エピソード

  • Startup Validation Roadmap, Founder Mistakes, SI's Bootcamp Frameworks, Real-World Pivot Stories

    Startup Validation Roadmap, Founder Mistakes, SI's Bootcamp Frameworks, Real-World Pivot Stories
    2025/04/17
    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, John and Tyler dive deep into the critical early stages of building a startup. They kick things off with a fun "Startup Snap Associations" icebreaker, revealing John's gut reactions to key industry terms like "pitch deck," "burn rate," "aqua hire," and "FOMO." Tyler shares his experience speaking at a developer meetup, which highlighted a common need: guidance on navigating the path from idea to a validated business. This leads to a detailed discussion about the Startup Ignition Bootcamp, explaining its lean-startup-based methodology designed to help founders "do the right things in the right order" through the crucial stages of Idea, Modeling, Traction, Build, and Scale. They emphasize the dangers of premature scaling, the importance of rigorous validation (getting out of the building!), and how the bootcamp de-risks the process for founders and investors. John and Tyler share compelling personal stories of major pivots in their own ventures—Banana Pages, the first Internet Yellow Pages, and DevMountain—illustrating the power of listening to the market and adapting your business model based on real customer feedback.(00:00:00) Premature scaling: The biggest enemy(00:02:15) Icebreaker: Startup Snap Associations(00:04:30) Burn Rate: The $35k/month rule of thumb(00:08:33) Toxic Co-founders: The worst situation(00:10:39) FOMO: Fear of Missing Out in decision making(00:12:52) Tyler's experience at a developer meetup sparks discussion(00:16:58) The concept and value of intensive bootcamps(00:21:19) Inside the Startup Ignition Bootcamp: Curriculum, Mentorship, Network(00:23:25) Defining and avoiding premature scaling(00:24:16) The 5 Stages of a Startup: Idea to Scale(00:25:57) The Validation Roadmap: De-risking your venture(00:29:27) Danger: Building product before validating the business model(00:31:29) Why in-person validation beats surveys(00:33:57) Nail It, Build It, Scale It: Understanding the phases(00:41:15) Goal: Achieving a validated business model (Product-Market Fit)(00:44:50) Compressing validation to save time and money(00:49:42) Common validation mistakes: Surveys & insufficient iteration(00:53:48) John's Pivot Story 1: Birth of Banana Pages(00:57:06) John's Pivot Story 2: Launching the first Internet Yellow Pages(00:58:46) Tyler's Pivot Story: DevMountain's market shift(01:02:03) Analogy: Validation is like using a scoped rifleJoin our online academy for free:https://startupignition.com/academyApply to be a guest on the pod:https://startup-ignition-podcast.paperform.co/Follow John & Tyler:https://x.com/trich_https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrichards/Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@StartupIgnitionFollow on X:https://x.com/startupignitionFollow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/Follow on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignitionFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/#Startup#Entrepreneurship#Validation#LeanStartup#BusinessModel#ProductMarketFit#PrematureScaling#StartupBootcamp#Founder#CoFounders#Pivoting#CustomerDiscovery#DeRisking#AngelInvesting#VentureCapital#BurnRate#MVP#StartupAdvice#TechStartup#StartupIgnition
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    1 時間 4 分
  • Bryan Christiansen: Bootstrapping to Millions in ARR, Landing Goldman Sachs, & Customer Obsession

