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  • Dave Bateman: How he kept 60% of a Unicorn, Entrata, Bootstrapping, Magic Mushrooms, Silver, Scaling

    Dave Bateman: How he kept 60% of a Unicorn, Entrata, Bootstrapping, Magic Mushrooms, Silver, Scaling
    Jan 16 2026
    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, Tyler and John sit down with Dave Bateman, the co-founder and former CEO of Entrata, one of Utah’s most successful SaaS unicorns. Dave shares his incredible journey from running a letter-delivery service for missionaries to bootstrapping a multi-billion dollar property management platform. They dive deep into his philosophy of "building it right" versus building it fast, how he taught himself to code to save the company, his unique strategy for scaling offshore teams, and the intense litigation battles that ultimately strengthened Entrata. Dave also opens up about his exit, health challenges, and the personal transformations that led him to prioritize life over business.

    (00:00:00) Build fast or build it right?

    (00:02:06) Introducing Dave Bateman and his background

    (00:04:07) Icebreakers: Silver, gold, and investment strategies

    (00:05:52) The trap of raising capital for ego vs. bootstrapping

    (00:10:24) The dangers of using AI to build the wrong product faster

    (00:11:00) Dave's early life in Montana and learning to hustle

    (00:15:21) The origin story of DearElder.com

    (00:20:34) Identifying the paper-ledger problem in property management

    (00:24:36) Why vertical SaaS solutions beat general software

    (00:28:37) Winning business competitions and early funding struggles

    (00:31:20) Throwing away code and fixing architectural debt

    (00:33:57) Taking over the codebase and solving database bottlenecks

    (00:38:07) How to actually make offshore development work

    (00:41:12) The power of transactional revenue combined with SaaS

    (00:43:11) Doubling revenue annually and avoiding dilution

    (00:47:42) The "divorce" lawsuit with Yardi Systems

    (00:49:42) Building a core accounting system from scratch

    (00:51:58) The 2018 psychedelic retreat that changed Dave’s perspective

    (00:53:20) Stepping down as CEO and the transition to Adam Edmonds

    (00:55:03) Controversy, COVID-19, and standing by convictions

    (00:59:55) Escaping the "more money" merry-go-round

    (01:01:19) Battling autoimmune disease and natural healing

    (01:02:08) Tax incentives in Puerto Rico and final advice

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

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    #Entrata
    #SaaS
    #Bootstrapping
    #DaveBateman
    #PropertyTech
    #Entrepreneurship
    #StartupGrowth
    #SoftwareArchitecture
    #OffshoreDevelopment
    #VentureCapital
    #BusinessStrategy
    #MentalHealth
    #Biohacking
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    #StartupGrind
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    #TechUnicorn
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    1 Std. und 12 Min.
  • Cydni Tetro: Disney R&D, Innovation, 3D Printing, Brandless, Startups, Coke, Tenacity, Women in Tech

    Cydni Tetro: Disney R&D, Innovation, 3D Printing, Brandless, Startups, Coke, Tenacity, Women in Tech
    Jan 1 2026
    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
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    #CustomerExperience
    #Brandless
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    1 Std. und 19 Min.
  • John & Tyler go over the Carta Q3 Pre-Seed Analysis, Early Stage Trends, VC, SaaS

    John & Tyler go over the Carta Q3 Pre-Seed Analysis, Early Stage Trends, VC, SaaS
    Dec 18 2025
    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
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    53 Min.
  • Ryan Westwood: Slow Down to Speed Up, His $250M Exit to Infosys, Buying 7 Competitors, Scaling

    Ryan Westwood: Slow Down to Speed Up, His $250M Exit to Infosys, Buying 7 Competitors, Scaling
    Dec 11 2025
    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

    Learn more about us:
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    #RyanWestwood
    #Simplus
    #Fullcast
    #ExitStrategy
    #Salesforce
    #Acquisitions
    #StartupFunding
    #RevenueGrowth
    #EntrepreneurMindset
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    1 Std. und 10 Min.
  • Paul Ahlstrom: The Origins of Nail It Then Scale It, Market Timing, Utah VC, AI

    Paul Ahlstrom: The Origins of Nail It Then Scale It, Market Timing, Utah VC, AI
    Dec 4 2025
    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
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    #StartupAdvice
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    #MexicoVC
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    1 Std. und 9 Min.
  • Johnny Hanna: Entrata’s $4B Journey, Homie’s Disruption, and Entrepreneurs Mental Health

    Johnny Hanna: Entrata’s $4B Journey, Homie’s Disruption, and Entrepreneurs Mental Health
    Nov 13 2025
    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

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    #StartupIgnition
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    59 Min.
  • Adam Weber: Sold Service Business to Build a SaaS Startup, Fundraising, Pest, Finding Confidence

    Adam Weber: Sold Service Business to Build a SaaS Startup, Fundraising, Pest, Finding Confidence
    Nov 6 2025
    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

    Learn more about us:
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    #SaaS
    #Entrepreneurship
    #StartupFounder
    #Fundraising
    #VentureCapital
    #Validation
    #PestControl
    #HomeServices
    #StartupStory
    #FounderJourney
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    #StartupAdvice
    #LeanStartup
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    #CEO
    #B2BSaaS
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    1 Std. und 13 Min.
  • Jeff Kearl: The Playbook for Iconic Brands, Stance, Skullcandy, Entrepreneurship

    Jeff Kearl: The Playbook for Iconic Brands, Stance, Skullcandy, Entrepreneurship
    Oct 30 2025
    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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