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Tag: #entrepreneurship

EMPOWERING RENTERS WITH FINANCIAL ARMOR

Posted on by foundersunfound

 

Listen in from yourfavorite podcast spots or read the full transcript here.

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Founders Live, the global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.
Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.

 

CAN PAYING RENT =
A BETTER CREDIT SCORE?

 

Abbey Wemimo believes emphatically: yes!

Abbey is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Esusu, a revolutionary fintech platform transforming the connection between data, tenants, and property. Esusu empowers renters around the most important financial identity: the credit score. 

Abbey was born in Nigeria, and as he puts it, “raised in the slums” of Lagos. His mother sacrificed over half her salary to make sure Abbey was able to reach beyond and attend the best schools. He studied alongside the children of the country’s elites, taking him to the US, with stops and degrees from the University of Minnesota and NYU. His early career covered politics, finance, and international development. And his first entrepreneurial endeavor led him to provide clean water for over a quarter of a million people in developing regions.

Abbey and his co-founder Samir started Esusu with a major innovation at its core: using rent payments to enhance credit score. By tracking and using data, Esusu can transform the credit prospects for the 70 million Americans who have little or no credit history. Meanwhile, Esusu provides property managers with insights, analytics, and tenants who are motivated towards timely payments.

The company is now in half a million rental units, across 40 US states. Abbey and Samir have raised over $4 Million in funding from investors like Impact America Fund, Zeal Capital, and Global Good Fund.

Esusu is a word with origins in Nigeria. It essentially means a form of societal cooperation where groups of individuals together contribute for their mutual benefit. But if ask Abbey he will tell you a much simpler version:

“If you want to go fast, you go alone. But if you want to go far, you fundamentally go together”

Make sure to listen in to his wonderful story.

 

“We are now at half a million rental units in 40 States in the country.”
~ Abbey Wemimo

In this episode Abbey and Dan discussed:

  • Growing up in the slums of Lagos Nigeria
  • Key philosophies: fall forward + you are enough
  • The transition from balmy Nigeria to frigid Minnesota
  • his first startup which gave access to water for quarter-million people
  • Pitching 300+ investors

 

Episode Shout Outs:

Samir Goel (Co-founder)
Beth Noveck
Acumen
Global Good Fund
Sinai Ventures
Zeal Capital Partners
Impact America Fund

 

“ I walk into every situation knowing I can see the other side and be successful.”
~ Abbey Wemimo

MORE on ABBEY AND ESUSU

ABBEY:

linkedin.com/in/wemimo-abbey-62382a2a/

ESUSU:

esusurent.com
esusurentrelief.com
linkedin.com/company/esusu/
twitter.com/getesusu

 

“Relationships matter. Invest in them.”
~ Abbey Wemimo

 

FLIKSHOP: CONNECTING INMATES WITH LOVED ONES

Posted on by foundersunfound

 

Listen from yourfavorite podcast spots or read the full transcript  here.

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: The Plug
(get $10 off an annual subscription to TPInsights with code “unfound“)

DIGITAL MOMENTS BECOME REAL MAIL FOR THOSE INCARCERATED

 

Marcus Bullock is as rare as they come. A master motivator, charismatic leader, and passionate changemaker. A founder and CEO of TWO companies. All of that is impressive, but not necessarily unique. What makes him the exception to the exception? He’s accomplished what he has despite spending his young formative years in adult, maximum-security prison. 

What got Marcus through his prison time?

It was a piece of mail from his mom EVERY SINGLE day until the day he was released. A letter, note, or seemingly random picture could create hope and positivity, which in turn fueled the will to persevere and thrive. 

Marcus has now turned his experience into a company: Flikshop. Friends, loved ones, as well as attorneys and other allies, can use Flikshop to send caring sentiments and images, or informational critical for the re-entry process. Listen in to hear more!

 

“…Don’t visit me anymore. I won’t talk to you anymore.
Start grieving now. ”
~ Marcus Bullock

Marcus and Dan talked about his startup journey, as well as:

  • The big mistake that cost him eight years of his life
  • Marcus’ incarceration journey from denial to despair to survival 
  • How the cards are stacked against re-entering citizens when they leave prison
  • How Marcus responded to the startup call, not once but twice!
  • Why Flikshop is more than just a postcard – it’s a lifeline of hope
  • Having the triple hurdle: black founder, with a criminal record, and no formal education

 

Episode Shout Outs:
John Legend Unlocked Futures

 

“It allowed me to learn not only what venture capital looked like, but the language of venture.”
~ Marcus Bullock

 

MORE on MARCUS AND FLIKSHOP

MARCUS:
twitter.com/_marcus_bullock
Marcus TED talk

FLIKSHOP:
flikshop.com
twitter.com/flikshop
linkedin.com/in/flikshop/

“…now I walk the world not even feeling the pressure of being a founder of color with a felony.”
~ Marcus Bullock

 

 

 

BEAUTYLYNK: THE SALON COMES TO YOU

Posted on by foundersunfound

 

Full Transcript

BEAUTY SERVICE ON-DEMAND

 

Modjossorica (Rica) Elysee represents why we started Founders Unfound: brave, capable, inspirational, and determined. She pulls no punches. Rica took lessons from her community and nonprofit experiences and transformed herself into an entrepreneurial force.  She’s a sought after speaker on the fireside chat founder circuit. And has boldly helped bring together other women entrepreneurs with @thetable and Female Founders Day. She’s been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, and Black Enterprise.

In this podcast episode, Dan spoke with Rica about her startup BeautyLynk – a company transforming the on-demand beauty market. The conversation ranged across many topics, including of course the wonderful origin story of BeautyLynk. What else did they cover?

Listen in and find out!

 

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: Perfect Pitches By Precious 

 

“How do we innovate the beauty chair?”
~ Rica Elysee

Rica and Dan talked about her startup journey, as well as:

  • her “third culture” life between America and Haiti
  • being on a billboard in Times Square (New York)
  • how music fits into her management approach
  • global expansion
  • what Rick Ross and Cardi B have to do with Morgan Stanley

 

“the fundraising journey when it comes to being a
founders of color is unique ” ~ Rica Elysee

MORE on RICA AND BEAUTYLYNK

Rica’s site:
(always open to speaking opportunities)
http://ricaelysee.com/

BeautyLynk company site:
https://beautylynk.com/

or check them out on Twitter:
twitter.com/BeautyLynk/

 

“There were a lot of people who told me I couldn’t do it,
and I’m still here. ”
~Rica Elysee

 

 

 

Founding Stories & Peak Moments: Your Hero’s Journey as Entrepreneur.

Posted on by Deborah Drake

Dear Founders,

As Founders Unfound’s Storytelling Co-founder, I am excited to write profiles about you and your awesome venture.

I look forward to understanding your leadership team, the company you created, the innovation and growth you’ve experienced, your traction, and the great revenue potential in your pipeline. 

 And, one additional request for a vivid reply to a talking point I care about deeply:

“What prompted you to start your venture?”

Of all the probing questions we ask our founders this one is my favorite because it honors your origin story, the “why” behind what you do.

It’s an emotional tether for a future customer, advisor, or investor.  I believe a founder’s story has an important role and is an essential element for sustained success when building a company from the ground up. Shared with confident candor, it adds depth and context for customers and investors and helps create champions.

Continue reading “Founding Stories & Peak Moments: Your Hero’s Journey as Entrepreneur.” →