Scrappy tactics and a huge post-COVID pivot | Owner’s unconventional journey to product-market fit | Adam Guild (Co-founder and CEO of Owner)
Mar 27, 2025
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Adam Guild, co-founder and CEO of Owner, started his entrepreneurial journey with a successful Minecraft server before pivoting to help independent restaurants thrive. He shares how COVID-19 accelerated Owner's growth and the unconventional outbound strategies that drove customer engagement. Guild emphasizes the importance of emotional connection in retaining clients and discusses the qualities he seeks in new hires. His story highlights the evolution from early struggles to achieving product-market fit in the competitive restaurant tech landscape.
Adam Guild's pivot to online food ordering during the pandemic exemplified how quick adaptation can lead to breakthrough product-market fit.
The significance of direct relationships with restaurant owners allowed Guild to tailor solutions that effectively addressed their specific pain points.
Guild's focus on lifelong learning and self-improvement has been vital for his growth as a leader and the success of Owner.
Deep dives
The Impact of a Post-Pandemic Pivot
The episode highlights the transformation of a business following a pivot in response to the pandemic. The introduction of an online ordering module revolutionized the company's approach, leading to increased demand from restaurant owners eager to adapt to new market conditions. This pivot created a surge of interest, necessitating group demos as increasing numbers of owners sought insights into how the new software could benefit their operations. This moment exemplified what achieving true product-market fit feels like, contrasting the previous phase of having minimal traction.
Early Entrepreneurship and Market Insights
Reflecting on his early experiences, the founder shared about starting a Minecraft server that uncovered his passion for entrepreneurship and growth marketing. By leveraging this platform, he generated significant income, which also led him to drop out of high school to focus on scaling the venture. This foundation not only honed his skills but also sparked a desire to create something impactful beyond gaming, eventually leading him to develop solutions for local businesses. These experiences provided invaluable insights into understanding market needs, especially within the restaurant industry.
The Value of Customer-Centric Problem Solving
An important theme is how the founder successfully identified and targeted pressing needs of local businesses, specifically restaurants. Initial attempts at social media marketing failed to yield results due to a lack of buyer intent among users on leisure platforms. Instead, the founder pivoted to search engine optimization, revealing a gap in the market for targeted local strategies that drove foot traffic and online sales. By focusing on SEO, he enabled business owners to gain visibility and attract new customers, effectively transforming many struggling establishments.
Building Trust Through Direct Relationships
The founder emphasized the significance of forging direct relationships with clients as a means to gain trust and valuable insights. By personally engaging with restaurant owners, he learned about their specific pain points, allowing him to tailor solutions that directly addressed their challenges. This hands-on approach not only yielded a few early adopters but also helped create a loyal customer base that felt heard and valued. These relationships laid the groundwork for expansion, as satisfied customers began referring their peers, amplifying the company's reach.
Transitioning to Product-led Growth
As the company evolved, the founder realized the necessity of adopting a product-led growth model to scale efficiently. This strategy involved creating tools that generated immediate value for customers, enabling them to experience benefits without a significant financial commitment upfront. By developing an AI grader and website generator, the company empowered restaurant owners to quickly identify and resolve issues with their online presence. This shift not only allowed for easier on-boarding but also built the foundation for transitioning customers to higher-value products.
The Importance of Self-Improvement
A key takeaway from the episode is the founder's dedication to lifelong learning and self-improvement. Citing his commitment to consuming knowledge through books, courses, and podcasts, he illustrated how this pursuit of education fueled his capability to lead a growing company. The founder acknowledged that acknowledging personal limitations and being proactive about learning were crucial for his development as a leader. This mindset has driven him to cultivate a team of talented individuals who enhance the company's mission and effectiveness.
Adam Guild is the co-founder and CEO at Owner, an online food ordering system for independent restaurants. Within a year, Owner went from being about to run out of money to having hundreds of customers. Last year, they raised a $33M Series B.
Adam’s entrepreneurial journey began as a teenager when he built a successful Minecraft server, which led him to drop out of high school to become a founder. His passion for helping small businesses was sparked by his mom’s struggles running a dog grooming shop, which led him to launch the early iteration of Owner.
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In today’s episode, we discuss:
How working with a small business kickstarted Owner
Adam’s unusual outbound strategy
Why the pandemic accelerated Owner’s success
How Owner’s pivot led to “hyperbolic” product-market fit
