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Tag: #underrepresented

PREPARING KIDS TO UNDERSTAND CREDIT – BEFORE THEY NEED IT

Posted on by foundersunfound

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

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:


Cascadia Cleantech Accelerator
powered by VertueLab and CleanTech Alliance
This 15-week program delivers mentorship, connections, funding opportunities, and more
For early-stage cleantech startups looking to launch and scale their business.
Applications are open until April 16th. Don’t miss out, apply today at cascadiacleantech.org

AfriBlocks
The global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.
Tell them “Dan sent you” for 10% off your first order. More at afriblocks.com

 

 

Special Guest Co-Host:
Veronica Parks from Maveron (@VPinVC)

demystifying credit
one chore at a time

 

Evan Leaphart is the Founder and CEO of Kiddie Kredit, a mobile chore tracking app that teaches kids about credit. The company is out to demystify credit scores with fun, but analogous habits and rewards. They currently focus on young children but their goal ultimately is to serve anyone new to credit.

Evan grew up in the Baltimore area and is one of those founders seemingly born to be just that, a founder. His mom was a flight attendant and he was an only child. So Evan learned at a young age how to be self-sufficient and confident. From lemonade stands and snow removal to cleaning services and auto transport. Evan has been fearlessly taking on venture after venture.

He has called Miami home for over 15 years, so he’s definitely an OG in the newly blossoming Miami tech scene. In addition to Kiddie Kredit, Evan is a Co-founder of the Miami-based Black Men Talk Tech Conference.

Make sure to listen to his compelling story.

 

“…we’re aiming to simplify FICO. So you understand it before you actually need it.”
~ Evan Leaphart

 

In this episode Evan, Veronica, and Dan discussed:

  • Growth from having side hustles as a kid
  • Why it took years to start Kiddie Kredit
  • Evan’s three filters to vet investors
  • How credit score has such influence but is so misunderstood
  • Whether Miami really is the next tech hub

 

 

“I was really naive when it comes to building a backable business
versus a bankable business”
~ Evan Leaphart

MORE on evan and kiddie kredit

Evan:
linkedin.com/in/evanleaphart/
twitter.com/evanleaphart
instagram.com/evanleaphart/
blackmentalktech.com

 

Kiddie Kredit
kiddiekredit.com
twitter.com/kiddiekredit
instagram.com/KiddieKredit/

 

“A year ago, it wasn’t necessarily cool to say you’re a Miami-based business. [Now] That’s the greatest thing you could say.”
~ Evan Leaphart

 

REVOLUTIONIZING AGRICULTURE WITH BLOCKCHAIN

Posted on by foundersunfound

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

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Multicultural Mainstream: Reimagining Humanity and Technology

A virtual venture conference hosted by the Columbia Venture Community. Access great content and breakout sessions with venture capitalists. March 5-6th 2021
Check out bit.ly/CVCMM for tickets. Don’t miss out!

Why is Blockchain in farming important? We all eat!

 

Genevieve Leveille is the Founder and CEO of AgriLedger, a company that is revolutionizing the agriculture value chain using distributed ledger and blockchain technology.

Born in Haiti, Genevieve came to the US and New York for high school. She was a science major and researcher, and eventually found her way into banking and over to the UK. Genevieve burst onto the blockchain world with force a few years ago. And it all started with a crypto hackathon. She’s been nominated by the Financial Times to the top 100 BAME in UK technology and was a winner of the ComputerWeekly 2020 Women in Software. She is also currently the Vice-chairman of TechUK’s Distributed Ledger Technologies Working Group.

Genevieve is now building a company that is using distributed ledger to RE-distribute value and reallocate margin and wealth across our food supply chain. All with the source — the farmer — at the core.

Make sure to listen to her compelling story.

 

“…this is not to me, a technology only. It is a movement.”
~ Genevieve Leveille

In this episode Genevieve and Dan discussed:

  • Starting life in Haiti
  • How she’s combined science and finance into a career
  • The lessons of “timing” from 2000 and 2008
  • How distributed blockchain can INCREASE trust
  • What happens to mangoes shipped to the US

 

“ Wealth is not measured by how much money you have in your bank account. It’s how much happiness you have and how much you have made a difference in the world”
~ Genevieve Leveille

MORE on GENEVIEVE and AGRILEDGER

Genevieve
linkedin.com/in/genevieveleveille/
twitter.com/GinouInLondon

AgriLedger:
agriledger.io
linkedin.com/company/agriledger/
twitter.com/Agriledger

 

“I do believe that the digitalization of information can lead to greater trust.”
~ Genevieve Leveille

 

EVERYONE DESERVES A VOICE AND A MIC

Posted on by foundersunfound

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

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Multicultural Mainstream: Reimagining Humanity and Technology

A virtual venture conference hosted by the Columbia Venture Community. Access great content and breakout sessions with venture capitalists. March 5-6th 2021
Check out bit.ly/CVCMM for early-bird tickets. Don’t miss out!

