Startup Ignition Podcast

John & Tyler Richards
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Father and son team John and Tyler Richards — veteran entrepreneurs, venture investors, mentors, and educators — discuss all things entrepreneurship and venture capital.

  1. 1d ago

    Clint Betts: You Are Not Your Career, Silicon Slopes, Burnout & Identity, Utah Tech, Community

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, John and Tyler sit down with Clint Betts, CEO of Silicon Slopes — the nonprofit at the heart of Utah's tech ecosystem. His path is one of the most unlikely in Utah tech: foster care and adoption in Spanish Fork, a journalism degree from UVU, and a blog inside a Provo dev shop (Beehive Startups) that became the storytelling engine of Utah tech — until Josh James called and it merged into the Silicon Slopes we know today. Along the way: 5,000 people at the first Summit (Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, Tim Cook and Benioff since), running it all on five employees, the Test Utah firestorm that landed him in the hospital for three weeks with AFib, the identity lesson that followed — you are not your career — and Start School, his free "entrepreneurship for the 99%" program (450+ companies, 45% women-led). Plus: Utah as ground zero for the AI data-center debate, the coming SaaS correction, and the two rules he'd leave every founder with: show up, and give more than you take. (00:00:00) Cold open: the entrepreneurs who've never heard of Silicon Slopes (00:01:04) Meet Clint Betts: CEO of Silicon Slopes (00:03:17) Beehive Startups, Dev Mountain & 15 years of history (00:04:36) Eiseny: the Provo dev shop that saw Weave, Divvy & Chatbooks first (00:07:28) One Utah founder everybody should know: Andrew Smith (00:09:11) Underrated builders: Ryan Gardner (Bucked Up) & Sandy Hendry (Minky Couture) (00:11:20) The founder he'd survive on an island with: Josh James (00:12:23) The founder type that kills a room: takers (00:13:36) Who personifies Silicon Slopes: Karine Clark — and his son's cancer battle (00:15:23) The founder Utah needs more of: deeply technical ones (00:16:52) AI is coming for the companies Utah builds (00:18:02) Spanish Fork roots: foster care, adoption & the farm (00:25:47) Josh James coins Silicon Slopes — and Adobe acquires it (00:27:53) The call from Josh: get Silicon Slopes out of Adobe (00:31:57) The merger: egos and logos at the door (00:35:42) Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, Tim Cook & Benioff come to Utah (00:36:33) The Ryan Smith–Gail Miller Jazz offer happened backstage at Summit (00:37:04) Five employees, no state funding: how Silicon Slopes really runs (00:39:14) COVID, Test Utah & the firestorm (00:40:30) 18-hour days → three weeks in the hospital with AFib (00:42:42) "You don't matter as much as you think you do" (00:43:04) You are not your career: the identity lesson (00:46:34) What community building actually takes (00:49:19) The model: learn, connect, serve (33/33/33) (00:50:53) Start School: entrepreneurship for the 99% (00:57:34) Founders are still doing entrepreneurship backwards (00:58:29) The 90-day mistakes that bite you later (00:59:36) Utah State of the Union: ground zero for the AI debate (01:00:49) A crisis of leadership — Dario, Sam & the data centers (01:04:42) "Why do you need 9 gigawatts?" — the backlash explained (01:05:28) The election fallout & why the next governor matters (01:06:12) 2014: the greatest year in Utah tech history (01:09:14) Sassageddon: vertical vs. horizontal SaaS (01:11:14) State of VC: 14 out of 14 checkboxes (01:16:43) Final advice: show up and give more than you take Learn more about us: https://startupignition.com/li... Apply to be a guest on the pod: https://startup-ignition-podca... Follow John & Tyler: https://x.com/trich_ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo... Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StartupIgnition Follow on X: https://x.com/startupignition Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/star... Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignition Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/schoo... Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/start... #ClintBetts #SiliconSlopes #StartupIgnition #UtahTech #Entrepreneurship

  2. Jul 9

    Brock Blake: Lendio CEO, Small Business Funding, SBA Loans, Bootstrapping vs Debt vs VC

