Dave Gray

How do you build meaningful partnerships as a founder? I know I've been guilty of sending partnership agreements in hopes of the best In this episode of How I'm Building This podcast, Alex Witcpalek, the founder of Continuum AI, shares his unconventional path from playing football at the University of Louisville to working in commercial real estate and eventually joining the tech industry. Here are some sound bites from our conversation: ✔️"I'm going to build something on my own and I'm going to build it so that not only do I have a better life, but there's families that don't have to go through what we're going through." ✔️"We have so much pipeline that if we close this, I need to build a team to be able to go deliver it." ✔️"You need to be very upfront and transparent with your partner and have a plan together to cross pollinate your go-to-market motions." ✔️"We became thought leaders and our content now drive sour partner channel." ✔️"I don't think you can silo outbound partner and marketing, because we do a lot of partner marketing together too." ‍ Listen now: Youtube: https://lnkd.in/g5P3nkWZ Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gXUYA_ZF Other episodes as they release: https://lnkd.in/gkxQsmwH #startup #entrepreneurship

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As the first Intelligent Gift Documentation Management Platform, the Givzey team is constantly fielding questions from gift administrators about how they should enter gifts, record pledge fulfillment, or handle specific complex scenarios. We absolutely love that Givzey has come to be known as a top resource for all gift documentation questions. We recognized that while Givzey delivers the world's most innovative gift documentation software, sometimes members of the nonprofit community need more than tech – sometimes they just need answers that they don't have to go searching for. In the true nature of being a great partner for the nonprofit sector, we launched Givzey Guidance as a central library that anyone can learn from or ask questions of and expect a fast and direct response for free. We expect to use Givzey Guidance to inform the community we serve so organizations can book gifts with confidence that they align with auditing and financial standards.

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Drop In Venture Funding To Black-Founded Startups Greatly Outpaces Market Decline Chris MetinkoGené Teare February 27, 2024 Venture funding to Black-founded U.S. startups last year totaled only $705 million — marking the first time since 2016 that the figure failed to even reach $1 billion, Crunchbase data shows. The decline in capital to Black-founded companies greatly outpaces the overall decline in startup funding. While total venture dollars in the U.S. fell 37% last year, funding to Black-founded startups dropped a staggering 71%, according to Crunchbase data. Last year’s total investment in Black-founded startups in the U.S. marks the lowest amount since such startups raised only $582 million in 2016. The drop in total dollars also meant Black-founded startups received their lowest share in the venture market since at least 2016, per Crunchbase. Black-founded startups received less than 0.5% of the $140.4 billion in venture funding all U.S.-based startups received last year. In 2021, Black-founded startups received 1.4% of all U.S. venture funding. In 2022, it was 1.1%.

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I met Daniel Chopson at this year's Technology Association of Georgia Summit, and am so happy Rob Ocel was able to get him on the engineering leadership series to talk about agile engineering leadership in startup environments! Learn about cove.tool and how to do better code retrospectives! Link down below.

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Nikki Carney and I are beyond excited to share that The Missing Piece App has been selected to join Cohort II of Latimer House! 🎉 In October, we’ll be heading to Baltimore, ready to embark on this transformative journey with some of the brightest minds in the industry. We’ve faced setbacks—missing out on another accelerator, losing key members of our team, and even having to pause development. 2024 has been full of incredible highs and really tough lows, but the mission remains clear : get 1,000,000 families who have children on the autism spectrum the resources they need. Starting on October 1st, we’re ready to dive in and push our startup to new heights with the support of this incredible program. A big thank you to Latimer Ventures Luke Cooper , Microsoft for Startups Kaiser Permanente , Abell Foundation Inc and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) for making this opportunity possible. And if you are a parent or autism service provider that would like to be on our platform, work with us for our upcoming Autism Mom’s night out in Miami , or participate in a questionnaire please comment here or message me. We’re looking forward to the journey ahead and can’t wait to see what’s next. Let’s make it happen! To God be the glory. #blacktech #blackintech #blacktechfounders #techfounders #saas #womenownedbusiness #womenintech #changingtheworld #techforchange #revolutionary #autism

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Running a successful business in today’s economic climate isn’t easy. Rising costs, unstable markets, and unpredictability of consumer behavior make entrepreneurship a challenge. However, in a recent interview on DTC OfficialGh, Isaac Sesi, founder of Sesi Technologies, shared timeless strategies for building a resilient business. Read more below… https://lnkd.in/eRsv8QMN #dtcofficialgh #businessblogger #storiesthatmatter #entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #startuptips #entrepreneurmindset

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🎙️ New Episode Alert: Building Sweet Success:A conversation with Matt Ross Join us on “Think Big with Dan & Qasim” for an insightful episode featuring Matt Ross as he talks about the evolution of a family business into a nationwide brand. 

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Enjoyed this conversation with Derin McMains, CMPC for the #NoShowDogs podcast. Success in business and in life often comes down to not stopping when things get difficult. It's really simple. Sometimes it hurts, that's part of it. I appreciate DMac's perspective on the "quit button" in sports, we see it all the time in business. People give up too soon. The most successful people are often just those who didn't stop. #entrepreneurship is a mindset.

