Laura Desmond

We're teaming up with some amazing speakers for Chicago's free networking/panel event on May 15th: This time, we're going beyond founders, giving you access to investors, VCs, and industry experts. This is your chance to pick their brains, uncover insider tips, and make some quality connections. Roland Siebelink: Roland, founder & CEO of Midstage Institute, brings over 30 years of startup experience, having coached 2 unicorns and achieved 3 successful exits. As a certified Scaling Up facilitator and Forbes Coaches Council member, he specializes in helping early-stage startups grow into unicorn after the first product-market-fit. Roland, has been featured on prestigious podcasts like The Product Startup and Founders Space. Paulo J Machado: Paulo, Founder and CEO of Health Innovation Inc., is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor, with a keen focus on improving care and outcomes in healthcare, startups, Agetech, Femtech, and AI. Having invested in over 40 companies at What If Ventures, he brings a wealth of experience to the table. Paulo has also served as a mentor at esteemed programs like AARP, SXSW accelerator, and Techstars Austin, among others. Ibraheem Alinur: Ibraheem is a serial entrepreneur and venture fund/studio builder in biotechnology and digital health. As Vice President of 2Flo Ventures, he builds businesses and facilitates the bi-directional flow of resources to improve the health of communities. Ibraheem’s work has been featured in publications like the Obama Foundation and Forbes. At TheTechGiveBack's last event in SF, some of you said that there wasn't enough time to network with the panelists. So this time, we're limiting registration spots to make sure you get ample time to network and learn from our speakers. Make sure to grab your spot before spots fill up. 👇 Don't miss out—RSVP now, it's 100% free 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gRrkarhd 🗓️ May 15th, Wednesday 6PM to 9PM 🕴 Hosts: Jairo Garcia, Ricardo Olmos, Brian Lung Special thanks to: mHUB | Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation | The Garage at Northwestern University | BlackRock #startup #entrepreneurship #founders #chicago #firesidechats

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Excellent episode!

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At next week's Angel Capital Association summit, Christopher Mirabile and I will run the session "Building Exit Ramps to Private Equity" (Tuesday, 3:45pm) Learn the selection criteria and due diligence process used by Private Equity firms to help guide your portfolio companies to successful exit.  Private equity firms buy angel-backed companies, but many of us are unfamiliar with how they think. What makes them different from VCs, or strategic acquirers? In this session you’ll learn what kinds of companies Private Equity firms are interested in and how to prepare CEOs and companies to be ready to work with Private Equity.   Learning Objectives: * Learn the selection criteria and due diligence process used by Private Equity firms to help guide your portfolio companies to successful exits. * Build personal relationships with Private Equity partners to facilitate future exits.  Our Private Equity partner panelists are: Jeff Tobin, Bryan Payne, and Vaibhav Nalwaya

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A new report from data platform Dealroom in collaboration with Flashpoint Venture Capital has gathered revenue data to try and paint a picture of how #SaaS startups at various stages of maturity are doing when it comes to revenue generation, specifically focusing on efficiency and how much companies at different stages typically bring in per employee. https://lnkd.in/gDY5U3kQ

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It's really interesting to chart the parallels between consumer sentiment (as measured by the University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index) and the way that SaaS founders are prioritizing growth vs. profitability (i.e. "expense management"). Consumer Sentiment Index in May '23: 59% Consumer Sentiment Index in May '23: 69.1% ☝️ Percentage of SaaS founders in the ($5-10M ARR range) prioritizing *Growth* over *Profitability*... May '23: 56% May '24: 66% Salacious news headlines aside, consumer sentiment is a hell of a lot better than it was a year ago and the pendulum for SaaS founders (including us) has swung back towards the direction of (sustainable!) growth.

