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Join us as we sit down with Hunter Burkey, Partner at Next Level Valet and CEO of Next Level Security. Hunter shares his incredible journey from living in his car to building two successful businesses in Austin, TX.

👉Hunter's early struggles and how he turned his life around

👉The birth of Next Level Valet and its rapid growth

👉Expanding into security services during COVID-19

👉Challenges of scaling a business and managing 300+ employees

👉Innovative employee engagement strategies

👉The importance of adaptability in entrepreneurship

Watch the full episode on @FundsAndFounders

#Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #AustinStartups #ValetService #SecurityBusiness

0:00 - Introduction of Hunter Burkey and his current roles

0:35 - Brief mention of failed business attempts

1:10 - Hunter's experience being homeless and living in his car

9:10 - Discussion about failed businesses and lessons learned

17:06 - Addressing fears and challenges in the early days of the business

19:07 - Major setback: losing a significant client and nearly shutting down

30:40 - Handling the challenge of parking 2300 cars per night

35:48 - Current size of the valet company (approximately 150 employees)

41:20 - Insight into company culture and employee communication

42:37 - Transition from valet services to starting a security company

47:30 - Introduction to Formula One events through valet connections

49:23 - Hunter's involvement with the F1 travel team

50:53 - Construction Security

55:08 - Scaling the company

1:00:00 - Closing remarks

In this captivating episode of Funds and Founders, Nikhil, CTO and co-founder of Hylio, shares the inspiring journey of building an innovative drone company. From their initial focus on drone delivery to pivoting into agricultural applications, Nikhil reveals the challenges and triumphs of creating cutting-edge drone technology. Tune in to discover:

- The evolution of Hylio from a drone delivery concept to a leader in agricultural drone solutions

- Overcoming technical and regulatory hurdles in the drone industry

- The importance of perseverance and adaptability in entrepreneurship

- Insights into scaling hardware production and navigating complex sales processes

- The role of co-founders and support systems in startup success

Watch the full episode on funds and founders.

In the latest episode of Funds and Founders, Jessi, founder of Downland, reveals how agrotourism and regenerative agriculture could revolutionize land management and food production. Discover how matching landowners with next-generation land stewards can restore landscapes and create sustainable business models.

Tune in to explore:

- The journey of building an AgTech startup from scratch

- How to leverage your unique strengths and network in entrepreneurship

- The crucial balance between mission-driven goals and venture capital expectations

- Strategies for validating your business model and preparing for fundraising

00:46 - Entrepreneurial journey

06:05 - what a land steward does and their responsibilities?

09:33 - Agrotourism

12:48 - Decision of taking passion to a full time job

16:48 - how did you get a hundred customer interviews?

20:52 - Regenerative farming

26:30 - Understanding the customer wants in a business

29:36 - Journey of a Solo founder

33:25 - Eliminating the uncertainty and challenges in the entrepreneur journey

34:47 - Crossfit journey

42:34 - Product Development Strategy for a Marketplace Startup

47:26 - Finding the right partners and right advisors

54:13 - Fundraising process

1:02:33 - Rapid fire question

1:09:15 - Question for the future Guest

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Mentions:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessi-roesch-rhymes-with-fresh/

Check out the Funds & Founders Community:

Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.com

Website: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Simran Singh narrates his entrepreneurial journey from his college days at Duke University to co-founding Zogo, a financial education platform which was eventually acquired by Peak Six. He elaborates on the challenges of early-stage startups, the pivoting of Zogo, and decision-making processes related to product development and market targeting. Simran also introduces his new venture, SwayStack, while providing valuable insights on growth, partnerships, and maintaining an entrepreneurial mindset. Additionally, the episode explores influential books like 'Poor Charlie's Almanac' by Charlie Munger, favorite tools and tech stacks like Notion, JIRA, GitHub, Figma, Google Drive, AWS, and Dynalist, and shares advice on resilience, support systems, and customer engagement. The conversation wraps up with anticipation of the next guest's insights into the role of mentors or advisors. If you’re looking for the motivation and insight needed to build a successful startup, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• How will you know when to invest in an initial MVP?

