Funds and Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs

Curtis Dean is the founder and creative director for Strangers Only, a lifestyle clothing brand and is also a coach helping people maximize their potential and design the lives they want. He is a positive thinker with a unique perspective on life. He has spoken at Soho houses and shared his deep knowledge on various topics.Key Takeaways:Identifying rewarding opportunities within your ecosystemBuilding a reputation that speaks for itself in the marketplaceImportance of MVP (minimum viable product) and idea validationKnowing when to seek help for business growth and sustainabilityFinding the lesson in every messy business situationThe power of human connection in salesHaving clarity and a solid strategy for your businessChange of perspective and learning to take advantage of current obstaclesReadjusting to align with a new audience and what it takesMentions:Website:  https://www.bydean.co/                https://strangersonly.co/Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/strangersonlyclothing/                       https://www.instagram.com/thecurtisdean/Check out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.comWebsite: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Steven Puri is a multipreneur who launched his career in the film industry and is also the founder of Sukha Company, previously known as Centred.  He started Centropolis Effects. a CGI company then exited and has held multiple senior roles in big film companies like 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks. He is a chief strategist and has supported various startups and other companies. Key Takeaways:Adapting the office concept to the hybrid world through an appWhy filling the gaps with smarter minds than yours will benefit the companyTrust is a commodity which is not always present in the film industryScalability as a factor that affects film industry growth and its restrictionsInvesting in marketing to build a brandHow to leverage knowledge to get a foot into doors of opportunityHiring for the culture versus skillset to build a powerful teamFinding the lesson in every experience, success or failure in businessBuilding a product/service that is community-focused for problem identification and solutionHow to handle change that affects the future of a company like a professionalReasons to have important conversations and company tracking activity for accountabilityHaving the ability to focus on the tasks that move the needleMentions:Website: https://www.thesukha.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri-b0714436/Check out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.comWebsite: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Daniella Rosa is the founder of Aiea Golf, an athleisure lifestyle brand for women golfers. She also was the owner and designer of cutclothing.com. Daniella has held various marketing roles in her career in the auction industry. As she hit the ceiling in her career she made an instant decision to switch and start a brand and this has been a great learning experience that she shares in this episode. She shares how to upskill through experiential learning, leveraging your knowledge to secure breakthrough opportunities and the challenges and resilience required to grow a brand.Key Takeaways:Creative thinking while transitioning through careersThe harsh reality behind the scenes for auction housesUpskilling through experiential learning and on-the-job researchChallenges of working in the auction industry and how to skirt around the red tapeLeveraging inherent knowledge to secure career growth opportunitiesThe transformative power of storytellingThe relationship between strategy and business growthHow to choose a team that understands the visionImportance of written agreements and following procedureMentions:Website: https://www.aieagolf.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellarosa/Check out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.comWebsite: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Brian Mayoral has been the number one peak performance strategist for Tony Robbins for over six years and is currently the CIO and founder of his agency called Sellup. As an avid sales manager and leader early on in his career, Brian joins us on Funds and Founders to discuss what he’s learned when it comes to selling yourself, common fears entrepreneurs encounter in sales, the varying types of founders, and actions you’re currently engaged in that could be holding back the growth of your company.Key Takeaways:Common fears about sales and how to overcome themHow the rebound effect in cold calling can increase your revenueDoes a company grow to the level of the founder’s psychology and limitations?What’re the different skill sets for growing companies at various sizesWhat’s the best way to make your company’s product better?How Brian landed a gig working for Tony Robbins. It took more grit than you’d think…A lesson to do the things you’re resistingCan you be driven by money as an entrepreneur?Being a tactician vs a visionary as a founderWhy firing someone might not be the best decision for your company, but them as wellHow focusing on one particular problem can set your company up for successMentions:Website: https://www.wesellup.com/salestrainingBrian’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmayoral/Alex Hermosi PodcastPatrick Red David PodcastCheck out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.comWebsite: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Lekan Olude is a distinguished Nigerian entrepreneur best known for co-founding Jobberman, West Africa's leading job search engine. In 2021, he founded Motherboard, a comprehensive employee benefits platform, further solidifying his impact on the Nigerian business landscape. He’s a previous guest on the podcast in which we wanted to continue the conversation to expand upon Lekan’s immigration from Africa to the States. Today, expect to learn what it takes to create community as an introvert, build brand value, and align with venture capitalists.Key Takeaways:Navigating the culture shock of migrating to the US.How is the US economy structured differently than the rest of the world?Building community as an introvert through hosting mini parties.Community is leverage. Man was never made to go alone.Providing value doesn’t have to be anything more than sharing what you have to offer.The difference between brand value and online presence, and how to establish yourself in each.This life is not a rehearsal. Make the most of your one chance.Questions to ask to understand why a venture capitalist is investing in you. Mentions:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oludeolalekan/Other Mentions: AppSumoCheck out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.comWebsite: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

