In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, Tyler and John are joined by Cydni Tetro, a serial entrepreneur, tech executive, and absolute legend in the Utah tech scene. Cydni takes us through her remarkable career journey, from balancing a computer science degree while hex editing networks at Novell, to leading innovation at Disney Imagineering’s Blue Sky Group. She shares fascinating stories about creating immersive customer experiences, founding and selling companies like 3D Plus Me and ForgeDX, and her time leading Brandless. We also discuss the importance of tenacity over talent, the risks of building on third-party platforms, and her impact as the founder of the Women Tech Council.

(00:00:00) Introduction and welcoming Cydni Tetro

(00:02:06) Cydni’s bio: CS grad, Disney Imagineer, and serial entrepreneur

(00:04:07) Icebreaker: Rapid fire "This or That"

(00:05:52) The risk/reward equation of Equity vs. Salary

(00:10:24) In-person vs. Zoom: Reading the room and building relationships

(00:11:00) Why tenacity beats talent in founders

(00:15:21) Cydni’s origin story: Novell and the power of a technical background

(00:20:34) Moving to startups: The NextPage years

(00:24:36) How a technical degree gets you a seat at the decision-making table

(00:28:37) Family Link, the Facebook API, and the dangers of platform dependency

(00:31:20) The "Utah Tech Web" and connections to VidAngel and Angel Studios

(00:33:57) Joining Disney Imagineering: Innovation with no constraints

(00:38:07) Creating the "Glow with the Show" Mickey ears for Cars Land

(00:41:12) Disney’s ecosystem: Steamboat Ventures and internal innovation

(00:43:11) Leaving the Mouse to capture the upside: Founding 3D Plus Me

(00:47:42) How 3D Plus Me turned fans into Iron Man action figures

(00:49:42) The tech behind full-color 3D printing and scaling with Hasbro

(00:51:58) Selling 3D Plus Me and founding ForgeDX

(00:53:20) The origin and economic impact of the Women Tech Council

(00:55:03) ForgeDX: Visualizing digital transformation for Fortune 500s

(00:59:55) Brandless: Strategies behind the consolidation and acquisition model

(01:01:19) The economic shifts of 2021 and their impact on CPG

(01:02:08) Digital transformation and AI at Swire Coca-Cola

(01:06:52) The current state of women in entrepreneurship and funding

(01:12:47) Final advice: Leave every place better than you found it

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#CydniTetro
#DisneyImagineering
#WomenInTech
#StartupIgnition
#UtahTech
#SerialEntrepreneur
#ProductManagement
#CustomerExperience
#Brandless
#3DPrinting
#Innovation
#VentureCapital
#Novell
#TechLeadership
#Storytelling
#WomenTechCouncil
#AngelInvesting
#StartupAdvice
#Tenacity
#DigitalTransformation

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, Tyler and John Richards break down the latest data from Carta’s Q3 2025 State of Pre-Seed report. They analyze the current venture landscape, discussing why funding has seen a seasonal decline, the bifurcation of round sizes into "tiny" and "monster" deals, and why capital efficiency is becoming the new standard. The duo also plays a "fill in the blank" icebreaker covering pitch deck mistakes and founder superpowers, and they debate whether AI has dethroned SaaS as the king of investment sectors.


(00:00:00) The "Unicorn Whirlpool" and the dangers of raising too much too early

(00:01:06) Welcome to the show: A cold December in Utah

(00:02:06) Icebreaker: The fastest way to lose a $500k pre-seed round

(00:03:26) Icebreaker: A founder's true superpower is understanding the customer

(00:04:07) Icebreaker: A pitch deck is not complete without a Go-to-Market strategy

(00:07:23) Icebreaker: The one slide we would ban from pitch decks forever

(00:10:42) Icebreaker: When do we know a founder is going to be successful?

(00:14:48) Decoding the Data: Carta’s Q3 2025 State of Pre-Seed Report

(00:17:14) Data Insight: Pre-seed funding declined by cash raised and deal count

(00:19:25) Data Insight: The "Barbell Market" (Tiny rounds vs. Monster rounds)

(00:27:04) Data Insight: How many checks does it really take to fill a round?

