Startup Life Show with Ande Lyons

Latest Episodes:

EP 149 How to Successfully Transition from Employee to Entrepreneur Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

Over 4 million businesses were launched last year – a 24% increase from the year before and the biggest increase on record.
However, many of these newly minted founders struggled with the transition from being an employee to being an entrepreneur.
Our guest, Tina Wells, is an entrepreneur, business strategist, advisor, best-selling author, and the founder of RLVNT Media, a multimedia content venture serving entrepreneurs, tweens and culturists with authentic representation.
Tina dove into entrepreneurship at the tender age of 16 when she founded Buzz Marketing Group. For over two decades she built and led the brand with clients like Dell, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Kroger, Apple, P+G, Johnson & Johnson, and American Eagle.
She connected these large brands with her network of 30,000 buzzSpotters® and 7,000 “momSpotters,” all influential millennials and passionate end-consumers.
Throughout her entrepreneurial journey, Tina has always been committed to helping other entrepreneurs succeed. She’s been recognized by Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business, Essence’s 40 Under 40 and more.
Tina’s board positions have included THINX, the United Nations Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council, The Franklin Institute and Young Entrepreneur’s Council. She has also served as the Academic Director for Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Tina has authored seven books, including the best-selling tween fiction series Mackenzie Blue, its 2020 spinoff series, The Zee Files, and the marketing handbook, Chasing Youth Culture and Getting It Right.
Learn more about Tina's remarkable work in the world here:
Join Tina's Elevation Tribe here: https://elevationtribe.com/
RLVNT Media: https://rlvntmedia.com/
Tina's tween fiction books at Target:
Zee Files: https://www.target.com/p/the-zee-files-target-exclusive-edition-by-tina-wells-hardcover/-/A-80880845
Honest June: https://www.target.com/p/honest-june-target-exclusive-edition-by-tina-wells-hardcover/-/A-82754654
McKenzie Blue: https://www.target.com/p/mackenzie-blue-by-tina-wells-paperback/-/A-81529108
Follow Tina everywhere she glows on social:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinawells/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twells17
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinawells_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tinacwells
Buy The Art of Less Doing: https://amzn.to/2WVmmKx
00:00 - Meet Tina!
06:20 - launching a business at the tender age of 16
14:00 - becoming an advisor to 167 students forming 16 companies
26:25 - outstanding marketing advice for startup founders
29:00 - Tina's artistpreneur journey - she's the author of tween books Zee Files, Honest June and McKenzie Blue and she used her marketing brilliance to create the best stories for her "reader" segment
32:00 - a features and benefits exercise for your startup
35:25 - the best project management productivity tool for your startup
Tina's Elevation "4 seasons" approach to launch

EP 148 Wealth in the Hands of Women Can Change the World Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

Studies show women use their wealth to make positive change for their families, their communities, and the world at a much higher rate than men.
How can female founders use their businesses, not just for income, but to build generation wealth, so they can increase their impact?
Our guest, Erin Austin is a consultant and attorney who combines her 25+ years practicing law – including roles as COO and general counsel at IP-driven companies – to help female founders build wealth by identifying, protecting and maximizing their intellectual assets.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Erin’s roles as general counsel, head of business affairs, and COO at large and small companies, including Warner Bros., Lionsgate, MGM, Teaching Strategies, and M3 USA Corp, prepared her to educate service-based firms -- especially women and POC-owned -- to identify and protect the untapped value in their businesses.
DISCLAIMER: This recorded conversation is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Transmission of the conversation is not intended to create, and viewing and/or listening does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Viewers and listeners are advised to seek professional help if they are concerned about a specific legal issue.
Grab a free discovery call with Erin to see if you have a "Rembrandt in the Attic" with your business: https://thinkbeyondip.com - erin@thinkbeyondip.com.
Please follow Erin via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinaustin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinAustinLaw
What if Someone Steals My Idea - watch my Andelicious Advice video here: http://bit.ly/StealIdea
00:00 - Meet Erin!
09:00 - Erin's startup story
18:00 - what are invisible or intangible assets
21:50 - why Erin focuses on helping women build generational wealth through identifying, protecting and maximizing their assets.
25:25 - make sure your assets are protected from DAY
32:45 - example of intangible assets in a service business
38:20 - you're going to have an exit, so start planning for it today - make sure there is value there to have a well-funded exit
42:40 - the same things that make a company saleable are the same things that will help you scale it
44:30 - CONTRACTS: why you want to have contracts in place protecting your assets, including design, artwork, music, intellectual assets etc.
47:35 - what you need to know when you're sitting down at the table to discuss an exit with a potential strategic buyer
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your business will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
#intellectualassets #exitstrategiesforfounders
ANDELICIOUS RESOURCES:
JOIN STARTUP LIFE LIVE MEETUP GROUP
Get an alert whenever I post a new show!
https://bit.ly/StartupLifeLIVE
AGORAPULSE
My favorite digital marketing dashboard is AGORAPULSE – it’s the best platform to manage your social media posts and presence! Learn more here: http://www.agorapulse.com?via=ande17
STARTUP DOX Do you need attorney reviewed legal documents for your startup? I'm a proud community partner of Startup Dox, a new service provided by Selvarajah Law PC which helps you draw out all the essential paperwork needed to kickstart your business in a super cost-effective way. All the legal you’re looking