• Calculating market size to predict scalability

• How working with private equity can be beneficial to your long term vision

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:31) - Simran’s Indian Family Influence

(04:40) - Challenges and Learnings from Zogo

(14:39) - Navigating Early MVPs

(29:25) - Balancing Risk and Stability

(35:50) - Zogo's Business Development Strategy

(36:23) - Sales and Marketing

(38:36) - Total Addressable Market (TAM)

(46:50) - Acquisition by Private Equity

(55:27) - Post-Acquisition Reflections and New Ventures

(59:12) - Rapid Fire Questions and Resources

(01:07:40) - Final Thoughts

Key Topics Discussed:

Funds and Founders, Austin Texas, Abhinav Sinha, entrepreneurs, startups, venture capital

Mentions:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esimran/

Check out the Funds & Founders Community:

Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.com

Website: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Having been with SXSW for 35 years, Hugh Forrest, the Chief Programming Officer and Director of the Interactive Section of South by Southwest (SXSW), shares the origins and growth of Austin's largest conference and festival. He discusses the event's roots in 1987, modeled after the New Music Seminar in New York City, and its evolution into a major cultural and tech convergence. Hugh recounts the challenges faced in the early years, the festival's impact on Austin's ecosystem, pivotal moments like Johnny Cash's appearance and Twitter's launch, and the continued shift from a music-dominated event to an extensive tech and creative industry platform. The conversation also delves into the future of SXSW, including the upcoming challenges with the Austin Convention Center's reconstruction and the continuous adaptability of SXSW to reflect Austin's dynamic trends. Listeners will gain insights into the intricacies of event programming, the significance of perseverance in the startup ecosystem, and the broader economic and cultural impact of SXSW. If you’re looking for the motivation and insight needed to build a successful startup, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• What makes South by Southwest different from other conferences?

• Making unconventional ideas a reality while turning something nobody wants or has value into value

• What does it take to host and grow a large, successful networking conference?

• Is AI in a hype cycle?

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - The Origins of SXSW

(01:48) - Challenges and Early Successes of SXSW

(05:17) - Hugh's Journey with South by Southwest

(08:24) - The Evolution of South by Southwest

(20:08) - SXSW’s Impact on Austin's Ecosystem

(27:43) - SXSW’s Programming and Structure

(39:17) - Future Changes for SXSW

(40:51) - Adapting to Austin

(42:38) - Emerging Trends and Technologies

(49:12) - Creating Successful Events

(56:29) - Importance of Human Connection

(59:25) - The Evolution of SXSW

(01:03:33) - Final Thoughts and Resources

Key Topics Discussed:

Funds and Founders, Austin Texas, Abhinav Sinha, entrepreneurs, startups, venture capital, South by Southwest, Southby, SXSW

Mentions:

Website: https://www.sxsw.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughforrest

Check out the Funds & Founders Community:

Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.com

Website: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Vikas is an experienced entrepreneur, advisor and the Managing Director of Frisco Analytics. In this conversation, he discusses the importance of selecting good advisors and how he identified gaps in the tech consulting space to grow his successful company later acquired by Huron. Vikas gives insights on how to build the right team, and sales strategies, navigate acquisitions and foster the right team culture. Finally, he shares his experiences with acquisition processes, incentive structures in consulting, managing multiple ventures and the value of direct feedback and the growth dynamics in the tech industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Choosing experienced advisors to save on finances and time

• Identifying what’s missing on the team and choosing members with the right culture fit

• Addressing incentive structures in consulting as a worker retention strategy

• Insights into the acquisition process for consulting teams

• Addressing the need for direct and honest feedback

• Navigating the complexities of managing multiple ventures

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:55) - Building a successful consulting business

(07:30) - Scaling and managing growth as an Investor

(09:05) - Proven incentive structures in the consulting space

(15:17) - What is product market fit?

(21:24) - The company acquisition journey and post-sale experience

(33:48) - The process of underwriting a deal

(35:21) - When does one need an exit strategy?

