📦 Jeremy Bodenhamer 📦

118 VCs (one hundred eighteen!) are gathering in San Diego next week - to meet with 30 SD startups. But it's so MUCH bigger than just those 30 co's. It brings VCs back - when they see quality companies. It helps those who are next-in-line and adjacent. It enables us to send deal flow all year 'round. It attracts talent and other companies. It inspires entrepreneurship. Connect is working for SD. Together, we're building the best damn innovation ecosystem on the planet. Year over year. Five.Ten.Thirty.

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Awesome new initiative Aviel Ginzburg!! When Sean Sternbach and I launched Venture Out, Aviel and Pablo Brown-Rodriguez were silent cofounders. Aviel freely shared his words of wisdom from years of building community in Seattle. He and Chris DeVore were the first money into our community, followed quickly by Flying Fish Partners, Liquid 2 Ventures, M12, Microsoft's Venture Fund, and a huge list of Seattle angels. After growing to 1200+ members in <3 years, running multiple pre-preseed accelerators, a few learnings about building great community and the Seattle Founder Ecosystem: In the early days, no one knows what they are doing. Seek outside advice and guidance from people just ahead of you. Unicorn founders and tech moguls have great stories, but the woman who left amazon six months ago, launched an MVP, and crashed through her first 2 dozen investor discussions will have golden advice. Be open, honest, and vulnerable. Our best events and discussions happened when people let their guard down. No one will spend their life (which a startup requires) to build your idea. They might build something similar and tackle the same problem, but only your life experience and decision-making will make the difference. Share ideas often. Give first. As a ~10 year Techstars mentor, I saw this as the best part of the community. In my opinion, they have lost this completely. Don't come into a community and take. Give all you can, even when it feels counterproductive. Something might eventually come back that changes your life and direction. Even if it never does, you will 1000% feel great about the decision. Play long-term games with long-term people. Naval Ravikant was the first person I heard say this. Surround yourself with committed doers, makers, and visionaries. There are a lot of want-entrepreneurs in the world (which is a good thing; we need more people to take risks), but spend the most time with people in the ring, putting their time behind what they are doing. Learn how to give advice and direction without being evangelical, condescending, or a jerk. Learn to be direct but helpful. It's what you want on your journey, so invest in being a great thought partner for others. A final few notes: 1) No, you likely will never get paid the same amount or make as much money as a founder as you would as an L7/L8 at Amazon. If that is why you are starting a company, you're already in trouble. But knowing Aviel, he is already filtering for this 😂 2) You will likely learn in 6-18 months in the ring as a founder, than the rest of your life combined. Start to write, share your experience, find a therapist, and get ready to unpack a LOT as you go. The only way to make space for new information is to process it, store it, and then let it go. 3) The relationships are the most important part of the journey. I will always remember meetings with Matt Ehrlichman, Asha Sharma, Kyle Sandburg, and Matthew Neagle and the rest of the Porch Group team. Go Aviel!!!

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Kudos to aifleet on its $16.6M raise to fund growth in tech-enabled trucking. Its investors include Heron Rock Volvo Group Venture Capital, Obvious Ventures, Ibex Investors, Compound, Winthrop Square Capital and Cooley LLP. Aifleet is doing something different. Most other startups in this field are focused on pure technology. They have 204 drivers and power units. Will they be able to make it work with a combination of trucking and technology? https://lnkd.in/ePytPHx7

