What's Your Ask? with Stephanie Sims

*This episode is a shared episode directly from the host, Natalie Benamou. In This Episode: Are you looking for investors in your business and unsure where to start? Let's take a walk with Stephanie Sims, founder of Finance-Ability®, former investment banker and finance expert. Stephanie gives her advice and strategies on moving from “shiny object syndrome” to prioritizing your growth strategies. This conversation with host Natalie Benamou and Stephanie Sims shows you how you can start leveraging your value today.  Evaluate Your Business: 1. Take a step back and understand what you want the business to be.  2. Develop your “credible milestone ask” based on what the next goal/objective is for your business.  3. Focus on your strengths and recognize your weaknesses when expanding your team. Hire people who will balance you out.  4. Think early about your path to profitability instead of only focusing on growth. The Ask: ● Things don't have to be perfect when asking for money for your business. ● Be open with investors about your experiments (what worked and what didn't work).  ● Watch out for “shiny object syndrome”. Is it going to add value to your business?  Know Your Worth ● Giving equity away for your business: If someone wants to invest in exchange for 5%, you need to know if that's $50,000 or $500,000. It's important to have a sense of the dollar value for what you're giving away.  ● Receiving equity as partial payment at a new job opportunity: What does the deal look like if the equity doesn't materialize vs. if it does happen.  Are you comfortable with the balance of risk and reward that you've agreed to take to make that deal work.  Thank you, Stephanie Sims, for this conversation, your expertise and helping entrepreneurs understand how to leverage their value.  Stephanie Sims has more than two decades in finance, quality & IT management and valuation of public and private entities. Stephanie's experience with large transactions and her knowledge of how due diligence works made it easy to spot one of the key reasons that entrepreneurs face such difficulty getting financing: they don't understand the fundamentals of evaluating risks versus rewards. Developing this knowledge base led her to see that everyone has the ability to manage their finances successfully, but they don't always realize it. And that's where the notion of Finance-Ability was born. Natalie Benamou is the CEO of HerPower2 Lead and HerCsuite™ an online platform for Executive Women. HerCsuite™ is an online membership platform transforming the way women meet, engage and thrive together. Close The Promotion Gap Inside Peer-to-Peer Curated Mentoring Circles and Level-Up Your Results.  Reach out to Natalie Benamou at HerCsuite™. LinkedIn: Natalie Benamou HerPower2 Lead HerCsuite™ This podcast is sponsored by Aaptiv, our favorite health and wellness app with over 4,000 videos. Listeners can get your free 30-day trial here Credits: Thanks to Julie Deem and the Business Podcast Editor for editing our podcast!

In this episode… This is a shared episode by Matt Wolach.  Matt starts the episode introducing Stephanie, asking where she is today and how she got there.   They kick off the show agreeing that raising capital is truly all about sales.  People looking for funding need to look at what is right in front of them - creating something of value that clients and future clients will pay them for.   One of the mindsets that is super important is that of an investor.  And then you ask yourself, “What is the best use of the resources I already have?”    When it comes to timing, Stephanie shares the best way to know if you're ready to raise capital is when you know how to turn $1m inside your company to $2m.  One needs to understand what makes a good investment inside your business first. The show turns to talking about fundraising being truly a sales and marketing process.  However, there are a few metrics, key numbers and KPIs to keep an eye on. Finally, they wrap up with Stephanie sharing advice to those setting out to find funds and the right investor.  And of course, ways to keep up with Stephanie. Resources Mentioned in this episode Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there's anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

In this episode… Andrea begins the episode introducing Stephanie, and asks her exactly what it was that drove her into owning her own business. More specifically, what drove her to Financeability. What gave Stephanie the heart for business? It stemmed from watching her parents who owned their own business. When her parents were ready to retire, they reached out to Stephanie who helped them place value on their business so they could talk about it like the asset it was. Stephanie shares how she helps businesses plan an exit strategy that doesn't just include hanging their hat on the door and that's that. Understanding the end game is crucial, and not everyone knows that. Another major playing piece for those wanting to ask for money is knowing their ideal investor.  Without knowing that, there is so much wasted time and energy. There are two groups that Stephanie works with, and those are founders, but the second one that really excites her is working  with organizations that serve groups of founders.  She explains why, so make sure you listen!   The episode wraps with words of advice and sharing what she believes is her superpower and how it helps others. Resources Mentioned in this Episode Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn http://leadlikeawoman.biz Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there's anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

In this Episode . . . Robbie gets this episode started by asking Stephanie about her leadership journey and when she realized she had a knack for leading.  To Stephanie, being a leader is equal parts inspiration and risk/action taking.  One must have a bold vision to share with people that will get them excited about doing something.  In the same sense, one must also be willing to roll up their own sleeves, dig in and do some work as well. Mentors were important to Stephanie, and among the top of that list are her parents.  They encouraged and supported her in multiple ways during her leadership journey.  No matter how crazy of an idea, they were there for her and provided the push when needed.  At the age of 12, Stephanie thought she wanted to be a doctor until the opportunity arose at summer camp to practice on cadavers.  It was then her dream of being a doctor was called off.  By the age of 13, she was working on spreadsheet for her parents, and with her father being an accountant, she was off and running in the world of finance. Robbie and Stephanie talk at length about networking.  Prior to the pandemic, networking was largely face-to-face.  Things, events, and the mode of networking has changed drastically since March 2020, and these changes will be a permanent thing.  The episode wraps with Stephanie sharing what excites her about the future, and how she will be mentoring and reaching groups of entrepreneurs. Resources Mentioned in this episode Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there's anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

