ABOUT PETE
Pete Petersen
I’ve spent my career figuring out how technology can help a business work better. Sometimes that means fixing a system. Sometimes it means building a company.
HOW I THINK ABOUT THE WORK
“You must listen to your customer and take action on their behalf to better their business”
Pete Petersen
01 · THE EARLY YEARS
First, make it work.
Pete founded FireWall Group in Sarasota, then joined LexJet in 2003 to build its IT department. He went on to hold technology leadership roles at LexJet and S-One Holdings.
The work put him close to the practical needs of a growing business: how orders move, how teams use information, and where technology can save people time.
02 · BUILDING THE PRODUCT
A customer problem became a software company.
As CEO and Managing Partner of Dealers United, Pete led a team serving automotive businesses through social advertising. The team built technology to support that work, then turned it into BuyerBridge.
As co-founder and CEO of BuyerBridge, he helped bring that advertising software to agencies and businesses managing campaigns across multiple accounts.
His advice comes back to the customer: listen carefully, then act on what you hear.
Pete in conversation. Photograph from his existing site.
03 · WHAT’S NEXT
Still building. Still listening.
Today, Pete is CEO of 800.com and is building Dwelling. He also advises founders and invests in early-stage technology companies through PETE3.
He co-founded Sarasota.Tech in 2023 to help people in the region’s technology community find each other. His community involvement has also included the Gulf Coast CEO Forum and Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
800.com
Business phone numbers, call tracking and AI agents.
Dwelling
Your home, handled.
Sarasota.Tech
Meet the people building tech in Sarasota.
FOR HOSTS AND EDITORS
A short bio you can use.
Pete Petersen is a Sarasota-based technology entrepreneur, CEO of 800.com and co-founder of Sarasota.Tech. He is building Dwelling and advises founders through PETE3. Previously, he was CEO and Managing Partner of Dealers United and co-founder and CEO of BuyerBridge. His earlier work included technology leadership roles at LexJet and S-One Holdings.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Business Management, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. Master Certificate in IS/IT Project Management, Villanova University.
A current headshot.
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Let’s talk.
Have a question about a company, an event or the Sarasota tech community? Pick a time for a conversation.
Or say hello at 877-HEY-PETE.