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🚀 It’s a big day at Hoop! We’re excited to share we’ve raised $5m led by Index Ventures with participation from Origin Ventures, Chingona Ventures, Divergent Capital, and an inspiring group of angel investors. Two years ago, Justin, Brian, and I got together and started brainstorming. We had worked together as early executives at Trello for 7.5 years! We wanted to recreate the magic of the early days of Trello and respond to the epidemic of distraction we were seeing in the workplace. When I left Atlassian, I was in back-to-back meetings most days. Slack was constantly buzzing. My whole day was spent going between apps and praying I wouldn’t miss something important. I would wake up in the middle of the night remembering that DM I forgot to respond to. In an age of AI, this kind of mental fatigue across tools drains humans of our energy to do the work that really matters: the focused and creative work that comes when we can feel secure that we’re on top of all important work. Hoop is the product I wish I had. It connects to Zoom, Google Meet, Slack and email and automatically captures tasks for me using AI. It then centralizes everything in one spot so I never miss a task. Our vision is to rethink task management with an AI first principles mindset. There’s so much we can do now that we couldn’t have imagined back when we were building Trello. It’s an exciting time to be building in the space, and we’ve got a world class team taking on this challenge. Now’s the time to try Hoop out and let us know what you think! We couldn’t be more grateful for all the amazing support from our community, investors, and friends. Let’s go team! 👏🏼 Special thanks to our investors for all their belief and support - Damir Becirovic Neil Rimer Katie Shea Samara Mejia Hernandez Jason Heltzer Andy Dunn Wade Foster Linda Lian Michael Pryor Kristen Habacht Elizabeth Hall Barry Clark Nikita Miller Mihika Kapoor Jiaona Zhang (JZ) Maggie Adhami-Boynton Sonia Sahney Nagar Sean Harper Darren Murph Mike Arauz Job van der Voort Annie Duke Jay Simons Maria Christopoulos Katris Ezra Galston Sheel Mohnot Ilya Fushman #futureofwork #ai #startups #fundraising

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Want to build wealth faster? Skip startups. Buy Boring Old Businesses. Here’s why: 1. They’re already making money. 2. They come with customers, systems, and momentum. 3. They’re undervalued – 2.5x profits is standard. 4. SBA loans or seller financing make them accessible. 5. Easy profit boosters: raise prices or add new products. 6. They’re easier to scale than startups. Startups fail 65% of the time within the first 5 years. But "boring" businesses? They’re built to last. Don’t build from scratch. Buy something proven. If you could buy a "boring" business, what type of business would you buy?

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Having a Cars and Capital event tomorrow in Southern California with Oren Klaff. If you want to join message me. https://lnkd.in/gDQ4D39u Oren Klaff Bridger Pennington #InvestorEvent #FamilyOffice #InvestmentOpportunity #CarlsbadEvent #PrivateEquity #WealthManagement #InvestmentConference #CapitalRaising #NetworkingEvent #IndustryLeaders #FinancialGrowth #InvestorsMeetup #WealthBuilding #BusinessGrowth #InvestmentForum

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Today's Boring Biz (# 102): Children's Entertainment Center - $300K Cashflow - California Note: We do not represent this deal, highlighting for informational purposes only for viewers What does the company do? 1. Indoor playspace and party center 2. Birthday party hosting 3. Established franchise location Investment highlights 1. 17+ years in operation 2. Diverse revenue streams 3. Located in high-traffic shopping mall Investment risks/concerns 1. High local competition 2. Liability and injury insurance 3. Limitations from franchise network #SMB #ETA #finance #Cashflow #investing #search #searchfund #privateequity #microprivateequity #smallbusiness #venturecapital #vc #entrepreneur #business #businessowner #children #entertainment #center #california Disclaimer: Hypothetical and illustrative only. Please do your own research (DYOR) or work with tax and legal professionals before making a decision. This video are intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice, nor should be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any security by SMB PE LLC or any third party.

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🚀Exciting News! AGS LABS / ALES GREY™ has been invited to pitch at FoundersBoost LA’s spring cohort and the Alliance for Southern California Innovation SoCal Venture Pipeline program at Google! If you’re an investor, please join us on June 4th for an exclusive joint Demo Day by FoundersBoost LA & the Alliance for SoCal Innovation! 🌟 The Alliance and FoundersBoost are joining forces to showcase some of the top young companies in LA! In addition to hearing the amazing pitches, you’ll be able to network with other investors, incredible mentors, supporting partners, program leaders, and the startup founders. Refreshments will be served. 🍹 📌 IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a private invite event due to capacity constraints and to maintain a value-add atmosphere. Sign Up Link Below. https://lu.ma/lademoday Don’t miss this opportunity to discover and support the next big thing in innovation! 🌐 #FoundersBoost #DemoDay #Innovation #Startups #Investors #Networking #PitchEvent #AGSLABS #ALESGREY #SoCalInnovation #GoogleEvents

