Shane Ray Show

Alex Schaffhausen built Blip to solve a painful problem he faced as a founder - slow, expensive payments.

In this episode, he shares how he turned early pilots into real revenue without a sales team.

You’ll learn:

• How to close your first pilot with a simple “fellow founder” ask
• Why texting your customers beats long email chains
• The step that turns a pilot into a long-term deal
• How to use rejection to get faster yeses
• Why customer obsession is the best growth strategy

If you’re a founder trying to turn interest into income, this one’s for you.

 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know your biggest takeaway: linkedin.com/in/shaneraymartin

Six PeaceTech founders pitch their ideas in 60 seconds each.

What you will hear:
• How AI can turn conflict into connection
• AI tools that build emotional resilience
• Better ways to talk across political divides
• Software that supports mediators and ombuds teams
• Products that help couples, teams, and communities work things out

Hosted by Shane Ray Martin. Investor @ B Ventures.

Come learn. Get inspired. Steal a few lines for your own pitch.

Join the PeaceTech WhatsApp group to meet founders and investors who believe peace is profitable.

This week’s episode is a little different.

I’m sharing four events I’m helping host that you may want to join. Each one is about spending time with others in fellowship and helping your company grow. 

☕ Faith-Driven Founders and Investors

October 7 at 9 AM PT, 340 Fremont Street, 9th floor, San Francisco
278 people have RSVP’d. No panels and no keynotes. Just founders and investors meeting over coffee and whatever snacks Ife and I find for you.  
Register: https://partiful.com/e/T0QndAl1f11G0tuNLnEY 

🌉 PeaceTech in Silicon Valley

October 8 at 9 AM, San Francisco near the old Twitter building
175 people registered so far. A simple meetup for those building at the intersection of peace and profit. Register: https://partiful.com/e/bIUPoChXzNyvp0uc8cH7 

🏛️ Family Office + LP Gathering in DC

October 9 in Washington DC
This one is sold out. A private event with family offices and LPs who are leaning into venture. Reach out if you’d like more details.

💻 PeaceTech Founder Open Office Hours (Virtual)

October 23 at 12 PM ET on Zoom
Only 20 spots available. Bring a deal that is stuck in the pipeline. We will work through it together in a 60 minute, fully actionable session. 
Register: https://partiful.com/e/kBaUhrISsGJz41DqQDB4 

If you are building, investing, or just curious about the PeaceTech movement, choose the one that fits you best and come join us.

👉 Questions? Send me a quick text at 480-619-9239 or DM me, and I will get you plugged in.

Josue Romero never planned on tech - until grad school threw him into it. 

From working construction in the Arizona heat…
To breaking into VC without connections…
To spotting huge startups before Draper and other big funds…
To launching Silicon Oasis so Arizona founders don’t get overlooked…

Josue’s story is about grit, kindness, and refusing to wait for permission. 

In this episode, he shares:

• How he built one of Arizona’s biggest tech communities from scratch
• Why “ruthless but kind” is the mindset every founder needs
• What really separates standout founders from the rest
• How to break into venture capital 
• Why serving others compounds into opportunity

If you’re building outside Silicon Valley - or looking for the edge in a tough market- this conversation is for you.

👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me your biggest takeaway: linkedin.com/in/shaneraymartin

This one was special for me. I grew up in Mesa, Arizona, where Josue and I went to high school together. Those were some of the most fun times of my life - and they shaped who I am today!!!

Christine Keung has built through chaos - again and again.

From scaling Dropbox during its rocket-ship growth…
To serving as Chief Data Officer for San Jose at the height of the pandemic…
To now backing founders as a GP at J2 Ventures…

Chaos isn’t something she avoids.
It’s where she thrives! 

In this episode, Christine shares:

• The blind spots that trip up early founders
• Green flags she looks for when investing in teams
• Why chaos creates the best opportunities for growth
• How her first-gen upbringing shaped her career in venture
• Why government and startups are more alike than you think

If you’re building a company - or leading through uncertainty - this episode is your blueprint.

👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me your biggest takeaway: linkedin.com/in/shaneraymartin

Scott Sherman has worked with 500+ fund managers in his career.

From his days at Blackstone to today at Mesa Lane Capital, he’s seen what makes a GP rise - and what makes them crash.