In this Episode . . . Stephanie shares that her parents owned a business while she was in high school, but when time came to sell their business and retire, they struggled to find buyers.  She realized then that the business was sellable, but they didn't know how to talk about their business as an investment. For Stephanie, it is fun to see people get excited, but she tries to help when they are frustrated because they see a way to grow but don't know how to find the money to do it.  Most entrepreneurs are not finance people, so don't always understand their financial health and what pieces to put in place.  They need to know their numbers in order to look and ask for capital.  The numbers are very revealing! The world changed during the pandemic.  Toward the end of the year, and people adapted, there was quite a bit of money raised.  The changes, including the world of Zoom, made people transition to a different way of approaching the investor.  But, she did see a lot of people panic, but most turned the panic into productivity.  The biggest misconception people have, is there is this huge pool of money just looking to be spent.  That isn't how it works.  They generally won't fund 100% of the round, and sometimes they simply aren't interested because it isn't big enough for them.  Reality is this – there are different kinds of capital for companies at different stages.  Fundraising is just like sales and marketing – you need an ideal client, and you need a message that resonates with them.  You can't stand up and simply ask, “Hey I have this thing, do you want to buy it?”  Building connections is key, even though the digital world continues to advance.  It's time to pull back automation and create genuine relationships.  The touch and customer service are needed. Philosophy needs to be aligned with whomever you work with.  It isn't always prudent to get involved, and there are always going to be other opportunities.  Finally, Stephanie shares this piece of advice, “money is not your problem.”  Rethink things if you feel money will get you where you want to go.  Resources Mentioned in this episode Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there's anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I'm excited to talk to Natalie Benamou, the Founder & CEO of Herpower2 Lead. Natalie is a strategic thought leader with 30 years of experience creating ‘Blue Ocean' strategies that help differentiate businesses from the competition and leading organizations.  She has served as President of HBA Chicago (Healthcare Business Women's Association) as well as A Heart For Animals, an all volunteer animal rescue that has saved over 3,000 pets. Natalie founded HerCsuite™, an advisory & networking platform for executive women leaders, to empower female executives. She is a super connector and helps women make meaningful business relationships, gain visibility, and advance to the C-suite and beyond. Natalie is also the host of HerCsuite™ Radio, a podcast for women leaders on the move. In this episode… As they start, Natalie shares the scariest ask has ever been when asking for herself.  It is getting others to see the vision she has and join in the vision she has.  She leads with empathy, and asks “what does success look like to you” in hopes they are aligned and can work together.  Natalie and Stephanie have a lengthy discussion on failures, the fear of rejection and how to rejoice with getting “no” knowing it leads to bigger and better things. In addition to failures, they talk about resilience and flexibility.  Without those, success will not be easily achieved. Lastly, Natalie shares she loves to say “yes” to the asks she gets but now asks herself if she can make a difference, can she help people, and still live her purpose.  If she can confidently say yes to these three questions, she can say yes. Resources Mentioned in this Episode LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliebenamou/ https://hercsuite.com/ https://www.rejectiontherapy.com/  Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there's anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I'm excited to talk to Tara Spalding, the Managing Director of BoomStartup Accelerator.  BoomStartup is an accelerator and mentorship-driven angel-stage investment program for startups, which operates as an online technology-driven accelerator, providing entrepreneurs a custom business plan including business maturity guidance, investment preparation, and capital structuring relevant to growth, and investment strategies as well as a curated marketplace for services.  Tara is also the founder of Hen House Ventures, an early stage incubator that helps tech companies rapidly scale when entering massive markets, and is also on the board of trustees for VentureCapital.org.  Tara is the recipient of the 2020 Utah Business 30 Women to Watch award. Tara began her high-tech career in Silicon Valley when she taught herself to code software and became the first employee, and eventually VP of marketing at industry leader, SugarCRM.  Her Silicon Valley experience included roles as CMO at GroundWork Open Source, VP marketing at Magnet Systems, and co-founder and CPO at BenchPick. Tara received her bachelors from University of Colorado, Boulder. In this episode… Tara starts with the speed round and answering Stephanie's questions including her favorite junk food, vacation spots, and music. For Tara, there were thousands of asks that she didn't not even know she had the courage to do until she did it.  The first time she became a cofounder with another person and needed to find outside investments.  When she did it or helped other people, it came much easier than when it was her own.  Looking back, she realizes she worried about the most goofy things, such as the color she was wearing. The relationship she has now with their investor was built along with trust and credibility over time.  When you find the right investor fit, there is no better relationship because they are on your side in multiple ways and offer beneficial suggestions and ideas. Tara suggests to entrepreneurs: Look at it from the investor's point of view, not the entrepreneur's or their own.  What is important is getting a sense of adventure in how they want to spend their money and see the returns.  For those looking for money, it needs to fit into their investment portfolio as a person.  Everyone has a different risk/reward appetite and that needs to be aligned.  You may want to know how you get an indication about the risk appetite they might have or how involved they want to be, and according to Tara, it is really tricky.   Asking the question, three different times over a period of time to see if answers are consistent, is one method.  Over time, relying on the network is important as well. Tara's company offers everything online at the moment but is piloting their first face-to-face soon.  It is amazing how adaptive our brains are, no matter what the platform or venue.  Right now, investors, and others, are more accessible with technology. How does one refine their ask?  Tara actually pulls from Stephanie's play book and suggests coming up with two options that people can help you with.  People can be successful making the smaller asks and building relationships.  How does Tara decide who to say yes to when it comes to sharing her time?  Always looking for meaningful engagement with more than one person at a time.   When coming up with your ask, make sure to think of a couple of asks.  If you get an answer, advice or introduction you need to follow up by explaining the conclusion!  Where can people find Stephanie?  Join the Boom Start Up Community!  It's fun and easy!  Come on in and have some fun! Resources Mentioned in this episode https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraspalding/ https://boomstartup.com Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there's anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I'm excited to talk to Ari Palmer Salafia, who's the Co-Founder & CEO of TaxTaker, a female-founded tax and technology savings company focused on helping put money back into growing companies pockets.  Over the course of her career, Ari has helped hundreds of companies save tens of millions of dollars on taxes through R&D tax credits and other specialty government programs.  Originally from California, Ari graduated and holds a bachelor degree in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.   Ari moved to Austin, Texas in 2016 and is steadfast in providing support to the incredible companies being built in the United States.   In her free time, Ari enjoys running the trails with her husband and fur babies and finding any waterway she can get to in Texas. Welcome Ari! In this episode: Ari starts with the speed round and answering Stephanie's questions including her favorite junk food, vacation spots, and music. After the speed round, the conversation begins with Ari sharing her biggest ask, which happened a mere year and a half ago when she began to raise capital for TaxTaker. She approached this as if she were in sales, but asking for money was very foreign to her. You will hear how she gained confidence to continue on.  As she grew the number of conversations held with investors, so did her confidence level, and she became more secure with each. She had a healthy mix amongst the investors she met with and realized there is no perfect recipe.  Ari's whole story and messaging held true over time, and the numbers were growing, interest in her product was growing and trending upward. Even when the pandemic hit, they were running lean, getting more customer accounts, and building traction.  When it came to mindset, Ari admits that the Imposter Syndrome is very real and big headlines with huge raises do not help. It was not reality and the fact is, there are so many out there grinding to make something a reality. Those people are the ones who get overlooked.  Self doubts do creep in, and you have to fake it while you make it. Truthfully speaking, comparison is the thief of joy, so avoiding comparing oneself to others is helpful. Ari is a big believer in abundance, but you have to set your own path. The power of storytelling can get people hooked by sharing what the end of the book may look like.  She has this very important piece of advice to share, “Remember exactly what you tell an investor. They share deals. Make sure your messaging is consistent.” Having financial literacy, or not having it, can break a company. One can't only focus on customers, they also need to focus on where their money is going and how much is left. When an individual is disorganized, there is a good chance the company is as well. Although it pains her to say “no” to people asking for her time, she is getting better at saying “yes” when she feels it will be beneficial to both sides.  For those who are listening, please visit her website and see if you qualify to work with her. There are tax incentives and dollars on the table. Resources Mentioned in this episode www.taxtaker.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/aripalmer/ www.instagram.com/arisalafia Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there's anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Zachary Eikenberry, a CoFounder, Director and CEO of Hook Security, which uses Psychological Security, or PsySec™, to teach employees how to spot and avoid phishing attacks and create a healthy security-aware culture company wide. Before Hook, Zach was a Founder and the CEO of The NEXT Schools in Greenville, SC. These schools provided entrepreneurial experiences for over 900 students between 2 high schools and a middle school.  