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Rise Up Radio Interview with Tyler Jensen Founder of The Startup Garage

Rise Up Radio San Diego with Tyler Jensen

Rise Up Radio Interview with Tyler Jensen Founder of The Startup Garage

You are listening to James Carmody and Jared Kelley here, in studio for SDriseup.com

We are looking to hear stories in your life about local leaders in San Diego.

Whether it is the small business owner, your Pastor or leader of your church, your kid’s school teacher or maybe it’s their Little League coach.

James:

With us in the studio now we have Tyler Jensen, who is the owner of Startup Garage. I am super-excited to hear about Tyler’s background, his journey in life and how he is making a difference in the community.

Tyler:

James, I like start ups and I love my garage. I am just so excited to dig into combining those things two things…

James:

Or maybe use it as a guide to combine.

Jared:

I think the play on it is that we are taking start ups out of the garage but that’s where they start. I know I am tinkering on toys in there and stuff, there are 360 video cameras in my garage and having fun…

Jared:

That is why I love start ups too, I have to say that. I am fascinated with that game.

James:

Yes, taking a risk and getting things off the ground.

Jared:

Tyler, welcome to the show; welcome to the fun we are going to have here. Tell us a little bit about your journey and what you are doing with Startup Garage.

Tyler:

Yes, thank you so much for having me. I’m excited to be here and to share all the good that you are doing in the community. So, I launched Startup Garage about 5 years ago, as a result of having some struggles earlier on in my previous company. I really made a lot of mistakes earlier on in my first company.

Jared/James:

Yep, we all do that

Tyler:

And I realized that I made a lot of silly mistakes that I could have avoided and so that inspired me to help other people who are starting companies. People who have great ideas and passion and motivation, with ideas that can help improve the community, their families and themselves. So, that really gets me up out of bed every morning.

Jared:

Not only does it get you up out of bed. You have helped over 200 companies, non-profits and social enterprises. That is not light work.

Tyler:

It doesn’t feel like work, honestly. So, I think that’s the key. I wake up on Saturdays and sometimes I don’t have anything committed and sometimes I just start working again because I love it and it’s really fun, and people are coming up with some amazing ideas. People are really amazing when they are given the time and creativity to put something into action.

James:

Give us the background on Startup Garage. I know you started it back in 2010, so you are about 6 years in, what does it look like when someone comes to you, as you engage someone? What are you helping them with?

Tyler:

Typically, we have two different types of entrepreneurs who will come to us: one who we call the Lifestyle Entrepreneur and one we call the High Growth Entrepreneur.
The real difference is the high growth entrepreneur is looking to start something technology and really looking to scale really fast, maybe $100M in revenue within 5 years. They are going to need a lot of capital.

The Lifestyle Entrepreneur is really your traditional small business owner, maybe they are a sole proprietor, maybe they want to start a coffee shop or something like that and they just need help. So, on the high growth side we help them through the fund raising process and we do that through helping them build business plans, financial modeling, investor decks and we coach them on the fund raising process because as an entrepreneur we think certain things are important and investors almost think the exact opposite.

On the lifestyle side, it is really about education. On the small business side a lot of people have these great ideas and just really don’t know what the next steps are. They are really not that difficult but without access to someone who has gone through it before, it’s even more challenging and they make a lot of mistakes and sometimes even get stuck. So, we have an accelerator program on the lifestyle side that we just launched and I’m pretty excited about as well.

Jared:

Wow!

James:

Really cool!

Jared:

I think that it would be beneficial to sit down and have a conversation. Not on the radio, I probably need to break out my financials and see…because I personally fall more on the lifestyle side, that I just love being involved with people and I know a couple of venture capitalists, so I think that’s probably the point that most of them look at…everyone thinks it’s all about profit and that’s important, it is important to have revenue but I think that most partners are also looking on like “who is this guy, what is his story and what’s happening?”

I think again, that is more my passion, the lifestyle side, as it’s about just empowering and encouraging people to say: who are you, what are you doing and you have some passion around there right? Passion drives efficiencies and it drives innovation, and when you are sitting there doing the grind (and that’s important to have some grind and hustle) but if you are just doing a 9 – 5 to get a pay check, then look at that and see if that is really what you want to do.

If you have that entrepreneurial spirit it is just inspiring to sit down with people like Tyler who will tell you “I’ve been through the struggle and you could probably do a pretty sick billion of a widget company yourself.”

He said: “I’ve got these talents how do I help other people and how do I multiply this?” I commend you for doing that and I know that that space is not an easy one. So, it’s fun and you like to work on your Saturdays but you probably get some notes once in a while in the finance space and growing through that.

James:

Sure. Speaking of passions folks, one of the things that you may be very familiar with if you are listening here is that Tyler Jensen is also the founder of VAVi Sports. I know firsthand I’ve played in multiple VAVi leagues in my 13 years as a San Diegan.
I’m sure Jared has, I know my wife has and my friends and clients have. Tell us how VAVi got started? It’s such a thriving, amazing organization now. Where did you get it started and how did you guys come to San Diego and where we are at today?