    Bryan Christiansen: Bootstrapping to Millions in ARR, Landing Goldman Sachs, & Customer Obsession
    2025/04/10
    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John Richards and Tyler Richards sit down with Bryan Christiansen, the founder and CEO of Limble CMMS. Brian shares his incredible journey from a self-taught developer playing EverQuest to building a major SaaS company. He details his first startup failure, the power of deep customer validation (talking to 200+ potential users!), bootstrapping Limble CMMS to $2.6M ARR, finding a key co-founder through the Startup Ignition boot camp, and strategically raising growth capital from top firms like Elephant, Album, and Goldman Sachs. Learn about the mindset, hard work, and key decisions that fueled Limble's impressive growth in the competitive maintenance software space.(00:00:16) Introducing Brian Christiansen, Founder/CEO of Limble CMMS(00:01:34) What is CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Software)?(00:04:21) Icebreaker: Rapid Fire This or That (Coffee, Equity, Bootstrapped!)(00:08:19) Early entrepreneurial influence from his father from age 3(00:09:28) How playing EverQuest (and selling in-game currency) solidified Brian's entrepreneurial drive(00:11:49) Lessons from his first failed startup (pharmacy software) & importance of validation(00:13:27) Discovering "The Lean Startup" and the shift in approach(00:14:00) The Marriott Meeting: Identifying the core pain point for Limble(00:15:37) The power of deep customer validation (talking to ~200 managers)(00:18:34) How Brian connected with John Richards and Startup Ignition(00:21:34) Finding co-founder Miguel Ramos through the SI boot camp(00:25:28) The importance of complementary co-founders and shared vision(00:28:30) Achieving early product-market fit signals(00:30:23) The story of Limble's first paying customer ($12/month!)(00:33:02) Bootstrapping Limble CMMS to 17M ARR milestone)(00:38:46) Key factors attributed to Limble's rapid growth (People, Culture, Customers)(00:41:12) Minimal Viable Product: Delivering value even if the rest isn't perfect(00:43:11) You don't need a college degree to succeed as an entrepreneur(00:46:51) How Limble successfully bootstrapped in the early days (Frugality, Founder coding)(00:49:33) The equity vs. salary trade-off for founders is crucial(00:51:58) Understanding the difference between Venture Capital and Growth Capital(00:53:20) Why taking VC money too early can be detrimental(00:55:45) Balancing time between product, sales, and customer acquisition early on(00:58:09) The different challenges and skill sets required at each growth stage (0-1M, 1M-10M, 10M+)(00:59:55) Final advice: Embrace the hard work; entrepreneurship is worth the painJoin our online academy for free:https://startupignition.com/academyApply to be a guest on the pod:https://startup-ignition-podcast.paperform.co/Follow John & Tyler:https://x.com/trich_https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrichards/Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@StartupIgnitionFollow on X:https://x.com/startupignitionFollow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/Follow on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignitionFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/#StartupIgnition#LimbleCMMS#BrianChristiansen#Entrepreneurship#SaaS#Bootstrapping#VentureCapital#GrowthEquity#Startups#CustomerValidation#LeanStartup#FounderJourney#UtahTech#TechCEO#Scaling#StartupAdvice#SoftwareDevelopment#B2BSoftware#MaintenanceSoftware#CMMS
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    1 時間 3 分
  • Jared Ward & Brendon Beebe: Coding with AI, Overcoming Scaling Challenges, Founding Team Dynamics

    Jared Ward & Brendon Beebe: Coding with AI, Overcoming Scaling Challenges, Founding Team Dynamics
    2025/04/03
    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, Jared Ward and Brendon Beebe, founders of Luminous, share their journey building a modern e-commerce ERP. They discuss the value of technical co-founders, iterative development, and lessons from early mistakes like premature scaling. Jared’s shift from supply chain to CEO and Brendon’s tech leadership highlight the power of complementary skills. They also talk about refocusing Luminous to meet modern commerce needs, their recent funding success, and how AI is boosting software development efficiency.