In this episode, serial entrepreneur, investor and founding partner of Anti-VC, Saleem Ahmed, joins us in an engaging discussion about his transition from an unfulfilling career in engineering to founding successful startups. In addition to Anti-VC, Saleem founded Jrop and Zown. Today, Saleem discusses what many founders tend to underestimate about building a startup, finding mission alignment with co-founders, bootstrapping vs raising capital, and how to actually generate revenue in your startup.Key Takeaways:How to tell if you’re a serious entrepreneurHealthy partnerships with VCsFinding the right co-founderCreating mission alignment throughout your teamEnsuring peaceful legal dissolutions Issues with relying on venture capital for a lifelineReasons why founders choose to go and secure grantsBuilding a powerful network via LinkedInDefining product market fitBootstrapping vs raising moneyMentions:Website: https://www.antivc.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antivc/

In this episode, Brandon Tigges, the CEO of Job Machine, shares his journey as an entrepreneur, and the valuable lessons that have shaped his career in sales and marketing. He portrays the picture of a resilient military child. He gives an insight into his transformative experiences in creating a failed marketing agency and then working for a robotics startup that exposed him to understanding customer problems, scope projects, and margins. Now Brandon helps military veterans find jobs and has come full circle from his military roots.Key Takeaways:Understanding your customer’s problem firstSetting goals that challenge you to take the necessary actionHow talking to customers can save you time and moneyAchieving product-market fitFiguring out what to give up to achieve your set financial goalsPicking jobs that give the best learning experiences Why your product is your business model, not your productMentions:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-tigges/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weaponsgradehuman/Check out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.comWebsite: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

In this episode, we sit down with the founder of Training Layers, Bret Sears. He shares his entrepreneurial journey, from running a financial services company to building TrainingLayers, a ground-breaking software training platform. We delve deep into the learning curve involved in building a SaaS product from the ground up and how Bret navigated these challenges. He shares how they prioritize a comprehensive user journey while also providing insight into their upcoming product, Sequence. He reflects on the importance of adaptability and resilience in entrepreneurship and offers some invaluable advice for future founders.Key Takeaways:Elements that drive people towards career success How to hold an effective conversation that connects peopleGoal-setting frameworks that get people unstuckHow to be deliberate about particular actions for a specific outcomeFiguring out the true capital factoryThe difference between an onboarding system and a user journeyWhy crafting a story that people can identify with is importantMentions:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-siers-%E2%96%B6-11a81b5/Other Resources: Capital Factory, DocuSign, Jira, ClickUp, Slack, ChatGPT, GitHub

In this conversation with Marc Nathan, a Vice President at Egan Nelson LLP and founder of T-Squared Agency, listeners explore the dynamic Austin startup scene. Marc shares insights on the evolution of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the shift from service to product-based businesses. He discusses the vital role of mentorship, highlighting traits like 'coachability' in mentees. The importance of building a personal brand and leveraging community connections for fundraising is also tackled, making this an essential listen for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Lekan Olude is a distinguished Nigerian entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Jobberman, West Africa's leading job search engine. Born and raised in Ogun State, he pursued his education at Obafemi Awolowo University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. With a diverse career that includes experiences at Goldman Sachs and TeleMobile Nigeria Limited, Olude has not only played a pivotal role in the tech industry but has also served as the Special Adviser on Job Creation and Youth Empowerment to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun. In 2021, he founded Motherboard, a comprehensive employee benefits platform, further solidifying his impact on the Nigerian business landscape.Key Takeaways:Pursuing entrepreneurship early on without capitalGrowing the conviction to pursue your ideaIndicators you’re right or wrongIdentifying product market fitBuilding your company for an exitHitting global recognition and 1 million usersEconomic downturns and layoffsFocusing sustainability rather than "startup mentality"The questions to ask yourself to take your idea from concept to launchLeveraging domain expertiseMentions:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oludeolalekan/Other Mentions: How to Hone Your Mind, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Teams of Teams, Good to Great, Great by ChoiceCheck out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.comWebsite: fundsandfounderspodcast.com