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, John and Tyler sit down with Brock Blake, co-founder and CEO of Lendio — the small-business lending marketplace that has facilitated more than $17 billion in funding and is now originating roughly $150 million a month across 6,000–7,000 loans with 75+ lending partners. Brock traces the whole journey: getting his start in the Junto Partners bootcamp with a $50,000 bet on him as an entrepreneur, co-founding FundingUniverse with Paul Allen of Ancestry.com, and the hard realization that 99% of the business owners coming to them would never raise venture capital — the insight that became Lendio. Along the way: the cap-table mistakes he still pays for today, why co-founder equity should be earned instead of gifted, how lenders actually underwrite you (credit, cash flow, collateral), what an SBA loan really is, why you should set up credit facilities when you're flush instead of when you're desperate — and his closing advice that cuts against the whole episode: try not to raise capital at all. A founder-financing masterclass every entrepreneur should hear. (00:00:00) Cold open: the Macaroni Grill paper-tablecloth business plans (00:01:05) Welcome back to the Startup Ignition Podcast (00:02:31) Meet Brock Blake: Lendio, 75 lenders, $17B+ in funding (00:04:36) Icebreaker "Favorites & Least Favorites": Elon vs. Rockefeller (00:08:55) Least favorite founder trait: success that changes people (00:09:50) Favorite athletes, worst chores & 15 trips to Ace Hardware (00:12:11) Misha's açaí cafe: the loan stories that drive Lendio's mission (00:13:46) John's favorite angel deal: the 10X Boom Startup 2011 fund (00:15:35) Growing up youngest of six in Ogden & playing BYU soccer (00:17:15) Junto Partners: a $50K bet on the entrepreneur, not the idea (00:18:58) The Macaroni Grill story, full version (00:19:40) Co-founding FundingUniverse with Paul Allen (Ancestry.com) (00:21:56) Speed-pitching events: angel investing as speed dating (00:24:30) The pivot: 99% of businesses will never raise VC (00:27:18) Lead gen to loan origination: building for banks (00:28:45) His biggest regret: pivoting instead of selling — the cap-table mess (00:30:07) Recaps, down rounds & dilution explained (00:32:10) Cap-table masterclass: attorneys, tax advisors & QSBS (00:33:39) Co-founder equity: earned, not gifted (00:35:16) The benevolent-dictator cap table VCs want to see (00:36:51) Clean terms: why your first round sets the precedent (00:38:03) How lenders underwrite you: credit, cash flow, collateral (00:39:43) Startup debt options: credit cards, HELOCs & personal credit (00:41:22) 10 ways to fund your business without raising money (00:42:49) SBA loans explained: government insurance, not government money (00:44:36) The cheapest money in the world (and the most expensive) (00:45:44) The Lendio model: one application, 75+ lenders compete (00:48:27) The reverse yellow pages: marketplaces that serve the buyer (00:49:13) Founder financing masterclass: cash flow is king (00:50:19) NSFs, average daily balance & what kills your loan application (00:52:03) Dev Mountain & the two ways companies hit cash crunches (00:53:14) Case study: the $35M seasonal business that runs out of summer cash (00:55:01) Get the money when you don't need it (00:56:51) CB Vault: the Utah family bank betting on entrepreneurs (00:58:06) Lendio today: $150M/month, 6-7K loans, $100M+ revenue (00:58:48) Reinventing a 15-year-old company in the age of AI (00:59:54) The SaaS apocalypse: nobody pays for software, only outcomes (01:01:40) Main Street is the bread and butter: roofers, restaurants, dentists (01:03:11) The big takeaway: set up credit facilities while you're flush (01:04:40) Final advice: try NOT to raise capital — nail it, then scale it (01:05:33) Ryan Smith, Qualtrics & 12 years before outside money (01:06:15) Product-market fit: your family will never tell you your baby's ugly (01:06:46) Wrap-up 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: 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/ #BrockBlake #Lendio #StartupIgnition #SmallBusinessLoans #Fintech #StartupFunding #Bootstrapping #VentureCapital #SBALoans #BusinessCredit #CashFlow #CapTable #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Fundraising #SmallBusiness #UtahTech #FounderAdvice #DebtFinancing #NailItThenScaleIt

  3. Jul 2

    Brian Murphy: Fundraising $25B Across 44 Funds, $73B Merger, Private Equity, Secondaries, Buffett