(00:28:41) A warning against taking small checks from non-accredited investors

(00:31:54) Data Insight: The absolute dominance of SAFEs over convertible notes

(00:36:46) Data Insight: Geography still matters (The West Coast dominates)

(00:41:28) Data Insight: SaaS is still King (and the Gartner Hype Cycle)

(00:47:25) Why John and Tyler stick to Pre-Seed investing despite the risks

(00:50:21) Summary: Capital is concentrated, disciplined, and tethered to traction

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#StartupIgnition
#PreSeed
#VentureCapital
#CartaData
#Fundraising
#SaaS
#AngelInvesting
#FounderAdvice
#CapitalEfficiency
#SafeAgreements
#StartupFunding
#UnicornWhirlpool
#PitchDeck
#BusinessStrategy
#Entrepreneurship
#StartupTrends
#GoToMarket
#InvestorTips
#SiliconSlopes
#UtahStartups

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, we sit down with Ryan Westwood, a prolific entrepreneur and investor who recently scaled Simplus from zero to 600 employees and sold it to Infosys for $250 million. Ryan shares his incredible journey from weeding gardens to earn his first pair of Air Maxes to executing a massive "roll-up" strategy in the Salesforce ecosystem. We dive deep into the mechanics of acquiring companies to increase valuation multiples, the importance of "slowing down to speed up," and how he is applying his playbook to his newest venture, Fullcast. Ryan also opens up about family philanthropy, the discipline of meditation, and the relentless mindset required to win.


(00:00:00) Introduction to Ryan Westwood and his $250M exit

(00:02:06) Reading Ryan’s bio: Entrepreneur, Investor, and Philanthropist

(00:04:07) Startup Mad Libs: "Venture Capital is your enemy"

(00:05:52) The biggest startup killer: Premature scaling

(00:10:24) Ryan’s 4 rules for investing in a company

(00:11:00) Angel investing and focusing on building Fullcast

(00:15:21) Earning Nikes at age 11: The reward of hard work

(00:20:34) Shifting from tech to revenue generation

(00:24:36) Living on $1450/month to save capital for the first startup

(00:28:37) The origins of Simplus and identifying the CPQ opportunity

(00:31:20) Finding a niche in Salesforce customization

(00:33:57) The "Roll-up" Strategy: Acquiring 7 competitors in 3 years

(00:38:07) The current state of Private Equity and finding buyers

(00:41:12) Using a mix of debt, equity, and cash for acquisitions

(00:43:11) The paranoia of closing a deal during the onset of COVID

(00:47:42) Using a Series C "Blocker" to negotiate a higher price

(00:49:42) Why Ryan left Infosys despite a $150M EBITDA year

(00:51:58) Drafting off the Salesforce brand and staying differentiated

(00:53:20) "Jab, Jab, Right Hook": Giving value before asking for the sale

(00:55:03) Networking and the power of being a good person

(00:59:55) The Fullcast story: Buying a company to fix sales operations

(01:01:19) Rolling equity and doubling down on the new venture

(01:02:08) Growing Fullcast valuation to $125M in seven quarters

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#RyanWestwood
#Simplus
#Fullcast
#ExitStrategy
#Salesforce
#Acquisitions
#StartupFunding
#RevenueGrowth
#EntrepreneurMindset
#Philanthropy
#Meditation
#BusinessStrategy
#VentureCapital
#RollUpStrategy
#SaaS
#AngelInvesting
#Leadership
#StartupIgnition
#JohnRichards
#TylerRichards

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, we sit down with Paul Ahlstrom, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and one of the key architects of the Utah venture capital ecosystem. Paul shares his incredible journey from early failures—including a software bug that wiped out his first business overnight—to founding vSpring Capital and helping transform Utah into a tech powerhouse. He also discusses his pioneering work building the VC infrastructure in Mexico, the personal struggles that led to co-authoring the foundational book Nail It Then Scale It, and his predictions for the future of the "autonomous economy" and agentic AI.

