Startup Ignition Podcast

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards sit down with Scott Johnson, the visionary founder behind Workfront (acquired by Adobe for $1.5 billion) and his current venture, Motivosity. Scott shares his incredible entrepreneurial journey, from bootstrapping Workfront (formerly @task) for over six years to navigating the dot-com bust and the 2008 financial crisis. He offers a transparent look at the challenges of scaling, including the difficult moment he was asked to step down as CEO, and how that experience ultimately inspired the creation of Motivosity. This conversation is packed with invaluable wisdom on achieving product-market fit...

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler sit down with Andrew Smith, the managing partner of Savory Fund and a serial entrepreneur defined as a true "problem hunter." Andrew shares his incredible journey, starting in the tech world during the dot-com boom with a revolutionary streaming media company. He details the highs of a near-IPO and the crushing lows of the bubble bursting, and how he pivoted to create two more successful tech companies by solving problems he encountered in his own life. The conversation then shifts to his unexpected entry into the restaurant industry...

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards dive deep into the world of pre-seed due diligence. They outline the critical checklist they use as venture capitalists to evaluate early-stage companies, providing invaluable insights for founders preparing to fundraise. The discussion covers essential legal and financial structures, including the importance of a C-corp for QSBS benefits, the deal-killing implications of messing up the Rule 83B election, and how to maintain a "clean" cap table. They reveal common red flags like 50/50 founder splits, undocumented equity promises, and misaligned deal terms. Beyond the paperwork, they emphasize the...

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler are joined by seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and mentor Travis Cook. They dive into Travis's journey, starting with his early days as a Java developer in 1996, co-founding Solution Stream, a pioneering custom software development shop that significantly impacted Utah's tech scene. The conversation explores his experiences as CEO of Apigo (now Taskfire) and President of Nerd United, a blockchain-focused venture. Travis shares deep insights into the evolution of software engineering with the advent of AI, the pros and cons of service-based versus product-based businesses, the tumultuous world of blockchain...

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts Tyler and John Richards sit down with Utah startup legend, Craig Earnshaw. Craig shares his incredible entrepreneurial journey, from his early days as a programmer to founding, selling, rebuying, and re-selling his software company, LifeLK Corporation, including a dramatic experience during the dot-com bust with GE and ChannelPoint. He discusses his transition into angel investing, becoming a founding member of Park City Angels, and his influential role as an adjunct professor at BYU. Craig dives deep into his investment philosophy, emphasizing the importance of investing at the earliest stages, the critical...

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, we're joined by the remarkable Brian Beutler, CEO and founder of Alianza, and Utah Business CEO of the Year 2025. Brian takes us on an incredible two-decade journey of building Alianza, a leading cloud communications platform. From its early days as a VOIP disruptor born out of a BYU business plan competition to navigating multiple near-death experiences – including the 2008 financial crisis, competitive pressures, and major customer bankruptcies – Brian shares invaluable lessons in resilience, strategic pivoting, and the art of the investor pitch. Discover how Alianza not only survived but thrived, culminating in a game...

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, we sit down with Evan Teshima, founder and former CEO of ForeUP, a massive bootstrapped success story in the golf tech SaaS space. Evan shares his incredible journey from meeting John in a BYU classroom, enduring 5-7 rapid pivots during an accelerator program, navigating a near-death convertible note crisis resolved by a $400,000 chess game and desperate calls to family, scaling to over 2,300 golf courses with only $200k in outside capital, and ultimately achieving a huge acquisition with tax-free gains. Hear war stories, lessons on founder-led sales, customer-funded growth, and the true reward...

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards sit down with Eric Smith, a true pioneer and legend in the smart home industry. Currently the CTO of Savvy IQ following a recent merger with Oliver IQ, Eric shares his incredible entrepreneurial journey, starting from building home automation systems as a teenager. He recounts co-founding the iconic Control4, taking it public in 2013, and his earlier ventures like FAST (sold to AMX) and STSN/iBahn, which brought high-speed internet to hotels but faced the .com crash during its IPO process. Eric discusses raising over $400 million in venture...

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...

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...

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...

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 grow...

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 back...

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...

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...

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...

In this episode, we discuss current fundraising trends, the importance of sustainable business models, and key attributes of fundable startups, offering advice on how to navigate the venture capital landscape.

(00:00:00) - An email firing
(00:01:29) - Podcast introduction
(00:01:51) - Icebreaker: Who's more likely?
(00:02:21) - Investing in a terrible idea
(00:02:54) - Pitching an existing startup idea
(00:03:29) - Ignoring Excel for gut decisions
(00:03:56) - Starting and exiting a billion-dollar company
(00:06:13) - Launching a startup without validation
(00:06:54) - Firing someone via email
(00:07:59) - Meeting with an investor just because they're famous
(00:09:19...

In this episode, we explore the evolving entrepreneurial landscape heading into 2025, covering the impact of AI, macroeconomic cycles, venture capital trends, and foundational principles like founder-market fit and business model validation.

(00:00:00) - Welcome back to Startup Ignition for episode two.
(00:01:24) - Father-son icebreaker: startup terminology.
(00:02:01) - Defining "Dulu" in startup lingo.
(00:02:28) - Defining "Let them cook" in startup lingo.
(00:02:56) - Defining "Riz" in startup lingo.
(00:03:49) - Defining "Brainrot" in startup lingo.
(00:04:13) - Old school vs. new school: the changing landscape for entrepreneurs in 2025.
(00:05:07) - Multi-decade look at venture scalability.
(00:06:22...

In this episode, we explore the evolving entrepreneurial landscape heading into 2025, covering the impact of AI, macroeconomic cycles, venture capital trends, and foundational principles like founder-market fit and business model validation.

(00:00:00) - Welcome back to Startup Ignition for episode two.
(00:01:24) - Father-son icebreaker: startup terminology.
(00:02:01) - Defining "Dulu" in startup lingo.
(00:02:28) - Defining "Let them cook" in startup lingo.
(00:02:56) - Defining "Riz" in startup lingo.
(00:03:49) - Defining "Brainrot" in startup lingo.
(00:04:13) - Old school vs. new school: the changing landscape for entrepreneurs in 2025.
(00:05:07) - Multi-decade look at venture scalability.
(00:06:22...

00:00 Introduction
01:06 Startup Insights
02:31 Early Experiences
04:04 Experiences at Google
05:03 Startup Ignition
06:04 Startup Challenges
07:34 Lean Startup Principles
08:10 Validation Importance
11:13 Success Stories
13:28 Scalable Ventures
34:18 Investing Criteria
40:23 AI Trends
54:20 Economic Cycles
56:40 Conclusion

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/channel/UCsuHaUFM83RoVl9XkGmTFig/vid...