Tyler:

I’m originally from Virginia

James:

An East coaster like myself. I’m from Massachusetts.

Tyler:

Okay, nice. I went to University of Virginia and moved back right after I graduated in 2008, with big dreams (most 21 year olds are full of ego and full of confidence). I came out with that and ran out of money in about 3 weeks after I got here – the 21st day.

James:

Where did you go, to the beach and the bar?

Tyler:

I was looking for a job. So, I came out here and I got offered a job to run a political campaign. I ended up running a U.S. congressional political campaign for about a year. One of the women and I on that campaign started talking about wanting to start a business. I had just moved here and I saw the need to start building a community beyond just the bar scene.

At 21 I was living in Pacific Beach and you just went to bars and that is how you met new people but I wanted something different than that. We came up with the idea to have that community built around sports. I certainly wasn’t very good at sports, I’m okay…I’m average at best and so was my friend. So, it wasn’t about the super competitive sports, although VAVi does have some competitive leagues now. We just got started right after the campaign. We printed 5000 flyers.

James:

What year was this?

Tyler:

2002 – right after the campaign we printed 5000 flyers, set up a one-page website and we bought vavi.com. The day we launched and got the flyers in the mail, VAVi.com expired and we didn’t know that. A Chinese company bought it and so we had to launch govavi.com. We went around the beach and handed out flyers to get it started. We started with one volleyball league and now it’s got about 35,000 members here in San Diego. I sold it back in January 2008. So, it’s been quite a journey.

Jared:

I’ve also played in those leagues and I’m just like you, I’m not the super-competitive, achiever mentality person but I know my role, I’m not the greatest out there on the field but it was a great place to go play those sports and have fun. I think that’s why entrepreneurs are needed and leaders are needed, just to see those gaps and fill them.

So, if you are sitting at your desk or in your car having that thought in your head: “man, there is something here that can I can help do,” that’s what your role is, if that’s your passion find a way to do it. I’m not going to get `Gary Vaynerchuk’ on us right now but if it’s good – do it…make it happen.

James:

Tyler, it’s such a pleasure having you on air, someone who this entrepreneurial mindset and you have made such a difference here in the community. How many people play in VAVi sports nowadays?

Tyler:

I’m not sure exactly what it is anymore because I sold it a number of years ago. I’m trying to think…

James:

Ten…twenty people maybe?

Tyler:

Probably. There were probably 3,000 people in a given week playing in some sort of event when I sold it.

James:

Right, that’s amazing. That’s the adventure, right? And at Startup Garage, you are impacting local entrepreneurs in a major way and they are impacting their communities.

Tyler:

Yes, and that’s really what motivates me, to contribute entrepreneurs of impact to the community. So I am impacting the entrepreneurs. I’m not, like you who said you like to network and get out there and do all that. I’m a kind of introverted guy, so I figured out how do I make the biggest impact if I don’t have to go out and be in big crowds all the time? I got enough of that through my VAVi days. I moved up to Encinitas and hide out up there.

James:

Oh, that’s fantastic. Tyler Jensen making a big impact, empowering others through entrepreneurship to give back to their communities.

Jared:

Tyler, let’s go into Startup Garage just a little bit more, and maybe you can say some of the companies or maybe not. What does it look like for a couple of companies that are coming in and talking to you, and what are you doing with them?

Tyler:

I will give two examples: one for the high growth type company and one for the lifestyle type company because it’s a little bit different of a process. On the high growth side I will be kind of vague about all the details because of confidentiality.

I’m working with a company that came to me about a year and a half ago wanting to get into the solar space and had a concept and really needed cash, lots of cash to be able to execute on that idea he had. We helped cultivate that idea and put it into a business plan and through a really complicated financial model (as it turned out to be pretty complex for this particular one) and crafted the investor deck so that investors would respond to the story as well.

When an entrepreneur goes in they just want to talk about their product or service because they are so product/service-centric and they think that’s the best idea ever as they are putting their lives into it. It may be a great idea but investors want to know more.

So, we crafted all that together and put that investor package together. He went out to investors and has successfully raised several rounds of capital now. After the first round I continued to help as a part-time CFO on the team. I think he is nearing about $2 million raised, and really seeing a lot of traction and solar going in a lot of homes.

Jared:

Wow! You are like the Shark Tank Prep Crew.

James:

Folks, if you are at home, we’ve got the red beard and red haired Mr. Wonderful

Tyler:

You are hired as my branding consultant.

James:

I could run with that.

Jared:

And then for the lifestyle side what does that look like?

Tyler:

The lifestyle side was really motivated because to work one-on-one with myself and the team it costs a good chunk of change, and on the lifestyle side we found all these people, a lot of whom are my friends, coming to me and saying: “I really need your help…I want to get this off the ground.” I just didn’t have the band width to help them for free, and the finances just didn’t make sense.

