Founders Unfound

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Kameale Terry is co-founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!, a company that is changing the way electric vehicle charging stations are repaired and maintained. ChargerHelp is crushing the LA tech pitch circuit! Listen in to hear about how her company is at the innovative intersection of clean tech and workforce development.

FULL EPISODE drops July 16th!

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OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: Valence, a new and exciting community built for black professionals

Founders Unfound listeners: get free membership and priority access here

Sign up for the Valence BOOST Challenge: www.valence.community/boostchallenge

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 from Wole on cross-border payments
• Raising money globally in a COVID-19 world

Episode Shout Outs:

• Techstars Bangalore

Wole Ayodele is an entrepreneur who is 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.

WOLE:

twitter.com/AyowoleOA

linkedin.com/in/woleayodele/

Fliqpay Pitch on Techstars Demo Day

FLIQPAY:

fliqpay.com/

twitter.com/fliqpay

linkedin.com/company/fliqpay/

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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Follow Founders Unfound : Like and share - help us grow!

Wole Ayodele is co-founder and CEO of Fliqpay, a company that helps businesses send and receive payments globally. His company, fresh from completing Techstars, is rocking the Africa fintech space. Wole has a great story as black founder based in Nigeria.

Make sure to listen in!

FULL EPISODE drops June 25th!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: Valence, a new and exciting community built for black professionals

Founders Unfound listeners: get free membership and priority access here

Sign up for the Valence BOOST Challenge: www.valence.community/boostchallenge

In this special follow up from last week's discussion with black men founders, we now bring the viewpoint from the women's perspective. We gathered four accomplished women entrepreneurs to talk startups, fundraising, and the greater context of racial inequality, social justice protests, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dan is honored to have Dr. Ivor Horn step in as a special guest host. Dr. Horn is an angel investor and advisor supporting entrepreneurs of color, especially women, in digital health.

Helen Adeosun, Stella Ashaolu, Cherae Robinson, and Ashlee Wisdom join Ivor...in a conversation that reveals frustration, but also determination, wisdom and resilience. Listen in!

In this episode the round table discussed:

• How it feels to be a black woman in America right now (June 2020)
• Moving between exhausted and determined
• Honoring the moment: with voice, intention, and self-care
• The desire to reach back and lift up
• How office hours are a poor substitute for a check

Audience Resources:

• Cherae's Podcast
• Helen's funding announcement
• Stella's recent panel discussion
• Ashlee's TEDx Talk
• More about Ivor

• George Floyd Memorial Fund
• Black Tech for Black Lives
• BLCK VC #WeWontWait Campaign (go to "Donate" section to find organizations worthy of your time and resources)
• Hidden Genius Project Recommendations
• Black Girl Ventures

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: Valence, a new and exciting community built for black professionals

Founders Unfound listeners: get free membership and priority access here

Sign up for the Valence BOOST Challenge: www.valence.community/boostchallenge

In this special episode, Dan brings together former podcast guests from across the US and Canada. These founders process in real-time how they feel -- as black men and as entrepreneurs -- in the wake of the senseless killing of George Floyd and the subsequent protests sparked all around the country. These savvy entrepreneurs and leaders dive into what they think we and others can be doing to address police brutality, racial inequality, and the outcry for justice and social change.

Kahlil Ashanti, Bara Cola, AK Ikwuakor, and Claudius Mbemba...

keep it real, as the conversation covers everything from exasperation to optimism, and everything in between.

In this episode the round table discussed:

• How it feels to be a black man in America right now (June 2020)
• What it's like to be a black entrepreneur in the midst of two American crises
• What steps are they taking, in light of the protests, George Floyd, and their own mental health
• Recommendations for others, including allies

Audience Resources:

• AK's Post
• Bara's Post
• Claudius' Post
• Dan's Post

• George Floyd Memorial Fund
• https://www.grassrootslaw.org/
• BLCK VC #WeWontWait Campaign (go to "Donate" section to find organizations worthy of your time and resources)
• Hidden Genius Project (and the 15 organizations it recommends)
• Black Girl Ventures

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: Valence, a new and exciting community built for black professionals

Founders Unfound listeners: get free membership and priority access here

Sign up for the Valence BOOST Challenge: www.valence.community/boostchallenge

In this episode Shanel and Dan discussed:

• What it's like to grow up with a volunteer EMT
• How she reverse-engineered her MBA
• Why 911 system challenges 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

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 setting out on her MBA journey. She was able to mold her business school experience completely around what would become her startup - MD Ally.

Listen in to hear how!

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. Shanel's startup is trying to fix this. She 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

SHANEL:

linkedin.com/in/shanelfields/

New York Times feature

MD ALLY:

mdally.com

twitter.com/mdallyinc

linkedin.com/company/mdally/

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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Follow Founders Unfound : Like and share - help us grow!

Shanel Fields is founder and CEO of MD Ally, a 911 telehealth solution that allows emergency personnel to triage non-emergency callers to telemedicine. Her company, fresh off of a successful fund-raise, was recently profiled in the New York Times. Shanel has a great story as a black woman founder. You don't want to miss it!

FULL EPISODE drops May 28th!

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OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: The Plug

(get $10 off annual subscription to TPInsights with code "unfound")

Marcus and Dan discussed:

• 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

Marcus Bullock is as rare as they come. A master motivator, charismatic leader, and passionate change-maker. 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!

MARCUS:

twitter.com/_marcus_bullock

Marcus TED talk

FLIKSHOP:

flikshop.com

twitter.com/flikshop

linkedin.com/in/flikshop/

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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Follow Founders Unfound : Like and share - help us grow!

Marcus Bullock is founder and CEO of Flikshop, a company that helps families stay connected to their incarcerated loved ones. Marcus has a powerful and authentic personal journey, which has directly resulted in the Flikshop success story. You don't want to miss it!

FULL EPISODE drops May 14th!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE: The Plug

(get $10 off annual subscription to TPInsights with code "unfound")

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.

Cheraé and Dan discussed:

• 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

Cheraé:

twitter.com/sasyrae

linkedin.com/in/cheraerobinson/

instagram.com/sasyrae/

Tastemakers Africa:

twitter.com/tstmkrsafrica

tastemakersafrica.com

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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