EP 147 Helping Black Families Build Generational Wealth Sep 25, 2021

Show notes

Did you know Black college graduates have a lower homeownership rate than white people who dropped out of high school?
Ruby "SunShine" Taylor, M.S.W is an advocate for closing the racial wealth gap to make our world more financially equitable.
She’s the CEO and Founder of Financial Joy School, a virtual educational platform that provides access to financial education and investment tools to Black and Brown youth and their families.
Ruby is a double HBCU alumna (Howard University and Virginia Union University), and she harnesses the power of financial knowledge to bring connections, application, and education to establish generational wealth for black families.
A traumatic brain injury survivor, Ruby is a disabled Black, queer woman, wife, mother, daughter, aunt, sister and friend who is driven to make our world more equal, joyful, and just.
She is a motivational speaker and consultant for financial brands, including Wells Fargo, and has been featured in several leading publications, including The Motley Fool, Inc.com, Fast Company, Mashable.com and more.
Ruby shares how she was able to thrive after a life altering traumatic brain injury, and why she is on purpose every day helping black families build generational wealth.
To learn more about the Financial Joy School, please visit: https://financialjoyschool.com/
Be sure to connect with Ruby and follow her everywhere she glows:
TikTok: @FinancialJoySchool
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financialjo...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubytaylor
00:00 - Meet Ruby!
04:15 - Grateful to be alive! Every time I am able to wake up and be here, I am ultra grateful
07:00 - Ruby's origin story and how she thrives in her new way of living with a traumatic brain injury
09:25 - You never know what will happen when you give out love; you don't know how or when, but it will always return.
13:55 - You had me at "compound interest" - how Ruby fell in love with financial literacy, investing, and building generational wealth
20:00 - Why income alone will not build wealth
38:50 - Because of slavery, many black families became generationally risk averse
39:55 - You deserve wealth and joy, I deserve wealth and joy, we ALL deserve wealth and joy! Andelicious Moment!
42:21 - Education kills fear
1:08:44 - How entrepreneurship has served Ruby
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your business will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
http://andelyons.com
ANDELICIOUS RESOURCES:
JOIN STARTUP LIFE LIVE MEETUP GROUP
Get an alert whenever I post a new show!
https://bit.ly/StartupLifeLIVE
AGORAPULSE
My favorite digital marketing dashboard is AGORAPULSE – it’s the best platform to manage your social media posts and presence! Learn more here: http://www.agorapulse.com?via=ande17
STARTUP DOX Do you need attorney reviewed legal documents for your startup? I'm a proud community partner of Startup Dox, a new service provided by Selvarajah Law PC which helps you draw out all the essential paperwork needed to kickstart your business in a super cost-effective way. All the legal you’re looking for… only without confusion or frustration. EVERY filing and document comes with an attorney review. You will never do it alone. Visit https://www.thestartupdox.com/ and use my discount code AN

EP 146 How to Grow Your Business Through Government and Commercial Contracts Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

