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He launched a “side-project”— now it’s used by 10% of all restaurants. | Jordan Boesch, Founder of 7Shifts
Description
Jordan Boesch started 7shifts as a teenager helping his dad manage restaurant shifts. Today, his software runs scheduling for 50,000 restaurants. This episode dives into how Jordan bootstrapped early growth, why relentless focus on solving real customer pain mattered more than funding, and how tight partnerships supercharged his expansion.
Jordan also shares hard-won lessons on managing burnout, dealing with near-failure, and creating a company culture that lasts. It’s packed with practical insights every founder needs.
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Why You Should Listen:
• From side project to being used by 1 in 10 restaurant workers in the U.S.
• How to use SEO and partnership strategies that drove early growth
• Why customer complaints are often a good sign.
• What to do when you're about to run out of cash.
• See why defining clear core values early was key to building a resilient team.
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(00:00:00) Building for Passion Not Profit
(00:01:32) Solving Dad’s Restaurant Problems
(00:06:01) Getting the First Real Customer
(00:10:47) Taking the Leap to Full-Time Founder
(00:13:07) Moving to Silicon Valley and Finding Focus
(00:16:51) Growth Hacking with SEO and Partnerships
(00:24:59) How to Actually Make Partnerships Work
(00:27:08) Building a Big Company Outside the Bay Area
(00:30:29) Raising Money and Surviving Near-Failure
(00:35:49) Defining Culture to Scale