(39:17) - Deal flow, evaluation and selection criteria used to issue funding

(48:29) - Strategic investment roadmaps

Key Topics Discussed:

Funds and Founders, Austin Texas, Abhinav Sinha, entrepreneurs, startups, venture capital, product-market fit, acquisition, team building strategy

Mentions:

Website: https://www.friscoanalytics.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikas-punna-94b33216/

Check out the Funds & Founders Community:

Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.com

Website: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Vinay Chandrasekaran, founder of Frontek Solutions, Crayon’d, and Layerpath, shares his fascinating journey from learning HTML as a teenager in India to becoming the CEO of a successful SaaS company. Vinay delves into his entrepreneurial motivations, experiences at Zoho, and the essential role of community, mentorship, and resilience. He also discusses raising venture capital and emphasizes the importance of energy, passion, and mindset. Additionally, Vinay reflects on how his endurance sports endeavors have shaped his discipline and mindset and explores the idea of merging his tech expertise with sports training. The episode concludes with his thoughts on manifestation and public speaking. If you’re looking for the motivation and insight needed to build a successful startup, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• What’re the first three steps a founder should take in building a startup?

• What does failing fast look like in the startup ecosystem?

• When will you know to raise venture capital?

• What is the role of a Chief Focus Officer?

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:18) - Building Frontex Solutions

(06:12) - The Role of Community in Entrepreneurship

(08:23) - Building a Founding Team

(10:32) - Joining Zoho

(14:36) - Travel and Personal Growth

(20:48) - Returning to Entrepreneurship

(25:57) - The First Thing Startups Should Do

(31:53) - Bringing an Idea to Market

(34:49) - The Importance of Founder Fit

(41:13) - Raising Venture Capital

(51:19) - Burnout and Support Systems

(53:41) - Closing Thoughts

Key Topics Discussed:

Funds and Founders, Austin Texas, Abhinav Sinha, entrepreneurs, startups, venture capital

Mentions:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivinayc/

Check out the Funds & Founders Community:

Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.com

Website: fundsandfounderspodcast.com

Alberto Silveira is a seasoned engineering leader with a diverse career spanning companies like IBM, Kaplan, Amplify, OnDeck, and currently, HireVue. He is also the author of the book, Building and Managing High Performance Distributed Teams. Alberto discusses the differences between leading small and large engineering teams, the importance of creating a positive engineering culture, and the nuances of hands-on leadership. He also shares his passion for distributed teams, the challenges of scaling team culture in a remote environment, and his philosophy on balancing immediate deliverables with long-term team health. Alberto reflects on his career journey, the lessons learned from writing his book on high-performance distributed teams during the pandemic, and offers advice on overcoming organizational challenges by taking an inclusive leadership approach.

Key Takeaways:

• How can you humanize work culture in a remote environment?

• How can you create focused teams to improve delivery and outcome?

• How the Iron Triangle allows founders to align product, engineering and design teams

• Identifying problems and suggesting solutions empowers team members and builds a strong team culture

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:40) - Hands-On Leadership as a CTO

(08:45) - Defining and Building Engineering Culture

(010:44) - Challenges of Scaling and Remote Work

(25:49) - Balancing Change and Delivery

(31:39) - Engineering vs Product Leadership

(37:27) - The Iron Triangle Concept

(39:18) - Importance of Design in Product Development

(43:06) - Building High-Performance Distributed Teams

(48:57) - Leadership and Team Motivation

(60:26) - Entrepreneurship is a Journey

Key Topics Discussed:

Funds and Founders, Abhinav Sinha, Abhi, Austin Texas,, Venture Capital, Ecosystem, Culture, Company Values. Collaboration, Distributed Teams, Scalability, Engineering, Technical, Product, Leaders, Product-Driven, Early-Stage, SaaS

Mentions:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asilveira/

Mentions: Who: Building and Managing High Performance Distributed Teams, The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy Street, Lean Inception, Scale Up

Check out the Funds & Founders Community:

Reach out to Abhi at abhinavsinha.podcast@gmail.com

Website: fundsandfounderspodcast.com