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🚛💡 Revolutionizing the Trucking Industry: One Receipt at a Time! 📸💼 Ever wonder how a simple idea can save $100,000? 🤔💰 I recently connected with a trucking fleet owner facing a MASSIVE challenge: • Drowning in receipts and invoices 📄📄📄 • Drivers struggling to report expenses 😓 • Lost $100K in taxes last year due to poor tracking 😱 The solution? A game-changing mobile app! 📱✨ Here's what it does: 1. Snap photos of receipts and invoices 📸 2. AI extracts key information automatically 🤖 3. Generates comprehensive expense reports 📊 No more lost receipts. No more tax nightmares. No need for a full-time bookkeeper. But we're not stopping there! 🚀 Next up: • Custom dashboards 📈 • Full financial systems integration 💻 Shoutout to FlutterFlow for their incredible updates, making it possible to develop cutting-edge solutions like this for my clients! 🙌 #TruckingInnovation #TechSolutions #SmallBusinessSuccess #FlutterFlow #MobileAppDevelopment #trucking #logistics 👇 Have you faced similar challenges in your industry? Let's chat in the comments!

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Reflecting on another fantastic StartupAZ retreat in Flagstaff last month! I’m grateful to be a part of this incredible community that continually supports technology founders in Arizona. StartupAZ is more than just a network; it’s a powerful ecosystem of founders, mentors, and seasoned entrepreneurs who come together to uplift and propel each other forward. The monthly cohort meetings provide the kind of support and mentorship that makes all the difference in launching and scaling a technology company. This organization has been a game-changer for me personally, connecting me with like-minded leaders and providing the resources needed to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship. Being surrounded by other founders who are as passionate about innovation and growth as I am has been truly inspiring. Below is a video from our retreat, showcasing the spirit and energy of this incredible group of people dedicated to pushing the limits of what’s possible. Seeing how much we’ve grown and the impact we’ve had on Arizona’s tech landscape is both humbling and motivating. If you're a founder in Arizona or someone passionate about the startup ecosystem, I highly encourage you to get involved with StartupAZ. Let’s keep building, growing, and supporting the next wave of innovators right here in Arizona! #StartupAZ #FoundersSupportingFounders #ArizonaTech #Entrepreneurship #StartupCommunity #Innovation

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An interesting article below, that demonstrates out how San Diego is punching above its weight.  And how Connect's strategy and execution over time, contintues to be central to that success. The article describes the current state of the market in Seattle.  (And i love Seattle.) It's a market that we tend to track with relative to venture fundings.  They used to kick our butts, we outraised them each of the last three years.  This despite the fact they have 3x as many funds there, and 9x the amount of resident capital there. (per pitchbook) Some key takeaways:  * They continue to compare themselves to SIlicon Valley. Instead, we leverage our proximity. *They whine there's not enough local investors (see note above - they have more than us). We bring over 200 VCs to SD annually! * They say founders are not connected with one another. We bring CEOs together regularly, in a variety of ways - private dinners and through our Springboard program. * They say they need to elevate their image on a national & international stage. Why we created and continue to build Five.Ten.Thirty (aka Inno Day).  * And the last paragraph - they need to concentrate on making their region a great place to live. Our mantra: "It's about Better, not Bigger." (See XEO, TL Fund). THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. WE ARE ON A MISSION TOGETHER!!!  (Comments, whining, suggestions on SD always welcome.) https://lnkd.in/g6Rq_f2Y

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I'm excited to reshare this timeless episode of #Supermanagers featuring David O. Sacks, a member of the PayPal Mafia, founder of Yammer, Inc., and General Partner at Craft Ventures. David offers invaluable advice for CEOs, managers, founders, and anyone looking to elevate their organization. In this episode, David dives into:  - Introverted leadership - Managing hyper-growth - Knowing when to throw out processes  - And so much more. Don't miss out on his unique perspective and leadership journey. Tune in to learn from one of the best in the business! 🎧 Link in comments 👇

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Climate Tech Startups Dynamically Ranked by the HackerNoon Community: https://lnkd.in/gTsCUJFM The current leaders are: Nat5 , Violet , Cropler , Swarm, scoutlabs , Treeback , 7Analytics , Dracoss , Rensair , iPAGE AgriTech , Matteco , CarbonCloud , Skoog , UPCYDE , GODI , Terrenity , Vulcan Energy , Oxari , The Habitat People , SUNSPEKER , Pixii AS , SunGreenH2 , RiDERgy ,Hyfindr , NATURAL STATE , brCarbon , FOREST HERO , BeZero Carbon and more! A great list for finding potential investments, startups hiring, or just looking for the next generation of climate tech products. Thanks Algolia for sponsoring Startups of the Year! #climatetech #climate #technology #startups #hackernoon #CleanTech #GreenTech #SustainableTech #RenewableEnergy #NetZero #Decarbonization #ClimateAction #Sustainability #CarbonNeutral #EnergyEfficiency #ClimateInnovation #GreenEnergy #CircularEconomy #SmartCities #ClimateSolutions #TechForGood #LowCarbonFuture #ClimateResilience #EcoTech