(00:00:00) The software bug that killed a business overnight

(00:04:36) Icebreaker: Playing "Pivot or Persevere" with startup scenarios

(00:09:16) Why big competitors validating your market is a good thing

(00:16:04) Paul’s early hustle: From pool cleaning to 80s dance clubs

(00:22:04) The Folio years and the founding of Knowlix

(00:26:40) Escaping the Dot Com crash: The "Shoeshine Boy" indicator

(00:29:31) Founding vSpring Capital: Bringing oxygen to Utah startups

(00:35:41) The lack of capital in the early Utah ecosystem

(00:39:53) Expanding to Latin America and building Mexico’s VC laws

(00:47:50) The emotional origin story of Nail It Then Scale It

(00:50:38) Collaborating with Nathan Furr and the Lean Startup connection

(00:53:20) How a "victim of the internet" article led to the book's methodology

(00:59:07) The #1 cause of startup failure vs. the #1 indicator of success

(01:00:05) Understanding "Why Now?" and market timing

(01:03:26) The future of tech: The Agentic Economy and AI saturation

(01:05:49) How modern tools allow rapid iteration and validation

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#PaulAhlstrom
#VentureCapital
#NailItThenScaleIt
#StartupAdvice
#UtahTech
#vSpringCapital
#PivotOrPersevere
#MarketTiming
#AgenticAI
#Entrepreneurship
#StartupIgnition
#LeanStartup
#ProductMarketFit
#TechHistory
#BusinessStrategy
#StartupFunding
#MexicoVC
#StartupMistakes
#FounderStories
#FutureOfWork

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, we sit down with Johnny Hanna, a true legend in Utah Tech. Johnny shares his incredible journey from co-founding Property Solutions (now Entrata), a company now valued at $4 billion, to disrupting the real estate industry with Homie, and his latest ventures. He opens up about the challenges of innovation, facing lawsuits from industry giants like Zillow and Yardi, and the emotional toll of entrepreneurial highs and lows. Johnny also offers invaluable advice to aspiring founders on self-belief, managing people, and the importance of relationships in business.

(00:00:00) The cease and desist from Zillow, and why investors advised to "go get sued"

(00:02:06) Johnny Hanna's background and co-founding Property Solutions (now Entrata)

(00:04:07) The early days of Property Solutions, from student venture to major platform

(00:05:52) Property Solutions' initial business model: online rent collection and marketing websites

(00:10:24) The pivotal moments and deals that turned the corner for Property Solutions

(00:11:00) The lawsuit with industry giant Yardi and the emotional toll on founders

(00:15:21) Why Johnny left Property Solutions after 12 years and the transition to Homie

(00:20:34) The disruptive idea behind Homie and the fight against traditional realtors

(00:24:36) The political power and lobbying efforts of realtor associations

(00:28:37) The BYU study showing Homie sold homes faster and for more money

(00:31:20) The Zillow cease and desist and the constant battles with the industry

(00:33:57) The expansion of Homie into mortgages, title insurance, and cash offers

(00:38:07) The impact of rising interest rates on Homie's fundraising and expansion

(00:41:12) Homie's focus on profitability and eventual sale to new ownership

(00:43:11) Johnny's year off and his role as CRO at Funnel

(00:47:42) Joining a Y Combinator company (Corgi/Beagle) and the cultural challenges

(00:49:42) Advice for startup founders: belief in yourself and managing people

(00:51:58) The importance of relationships and caring for employees

(00:53:20) Concluding thoughts and appreciation for Johnny Hanna's insights

(00:55:03) Johnny's advice for startup founders

Learn more about us:
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#StartupIgnition
#JohnnyHanna
#Entrata
#Homie
#UtahTech
#Entrepreneurship
#StartupLife
#Disruption
#RealEstateTech
#Innovation
#FounderJourney
#BusinessAdvice
#TechIndustry
#VentureCapital
#Podcast
#SiliconSlopes

