Unboxed Show

Jenn Summe is a startup enthusiast who excels at connecting people and scaling ideas and businesses. At Primordial, she invests in early-stage tech startups within the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of NC. Jenn is a well-known figure in the Triangle, with a robust background in entrepreneurship and marketing. She currently collaborates with Joe Colopy of Primordial Ventures.

In this episode, we dive into funding, the importance of seed rounds, and investment trends. Colopy Ventures, a tech-focused family office based in Durham, North Carolina, supports and invests in the region's technology entrepreneurs and startups. Its affiliated organizations include GrepBeat, Jurassic Capital, and Primordial.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifersumme/

The Durham Art Guild (DAG), a nonprofit visual arts organization established in 1948, has been a cornerstone of the community for 75 years. Dedicated to supporting artists and the arts, DAG's mission is to enrich and unite Durham's communities by creating opportunities and providing leadership for both current and future visual artists and art enthusiasts. In today's show, we have the pleasure of speaking with Liz Gage, Executive Director of the Durham Art Guild, along with Linsey Burt.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-gage-440b0656/

Rich Belsky is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, investor, and coach who excels in navigating complex strategic landscapes. With a unique blend of entrepreneurial, legal, and mentoring experience, he has a particular affinity for M&A, product ownership, corporate development, and venture portfolio support. Rich has a proven track record as a company builder and is a trusted advisor to founders, board members, C-suite executives, and investors across diverse industries. He thrives on immersing himself in challenging environments, both for his own growth and in collaboration with others.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-belsky-32930211/

Tobi is a venture capitalist for Cofounders Capital, a Triangle-based VC that invests in B2B SaaS companies in early stages. Prior to Cofounders, Tobi was a cofounder of Shoeboxed, a SaaS fintech startup that empowered business owners to manage receipts, invoices and automated bookkeeping. 

He later moved to the Triangle to co-found Shoeboxed, a SaaS fintech startup that enabled business owners to efficiently manage receipts, invoices, and automate bookkeeping. After a successful exit from Shoeboxed in 2018, Tobi brought his finance and marketing expertise to the team at Cofounders Capital.

In this episode, we'll discuss what Tobi loves about being a venture capitalist and how he finds fulfillment in learning and helping others. We'll get into some of the trends in the market, what it takes to be ready to be investable, and the general concept of 'your goal is not to raise venture capital, your goal is to have a successful outcome as a business.'

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiaswalter/

Will Barfield, is a seasoned builder of sales teams and is currently the founder and principal of Barfield Revenue Consulting which helps companies of all sizes identify talent, build teams, and scale the revenue side of their companies. In this episode we discuss our local ecosystem and what we are best at as it relates to scaling sales organizations, key tips for founders adding sales to their startups, and how to grow your LinkedIn connections from a few thousand to over 14,000 in less than 12 months by being authentic. 

Want to take this episode with you? 

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324034/episodes

To learn more about Madilynn A. Beck & Nick Jordan:

https://www.smashingboxes.com/

We've got more to offer on our social platforms! 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjordan1/

In this episode, Nick and Eric talk all venture studios, venture development, venture building, venture capital, and more.  Settle in and get ready for an in depth discussion on all things venture! 

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick and Eric sit down with the Director of Primordial, Jenn Summe. Jenn describes herself as a startup junkie that loves to connect people and bring ideas and businesses to scale. Primordial is an early stage venture fund that invests in startups in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of NC.

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick and Eric sit down with Will McGuire, founder and CEO of Incolo. Since 2019, Incolo has helped 30+ founders grow their startups with those who believe in their vision. $10M+ has been raised by the founders who pursued investment with 55%+ coming from the crowd propelling their growth. Collectively, the founders’ businesses are valued at $150M+ and have created over 125 jobs.

Will started Incolo to create a world where his children and others could fund and build companies together with anyone.

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick Jordan and Eric Porper sit down with Tom Simon, an entrepreneur with nearly a decade of experience in the tech industry.  In a preview of the upcoming special edition of The Unboxed Show, "Things Guys Measure", they unpack why venture capital deployed to our area saw a 70% decline from 2022 to 2023 and what 2024 and future years might look like.

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick Jordan and Eric Porper sit down with Carlos O'Briant, the visionary artist, entrepreneur, and CEO of Family Bizness, hailing from Durham, North Carolina. In this enlightening conversation, Carlos shares his transformative journey from navigating the challenges of the entertainment industry to founding Ambianz Studios, a creative sanctuary designed to foster collaboration and community amidst the digital age's solitude.

The Unboxed Show  - Episode 1 - Season 1