Are you leaving money on the table? There are growth and revenue opportunities you may be missing by not pursuing government and commercial contracts.
Our guest, serial entrepreneur Linda Chatmon, is a Federal Acquisitions Expert and Business Growth Strategist with nearly 25 years of experience helping businesses succeed in the federal market.
As the CEO of Contracts and Grants, LLC, Ms. Chatmon heads a team that is responsible for more than $13.2 billion in government contract negotiations and awards.
The Founder of Contracts & Capital in Sports and Entertainment, Linda connects high-profile athletes, celebrities, and entertainers to lucrative opportunities in the federal and commercial contracting space.
She’s also the Creator of the Fast-Track Academy, an immersive, real-world training program that teaches strategies successful government contractors use to find and win government contracts.
Linda’s book, The Road to Government Contracts, is a concise playbook that offers readers 10 actionable strategies that to transition into the federal contracting space.
Linda will take you to Government Contracts Church, so get ready to take notes... and take action by following Linda everywhere she GLOWS and signing up for her products and services via her website here: https://lindachatmon.com.
You can email Linda directly here: lchatmon@contractsandgrantsllc.com.
Linda's Social Media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-cha...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallind... and https://www.instagram.com/mzcontracts... - you will LOVE Linda's advice on IG!!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.g.chatmon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaChatmon
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your business will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
ANDELICIOUS RESOURCES:
JOIN STARTUP LIFE LIVE MEETUP GROUP
Get an alert whenever I post a new show!
https://bit.ly/StartupLifeLIVE
AGORAPULSE
My favorite digital marketing dashboard is AGORAPULSE – it’s the best platform to manage your social media posts and presence! Learn more here: http://www.agorapulse.com?via=ande17
STARTUP DOX Do you need attorney reviewed legal documents for your startup? I'm a proud community partner of Startup Dox, a new service provided by Selvarajah Law PC which helps you draw out all the essential paperwork needed to kickstart your business in a super cost-effective way. All the legal you’re looking for… only without confusion or frustration. EVERY filing and document comes with an attorney review. You will never do it alone. Visit https://www.thestartupdox.com/ and use my discount code ANDE10 to receive 10% off your order.
SPONSORSHIP
If you resonate with the show’s mission of amplifying diverse founder voices while serving first-time founders around the world, please reach out to me to learn more about making an impact through sponsoring the Startup Life LIVE Show! ande@andelyons.com.
STREAMYARD OVERLAYS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Nicky Pas

EP 145 InsurTech Founder Creates the Most Powerful and Popular Roofing Software Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

That which gets measured, gets improved. Especially when you’re in the roofing business!
Our guest, Abraham Ventura, is Founder and CEO of Pitch Gauge, the most powerful and popular roofing software for business.
In 2008, after Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana, a friend of Abraham’s who owned a roofing company asked him to help aid the recovery process.
Abraham quickly realized how difficult and dangerous the job could be and searched for software solutions that calculated roof angles to better prepare and protect roofers.
When he couldn’t find what he was looking for, he created Pitch Gauge, a roofing property inspection software that calculates the total size and slope of any roof. It’s used by over 100,000 roofers a month and is the #1 downloaded roofing app.
Through the software, professionals can personalize roof reports, schedule any necessary meetings, personalize material orders and take pictures of the project. This roofing software constantly syncs the data from a roofing site to all devices so that the data is always accessible, putting the power back into the hands of the Insurance Adjuster or Contractor.
In early 2019 Abraham was accepted into the Hartford InsurTech Hub Accelerator Program, which increased his Founder acumen and connected him with an ideal customer segment for Pitch Gauge: insurance companies.
Abraham’s path to entrepreneurship was like a steep roof – dangerous and risky. It’s also an inspirational journey for anyone thinking about quitting.
He worked through personal challenges, including incarceration, and dissolved roadblocks (he’s a self-taught computer geek). Today Abraham has a successful business and a beautiful family.
To learn more about Pitch Gauge visit: https://pitchgauge.com
Download Pitch Gauge here:
Apple App Store: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/app/pitch-gauge/id389715382
Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prolificmethods.pitchgauge
Interested in investing in Pitch Gauge - email Abraham here: aventura@pitchgauge.com
Follow Pitch Gauge and Abraham on these social platforms:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PitchGauge and https://twitter.com/ceo_abraham
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pitchgauge/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/abraham-ventura-9075762b/
00:00 - meet Abraham
08:50 - Abraham's Origin Story - how he turned his life around while incarcerated - inspirational!
26:05 - You can start from nothing and create something. Stitch That On A Pillow!!
28:38 - Pitch Gauge launch story - Abraham figured out how to create the app by watching YouTube videos and turning his old Toshiba PC into a Hackintosh — a computer made to run MacOS on non-Apple hardware.
43:45 - how Abraham found his first investor - while fixing a plumbing client's sink!
44:55 - Pitch Gauge gets accepted into the Hartford InsurTech Accelerator Program
50:45 - 1.6 million downloads in over 173 countries + 80,000 to 100,000 actives users / month !
54:00 - Abraham's founder advice: don't panic, don't freak out; you're going to get through this!
Ande ♥
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
ANDELICIOUS RESOURCES:

EP 144 Successfully Lead Technology Teams and Projects Without Being Technical Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

Are you building a tech startup without having a tech background or prior tech experience?
Our guest, Nelly Yusupova, is a CTO with over 18 years’ experience leading companies to technical excellence.
A start-up tech advisor, outsourced CTO, and the creator of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, Nelly is on a mission to help entrepreneurs minimize technology mistakes.
Through her online masterclass TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, she provides the roadmap to successfully manage technology teams and projects, without being technical or knowing how to code.
Just recently included in Fast Company’s, “League of Extraordinary Women,” Nelly has been at the forefront of the women’s online movement since 1999 and is a Wall Street Journal’s “Woman on the IT Fast Track.”
Nelly is a speaker and presenter for many organizations and major industry events including: Women’s Enterprise Center, NY Entrepreneurs Business Network, Small Business Summit, BlogHer, Social Media Jungle, Mom 2.0, BlogWorld, and has been featured in INC Magazine, NBC Today Show, Fast Company Magazine, SmartMoney, TechRepublic and more.
Nelly dives deep into what you need to know to successfully lead your tech team and tech projects even though you're a non-tech founder!
To grab Nelly's generous 15% discount on her classes, visit: https://techspeak.co/classes and use code Startup15.
To learn more about TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, please visit: https://techspeak.co
Be sure to follow and connect with Nelly on social media:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DigitalWoman
Instagram: http://instagram.com/DigitalWoman
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/DigitalWoman
Facebook: https://facebook.com/digitalwoman
00:00 - meet Nelly!
06:00 - how Nelly fell in love with tech (BTW: she didn't know how to turn the computer on in her first day of computer science class!)
12:40 - the day Nelly fell in love with entrepreneurship
15:55 - be brave enough to say YES - Stitch That On A Pillow!
26:30 - ideal example of reiterating as a founder - Andelicious Moment
30:00 - meet TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs
41:20 - TechSpeak's 10 Step Process for creating a tech product
47:20 - how to avoid scope creep
48:44 - why you need to use agile product management vs. waterfall product management
50:00 - the biggest mistake founders make when outsourcing tech product management
57:20 - outstanding Founder Advice: I will figure things out
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your business will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
ANDELICIOUS RESOURCES:
JOIN STARTUP LIFE LIVE MEETUP GROUP
Get an alert whenever I post a new show!
https://bit.ly/StartupLifeLIVE
AGORAPULSE
My favorite digital marketing dashboard is AGORAPULSE – it’s the best platform to manage your social media posts and presence! Learn more here: http://www.agorapulse.com?via=ande17
STARTUP DOX Do you need attorney reviewed legal documents for your startup? I'm a proud community partner of Startup Dox, a new service provided by Selvarajah Law PC which helps you draw out all the essential paperwork needed to kickstart your business in a super cost-effective way. All the legal you’re looking

EP 143 Helping Brands Easily Create Targeted Content using Artificial Social Intelligence Sep 10, 2021

Show notes

Buckle up Founders!
MarTech Founder + Marketing Agency Founder + Music Director serving 20 million Listeners + Sirius On-Air Host + Award-Winning Radio Producer = a delicious, jaw-dropping conversation you don’t want to miss!
Our guest, serial entrepreneur Kate Bradley Chernis, has decades of experience in multi-media marketing and a track record of outstanding results delivered for large and small brands.
Her strong founder/market fit and results-driven background helped Kate raise $3 million for her current business, LatelyAI, a marketing software platform using artificial intelligence to automatically transform longform content like blogs, podcasts and videos into dozens of "smart" social posts yielding the highest engagement from a targeted audience.
It’s the ability to take traditional methodologies and revolutionize them with cutting-edge technology that fuels Kate’s success.
As a former marketing agency owner, Kate initially created the idea for Lately out of spreadsheets for then-client, Walmart, and got them a 130% ROI, year-over-year for three years.
Prior to founding Lately, Kate served 20 million listeners as Music Director and on-air host at Sirius/XM. She’s also an award-winning radio producer, engineer and voice talent with 25 years of national broadcast communications, brand-building, sales and marketing expertise.
Kate shares the best startup stories, insights and advice for your founder journey, along with specific solutions to the hurdles women often face when growing a business.
To learn more about how Lately can make content marketing easier for your business, visit: https://www.lately.ai/
Please follow "Kately" everywhere she glows via these social handles:
https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@kately
https://www.facebook.com/LatelyAI
https://twitter.com/LatelyAI
https://twitter.com/LatelyAIKately
https://www.linkedin.com/company/latelyai
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katebradley/
https://www.youtube.com/LatelyAI
https://www.tiktok.com/@latelyai
https://www.tiktok.com/@katebradleychernis
https://www.instagram.com/latelyai/
https://www.instagram.com/katebradleychernis/
00:00 - meet Kate Bradley Chernis!
10:00 - Kate's marketing journey and how it prepared her for her success today
22:35 - the startup journey seems like a zig zag until you’re wise enough to see the straight line -Stitch that on a Pillow!
27:30 - thank you Dragon Voice Recognition!
29:00 - how life can help you transition out of toxic work places when you're stuck
32:00 - radio platforms are still filled with the old boys club mentality
36:00 - Angel Investors who helped Kate transition out of employee and into entrepreneur
39:00 - how Kate landed WalMart
41:25 - I hired you because the worst you can do will still be awe*mazing! Andelicious Moment!
54:30 - raising capital as a female founder
1:08:25 - why you want to use Lately for your small business
1:17:00 - brilliant advice for shifting out of founder doubt
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when yo