Zach has over 14 years of startup experience since graduating from Purdue University with degrees in Philosophy and Economics, including the successful launch of a SaaS company in addition to his ongoing consulting practice.  He has been recognized as a Top Ten most Innovative Educator, a TEDx Speaker, and a conference speaker on the nature of innovation and education. Welcome Zach! In this episode… In this episode you will hear why Zach likes the summer olympics over the winter olympics, and the curious reason why. Also, Zach recalls a story in relation to an offer that was too good to refuse, but it all came down to a personal guarantee.  So, this offer?  Ultimately it was turned down. When it comes down to sharing, describing and showing data of the pipeline, authenticity is key and of ultra importance.  Oftentimes as things gain traction, people get worried they are missing out and that should not be the case.  But, on the flip side, putting yourself in the investor’s shoes may help you see more clearly as to why they feel this way. Relationships that align with investors make an almost-perfect relationship.  Most founders feel they need to be perfect and not show weakness when in front of them but in reality, most investors are skeptical of perfection as they wonder why they’re at the table if everything is all “unicorns and rainbows.”  Now, some investors do want to hear perfection and a pretty picture without negativity, but not all.   Let’s talk home runs!  Institutional investors have to hit home runs.  However, hitting the moon isn’t always reality, and one hopes to never crash into the oceans.  Hitting projections is the true objective, and that is all investors really need to hear. Finally, it comes down to this, investors need entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs need investors.  They go hand-in-hand.  One cannot go on without the other. Resources Mentioned in this episode https://designli.co/blog/zach-eikenberry-on-pursuing-radical-ideas/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ikeinc/ zach@hooksecurity.co Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Amy & Adam Fazackerley, Co-Founders of Lay-n-Go, a company that designs and manufactures innovative organizational solutions for life, play, and travel.  I’ve interviewed them both individually, so if you haven’t listened to those episodes, add them to your playlist! But today we’re doing something different - and talking to them about what it’s like to work with your spouse day in, day out. Welcome, Adam & Amy! In this episode… Instead of the speed round, they start out with a few either / or questions.  Both Amy and Adam both feel it is easier to work with their spouse than anyone else in the family!  They have very distinct strengths and weaknesses, which, perhaps is part of the secret.  Adam laughs as he shared his weakness is he is always in trouble and Amy’s strength is she is forgiving.  Amy shared a true benefit in being founders together is the ability to work things together versus another founder who hops in his or her car and drives away.   Together, they run their business a different way.  They are lifestyle based, work hard, and always want what is best for their family. However, it isn’t always smooth, and days do not always start out with having breakfast casually.  What is really important is really understanding the other person.  For Amy, balance is really important to each of them.  Stephanie wanted to know if they feel as though they are working more than an average person because they work together.  Both, Amy and Adam, stated yes and that is the nature of the base.  They both agree their kids have been a pretty cool part of the journey.  Making best use of their time, such as in the car, it very important.  They’re very focused and intentional on what they want their business to be.  After ten years in business, the number one question is where do they want to be in five years or ten years and what do they want it to look like?  What they do fall back on is the trust they have in each other.      One of the other things they like to do is give back by teaching the next generation about the things they went through in starting and running their business.  Together they are very active in extracurricular entrepreneurship things.  Working with other people is what makes them tick. Other than a shared vision, there are other parts of working together that have contributed to their success.  They include communication, trust, and really looking at going back to the strengths.  Adam feels understanding those hot spots is ultra-important.  For instance, if there is friction, Amy does not want any part of that.  It isn’t always as easy as a line down the middle.  When it comes to other founders, there are certain things they should look for, but there are also those they should avoid.  Adam shares that a lot of times the teams that come to them are paired up, but if they’re not, just remember you are picking a partner so find someone who has the strengths where you may lack.  If there are issues between partners, they like to push for resolutions that are fair.  Amy shares that it is important to stick with what you love, what will get you out of bed every day and stick with that.  It shouldn’t feel like work.  Just look at what drives and motivates you. Before involving a family member in your business, there are some questions that need to be asked of yourself.  Such as, “What do you want out of this?”  In fact, that should be a mutual question.  If everyone wants success and progression, it’s a pretty good start.  If you are going to involve family, figure out ways they will help build the business but also do it in the family role.  They do consider their friends as their family as well.  For them, their friends also started as their first focus groups.  On the flip side, everyone needs to make sure it is working for those involved.  Keeping open lines of communication are so important, family or not.  They close with one piece of advice for others who are going to work with family, and that is to just have fun and move on.  Also, give one another enough slack to make mistakes, forgive and learn. Resources Mentioned in this Episode LinkedIn Profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfazackerley/ UUNET : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UUNET Fortify.vc : https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/fortify-ventures Lay-n-Go : www.layngo.com PATENT 9,0984,459 (July 2015) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US9084459 PATENT 10,016,036 (July 2018) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US10016036  PATENT 10,561,213 (February 2020) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US10561213B2 Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Jamie Easton, the founder of The Uptick - a weekly dose of financial market smarts! Jamie has nearly 20 years of professional experience in the financial services industry, including Managing Director at Evercore, a premier, independent, global investment banking advisory firm.  At Evercore, she not only founded the equities business in 2010, but was also recognized by Institutional Investor Magazine as the top ranked IR professional in her peer group. Jamie began her career at Goldman Sachs, where she led investment research on the Bond Insurance Industry. Jamie resides in Manhattan and is an avid lover of fitness and all things CNBC. Welcome Jamie!   In this episode… In this episode, Jamie shares her scariest ask - with a little backstory, Jamie started her career in her 20s in equity research, moved to sales and discovered she was better suited for that.  Her hardest or scariest ask was after she moved over to a sales role and brought in a large account, which was her first account.  At that point, it was a top 3 account for the company but when she got her bonus, it was not reflective of the account.  “Someone is getting paid off the money I brought in, where is it going?”  Boss said they never asked her to bring in the account, and with that, she promptly handed the bonus back.  The next day, got 100% more, which was still a small amount, but it was something, and that she accepted. Jamie feels this proves one thing – if you continue to accept and don’t ask for what you’re worth, it will continue to happen to you.  In her job, she would be able to leave every day and know her worth and her value.  It was data-based and easy to figure out.  Her tip for someone not working with numbers is to write down every single positive contribution that was made.  Then at your review, put all that compiled knowledge down and feed it back.  Rank yourself highly when you have the chance.  If you don’t think you’re exceptional then change it before your review.  When you are in front of the person doing the review, it is difficult for them to say, “Oh, you’re terrible.”  So, set yourself up with positivity; make your own data and value. Jamie says anyone facing this should think a little deeper than the top or bottom line – what else am I doing that will make the firm a better place.  If you lost me, what would you be losing as an organization.  You will see more value and able to highlight. There is psychology around always remembering the negative things or things that go wrong more so than the positive things.  Jamie shares she had a deep passion to help women stay in finance.  She finds it disappointing when women choose not to continue during pivotal times in their lives.   When it came to starting Uptick, she would read financial articles written by a journalist who had never worked in finance, and she felt she could do a better job synthesizing business news for everyone. If people don’t understand the fundamental functions of the economy, it is hard to make decisions due to not understanding some of the products available.  Some people miss out on incredible opportunities due to this.  When they do finally decide, it might not be based on the right assessment of true risks and rewards. Jamie feels ones’ biggest investment is in oneself and the company they own.  Most people put their financial decisions on someone else, and they do not have time to learn but rather are on different trends.  For those who “knew” it was going to be a thing, then put some money in it.  The second you notice a shift, make a move.  When people have others managing their money, there is less ownership involved.  Identifying long-term funds that you believe in is a phenomenal investment strategy.  When you have money to invest, keep 20% of that and figure out for yourself what to invest in.  Learn and understand everything there is about investing.  In addition, know your investment strategy and your own goal. Money is such an important part of our lives, why do we give it to someone else to handle?  Hopefully, people start asking more questions and become more in charge of their financial journey. How do you decide who you will say yes to?  If it sounds like I would listen to it or it is interesting, then I say yes.  Jamie’s ask to the listeners is, as you start to engage, subscribe to Uptick.net and start reading with us.  It’s published every Saturday morning. Resources Mentioned in this episode The Uptick LinkedIn Instagram: theupticknyc Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