So, I finally came up with the idea to do a group setting where we created this accelerator where we can take this whole group of people and teach them a lot of the same things but in a way that is going to be more beneficial to them.

They are not going to need to raise money from angel investors or venture capital but they are really going to need to get their service and their target market dialed in and all those pieces figured out, and learn the basics of business because a lot of them in this group do not know the foundation of business which can really catapult them to the next level.

So, they come and they sign up for a class. We are just finishing our first ever Lifestyle Business Accelerator class; we are in week 9 of 12, so we have 3 weeks left: Marketing, Sales and Small Business Funding. Then we are going to another class which (I think) starts on May 17.

It is a 12-week program and whenever there are 12 weeks we do 12 classes where you are going to learn and be interacting with others about the basics of business and getting your business plan done. There is also going to be 7 co-working nights, so you get together with your little pod within this group and work together.

So, there is learning and support, you are developing this little community of entrepreneurs that you can lean on. There is going to be 5 other nights of guest speakers where you are going to get to go and see other entrepreneurs talk about a number of different topics that are applicable to someone getting a new business up off the ground.

So it’s a 12-week program. We’ve made it really affordable, it’s only $1,500 for that whole program and so you end up with a business plan that you have created yourself, plus your business idea has changed from the idea into a real business that you can communicate to others and sell and make money.

Jared:

I think I’m an entrepreneur because my heart is just beating like it’s on fire right now…

James:

It’s so exciting!

Jared:

…and I can speak for myself; but if you are sitting in the same seat of: “what do I do next? I’m kind of lost in this thing…I have a great idea…” This is a solution that will provide high-tech coaching, have consultants come in and $1,500 is like a drop in the bucket – that is very affordable.

James:

Absolutely. And maybe you are sitting at home listening to us right now and you are working for a corporation and you are not stoked about it…you are not excited about it and you’ve had this passion project rolling around in your head, and you are like “how the heck do I even do this?” For $1,500 you could really play around with that idea, get some good training from Tyler and his crew and see if that has legs.

Tyler:

All the events are planned for in the evening as well, so if you have a full time job it’s after work. We definitely did it with that in mind, like “hey, if you want to get out of a job…” We just advise people “hey, don’t quit your job.” [Laughter] It’s going to take some time – not yet.

Jared:

So, please reach out. You can visit us on www.sdriseup.com, we have all of Tyler’s information there and how to get a hold of him and the company.
You have events all the time.

Let’s go into another event which I think is really really amazing and putting out that flag on the ground of rising up and being different, being part of your community. You are going to be talking about building a business to create impact, so the title of the business is very simply: Build a Business to Create Impact and that’s on April 12.

Again, we have information on that on our website, but Tyler, tell us more about what that event is.

Tyler:

That event is going to be a sampling of this lifestyle business accelerator. We are going to have a number of the different contributors coming in to do 5 minute instead of doing a whole class so you can get a flavor of who is going to be a part of this accelerator program and see if it’s a fit for you.

To be really fun, we are going to get that running up and moving and then we are going to dive into some business where we are going to be introducing the Business Canvas Model, which is a one-page business plan. You will do some actual learning which will move your business idea forward even if you decide not to take that class.
It’s from 6:00 – 8:30 in the Del Mar area.

Jared:

That one-page business plan that I looked at on your website, www.startupgarage.com, it is very clean but a very powerful tool. There’s a lot of information on that one-pager. So, if you’ve enjoyed this, please understand that you’re an entrepreneur and you’re a leader.

If you haven’t enjoyed it and you are just saying “hey, I know a lot of people like this,” be a leader in your space. If you are walking your dog wave to your neighbor, that’s leadership. Be a part of the community that you are in. That’s what this show is about.

James:

Folks, thank you so much for tuning in. Let’s continue to empower others, empower our neighbors, family, friends and co-workers. Tyler Jensen, with Startup Garage, it’s been a pleasure having you on.

If you have a question about your raising capital for your Startup or you’d like to discuss our business plan writing services, feel free to contact us for a free consultation!

Tech Focused ‘Super Schools’ to Rethink High School Education in the U.S.

Tech Focused ‘Super Schools’ to Rethink High School Education in the U.S.

XQ: The Super School Project infused with $50Million Dollars of Steve Job’s fortune intends to redefine traditional U.S. high school education.

The team based competition encourages applicants to reimagine and modernize public education.
“To create the future, we must first imagine it.” 

The project intends to build and support 5-10 Super Schools to better fit an innovative-focused society, levering critical thinking and collaboration within the largely unchanged U.S. institution.

The Startup Garage Team spoke with 4 innovative educational leaders to share their keen insights and perspective regarding the XQ Project, and the future of entrepreneurship.

