In this episode, we're joined by Jason Peterson, a seasoned entrepreneur, technologist, and innovator, best known for his successful exit with XOLogic, a leading software provider for the lighting, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing industries, which he sold in 2021. Currently, Jason is involved with Noggin, a company focused on process automation for small businesses, and also dedicates his time to humanitarian efforts, helping build schools, dig wells, and support refugee efforts with youth abroad. (00:00:00) Jason’s pre-selling story. (00:01:14) Intro to Jason Peterson, an entrepreneur & technologist at Noggin. (00:02:19) Focus on small-business process automation & humanitarian work. (00:03:08) Jason’s background & principles influence the hosts’ boot camp. (00:04:07) They play “Two Truths and a Lie.” (00:06:17) Jason’s track record: launching SaaS in traditional industries. (00:07:23) Meeting John & reviving a bankrupt cabinetry business. (00:10:07) Rescuing Hann Lighting with robust systems. (00:11:30) Acquisition timeline for the cabinet shop & Hann Lighting. (00:12:48) Identifying margin issues and implementing solutions. (00:14:19) Outdated catalog pricing caused margin errors. (00:15:55) Jason created an electronic catalog with real-time updates. (00:16:48) Customers gained accurate pricing & backorder info. (00:18:35) Expanding the software to other lighting showrooms. (00:19:14) Early Internet & the power of aggregated databases. (00:20:31) Digitizing catalogs for the lighting industry. (00:21:31) Transitioning to a SaaS model. (00:23:14) Turning manual processes into SaaS. (00:24:16) Pre-selling software with blank lines for future features. (00:25:45) Exogic became the e-commerce engine for showrooms. (00:27:00) Exogic’s growth and peak adoption. (00:28:12) Overcomplicating the product & the innovator’s dilemma. (00:29:19) Founder-market fit: solving niche problems. (00:31:46) Jason dominates the lighting showroom software space. (00:32:37) Emphasizing benefits over features to improve margins. (00:34:26) Launching ExpertEdit for user-enriched data. (00:36:31) Attempting new verticals, focusing on market size. (00:37:50) Electrical wholesale expansion mistake & lack of validation. (00:40:26) Validating assumptions with facts. (00:42:39) Shifting focus to plumbing before acquisition. (00:44:46) Exelogic acquired by Fsteam in 2021. (00:46:28) Founding Lit Living for showroom social media marketing. (00:47:49) Providing manufacturer-specific content. (00:49:23) Jason excels at identifying and solving customer problems. (00:50:38) Moving from frugality to investing in talent. (00:51:54) Hiring a CTO transformed the company. (00:55:36) Jason’s plans post-exit. (00:55:56) Founding Noggin for SMB process automation. (00:56:38) Inspired by systematizing his brother’s restaurant. (00:59:56) Founders must systematize tasks for non-founders. (01:01:21) Noggin helps owners overwhelmed by daily operations. (01:02:17) Teachability and adaptability in a founder. (01:04:13) Hosts thank Jason and sign off. 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/ #SaaS #Entrepreneurship #XOLogic #LightingIndustry #ProcessAutomation #SmallBusiness #BankruptcyTurnarounds #InformationSystems #DigitalCatalog #BackorderInformation #PricingErrors #CompetitiveAdvantage #Ecommerce #PointOfSale #ElectricalWholesale #PlumbingComponents #FrugalEntrepreneurship #Noggin #Systematization #FounderMarketFit