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, John and Tyler sit down with Brian Murphy, co-founder and former managing partner of Portfolio Advisors — the private-markets firm he helped build from a single contract into a global alternatives platform that raised roughly $25 billion across 44 funds, invested more than $90 billion, and served 2,500+ limited partners before merging with FS Investments in 2023 to form a $73B+ powerhouse. Brian traces his path from Black Monday wiping out his classmates' job offers, to winning a $395M broken portfolio at 29 years old, to managing Warren Buffett's money for a decade and a half, to a 238X seed check in Figure AI. Along the way: how to buy great assets at 20 cents on the dollar, why he and his wife gave away 100% of their salary after the 2008 crisis, the trust it takes to raise a fund, why he only kept 4% carry — and how 85 of his 130 employees walked away millionaires. A masterclass in private equity, secondaries, and building a firm that outlasts you. (00:00:00) How do you raise $22B across 44 funds? (00:00:45) Welcome back to the Startup Ignition Podcast (00:00:58) Meet Brian Murphy: Portfolio Advisors & $90B invested (00:03:36) Building across private equity, credit & real estate (00:04:49) Why he came back to Utah (00:06:23) Icebreaker "Where Were You When?": Black Monday 1987 (00:10:37) The 1990s: the first email and the internet (00:12:45) The 2008 crisis & giving away 100% of his salary (00:18:37) The 2010s: the iPhone moment (00:22:23) Paper routes in New Jersey to Wall Street dreams (00:24:00) BYU, pre-med to business & beating airsickness (00:27:03) Chemical Bank, Blackstone & losing the whole team (00:30:29) Winning a $395M broken portfolio at 29 (00:33:00) The insurance play that won the Kansas deal (00:34:06) Wrong partners, then founding Portfolio Advisors (00:35:21) Managing Warren Buffett's money for 15 years (00:38:03) What a fund-of-funds actually does (00:40:08) From advisory to launching their own funds (00:43:55) Marching up the value chain: secondaries & lending (00:46:04) The 40-Act fund & the FS Investments merger (00:48:09) Where's the economy headed? Talent, timing, discipline (00:50:40) Right on COVID but losing $1M shorting the S&P (00:52:34) Secondaries 101: buying at 20 cents on the dollar (00:55:44) Figure AI: a 238X seed investment (00:57:36) The real secret sauce: trust in a down economy (01:00:02) Conservative by nature: the trailer-park promise (01:00:52) Balancing 6 million air miles with family (01:04:20) Advice pt.1: don't chase money until you're 40 (01:05:54) Advice pt.2: go all-in sooner, add talent early (01:07:45) The legacy: 85 of 130 employees became millionaires (01:08:29) Wrap-up 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: 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/ #BrianMurphy #PortfolioAdvisors #StartupIgnition #PrivateEquity #Secondaries #VentureCapital #FundOfFunds #AlternativeInvestments #WarrenBuffett #FigureAI #Fundraising #LimitedPartners #PrivateCredit #AssetManagement #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Moats #UtahTech #CareerAdvice #WealthBuilding

  4. Jun 17

    Joseph Woodbury: The Airbnb of Storage, marketplaces, moats, raising $75M from a16z