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1st10 is going into the holidays with the following open searches spread across 9 incredible Seed/A funded startups. Imagine getting into SpaceX or Stripe as one of their first engineers. That's what joining one of these startups is like. High impact, early equity, invaluable experience! Fullstack AI Engineer, SF, Elite AI Dev Shop, Shaper Ventures ML Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product ML Platform Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Generalist Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Mechanical Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Firmware Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Avionics/Electrical Engineer, SF, Supersonic Jet, A16Z Flight Software Engineer, SF, Supersonic Jet, A16Z ML/Data Engineer, Los Altos, Rocketship Ventures Data/Infra Engineer, SF, AI Financial Analyst, Audacious Ventures Backend Go Engineer, Remote, Open Source Access Control, Benchmark Fullstack Developer, Chicago, File Security Security and Compliance Lead, Chicago, File Security UI/UX Lead, Chicago, File Security Backend Node Engineer, Brooklyn, LLM startup, Matrix Ventures Backend Go Engineer, NYC, Autonomous Banking, Lightspeed Fullstack Node Engineer, NYC, Autonomous Banking, Lightspeed We've asked each of our startup founders and all will be available through the holidays to review and talk with candidates. That's how startups work. Of course there's time to enjoy the holidays. But no 2-week shut down like at large companies. All hands will stay on deck with meaningful progress made. As such, 1st10 will also be open for business as well. If you're a great engineer and curious about early startups or happen to know of somebody interested, dm us. Wishing all a happy holidays!

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Why Buying Your First Business is the hardest & Financing The Fear is Being seen as too risky by lenders and investors. The Solution: Prepare a solid business plan with detailed financial projections. Work with a financial advisor to enhance your credibility. Consider alternative financing options like SBA loans or seller financing.

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It is a great privledge to be backing Stella Garber for a second time, as well as her sensational co-founders Brian Schmidt and Justin Gallagher. It’s also great to working with Index Ventures again, too. One thing I have learned in my venture career is that humans are lazy, and software that does simple things can feel like magic. Hoop uses AI to automatically harvest to do items from all of your communication channels. Today it’s single player, and in the future it will be your whole team. Read more about why we invested: https://lnkd.in/geTy-kyZ

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Celebrated Shachi’s new gig last night. (Yes, I’m a giant who decided to wear 4” stilettos) Shachi made the pivot from being on the buy side (big corporate) to the world of procuretech startups. She’s joined ORO Labs as the VP of Strategy. Pretty freakin’ excited for Shachi to enter my world. ORO is a procurement orchestration platform (intentionally called it procurement orchestration instead of process orchestration for Shachi). What does Procurement Orchestration mean to me?! The intake process a stakeholder follows to request the help of procurement. It’s important that this process is super simple and fast. Process orchestration tools are usually no code or low code so a workflow can be defined without any programming skills (makes me think about Trello; project management tool I use). Goal is to be a one stop shop - stakeholders only need to use this one tool vs. having to bounce around between multiple platforms. Procurement teams are going to prioritize investing in a procurement orchestration tool to win over more internal stakeholders and get more of their spend under management. Name of the game is User Experience. The easier the experience for the user the more likely the adoption. There are sooooo many Procurement Orchestration platforms in the market already. The winners will be the ones that handle intake all the way through payment. A system that will work as a standalone solution. PS: Kathy is a boss lady procuretech CMO. So kind and cool.

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I 💯agree with Oz Merchant on this topic. Some folks advise founders to pitch very selectively and 'pick your pitch' - you get one shot, choose it wisely? I'm 180 degrees opposite of that - be a promiscuous pitcher! - ABP - ALWAYS BE PITCHING. Because your pitch gets better with every no, take that feedback, learn, iterate. Right now it's taking 50-100 no's for Triangle co's to get funding, it's still tough out there, so get through the no's fast to get to a yes. Check out the event - also go see others pitch, it all helps you get better - pitching is like PMF - lots of iteration, tons of grinding to get through to the other side.

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