In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jason Vego, co-founder and CEO of Bevz, a digital platform helping mom-and-pop liquor and convenience stores go online and manage inventory.

Jason shares how growing up with an entrepreneurial father planted the seed for his own ventures, including an early attempt to build software for dog groomers. The failure taught him valuable lessons about understanding an industry from the inside. That insight became crucial when launching Bevz with his childhood friend—who happened to own multiple liquor stores. Together, they identified a major gap in tech support for small, independent retailers in this space.

Jason explains how Bevz evolved from a DoorDash-style marketplace into a more comprehensive inventory and sales management platform tailored for small convenience stores. While the ultimate goal is full automation of ordering and stock tracking, early adoption hinged on solving what store owners cared about most: increasing revenue through online sales. With over 700 stores on board and a clear focus on serving the underrepresented independent retailer, Bevz is chipping away at a multibillion-dollar problem.

Let’s hear from Jason Vego on why he’s prioritized real-world impact over personal branding—and how listening to customers (not just one savvy co-founder) helped shape their strategy in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Bevz
https://bevz.com/


Jason Vego's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jvego/

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 Brett Tiagwad, founder and CEO of Elevated Angles.

Brett shares his unconventional path from finance to drone media. After a challenging personal journey, including recovery and the loss of his mother, Brett found solace and inspiration in flying drones. What started as a therapeutic hobby quickly became a business idea when he realized the visual impact drone footage could have. With no prior experience in photography or videography, he taught himself editing through YouTube, gradually transforming Elevated Angles from a side hustle into a thriving creative production company.

Brett details the early struggles of breaking into industries like construction and public sector work, where initial expectations didn’t match market realities. After experimenting with different niches, he leaned into his strengths in visual storytelling and editing, positioning his company as a drone-focused media agency catering to brands that value high-quality content. Now expanding his team to meet growing demand, Brett emphasizes the importance of owning your local market and scaling with purpose.

Join Brett Tiagwad on his journey as he highlights the power of persistence, adaptability, and building a brand rooted in both passion and skill in this episode of The First Customer!


Guest Info:

Elevated Angles LLC
https://www.elevatedanglesllc.com/

Email
info@elevatedangles.com

Brett Tiagwad's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-tiagwad-a9a23b79/

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 Christian Espinosa, founder and CEO of Blue Goat Cyber.

Christian shares his experience of growing up in poverty with an unstable home life, seeking structure in the Air Force, and eventually transitioning from a successful freelancing career to launching his first company, Alpine Security. Christian explains that boredom and the desire for growth pushed him to scale his business, which involved convincing long-time clients to trust his growing team. Despite early challenges, he successfully built and sold Alpine to Cerberus Sentinel during the pandemic—a decision driven by burnout and what he felt were signs from the universe.

After the sale, a serious health scare prompted Christian to reassess his path. Recovering from blood clots and reflecting on how a medical device saved his life, he founded Blue Goat Cyber with a mission to secure medical technologies. Drawing on earlier industry experience, he strategically niched the company to focus on medical device cybersecurity, guided by FDA mandates and a clear understanding of the market’s pain points. Christian talks about reactivating old contacts, leveraging past partnerships, and using tools like StoryBrand to refine messaging and positioning.

Discover Christian Espinosa's story of resilience, reinvention, and finding purpose in solving critical problems that matter in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Blue Goat Cyber
https://bluegoatcyber.com

Christian Espinosa's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/

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 Dori Yona, Co-founder and CEO of Simple Closure.

Dori shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began with a childhood influenced by his entrepreneur parents and a deep connection to Silicon Valley. He first launched a dating app in Israel, but quickly pivoted to create Earny, a consumer fintech company that automated price protection refunds from retailers and credit card companies. The idea sparked from a real-life experience where he successfully claimed a refund after a price drop, revealing a broader market opportunity. Earny eventually scaled to millions of users and was sold after a multi-year acquisition journey involving various potential buyers.

Dori’s latest venture, Simple Closure, was born from his painful experience trying to shut down a startup. After a board member raised the need for a shutdown plan during a downturn at Earny, Dori found little support from advisors and a lack of public resources. This inspired him to build a solution for the thousands of companies that face similar closures annually. Through founder interviews and increasing inbound interest, Simple Closure found its first customer even before launching a formal product, confirming a strong demand for a structured and compassionate shutdown service.

