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.
___
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.
_____
(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
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Intentionally Disturbing
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.