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Investing in founder-led businesses is comforting to me. Investing in founder-led businesses is comforting to me. They have the ability to see the forest through the trees and do what is necessary to evolve the business. Two great examples of this are Microsoft in the mid 90s and Facebook a decade ago.
In this Dreamit Dose, associates Alana Hill and I, Elliot Levy , offer five things we wish founders knew after screening over 1,000 startups in the last year. That’s something I didn’t realize when I was a founder sitting on the other side of the table. We cannot put enough emphasis on how important utilizing your network is.
At Rise of the Rest, we’ve spent years traversing the country, spotlighting emerging startup hubs, and building a network of entrepreneurial champions and ecosystem builders beyond Silicon Valley, New York City, and Boston. Internally, we’ve begun using the term “founder-market-geography fit” to describe this idea. Let’s get into it.
Two prominent entrepreneurs share their views on starting a business plus 10 tips every first-time founder should have. A founders journey when taking on the challenge of launching a startup is filled with highs and lows.Their path to success will have challenges, setbacks, and moments of doubt.
Yesterday, I met with a founder with an interesting model who was raising $400k to bring the finishing touches to her product to make it customer-ready. In fact, the only founder I've ever seen completely run the table for a multi-million dollar seed round based off of a Powerpoint is Chantel Waterbury of chloe + isabel.
Contributed by Libby Rothschild , EO New Jersey, the founder of Dietitian Boss , an online education and coaching platform that shows registered dietitians how to start, grow and scale a virtual private practice. Hitting the million-dollar mark isn’t easy—as every founder who has done so will tell you.
Shivani Gupta, EO Queensland, multi-business founder, author, speaker and coach Profit from profit My big learning from EO Malaysia member Fong Leng Wong is: Profit from profit. My first female mentor was the incredible Janine Allis , founder of Boost Juice. Express your view in a calm and professional way.
I’ll be the first to back up the notion that diverse founders have just as much ambition, drive, intellectual horsepower, creativity—you name it—than anyone else. There is, however, an advantage that some founders have over others that I hate to admit exists—but one that I would very much like to solve for.
Founders still want to get press and investors to notice them, but they dont have a lot of money to work with. Talk about everyone else but yourselfbecause they all have networks, communities and followings. Founder podcasts and interviews are a great resource for launch hacks. What are they supposed to do today?
Photo by Juliette F on Unsplash Networking is a critical part of relationship building and there is no event more valuable to building relationships than the proverbial “breaking of bread” with people. You should allow a period for general networking, a chance to eat your first bites of food and some casual catch ups. It matters.
Six startups showcased at Investopia 2025 represented a diverse range of industries, demonstrating the breadth of innovation within Crimson Founders 2025. The program featured exclusive networking opportunities, private investor meetings, and demo sessions, solidifying the UAEs role as a global innovation hub.
Just the immediate priorities seem to take up more than one person’s potential working hours—so it’s no surprise that when it comes to something like social media, many founders have trouble making it a priority. The consequences of failing to position a founder’s profile aren’t always obvious—and it’s usually all about missed opportunities.
While I got some very kind words on my recent writings , I heard from some founders that didn't feel like they got treated fairly—specifically around feeling patronized or dismissed—and that I wasn't showing enough action to improve on that. Founders from communities of color are less likely to have personal wealth to fall back on.
There’s been an emergence of “pre-accelorator” or “people accelorator” programs—experiences that you can buy your way into with cash, as opposed to potentially valuable future equity, that replicate the education and network provided by the likes of YCombinator. What about the next tier down of school and the next tier down of founder?
Kashyap Kompella I had the pleasure of interviewing Kashyap Kompella is the founder of Talentmapp , an AI-driven people search engine designed to facilitate purposeful, noiseless networking for professionals, startups, and venture studios. Network with Purpose Avoid the noise. Thank you so much for joiningus!
Camber Creek portfolio companies benefit from the network effects of his four partners from the real estate world. Founders speak to this network as part of the diligence process and get feedback. Does the founder know how to sell into real estate? The best founders have “lived the problem,” according to Berman.
I’m a female founder. I don’t have a technical co-founder. These are all of the things I heard from a founder that I recently backed. So what about all of the above statements—things that founders widely hold to be true barriers to fundraising? Nearly half of the teams I’ve backed have female founders.
That's basically what founders have to do when they fundraise, because you'll never be more successful with an investor who thought it was their brilliant idea to invest in your company, not yours. One of my favorite phrases is "performing inception". Remember what we learned from the movie. VCs need to see your message time and time again.
Jason Kang, co-founder of Aspire alumnus Kinnos, shares advice for other early-stage founders. The post Building a Strong Network as a Medtech Company: An Interview With Jason Kang appeared first on VentureWell.
Having a portfolio where half the companies have at least one female founder or person of color has made me think a lot about our culture. Professional networking, for hundreds of years, has largely been a male construct, transactional in nature, urgent, and disjointed.
Twenty-five of them have at least one female co-founder. Fifteen had co-founders over 40. Five have LGBTQ+ founders. Three teams have African-American founders. I was reminded of this from one of my founders of non-white descent. Three of the founding teams are married couples.
The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a global education non-profit, does just that—exposing middle school, high school, and postsecondary students to entrepreneurship via its nationally run education program. In addition to its classroom curriculum, NFTE hosts the Founders Forum Pitch Competition.