David Fu: An education community builder and the head of 4.0 Schools in NYC, an education incubator for early stage entrepreneurs launching innovative companies, nonprofits and schools.

Where does your passion education innovation draw from?

My passion for education innovation draws from two areas: first, this is a common refrain, but I am a first generation immigrant and it is clear to me how much I have benefited from opportunities I was afforded growing up in the U.S. as compared to in China. I believe firmly that we cannot know everyone’s potential without affording them similar opportunities, and I believe education is one of the best ways to do so. Second, I believe education is far from that ideal state, and that we must find innovative ideas that can help bridge from the current state of the world.

What you’re overall perspective of the XQ: The Super School Project?

I am excited because I think this project draws attention and brings funding to an area in need of innovation, in education the current school model (and high school model, in particular). I like the parallel between the overall process (team, discover, design, develop) and lean startup or design thinking; I also love the focus on users (students in the 21st century) in the discover phase and the focus on student agency & engagement in the design phase. I think this is a key mindset shift that still needs to take place in education across the country: how might we enable students to own their own learning? (and how do we then measure that learning; I do not believe standardized testing helps achieve this goal)

Two potential concerns:
First, are they partnering with local organizations to build the pipeline of talent and then screen it? The large marketing campaign and names (and roadshow / local events) should surface a lot of amazing people and ideas, but how do they plan to sift through them all and identify both great ideas and the right people to bring them to life (and right location with the right environment to do so)? There is some concern in the press around these ideas / process being too local, but I’m worried it’s not local enough.

Second, I’ve seen the value in making small bets and testing core components of a school model before opening the doors to the school (tiny schools) — I’m worried that this is potentially a large bet made too early. I hope that they plan to incorporate testing and many cycles of discovery, design, development to iterate on and launch truly innovative high school models.

How do you feel high school students today could be better prepared for Entrepreneurship?

I feel that one big challenge in school is that there is no culture of risk-taking and failure (either for students or teachers). There is such an emphasis on results (academic, grades, getting to college; test scores and value add) and concepts like leadership and service, but not enough emphasis on valuing the process itself.

For example, let’s say a project was to build a rube goldberg machine to put bread in a toaster and set it to to toast the bread with the constraints being a certain time frame and certain materials.

If a failure to accomplish this goal by your rube goldberg machine results in a low grade automatically, then the incentives are to take as few risks as possible and make sure that what you do works. Instead, grading based on the process and reflection on what students learned in project-based learning would enable this shift.

What advise would you give to give to a high school student interested in becoming a Startup founder?

First, most technology startup founders that are successful either have deep technical expertise – coding, web/app/software development, engineering OR deep industry experience / passion — understand the problems faced by consumers or businesses in a particular industry like education, healthcare, etc. Second, find something you are really passionate about, and become a problem hunter to understand the challenges people face in that area/field/industry — it takes passion for you to stick to it through the tough times you will face as an entrepreneur, and it takes a deep understanding of a problem first to come up with a great solution.

Regina Bernal: Entrepreneurship and Experiential Learning Coordinator a the University of San Diego, empowering entrepreneurs to turn their venture ideas into a reality.

Are you familiar with the XQ: The Super School Project? What is your overall perspective of the concept?

I am extremely impressed with this concept, I would have loved be part of a more more innovative high school experience

How do you feel high school students today could be better prepared for college?

High School students need to “Get out of the Building” learn more in the world, not just in the classroom. There is so much learning that comes from interactions, experiences, and situations. The more that high school teachers are able to tie in real world situations to their curriculum the better prepared students will be when they come to college. There is not a perfect handbook to help guide your way through college, but knowing how to tackle difficult situations in creatives and innovative ways would be a game changer for a future college student.

What are 3 elements of the USD entrepreneurship program do you feel could be beneficial to high school education?

Know your pitch! Learn how to effectively communicate your ideas, and get the buy-ins from those around you. At USD we are heavily focused on the “pitch”. A great idea can be lost in the inability to effectively communicate it, Get out there and actually test your ideas! You may think you have the best ideas in the world, but unless other people agree and get excited about it then you eventually hit a wall Grow your network! Even at a High School level, you need to think about those around you and how they can help build on your ideas.

Entrepreneurship and life is about collaboration, knowing great people that you can reach out will be an advantage in anything that you decide to do.

What advise would you give to give to a high school student interested in becoming a Startup founder?

It is never too late to start! There are no rules to being an entrepreneur and everyone has a different path. If you have the slightest inspiration or inclination to be a Founder get out there and start testing your idea. Do not be too in love with your original idea and be flexible to change

Shana Tessenholtz: Assistant Principal of English/ELL for a large comprehensive high school in Queens NY grades 9-12.

Are you familiar with the XQ: The Super School Project? What is your overall perspective of the concept?

Not familiar. I think I saw a sign for it at a bus stop but don’t really know what it is.

How do you feel high school students needs today differ from when you were a high school student?