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, John and Tyler sit down with Joseph Woodbury, founder and CEO of Neighbor — the "Airbnb of storage" that has raised over $75 million from Andreessen Horowitz, Pelion, and Album to build a nationwide marketplace across all 50 states. Joseph breaks down why marketplaces are the hardest businesses to build and the best ones to own, how Neighbor turns empty garages, driveways, and unused commercial space into passive income, the lawsuit that nearly derailed them six months in, and why — in the age of AI — marketplaces and moats are the only thing he'd invest in. From a Google-Forms-and-Venmo MVP to a $75M company, this is a masterclass in marketplaces, moats, and monopolies for every founder. (00:00:00) Marketplaces, moats, and monopolies (00:00:36) Welcome back to the Startup Ignition Podcast (00:01:34) Meet Joseph Woodbury, founder & CEO of Neighbor (00:02:24) What Neighbor is: the Airbnb of storage (00:03:30) Raising $75M from Pelion, Album & Andreessen Horowitz (00:04:56) Icebreaker: What's in your storage? (00:12:45) Founder habits to keep — and the ones to kill (00:15:11) Why 50/50 splits and co-CEOs destroy startups (00:18:30) Neighbor today: 50 states and Utah's next big company (00:20:01) The four types of hosts that power Neighbor (00:26:28) The Blueprint tool: earn $100k/yr on a lot (00:29:56) Getting sued by Extra Space Storage 6 months in (00:33:00) Why marketplaces are brutally hard — and worth it (00:45:20) Building three companies in one: e-commerce, SaaS & payments (00:48:09) Market networks: when you can (and can't) monetize SaaS (00:49:55) Joseph's origin: Boulder City, BYU & investment banking (00:52:34) Bain & Company and the Yeti Coolers lesson (00:55:01) Preston's storage problem that started Neighbor (01:02:21) The Google Forms + Venmo MVP that got shut down (01:08:00) Reneging on Bain & the real risk of startups (01:10:01) The "non-economic proposition" of starting a company (01:13:14) Marketplaces, moats & monopolies in the age of AI (01:16:31) One piece of advice: work, work, work (01:19:07) Wrap-up 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: 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/ #Neighbor #JosephWoodbury #StartupIgnition #Marketplaces #StorageMarketplace #SharingEconomy #PassiveIncome #SelfStorage #Startups #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #AndreessenHorowitz #Founders #Moats #Monopoly #ZeroToOne #UtahTech #SaaS #MarketNetworks #StartupAdvice

  5. Jun 11

    Morgan Lynch: Pioneering the Gig Economy, LogoWorks, HP Exit, Needle, Build Angel, Startups

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, John and Tyler sit down with repeat founder Morgan Lynch. Morgan shares his extensive and impressive entrepreneurial journey, starting from his early days working at a small software startup in a basement to founding groundbreaking companies like LogoWorks, Needle, and his newest venture, Build Angel. Morgan dives deep into the realities of startup life, discussing the massive success of LogoWorks, pioneering the gig economy, and the company's eventual acquisition by Hewlett-Packard (HP). He also opens up about the difficult lessons learned from the failure of his venture-backed startup, Needle. He emphasizes the critical importance of go-to-market strategies, playing nice in existing ecosystems (building bolt-on products versus standalone ones), and why traditional MBA programs might actually hurt aspiring startup founders. Currently, Morgan is disrupting the custom home building industry with Build Angel, a platform leveraging AI to bring transparency, better pricing, and competitive bidding to homeowners. Packed with insights on navigating the extreme highs and dark lows of entrepreneurship, as well as the importance of valuing life experiences over money, this is an episode you won't want to miss. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro & Welcome to the Startup Ignition Podcast 00:04:27 Icebreaker: Painful niche vs. big market 00:06:01 The thrill of speed flying and paragliding in Utah 00:14:03 Growing up in the Bay Area near Steve Wozniak 00:15:37 Attending BYU and joining InsureQuote in the basement 00:23:27 Treating the company like your own and getting seed funding 00:25:56 The origins of LogoWorks and fixing the design process 00:29:34 Pioneering the gig economy before it was a term 00:36:36 Solving the chicken-and-egg problem of a two-sided market 00:40:23 The genius "Ask a Friend" feature that drove massive growth 00:44:19 Why Hewlett-Packard (HP) acquired LogoWorks 00:46:38 Raising venture capital from Benchmark and Shasta Ventures 00:49:45 Navigating the HP acquisition as a founder 00:53:59 Why getting an MBA might actually hurt an entrepreneur 00:57:16 Founding Needle: Crowdsourced chat advocates for e-commerce 01:00:26 Why Needle failed: Standalone products vs. CRM integrations 01:04:54 The emotional and mental toll of a startup failing 01:07:18 Introducing Build Angel: Disrupting custom home building 01:09:44 Saving 20-30% on custom homes with AI and competitive bids 01:15:16 Final advice for entrepreneurs: Experiences over money LINKS: 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 Startup Ignition: X: https://x.com/startupignition Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignition LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/ #StartupIgnition #MorganLynch #Entrepreneurship #LogoWorks #BuildAngel #TechStartups #VentureCapital #FounderJourney #GigEconomy #StartupFailure #Acquisitions #CustomHomeBuilding #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessStrategy #SiliconSlopes #StartupAdvice #Podcast #BusinessGrowth #Crowdsourcing #FounderLife