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, host Tyler Richards sits down with Adam Weber, the co-founder and CEO of Driven, a SaaS performance management tool for the home services industry. Adam shares his unconventional journey from feeling like an academic underachiever to becoming a serial entrepreneur. He details his first venture in custom suits, the lessons learned from various businesses including a pest control company and even a porta-potty rental service, and how the pain points of running his own service business led to the creation of Driven. Adam offers incredible insights on customer validation, his "irrational confidence," and a strategic, research-heavy approach to fundraising that has led him to successfully raise a $2.5 million seed round. This episode is packed with real-world tactics and the gritty, unfiltered story of a true operator.


(00:05:19) Startup "This or That" Icebreaker

(00:15:49) Adam's Early Life and Feeling Dumb in School

(00:18:07) How Watching 'The Apprentice' Sparked His Entrepreneurial Drive

(00:19:40) Starting His First Business: A Custom Suit Company

(00:23:44) Moving to San Francisco and Bluffing His Way into a Corporate Job

(00:30:27) The "Knock" Startup Idea in San Francisco

(00:32:19) The Phone Call That Led to Starting a Pest Control Company

(00:36:21) The Key to Success in the Pest Control Business: Hustle

(00:40:22) Side Ventures: Porta-Potties and Dental Service Organizations

(00:43:30) The Genesis of Driven: Solving His Own Business Pains

(00:44:45) Selling the Pest Control Company to Go All-In on SaaS

(00:49:50) Why He Chose a Risky Software Startup Over a Stable Service Business

(00:53:11) Moving to Utah and Raising a Pre-Seed Round

(00:55:31) How Driven Acquired Its First Customers and Validated the Product

(00:58:25) Adam's Unique and Successful Fundraising Strategy

(01:06:48) Advice for His 20-Year-Old Self

(01:09:39) The Single Most Important Piece of Advice for Founders: Validate

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#SaaS
#Entrepreneurship
#StartupFounder
#Fundraising
#VentureCapital
#Validation
#PestControl
#HomeServices
#StartupStory
#FounderJourney
#Bootstrapping
#TechStartup
#UtahBusiness
#SiliconSlopes
#BusinessStrategy
#StartupAdvice
#LeanStartup
#ProductMarketFit
#CEO
#B2BSaaS

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards sit down with Jeff Kearl, a partner at Pelion Ventures and a legendary entrepreneur in the consumer products space. Jeff shares his incredible journey, from his early days in venture capital to co-founding iconic brands like Skullcandy and Stance. He recounts memorable moments, including a breakfast meeting with Will and Jada Smith, receiving a term sheet just minutes into a pitch with Benchmark Capital, and the lessons learned from the dot-com crash. Jeff offers deep insights into building a brand, the importance of product innovation, financing inventory for a fast-growing company, and the power of consistent effort over time.

(00:00:00) The story of pitching Stance to Will and Jada Smith's team

(00:01:38) Introducing Jeff Kearl, Partner at Pelion Ventures

(00:03:48) Most memorable pitch received: Rick Alden and Skullcandy

(00:09:07) Most memorable celebrity encounter: Breakfast with the Smith family

(00:11:22) Most memorable failure: His first company, Freeport, during the dot-com crash

(00:14:20) Parallels between the dot-com boom and the current AI hype cycle

(00:18:13) Jeff's early entrepreneurial ventures and background

(00:19:16) How Jeff broke into Venture Capital right out of college

(00:27:56) How Jeff met co-host John Richards in an elevator

(00:31:02) Co-founding Logoworks and getting funded by Benchmark Capital

(00:36:35) Joining Skullcandy and helping scale it to a public company

(00:40:33) How to finance a fast-growing consumer products business

(00:47:06) The analytical process that led to the creation of Stance socks

(00:51:51) Building Stance with the playbook learned from Skullcandy

(00:53:41) Is product or brand more important for success in consumer goods?