    (00:00:00) Introduction to the Startup Ignition podcast with hosts Tyler John and guests Jared Ward (CEO) and Brendan Beb (CTO) of Luminous
    (00:02:06) Icebreaker game: "Invest or Pass" begins with AI-powered procurement assistant scenario
    (00:04:07) Second scenario: Virtual reality travel experience
    (00:05:52) Third scenario: Blockchain-based voting system
    (00:10:24) Transition to main podcast agenda, starting with Jared and Brendan’s backgrounds
    (00:11:00) Brendan’s early story: Getting in trouble at BYU for hacking the registration system
    (00:15:21) Brendan’s first project with Tyler and lessons on working with co-founders vs. offshore teams
    (00:20:34) Brendan’s move to another startup and lessons on acquisitions and cap tables
    (00:24:36) Brendan joins ForUp Golf Software as a contractor and later CTO
    (00:28:37) Importance of a technical co-founder for complex systems like Luminous
    (00:31:20) Luminous raises a multi-million dollar round; comparison to ForUp’s slow growth
    (00:33:57) Jared’s background: From e-commerce to CEO of Qualtree and founding Luminous
    (00:38:07) Luminous’ early days: Self-funded with beta customers and premature scaling issues
    (00:41:12) Fundraising $2.1–2.7M in 2021 and facing challenges of too much capital too soon
    (00:43:11) Brendan joins Luminous as CTO after ForUp’s acquisition; perfect timing
    (00:47:42) Rebuilding Luminous with lean principles after premature scaling
    (00:49:42) Defining Luminous’ purpose: Solving modern commerce challenges
    (00:51:58) Advice to founders: Have hard conversations early to define the problem and solution
    (00:53:20) Brendan on the joy of building again at Luminous and leveraging existing solutions
    (00:55:03) Impact of AI on Brendan’s role as CTO and coding efficiency
    (00:59:55) Closing thoughts and announcement of Luminous’ $3M raise at $28M valuation
    (01:01:19) Final lessons: Optimism, skepticism, and enjoying the startup journey
    (01:02:08) Podcast wrap-up and call to follow Luminous

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    #StartupIgnition
    #Entrepreneurship
    #LuminousSolutions
    #StartupJourney
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    #VentureCapital
    #AIinTech
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    #InvestOrPass
    #UtahStartups
    #CTOLife
    #StartupAdvice
    #FundingRounds
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    1 時間 6 分
  • AI Investments, Founding Teams, VC Market Trends, Startup Strategies

    AI Investments, Founding Teams, VC Market Trends, Startup Strategies
    2025/03/27
    This episode of the Startup Ignition podcast focuses on the current state of the venture capital market, drawing heavily from reports by Silicon Valley Bank (the "Silicon Valley Bank’s State Of The Markets 2025 Report") and PitchBook (the "Pitchbook’s 2024 Annual US VC Valuations Report"). Tyler and John Richards discuss the dominant role of AI in attracting VC funding, noting it as the "oasis in the venture desert" of 2024. While acknowledging the importance of integrating AI strategically, they caution against forcing it into products where it doesn't fit.

    A key takeaway is the shift in VC focus from growth at all costs to efficiency and profitability. They analyze the increasing bar for Series A funding, the slowdown in valuation growth, and the prevalence of down or flat funding rounds. The hosts emphasize the importance of adaptability for startups, especially during down cycles, and advocate for following lean startup principles. They also discuss the importance of IPOs for overall market health and liquidity, even for early-stage companies.

    Addressing an audience question, they explain that while AI is hot, strong VC interest remains sector-agnostic. They encourage entrepreneurs to focus on solving significant problems in large markets with strong founder-market fit, regardless of the specific industry. Ultimately, the episode provides a pragmatic overview of the venture landscape and offers advice for navigating the current market conditions.

    (00:00:00) - Intro and Discussion of AI's Impact on the Venture Market
    (00:02:42) - Icebreaker: Startup Hot Takes (Solo Founders, AI Integration, Pre-PMF Startups)
    (00:16:04) - Discussion of Silicon Valley Bank's State of the Markets 2025 Report (AI Investment, Non-AI Companies, VC Concentration, Efficiency vs. Growth)
    (00:29:47) - Impact of Accelerators on Startup Ecosystems
    (00:33:37) - Signals for Startups to Accelerate Growth (LTV/CAC Ratio, Word-of-Mouth Marketing)
    (00:37:59) - Series A Funding Rounds and Valuation Growth
    (00:41:22) - Exit Opportunities and IPOs
    (00:44:47) - Adaptability as a Superpower for Startups
    (00:46:38) - Discussion of PitchBook's 2024 Annual US VC Valuations Report (AI Boom, Valuation Slowdown, Down/Flat Rounds)
    (00:59:04) - Importance of Managing Burn Rate During Down Cycles
    (01:01:32) - Audience Q&A: Sectors Outside of AI with Strong VC Interest
    (01:08:07) - Closing Remarks

