Finding Fearless

Accounting Tech That Does Good: Guy Pearson on Building Ignition

Madeline Reeves Season 6 Episode 18

In this insightful episode of Finding Fearless, Madeline Reeves sits down with Guy Pearson, the founder and executive director of Ignition. Together, they explore their parallel journeys from the traditional accounting world to tech entrepreneurship, driven by a shared mission to build businesses that create positive change.

Key themes include:

  • Guy’s entrepreneurial journey and the challenges and triumphs of scaling Ignition.
  • The critical importance of building a business that is deeply aligned with your personal values.
  • His approach to leadership, emphasizing the creation of meaningful teams and a culture of diversity and inclusion.
  • The power of mission-driven leadership and the impact of prioritizing positive change over pure profit.
  • The vital role of self-care and authentic leadership in navigating the entrepreneurial path.

00:00 Introduction to Finding Fearless

00:42 Meet Guy Pearson: From CPA to Tech Entrepreneur

01:45 The Birth of Ignition: Solving a Personal Problem

05:52 Challenges and Strategies in Scaling a Business

08:02 The Importance of Team Building and Leadership

11:38 Maintaining Standards and Accountability

19:29 Personal Growth and Leadership Evolution

29:57 Balancing Leadership and Self-Care

38:00 Balancing Work and Personal Life

38:59 Finding Equilibrium Through Hobbies

39:56 The Importance of Taking True Days Off

40:58 Transitioning Leadership Roles

43:11 Supporting Women in Male-Dominated Industries

44:40 Personal Backstory and Influences

49:28 Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

01:00:27 Advice for Founders and Building a Positive Company Culture

01:05:04 Closing Remarks and Reflections


Connect with Guy:

If you're interested in Guy's work around values-based leadership and building purpose-driven organizations, you can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/guypearson1/

For Ignition, check out ignitionapp.com and follow @ignitionHQ. 


Connect with Fearless Foundry:

Finding Fearless is an exploration of human-centric leadership and a celebration of ambition, releasing every other week on Wednesdays, 6AM PST. If you liked the show, please rate, review, and share! You can also visit our website to learn more about how to become a sponsor of Finding Fearless!


Finding Fearless is produced by Fearless Foundry, a creative consultancy focused on advancing ambitious humans from around the globe to amplify their impact through branding, marketing, and business development. You can contact us at hello@fearlessfoundry.com if you are interested in our services and can follow us on all social media @fearlessfoundry.


Season 4 music is by Premium Beats. All audio is recorded and owned by Fearless Foundry.

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