(00:58:40) Transitioning from CEO of Stance back to venture capital with Pelion

(01:04:15) Jeff's number one piece of advice for his younger self

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#JeffKearl
#Stance
#Skullcandy
#PelionVentures
#Entrepreneurship
#VentureCapital
#StartupStory
#Branding
#ConsumerProducts
#CPG
#UtahBusiness
#SiliconSlopes
#StartupAdvice
#FounderStories
#BuildingABrand
#Startups
#AngelInvesting
#TechCycles
#ProductMarketFit
#Scaling

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, we are honored to host David Bradford, a true OG of Utah tech. David takes us on a journey through his iconic career, from his early days as a Hollywood lawyer to becoming the General Counsel at Novell during its legendary battles with Microsoft. He shares the inside stories of taking Fusion-io public with a $1.2 billion valuation, recruiting Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and scaling HireVue from $1 million to over $30 million in revenue. David reveals his timeless principles of networking, the four pillars every great company needs, and his number one piece of advice for every entrepreneur: be a doer.

(00:00:00) How Google's Eric Schmidt was introduced to Sergey Brin
(00:02:16) Introducing David Bradford: The OG of OGs in Utah Tech
(00:06:30) Utah Tech Era Trivia: Novell, WordPerfect, Iomega & more
(00:15:00) The story of 1-800 Contacts' early days
(00:21:42) David's journey from a small town in Montana to Hollywood lawyer
(00:27:07) The legendary Microsoft vs. Novell battles
(00:31:33) How one contract with Dell changed tech history
(00:34:40) The Fusion-io story: From advisory board to CEO
(00:38:14) How David recruited Steve Wozniak to Fusion-io's board
(00:42:14) David's secret to building an incredible network: Be curious
(00:48:39) The HireVue journey: From a leaky roof to a half-billion-dollar valuation
(00:51:57) The 4 Pillars of a great company: People, Capital, Timing, and Innovation
(00:57:53) Bringing on Larry King to the HireVue advisory board
(01:01:38) What David is working on today with Fluent Worlds
(01:02:45) David's #1 piece of advice: Be a dreamer that does
(01:04:31) How a Steve Young signed football sealed a crucial executive hire

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#UtahTech
#DavidBradford
#SiliconSlopes
#Novell
#FusionIO
#HireVue
#Microsoft
#SteveWozniak
#Entrepreneurship
#StartupStory
#TechHistory
#Networking
#VentureCapital
#BusinessAdvice
#Leadership
#StartupIgnition
#BillGates
#EricSchmidt
#Google
#Apple

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards sit down with 4x founder Jeron Paul. Jeron shares the incredible journey of his latest company, Spiff, from a simple idea to replace commission spreadsheets to a stunning $419 million acquisition by Salesforce. He discusses his entire entrepreneurial path, including his early ventures in venture capital, founding the cap table management company Capture, and his core thesis for building startups around the concept of an "effective surprise." Jeron also offers his perspective on the SaaS vs. AI debate, his current strategy as an active angel investor, and invaluable advice for early-stage founders on finding product-market fit.


(00:01:21) - Introducing Jeron Paul, his background, and the $419M Spiff acquisition by Salesforce.

(00:04:13) - Icebreaker questions: Paying customers vs. tons of users, favorite founder "hat," and worst customer feedback.

(00:11:54) - Jeron's early career path through management consulting and venture capital at Vspring (now Rūn).

(00:16:10) - The origin stories of Jeron's first companies, BoardLink and Scalar, which specialized in 409A valuations.

(00:23:05) - The logical next step: How Scalar's work with cap tables led to the creation of Capture.

(00:27:35) - The thesis of replacing mission-critical spreadsheets and the "aha" moment that sparked Spiff.

(00:30:37) - A debate on the future of software: Is AI killing the traditional SaaS model?

(00:44:05) - Jeron explains his key insight for successful startups: the concept of an "effective surprise."

(00:50:28) - The inside story of the acquisition process with Salesforce, from the first conversation to the final wire transfer.

(00:56:29) - Jeron's current focus on angel investing and what he looks for in the next generation of startups.

