#129 Eri Iozdjan: Having a Bias For Action
What if the secret to building a thriving business wasn't an MBA, a venture capital check, or even a business plan — but simply the courage to say yes before you're ready?
Today's guest is Eri Iozdjan, founder of Maven Lane, a premium direct-to-consumer furniture brand that's redefining what it means to bring quality, story, and soul to the spaces where we live our lives. Eri's journey is anything but conventional. He arrived in the United States from Bulgaria at age five, speaking no English, with his young mother and nothing but a relentless drive to figure it out. From working HVAC jobs as a teenager, to producing a New York Fashion Week runway show, to building a furniture brand that sells out its first inventory run in weeks — Eri is proof that the most unlikely paths can lead to the most extraordinary destinations.
In this episode, Eri pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build something meaningful from the ground up — and why staying true to your vision, even when the money is tempting you otherwise, is the ultimate competitive advantage.
Here's a taste of what you'll walk away with:
Why saying yes before you're ready is the single greatest career accelerator — and how Eri used it to go from knowing nothing about furniture to building a brand people call life-changing
The complacency trap that derails even the most successful entrepreneurs — and the simple mindset shift Eri uses to stay sharp no matter how well things are going
How a late-night dream gave Eri the name, the logo, and the soul of Maven Lane — and what it teaches us about trusting our instincts
The phone call from a stranger that gave Eri the confidence to go all in — and why that one conversation changed everything about how he saw his business
Why "nobody cares" is actually the most liberating career advice you'll ever receive — and how embracing it can unlock a level of ownership and accountability most people never find
This is a conversation about grit, creativity, identity, and the quiet power of just getting to tomorrow. You're not going to want to miss it.
Show Notes with Time Stamps
[00:00 – 03:30] The Origin Story: From Bulgaria to Fort Wayne, Indiana Eri shares what it was like immigrating to the US from Bulgaria at age five with his young mother, who was just 22 at the time. He talks about growing up without his biological father, the tight-knit community life in Bulgaria, and how his grandfather became one of the most influential figures in his life.
[03:30 – 06:00] The American Dream and What Drove the Move Eri reflects on what prompted his family's decision to leave Bulgaria — limited economic opportunity, the pull of the American dream, and family members already planted in the US who painted a picture of what was possible.
[06:00 – 09:00] Lessons from Mom: Do and Ask Questions Later Eri unpacks the single most important lesson his mother modeled for him — not through words, but through the way she lived. She cleaned houses, raised a child in a country whose language she didn't speak, and just figured it out. Eri traces how that ethos has shaped every major decision he's made.
[09:00 – 12:30] Muhammad Ali, Boxing, and Finding an Identity Eri talks about discovering boxing in middle school as a way to navigate a rough school environment — and how it quickly became so much more than self-defense. He shares why Muhammad Ali was his hero, not just for his boxing, but for his willingness to stand for something in the face of adversity.
[12:30 – 16:00] First Jobs: HVAC, Crawl Spaces, and the Weight of Responsibility Eri recalls working alongside his stepfather in his HVAC company as a teenager, including a vivid memory of walking across ceiling joists above a dinner party and being told he simply could not slip. He reflects on what that experience taught him about preparation, professionalism, and what it means to do a job for someone else.
[16:00 – 20:00] Skipping College and Starting a Career in Sales Eri explains why he didn't follow the traditional university path, instead entering a technical honors program during high school that allowed him to work as an auto mechanic apprentice while earning his degree. He shares how he eventually landed a sales role at an industrial factory automation company and was handed a quarter of the country to manage as sales director.
[20:00 – 25:00] The College Conversation: Is It Worth It? A candid and wide-ranging conversation about the value of higher education, homeschooling, and how both Eri and the host are thinking about their kids' futures. Eri reflects on the feeling of being "left behind by his own design" when his friends went off to university — and what he would do differently with the benefit of hindsight.
[25:00 – 29:30] Moving to Denver: Love, Risk, and a Leap of Faith Eri shares the story of meeting his now-wife, learning about her apparel company, and making the decision to leave a growing sales career, abandon his Los Angeles acting dreams, and move to Colorado sight unseen with a woman he had just started dating. He reflects on why, at 22 or 23, the room for error is far greater than it feels.