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I'm honored to be featured in CEO Scoop magazine under "Titans of Boardroom Visionaries: Premier Leaders Molding the Future." This recognition reflects not just my journey but the collective effort and innovation at Boardsi. We are reshaping how companies connect with top executives to drive transformation and success. A big thank you to the CEO Scoop team for this acknowledgment. Check out the latest edition to see how we're making a difference. #Leadership #BusinessTransformation #ExecutiveNetworking #Boardsi #CEORecognition

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Mentorship is invaluable for entrepreneurs, offering guidance from experienced individuals. How will you handle unexpected challenges, technology shifts, and scaling your team and strategy? My book *When Grit Is Not Enough* provides tactical answers to these questions. It teaches you how to foster a culture of learning and agility, build high-performing teams, and compete effectively against well-funded rivals. Discover more: https://bit.ly/4aAsXd1 #WhenGritIsNotEnough #Leadership #Enterpreneurs #AmazonBestSellingAuthor

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Skills Development for founders is essential. We think because they have a great idea that somehow they know how to run a business to achieve it, but as Debbie Irwin points out, many times they are lost and drowning in the business part of things. They have not been prepared to tackle HR, Finance, Sales, etc… they need our help to transform from knowledgeable domain experts to business owners.

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Introducing LaTarence Dunbar LLC: Your Partner in Community Project Development and Grant Writing Excellence! I'm excited to share that LaTarence Dunbar, LLC is now offering top-tier community project development and grant writing services tailored to meet the unique needs of organizations striving to make a lasting impact. At LaTarence Dunbar, LLC, we understand the power of well-crafted projects and the crucial role that securing the right funding plays in turning ideas into reality. Our team of dedicated experts is here to help you navigate the complexities of grant acquisition, ensuring that your projects receive the support they deserve. **Our Services Include:** 🔹 **Community Project Development:** From concept to execution, we work closely with you to design and implement impactful projects that resonate with your mission and goals. 🔹 **Grant Writing:** We specialize in crafting compelling grant proposals that stand out, backed by thorough research and strategic planning. 🔹 **Strategic Partnerships:** We help forge meaningful partnerships with stakeholders, enhancing the reach and effectiveness of your initiatives. 🔹 **Project Management:** Our team provides ongoing support to ensure your projects are managed efficiently and effectively, leading to successful outcomes. Whether you're a nonprofit, educational institution, or community organization, we're here to help you unlock funding opportunities and maximize your impact. Let's collaborate to build stronger communities and create a brighter future together. Reach out to learn more about how LaTarence Dunbar, LLC can support your project development and grant writing needs. Together, we can make a difference! 🌟 #CommunityDevelopment #GrantWriting #NonprofitSuccess #FundingOpportunities #ProjectManagement #LaTarenceDunbarLLC #MakingADifference

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Come hear me talk about myths & truths about the board journey!

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These are a must read

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When you hire someone in a new state, do you need to register to do business there when you use a PEO? If you ask most PEOs, they would say, "Yes - you should also register your entity with the state if you have employees there." But why? Technically with a PEO you are "co-employing" people. Typically PEOs don't handle foreign registrations or secretary of state filings for your entity, so that's on you. If you're not registering in a new state is because you don't know how or don't have time, Discern makes it extremely easy. You can complete your foreign registration filing in a few minutes directly out of our product. I don't know if I fully realized it when we were building the product, but it is by far one of our biggest points of value add for companies growing across state lines. Registering in a new state is a shockingly annoying process to do on your own. You typically need to get a certificate of good standing before you can even file, and sometimes the filing involves publication requirements where you need to advertise your foreign registration in an actual newspaper. We handle all of that behind the scenes. All you do is complete the digital form in Discern. IFYKYK

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ENTREPRENEUR WISDOM   The most reasonable plan is planning on your plan not going according to plan.   Venture With Vision   Steven James “SJ” Maranville, Ph.D. is chairman of Maranville Enterprises—a tiny titan catalyzing unicorn-bound ventures that it scouts, skills, and scales. A Strategic Advisor and Board Director, SJ is the Guide by the Entrepreneur’s Side. He uses his extensive expertise in business strategy to lead visionary entrepreneurs through the chaotic complexities of starting and scaling their high-growth ventures. These ventures are distinguished by the Intelligence Advantage. By partnering with Maranville Enterprises, entrepreneurs accelerate fledgling start-ups into gazelle scale-ups and escalate those gazelles into shake-up unicorn ventures that learn, adapt, and dominate.    Let's keep the conversation going! Share and discuss in the comments!  Let's spread the message! Share this with your network.   #Entrepreneur #Startups #StartupDevelopment #StartupVentures #BoardDevelopment

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💡 Lightbulb Moment Alert! 💡 We started as a professional services company focused on cost estimating and advisory, but everything changed thanks to Capital One's Catapult program in 2017. 🚀 Selected as one of the inaugural 10 companies, we quickly learned a game-changing lesson: Capital One isn't just a bank—they're a tech powerhouse using AI and machine learning to revolutionize banking. That's when it hit me: we needed to think like a tech company too. Curious about how this insight transformed our approach and drove innovation at Construction Check? Check out our journey and the powerful role AI plays in our success! #CapitolOne #ConstructionCheck #InnovationInBusiness #MachineLearning #AiTransformation

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