(00:59:32) - Final advice for entrepreneurs: The importance of a "beginner's mind" and focusing on the search for a business model.

(01:04:05) - Why founders must act on facts, not assumptions, to avoid costly mistakes.

Learn more about us:
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#JeronPaul
#Spiff
#Salesforce
#Startup
#Entrepreneurship
#Exit
#Acquisition
#VentureCapital
#AngelInvesting
#SaaS
#UtahTech
#StartupIgnition
#FounderStory
#ProductMarketFit
#AI
#TechPodcast
#BusinessAdvice
#Founder
#StartupJourney
#Tech

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards dive into the most popular part of their boot camp: the war stories. They share real-world, personal experiences to illustrate fundamental startup principles. The episode kicks off with a rapid-fire icebreaker, translating common venture capital terminology into plain English. From there, they tackle the critical mistakes entrepreneurs often make, sharing cautionary tales about why 50/50 equity splits are a recipe for disaster, the dangers of partnering with misaligned investors, the fallacy of hiring a "white knight" salesperson too early, and the catastrophic cost of building a product based on an unvalidated idea.

(00:00:00) The student with the "single worst idea" who became a multi-millionaire
(00:03:40) Icebreaker: Translating VC terminology into plain English
(00:11:16) Principle 1: Never split equity 50/50
(00:14:38) War Story: How a 50/50 split led to a founder losing her own company
(00:19:52) War Story: An investor's hidden terms killed a startup's biggest deal
(00:23:32) Principle 2: The danger of hiring a "white knight" to save your company
(00:25:16) War Story: The Chief Revenue Officer who generated less than 5% of sales in 18 months
(00:29:04) War Story: Why Quibi failed after raising $1.8 billion
(00:31:07) Principle 3: Startups must be problem-driven, not idea-driven
(00:33:23) War Story: How validating an idea with the target market saved a student from failure
(00:36:38) War Story: The doctor who spent $385,000 building a product nobody wanted
(00:38:25) Why acting on assumptions is the most expensive mistake you can make
(00:41:02) Final thoughts and how to hear more war stories


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In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards are joined by Ben, the founder and CEO of BK Marketing. Ben shares his incredible entrepreneurial journey, from his early days in door-to-door alarm sales to revolutionizing the pest control industry. He details the creation of his unique business model, which focuses on building elite, outsourced sales teams for pest control companies nationwide. Ben opens up about the significant challenges he's overcome, including a business partner's FBI investigation, losing over a million dollars in bad investments, and the industry pushback he received for offering unprecedentedly high commissions. He also discusses the importance of work-life balance, the power of focusing on your strengths, and his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: "Why not you?"

(00:00:00) Ben's shocking call from the FBI
(00:02:23) Introducing Ben, CEO of BK Marketing
(00:04:35) Icebreaker: A fun "this or that" session
(00:10:05) How Ben got his start in door-to-door sales
(00:16:05) Launching his first pest control company with no experience
(00:19:30) A partner's $51 million fraud investigation puts everything at risk
(00:23:45) The pivot: Creating a new business model for sales
(00:25:44) How a life coach helped Ben 10x his productivity
(00:29:13) The personal cost of an 80-hour work week and finding balance
(00:31:47) The business mechanics of paying higher commissions
(00:36:19) How private equity transformed the pest control industry
(00:40:21) The biggest scars: Losing $1.4 million and the lesson learned
(00:45:04) Ben's two biggest pieces of advice for early-stage founders
(00:46:31) Why the Utah pest control industry pushed back against his model
(00:48:26) What to look for (and what to avoid) when recruiting salespeople
(00:51:21) Favorite podcast and the importance of "the becoming process"
(00:54:17) What keeps Ben motivated today
(00:56:55) Final advice to his 20-year-old self: "Why not you?"