In this episode, you will hear how Amy felt her scariest ask was how to get started in business, how to get started in manufacturing, where do you go?  It’s hard to go overseas, share your ideas and not know anyone not to mention hand over a prototype and negotiate dollars and all the major details. After stepping on loose Legos drove her over the edge, she brainstormed on how does one clean, corrale, and pick up after them without having to throw them all in buckets. Her advice to others wanting to start a business is to know your pain point and solve it.  Questions they should ask themselves include: Do you understand your audience and their price points? What problem are you solving?  To Amy, it was “What would I want?” How do you plan to get the message across to make it better?  Will they look at the product and say, “Oh my gosh, I need that!” Some people can get stuck in perfectionism when they are getting ready to launch a product, and they shouldn’t.  Learn from the mistakes you make, but get it out there.  If something goes amiss, then quickly pivot and fix it.  It’s a learning process, but it makes your product better and your brand stronger as well as reviews better. Ask for feedback, always.  Feedback is so important!  It shows the customer you are listening to them.  Customers want to feel like they are part of what you’re doing, so make it a priority and engage with them.  Make your brand feel real! Amy shares she goes through every day, week and year bumping into other problems.  She loves finding products that provide simple solutions to make her daily life better.   When just starting out, how does one get feedback, expand and get people engaged?  The strategies they used were organic growth by telling their stories.  Someone out there will relate and react.  So, start with your story, grow organically, reach out to your friends and family, and use technology to your advantage.  Not everyone “gets” or listens to feedback that is shared, but all feedback needs to be listened to as it’s all positive and all an opportunity.  It’s all information you can put in your toolbox to make it better and stronger. Feedback could indicate changes are needed in education, changing the product, whether or not it’s off-trend, etc.  Don’t look at negative feedback as a reason to throw everything out and start over rather look at it as if something needs tweaking.  For instance, you might have the right product but are in the wrong place selling it to the wrong person. It’s easy to get lost in ideas and start branching out, but you need to remind yourself to stay focused.  Your core is your core.  Sometimes you just have to say “no” as it isn’t aligned with your mission or vision.  It’s easy to get distracted. When it comes to sharing her time, Amy starts with family and friends, which lots of the groups have become.  Looks at where she can add value.  Amy’s ask of listeners: If you’re listening to this, take a look at their website and share feedback.  Would love to hear thoughts and ideas. Promo code: April40 to get a 40% discount on any of the items! Resources Mentioned in this episode www.layandgo.com Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Spencer Montgomery, the Founder of Uinta Crypto Consulting, a cryptocurrency training and mentoring program. He has been providing Bitcoin and cryptocurrency consulting and training for over 4 years.  Spencer has spoken to over 3000 people and has influenced over 5 million of crypto investing.  Spencer personally turned $13k into over $1.2M in 18 months back in 2017 and more impressively, sold in early 2018 protecting his earnings.  He has helped many friends and family 10x their money investing in crypto assets.  Spencer has a MBA and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Brigham Young University. Prior to starting his own company, Spencer was the Blockchain Evangelist for Microsoft. In This Episode Spencer shares what the offer was that he could not refuse.  Back in September he was offered to join a coaching program for $4,000.  The coaching program spoke exactly to a pain he was feeling and helped solved the problem.  Since he had invested so much into it, he dedicated lots of time and energy to get the returns. There are three things Spencer feels should be looked at when making a decision to spend money on something such as a coaching program. Books Testimonials Guarantee In order to set himself apart from the rest of the “hype” to make connections, Spencer posts twice daily on his LinkedIn account with tips, information and education.  Multiple times he hears he is a “breath of fresh air” when people are looking for something they can trust.  He feels he is that person, and he is easy to pitch to. Spencer feels that some buy out of fear of everyone else getting rich and sell because they are afraid they are going to lose money. Risk profiles are different for everyone, but he helps people conquer fear and deal with loss aversion by understanding their motivations and what their goals are. Spencer shares common myths in regard to crypto investing such as people believing the information they see or read is education and that all investing does not have to be crypto - they can start small. Condensing the opportunity and showing people what they are missing is key. Spencer shares his thoughts surrounding how crypto currency will impact the broader market, how people will do business and what the future holds or will evolve to.  In addition, how will regulations change or what controls may come into play. He feels technology has interrupted so many other industries, and they survived, so this should be no different. In addition, Spencer shares information about NFTs. Finally, Spencer wants everyone to know the risk/reward - not too many opportunities out there and just wants people to benefit from it.  But you need to learn.  If you don’t understand, you’re just gambling. Links Mentioned: www.uintacrypto.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/montgomeryspencer/ Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Adam Fazackerley is the COO and Co-Founder of Lay-n-Go, LLC.  Fazackerley started his career at UUNET Technologies.  He went on to found concept2creations, LLC, a corporate design company focused on building brands and producing every aspect of their digital / print marketing strategies.  He worked as an Associate with Osborn Capital and later went on to co-found Fortify.vc.  Both firms were focused on early-stage technology fund investing in Mid-Atlantic, Silicon Valley, and talent-rich technology markets.  In 2010, Adam and his wife Amy founded Lay-n-Go, LLC.  The company is focused on designing and developing innovative organizational solutions for life, play, and travel. To date, they have been awarded three US Utility Patents on their invention and distribute their products to leading retail companies domestically and internationally.  Fazackerley serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council and the Syracuse University Library Advisory Board.  Adam graduated with a B.S. degree in Marketing from Syracuse University. In this episode… Adam answers all of Stephanie’s speed round questions which lead into a lively discussion of music and how the decade of the 70s reigns in superiority!   Once they get down to business, Adams shares how his, and Amy’s, decision making process really started with her dad.  They asked him, “What do you think of this business, and would you invest?” Their questions were immediately answered with, “How are you placing it? What are you doing? How are you producing it?  What’s your supply chain?”  It was then that they realized that maybe investments from family weren’t the best choice. For Adam, he thinks the scariest questions are when you ask for an opinion and get answers you don’t fully understand.   Ultimately, one must stand behind the decisions made and realize there is a lot of learning in the process and it is rewarding. Adam shares, “If you have an idea that keeps you up at night thinking, and it could change the world, in a little or big way, then go after it!” Hearing feedback from others will make you think and ask questions of yourself which lead to growth.  Always think big, dream big but know your path to profitability. When you face uncertainty and doubt, don’t lose faith in yourself or your model - always remember it doesn’t happen overnight.   Make sure, when talking with investors, do not pretend to know it all.  You can lose credibility - it is okay to say, “I don’t understand.”  You can’t put the top of a building on until the middle is built!  So build the middle and build confidence - asking helps. Situational awareness is crucial!  Know your audience and know your investors!  Some can be picky and aggressive, and that’s ok.  Each have their own personality, so know how to handle them.  Do your research.  You don’t need everyone to love you, just need to know what a good partnership will look like.  Will they be there for the long haul? There is an analogy you will hear about between investors and the comfort of shoes - and believe it or not, it makes perfect sense! To be successful, you need the pure warrior mentality! When it comes to saying “yes” for requests, Adam takes into consideration will it change the world, do I connect with it, and is it something Amy and I can do together. If you’re overextending yourself, you are worthless to everyone. Adam’s ask to listeners: Do you think we can build our product in America and hit the price points that consumers want? He would love to hear it!  And, there is a special offer for listeners!  40% off orders on their site with free shipping for orders over $50.  Enter StephRocks when ordering! Resources Mentioned in this episode LinkedIn Profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfazackerley/ UUNET : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UUNET Fortify.vc : https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/fortify-ventures Lay-n-Go : www.layngo.com PATENT 9,0984,459 (July 2015) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US9084459 PATENT 10,016,036 (July 2018) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US10016036  PATENT 10,561,213 (February 2020) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US10561213B2 Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