 

An open and inclusive platform revolutionizing radio

 

Ayinde Alakoye is the Founder and CEO of nēdl (as in ‘the haystack’), a company that lets anyone create their own live call-in talk radio station in seconds and make money while they broadcast. nēdl gives everyone a chance to grab the mic, and be live to the world in moments.

Ayinde proudly wears his name, which means “we gave praise and he came.” He grew up in DC in a single-parent household, after losing his father at an early age. From a young age, Ayinde has had a lifelong appreciation for the escape and ‘theater of the mind’ provided by radio. And his entrepreneurial spirit has been evident throughout his journey – from excellence in sales, to television, speech-writing for Obama, and a career spanning 20+ years in the radio media world.

All preparing him for the epiphany that would become nēdl.

The company’s app lets users set up their own radio stations – complete with instant share links, audience call-in support, and a clever feature that allows listens to tip. nēdl is Ayinde’s THIRD startup focused on mobile radio. He’s been ahead of the curve with each endeavor. And given the amazing growth of experiences like Clubhouse and Instagram Live, his timing for this latest effort seems right on the mark.

Ayinde has raised over $1.6 Million in funding from investors including Backstage Capital and Sweet Capital. Make sure to listen to his compelling story.

 

“Radio has always just been a means by which I stayed connected and learned about other cultures.”
~ Ayinde Alakoye

In this episode Ayinde and Dan discussed:

  • Growing up in DC
  • How his name is as much an ‘American’ name as anyone else’s
  • That radio mimic mom’s voice in the womb (what!?)
  • nēdl as his THIRD startup in mobile radio
  • Crashing a private party for a shot at pitching a prospect CEO
  • His perspective on the latest Clubhouse hype

 

Episode Shout Outs:

WOTP
Backstage Capital
Sweet Capital

 

“ He loved the idea! Three weeks later, I was on a plane to their headquarters and meeting with their CTO.”
~ Ayinde Alakoye

MORE on AYINDE and nēdl

AYINDE:
linkedin.com/in/nedlceo/

nēdl:

nedl.com/about
linkedin.com/company/nedlapp/
twitter.com/nedlapp

 

“…the moral of the story, always listened to your mom.”
~ Ayinde Alakoye

 

MAKING LEARNING IN THE ENTERPRISE FAST AND EASY

Posted on by foundersunfound

 

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

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:
The Plug, a media company that lives at the intersection of data and diversity for the startup and tech communities. Check it out tpinsights.com; Use code UNFOUND to save $10 on an annual subscription.

TRAINING TEAMS IN SECONDS

Tim Salau has that crazy positive energy. It comes through like a smile over the microphone. Tim is one of those folks…after a conversation with him, you just feel ready to go.

Tim’s mission is to aim his passion for design at building things that serve others. So it’s easy to see why he wears so many hats. He is a dynamic speaker, tech influencer, innovator, and content producer. And he’s known as Mr. Future of Work for his visionary perspective on the subject. He’s even got his own tea brand coming out!

On top of all that, Tim is co-founder, and CEO of Guide, a platform for bite-sized learning and talent development for Enterprise remote teams. Guide allows companies to put training and corporate learning directly and easily into the hands of the creators and the learners. How it began, and how it evolved is quite a tale.

Make sure to listen in.

 

“you don’t live where the world is, you live where the world is going.”
~ Tim Salau

In this episode Tim and Dan discussed:

  • His journey from Nigeria to Houston
  • Tim’s passion for design and serving others
  • How he handled losing a co-founder
  • Guide’s ‘all-in’ pivot during COVID-19
  • Tim’s vision for where Guide can go

 

Episode Shout Outs:
Taban Cosmos
Backstage Capital

 

“[our] Facebook community has grown [to] over 300,000 people strong worldwide.”
~ Tim Salau

 

MORE on TIM AND GUIDE

TIM:
@timsalau [TW], [IG]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsalau/
https://www.timsalau.com/

GUIDE:
guideapp.co
@GuideHQ_ [TW]
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mentorsmentees/

 

“The WHAT can look different but the WHY can never change.”
~ Tim Salau

 

 

 

ChargerHelp! Ensuring Electric Vehicle Charger Station Uptime

Posted on by foundersunfound

 

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

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE:  BLCK VC, a focused community built for and by black investors
Founders Unfound listeners: If you ever thought about getting into Venture, you definitely want to connect up at  blackvc.com  or follow @BLCKVC for more about their exceptional programs and events.

