The First Customer

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Will Blackburn, co-founder of DevClarity.

Will shares he's from Birmingham, Alabama, where he still resides. Although he moved to Atlanta, thinking Birmingham lacked a tech ecosystem, he returned after seeing local success stories and opportunities. Birmingham’s smaller, supportive startup community, centered around the Innovation Depot, made it easier to build connections than Atlanta’s bigger, less personal environment. This supportive community inspired him to build DevClarity in Birmingham.

Will explains that DevClarity helps new engineering managers with a developer-focused one-on-one tool. It uses AI to summarize notes, analyze sentiment, and guide developer growth. The goal is to build a system for tracking team performance, well-being, and project details. While DevClarity started by targeting engineering managers, Will sees the need to also serve CTOs, VPs, and directors with broader insights for the whole organization.

Find out how Will Blackburn embraced Birmingham’s collaborative spirit to build DevClarity’s success in this episode of The First Customer! 

Guest Info:
DevClarity
https://www.devclarity.ai/


Will Blackburn's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/willhblackburn/

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 Tatsiana Kirimava, CEO and co-founder of Orangesoft.

Tatsiana shares that she grew up in various countries, including Poland, Belarus, and the U.S. She attributes her open-mindedness and independence to her parents, who encouraged her to make her own decisions. She highlights her ability to communicate effectively and build networks as essential skills she honed throughout her life. Her passion for technology from a young age naturally led her to create Orangesoft, which started as a mobile app development company and has now evolved into a specialized custom software development firm focusing on healthcare and AI.

Tatsiana discusses the company's journey toward niching down and the importance of establishing expertise in a specific industry. While Orangesoft originally served a broad range of clients, Tatsiana realized that specializing in healthcare allowed them to provide higher-quality services and differentiate themselves from the competition. She explains how the company's marketing strategy is now heavily focused on content marketing, attending conferences, and building its reputation as experts in the healthcare and AI fields. 

Discover how Tatsiana Kirimava's creative vision and dedication shaped her path to impactful consulting in this episode of The First Customer! 

Guest Info:
Orangesoft
http://www.orangesoft.co


Tatsiana Kirimava's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatsianakirimava/

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 T. Brad Kielinski, Founder of IT Pros.

Brad shared his journey from growing up in Plymouth Meeting near Germantown Academy to becoming a successful tech recruiter in Philadelphia. Inspired by witnessing his uncle and aunt’s homegrown business grow to 400 employees and his father’s inventive spirit, Brad gravitated towards entrepreneurship early on. His career path began with internships in IT and eventually led him to work for various tech recruiting agencies before launching IT Pros in 2011. His approach to building the business included founding a LinkedIn community in 2009 that connected tech professionals throughout the Philadelphia region, focusing on networking and knowledge-sharing without sales pressure.

Brad explained that IT Pros' early focus was on venture-backed startups and smaller, less-known companies within the Delaware Valley region. Over time, the company deliberately avoided working with large corporations with skewed terms and instead concentrated on agile, fast-moving businesses and manufacturing companies modernizing their environments. His method of fostering organic growth through community-building and strategically choosing clients has been key to IT Pros’ sustained success.

Witness Brad Kielinski’s approach to thriving in the tech industry by choosing the right clients and building a strong community on this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:

IT Pros
http://www.itprosphilly.com/

T Brad Kielinski's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/t-brad-kielinski-philadelphia-tech-recruiter/

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 Charles Sims, CEO and founder of Investimate.

Charles shares how he grew up around innovation and leadership inspired him to build and scale ventures, starting with a paintball supply company as a child. His ability to adapt and thrive in chaos earned him the moniker "Hurricane CTO" during his tenure with organizations like the LA Clippers and United Talent Agency, where he became known for troubleshooting crises and bringing stability to high-pressure situations. Now, with Investimate, he is channeling his expertise into a platform that helps founders refine their pitch decks, evaluate market opportunities, and secure investment with data-driven insights.