  6. May 28

    Cahlan & Colt: 10-Year DevMountain Reunion, Bootstrapping, Bootcamps, Acquisitions

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, John pulls off a massive surprise on Tyler by bringing in his former DevMountain co-founders, Cahlan Sharp and Colt Henrie, for a special 10-year reunion of their company's acquisition. They dive deep into the origins of the legendary coding bootcamp that completely transformed the tech scene in Utah. The founders share their raw and unfiltered best and worst moments, from nearly running out of cash during a period of hypergrowth to the grueling yet life-changing M&A process. Tune in to hear how this bootstrapped startup dominated the coding bootcamp space, successfully launched the careers of thousands of students, and achieved an incredible exit against all odds. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Surprising Tyler with his DevMountain co-founders   00:03:22 Icebreaker: Best and worst moments in DevMountain history   00:06:03 Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the DevMountain acquisition   00:06:44 The Thanksgiving cash flow crisis that nearly tanked the company   00:12:13 Firing friends and the harsh realities of being a founder   00:14:43 The defining moment when DevMountain became a destination   00:16:56 Cahlan Sharp's background and entry into web development   00:20:34 Getting a PhD in startups in Silicon Valley with Undrip   00:27:57 Colt Henrie's journey from a janitor to an entrepreneur   00:30:44 Learning from bad business ideas and finding mentors   00:36:16 The arranged marriage of the DevMountain co-founders   00:41:08 Why DevMountain succeeded by bootstrapping instead of raising VC   00:43:09 The macroeconomic factors and timing behind the bootcamp boom   00:46:20 Changing the minds of CIOs and proving the 12-week model works   00:49:42 How offering student housing transformed DevMountain's reach   00:51:58 The billboard that changed a life and the power of student outcomes   00:56:37 The fall of 2015 and surviving hypergrowth cash flow shortages   01:00:26 Overcoming banking rejections and finding creative debt funding   01:03:00 Entering the grueling M&A process and dealing with acquirers   01:05:51 How Cahlan sealed the acquisition deal at the whiteboard   01:06:56 The emotional toll and relief of finalizing the sale   01:10:22 The costly 83(b) election mistake discovered in the 11th hour   01:15:00 Wrapping up the DevMountain reunion and the founders' legacy   LINKS: 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 Startup Ignition: X: https://x.com/startupignition Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignition LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/ #StartupIgnition #DevMountain #Entrepreneurship #CodingBootcamp #TechStartups #FoundersJourney #Bootstrapping #BusinessAcquisition #TechTalent #SoftwareEngineering #StartupFounders #CashFlowManagement #UtahTech #VentureCapital #SiliconSlopes #BusinessGrowth #MergersAndAcquisitions #TechEducation #StartupLife #BusinessSuccess

  7. May 21

    Carine Clark: 4x CEO, First Colony Mortgage, Resilience, Beating Ovarian Cancer, Introvert, Leader

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, Tyler and John Richards sit down with Carine Clark, a four-time president and CEO of high-growth companies and the current CEO of First Colony Mortgage. Carine shares her incredible journey from an extreme introvert raised in a military family in Germany to a powerhouse leader in the Utah tech scene, with pivotal roles at Novell, Altiris, and Symantec. She opens up about her defining battle with cancer, how confronting mortality refined her approach to life and business, and the mindset required to lead fearlessly. From navigating a hostile corporate takeover to famously refusing anesthesia during surgery, Carine drops priceless wisdom on taking control of your destiny, making decisive moves, and never letting fear determine your fate. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS (00:00:00) Introduction and Carine Clark's impressive leadership bio (00:03:38) What is a "Platinum Bat" in enterprise software sales? (00:06:50) Overcoming culture: Why capable women self-select out of leadership (00:11:22) Startup Ignition Icebreaker: Fund, Promote, or Fire (00:19:16) Growing up as a military brat in Germany and moving to Utah (00:22:58) How surviving cancer refined Carine's life and priorities (00:29:19) Disrupting the mortgage industry as CEO of First Colony Mortgage (00:36:02) Early career at Novell and working with historic tech legends (00:37:03) Building Altiris and navigating a hostile takeover by Symantec (00:41:38) Celebrating Utah's deep tech history and Philo Farnsworth (00:45:08) The reality of meeting your heroes and leveling the playing field (00:46:49) A devastating dual-cancer diagnosis at the top of her career (00:50:30) Taking command of her own oncology and treatment protocol (00:53:35) Enduring a cardiac event in the chemotherapy chair (00:57:47) Intimidating the cancer: Medical port surgery without anesthesia (01:02:10) Leaving Symantec and stepping into the CEO role at Allegiance (01:04:13) Transitioning to Pelion Venture Partners and executive roles at Lumio (01:07:08) Number one advice for founders: Don't let fear determine your fate (01:10:03) Finding strength and unshakeable power as an extreme introvert (01:12:54) Episode wrap-up and final thoughts 🔗 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: 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/ #CarineClark #StartupIgnition #Entrepreneurship #UtahTech #SiliconSlopes #CEOInsights #WomenInTech #Leadership #VentureCapital #TechStartups #CancerSurvivor #BusinessGrowth #FirstColonyMortgage #OvercomingFear #IntrovertPower #StartupPodcast #TechInnovation #MindsetShift #Resilience #Founders