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Many people have asked that I share the keynote presentation from Coatue’s East Meets West conference from this past June. This gives a great perspective on both public and private markets and how we see the impact on investing. #coatue #venturecapital

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Awesome to see how the Cavs are using AI via Shakudo

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If you haven't seen a 28Stone live presentation before, I highly encourage you to tune in! Thrilled to welcome Thomas Dolan and his #allstar team on our upcoming webinar for a deep-dive into their latest #AI enabled solution for market maker #communications, #analytics, and decision-making. REGISTER: https://lnkd.in/e9advXYj #AI #GenAI #CapitalMarkets #FinTech

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New Episode Alert on The CTO Show with Mehmet! 🎙️ In this groundbreaking episode, we sit down with Dean Croshere, a visionary leader whose unconventional journey from a factory floor to corporate boardrooms exemplifies the power of assertiveness and emotional intelligence in entrepreneurship. Episode Highlights: - Conquering the Five Core Fears: Dean shares practical strategies for startups to navigate and overcome the fears that hold many entrepreneurs back. - Emotional Leadership: Discover how emotional awareness can transform your leadership style and help you lead with desire. - Attachment Theory in Business: Learn how understanding attachment styles can enhance your relationships and lead to business success. Dean's story is not just inspiring; it's a masterclass in how to face challenges head-on with courage and insight. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or an established business leader, this episode offers invaluable lessons in pushing boundaries and achieving success. 🔗 Find the link to this must-listen episode in the first comment below! Engage, share, and let's dive into the world of emotional intelligence in business together! #Startups #Leadership #StartupCulture #Entrepreneurship #BusinessInsights

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I have a big announcement to make.  In life, you back your winners. You back the people who exceed your expectations, exhibit a high level of integrity, energy, grit and give you as a leader leverage. Matthew Thompson is one of those special leaders, and today he is being promoted from GM of our public sector business to Chief Revenue Officer for all of Socure globally. Matt’s leadership at Socure has been transformative.  He has been at the forefront of our public sector business, leveraging his vast experience to build and scale our operations in an incredibly short period of time.  After only 2.5 years of serving the Fed and SLED Markets, Socure is now supporting 22 state agencies, 3 federal agencies, 1 Higher Ed Institution, and we’re in talks, pilots and integrations with dozens more.   On top of that, we’ve formalized 20+ meaningful strategic partnerships and already achieved several of the critical security and compliance milestones that are essential to doing business with the government. For anyone not familiar, that rate of growth is unheard of in the public sector. Matt’s commitment to excellence and putting in the extra effort that separates winners from the rest of the pack, has been nothing short of inspiring. He’s a tremendous motivator, communicator and possesses a rare sense of extreme ownership and accountability, something you want in every teammate. One of the most amazing things about Matt is his humility.  But he did share some numbers in a recent post that demonstrate the incredible transformations our team has created in the public sector under Matt’s leadership. 🔹 For one of our government customers, we were able to process 100% of applicants, with 95% being onboarded through auto-approval in less than one second. 🔹 For another agency, we showed them how using our solution would save their constituents more than 157,000 hours of time annually during digital onboarding 🔹 We replaced a bureau in another agency where we’ve demonstrated the ability to approve 24% more people that were otherwise being rejected while also stopping 82% in fraud losses that they were letting through 🔹 We are verifying almost 40% more 18 year olds than any competing solution on the market and verifying 92%+ of Gen Z constituents with almost 100% coverage of the US adult population I can’t wait to see what we will achieve together in Socure’s next stage of growth. Congrats Matthew Thompson! #identity #fraud #leadership https://lnkd.in/gpH8vDnX

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Huge News...today, Contractor Commerce launched AI within the platform. That's right. We've been working behind the scenes for months to harness the power of AI to help contractors get EVEN MORE value from their online stores. Today we rolled out the first of several major AI enhancements with 5 awesome customers who wanted to pioneer this new layer of technology alongside us. Ecommerce for contractors is already working - turning website visitors into $$. But we're never satisfied. We wake up every day, listen to our customers, and invest in our platform to help contractors make more money and build thriving companies. We won't stop until every contractor has an online store....now powered by AI. If you want to learn more or supercharge your company website with AI-powered ecommerce, message me. https://lnkd.in/g2YzpAuc #AI #HVAC #ecommerce #contractors

