Here at AppSumo, we’re big fans of tacos. Blame it on our Austin, TX origins. Whether we’re ranking products or ordering takeout, tacos are literally our gold standard. We’re talking soft shell, hard shell…even the questionable Taco Bell.

To celebrate National Taco Day, we interviewed four hungry and humble Sumo-lings about their businesses, go-to taco orders, and essential workflow tools.

4 hungry Sumo-lings to taco ’bout

1. Cy Agley

Coming to the ecommerce world with 14 years of experience from digital marketing strategy, Cy has launched a side hustle that helps businesses become self-sustainable using powerful automations. HeyOtto is a one-stop branding expert that generates sales through web traffic and even helps businesses get listed to sell on Amazon. As a big believer in networking, Cy’s tips and tricks about growth hacking are proof that solopreneurs don’t have to do it all on their own.

Favorite quote to live by: 

“Life is a long lesson in humility.” – James M. Barrie

Favorite taco:

“Nothing beats a pork belly taco. (Although, you can’t really go wrong with any type of taco!)”

Proudest moment in his business:

“Easily the proudest moment in my business was just starting. It sounds so stupid and simple, but the toughest part was to stop doubting myself and just get started. Landing my first client is probably also a close second, because it validated everything I worked so hard for.”

Best piece of business advice:

“Always be networking and always provide value to everyone you meet. You never know where some of your connections will end up, sometimes the most unlikely connections end up in positions to greatly help you with perpetuating your career. If you’re constantly adding value to everyone you meet, you leave the door open to be remembered as a contributor of value.”

Favorite AppSumo tool: 

“One of my favorite tools has been CheatLayer. The ability to build custom automation, almost at a click of a button is an absolute game changer. The founder, Rohan Arun, has also been amazing from an update standpoint and mentoring anyone looking for help.”

2. Taylor Banks

With more than 20 years of experience as a professional ethical hacker and entrepreneur under his belt, Taylor helps business owners stress test their systems and processes to boost their profits. After the death of his father and several close friends in 2019 and 2020, he decided to reboot his professional life and began serving as a nationally certified EMT and volunteer firefighter. That spirit of courage and generosity is the backbone of Tayloir’s hacker coaching business, where he trains ethical hackers to break into the world of cybersecurity without burning themselves out.

Favorite quote to live by:

“I have two, which are both by Mark Twain, and somewhat related: ‘I never let my schooling interfere with my education.’ and ‘It is noble to teach oneself, but still nobler to teach others—and less trouble.’”

Favorite type of taco:

“As if EVERY taco wasn’t my favorite?! That’s tough, but I can narrow it down to three:

1. The Crispy Chicken “Tong Dak” taco from Hankook Taqueria in Atlanta, GA
2. Roy Choi’s Short Rib Tacos from the Kogi truck in Los Angeles, CA ( also available at Best Friend inside the Park MGM in Las Vegas, NV)
3. The Banh Mi taco from Taco Asylum in Costa Mesa, CA”

Proudest moment in his business:

“In 2003, I taught ‘Applied Hacking and Countermeasures’ to the US Marine Corps newly-formed MARCERT (Marines Computer Emergency Response Team). Though most of the team had little to no cybersecurity background when the class began, upon completion of my course, they were charged by their captain with competing in the biggest and longest-running global hacking competition, DEF CON 12’s Capture The Flag. To prove their skills and justify future training budget, they competed against thousands of the most talented hackers from around the world and placed 3rd overall in the competition!

Several members of that team later went on to become executives at some of the most prestigious government contractors and tech companies in the world, advisors to the Department of Homeland Security, and still others now run thriving security consulting companies of their own.”

Best piece of business advice:

“Prioritize, and finish what you started!”— Taylor’s dad

Favorite AppSumo tool:

“With almost 46 pages of previous purchases totaling around 911 AppSumo purchases to date, this was even harder than choosing my favorite taco! Right now, it’s Nifty, which has replaced no fewer than three other project management and tracking tools I was using to manage my businesses, and has absolutely resulted in greater productivity across the board. After that, my next favorite is KingSumo.”

3. Susan Wheeler-Hall

After retiring from her career as a therapist, Susan launched her tech training and web design business to help people create accessible, aesthetically-pleasing content right from their own WordPress sites. Even in this “second act” of her professional life, Susan is still finding ways to empower others to show they aren’t limited by their abilities. Her awesome branding cartoon highlights her walker and scooter, showcasing that this DOER (which stands for Determined, not disabled, Online EntrepreneuR) can’t be stopped.

Favorite quote to live by:

“Where there is a will, there is a way.”

Favorite taco:

“Anything seafood related.”

Proudest moment in her business:

“Overall, I’m proud that I have never paid for advertising. Instead, I built my business by reputation, through happy client referrals alone.”

Best piece of business advice:

“Learn to embrace and reframe failure to see that it is a necessary part of business growth. Just keep going!”

Favorite AppSumo tool:

“Way too many to mention and just like tacos, one is never enough. Top picks that I use the most are: Dubb, Book Like A Boss, and Publitio.”

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4. Marcellus McMillian

As the owner and founder of a digital content creation business, Marcellus runs courses to help folks learn how to build their businesses. He has two successful YouTube channels with a combined 13k following where he shares tips and tricks about growing an online presence. Thanks to his background as a consultant and insurance agent, Marcellus has tons of insider business knowledge to help others connect with and retain customers.

Favorite quote to live by: 

“‘It’s just nice to be nice.’ I really don’t care for mean people.”

Favorite type of taco: 

“Carne Asada. My friends laugh at me every time I say it, because I never say it right.”

Proudest moment in his business:

“Watching one of my friends start a YouTube channel based on advice I gave him. Watching him go from a few subscribers to thousands of subscribers has really made a difference for him in his life, because he suffers from depression.”

Best piece of business advice:

“Never ask a person to be a 100% person when they are a 30% person. Having high expectations for people who can’t give you what you are seeking only leads to loss and frustration. It has taken a long time to realize that this is such a true statement.”

Favorite AppSumo tool:

“Airmeet! Anyone who knows me will tell you how much I love this software. I am so glad I purchased it!”

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Wrapping it up

Happy National Taco Day and thanks to all the awesome Sumo-lings who took the time to talk to us! We’re excited to watch your businesses take off.

Feeling inspired? Ready to take your hobby or side hustle to the next level?

Dive into the AppSumo store to find the right tools to help you climb to success in record time!