JR

John Richards

Entrepreneur | Venture Investor | Mentor | Advisor

Provo, Utah

Skills

Executive Management
Sales Management
Entrepreneurship
Team Management
Contract Management
Programming
Microsoft Office
Investments
Higher Education
Angel Investing
Golf
Options Strategies
Organizational Development
Organizational Leadership
Social Media
Social Networking
Professional Networking
Business Networking
Business Strategy
Budgets

Education

Work Experience

  • Managing Partner

    2022

    Startup Ignition Ventures is a pre-seed fund that invests as a "first check" into promising startups led by great teams with great ideas and a validated business model.

  • CEO / Founder

    2015

    Startup Ignition is a 3-month (starts with a 3-day in-class experience following by 3 months of prioritized mentoring) short-term, intensive startup entrepreneur bootcamp, including actual implementation of learned tools and skills, that prepares entrepreneurs, founders, and teams to properly launch a company and take the right steps towards mitigating risk and increasing success. We enable our students by removing the fluff from a traditional 4-year degree, or other out-dated programs, and delivering an intense and impactful results-driven curriculum.

  • Advisor

    2021

  • Advisor

    2019

  • Senior Advisor

    2017

  • Founder with Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology

    2000

  • Associate Professor

    2001 - 2013

    Teaching courses in eBusiness, entrepreneurship, and management consulting. Develop as Associate Director three special centers: Centers for (1) eBusiness, (2) Entrepreneurship, and (3) Economic Self-Reliance. Special assignments as requested.

FirstStep Advisers, Inc.

2004

  • President

    2004

    Consulting engagements in the areas of start-up and emerging ventures, Internet, software, high tech, and other verticals.

FirstStep Capital, LLC

2004

  • Manager

    2004

    Venture and Private Equity

FirstStep Venture Debt, LLC

2004

  • Manager

    2004

    Debt Investments