A 20-year finance industry veteran, podcaster, writer, and speaker, George is working to help people get better at money and life so they can live how they want.   He spent 10 years with a Fortune 100 company as an advisor as well as in leadership positions where he impacted thousands of people and developed training curriculums.   George is the President of Financial Consulting Professionals, the Founder and Chief Community Officer of Money Alignment Academy, and the host of the Money Savage podcast. He’s also been named to Investopedia's list of the Top 100 Most Influential Financial Advisors two years in a row. In this episode… George helps people with money and life, so they are able to live life as they envision for themselves.  He shares that the “money stuff” can keep you from reaching success. Not everyone lives the life envisioned in their head, but in order to do that, they need to understand the overall picture. The overall picture includes knowing the three most valuable resources to them are: Time Attention Money Those three items need to be aligned with the best version of “me” that is in “my mind.” People need to come to the conclusion themselves as to what that may be in all three.  And, people need to be transparent with their goals and decisions. When people want to be held accountable, to be successful, they really need to hold themselves accountable and create a community with others by sharing the change they want to make and asking others the permission to check in with them and share their progress.  Communities, or groups, are successful as the members “do it themselves” but are reinforced by others.    George believes in the Self-Determination theory, which is people’s ability to make choices and manage their own life. Resources Mentioned in this episode George LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgegrombacher Money Alignment Academy: http://moneyalignmentacademy.com/ Self Determination Theory: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/   Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Sean O’Brien,  is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Overline, an Atlanta-based seed-stage venture capital fund that he runs with his partner, Michael Cohn.  Sean has been in the investment business for nearly 30 years, with roles in investment banking, hedge fund management, corporate development and venture capital.  He is an All-Star Mentor in the Techstars network, a mentor in the Endeavor network, and an advisor to a number of startups.  Sean received his degree from NYU and lives in the Atlanta area with his wife and twin daughters.  In this episode… Sean talks about asymmetry and if the gap is really that wide?  He shares how he knows it is inherently unnatural for those looking for funding to sell themselves and their vision.  When people are making their pitch, it is painful to watch as he knows the anxiety they are feeling and being terrified to make the ask. Sean is a big fan of authenticity - people need to just be themselves and trust in them and the process.  They aren’t looking for a performance and are more interested in their story, not someone who is salesy or a know-it-all.  Humility is key. Rather than the “fake it until you make it” mentality, they want to hear, “I don’t know” or “Will you explain that to me?” Sean feels it is refreshing with the modernization of the funding world in seeing success not only through the eyes of a spreadsheet and numbers. Pattern recognition is important when talking to investors, and founders don’t always do their homework.  They need to learn about whom they are pitching too and follow the patterns. A tip for fundraising: adopt a process and be intentional about it.  However, most people have a huge miss and that’s the ask. He likes to hear, “This is what I’m building, here is what I think, and this is my structure.” Those seeking funding should know what they think they need but also be open to hearing thoughts and advice.   Sean and Michael want to be the first one called for celebrations, bad news, good news and a couch session when a mental break is needed.   How quickly people recover is crucial! Sean states he is really bad at saying no, and is intellectually curious in what everyone has to pitch.  He feels an obligation and responsibility toward diversity. He has a simple intake form on his website for those who are interested, but is sticking close to Atlanta and the SE. Resources Mentioned in this episode https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanobr/ https://overline.vc/ Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Robert is a Speaker, Author, Leadership Trainer, and Executive Coach who integrates a heart-centered, result-oriented and transformational leadership approach to being effective. He’s a serial entrepreneur including having founded and led two training industry success stories with over one million graduates of high-impact experiential learning seminars. In this episode… Robert White talks about how he found a sense of purpose during a time of need turned out to be life-changing. A previous “no” became a hard “yes” in a time of desperation that led to his financial success for years to come. Sometimes it is after a period of courting that it becomes apparent that saying yes will work. Facing unknown situations can, ultimately, be a good thing. You are uninhibited by not having preconceived notions. So, taking that plunge isn't as scary when you have no previous experience to use as a means to discount the idea. When you have that desire to do something different, you are more apt to take the chance. When the idea just won’t leave you alone, you have to try. Passion and commitment are the best characteristics to take the chance on entrepreneurship. Starting your own company takes the energy of passion and commitment to that passion. Entrepreneurs can teach you so much. How you show up with the client matters. So, your presence matters when making that ask. Robert says, “You aren’t enough” is a great motivator to do great things. However, you need to overcome that and have a positive relationship with yourself. Success is not narrowly defined and is a personal reflection for yourself. Get clear on what you want to accomplish, just don’t get tunnel vision. Stay awake to what’s possible. Resources Mentioned in this episode Extraordinary People on LinkedIn ExtraordinaryPeople.com  Robert White on LinkedIn  Just Start: Take Action, Embrace Uncertainty, Create the Future by Leonard Schlesinger and Charles Kiefer Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Kim Raath, the co-founder and CEO of Topl, an ESG technology company with a purpose-built blockchain that empowers businesses to prove and monetize ethical and sustainable practices.  Before university, Kim worked in 18 developing countries to rebuild and strengthen communities by implementing innovative forms of technology. She has since given numerous talks about how technical innovation empowers communities to improve quality of life and access to opportunities.  Kim was the first student at Rice University to simultaneously complete a Masters in Economics and PhD in Statistics, and additionally holds a BS in Mathematics. While at Rice, Kim met her Topl co-founders James and Chris and found a common mindset and desire to build systems to create a better world.  As CEO, Kim innovates around every problem that arises and continuously finds ways to grow the entire Topl ecosystem using her connections and resources in the mining and agricultural industry, creating an even more valuable company. In this episode… Kim Raath talks about how your customers care about your global impact. This is more and more important with the flow of information and how easily someone can quickly search and learn more about your company than ever before. She also discusses how actively bringing in VC during the pandemic changed - the virtual space created allowed for closer relationships with more distant investors.  In meeting with potential investors, it is important to have case studies, to be able to show investors how people use your product. Getting people to buy into your process and what the capabilities are vs. the history of the product.  Kim talks about how critical it was to bring her teaching experience into the process of teaching investors to understand how her process works. The education piece was extremely useful in making better relationship-building with investors. Listen in as Kim explains how she, and her team, had to simplify the processes of their product to help people understand the process. The core of the team was to create a new environment to break down barriers to make it more accessible to a larger audience. Sharing the story and take it from a concept to a commitment in a mindful and transparent way. Resources Mentioned in this episode Preventive vs. Promotional questions Kim Raath on LinkedIn  Topl’s Blockchain as a Service Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to two-time founder Katy Campbell. Katy is currently working with Porsche Digital to develop new startups across various ecosystems.  Katy is also running "formation", a startup school for founders who identify as womxn, or as part of a minority group.  She was also leading the brand and communication team at APX, the early-stage VC from Axel Springer and Porsche.  Driven by her passion for mental wellbeing and diversity, Katy is working closely with boards globally to make sure both these topics are at the forefront of discussions. Zalando, Rocket Internet, and House of Malakai alumna. In this episode… Katy Campbell talks about how her naive approach to asking for investment was actually easier than asking for investments after understanding the process. The lack of experience allowed her to be bolder in her ask, simply because she was unaware she wasn’t following the norms. Simply said, don’t be afraid to boldly ask for what you want. Lean into the fact that you have the innocence of how can I go wrong, and just dive in. By taking chances when you don’t have a lot of experience allows you to grow in many ways. You don’t have to fake it until you make it. However, being innocent about where you are in the process allows for additional support from investors. Look at the people who are willing to ask for help while being secure in what they do know. You have to be comfortable and confident, but being humble attracts investors who are willing to support those learning the processes. Whether investment or sales, the first connection is connecting on a human level. Investors are people too. Listen in for more of Katy’s experience in the investment world and how to ask for “Smart” money. And, how the pandemic has affected how people are thinking about what they want to build, how they want to build it, and who do they want involved in the process.  Resources Mentioned in this episode Katy Campbell on LinkedIn Porsche Digital on LinkedIn Visit Porsche Digital Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Greg Head, the CEO of Scaling Point and the founder of Gregslist. Greg Head is a 30-year software industry veteran who was part of the startup-to-scale journeys of three different software companies in the CRM industry, including one IPO.  He is now an active mentor, advisor, consultant, and speaker helping founders of early-stage software startups all over the world.  At Scaling Point, Greg works with startup tech founders on positioning strategy, product-market fit, messaging, and scalable marketing execution.  Gregslist.com is the curated and up-to-date list of local software companies used by thousands of founders, tech leaders, investors, and job seekers each month.  Gregslist is now available for tech communities in Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Austin, Chicago, and more.  Greg and his wife live in the Dallas area. They spent 23 years in Phoenix before returning to her Texas hometown in 2019.  Welcome Greg! In this episode… Greg Head talks about how going full circle from selling software to running a software company was a natural progression. He further explains how the way he was asked by a partner, and that it was a logical step in his progression. He knew the journey was still evolving and was a commitment. He embraced being a leader of a large team and a large company. In shifting through the development of the software arena, Greg found that the way companies and entrepreneurs made asks changed. It became a more mature market than a frontier market.  To stand out in a “noisy” environment of start-up, you need to be a specialist. Yes, you heard that right. With the market being so much more saturated, you need to specialize in order to make an impact. Buyers want to know you are the “Best” at what you do, your specialty. And, finally, getting traction is how you validate your specialized service. With so many choices, you need to stand-out. Listen in to see how you can stand-out in your specialty. Resources Mentioned in this episode Connect to Gregslist Greg Head on LinkedIn Visit Greg’s Website Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Matt Wolach, host of SaaS-Story in the Making, is an entrepreneur, investor, coach, and leader who knows the sales world from the inside out. He has nearly two decades of SaaS sales management experience. His expertise, in particular, lies in crafting a streamlined buyer journey that maximizes conversions at every stage from lead to close. Matt is the creator of The Perfect D.E.A.L. Process which has created growth patterns that led to multiple 8 and 9 figure exits. He uses his experience and this proven process to guide founders and leaders of B2B SaaS companies from around the world on how to effectively turn their entire sales process into a conversion machine. In this episode… Understanding the process behind the sales process is essential to making the right ask of potential clients and investors. Until you understand your product, your process, you will not have the framework that creates a “machine”, sales engine, that provides the fuel to facilitate growth and investment. Matt explains how your initial investment comes from your sales. By positioning yourself as an investor, you create that space for scaling your business. You accomplish this by knowing your numbers, your metrics. By understanding how investing in your own business allows for additional growth positions you as the best partner for an investor.  Create a mutually beneficial relationship. Resources Mentioned in this episode Matt Wolach on LinkedIn Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, Stephanie Sims tackles the question “How do I talk about my exit strategy with investors?” Get clear on what kind of business you want before you start trying to grow...otherwise, someone else will choose for you. Today, we’ll cover: What different kinds of businesses you could choose to build How that translates into a different kind of exit strategy Why ultimately, the only exit strategy that matters is the one that’s right for you. Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Tiffany Bisconer, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 20 years of experience in the fields of accounting and tax.    Tiffany has worked with one of the top 10 Certified Public Accounting and Consulting Firms in the nation and is currently the Director of Acena Consulting focusing on providing specialty tax incentive consulting services.  Combining her private industry and public accounting experience, she works with CPA firms and directly with business owners and leadership teams in multiple industries at all levels of growth, to help educate and identify opportunities for the utilization of tax credits for infusion of cash flow.  Tiffany also spends her time mentoring early-stage start-ups to build a bridge between innovation and business foundations. Her desire to give back to the community and humanity as a whole has been a driving force in her path of life. She is originally from San Francisco, CA, and came to live in Phoenix, AZ 10 years ago via Miami, FL. Welcome Tiffany! In this episode… Tiffany explains how the toughest questions are the ones you ask yourself. Stick to your way of doing what you envision. Don’t allow others to tell you your way is the wrong way. As long as it moves you towards your goals, don’t be afraid to do it differently.   Give yourself the space and time to check-in and be sure what you’re doing is still in alignment with who you are and where your goals are taking you.  Listen for more on how being the best version of yourself allows you to make better decisions for your business. Resources Mentioned in this episode Tiffany Bisconer on LinkedIn Marie Forleo episode talking about Bronnie Ware Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Welcome to the final part of our four-part series to tackle the ghosts of your numbers past, present and future. Last week, we talked about the numbers present - your KPIs that will help you make decisions day-to-day. Today, we’ll cover the numbers of your future - your financial forecast/projection/model What is a financial forecast? How will a financial forecast help me run my business? How do I build a financial forecast? Biggest pitfalls to avoid with forecasts I put this series together to share which numbers matter, what it takes to build a quality financial projection, and how to become your business’ best investor. Resources Mentioned in this episode If you’d like to dive deeper into building an investor-ready model, you can grab the free guide I created here => https://www.stephaniesims.com/IRCBONUS Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, we continue doing something a little different! Welcome to Part 3 of a four-part series to tackle the ghosts of your numbers past, present, and future. Today we talk about the numbers of your present - the KPIs of your business.  KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are: The short term measures of specific actions that move your business forward. Measurements of the small decisions you make every day. Designed to help you quickly access whether you're on target to ultimately reach scale & profitability. By learning what numbers matter in your business you are able to make better decisions in moving your business forward. KPIs are not without pitfalls. You need to track the relevant numbers for your business and be open to shifting based on your teams' actions and performance. Resources Mentioned in this episode Elizabeth Yin's Twitter thread on metrics Elizabeth Yin's Twitter thread on selecting the metric that matters Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Today, we’re doing something a little different! Welcome to Part 2 of a four-part series where we talk about the Ghost of Numbers past.  We take a look at: Why you need to review the past numbers in your business. They provide you the story of how to adjust your current business structure. Where you obtain your financial history and which numbers matter. How using these past numbers helps you make better decisions. The bottom line is learning your numbers helps you become a better decision-maker. By doing so, you move your business forward faster. Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.  