Here’s the kicker: most VC fund managers don’t fail because they can’t invest.

They fail because they forget they’re also running a business.

In this episode, Scott breaks down:

• The #1 mistake new GPs make in Fund I
• Why trust and integrity matter more than big-name logos
• How the best GPs structure their firms from day one
• The operational “unsexy stuff” that sets the top 1% apart
• Why emerging managers can still deliver the best returns in venture

If you’re raising a fund - or thinking about it - this episode is your roadmap.

👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know how you’re applying Scott’s tips: linkedin.com/in/shaneraymartin

Most startup CEOs are spreading themselves too thin - too many channels, too many customer types, too many offers.

On top of that: THEY DON'T ASK FOR THE BUSINESS.

That’s the $10M mistake.

In this episode, I share the Rule of One:

• One Channel – go where your buyers actually live.
• One Customer – focus on the person with pain and budget.
• One Offer – make it so good they feel silly saying no.

When you simplify, you multiply.

This is your fastest path to revenue.

👉 If this hit home, let’s connect on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear what you’re working on and how you’re applying the Rule of One.

God bless, go get 'em!

Chris Rizik has done what most VCs only dream of.

He’s invested in 60 VC funds supporting 800+ startups while reshaping the entire Midwest startup ecosystem.

In this episode, Shane sits down with Chris — NVCA Venture Vanguard Award winner, Michigan VC Hall of Fame inductee, and Managing Partner of Renaissance VC — to share the mindset and strategies that made him one of the most respected voices in venture capital.

✅ What you’ll learn:

• The #1 trait Chris looks for in a GP before investing
• Why democratizing venture capital leads to stronger returns
• The toughest lessons every VC must learn (and how to know when to walk away)
• How specialized funds can outperform mega-funds in the AI era
• What today’s GPs must do to stand out

If you’re a tech founder, fund manager, or investor, this conversation is packed with wisdom you won’t find in any pitch deck.

🎧 Hosted by Shane Ray Martin — Investor at B Ventures Group, the world’s first PeaceTech VC fund, LinkedIn Top Voice in Negotiation, and Certified Peace Mediator — helping founders grow both peace and profit.

👉 Message and connect with Shane: linkedin.com/in/shaneraymartin

PS - On October 1st, Chris is hosting UnDemo Day in Detroit, MI! Check out the full details: renvcf.com/undemo-day/

In this awesome episode, you met Devon Coombs — a former homeless 21-year-old who rose to negotiating multi-billion-dollar AI deals at Google.

Devon’s testimony is about resilience. Hard work. Wisdom. Taking action. It’s about breaking generational cycles, finding purpose in adversity, and choosing to make a difference.

You’ll learn:

✅ How Devon went from living in his car to leading at Google
✅ Why billion-dollar deals can’t replace meaning and service
✅ The 3 pillars he uses to measure life beyond outcomes
✅ Practical advice for anyone starting a business in 2025
✅ How to turn setbacks into your stepping stones

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or someone facing your own battles - Devon’s story will remind you what’s possible. You can book a strategy call with him here. 

🎧 Hosted by Shane Ray Martin — Investor, Author, LinkedIn Top Voice in Negotiation, and Certified Peace Mediator — helping PeaceTech companies scale and raise funding.

👉 Follow Shane: linkedin.com/in/shaneraymartin

For the first time in history, peace might be more profitable than war.

Here are 3 reasons why PeaceTech could become a $100B+ industry and how you can join the movement.

1️⃣ Founders are building tech for peace

Think AI for negotiations, satellite tools for conflict monitoring, and agentic platforms that prevent violence before it starts. These startups are not just ideas — they’re scaling fast in hotspots around the world.

Example: Imagine AI mediates peace talks between nations…it's not impossible! 

2️⃣ Investors are joining 

Family offices, LPs, and advisors worldwide are investing in peace-focused technology — not just defense. This is a brand-new asset class with huge potential for returns and global peace.

3️⃣ The opportunity is open to you

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or leader in your field, you can be part of an ecosystem that’s growing faster than anyone imagined.

If this excites you, let’s connect.

Email me at [email protected] or connect with me on LinkedIn. Together, we can build a world where peace is not just possible — it’s profitable.

Let's do this!