82: What’s Missing in Your Digital Strategy? The Real Risk of Not Having a CTO Advisor | Ben Johnson
The Learn-It-All Podcast
Navigating Travel's Digital Revolution
This chapter explores the formative years of an online travel company, detailing the challenges of the early 2000s and their niche in domestic-to-foreign travel deals. It highlights the evolution of technology in the travel industry and the personal journey of balancing career choices with a mission-driven vision.
Wondering how your business can stay competitive without getting bogged down in tech complexity?
In this episode of The Learn It All Leader Podcast, serial entrepreneur Ben Johnson explains how business leaders can embrace technology to accelerate growth—without losing sight of the human element that drives success.
Ben shares his remarkable entrepreneurial journey to becoming the founder and CEO of Particle 41 with Learnit CEO Damon Lembi and offers practical advice for leaders navigating the challenges of digital transformation. They discuss the importance of building strong tech teams, clarity in leadership, and developing a mindset that balances rapid growth with sustainable, long-term success. Ben gives actionable strategies for fostering innovation, creating partnerships, and implementing technology solutions that serve both your customers and your company’s vision and offers expert advice on navigating the challenges of scaling your business, fostering innovation, and achieving your most ambitious goals.
This Episode Covers:
- How to evaluate potential co-founders and partners
- Transitioning from founder to employee after an acquisition
- The importance of adopting a creator mentality over a victim mentality in leadership.
- Leveraging CTO advisory services to bridge the gap between business goals and technology execution.
- Using the power of reframing to manage difficult situations and avoid burnout.
- The benefits of short-term goal setting over annual planning for achieving rapid business results.
- Why visibility, velocity, and vision are critical core values for business success.
- How to align cross-functional teams through transparent communication and leadership.
- The critical importance of speaking a shared language in both technical and business conversations.
Episode Highlights:
(00:00) Introduction to Ben Johnson – Damon introduces Ben Johnson, founder of Particle 41, and sets the stage for a conversation about entrepreneurship in the tech industry.
(01:00) Ben’s Entrepreneurial Beginnings – Ben shares his early experiences, including starting his first business at 13 and how entrepreneurship has always represented freedom for him.
(03:00) Finding the Right Co-Founders – Ben discusses what he looks for in business partners and why mindset, work ethic, and industry knowledge are key.
(05:43) Legal Tech and LegalZoom Acquisition – Ben reflects on building a legal tech company and the strategic decision to sell it to LegalZoom, providing insights into the acquisition process.
(09:00) Overcoming Challenges – Ben shares the challenges he’s faced in his entrepreneurial journey, including how to bring teams together around a mission and manage customer expectations.
(12:00) The “Victim vs. Creator” Mindset – Ben explains how reframing negative situations through a “creator” mindset can help entrepreneurs and leaders navigate difficult times.
(16:30) Building Particle 41 – Ben introduces his current venture, Particle 41, a full-service software development consultancy, and the role of CTO advisory in helping companies stay competitive.
(20:00) The Future of Software Development – Ben shares his thoughts on the future of the tech industry and how companies can accelerate digital transformation.
About Ben:
Ben Johnson is the founder and CEO of Particle41, a global software consultancy that helps businesses modernize applications and leverage data science solutions. A seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience driving digital innovation and transformation for both startups and large enterprises, his expertise spans founding and selling several successful businesses, including a legal tech company acquired by LegalZoom.
Resources Referenced:
The Particle Accelerator Podcast
Book: The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran
Book: Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute
Podcast Contact: Podcast Contact Information:
Website: www.learnit.com
Email: podcast@learnit.com
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