Today, we’re doing something a little different! Welcome to Part 1 of a four-part series to tackle the ghosts of your numbers past, present, and future.  We take a look at: Some of the biggest reasons entrepreneurs are afraid of their numbers, and how to get past those roadblocks Set the stage for how past, present, and future work together to build your confidence in your own decisions AND accelerate your business growth Give you two frameworks for thinking about your numbers that don't require a CPA or extensive Excel knowledge. Walk away knowing which numbers matter, what it takes to build a quality financial projection, and how to become your business's best investor. Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.  

It's Thanksgiving here in the US, and there’s a lot to be grateful for, despite the challenges that everyone is facing this year. I’m grateful for my family and friends, and for the team of experts who help me run my business. I’m also grateful for all of the fascinating investors and entrepreneurs that I’ve had the opportunity to feature on the What’s Your Ask? show. 2020 has been a year of change, and the show is no exception! This week, I’ve got some exciting news about how the show is adapting to serve more entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses and hear “yes” more often. If you’re ready to apply all of the amazing advice that you’ve heard from the expert guests I’ve interviewed this year, stay tuned! Sponsor for this episode... It’s Stephanie Sims, the capital strategist who teaches founders how to tell economic stories that make dollars and sense. Happy to be with you for this episode of “What’s Your Ask?”, where we talk to successful investors and entrepreneurs to hear the unique ways they've asked or been asked for money, introductions, references, and more. Today’s episode is brought to you today by Finance-Ability, a boutique consulting firm focused on helping entrepreneurs get the funding they need to grow their business.  I founded Finance-Ability after more than 20 years working on both Wall Street and Main Street. Now I teach entrepreneurs to paint a picture with numbers that help them make decisions with confidence and captivates the people with money so they say “YES”! If you need to conserve runway right now or you’re planning to raise capital in the next year, I’d love to share the strategies, tactics, and insights that have helped my clients raise over $30M! Let’s connect on LinkedIn or at stephaniesims.com.