The world is a very different place from when we were high school students. Teachers need to infuse more technology into their classrooms as students use technology every day of their lives. Also, the attention span of students today is much shorter. Teachers constantly need to mix things up to keep students interested. There is also much less accountability for students then there was when we went to school. If students are not doing their work, parents say “you are not challenging my kids, you don’t like my kid….” Also, deadlines are often guidelines instead of hard and fast due dates.

What are 3 elements you would implement to better prepare students for college, jobs, and life after high school?

To prepare students for life after high school: more internships, students MUST learn another language (Chinese is a good pick – not just Spanish or French anymore), financial awareness (students have no concepts of how much money is costs to go to College and to live in the real world)

What advise would you give to give to a high school student interested in becoming a Tech Startup Founder?

There are a lot of great internships and programs available for students who are interested in this field. I think the #1 piece of advice would be to get an internship and immerse themselves in the field. Talk to people who are already in the field and doing what they want to do and find out what it takes. How much money will they need? Business plan? Who will they talk to when their product is complete? Having an idea is simply not enough anymore in this competitive market.

Deborah Chang: Education Entrepreneur and Community Organizer, building scaleable solutions that take down systemic barriers to education innovation.

Are you familiar with the XQ: The Super School Project?What is your overall perspective of the concept?

In this era of high-stakes end of the year tests being used to label schools and evaluate teachers, educators, particularly those teaching the most disadvantaged students, are feeling the pressure to teach in ways that may not encourage student creativity, empowerment, and collaboration. In addition, teaching that is projects-based, hands-on, real-world is hard. We need to provide real support as a nation in the form of training, community building, and finances in order to truly transform education.

What XQ: The Super School Project does is provide the political cover and resources necessary for educators to create schools that truly meet the needs of their particular community of students. Perhaps even more importantly, it is catalyzing conversations around the country on what education really needs to look like, sound like, and feel like In a connected world. It is these ongoing conversations leading to real action by committed teams of people that will ultimately lead to positive collective impact for our nation’s children.

How do you feel high school students today could be better prepared for Entrepreneurship?

65% of our students will be working in jobs that have not been created yet (Source: US Labor Report). So, let’s not pretend to know what kind of world our students will inherit. Instead, let’s teach our students to create the world that they want to live in.

What advise would you give to give to a high school student interested in becoming a Startup founder?

Learn how to learn. Learn obsessively. Learn quickly. As you’re figuring out your life’s purpose, don’t sit in a room and stress. Just throw yourself into projects over and over again to learn more about yourself while building skills that will make you invaluable. Quit projects if you need to in order to have the freedom to discover what you truly love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what’s financially sustainable. And, have the courage to quit because you trust in your ability to learn, no matter what life throws at you.

Finally, commit. As long as you commit to uncovering that purpose you’ll forever
live your life by, you’ll find it, and when you do, even if it looks different from anything else that has ever been done before, your life will have completely changed for the better.

Ready to #RethinkHighschool?  Applications are being accepted until November 15th Enter Today here> Project XQ

The Femaleprenuer: Exclusive Q& A with Four Influential Female Founders

The Femaleprenuer: Exclusive Q& A with Four Influential Female Founders

1975 may have been the year in the United Nations declared “International Women’s Year.”

Now 40 years later 2015 is shaping up to be momentous year for female founders, with over 9 million women-owned companies in the United States.

The Startup Garage interviewed 4 diverse femaleprenuers on the state of entrepreneurship today, practical advice, and what they believe the future holds for entrepreneurs.

Do you Feel the business world is shifting for female entrepreneurs?

Travis Loring Co-Founder ofMonthly Express:

I believe the world is shifting in general and gearing up for a major adjustment in the rise of female entrepreneurs. I feel that in this area of business it is more acceptable for a woman to start her own company rather than rise to the top of a corporation. Even though we have seen a dramatic increase in women occupying the c suite level. When a woman decides to start their own company, they are paving their own road, not conforming to a more traditional route with traditional ideals. This is true however for all entrepreneurs, so I believe it is only natural for women to take this path as well.

Ana Bermudez Founder of TAGit:

Absolutely! In the past 10-years, there have been many successful female-focused businesses like Hera Hub, Chic CEO, and Geek Girl who empower, educate, and provide resources for female entrepreneurs.

Delara Fadavi CEO and Co-Founder of MeegoTech:

While there is still a huge discrepancy in the number of women vs men actively involved in business and entrepreneurship, I think that the increasing number of women in influential roles, like Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, Marissa Mayer of Yahoo, Lori Greiner on Shark Tank, or even Jessica Alba who co-founded The Honest Company, are role models who are challenging the status quo of a male-dominated business world. Because of these role models and the Female Entrepreneur support networks more and more women are seeing the opportunity in pursuing entrepreneurship. I think that the business ecosystem is changing as is the entrepreneurial culture, which is indiscriminately focused on achieving results , rather than following an existing business structure. Revolutionizing how the general public sees business, and I making it more enticing for women to jump in.