  8. May 7

    Matty Gay: Building Primo Golf, Signing Phil Mickelson, Grant Horvat & Ecommerce Apparel

    In this episode of the Startup Ignition Podcast, Tyler and John are joined by Matty Gay, Co-founder and CEO of Primo Golf Apparel. Matty shares his incredible entrepreneurial journey, from working at a local country club for free golf to climbing the ranks as a product manager at foreUP. He reveals how a simple idea for golf joggers launched during the COVID-19 pandemic turned into one of the fastest-growing premium apparel brands in the industry. Matty discusses navigating early manufacturing and sizing mistakes, mastering influencer marketing with massive creators like Grant Horvath, and the surreal experience of sponsoring golf legend Phil Mickelson. Listen in for actionable advice on building a physical brand, pricing products correctly, and knowing when to take the leap to go full-time on your startup. Timestamps: (00:00:00) Matty's entrepreneurial mentality and the power of choices (00:01:02) Welcome to Episode 50 and introducing Matty Gay (00:03:31) Matty's background and the rapid rise of Primo Golf Apparel (00:06:51) Why Primo is tied for John's favorite golf brand of all time (00:08:54) Icebreaker Game: The Favorite Foursome (00:13:00) The impact of YouTube golf creator and co-owner Grant Horvath (00:17:15) Growing up in Northern California and falling in love with golf (00:18:52) Studying advertising at BYU and building the "Flip" app (00:20:25) Attending 1 Million Cups and getting a job at foreUP (00:23:51) Matty's career path from customer support to product manager (00:27:51) The origin story of Primo Golf Apparel and the need for golf joggers (00:33:48) Launching the first 250 pairs of Primo joggers during COVID-19 (00:37:35) Early manufacturing mistakes and navigating sizing issues with customers (00:43:21) Building an ambassador program and doing things that don't scale (00:46:50) The inflection point: Taking the leap to go full-time on Primo (00:51:32) Securing a major retail partnership and scaling across Scheels stores (00:53:21) Understanding unit economics and pricing physical products correctly (00:57:17) Leveraging social media and influencers to scale the brand (00:59:54) Grant Horvath's bet with Phil Mickelson at the Open Championship (01:03:35) Elevating fabrics and designing for the modern golfer's lifestyle (01:05:37) Experiencing the magic and pristine operations of the Masters tournament (01:10:44) Primo's current scale, warehouse expansions, and team size (01:12:25) The surreal moment of meeting and signing Phil Mickelson in person (01:14:40) Matty's number one piece of advice for new entrepreneurs 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: 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/ Tags: #StartupIgnition #PrimoGolf #MattyGay #Entrepreneurship #GolfApparel #GolfJoggers #StartupJourney #BusinessGrowth #InfluencerMarketing #GrantHorvath #PhilMickelson #FounderStory #EcommerceTips #ProductDevelopment #UnitEconomics #GolfLifestyle #StartupGrind #VentureCapital #UtahStartups #BusinessAdvice

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Father and son team John and Tyler Richards — veteran entrepreneurs, venture investors, mentors, and educators — discuss all things entrepreneurship and venture capital.

Information

  • Creator
    John & Tyler Richards
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Startup Ignition Academy, Inc.
  • Show Website
    Startup Ignition Podcast

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