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    #venturecapital #VC #startups #AI #artificialintelligence #investing #entrepreneurship #funding #SeriesA #IPO #valuations #exits #markettrends #leanstartup #SaaS #businessmodel #productmarketfit #burnrate #accelerators #PitchBook #SiliconValleyBank #StartupIgnitionPodcast #downrounds #flrounds #efficiency #growth #adaptability #foundermarketfit #unicorns
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    1 時間 10 分
  • Jason Peterson: Selling Before Building, SaaS Success, Validation, Lessons Learned

    Jason Peterson: Selling Before Building, SaaS Success, Validation, Lessons Learned
    2025/03/20
    In this episode, we're joined by Jason Peterson, a seasoned entrepreneur, technologist, and innovator, best known for his successful exit with XOLogic, a leading software provider for the lighting, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing industries, which he sold in 2021. Currently, Jason is involved with Noggin, a company focused on process automation for small businesses, and also dedicates his time to humanitarian efforts, helping build schools, dig wells, and support refugee efforts with youth abroad.

    (00:00:00) Jason’s pre-selling story.
    (00:01:14) Intro to Jason Peterson, an entrepreneur & technologist at Noggin.
    (00:02:19) Focus on small-business process automation & humanitarian work.
    (00:03:08) Jason’s background & principles influence the hosts’ boot camp.
    (00:04:07) They play “Two Truths and a Lie.”
    (00:06:17) Jason’s track record: launching SaaS in traditional industries.
    (00:07:23) Meeting John & reviving a bankrupt cabinetry business.
    (00:10:07) Rescuing Hann Lighting with robust systems.
    (00:11:30) Acquisition timeline for the cabinet shop & Hann Lighting.
    (00:12:48) Identifying margin issues and implementing solutions.
    (00:14:19) Outdated catalog pricing caused margin errors.
    (00:15:55) Jason created an electronic catalog with real-time updates.
    (00:16:48) Customers gained accurate pricing & backorder info.
    (00:18:35) Expanding the software to other lighting showrooms.
    (00:19:14) Early Internet & the power of aggregated databases.
    (00:20:31) Digitizing catalogs for the lighting industry.
    (00:21:31) Transitioning to a SaaS model.
    (00:23:14) Turning manual processes into SaaS.
    (00:24:16) Pre-selling software with blank lines for future features.
    (00:25:45) Exogic became the e-commerce engine for showrooms.
    (00:27:00) Exogic’s growth and peak adoption.
    (00:28:12) Overcomplicating the product & the innovator’s dilemma.
    (00:29:19) Founder-market fit: solving niche problems.
    (00:31:46) Jason dominates the lighting showroom software space.
    (00:32:37) Emphasizing benefits over features to improve margins.
    (00:34:26) Launching ExpertEdit for user-enriched data.
    (00:36:31) Attempting new verticals, focusing on market size.
    (00:37:50) Electrical wholesale expansion mistake & lack of validation.
    (00:40:26) Validating assumptions with facts.
    (00:42:39) Shifting focus to plumbing before acquisition.
    (00:44:46) Exelogic acquired by Fsteam in 2021.
    (00:46:28) Founding Lit Living for showroom social media marketing.
    (00:47:49) Providing manufacturer-specific content.
    (00:49:23) Jason excels at identifying and solving customer problems.
    (00:50:38) Moving from frugality to investing in talent.
    (00:51:54) Hiring a CTO transformed the company.
    (00:55:36) Jason’s plans post-exit.
    (00:55:56) Founding Noggin for SMB process automation.
    (00:56:38) Inspired by systematizing his brother’s restaurant.
    (00:59:56) Founders must systematize tasks for non-founders.
    (01:01:21) Noggin helps owners overwhelmed by daily operations.
    (01:02:17) Teachability and adaptability in a founder.
    (01:04:13) Hosts thank Jason and sign off.

