John Webster joins Gavin Tye on The Leap to unpack the less-glamorous truth of founder life - the long timelines, the constant pivots, and the pressure that never really disappears, it just changes shape.
John takes us back to his corporate life inside a high-stress NASDAQ-listed business, and the gut-punch moment that made him walk away - not because he didn’t like the work, but because he couldn’t stand the system: watching a team bust their hump and then being forced to rank them on a bell curve.
That was the line in the sand.
From there, he shares how his first startup idea (born from his wife’s life as a shift-working nurse) turned into CoRoster - and then evolved into a broader planning engine used for massive, complex events, including back-of-house workforce planning at COP28 in Dubai.
Along the way, John gets real about “innovation theatre”, the danger of startup romance, why most things take 10 times longer than you expect, and how a solid support network at home can make or break the whole journey.
You’ll also hear John’s practical take on building an ecosystem of products through Launchkey Lab, what he’s learned about selling when you’re not a “natural salesperson”, and why growth and learning matter more than the money.
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Gavin Tye is a sales strategist and the creator of Sales Market Fit (SMF) - a game-changing framework that helps B2B startups unlock predictable, scalable growth. With over 20 years of experience in high-value SaaS sales, Gavin has cracked the code on why businesses struggle to close deals and how they can transform their approach. Sales Market Fit aligns positioning, go-to-market strategies, and sales execution into a repeatable process that wins more clients with less friction. Learn how to stop relying on hope and start winning with a deliberate, proven sales strategy at salesmarketfit.co.
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What is The Leap by Founders Collective?
The Leap is a podcast for founders, creatives, and career-shifters who are bold enough to start something of their own. Hosted by Gavin Tye, each episode dives into the real stories behind people who’ve taken the leap...from launching startups and scaling side hustles to pivoting careers with purpose.
Through candid conversations with early-stage founders, innovators, and changemakers, we explore the messy middle of entrepreneurship: the fears, breakthroughs, lessons, and mindset shifts that come with building something meaningful from the ground up.
Whether you’re thinking about starting a business or already deep in the trenches, The Leap will leave you feeling inspired, informed, and ready to take your next big step.