Startup Ignition Podcast

By: John & Tyler Richards
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  • Summary

  • Father and son team John and Tyler Richards — veteran entrepreneurs, venture investors, mentors, and educators — discuss all things entrepreneurship and venture capital.
    Startup Ignition Academy, Inc.
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Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
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Episodes
  • Jason Peterson: Bankrupt Cabinet Business Flip, SaaS Success, Validation, Lessons Learned

    Jason Peterson: Bankrupt Cabinet Business Flip, SaaS Success, Validation, Lessons Learned
    Mar 20 2025
    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    (00:14:19) Outdated catalog pricing caused margin errors.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.

    Join our online academy for free:
    https://startupignition.com/academy

    Apply 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/@StartupIgnition

    Follow on X:
    https://x.com/startupignition

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    https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/

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    https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignition

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    https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/

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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 hr and 5 mins
  • Resilience: Overcoming Challenges, Strategic Shifts, and Lessons from a CEO’s Leadership Legacy

    Resilience: Overcoming Challenges, Strategic Shifts, and Lessons from a CEO’s Leadership Legacy
    Mar 13 2025
    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:
    https://startupignition.com/academy

    Apply 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/@StartupIgnition

    Follow on X:
    https://x.com/startupignition

    Follow on Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/

    Follow on TikTok:
    https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignition

    Follow on LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/

    Follow on Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/

    #Entrepreneurship
    #StartupIgnitionPodcast
    #DevinShirtle
    #Opinion
    #FeedbackAutomation
    #MultifamilyResidential
    #FinancialStrategies
    #Leadership
    #Resilience
    #CustomerRetention
    #PersonalGrowth
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • 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
    Mar 6 2025
    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 hr and 7 mins

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