Reflecting on past challenges, Charles discusses a missed acquisition opportunity where he struggled to frame the value proposition, only to later see the deal double in value after another company acquired it. This failure pushed him to develop structured frameworks for assessing investments more effectively. He also emphasizes the importance of leadership, not just in taking accountability but in fostering growth by allowing others to take risks while providing a safety net. 

Sit back and listen as Charles highlights the resilience and adaptability required to navigate the entrepreneurial world, making him a valuable voice in the startup ecosystem in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Investimate
https://investimate.io


Charles Sims' LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlessims/

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 David Snider, founder and CEO of Harness Wealth. 

Growing up in Boston, David's early exposure to financial services and an interest in problem-solving shaped his career. After co-founding and helping grow Compass, a major real estate brokerage, he realized that navigating tax and financial complexities was a major challenge for business owners and high-growth employees. His personal experience with a missed tax-saving opportunity underscored the need for better financial advisory services tailored to the next generation of wealth creators. 

David explained the unique challenges of launching a two-sided marketplace, balancing the need to attract both financial advisors and high-net-worth clients. He initially leveraged personal connections and digital marketing to onboard advisors while refining the platform’s value proposition. Over time, Harness Wealth shifted focus to providing a technology-driven tax platform that empowers independent advisors to enhance their services. 

Watch how David honed his sales skills through hands-on experience, recognizing that success in entrepreneurship often requires stepping outside one’s comfort zone in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Harness Wealth
https://www.harnesswealth.com/

David Snider's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sniderdavida/

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 Jason Shafton, CEO and founder of Winston Francois.

Jason shares his journey from growing up in a family of entrepreneurs in Chicago to becoming a growth and marketing consultant for tech startups. Inspired by his parents’ business ventures in high-end audio equipment, Jason developed an early passion for business, launching a small airplane-selling stand as a child and later a record label in high school. His career took him from Google to leadership roles at Comedy Central, Headspace, and various startups before organically transitioning into consulting. What began as informal advising soon turned into a full-time business as demand for his expertise grew, leading him to establish Winston Francois—a firm offering fractional CMO and growth leadership services.

Jason explains how Winston Francois differentiates itself in the crowded world of growth consulting by leveraging deep operational experience in venture-backed startups and major tech firms. His first paying client, Modern Animal, exemplifies this approach, as he helped scale the tech-first veterinary service while continuing to work with them over time. Reflecting on his journey, Jason emphasizes the importance of defining an ideal customer early on, a lesson learned through trial and error. While his personal brand currently drives much of Winston Francois’ visibility, he hopes the company’s reputation will grow independently. 

Take a seat and listen to Jason Shafton's story which highlights the power of relationships, strategic positioning, and staying adaptable in an evolving market in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Winston Francois
winstonfrancois.com or wf.team/pod

Jason Shafton's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonshafton/

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 Vladimir Baranov, CEO and founder of Human Interfaces.

Vladimir had early exposure to the turbulent Russian business climate, which made him cautious about entrepreneurship, but his experiences in the U.S. gradually changed his perspective. In college, he created a textbook-sharing platform, an early taste of entrepreneurship, though without charging users. Later, he ventured into finance, spending over a decade in capital markets before transitioning to startups. His first major success came when he co-founded a wealth management tech company, which scaled to 150 employees and was eventually acquired by Franklin Templeton. This experience fueled his passion for entrepreneurship and led him to explore the aerospace industry, despite having no formal background in it.

After helping grow an aerospace startup and successfully launching multiple satellites, Vladimir felt the pull toward something broader—coaching. Recognizing that many engineers and scientists struggled to bring their innovations to market, he founded Human Interfaces to help bridge that gap. Now a business coach, Vladimir focuses on empowering tech founders, engineers, and scientists to build successful companies. His marketing approach is continually evolving, relying on a mix of in-person networking, coaching platforms, LinkedIn outreach, and SEO strategies. 

Check out this episode of The First Customer where Vladimir Baranov ensures his message resonates with the right audience by blending his experience in aerospace, finance, and business coaching to help tech founders succeed! 