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    #SaaS
    #Entrepreneurship
    #XOLogic
    #LightingIndustry
    #ProcessAutomation
    #SmallBusiness
    #BankruptcyTurnarounds
    #InformationSystems
    #DigitalCatalog
    #BackorderInformation
    #PricingErrors
    #CompetitiveAdvantage
    #Ecommerce
    #PointOfSale
    #ElectricalWholesale
    #PlumbingComponents
    #FrugalEntrepreneurship
    #Noggin
    #Systematization
    #FounderMarketFit
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    1 時間 5 分
  • Devin Shurtleff: Overcoming Challenges, Strategic Shifts, and Lessons from a CEO’s Leadership Legacy

    Devin Shurtleff: Overcoming Challenges, Strategic Shifts, and Lessons from a CEO’s Leadership Legacy
    2025/03/13
    In this episode, we welcome Devin Shirtle, the newly appointed CEO and co-founder of Opinion, a company that has been revolutionizing feedback and review automation for multifamily residential complexes for the past eight years. Join us as Devin shares the inspiring journey of Opinion, from its humble beginnings to its current success, highlighting key strategies in financial management, customer retention, and leadership. The conversation also delves into the personal impact of losing a co-founder and how the company has persevered through challenges.

    (00:00:00) - Welcome to the Startup Ignition podcast with guest Devin Shirtle, CEO of Opinion.
    (00:04:03) - Icebreaker game: Devin answers fun This or That questions.
    (00:14:02) - Devin explains Opinion’s mission to automate feedback for multifamily residential complexes.
    (00:16:41) - The inspiring founding story of Opinion, from a simple idea to a thriving business.
    (00:28:37) - How Opinion strategically shifted to focus on the multifamily residential sector.
    (00:33:15) - Devin shares crucial financial strategies for entrepreneurs, including managing cash flow and ARR.
    (00:39:16) - Reflecting on the CEO role and honoring the legacy of the late Justin Bingham.
    (00:53:49) - The story of how Opinion’s team rallied together after Justin’s passing, showcasing resilience.
    (00:59:29) - Devin discusses exciting future plans for Opinion, including growth and acquisitions.
    (01:05:37) - Personal reflections from Devin on life, leadership, and moving forward.

    Join our online academy for free:
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    #Entrepreneurship
    #StartupIgnitionPodcast
    #DevinShirtle
    #Opinion
    #FeedbackAutomation
    #MultifamilyResidential
    #FinancialStrategies
    #Leadership
    #Resilience
    #CustomerRetention
    #PersonalGrowth
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    1 時間 6 分
  • Silicon Slopes Legend John Pestana on Omniture’s $1.8B Adobe Exit, Enterprise Sales, & VC Tradeoffs