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#Entrepreneurship
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#Innovation
#Leadership
#Grit
#Resilience

In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards sit down with Jeff Burningham, a seasoned entrepreneur, prolific investor, and now, author. Jeff shares insights from his incredible journey, from launching his first tech company in college and co-founding the multi-billion dollar real estate firm Peak Capital Partners, to shaping Utah's tech scene with Peak Ventures (now Element Ventures). The conversation dives deep into the themes of his new book, "The Last Book Written by a Human," exploring how we can become wiser in the age of AI. Jeff also opens up about his run for governor, the lessons he learned about politics and leadership, and the importance of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. This is a must-listen for any founder seeking to build a meaningful company and a fulfilling life.

(00:00:52) Welcoming Jeff Burningham: Entrepreneur, Investor, Author
(00:05:00) The Million Dollar Question: When Did Jeff Make His First Million?
(00:06:08) Icebreaker: Humans vs. Machines "This or That"
(00:13:43) Investing: Trusting Your Gut vs. AI and Machine Learning
(00:16:16) The Single Most Important Trait for Successful Founders
(00:20:30) Does the Entrepreneurial Grind Serve You Well in Life?
(00:23:17) Why AI Will Be a "Crucible for Humanity"
(00:28:35) Jeff's Origin Story: From College Startup to Real Estate Tycoon
(00:30:30) Navigating the 2008 Financial Crisis with Peak Capital
(00:34:49) The Genesis of Peak Ventures and Fueling Utah's Startup Ecosystem
(00:41:05) The Real Reason Jeff Burningham Ran for Governor
(00:47:26) What Running for Office Taught Jeff About Politics vs. Leadership
(00:50:31) Proposing a New Political Movement Focused on Human Flourishing
(00:54:39) A Key to a Fulfilling Life: Prioritizing "Being" Over "Doing"
(00:58:38) A Personal Story About the Importance of Being Present
(01:03:14) Jeff's Two Most Important Tips for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs
(01:06:35) Where to Find Jeff and His New Book

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In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards sit down with Case Lawrence, the visionary founder behind Circus Trix, now known as Sky Zone. Case shares his incredible journey from being a Silicon Valley lawyer for tech pioneers like Elon Musk to facing near-bankruptcy during the Great Recession. He recounts the serendipitous moment he discovered a trampoline park, a concept he turned from a "side hustle" into the world's largest indoor trampoline park franchise with over 300 locations. Case details his scrappy, creative financing, the "jet fighter" strategy he used to scale across the country, and the pivotal moments of bringing on investors and private equity to fuel massive growth and consolidation. From building a company with over $150 million in EBITDA to a recent run for U.S. Congress, this is a masterclass in resilience, opportunistic growth, and the power of a disruptive idea.

(00:01:15) Introducing Case Lawrence, founder of Circus Trix (now Sky Zone)
(00:04:10) Icebreaker Game: "Jump or Pass" on Entrepreneurial Scenarios
(00:14:28) Case’s Origin Story: From Silicon Valley Lawyer to Near-Bankruptcy
(00:19:13) The Serendipitous Discovery of a Trampoline Park
(00:22:32) Creative Financing: Convincing a Landlord to Buy Trampolines
(00:26:09) The Power of Desperation and Constraint-Forced Creativity
(00:28:13) Stumbling Into Growth: How the First Locations Organically Expanded
(00:31:27) Finding the First Major Investor and Proving the Model
(00:34:35) The "Unbelievably Good" Unit Economics of Trampoline Parks
(00:38:11) The "Jet Fighter" Strategy for Scaling with Young, Hungry GMs
(00:40:42) The Inevitable Rise of Competition and How Capitalism Responds
(00:44:26) Partnering with Private Equity to Consolidate the Market
(00:45:21) Acquiring Competitor Sky Zone and Rebranding
(00:46:25) Navigating the Existential Threat of the COVID-19 Pandemic
(00:50:11) The Stunning Success: Growing to Over $150 Million in EBITDA
(00:50:51) Why Case Decided to Run for U.S. Congress
(00:52:54) Lessons Learned from the Unique World of Utah Politics
(00:54:57) What's Next? Leading "This Is The Place" Heritage Park

Learn more about us:
https://startupignition.com/links

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