
John Linford
AI product and startup coach for founders and students
| Hourly rate range | $80 to $160 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Founders and business owners and Students |
| Also coaches | Executive coach |
John Linford coaches startup founders and college students on building with AI and developing products. He is Head of Product at a company building a hybrid AI mental wellness platform. He also co-founded Deckability, which designs pitch decks for CEOs. At The Social Venture Academy, he mentored student founders on ideas, validation and go-to-market plans. He coached dozens of them to win tens of thousands in grant funding from BYU's Ballard Center for Social Impact.
What John helps with
John works on building products with AI and getting startup ideas off the ground. He also helps with storytelling and fundraising decks.
- Building products with AI
- AI for product development
- Testing and validating startup ideas
- Go-to-market strategy for new ventures
- Applying for startup grant funding
- Storytelling for founders
- Fundraising decks and pitch design
Who John works with
John works with startup founders and college students. He has mentored student founders who were shaping ideas and testing them. His background also includes work for CEOs who need to turn their story into a strong pitch.
Background and qualifications
John is Head of Product at a company building a hybrid AI mental wellness platform with AI-first principles. He co-founded Deckability, where he serves as co-CEO and designs decks for CEOs. Earlier roles include Strategic Project Manager at Scan123, Data Analyst at Castiron, and Strategy Analyst at Philo Ventures, where he built decks, revenue models and financial pro formas for portfolio companies. He was Managing Director of The Social Venture Academy, where he mentored student founders. He studied applied statistics and analytics.
John Linford pricing
John Linford reviews
John Linford has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 28 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
The CoachVouch take
John pairs hands-on AI product leadership with experience coaching student founders to win grant funding.
Best for early founders and students who want to build an AI product and raise funding.
Common questions
How much does John Linford charge?
Coaching with John runs $80 to $160 an hour. Request an intro for an exact quote.
What does John Linford help with?
John Linford helps with building products with AI, aI for product development, testing and validating startup ideas and go-to-market strategy for new ventures.
Does John Linford have reviews?
John Linford has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 28 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
Has John Linford coached founders who won funding?
Yes. At The Social Venture Academy he coached dozens of student founders to receive tens of thousands in grant funding from BYU's Ballard Center for Social Impact.
How do I contact John Linford?
Request an intro on this page. It's free, and we'll connect you with John and, if you want, 2 or 3 similar coaches to compare.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.