EP 142 Building a Probiotic-Based Pet Food Brand Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

What happens when a Greek yogurt product founder has two beloved pets with digestive track challenges?
He creates a probiotic-based pet food company!
Basel Nassar is the two-legged creator of Boss Nation Brands Inc., a line of innovative pet products that promote gut health through probiotic and prebiotic nutrition.
Nassar’s best friends and loyal followers, a 170 pound Rhodesian Ridgeback dog and an 11 pound Siamese Lynx cat, were his inspiration for founding Boss Nation Brands Inc. with the Boss Dog® Brand and Boss Cat® brand pillars.
The company, founded in late 2018, has grown leaps and bounds since inception. Nassar is proud to say that when you stand in the center of a pet store you will be able to see his products in every segment of the pet store.
Nassar graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and a minor in Economics. His first job out of college was in an investment and operational role at KFC, where he took sales from 285th nationally to 18th in the nation. A few years later he ran a Seattle bakery which ended up supplying Starbucks their baked goods, making the bakery an overnight success. Soon after, the entrepreneur decided it was time to make a career path for himself rather than working for others. A chance meeting with two other Greek business owners was the start of a new venture called Greek God’s Yogurt which they sold in 2010.
The Seattle-based businessman is obviously a huge pet lover, but also a staunch supporter of animal welfare nonprofits. He has sponsored adoption events all over the United States, which has helped hundreds of cats and dogs find new loving homes.
Here's the video Basel mentioned during our conversation - it's wonderful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2rdP...
To learn more about this awe*mazing pet food brand, visit: https://bossnationbrands.com
Follow Boss Nation Brands on social:
https://www.facebook.com/bossdogbrand
https://www.instagram.com/bossdogbrand/ - the photos are so adorable!!
https://twitter.com/bossdogbrand
00:00 - Meet Basel and Boss Nation Brands
05:32 - What compelled Basel to become an entrepreneur and leave paycheck + benefits behind
10:00 - the barriers to entry in the pet food industry
21:00 - why you should focus on branding and marketing and outsource manufacturing
23:00 - customer acquisition in the pet food industry
27:00 - outstanding founder advice for any industry - thank you Basel!!
32:00 - top tips you need to know to launch a pet food brand
40:00 - why pet food brands need to focus on brick and mortar vs. online
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your business will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
#videochannelforstartups #howtolaunchapetfoodbrand #probioticsforpets
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
ANDELICIOUS RESOURCES:
JOIN STARTUP LIFE LIVE MEETUP GROUP
Get an alert whenever I post a new show!
https://bit.ly/StartupLifeLIVE
AGORAPULSE
My favorite digital marketing dashboard is AGORAPULSE – it’s the best platform to manage your social media posts and presence! Learn more here: http://www.agorapulse.com?via=and

EP 141 Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic One Small Package at a Time Aug 27, 2021

