Founder Mode Uh-Oh Everything's Broken with Jonathan Sturgeon
EPISODE 39
Jonathan Sturgeon joins Founder Mode to explain how he built multiple eight-figure businesses without chasing an audience, a personal brand, or social media validation. He breaks down his deliberately anti-influencer posture, why cold calling still outperforms content for high-intent sales, and how his companies Dingus & Zazzy and Uh Oh scale through systems, scripts, and trust rather than hype. The conversation moves from trolling internet fame culture to designing a radically simple IT business with a free trial and pay-what-you-want pricing, and ends with Jonathan’s view that not every project needs to optimize for returns—some are worth doing because they’re fun.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Building businesses without social media or an audience
03:45 – The anti-influencer mindset and trolling internet fame
11:45 – Cold calling, scripts, and why outbound still works
15:30 – Uh Oh: free-trial IT, pay-what-you-want pricing, and trust
24:00 – Art over profit and building businesses for enjoyment
LINKS
Connect with Jonathan Sturgeon
Uh Oh • Dingus & Zazzy • LinkedIn • X/Twitter
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