Summary

In this episode of the Vertical SaaS podcast, Gavin Savage interviews Jessica Chen-Riolfi, co-founder of Uprise, an AI-driven financial advisory platform for small business owners. Jessica shares her journey from Wall Street to Silicon Valley, her experiences at major tech companies like eBay, TransferWise, and Robinhood, and the lessons that shaped her approach to founding Uprise.

She discusses the complexities of financial decision-making for small business owners and how Uprise aims to address these challenges through technology and AI. The conversation also touches on the regulatory landscape in financial advisory and the importance of doing right by customers. In this conversation, Jessica Chen Riolfi discusses the complexities of securities compliance, the importance of human oversight in AI, and her journey in finding co-founders. She shares insights on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, navigating venture capital, and the significance of angel investors.

Jessica emphasizes the need for learning and iterating in business, building product-market fit, and the future goals of her company, Uprise. She also explores innovations in fintech partnerships and offers valuable advice for founders.

Takeaways

Jessica's journey reflects a winding path to tech.

The importance of stepping outside of comfort zones.

Big tech experiences shape startup founders' approaches.

Uprise aims to solve complex financial decision-making.

AI technology is crucial for modern financial advisory.

Partnerships enhance Uprise's service offerings.

Understanding the intertwined nature of personal and business finances.

Regulatory compliance is essential in financial advisory.

Building from scratch allows for tailored solutions.

Listening to customer feedback is vital for improvement. Securities can be complex and often misunderstood.

Human oversight is crucial in AI-generated outputs.

Finding the right co-founders can be challenging but essential.

Best practices in entrepreneurship evolve over time.

Understanding your market is key to product development.

Venture capital can be beneficial but requires careful navigation.

Angel investors provide valuable support and networks.

Learning quickly from failures is vital for startups.

Building product-market fit takes time and experimentation.

Fundamentals like revenue and profit should guide business decisions.

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