 

Sustainability meets

workforce development

 

It’s rare when a startup can impact one market challenge successfully. And even rarer…two at once. Well, that’s just exactly what Kameale Terry and ChargerHelp! are doing. Kameale’s company is tackling a major pain point in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure – repair and maintenance. At the same time, she’s committed to workforce development and economic mobility. ChargerHelp! is creating an entirely new career role – part technician, part electrician, part IT support. And she wants to prioritize training those from her own community. 

Kameale has the energy, passion, and drive you just want to get behind. The company story is compelling and she’s pretty good at pitching it. So much so that she’s earned hundreds of thousands in grants and pitch competition wins. Now that’s a way to fund a startup! The journey that landed Kameale as a startup CEO is unique and fascinating.

 Listen in to hear the story.

 

“…I am a native to Southcentral Los Angeles.”
~ Kameale Terry

In this episode Kameale and Dan discussed:

  • Her persistent desire to make an impact
  • How the need to return home made her career flourish
  • How in 2 years at another startup, she went from customer service rep to leader
  • Why she keeps ending up surrounded by smart black women
  • What attracted her to sustainability and EV

 

Episode Shout Outs:

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)
Grid110 South LA
Startup Grind LA
EV Connect

 

“Oh, I want to find the best people for these positions. And it just all just so happened to be black women.”
~ Kameale Terry

 

MORE on Kameale AND chargerhelp!

KAMEALE:
@KamealeC
linkedin.com/in/kamealecterry

CHARGERHELP!:
chargerhelp.com
@ChargerHelp
linkedin.com/company/chargerhelp

 

“And that has been The most life-giving experience I’ve literally ever had.”
~ Kameale Terry

 

 

 

FLIQPAY: ACCELERATING PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS GLOBALLY

Posted on by foundersunfound

  

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

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE:   Valence, a new community built for black professionals
Founders Unfound listeners: get free membership and priority access here
Sign up for the Valence BOOST Challenge

 

Leveraging CRYPTOCURRENCY TO

SPEED UP CROSS-BORDER PAYMENTS

 

Wole Ayodele is an entrepreneur on a roll. Wole is classically trained as an engineer but began his career in marketing. It’s a chance to shift into banking, however, that helped Wole find his passion for finance. He is on his SECOND fintech startup with Fliqpay, a company that uses cryptocurrency infrastructure to help businesses send and receive payments globally. The Fliqpay platform cuts transaction time from days to minutes which is significant when their clients are waiting for payments to settle. With Fliqpay, literally time is money!

Listen in to hear the story.

 

“…it took me about 15 minutes to make a decision ”
~ Wole Ayodele

In this episode Wole and Dan discussed:

  • Startup life in Nigeria during a pandemic lockdown
  • How cryptocurrency is more than a speculation tool
  • Wole’s career arc through engineering, marketing, and banking
  • a quick tutorial on cross-border payments and the macroeconomic impact
  • Raising money globally in a COVID-19 world

 

Episode Shout Outs:

Techstars Bangalore

 

“Over the next one month, we had over 800 businesses that joined the wait list”
~ Wole Ayodele

 

MORE on WOLE AND FLIQPAY

WOLE:
twitter.com/AyowoleOA
linkedin.com/in/woleayodele/
Fliqpay Pitch on Techstars Demo Day

FLIQPAY:
fliqpay.com/
twitter.com/fliqpay
linkedin.com/company/fliqpay/

 

“I told my friends…I want to do something different.”
~ Wole Ayodele

 

 

 

MD ALLY: USING TELEMEDICINE TO OPTIMIZE 911 OUTCOMES

Posted on by foundersunfound

  

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

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE:   Valence, a new community built for black professionals
Founders Unfound listeners: get free membership and priority access here
Sign up for the Valence BOOST Challenge

Leveraging Telemedicine to

Enhance 911 Services

 

Shanel Fields grew up around EMS and first responders. And early in her career, she realized that health tech was a place that fed her desire to make an impact. So it makes sense that she combined these two influences when she set out to get her MBA. She was able to mold her business school experience completely around what would become her startup – MD Ally.

The problem MD Ally solves seems so obvious: 911 dispatchers aren’t licensed medical personnel; if you have a health concern, they can’t officially diagnose your situation. So, if you need a band-aid or a defibrillator, they send an ambulance either way. MD Ally is trying to fix this. Shanel wants to make sure EMS responders aren’t tied up with band-aids when time is critical for that defibrillator!

The company now has major momentum, having recently:

  • raised a $1 Million seed round
  • completed the Techstars accelerator program
  • been featured in the New York Times

Listen in to hear more!