Today, I’m excited to talk to Ryan Tansom, entrepreneur, speaker, podcast host, author and the co-founder of Arkona! In 2014, Ryan helped turn around their family business and then sell it for 8 figures to a local competitor. The growth and exit process was an unexpectedly difficult undertaking, but the lessons that were learned have proven to be invaluable. He took his experience and co-founded Arkona where he created the Intentional Growth 5 Principles and Framework and hosts the popular Life After Business podcast (190+ episodes and 265k+ downloads). Ryan’s mission is to help entrepreneurs get clarity on how to grow the value of their business with the end in mind by shifting their mindset away from annual income to focusing on long term value creation. This new mindset will help entrepreneurs create a strategic plan that gives them the freedom of choices to do what they want with the business long term. Welcome Ryan! In this episode… Ryan poses the question, is it possible to accomplish things on your own or does it hinder your growth? There are pros and cons of having partners. It depends on how you grow while maintaining equity. It is dependent on you and testing the process on your own. During the value creation, it is the end result of value that is the investment opportunity.   By reverse-engineering your vision, you are able to set up a plan to facilitate both financial and personal growth. You need to think about the end game in order to prepare for it. You cannot be short-sighted in reaching your goal, but also considering what happens once you reach that goal. You have to build something that is worth value.  Listen for more on how to leverage your sustainability in value. It is an equation that goes beyond the clear goal. How sustainable is the cash flow? It’s ok to ask questions to better understand the role of a business owner. It is like building a puzzle without a picture. Resources Mentioned in this episode Arkona.io Ryan Tansom on LinkedIn Seth Godin, This is Marketing Greg Mckeown, Essentialism Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Melissa Lamson is an executive coach, author of six books, and speaker who has worked on projects in over 40 countries. She has built and run companies both in Europe and the US. For over 20 years she has developed leadership strategy, designed and taught leadership programs for companies like 3M, IKEA, Linkedin, MTV and Space X. Melissa's signature program for women leaders was the most highly attended program at SAP for 10 years. Melissa has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune and Forbes. She is a former columnist for Inc. Magazine. She sits on the board of Girls in Tech and the ASU Art Museum. Kimberly Mylls spent over 20 years in marketing and advertising as a publisher and Regional Sales Director. A serial entrepreneur at heart, Kimberly left the corporate world, co-authored her own book, and at the same time, rose to the top of a network marketing company. She is a certified leadership coach, trainer and speaker and has coached hundreds of women to start their own businesses. She's a master at creating high-quality events, building online brands, and starting companies. Additionally, Kimberly is co-founder of a non-profit for kids, and co-hosts the popular podcast, Kiss Corporate Goodbye. She is a mentor for the national organization Seed Spot and contributing writer to several books. In this episode… In asking, the anticipation of the answer makes you more nervous than the ask itself. Kim Mylls and Melissa Lamson of RecreateNow.org are all too familiar as this was true in their scary ask getting RecreateNow to where it is today. They also quickly learned that one ask can have a compounding effect. When you find someone with whom you develop a deep relationship it allows for the big ask to be less fear-based. Let those you are asking get to know you. Let them see how you are thinking beyond yourself and your inner circle. Open conversations with investors lead to greater possibilities.  Listen for more on how to be bolder in how you act with the world. Resources Mentioned in this episode Kimberly Mylls LinkedIn RecreateNow.org Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Andrea Heuston is the founder and CEO of Artitudes Design who has been in the tech industry for 30 years. Her company, Artitudes Design, is a full-service creative services and experiential design firm that specializes in providing high level speaking and design support to top executives. Andrea is a respected business leader and entrepreneur who is sought after as a board member, a keynote speaker, a prolific voice on women’s and leadership topics in the workforce as well as a LinkedIn Social network influencer. In 2018, her article, “Lead Like a Woman” became the 3rd most viewed article on LinkedIn. Andrea is passionate about helping close the gender gap for women in business and hosts the Lead Like a Woman podcast where she interviews top women leaders as they share their stories on life and leadership. In this episode… Andrea shares how she finds the first step in getting started is mindset - know you belong at the table with an enterprise company at the C-Suite level. They may be high-powered but they do not have your product or your knowledge. You have a lot to give. You provide value.  Reach out to people you have a previous connection with as they are more likely to be open to the conversation rather than a new connection. People are receptive to helping others. And, surprisingly, the people who are farther away from your day-to-day work are more likely to help.  Adam Grant says there is power in that connection. Those close to you are part of the story, not as likely to help grow the story.  Learn more about making confident asks in this episode of the What's Your Ask show with Stephanie Sims as she hosts Andrea Heuston, founder and CEO of Artitudes Design. Andrea discuss with Stephanie how to spend your time on what you're good at and passionate about. Resources Mentioned in this episode Andrea Heuston on LinkedIn  Lead Like a Woman Artitudes Design Adam Grant Give and Take Melinda Gates The Moment of Lift Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Stephanie Sims is a Capital Strategist and the Founder of Finance-Ability, a boutique consulting firm focused on helping entrepreneurs get the funding they need to grow their business. Stephanie founded Finance-Ability after more than 20 years of working on both Wall Street and Main Street. Now she teaches entrepreneurs to paint a picture with numbers that helps them make confident decisions and captivate people with money to say yes.  In this episode… Taking an idea to build it into a business is a leap of faith. Having supporters before you are even ready for the ask makes it that much easier to get going.  Crafting a product and business based on a need and lessons learned from family, Emeline created a business worth supporting. And, then speaking about the opportunity even before it was truly an opportunity allowed Caitlyn to ask to join. By seizing that moment, together, they have created a business that is now ready to go out and ask for more investors. The support of family and friends allowed them to create a value-based company that could craft their product prior to needed the ask. But, now that it’s time, they are preparing to make the ask. By surrounding themselves with those who have already accomplished those asks, it provides motivation and the mindset to be prepared. P.S. Here’s their takeaway for you: find balance between the inspiring lack of fear in reaching for the lofty goals by finding partners who can put legs to your ideas.

