeaway

If you want someone with a traditional résumé — I’m not your guy. But if you want someone who:

• Can go from zero to one with minimal input
• Can grow from one to ten without bloated ops
• Thinks like a founder but builds like a product manager
• Carries creative, strategic, and analytical weight
• Has lived experience navigating chaos and still delivering outcomes…

Then you want someone like me.

I’m Justin.

I solve things that break.
I build things that grow.
And I do both with elegance, speed, and staying power.