Startup Ignition Podcast Podcast By John & Tyler Richards cover art

Startup Ignition Podcast

Startup Ignition Podcast

By: John & Tyler Richards
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 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. Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Phil Kirkeiner: I Fired My Sales Team & Built a $7M Startup, Remote Teams, SaaS, Marketplace

    Phil Kirkeiner: I Fired My Sales Team & Built a $7M Startup, Remote Teams, SaaS, Marketplace
    Jul 3 2025
    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, hosts John and Tyler Richards are joined by Phil Kirkeiner, the CEO of Baton, a rapidly growing referral platform for the home services industry. Phil, a former student of John's, shares his incredible journey from being a music major and accountant to a successful entrepreneur. We dive deep into the origin story of Baton, born from a problem Phil discovered while working at a pest control company. Phil discusses the tough decisions he's made, including firing his entire US-based sales team and how it led to more sales. He also reveals his unique strategy for scaling by building a 50-person remote team in the Philippines, sharing actionable tips for hiring and management. This episode is packed with insights on founder-market fit, the power of being teachable, and the mindset required to grow a company from $150k to a projected $7 million in revenue.

    (00:00:00) Firing the Entire Sales Team & Getting More Sales
    (00:01:16) Welcome to the Startup Ignition Podcast
    (00:02:21) From John's Student to CEO of Baton
    (00:03:05) Phil's Journey: From Drummer to Accountant to Entrepreneur
    (00:05:45) Icebreaker: This or That with Phil
    (00:08:38) How John Knew Phil Would Be a Success
    (00:11:07) The Superpower of Being Teachable
    (00:13:59) Phil's First Business: EveryBankBonus.com
    (00:19:34) The Problem: Dead Leads in Pest Control
    (00:24:29) Validating the Idea for Baton at Pest World
    (00:28:37) The Best Way to Dispel Fear is Action
    (00:30:28) How the Startup Ignition Boot Camp Provided a Clear Roadmap
    (00:33:11) Finding the Right Co-Founder in Cody
    (00:37:09) From $150k Revenue to Raising the First Round
    (00:39:00) How Baton's Referral Platform Works
    (00:43:38) The Mindset Behind Explosive Revenue Growth
    (00:47:42) The Hardest Challenge: Overcoming Being a People Pleaser
    (00:51:24) Why They Fired the US Sales Team
    (00:54:18) The "Founder Problem": Why Startups Prematurely Hire Sales Teams
    (00:56:08) Building a 50-Person Remote Team in the Philippines
    (00:59:31) How to Successfully Hire and Manage a Remote Workforce
    (01:03:36) The Impact: Changing Lives in the Philippines
    (01:05:45) Phil's Final Advice: Just Start and Talk to Customers

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

    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:
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    #Startup
    #Entrepreneurship
    #Baton
    #PestControl
    #SaaS
    #Bootstrapping
    #VentureCapital
    #FounderStory
    #StartupIgnition
    #CEO
    #RemoteWork
    #GlobalTeam
    #Philippines
    #Sales
    #Scaling
    #BusinessGrowth
    #FounderMarketFit
    #Mentorship
    #LeanStartup
    #StartupAdvice
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Scott Johnson: Bootstrapping to a $1.5B Adobe Acquisition, Workfront, Motivosity, Product-Market Fit

    Scott Johnson: Bootstrapping to a $1.5B Adobe Acquisition, Workfront, Motivosity, Product-Market Fit
    Jun 19 2025
    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, the critical importance of guarding equity, and balancing the intense demands of a startup with family life.