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New episode of IEP with Allan Leinwand from Webflow (previously Shopify, Slack, & Zynga), who's focused on bringing development superpowers to everyone ! GREAT takeaways from our conversation: 💡 An unexpected lesson Allan learned in his career: Hiring the right people makes you a better leader. 💡 The best CTOs do two things really well: drive the industry forward and engage in hands-on technical work. 💡 Engineering teams have to balance tech debt and innovation. Allan's approach is to address P0s and P1s immediately. Allocate resources to avoid recurring problems. And once the urgent issues are resolved, dedicate time to innovation. 💡 AI accelerates development, from writing code to running automation to conducting PR reviews. Allan is most excited about using AI to enhance workflow efficiency significantly. 💡 Allan predicts the future of web development will shift towards integrated platforms. Consolidation of products into cohesive platforms will streamline development and solve the “Franken platform” problem. Thanks Allan for joining the podcast and sharing your wisdom 🙏 #podcast #GenAI #webdevelopment

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#Throwback 2019 Pivot Stories interview w/ Marie Prokopets, Co-Founder & COO at Nira. In this clip, Marie tells the story of how she & her co-founder navigated several pivots to get to her then-startup FYI, which was an enterprise search product. Since then, she pivoted to launch Nira, which is a cloud document security system. 💡 What is your pivot story? How do you know when you have to pivot? How do you know when you are moving in the right direction? -- comment below 👇🏾 #startups #founders #saas #tech #b2b

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Very impressed with the Wevo Energy story and I share those feelings. It is never easy facing all challenges and complexities. #Podcast #StartupJourney #SolarEnergy #Entrepreneurship #WEVO #SolarEdge #Acquisition

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What outcomes came from your last board meeting? From a recent Summit Venture Studio portfolio company board meeting here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways and suggestions from the Board: I really like what Joan Garry put together with this schedule for 6 board meetings per year! Thanks for your great insight Joan! Our company board meeting outcomes: 1. Leverage Conferences and Networking Engage Actively: Attending industry conferences can significantly boost your pipeline. For instance, attending a major industry conference led to numerous in-depth conversations and demos that strengthened our sales funnel. Follow-Up Strategy: Instead of counting quick demos at conferences, schedule detailed follow-up Zoom meetings to dive deeper into your clients' specific needs. 2. Track and Analyze Sales Activities Monitor Effectiveness: Keep detailed records of your sales activities, such as client visits, promotional merchandise drops, and demo calls. Refine Your Approach: By understanding what works, you can streamline your efforts. For example, visits to client locations have led to high engagement and better client relationships, proving the value of in-person interactions. 3. Create Engaging Content for Investor Outreach Short, Impactful Videos: When reaching out to potential investors, use short videos (2-4 minutes) to pique interest. These should be designed to generate questions and discussions. Ask for Advice, Not Just Money: In the early stages of fundraising, focus on seeking advice rather than directly asking for investments. This approach not only provides valuable feedback but also opens doors for potential introductions and future investments. 4. Utilize Customer Feedback and Case Studies Highlight Success Stories: Use your successful client stories as springboards for engaging similar prospects. Collect and Implement Feedback: Regularly collect feedback from your clients to refine your product. Adjustments based on client feedback have helped us better cater to their needs and show our flexibility and responsiveness. 5. Effective Marketing and Outreach Multi-Platform Presence: Ensure your social media activity is consistent across multiple platforms. Mirror your LinkedIn posts on other social media platforms to maximize reach and engagement. Targeted Campaigns: Run targeted marketing sequences and A/B tests to identify what resonates best with your audience. Tailor your messaging and landing pages to suit different segments of your market. 6. Continuous Improvement and Experimentation Try New Approaches: Don’t be afraid to experiment with new strategies. Measure and Adapt: Always measure the outcomes of your new initiatives and be ready to adapt. Tracking the success of our webinars and outreach campaigns has provided us with insights that we use to continually refine our approach. Let me know how to make these suggestions more actionable.