Let’s head to the Sunset Capital as Dori Yona shares how he’s destigmatizing failure and simplifying shutdowns for startups and small businesses in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Simple Closure
https://simpleclosure.com

Dori Yona's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dori-yona-b8369877/

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 Mark Wormgoor, CEO and tech coach at The Maverick CTO.

Mark shares that despite a successful 25-year corporate career in IT, he felt unfulfilled after reaching his long-term goal early and ultimately chose to go independent. He candidly reflects on the decision-making process behind leaving corporate life, his early startup missteps, and how a failed venture with a co-founder taught him valuable lessons about product-market fit. His initial foray into entrepreneurship eventually led to launching a software development agency and later, a coaching practice focused on tech leadership.

Mark explains that his transition into coaching was a natural evolution of the informal mentoring he had done throughout his corporate career. He combined that passion with formal coaching training and inspiration from Dan Martell’s hybrid coaching/mentorship style. Today, through The Maverick CTO, Mark helps tech leaders navigate challenges in leadership, team building, and stakeholder management. He emphasizes that charging for coaching not only sustains his business but also deepens client commitment and results.

Join us as Mark Wormgoor unpacks why startups should never build without customers in this insightful episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
The Maverick CTO
https://themaverickcto.com/

Mark Wormgoor's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwormgoor/

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 Bert TerHart, CEO and Founder of LeadBrain AI.

Bert shares how his upbringing in a small Canadian town and the work ethic of his entrepreneurial father shaped his approach to business. From surveying frozen land with his dad on holidays to founding three companies in the tech and healthcare sectors, Bert emphasizes the importance of deep customer commitment and understanding your niche. He recounts his journey from System Modal Software to NextGen SEO, and now LeadBrain AI—each venture building on a foundation of domain knowledge and strong client relationships in the medical field.

Bert explains that LeadBrain AI succeeds by cutting through the noise in the saturated lead generation and AI space through hyper-specific targeting and thoughtful application of technology. Rather than relying on generic AI-generated content, his team crafts detailed prompts to define customer profiles and tailor messaging with human oversight. He underscores that effective marketing and sustained impact stem from knowing your audience, telling a compelling story, and sticking with what you know—even when it gets boring.

Hear how Bert TerHart leans into his own story and encourages entrepreneurs to do the same: care deeply about your niche, stay persistent, and build something meaningful—on this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
LeadBrainAI
https://leadbrain.ai/

Bert TerHart's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertterhart/

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 Bridgette Ferraro, CEO of iCopy Legal.

Bridgette shares her unexpected journey from studying human services at Purdue to leading a legal document retrieval company. She recounts how a bold consulting pitch turned into a long-term leadership role, where she embraced the challenge of scaling a traditional, service-first business into a tech-enabled powerhouse. Bridgette emphasizes the importance of asking questions, understanding internal processes, and empowering her team through thoughtful operational changes like an extra week off.

Bridgette also reflects on building her personal brand alongside iCopy’s evolution. Known for her blue nail polish and vibrant personality, she connects authentically on platforms like LinkedIn by sharing her story as a CEO mom and first-gen college grad. She discusses the strategic decision to grow internal talent, notably promoting her COO from within, while also tapping into outside consultants to guide their next phase of growth.

Join Bridgette Ferraro as she champions a people-first mindset and cuts through the AI noise with real, purposeful innovation in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
iCopy Legal
https://icopylegal.com/

Bridgette Ferraro's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgette-ferraro-94a7773b/

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 Jimmy Jacobson, CTO of Codingscape.

Jimmy discovered programming through his father's university lab computer, unaware it could be a career. He later pursued computer science, freelancing while working at Overstock and Zappos. Zappos’ culture encouraged risk-taking, fueling his entrepreneurial drive. He co-founded Wedgies.com, a social media polling tool with clients like The Wall Street Journal and the White House. Despite its success, venture capital pressures led to its acquisition by Match.com, shaping his approach to future ventures.

After the sale, Jimmy and his partners founded Codingscape, applying lessons from "Built to Sell". They prioritized sustainable growth by building strong client relationships instead of chasing every opportunity. Rather than competing in crowded proposals, they focused on education, networking, and thought leadership. This strategy keeps Codingscape top of mind when clients need expert solutions.

Join Jimmy as he shares how adaptability, strategic growth, and strong relationships fueled his journey from freelance developer to thriving entrepreneur in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Codingscape
https://codingscape.com

Jimmy Jacobson's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmyjacobson/

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/