    Silicon Slopes Legend John Pestana on Omniture’s $1.8B Adobe Exit, Enterprise Sales, & VC Tradeoffs
    2025/03/06
    In this episode, we welcome John Pestana, a seasoned entrepreneur best known for co-founding Omniture, a web analytics company acquired by Adobe for $1.8 billion. Currently, John serves as CEO of ObservePoint, a leading data governance company, and as chairman of the board for Libertas Institute, advocating for liberty and free market principles. His induction into the Silicon Slopes Hall of Fame in 2022 underscores his significant contributions to Utah's tech landscape.(00:00:00) - The problem with enterprise sales companies.(00:01:21) - Welcome to the Startup Ignition podcast with guest John Pestana (JP).(00:02:03) - JP's background, co-founding Omniture and current role at ObservePoint.(00:02:48) - JP's impact on Utah's tech scene.(00:04:03) - Icebreaker game: Would you rather?(00:04:54) - Would you rather raise $100 million VC round but lose control, or bootstrap and grow 10x slower?(00:05:56) - Raising money is like getting a loan on your house.(00:06:35) - Would you rather relive the dot com crash or the housing crash with what you know today?(00:07:54) - JP owns only one stock: Domo.(00:08:06) - Would you rather work on a startup solving a huge problem or build a company in a boring industry and make millions quickly?(00:09:23) - Would you rather go back in time and change one decision or fast forward to see the future of your next venture?(00:10:51) - JP's history and relationship with the hosts.(00:11:46) - JP's start in tech: Lynn Mkel's class and recruiting help.(00:12:02) - JP's Mormon mission in Brazil and decision to switch to business and computers.(00:13:21) - Josh James joins JP's group project.(00:14:19) - Selling wedding presents to start JP Graphics.(00:15:17) - Josh joins JP to sell websites.(00:15:58) - Measuring website performance with WebTrends.(00:16:32) - Creating a web-based analytics company.(00:16:51) - Jeremy Young's idea and the inspiration for Superstats.(00:17:55) - Matt Heaton's other ventures and JP's focus on stats.(00:18:18) - WebTrends vs. Superstats: server logs vs. one pixel.(00:19:55) - Moving from JP Graphics to JP Interactive to Superstats.(00:20:10) - Making money while sleeping: Script Search.(00:21:16) - Exchanging stats for a banner on your website.(00:22:11) - Flipping to a paid service during the Internet crash.(00:23:00) - Superstats before mycomputer.com.(00:23:10) - Investing in Superstats.(00:23:57) - Focusing on enterprise analytics.(00:24:50) - Switching to a paid model after the Internet crash.(00:26:09) - The sale of the company that fell through.(00:27:58) - Letting go of 70% of staff.(00:29:17) - Paying severance years later.(00:30:36) - Acquisition of Omniture to Adobe.(00:31:20) - Exciting things that were happening when switching to enterprise.(00:32:55) - Enterprise sales is super hard.(00:33:37) - Venture fund and SaaS subscriptions.(00:34:57) - Creating value and a good product.(00:35:02) - Transition at ObservePoint: enterprise sales to PLG.(00:36:19) - True engagement with renewal.(00:37:53) - Successful PLG companies adding an enterprise button.(00:39:13) - Acquisition and going public.(00:41:39) - Stock prices going up.(00:41:46) - Acquiring Website Story and Visual Sciences.(00:42:03) - JP's retirement.(00:44:26) - How much time it actually takes.(00:44:46) - JP's accomplishments.(00:45:37) - Starting Silicon Slopes.(00:46:01) - Advancing personal freedoms with Libertas.(00:46:15) - Helping young entrepreneurs.(00:47:38) - Personal initiatives and belief system.(00:48:48) - Funny story involving John and Google Fiber.(00:50:55) - Take on the current presidency.(00:51:43) - Anti patent and protectionism.(00:53:49) - Elon Musk and the DOJ initiative.(00:56:12) - Common sense legislation on environmentalism.(00:57:46) - Tariffs and negotiation leverage.(00:58:47) - Nuclear power as a solution.(01:00:00) - The need for stability.(01:00:46) - Sandbox legislation in Utah.(01:02:07) - Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.(01:02:50) - Favorite place to visit: India.(01:05:03) - Thank you to John.(01:05:37) - PLG process in the software world mixed with enterprise sales.Join our online academy for free:https://startupignition.com/academyApply to be a guest on the pod:https://startup-ignition-podcast.paperform.co/Follow John & Tyler: https://x.com/trich_https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrichards/Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@StartupIgnitionFollow on X:https://x.com/startupignition Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/Follow on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignitionFollow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/#Entrepreneurship#StartupIgnitionPodcast#JohnPastanaInterview#Omniture#WebAnalytics#DataGovernance#ObservePoint#LibertasInstitute#SiliconSlopesHallOfFame#BootstrappingVsVCFunding#DotComCrash#HousingCrash#StartupChallenges#EnterpriseSales#ProductLedGrowth#SaaSBusinessModel#GoogleFiber#GovernmentOverspending#...
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    1 時間 7 分
  • The $22M Bet on SMS Marketing: Shane Murphy’s Startup Playbook