The most valuable resource the accelerator provides is the network, so use all my time to navigate that network. A HUGE network enhancer. The partners at the program will be willing to introduce you to their network, not only investors but (mainly) potential clients and partners. The plan-sort of worked.
If you had to share, words of wisdom, with a Founder whos about to start their own startup, what would theybe? Building a network of mentors and peers is incredibly valuable. I also share relevant industry news and thought leadership on Twitter, where I engage with other innovators and founders in the startup ecosystem.
Washingtons Premier Connector of Tech and Policy Leaders Welcomes the Next Generation of Innovators that includes Delta Force, an annual cohort designed to support 6-10 of DCs most promising startup founders. A Robust Network of industry leaders, policymakers, military officials, and investors working across high-impact sectors.
In 2010, Antonio Garcia Martinez, the founder of AdGrok, wrote, “New York will always be a tech backwater, I don’t care what Chris Dixon or Ron Conway or Paul Graham say.” Top founders want to live in a place where employees are serious about working hard. Startup founders always need help.
From navigating complex regulations and securing funding to connecting with and growing a network, entrepreneurs in Vietnam face a unique set of challenges as they build their businesses: Access to capital: Securing funding for a new business can be elusive, particularly for startups. In the Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
This interview is with Swayam Doshi , Founder at Suspire. Swayam Doshi, Founder, Suspire Swayam, welcome to Startup Blog Post! I’m Swayam Doshi, the founder of Suspire. Many of our readers are aspiring founders. Networking is another key aspect I’d emphasize. Thank you for the warm welcome!
The Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF) team is often asked by portfolio founders how exactly cultural leaders can be a game-changing asset for their companies. The benefits of founder x cultural leader partnerships work both ways. For Founders Make It Make Sense Venture capital is where innovation meets investment.
When a startup founder is trying to raise money, they know they should use referrals to get introduced to investors. Even if you get to talk to an investor in your network, investors tend to be cynical as heck. Leverage your network if you can, but cold-call if you must. But those referrals are hard to get!
Déborah, a 2022 YLAI Fellow , is the founder and director of CAPAZ Perú , which develops cultural, educational and social projects for people with disabilities through art programs such as theater and dance. D éborah’s aim for the future of CAPAZ involves establishing a physical space to network and hold workshops for the community.
Who she could convince to sit down with her would say something about her network and access. If you can’t, you need to train that muscle better and do some network-building. Are they not interested in learning, growing and building their network? It would remind your own network that you exist.
Overcoming obstacles and transforming STEM education in Jamaica By Zoe Sweet “All I wanted to do was make an impact that will transform the education system in Jamaica,” says Kavelle Hylton , a 2022 YLAI Fellow and founder of STEM Builders Learning Hub. She continued to network to get the support that she needed. government.
The Good Soil Movement empowers entrepreneurs through a powerful mix of networking, funding, and resources tailored for growth. The Good Soil Forum tackles this issue head-on, providing financial tools, mentorship, and a network of supporters committed to helping businesses flourishespecially in undercapitalized communities.
Whether you’re a first-time founder or a seasoned business owner striving for the next level of success, a mentor can provide insights, timely guidance, and encouragement that brings a positive impact on your business journey. Experienced mentors often have an extensive network of contacts theyve built over the years.
Dreamit works with top healthcare, cybersecurity, and urban technology startups, providing access to extensive customer, industry, and investor networks during its 14-week acceleration programs. And we like that the program has a stringent focus on customer acquisition.”
Yet, everyone’s got an opinion about how a company measures up, especially the founder. ( The other day, I had a difficult conversation with a founder who clearly felt like VCs were the problem in her fundraising process. I don’t need to remind such a founder how the world is stacked against them. Then, there are nuances.
My two favorite patterns are: The right mindset attracts the right network, and creates the right opportunities. For the first pattern, it’s important to realize that mindset creates 100 percent of a network or company’s success. Did my network grow on a global level? Let’s unpack those patterns a bit. Peter Diamandis.
The Venture Studio program provides founders with resources and up to $200K of equity funding to develop their vision into a business with substantial market impact. empowers ambitious founders with bold ideas to create a lasting impact,” said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. Venture Studio.
He is the founder of La Escombrera, the founder of Surcos Argentinos and the co-founder of Digital Footprint. The YLAI Network interviewed Marcos to learn more about his various organizations, his advice to network members, and his entrepreneurial spirit. What is the goal of your first organization, La Escombrera?
He is the founder of Misión Ecuador , , created to benefit entrepreneurs and owners of small- and medium-sized businesses in the country, starting in the province of Manabí after the earthquake of April 16, 2016. Renewing Ecuadorian communities after a natural disaster. How a Jamaican financial educator perseveres through adversity.
Contributed to EO by Abeer Qumsieh, a seven-year EO Jordan member who is the founder of Better Business , the leading organization for management consulting and human capital development in Jordan, and Khibraty , an intelligent digital matchmaking marketplace for expertise seekers and providers.
The YLAI Network team spoke with Jonathan to gain some insight into his social ventures, thoughts on the rise of artificial intelligence, and any advice for fellow network members looking to jump into entrepreneurship. Jonathan’s advice to fellow young leaders and network members is to trust the process and trust the journey.
For me, I have at least two years of active board and observer commitments to roll off of and far more time before all the founders I’ve backed hit (or miss, I suppose) their ultimate goal of returning lots of money to their investors. No more founder pitch meetings. It has been a career that fits my personality well.
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