    (00:00:00) The Importance of Product-Market Fit & Guarding Equity
    (00:01:53) Introducing Scott Johnson: Founder of Workfront & Motivosity
    (00:05:45) Rapid Fire Icebreaker Questions
    (00:13:34) Scott's Early Career: From Near Eastern Studies to Tech
    (00:16:27) The Genesis of @task (Workfront)
    (00:20:31) Bootstrapping for 6.5 Years Through the Dot-Com Bust
    (00:24:35) Why and How Workfront Took Its First Investment
    (00:28:15) A Near-Miss Funding Round During the 2008 Crash
    (00:34:45) The Story of Stepping Down as CEO
    (00:40:19) The Founding of Motivosity: Turning a Painful Experience into a New Venture
    (00:45:11) How Motivosity Empowers Employees and Builds Culture
    (00:49:43) Why @task Rebranded to Workfront
    (00:51:50) The Core Mechanics of the Motivosity Platform
    (00:53:51) The Measurable Impact of Motivosity on Company Metrics
    (00:55:30) Advice for Founders: Don't Scale Until You Have Product-Market Fit
    (00:59:49) How to Balance an Intense Startup Schedule with Family Life
    (01:02:14) Final Advice: Be Generous with Cash, Not Equity
    (01:02:43) The Dangers of Dilution vs. a Founder-Friendly Exit


    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/

    #ScottJohnson
    #Workfront
    #Motivosity
    #Adobe
    #Startup
    #Entrepreneurship
    #Bootstrapping
    #SaaS
    #VentureCapital
    #ProductMarketFit
    #UtahTech
    #SiliconSlopes
    #StartupFounder
    #ExitStrategy
    #Acquisition
    #GuardYourEquity
    #StartupAdvice
    #FounderStory
    #TechUnicorn
    #StartupIgnition
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Andrew Smith: From Tech to Restaurants, Problem Hunter Building a Food Empire, Scaling & Investing

    Andrew Smith: From Tech to Restaurants, Problem Hunter Building a Food Empire, Scaling & Investing
    Jun 13 2025
    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, sparked by his wife's dream, and how the resilience of their first Kneaders franchise during the 2008 financial crisis revealed a massive opportunity. Andrew explains how he applied sophisticated, tech-style management to the food sector, scaling his operations from a single restaurant to a massive portfolio, eventually leading to the creation of the private equity firm Savory Fund.

    (00:00:00) The Dark Nights of a True Entrepreneur
    (00:02:11) Introducing Andrew Smith: Operator, Investor, and Problem Hunter
    (00:04:03) Icebreaker: A Food & Tech Brand Blitz
    (00:09:02) First Venture: Putting Jaguar Commercials on the Internet in 1998
    (00:13:53) The Dot-Com Bubble Bursts: Missing the IPO Window
    (00:17:42) Building and Selling Two More Tech Companies
    (00:20:46) A Leap of Faith: “I want to open a restaurant.”
    (00:23:25) Surviving the 2008 Crash and Discovering the Power of Food
    (00:28:26) Scaling Up: From One Kneaders to 50 Locations
    (00:30:57) Owning the IP: The Shift from Franchisee to Franchisor
    (00:34:15) Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Restaurant Operator
    (00:36:19) Why Companies That Survive Recessions Emerge Stronger
    (00:38:33) Why 2024 Was a Harder Year Than 2020
    (00:43:54) The Birth of Savory Fund on a Racetrack
    (00:47:31) Why Now is the Best Time to Invest
    (00:50:33) Applying Tech Sophistication to a "Mom and Pop" Industry
    (00:51:33) What Makes a Promising Brand Worth Investing In
    (00:54:13) The One That Got Away: A Missed Opportunity with Crumbl
    (00:56:24) A Lesson for Every Founder: Good Times and Bad Times Will Pass
    (01:01:04) Final Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
    (01:02:39) The Danger of Skipping Steps

    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/

    #AndrewSmith
    #SavoryFund
    #Entrepreneurship
    #StartupStory
    #VentureCapital
    #PrivateEquity
    #RestaurantIndustry
    #Tech
    #BusinessGrowth
    #StartupAdvice
    #ProblemHunter
    #Swig
    #Kneaders
    #MoBettahs
    #Via313
    #DotComBubble
    #FinancialCrisis
    #BusinessStrategy
    #StartupIgnition
    #JohnRichards
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 5 mins
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