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🌈🌈 Free Stuff alert!  Ambient has teamed up with our friends at Nova Chief of Staff to offer one winner a choice of: 🤖 An Ambient Office of the CEO package (CEO / CoS / EA) for 12 months free🤖 OR 🌟 A Nova Chief of Staff Certification course enrollment 🌟 Here is how to drop your name in the (digital) hat: - Follow both Lawrence Coburn and Maggie Olson on LinkedIn - Create a free trial of Ambient - Head over to Nova’s Certification course Syllabus and have a peek (the links are in the comments) That’s it - if you want bonus points, like or share this post or Maggie’s giveaway post to gain an extra entry. The winner will be announced on 7/2 and announced here. Thanks for playing! Here are a few more details on Ambient and Nova Chief of Staff Ambient’s Office of the CEO / CxO Package is designed to help the small but mighty Office of the CEO (typically CEO / CoS / EA) stay aligned and accountable, and elevate to near perfect operational execution.  The following core functionality is included: - Ambient Projects: the first AI native project management app - Ambient AI Meeting and Email Assistants - Shareable Eisenhower Matrices for Prioritization - Ambient Meeting Series Management Nova's online Chief of Staff Certification course equips learners with hands-on, real-life practice doing the things Chiefs of Staff do every day, building confidence, competence, and validation that you CAN DO the job of CoS. We can’t wait to pick a winner!

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Product Market Fit (PMF) is a crucial yet elusive concept for many early-stage startups. Achieving it can make or break a company's long-term success. In the latest episode of the "Founder & CEO Podcast," Michael Viscuso and I discuss what PMF is, what it looks like, and what to do once it's achieved. Check out the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/g2fw7v9g

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If you've ever dreamed of buying a business, STOP what you're doing and read this. I've just interviewed Chelsea Wood from Acquisition Lab and she drops some bombshells about the reality of M&A & how it all really works 👇 You've probably seen the flashy posts on social media... 💥 Buy a business with no money down! 💥 Become a millionaire through acquisitions! It all sounds so easy, doesn't it? Well, on the latest episode of The Expertise Economy podcast, renowned M&A expert Chelsea Wood explains how different the reality is from the fantasy being sold online. Here's just a taste of what we get into: ◾ The "Buy Then Build" methodology ◾ How most people glamorizing M&A on social media have NO IDEA what they're talking about ◾ What Acquisition Lab is and why the program ONLY accepts a small percentage of those who apply to join ◾ How to identify profitable acquisition targets ◾ Tactical tips on mitigating risks through seller financing ◾ When and how to attract top talent to your acquired business ◾ The future of online education businesses And more! Chelsea's honesty was refreshing. She's not selling a dream - she's helping execute one, but only for the right people. If you're considering M&A or buying a business, you owe it to yourself to watch this interview. It might save you from making a very expensive mistake. Check out the full episode on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/d--67mKN #BuyingBusinesses #AcquisitionLab #Startups #EducationBusinesses #Community #BuildingBusinesses #OnlineEducation #ChelseaWood

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In the era of digital transformation, it’s more crucial than ever for companies to step up and meet the rising expectations of savvy consumers. Our latest blog, "Informed Audiences, Elevated Expectations,” delves into the heart of this shift. Transparency has become a must-have. Today’s consumers can easily check business practices, so being open and honest is essential. Quality and value are also in the spotlight. With countless product reviews at their fingertips, consumers demand high-quality, valuable products. Cultivation of authentic brand values is key. Deeply held values resonate with audiences, building trust and loyalty. As we develop businesses and practices with long-term sustainability, it is essential to create systems that answer the questions of modern consumers. What experiences have you had with businesses meeting or exceeding your expectations? #CrescentRidge #InformationAge #StartupSystems #Founders

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