In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview a longtime friend and startup expert Gregory Shepard.

Greg shares the story behind his new book, The Startup Lifecycle, which grew out of a four-year research project on why startups fail. With thousands of transcripts and 200,000 case studies, he saw the need to turn complex data into practical tools for founders. What began as a policy-focused effort became a mission to empower entrepreneurs. This led to both the book and his platform, Startup Science, now home to tens of thousands of founders and a growing network of mentors and investors.

Greg also shares his startup-style approach to writing and publishing the book. He carefully planned its structure, from parts and chapters to quotes, jokes, and stories, aiming to make it both informative and engaging. He talks about using AI as a helpful editor, while warning against depending on it for original ideas. Greg also outlines his go-to-market strategy, which includes over 700 tactics across podcasts, book clubs, search optimization, and more.

Give it up one more time for Gregory Shepard! By treating the book like a product launch, his entrepreneurial mindset shines through, showing that even in authorship, he's all in on impact and execution!

Guest Info:
Gregory Shepard's Website
https://www.gregoryshepard.com/

Gregory Shepard's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregshepard/

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/
The First Customer Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcast
The First Customer podcast website
https://www.firstcustomerpodcast.com
Follow The First Customer on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-customer-podcast/

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Terence Bennett, CEO of DreamFactory.

Terence shares his unconventional journey from a military intelligence officer to leading a developer-focused API company. He explains how his entrepreneurial parents influenced his mindset and how his military background taught him to solve problems creatively. He also shares how dealing with dyslexia and joining a support group at Google helped him discover his strength in thinking outside the box.

Terence discusses his career pivot from cybersecurity to startup life, eventually landing at DreamFactory through his work with the parent company Xenon. He explains how DreamFactory’s way of handling APIs, by focusing on data models first, is different and works well, especially for older systems in places like the public sector. He also shares how working with the long-established company Saint-Gobain showed him how much people believe in DreamFactory.

Buckle up for a ride to the Golden State, where Terence shares how strong leadership, trust, and community fuel both personal growth and business success in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
DreamFactory Software
http://www.dreamfactory.com

Terence Bennett's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terencehbennett/

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/
The First Customer Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcast
The First Customer podcast website
https://www.firstcustomerpodcast.com
Follow The First Customer on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-customer-podcast/

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview James Griffin, CEO of Invene.

James shares how he transitioned from a self-taught coder with early entrepreneurial tendencies to leading a successful healthcare-focused software firm. Raised in an engineering-driven household in McKinney, Texas, James initially pursued biomedical engineering before shifting to computer science, eventually leveraging a full-ride college scholarship to start several ventures. His turning point came after a mentor introduced him to a company needing software support—leading to his first $10,000 consulting client. While balancing this opportunity with a struggling product startup, James leaned into healthcare after discovering it was the most responsive and financially viable industry, allowing him to bootstrap Invene.

Throughout the conversation, James emphasizes the importance of focus and specialization. He candidly advises agency owners to stop being indecisive and commit to a niche, explaining how his early decision to focus solely on healthcare unlocked higher value clients and stronger referrals. Drawing from his own experience and conversations with other agency founders, James outlines a three-pronged framework for specialization: choosing what energizes you, what motivates your team, and what generates the most profit.

Let's crack the code and uncover James Griffins' unstoppable mindset in this episode of The First Customer!


Guest Info:
Invene
http://www.invene.com

James Griffin's LinkedIn
http://linkedin.com/in/jamesgriffin3/

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/
The First Customer Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcast
The First Customer podcast website
https://www.firstcustomerpodcast.com
Follow The First Customer on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-customer-podcast/