    The $22M Bet on SMS Marketing: Shane Murphy’s Startup Playbook
    2025/02/27
    In this episode, we speak with Shane Murphy, the CEO and co-founder of Boostly. Shane shares his transition from a successful sales career to the world of entrepreneurship, detailing his journey of launching an SMS marketing startup for restaurants. He emphasizes key strategies such as validating business ideas, leveraging mentorship, adapting to market needs through flexible pricing and product offerings, and the critical importance of building a strong, capable team.(00:00:00) - Icebreaker game: Never have I ever(00:00:59) - Introducing Shane Murphy from Boostly(00:01:33) - Boostly's $22 million Series A announcement(00:02:34) - Welcoming Shane to the Startup Ignition podcast(00:06:49) - Diving into Shane's background and history(00:07:55) - Shane's journey to becoming a sales leader(00:08:52) - From music major to sales(00:10:09) - First exposure to sales as an SDR(00:10:48) - Joining American Healthcare Lending(00:11:53) - Assuming a founder-like role(00:12:42) - Investing in American Healthcare Lending(00:13:16) - Preparing to be an entrepreneur(00:13:57) - Transitioning to Jolt(00:14:29) - Scaling sales at Jolt(00:16:05) - Discovering Startup Ignition(00:16:46) - Attending the Startup Ignition boot camp(00:18:35) - Jotting down ideas and problems to solve(00:19:32) - Gaining confidence to start a company(00:20:10) - Being a meticulous lean startup follower(00:21:05) - Advice on approaching a startup idea(00:22:28) - Pouring everything into Jolt(00:22:58) - Preparing financially to go all in(00:23:53) - Validating while working for someone else(00:24:19) - Getting the push to quit and start a company(00:25:07) - Discussions surrounding quitting(00:25:42) - Feeling nervous and getting a sign(00:26:19) - Validating the startup idea(00:27:11) - Starting cold calling and setting appointments(00:27:43) - First hypothesis for a business model(00:28:55) - The classic marketplace chicken and egg concept(00:29:34) - Landing on a direct online ordering solution(00:30:24) - Timeline from quitting to landing on the third or fourth idea(00:31:13) - Pre-selling as part of validation(00:31:48) - Only a founder can do what Shane did(00:32:28) - Testing the Chowow hypothesis(00:33:18) - Showing customers PowerPoint slides(00:34:04) - Pitching to Chowow customers(00:34:50) - Hunting for a co-founder(00:36:16) - John's network and finding Mikey(00:37:35) - Mikey's background and desire for a business co-founder(00:38:35) - Mikey checking every box(00:39:32) - Serendipity, timing, and being easy to work with(00:40:02) - Mikey's business acumen(00:40:19) - Working together at the startup building(00:40:46) - Incorporating the company(00:41:15) - Launching the MVP(00:41:59) - Launching to pre-sold customers(00:42:26) - Realizing the need to pivot(00:43:14) - Brute force sales and product market fit challenges(00:43:58) - Pivoting and focusing on marketing tools(00:44:53) - Leaning into the value proposition(00:45:27) - Everything's a hypothesis until validated(00:45:48) - The accelerated process and quickness(00:46:27) - Going to the International Pizza Expo(00:47:09) - Focusing on retention and doubling revenue(00:47:34) - Restaurants shutting down due to the pandemic(00:48:06) - Validating additional products during the pandemic(00:49:04) - Restarting with a new pricing model(00:49:44) - Going through Y Combinator(00:49:54) - SMS marketing for restaurants(00:50:30) - Raising capital at the end of Y Combinator(00:51:15) - Marketing tools for restaurants(00:51:26) - Closing a seed round of capital(00:52:07) - Trestle partners leading the seed round(00:52:25) - Peak Span Capital leading the Series A(00:53:06) - Trestle's investment stage(00:53:47) - Closing the seed round in May 2024(00:54:16) - Peak Span reaching out and structuring a deal(00:55:12) - A preemptive series A(00:56:28) - Are you happy?(00:57:19) - Shane's a great guy who assimilated information(00:57:59) - Aligning with methodologies(00:58:11) - Parting wisdom and advice(00:59:28) - Fundraising takes care of itself if you build a good business(01:00:34) - Wrapping up the podcast(01:00:50) - Staying up to date with Boostly(01:01:14) - Boostly's been around for eight years(01:01:45) - Shane's a good person(01:01:57) - Success comes from solving real-world problemsJoin our online academy for free:https://startupignition.com/academyApply to be a guest on the pod:https://startup-ignition-podcast.paperform.co/Follow John & Tyler: https://x.com/trich_https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrichards/Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@StartupIgnitionFollow on X:https://x.com/startupignition Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/Follow on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignitionFollow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/#Startup #Entrepreneurship #SMSMarketing #RestaurantMarketing #BusinessValidation #PreSales #ProductMarketFit #...
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