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Startup Ignition Podcast

Startup Ignition Podcast

Auteur(s): 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. Développement commercial et entrepreneuriat Entrepreneurship Gestion et leadership Économie
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  • Ben Knell: Building a $100M+ Sales Engine, Family & Leadership, FBI, Pest Control, Business

    Ben Knell: Building a $100M+ Sales Engine, Family & Leadership, FBI, Pest Control, Business
    Sep 25 2025
    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?"

    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:
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    #Entrepreneurship
    #Sales
    #PestControl
    #StartupStory
    #BusinessGrowth
    #DoorToDoor
    #UtahBusiness
    #FounderJourney
    #SalesTeam
    #Marketing
    #StartupAdvice
    #WorkLifeBalance
    #Scaling
    #Recruiting
    #BusinessStrategy
    #CEO
    #Innovation
    #Leadership
    #Grit
    #Resilience
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    1 h et 1 min
  • Jeff Burningham: From Real Estate Tycoon to VC, Startups, Becoming Wise in the Age of AI

    Jeff Burningham: From Real Estate Tycoon to VC, Startups, Becoming Wise in the Age of AI
    Sep 18 2025
    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

    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/

    #JeffBurningham
    #StartupIgnition
    #AI
    #ArtificialIntelligence
    #Entrepreneurship
    #VentureCapital
    #UtahBusiness
    #PeakCapital
    #ElementVentures
    #Politics
    #UtahPolitics
    #HumanFlourishing
    #PurposeDriven
    #FounderAdvice
    #ProductMarketFit
    #AngelInvesting
    #UtahTech
    #SiliconSlopes
    #Leadership
    #StartupPodcast
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    1 h et 7 min
  • Case Lawrence: From Elon's Lawyer to Trampoline King, Sky Zone, Startup, Founder Story

    Case Lawrence: From Elon's Lawyer to Trampoline King, Sky Zone, Startup, Founder Story
    Sep 4 2025
    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 ParkLearn more about us:https://startupignition.com/linksApply 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/@StartupIgnitionFollow on X:https://x.com/startupignitionFollow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/startupignition/Follow on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@startupignitionFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/school/6458758/admin/dashboard/Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/startupignition/#CaseLawrence#SkyZone#CircusTrix#Entrepreneurship#StartupStory#Franchising#BusinessGrowth#PrivateEquity#VentureCapital#ScalingBusiness#RecessionProof#FounderStory#UtahBusiness#StartupIgnition#FamilyEntertainment#FromLawyerToFounder#EntrepreneurMindset#BusinessStrategy#Leadership#Innovation
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    57 min
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