Natacha Gaymer-Jones Founder of LegalTap:

Yes, I do feel that the world is shifting for female entrepreneurs slowly but surely. Regardless of gender it’s all about who you know. Networking is key.

What Does Success Mean To You?

Travis Loring Co-Founder of Monthly Express:

Success means travel. My wife and I became entrepreneurs to be able to provide for our family and travel. We wanted no restraints and no bosses. Both of us dreamt up our company on our honeymoon in Capri and right then and there decided we could do this. Like a Doctor or a Lawyer goes to school for years, we decided to put in time to grow our company for the freedom it could provide.

Ana Bermudez Founder of TAGit:

Success is subjective to a person’s personality, and I believe a successful person is one that finds joy in what they do.

Delara Fadavi CEO and Co-Founder of MeegoTech
:

Success to me is creating something that improves society or helps people live happier and healthier lives, and being able to see the project from start to finish.

Natacha Gaymer-Jones Founder of LegalTap:

Success to me isn’t the amount of money you have in your bank account, but it’s the knowledge you have gained. It’s cliche to say but it’s all about the journey.

Who’s your go to source for business advice and inspiration?

Travis Loring Co-Founder of Monthly Express:

My aunt Laura Slatkin, founder of NEST Fragrances in NYC. She has always been my source of inspiration, but now serving on the board of directors of MonthlyExpress she has provided me with guidance and invaluable advice. Being a successful entrepreneur herself is incredibly inspirational and makes me think less of the gender gap and more about just working hard. I believe that to be successful and or woman you have to want it. Also having like minded people around you for support and advice is necessary, no matter who you are.

Ana Bermudez Founder of TAGit
:

Family, friends, mentors, and former business partners have become my pillars of advice and inspiration as I trek through this entrepreneurial journey. Different entrepreneurs have different personalities and styles. I enjoy surrounding myself with people who challenge me, provide a different perspective, and aren’t afraid to tell me the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or unpopular the truth may be.

Delara Fadavi CEO and Co-Founder of MeegoTech:

I don’t have a single person or source I go to for business advice; I like getting multiple opinions and extracting my own conclusions. With regards to my current startup, Meego, which is a simple motion-based security alarm to prevent laptop theft, I have been getting a lot of advice about how to from seasoned entrepreneurs and individuals, who have manufacturing experience from large tech companies. For more general advice and inspiration, I enjoy listening to Stanford’s Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders podcast and watching ABC’s Shark Tank.

Natacha Gaymer-Jones Founder of LegalTap
:

I have several female mentors around me. One is a good friend of mine and business associate Suzanne Abate, who is the Founder of MyTimeBlocks, she gives me the straightforward no BS advice that always seems to hit the nail on the head when I need input. I also am the director of a women tech organization here in LA that has also been invaluable.

What female would you like to see on the $10 bill in 2020?

Travis Loring Co-Founder of Monthly Express:

First let me say that there are many women who belong our currency. I do wish that it was the $20 dollar bill because it is a much more common denomination. Who really has $10’s in their wallet? Harriet Tubman comes to mind as well as Wilma Mankiller. I think often we loose sight of our countries history. Both Native American suffrage and Slavery (suffrage). We see our founding fathers all the time but we are hardly reminded of the very real struggles of our nation. I think it makes us forget our founding principles and keeps us hostile in many ways. A reminder of the fight will humble most of us.

Ana Bermudez Founder of TAGit:

Any female! The U.S. is the largest economy in the world, and it didn’t reach that coveted position with a single gender, race, culture, belief-system, etc. Our currency should reflect the melting-pot that founded, and continues to push the U.S. economy forward.

Delara Fadavi CEO and Co-Founder of MeegoTech
:

While currency typically features political figures, I would love to see a female scientist like Barbara McClintock on the $10 bill. Her discoveries of mobile genes in maize were foundational to modern genetic engineering, which is hugely important in today’s most cutting-edge medical advancements. I believe that honoring a scientist on our currency will also show how important STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields are in the advancement of our country.

Natacha Gaymer-Jones Founder of LegalTap:

Marrisa Mayer of course! Favorite quote by her, “Search is an unsolved problem.”

What Is A Must read book or movie for entrepreneurs?

Travis Loring Co-Founder of Monthly Express:

“The Art of the Deal” this is not because of the author, but because of his relentless nature. I also read a lot of leadership books. Entrepreneurs are leaders, they are not bosses, or managers. Leaders have the ability to inspire and build confidence, it’s a trait I believe is within everyone but needs to be refined. My favorite book is George Washington,” Lessons in Leadership.” In this book Washington teaches us how to build relationships, think outside of the box, and not be afraid to fail. The book is not as straight forward as the Entrepreneur books that are out on the market today, but his lessons are practical and easier than you think to put into practice.

