Founders in Full
Founders in Full explores the future of family-focused solutions—from innovative tech startups to mission-driven services and products that help parents, caregivers, and families thrive.
Each episode features candid conversations with founders on what it really takes to start and scale: from customer research and product-market fit to brand positioning and marketing strategies that drive growth.
Whether you’re a family-focused founder, investor, or advocate, you’ll hear real stories and practical lessons on finding your ideal customer, crafting trust-building messaging, choosing the right channels, and prioritizing time and budget when every decision counts.
Hosted by Dan Ritzke—Fractional CMO and FamTech Marketing Consultant—Founders in Full shares the stories and insights of the people shaping the next generation of family-centered solutions.
Founders in Full
Greg Hearn - Petunia
Greg Hearn, Founder of Petunia, shares his journey from a career in automotive and tech to creating a mission-driven platform that helps families navigate the complex, emotional process of senior living. Inspired by his own family’s experience, Greg talks about building Petunia as a solo founder, the lessons he’s learned in the AgeTech/FamTech space, and why he sees a huge opportunity to rethink how families discover and decide on assisted living and memory care.
We explore:
✅ How personal experience caring for his parents led Greg to see a broken system that needed fixing
✅ Why senior living decisions are one of the most emotional and complex buyer journeys families face
✅ Insights from talking to dozens of families before building Petunia’s MVP
✅ The shortcomings of directories and referral models—and how Petunia approaches the problem differently
✅ Why employee wellness benefits are a powerful go-to-market path for solving senior living challenges
Greg shares candid lessons on building tech as a solo founder, the importance of community in FamTech and AgeTech, and why clarity about your customer is the single biggest unlock for early-stage founders.
👉 Learn more about Petunia: https://usepetunia.com
👉 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greghearn/
Connect with me (Dan Ritzke):
I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results.
👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/
👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/
Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder:
👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/