Ben Jackson, CEO of Guardify, recently shared his entrepreneurial journey with Silicon Prairie News—offering a candid look into what motivates him, lessons learned, and what Nebraska’s startup ecosystem needs to thrive.
A Life Long Entrepreneurial Spirit
“I’ve been an entrepreneur for as long as I can remember,” he said. Inspired by his mother’s hands-on, problem-solving mindset, his early ventures included newspaper routes and door-to-door magazine sales. What started as lessons in work ethic slowly built the foundation for how he leads Guardify, by putting the vulnerable first and staying willing to take risks.
Advice to His Younger Self?
“Make mistakes faster, just make them smaller and smarter.” He emphasized that meaningful progress comes from calculated risks and failure. Many people fear catastrophic failure, he noted, but growth comes from learning through trial and error.
What Keeps Him Going
In moments of stagnation, he returns to Guardify’s mission: helping CACs, prosecutors, and law enforcement protect children and families. “You don’t have the luxury of giving up when it gets hard,” he said. And when clarity is needed, he digs deeper by asking better questions and exploring new perspectives.
Staying True While Scaling
One of the hardest parts of growth? Doing it without compromising the mission. That’s meant turning down certain opportunities, building a people-first culture, and keeping a long-term view. “What got us through was clarity of purpose and surrounding ourselves with people who believe in that purpose, too.”
A Call to Action for Nebraska
A vocal advocate for bold local investment, he challenges Nebraska-based investors to “invest early, invest again,” warning that without sustained support, high-impact companies may have no choice but to grow elsewhere. “If we want these jobs to stay in Nebraska, we need the capital to stay, too.”
He also stressed the need for stronger connections within the startup community. “Too often, I find out after the fact that someone right here had already solved a problem I struggled through. That’s a missed opportunity for all of us.”
Why It Matters
At Guardify, we believe in building technology that serves people and communities. That belief is at the heart of everything we do—and it’s what fuels leaders like Jackson to keep moving forward, even when the path is difficult.
Read the full interview at Silicon Prairie News.
