She built her app with one end in mind from day one: get acquired. And she did it while owning 100% of the company and raising two kids under two.

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson and co-hosts Scott Shea and Jeremy Beyt sit down with Kelly Hebert, VP of Design & Media at Robert Hebert Media and co-founder of Project Dryve, a navigation app built to solve the messy, real-world problem of finding food and stops along a route. Recorded at ThreeSixtyEight in Baton Rouge, Kelly walks through the five-year journey of bootstrapping a tech startup: validating the idea through customer discovery, resisting feature creep, surviving three full rebuilds, and keeping a clear exit goal in view the entire time. It's a candid look at founder resilience, staying true to a core value proposition, and building a company designed to be acquired.

🎯 What We Cover:
- Why an acquisition was the goal from the very first build
- How customer discovery validated the idea before a line of code
- Resisting feature creep to protect the core value proposition
- Bootstrapping while keeping 100% ownership
- Surviving three rebuilds and a $4,000 forced restart
- Balancing motherhood and the founder grind
- The TestFlight-to-App-Store approval gauntlet

🤝 Connect with Kelly Hebert:
🌐 https://www.roberthebertmedia.com/about-us
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyehebert/

🤝 Connect with Co-Host Scott Shea:
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/escottshea/

🙏 Special thanks to our Co-Host Jeremy Beyt, CEO of ThreeSixtyEight, for hosting The Deal Podcast's Baton Rouge Podcast Tour.
🌐 https://www.threesixtyeight.com/
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-beyt/

💼 Thinking About a Transaction?
FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk.
🔗 https://www.famergers.com/

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🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/
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Curious what your business is worth? Request your free valuation at famergers.com

Disclaimer: Joshua Wilson is a licensed Florida real estate broker and holds FINRA Series 79 and Series 63 licensure. The Deal Podcast is presented by FA Mergers and is produced for informational and educational purposes only.

Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, legal or tax advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or to pursue or avoid any transaction. All views and opinions expressed by the hosts, co-hosts, and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of FA Mergers, One Iron Network LLC, any regulatory agency, or any employer. Listeners should consult their own legal, financial, and tax professionals before making any business, financial, or transaction decision. This podcast does not constitute a solicitation or recommendation for any financial products or services.

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