# Leland CEO & Co-Founder John Koelliker

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/silicon-slopes-leaders-interviewing-leaders-6472484/leland-ceo-co-founder-john-koelliker
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/silicon-slopes-leaders-interviewing-leaders-6472484/leland-ceo-co-founder-john-koelliker.md
Podcast: [Silicon Slopes | Leaders Interviewing Leaders](https://stenobird.com/podcast/silicon-slopes-leaders-interviewing-leaders-6472484)
Published: 2025-03-07T11:00:07+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/leland-ceo-co-founder-john-koelliker--64739112
Audio file: https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/64739112/john_koelliker.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/silicon-slopes-leaders-interviewing-leaders-6472484/episodes/leland-ceo-co-founder-john-koelliker
Duration seconds: 1912

## Resource

In this episode, we sit down with John, the visionary founder behind Leland, a groundbreaking marketplace platform based in Utah. John shares his journey from interning at Uber and working at LinkedIn to launching Leland while at Stanford. Discover how Leland is revolutionizing the coaching and content marketplace, the challenges of building network effects, and the strategic decisions that have fueled its rapid growth. 00:00 - Introduction and the Kiln building 00:41 - The idea behind Leland and its inception 01:08 - John's background in marketplaces 02:00 - Challenges and rewards of building a marketplace 02:36 - Creating network effects 03:54 - Recruiting coaches for Leland 04:43 - Benefits for coaches on the platform 05:43 - Revenue potential for coaches 06:26 - The role of AI in Leland's future 08:22 - Human connection vs. AI in coaching 09:01 - Using AI within the company and product 10:11 - AI tools for coaches and customers 10:37 - Competition and market positioning 11:15 - Lessons learned from LinkedIn 13:10 - Fundraising journey and investor insights 14:32 - Building a company in Utah vs. the Bay Area 15:56 - The future of SaaS and AI 17:22 - Leland's revenue model 18:00 - Potential for job boards and internships 18:11 - Advice for raising money and bootstrapping 19:39 - Choosing the right investors 20:51 - The story behind the name "Leland" 21:47 - Decision to build in Utah 22:42 - In-office vs. remote work 23:35 - The future of Utah's startup ecosystem 26:22 - Areas for improvement in Utah's tech community 27:28 - The importance of funding diverse ideas 28:15 - Thoughts on accelerators and YC 30:26 - The value of early supporters and mentors If you enjoyed this video and want to support us please leave a LIKE, write a comment on this video and Share it with…

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