Ana Bermudez Founder of TAGit:

I have read many books throughout my career that have inspired me to be a better student, leader, business executive, and entrepreneur. I encourage entrepreneurs to always read, and to read diverse material. Paulo Coelho’s, The Alchemist, is a popular, highly-inspirational, and easy read.

Delara Fadavi CEO and Co-Founder of MeegoTech
:

“inGenius: A Crash Course in Creativity” by Tina Seelig–This book isn’t the typical ‘how to be successful in business’ text, but I believe creating something memorable, or being someone irreplaceable requires you to be different, and that’s where creativity comes in. This book helped open my eyes to concrete ways to encourage myself to be more creative.

Natacha Gaymer-Jones Founder of LegalTap:

“Thinker Toys” by Michael Michalko, an amazing book that teaches you how to think about creativity and how to apply it in your daily life! Such a good book when you are in a rut and you need some inspiration! There are a lot of Aha moments as you turn each page!

Who’s in your business network?

Travis Loring Co-Founder of Monthly Express:

My network consists of a variety of people from tech geeks to beauty founders. Being from NY helps open my network and quickly, but living in Florida helps me make a difference on a local level. I am a past president of South Florida Interactive Marketing Association and that has absolutely helped MonthlyExpress get the right vendors in place to make our company successful.

Ana Bermudez Founder of TAGit:

Only the most amazing people, of course! Businesses rely on relationships (customers, investors, partners, etc.), and I enjoy growing my business network by becoming friends with individuals who are as motivated, driven, and trustworthy as I am.

Delara Fadavi CEO and Co-Founder of MeegoTech:

Dr. Jay Kunin and Kim Davis-King who I met through startup accelerators at the University of California, San Diego are my primary business strategy advisors. I also communicate with Mike Krenn, President of the San Diego Venture Group, for financial advice. I also have met with Nick Woodman, CEO of GoPro and UCSD alumni, for marketing advice, and he has been incredibly supportive and enthusiastic about our laptop security product.

Natacha Gaymer-Jones Founder of LegalTap:

Great question, in my business network are some of the most talented web developers, VC’s and entrepreneurs. I never separate work and play because I find it important to align all areas of my life with people that will stimulate growth. I never put my pencil down if that makes sense.



What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to other female founders?

Travis Loring Co-Founder of Monthly Express:

Be confident and know you can do it. You will fail a lot, and you will feel like the world is caving in, but keep going because it’s worth it. Be yourself too. Don’t think that its a mans world…it isn’t, its just the world. You may come across some adversity but chances are you won’t. And if you do, push through because thats the struggle everyone has. Also, be a woman. Don’t be a man. And don’t let anyone tell you to “man up” or “think like a man”. You are a woman so be one and be proud. You got this!

Ana Bermudez Founder of GetTagit:

Prepare yourself for one of the most arduous, challenging, and most rewarding journeys of your life! Commit to the process that it takes to reach your goals, and surround yourself with people who care about your success. Most importantly, enjoy every step and every milestone in your journey.

Delara Fadavi CEO and Co-Founder of MeegoTech:

I don’t think that female entrepreneurs need different advice than men; in order to be successful as a founder, you need to be working on something that you 100% believe in. Money should not be a driving factor in why a founder pursues a project; rather, I think that financial success will come as a result of creating something that betters society, and that can be scaled to make a sustainable profit.  However, as a woman walking into a male-dominated meeting or conference, it can be intimidating at times, and my best advice for these situations is to stand tall and be confident in yourself and your knowledge. I have sensed that it can sometimes be more challenging to gain credibility in these types of situations, but that’s why I think it is always important to carry yourself like you mean business.

Natacha Gaymer-Jones Founder of LegalTap:

Finish what you’ve started! So many people I’ve come across have amazing ideas but their execution is poor. If you really want to move up in the world and compete side by side it takes diligence, patience and above all heart.

Thank you to all the female founders above, as well as those unmentioned. We applaud you for your courage, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit..

If you have a question about your Startup business idea or you’d like to discuss our business plan writing services, feel free to contact us for a free consultation!

Recruiting a CTO Co-Founder for Your Startup

Recruiting a CTO from The Startup Garage

Recruiting a CTO Co-Founder for Your Startup

Many technology based startups are founded by entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds.

The tech companies that are successful,
quickly realize the importance of bringing on a technical co-founder.

The biggest mistake that a non-tech entrepreneur can make when launching a tech business is to neglect bringing on a tech savvy co-founder very early on. Otherwise, it is like launching a bakery or restaurant without a chef.

The benefits of having a CTO as part of your founding team are extensive:

  • A CTO can put together a technology plan with technical specifications, high level system architecture, wireframes, timeline, and budget.
  • A CTO can hire a development team to build the idea and determine if an in-house or outsourced development team would be best.
  • A CTO understands the code and backend features that will allow him/her to update your technology going forward.
  • A CTO significantly reduces risk for investors and therefor increases your likelihood of successfully raising capital.
  • The biggest challenge with finding a qualified CTO (i.e. experienced developers and/or engineers with strong project management skills) is that they are in high demand and have many employment options in front of them.

