In this episode, Alex Bridgeman talks with Janelle Heuton about her decade-long journey helping transform a small GIS company into a scaled software business serving local governments nationwide. Janelle shares how she joined GIS Workshop by chance, quickly rose to COO, and partnered with CEO Joe Heieck to drive strategic change, including shifting from custom development to SaaS products, completing nine acquisitions, and leading a move to the cloud. She reflects on the phases of her role, from client success to chief product officer, and the lessons learned through scaling, private equity investment, and building strong company culture. Now as co-founder of Heiton Partners, she is applying that experience to acquiring and growing enduring, founder-led businesses.

They discuss:

• How shifting away from custom development opened the door for SaaS growth

• The dynamics of the COO–CEO relationship and executing on a shared vision

• Lessons from integrating products, teams, and clients through nine acquisitions

• Transitioning from execution to strategic leadership with Heiton Partners

• Identifying and developing high-potential future leaders within a company

This episode offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors navigating growth, acquisitions, and leadership transitions.

Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Breaker, and TuneIn.

Learn more about Alex and Think Like an Owner at https://tlaopodcast.com/

Links:

Janelle on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelle-heuton-aa238927/

Heiton Partners - https://www.heiton.com/

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:01:43) - Janelle's career journey
(00:02:29) - Transition to GIS Workshop
(00:03:59) - Role evolution and responsibilities
(00:08:06) - Challenges and strategic decisions
(00:11:55) - Growth and acquisitions
(00:28:43) - Private equity and beyond
(00:36:30) - Advice for aspiring leaders
(00:39:18) - Conclusion and farewell

In this episode of Think Like an Owner, host Alex Bridgeman sits down with John Peterson for a wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, adaptability, and building a service business from the ground up. John traces his path from professional golf—where he saw firsthand the parallels between sports and entrepreneurship—to flipping houses during COVID and ultimately founding Westoplex Garage, a garage door and epoxy floor company based in Fort Worth, Texas. With honest pricing and a service-first mentality, John shares how he grew the business from a two-man team in his garage to a multi-division operation poised for expansion into new markets.

We discuss:

• How John’s early golf career shaped his entrepreneurial mindset and approach to financial risk

• Why a $2,200 garage door quote sparked the idea for a new business

• The importance of interpersonal skills over technical experience in hiring technicians

• Lessons learned from starting a service company from scratch versus acquiring an existing one

• The strategic decision to expand into Baton Rouge and the advantages of using private aviation for business

A must-listen for operators and builders interested in the intersection of blue-collar service and entrepreneurial scale.

Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Breaker, and TuneIn.

Learn more about Alex and Think Like an Owner at https://tlaopodcast.com/

Links:

John on X

Alex on X

Westoplex Garage

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:01:10) - John’s career as a pro golfer
(00:14:53) - Pivoting into the garage door business
(00:23:48) - Epoxy vs. concrete floors
(00:25:36) - Latest tech innovations in garages
(00:27:53) - The self-storage market
(00:33:05) - Building a new customer funnel
(00:36:48) - Training new technicians
(00:37:55) - Recruiting talent
(00:40:31) - What to look for in hires
(00:43:38) - Why people leave the industry
(00:48:02) - Opening a Baton Rouge office
(00:52:35) - Growing pains
(00:55:17) - What are you most excited about in the next year?

Alex (@Aebridgeman) is joined by Richard Emery (@Richardemery2).

In this episode, my guest is Richard Emery, who has held various notable positions in business aviation sales at brands like Canadair, Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Hawker Beechcraft.

Richard shares his experiences in different sales cultures, managing high-performing teams, and participating in brand turnarounds. The discussion covers his leadership style, team management, and the skills relevant to CEOs.

Additionally, the episode includes entertaining stories about selling aircraft to unique clients, making it an engaging listen for anyone interested in business aviation and sales.

Links:

Richard on LinkedIn

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:01:31) - Richard’s career and background

(00:04:41) - How do you organize a high-performing sales team?

(00:14:00) - Identifying ideal customer profiles

(00:23:49) - Developing a customer outreach team

(00:27:44) - Having discipline and focus on a sales team

(00:38:28) - Leadership philosophies

(00:50:08) - What can CEOs do to make their sales teams more effective?