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Why the Boring Business Wins

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Manage episode 496527933 series 2833920
Content provided by Elevano. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Elevano or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

What do founders get wrong when trying to build a startup? Jeff Gibson, CTO and co-founder at Kintsugi, joins the show to break down how he approaches building around real business problems—not flashy features. Drawing from pre-IPO roles at Atlassian and his journey scaling Kintsugi, Jeff shares why understanding cash flow, revenue mechanics, and operational bottlenecks is critical for building something that lasts. Whether you're a startup founder or tech leader, this one’s full of sharp insights on building with purpose.

Key Takeaways

• Solving “boring” problems can be wildly valuable—if you understand where the money flows

• Great businesses start with a clear grasp of what companies actually value, not just what users say they want

• Pre-IPO cleanup reveals hidden complexity in compliance, revenue recognition, and internal tooling

• Pivoting without a strong North Star leads to wasted cycles; solve for the cause, not just symptoms

• Not every successful business needs to be venture scale—but it does need to be viable and focused

Timestamped Highlights

01:17 — What Kintsugi actually does, and why indirect tax is a massive hidden challenge

03:49 — The “pre-IPO cleanup” playbook and how it shaped Jeff’s understanding of business systems

06:52 — Why chasing product-market fit is risky if you don’t deeply understand the business problem

09:44 — Talking to 100 customers before writing a single line of code

12:57 — The opportunity in low-innovation, high-value spaces (think CRMs, billing, compliance)

16:44 — Niche wins: why a $10M business in a focused segment can be more valuable than chasing unicorn status

Quote of the Episode

“You don’t want to find a boring problem that’s commoditized. You want a boring problem that’s valuable.”

Resources Mentioned

• Kintsugi: https://www.kintsugi.com

Call to Action

If you found Jeff’s insights helpful, follow The Tech Trek for more conversations with builders and leaders shaping the future of tech. Share this episode with a founder friend, and don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen. Want to keep the conversation going? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.

  continue reading

499 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 496527933 series 2833920
Content provided by Elevano. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Elevano or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

What do founders get wrong when trying to build a startup? Jeff Gibson, CTO and co-founder at Kintsugi, joins the show to break down how he approaches building around real business problems—not flashy features. Drawing from pre-IPO roles at Atlassian and his journey scaling Kintsugi, Jeff shares why understanding cash flow, revenue mechanics, and operational bottlenecks is critical for building something that lasts. Whether you're a startup founder or tech leader, this one’s full of sharp insights on building with purpose.

Key Takeaways

• Solving “boring” problems can be wildly valuable—if you understand where the money flows

• Great businesses start with a clear grasp of what companies actually value, not just what users say they want

• Pre-IPO cleanup reveals hidden complexity in compliance, revenue recognition, and internal tooling

• Pivoting without a strong North Star leads to wasted cycles; solve for the cause, not just symptoms

• Not every successful business needs to be venture scale—but it does need to be viable and focused

Timestamped Highlights

01:17 — What Kintsugi actually does, and why indirect tax is a massive hidden challenge

03:49 — The “pre-IPO cleanup” playbook and how it shaped Jeff’s understanding of business systems

06:52 — Why chasing product-market fit is risky if you don’t deeply understand the business problem

09:44 — Talking to 100 customers before writing a single line of code

12:57 — The opportunity in low-innovation, high-value spaces (think CRMs, billing, compliance)

16:44 — Niche wins: why a $10M business in a focused segment can be more valuable than chasing unicorn status

Quote of the Episode

“You don’t want to find a boring problem that’s commoditized. You want a boring problem that’s valuable.”

Resources Mentioned

• Kintsugi: https://www.kintsugi.com

Call to Action

If you found Jeff’s insights helpful, follow The Tech Trek for more conversations with builders and leaders shaping the future of tech. Share this episode with a founder friend, and don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen. Want to keep the conversation going? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.

  continue reading

499 episodes

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