[29:30 – 35:00] Director of Marketing at an Apparel Brand: Learning to Tell a Story Eri walks through his role at his wife's inclusive athletic apparel company — building the Shopify store from scratch, running advertising campaigns, overseeing creative direction, and developing the formula for a successful product launch. He reflects on the most important thing he learned: how to tell a compelling story that moves people.
[35:00 – 40:30] Producing a New York Fashion Week Show One of the most gripping segments of the episode. Eri describes what it took to produce a runway show at Sony Hall in New York City — casting models, choreographing outfit changes to specific BPMs, rehearsing in a warehouse, and managing the controlled chaos of New York. He reflects on what the experience unlocked in him: the belief that you can say yes to something you have no idea how to do and actually pull it off.
[40:30 – 46:00] The Birth of Maven Lane: Spotting a Gap in the Market Eri explains how a conversation with his neighbor and co-founder planted the seed for Maven Lane. He walks through his analysis of the furniture market — the inaccessible luxury players at the top, the particle board garbage at the bottom, and the wide open space in between for a brand that offered quality, story, and accessibility all at once.
[46:00 – 51:00] Launching Maven Lane: The First Sale and the Phone Call That Changed Everything Eri recalls the surreal experience of selling out his first inventory run in three to four weeks instead of three months — and the unforgettable phone call from a stranger who tracked down his personal cell number through her credit card company. She told him he was doing something special and ended the call by praying over him. Eri credits that moment with giving him the confidence to go all in.
[51:00 – 56:30] The Name, The Logo, and the Dream That Started It All Eri reveals the origin of the Maven Lane name — a vivid dream involving dark New York City alleyways, a Victorian lantern, and an ornate wooden door that blinded him with light when he finally pushed it open. He explains how that door became the centerpiece of the Maven Lane logo and what the dream taught him about trusting his instincts.
[56:30 – 01:02:00] Product Development: The Atlas of Furniture Design and the Vietnam Factories Eri pulls back the curtain on how Maven Lane develops its products — from analyzing catalog gaps and price point tiers, to drawing inspiration from a furniture design encyclopedia dating back to the 1700s, to making eight or nine trips to Vietnam to work directly with factory partners he now considers close friends. He also shares the story behind the fan-favorite arch cabinet and how his wife convinced him to use the oversized handle everyone now loves.
[01:02:00 – 01:06:30] The Hardest Part: Staying True to Your Vision Eri reflects on the most difficult ongoing challenge of building Maven Lane — the constant temptation to chase revenue by compromising on quality and vision. He shares that despite data showing he could add significant top-line revenue by selling cheaper products, he refuses, because that's simply not who Maven Lane is or ever will be.
[01:06:30 – 01:10:00] The Complacency Trap and Keeping the Details Sharp Eri shares his biggest lesson learned: that success can breed complacency, and complacency is where businesses quietly begin to unravel. He references the cyclical principle of weak times and strong times and explains why staying dialed in on the details — no matter how well things are going — is the most important discipline an entrepreneur can develop.
[01:10:00 – 01:14:30] Who Has Impacted Eri's Career the Most Eri pays tribute to his grandfather, who passed away last year and who he describes as his best friend and greatest mentor. He shares his grandfather's signature approach to problems — casually asking "what's next?" no matter how dire the situation — and reflects on how that perspective taught him that everything always passes, and all you have to do is get to tomorrow.
[01:14:30 – 01:20:00] Books, Documentaries, and Daily Habits Eri shares the books that have impacted him most including The Alchemist, The War of Art, Atomic Habits, and Traction. He recommends the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi as a meditation on passion and purpose, and talks about his evening meditation and prayer practice and the stretching routine he credits with helping him wind down and sleep better.
[01:20:00 – 01:28:00] The Sleep Conversation: Rings, Dilators, Mouth Tape, and More A candid and entertaining deep dive into sleep optimization — covering Oura Ring data, nasal dilators, mouth tape, CBD/CBN, Tension Tamer Tea, and the importance of sleep consistency over sleep quantity. Both Eri and the host swap notes on what has and hasn't worked for them.
[01:28:00 – 01:32:00] Rapid Fire: Career Advice, Life Lessons, and Words for the Next Generation Eri closes with his best career and life advice: nobody cares — it's up to you. He wishes he had understood the value of time earlier, and leaves listeners with three pieces of advice for anyone early in their career: build a specific skill around your interests, surround yourself with people you respect, and be brave.