Guest Info:

Human Interfaces
https://www.humaninterfaces.co/


Vladimir Baranov's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladimirbaranov/

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 Peter Bonney, CEO and founder of Fastbreak RFP.

Peter shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his childhood in a small town in Massachusetts. Growing up with a father who ran shoe stores and constantly engaged in side hustles, Peter absorbed key lessons in customer focus and hustle. He reflects on how his early experiences shaped his business philosophy, especially his dad’s mantra, "The customer is your job," which continues to influence how he approaches building customer-centric solutions. Peter’s first venture, Vendorful, taught him hard lessons about the procurement space—how difficult it was to sell solutions that save money versus those that generate revenue. Despite these challenges, Vendorful found success, leading to its acquisition.

Peter’s latest venture, Fastbreak RFP, spun out from the challenges he faced responding to RFPs while scaling Vendorful. Fastbreak simplifies and streamlines the RFP response process for B2B companies, with an early focus on industries like health insurance that experience significant RFP-related pain points. Peter emphasizes the importance of niching down to achieve faster product-market fit, something he wishes he had done earlier. He discusses the contrast between selling to procurement teams and revenue teams, highlighting how the latter is often a much easier and faster path to growth. Now leading a lean, early-stage team, Peter shares how he’s embraced experimentation and customer feedback to chart a clearer path for Fastbreak’s future success.

Hear how Peter Bonney turned his first big idea into a thriving business in this episode of The First Customer!


Guest Info:
Fastbreak RFP
https://fastbreakrfp.com

Peter Bonney's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-bonney-nyc/

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 Shae Feltz, CEO and founder of NOTICS, an IT service provider based in Minneapolis. 

Shae delves into his humble beginnings in Brainerd, Minnesota, where he learned early on that working for someone else wasn’t for him. At just 16, Shae launched a mobile iPhone repair business, gaining valuable insights into marketing, sales, and fulfillment. He credits his early experiences with shaping his approach to business, including the sale of his first venture’s client list and inventory. Through a combination of technical skill, hands-on problem-solving, and taking advantage of programs like PSEO to earn an associate degree while still in high school, Shae laid the foundation for his future success.

Shae also discusses the genesis of NOTICS, which he co-founded in college, with its first customer coming from his iPhone repair business. The company initially grew through word-of-mouth referrals but eventually hit a plateau, prompting Shae and his team to dive into revenue-generating activities like cold email campaigns. Despite industry challenges, Shae emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, personalized outreach, and adapting strategies to remain competitive.

Get to know more about Shae Feltz and discover his reflections on balancing risk-taking with skill-building, as well as the lessons learned from early jobs that serve as valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
NOTICS
https://www.notics.io


Shae Feltz' LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shae-feltz/

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 Brian Glick, CEO and founder of Chain.io 

Brian traced his inspiration to a family background in leadership and entrepreneurship, coupled with firsthand experience in customs brokerage. Dropping out of college, Brian’s entry into the supply chain world began humbly, crawling under desks to set up computers. Over time, he recognized inefficiencies in the customs and freight industries, which spurred the creation of his first company, Aspect9, and eventually Chain.io. Unlike theoretical business plans, Chain.io was born out of real-world pain points and aimed to simplify complex integrations across the supply chain ecosystem.

Brian detailed pivotal moments that shaped Chain.io's success, from landing their first customer based on trust rather than a product, to rapidly delivering custom solutions under tight deadlines. Today, the company caters to large enterprises with multimillion-dollar contracts, focusing on creating value by streamlining data exchanges across global trade systems. While the company has scaled significantly in client size and revenue, Brian emphasized his commitment to continuous improvement in simplifying integrations and delivering value. His leadership approach reflects a hands-on ethos, focusing on solving real problems while letting the future of the business unfold naturally.

Hear Brian Glick’s story of transforming ideas into cutting-edge logistics platforms in this engaging episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Chain.io
http://www.chain.io


Brian Glick's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansglick/

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/