    Below are a few tips to help you successfully recruit a CTO co-founder:

    1. Be a leader. Whether you are bringing on a CTO co-founder, an investor, or an employee, people like to rally behind leaders. Your passion for your product, your financial and time commitment to your company, and your ultimate belief in the solution that you offer will go further towards rallying people for your cause than anything else.
    2. Demonstrate the opportunity. Surely a co-founder wants to be compensated for their work, either in equity, salary, or a combination of both. However, a co-founder is more interested in the potential impact the company can have. Similar to investors, co-founders want to know that your product solves a major problem in the marketplace, that you are differentiated from your competition, and that you have tested and proved your assumptions. In many ways, your business plan is as useful of a tool for attracting talented team members as it is for attracting investment.
    3. Constantly be searching. Similar to applying for jobs, you cannot leave any stone unturned when searching for a co-founder. Start by leveraging your LinkedIn network. First, look for people in your network that might be potential candidates. Next, look into your network’s network and ask for introductions to potential candidates. You can also look into sites that match entrepreneurs with sought after talent such as Startup Agents or CoFounders Lab. Lastly, attend as many startup networking events, meetups, and conferences as possible. You never know who will be that next person you exchange business cards with.
    4. Define Your Criteria and Evaluate Candidates. It is important to understand what you are looking for in a co-founder before you begin your search. Start by determining minimum expertise and skill requirements, desired personality traits, and key roles the person must be able to perform. You may want to start this process by looking at yourself and identifying your gaps and weaknesses. Additionally, you will need to have thought through the compensation plan for this individual. Are they receiving equity, a salary, a mix of the two? Is their equity position vested based on key milestones and company benchmarks? If so, what are the terms of the vesting schedule?
    If you have a question about your Startup or you’d like to discuss our business plan writing services, feel free to contact us for a free consultation!

    Matt Makai Interview Part 2 of 2

    Interview with Matthew Makai of Coding Across America with The Startup Garage

    Matt Makai Interview Part 2 of 2

    Matt Makai Interview Part 2 of 2

    Why travel across the United States for four months? For Washington DC resident and software developer Matt Makai the answer was simple. With shades of Brad Feld’s Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City, Matt explains the decision in his first blog post. He declares, “I want to gain a greater understanding of tech culture across the US.” Last April I had the privilege to meet and host Matt in San Diego, a third of the way through his 30-city journey. Almost one year after starting his Coding Across America trip, I recently caught up with Matt to revisit his learning experiences and how he applies them today. In Part 1, Matt explained the planning process and goals of his trip. In Part 2, Matt comments on the the startup scenes that surprised him; the foundation for a successful ecosystem; and how he gives back to the DC community post-trip.

    About Matt Makai

    Matt codes a lot – at least 45 hours a week, not counting the time spent reading, writing, and speaking about software development. Lately, he has been building and deploying web applications on a Python-based Linux, Nginx, Green Unicorn, PostgreSQL stack. He created Full Stack Python (http://www.fullstackpython.com/) to help junior Python developers understand every layer of the web application stack they’ll need to use to put their applications on the web.

    For very technical subjects, he write posts on his personal blog. For general software opinion writing, interviews with software developers & data scientists, and photos from traveling check out Coding Across America.

    Matt is currently a Developer Evangelist for Twilio.

    Interview Part 1 of 2 with Matt Makai

    Interview with Matthew Makai of Coding Across America with The Startup Garage

    Interview Part 1 of 2 with Matt Makai

    Interview Part 1 of 2 with Matt Makai

    Why travel across the United States for four months? For Washington DC resident and software developer Matt Makai the answer was simple. With shades of Brad Feld’s Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City, Matt explains the decision in his first blog post. He declares, “I want to gain a greater understanding of tech culture across the US.” Last April I had the privilege to meet and host Matt in San Diego, a third of the way through his 30-city journey. Almost one year after starting his Coding Across America trip, I recently caught up with Matt to revisit his learning experiences and how he applies them today.

    About Matt Makai

    Matt codes a lot – at least 45 hours a week, not counting the time spent reading, writing, and speaking about software development. Lately, he has been building and deploying web applications on a Python-based Linux, Nginx, Green Unicorn, PostgreSQL stack. He created Full Stack Python (http://www.fullstackpython.com/) to help junior Python developers understand every layer of the web application stack they’ll need to use to put their applications on the web.

    For very technical subjects, he write posts on his personal blog. For general software opinion writing, interviews with software developers & data scientists, and photos from traveling check out Coding Across America.

    Matt is currently a Developer Evangelist for Twilio.


    Connect with Matt: LinkedIn, GitHub, Twitter