Show notes

Loneliness and isolation were on the rise before the pandemic and now it’s become an epidemic.
Our guest, Julie Schechter, and her co-founder Monika Shah created an easy way to share the love, perfect for any occasion or just because, in the time it takes to brew a cup of coffee.
Their ecommerce platform, Small Packages, is a curated care package company that sends major love in just 5 minutes. It offers pre-curated care packages based on different occasions, from break-ups to new babies. Each box type comes in three different price points, so you can choose one that fits your budget.
A Harvard Law graduate, Julie soon discovered practicing law was not for her, and she pivoted a few years after graduating into entrepreneurship.
00:00 - meet Julie Schechter!
07:05 - why Julie left practicing law
09:00 - what Julie learned from her first business fitBallet
15:20 - the idea that launched Small Packages
24:00 - building an ecommerce site without a background in ecommerce or technology!
25:10 - meet HerDomain: https://www.herdomain.com/
28:00 - how to quickly build ecommerce customer acquisition through crowdfunding
30:20 - customer acquisition and pricing strategy
31:15 - jobs to be done framework - ask customer questions as if you were filming a documentary
32:10 - understand what the job customers are hiring your product to do - Andelicious Moment!
44:50 - everything you want is on the other side of fear - Stitch that on a Pillow!
To learn more about Small Packages and take advantage of the 10% discount using the code ANE, please visit: https://smallpackages.co/
To connect with Julie and Small Packages online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-schechter/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/small-packages-co/
IG @smallpackages
Twitter @packages_small
Ready to pitch to investors and want help? Visit Scroobious: http://bit.ly/SLSScroobious
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your business will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
ANDELICIOUS RESOURCES:
JOIN STARTUP LIFE LIVE MEETUP GROUP
Get an alert whenever I post a new show!
https://bit.ly/StartupLifeLIVE
AGORAPULSE
My favorite digital marketing dashboard is AGORAPULSE – it’s the best platform to manage your social media posts and presence! Learn more here: http://www.agorapulse.com?via=ande17
STARTUP DOX Do you need attorney reviewed legal documents for your startup? I'm a proud community partner of Startup Dox, a new service provided by Selvarajah Law PC which helps you draw out all the essential paperwork needed to kickstart your business in a super cost-effective way. All the legal you’re looking for… only without confusion or frustration. EVERY filing and document comes with an attorney review. You will never do it alone. Visit https://www.thestartupdox.com/ and use my discount code ANDE10 to receive 10% off your order.
If you resonate with the show’s mission of amplifying diverse founder voices while serving first-time founders around the world, please reach out to me to learn more about how you can make a greater impact on the startup ecosystem through sponsoring the Startup Life LIVE Show.

EP 140 Startup Stories and Investor Insights from Serial Female Founder and Operator VC Aug 20, 2021

Show notes

Woo Hoo! It’s the 100th Episode of the Startup Life LIVE Show!
To help us celebrate this meaningful milestone is Jenny Lefcourt, the extraordinary entrepreneur, operator, board member, advisor, and investor.
Jenny has been in tech for over 25 years, and she’s currently a General Partner at Freestyle, a San Francisco-based early-stage VC firm whose investments include Airtable, Intercom, Patreon, BetterUp, Snapdocs, Digit, and many others.
Jenny is also a founding member and Board Member of All Raise, a non-profit dedicated to increasing diversity in tech.
Prior to Freestyle, Jenny co-founded WeddingChannel.com (acquired by The Knot) and Bella Pictures (acquired by CPI). She also has angel invested and/or advised companies such as Discord, MainStreetHub, and Minted.
Jenny received a B.S.E from The Wharton School and attended Stanford Graduate School of Business, before dropping out after her first year to co-found WeddingChannel.com
You will love this delicious conversation filled with Jenny’s sensational startup stories and investor insights!
00:00 - 100th Episode - woot woot!
05:00 - meet Jenny
10:00 - Jenny's entrepreneurship origin story
27:00 - why a growth mindset is important for founders (and to investors!)
32:00 - triage for the startup: balls will drop - which ones are made of rubber, and which ones are made of glass.
41:00 - don't let your ego get in the way of winning - Stitch That On A Pillow!!
48:00 - how All Raise came to be + its mission and vision for amplifying female founders in the tech industry
52:50 - meet Freestyle VC: check size; investment process; industry segment; support for founders they back; etc.
56:30 - best practices for reaching out to investors, pitching to investors, following up/staying in touch post presentation/pitch
1:00:15 - outstanding valuation advice
1:02:40 - we're all insecure, all the time! The more you know this, it's easier to get over it. Feeling inadequate as a founder is part of the journey!
To learn more about Freestyle VC visit: https://freestyle.vc
Connect online with Jenny and Freestyle via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/freestyle-capital and https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylefcourt/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/freestylevc and https://twitter.com/jennylefcourt
Check out All Raise here: https://www.allraise.org/
Grab a copy of Positive Intelligence here: https://amzn.to/3j6xI6V
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your business will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
Ande Lyons
http://andelyons.com
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