Who?
John Tabis, founder and CEO of The Bouqs Company
Where?
Venice, California
What?
Tabis teamed with his college friend Juan Pablo Montúfar, who runs a farm in Ecuador, to create The Bouqs Company. The business works directly with farmers and florists to deliver flowers while cutting out unnecessary waste and the middleman in the process. Before founding the company, Tabis worked doing consulting and marketing for brands such as Disney, ESPN, ABC and others.
I leave the house on… 
My URB-E scooter. It’s a fully electric, foldable, collapsible scooter that I use to get around Venice Beach. It’s my way to cut through traffic without the dangers of a motorcycle.
I value…
People who have drive and really want to make a change in the world.
I love using…
Bonusly. It’s a peer-to-peer micro-bonus tool that allows folks within a company to give each other mini-bonuses in the form of points, and those points are redeemable for activities, gift cards or monetary bonuses. It allows individuals within the company to recognize others on a real-time basis.
My favorite quote is…
“Be better today than yesterday.”
My dad cut that quote out of a newspaper and gave it to me when I was 15. I still have it today. I have it framed on my desk.
My favorite feel-good movie is…
Love Actually.
A good-follow on Twitter is…
Dave McClure (@DaveMcClure). Dave’s an epic angel investor and one of the founders of 500 Startups. He speaks his mind very clearly.
I’m energized by…
Going for a run and spending time with my family.
I jam out to… 
Old Dominion.
Everyone should try…
To be alone as an adult for a long weekend—spending time with no one you know in a place where no one knows you.
I recommend reading…
What Should I Do with My Life? The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question by Po Bronson. My sister gave it to me because I was in one of those stages of my career where I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. The book is a set of profiles of individuals who shifted their careers later in life.
I’m powered by…
My motor that doesn’t really stop. For a founder, fortitude and the ability to keep going [are really necessary].
Disappointments are…
Opportunities to learn how to reach a goal. I try to focus on the bigger picture and not get bogged down by short-term setbacks.
My aha moment was… 
When I was on Shark Tank in 2014. It was the moment when this company and this brand became inextricably linked to me. Prior to that we were this small startup trying to make it. Once we were on Shark Tank, this was my thing and my company and very much tied to who I was as a person. It was the first time in my life when I thought I was actually going to run a company. After that moment, I knew we were on to something bigger.
Related: 14 Things That Spark My Success
This article originally appeared in the June 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