 

“…I think that this is a non negotiable in any role or job
or position that I take on ”
~ Shanel Fields

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

  • What it’s like to grow up with a volunteer EMT
  • How she reverse-engineered her MBA
  • Why the 911 system flaws can mean life or death for underserved communities
  • A different perspective on where to visit Santa during the holidays
  • Why MD Ally had to be envisioned through the lens of an underrepresented founder

 

Episode Shout Outs:
Techstars Seattle

 

“I would start coaching myself early on sleeping more and
taking more breaks.”
~ Shanel Fields

 

MORE on SHANEL AND MD ALLY

SHANEL:
linkedin.com/in/shanelfields/
New York Times feature

MD ALLY:
mdally.com
twitter.com/mdallyinc
linkedin.com/company/mdally/

 

“…maybe they didn’t think I was going to be very good at technology or a CEO, especially in a male-dominated space like public safety.”
~ Shanel Fields

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

TASTEMAKERS AFRICA : THE SEXY DOPE WAY TO EXPERIENCE AFRICA

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“)

HELPING mILLENIALS CONNECT TO THE CONTINENT IN EXCITING WAYS

 

Cheraé Robinson has one of those personalities. Five minutes into a conversation with her and you quickly realize how people gravitate to her passion instantly. Her company, Tastemakers Africa,  is on a mission to change perspectives and perceptions of Africa. As she puts it, Africa is more than a place to volunteer or be in the Lion King. Cheraé was generous to do our podcast in the midst of the Corona virus pandemic. Her startup, with a foundation in travel, is evolving day-by-day. She wanted to share this season with others, in real-time as the story unfolds.

 

“…you sort of know that you need to be a different level of excellent. ”
~ Cheraé Robinson

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

  • Benefits and challenges of attending an HBCU
  • Lifelong calling to Africa, installed by her family
  • Leaving her corporate office the day she knew she wouldn’t ever be back
  • Dealing with the radical changes required from the COVID-19 crisis
  • Discovering our mutual friend Erik Blachford
  • Being a black woman founder

 

Episode Shout Outs:
Flybridge Capital
Precursor Ventures
She Leads Africa
Helene Gayle, AA Exec legend

 

“McKinsey wasn’t recruiting at Morgan, so there were so many things that I didn’t know were an option.”
~ Cheraé Robinson

 

MORE on CHERAÉ and TASTEMAKERS AFRICA

CHERAÉ:
twitter.com/sasyrae
linkedin.com/in/cheraerobinson/
instagram.com/sasyrae/

TASTEMAKERS AFRICA:
twitter.com/tstmkrsafrica
tastemakersafrica.com

 

“…it was the discomfort of the bro world.”
~Cheraé Robinson

 

 

 

HENRY HEALTH : DIGITAL MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH A CULTURAL LENS

Posted on by foundersunfound

 

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

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: Trajectory Series

 

CONNECTING MENTAL HEALTH AND THE TALE OF JOHN HENRY

 

As a public health advocate and consultant, Kevin Dedner was well aware of the disparities in the health and longevity of black men in America. African American men have the lowest life expectancy of any group…67 years of age. This number is in stark contrast to their white counterparts who see life spans into the early 80s on average.

Dr. Sherman James described this impact as “John Henryism” based on the folktale of steel driver John Henry. As the story goes, John was a black man and the best in the land at driving steel into mountainsides – necessary for the building of railroad tunnels. He was challenged to race a machine – a steam-driven hammer. He defeated the machine, and then had a heart attack and died.  Dr. James saw this as a metaphor for the life of the American black man. Basically: work at full capacity ALL THE TIME, with all the extra stresses and striving, which results in a shorter life.

So with this as a backdrop, Kevin undertook his own personal journey in mental health. His epiphany from the experience: finding a provider is a big challenge AND cultural context of your therapy matters.

When his co-founder Oliver asked him if he as interested in digital mental health Kevin knew what his calling would be. Henry Health (named for John Henry) was born in 2018. The company is building a digital platform that provides culturally sensitive teletherapy services. Their first community is, as you would expect, black men. Dan and Kevin talked about his background, the origin story of Henry Health, and certainly the current situation with the Coronavirus pandemic.

What else did they cover? Listen in and find out!

 

“And so, when I was choosing a therapist, it was literally like eeny, meeny, miny, moe… ”
~ Kevin Dedner

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

  • Attending the high school where Brown vs Board of Education was tested
  • His personal journey with mental health
  • How Kevin and his team are coping with COVID-19 crisis
  • A shout out to the Transparent Collective
  • The “questions behind the questions” from investors

 

Episode Shout Outs:
Transparent Collective
Startup Health
 Morgan Stanley Multicultural Innovation Lab
Dr. Sherman James

 

“We have pointed out a 100 year old problem that payers,
public health leaders are all aware of…”
~ Kevin Dedner

 

MORE on KEVIN and HENRY HEALTH

KEVIN:
https://twitter.com/kdedner
linkedin.com/in/kevin-dedner-mph-
HxD Conference Video

 

HENRY HEALTH:
https://twitter.com/HenryHealthApp
https://www.henry-health.com

“I lost so much time by not having a technical person…”
~Kevin Dedner