Stephanie Sims is a Capital Strategist and the Founder of Finance-Ability, a boutique consulting firm focused on helping entrepreneurs get the funding they need to grow their business. Stephanie founded Finance-Ability after more than 20 years of working on both Wall Street and Main Street. Now she teaches entrepreneurs to paint a picture with numbers that helps them make confident decisions and captivate people with money to say yes.  In this episode… One critical mistake that startup companies make is failing to captivate potential investors—and ultimately losing out on the funding you need. Because the founders aren’t ready or prepared to seal the deal, this same mistake ends up making startup accelerator programs look bad on Demo Day. Are you doing this? If you are, Stephanie Sims is here to help you in this episode of the What’s Your Ask show.  According to Stephanie Sims, founders make a (huge!) mistake when they don’t know their numbers since they’re unable to show investors why investing in their company is a potentially profitable investment. So, how do you rectify this? Which numbers are critical for founders to know and how can you get it right? Listen to this episode of the What’s Your Ask show with Stephanie Sims as she breaks down the details of knowing your numbers, why it is crucial for your success on Demo Day, and how to go about learning your numbers.

Sonny Patel is the Founder and CEO of Insurmi, an AI-based engagement platform for insurance carriers. He started the company just three years ago at the age of 21 while working as a Sales Director and Financial Advisor for a top life insurance company. During that time, he realized the process of buying and selling insurance was unnecessarily cumbersome and outdated.  Determined to change the process, Sonny worked to develop a solution that would simplify the task and take the guesswork out of insurance buying. That solution would eventually become Insurmi. Now, Insurmi is being used by top tier global insurance carriers to generate new business online, streamline customer claims, and deliver excellent customer service through conversational AI. In this episode… The fundraising ask requires you to prepare yourself on how to present and position the opportunity in a way that excites your investors. And to do that, Sonny Patel, CEO of Insurmi, says you have to approach it like a sales process. That involves qualifying investors to reach out to, being confident about what you’re doing, and knowing how to convert undecided investors, just to name a few.  Listen to this episode of What’s Your Ask with Stephanie Sims as she interviews Sonny Patel, the CEO of Insurmi, about his experience of raising a million dollars in seed funding. Together, they talk about fundraising as a sales process, how to convert undecided investors, carrying out due diligence, and more.

Keith Ippel is an ecosystem builder, keynote speaker, and advisor to incubators, accelerators, donors, and governments. With over 20 years of experience as a leader in technology and impact businesses, Keith has helped accelerate the growth of small and large companies alike and has raised over 30 million in angel investment and venture capital. Moreover, his background has given him an unparalleled ability to collaborate with entrepreneurs, employees, and investors to grow businesses and change the world.  Keith now leads Spring, a global incubator and accelerator that empowers entrepreneurs and entrepreneur ecosystem organizations to build better businesses and change the world. To date, Spring has supported entrepreneurs in over 30 cities across five continents, while its impact programs have helped over 750 entrepreneurs launch more than 350 businesses and raised over 24 million in early-stage capital.  In this episode… The single biggest mistake that entrepreneurs make when raising funds is to treat investors like a bank account that they need to access. According to Keith Ippel, this creates an unbalanced power dynamic which leaves the entrepreneur feeling vulnerable. As a result, entrepreneurs try and regain this balance by keeping investors at an arm's length the moment they get the check. Keith says that this is far from ideal because the reality is, the relationship between the entrepreneur and the investor being equal is a choice that they make from day one. Find out more about balancing the entrepreneur-investor power dynamic in this episode of the What’s Your Ask with Stephanie Sims, as she discusses with Keith Ippel of Spring. They’ll be talking about how entrepreneurs are mismanaging relationships with investors, best tips on how to better understand how investors think, and more. Stay tuned.

Leslie Goldman is the General Partner and Co-Founder of The Artemis Fund, a female-founded, female-focused venture capital fund that invests in tech-enabled seed and series A companies.  Leslie is also an active Angel Investor, Board Member of The Houston Angel Network, Investment Committee Member of Blue Ivy Ventures, and Strategic Advisor for Rebel Fund among other advisory and board positions. Leslie is also a frequent speaker on venture capital, diversity in startups, unconscious bias, and angel investing. Before founding Artemis, Leslie practiced law and worked to recruit legal and board-level talent. In this episode… Venture capitalists are looking for the right company to triple their investment within the shortest time possible. To get the funding you need from VCs, you will have to show the cold, hard numbers on how your business can help them achieve their goals. To accomplish this, Leslie Goldman says you would have to get as comfortable with your financials as your CFO. A big part of knowing your financials is showing your investors where the exit or the potential exit is located.   In this episode of What’s Your Ask with host Stephanie Sims, you’ll hear from Leslie Goldman, General Partner and Co-Founder of The Artemis Fund, about powering your investment asks through your financials. They also talk about how founders should research VCs before asking and why founders should know just as much about their financials as their CFO. Keep listening.

Eric Smith has over ten years of experience in Technology Commercialization and a passion for entrepreneurship. Eric came to the University of Arizona Center for Innovation after serving as the Commercialization Network Manager for Tech Launch Arizona (TLA), the University of Arizona's office responsible for moving UA research and technological innovation into the marketplace.  While Eric was at TLA, he focused on building and leveraging a network of domain experts and business leaders who consult on university technologies to help reveal their commercial relevance. He also managed the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps grant program, or NSF-I-Corps, which teaches inventing teams about Lean Startup methodology and customer discovery.  An entrepreneur in his own right, Eric started, developed, and sold his first company to embark on a career in various technology startups. He holds a BS, BA in Business Management, B.S. in Entrepreneurship, and an MBA from the University of Arizona. In this episode… First-time founders are always eager to pitch even before figuring out who their customers are and what they want. According to Eric Smith, Executive Director at the UA Center for Innovation, these founders often have one thing in common: they fail to carry out useful customer discovery. The result is an ask that does not inspire confidence in the customer or a potential investor.  How, then, do you carry out useful customer discovery? Eric says ultimately, you need to have a clear understanding of what exactly you're asking for and why you're asking for it. Armed with that information, you should ask your prospects questions that’ll help you discover their pain points and identify who's giving you the money.   Learn more about making confident asks in this episode of the What's Your Ask show with Stephanie Sims as she hosts Eric Smith, Executive Director of the UA Center for Innovation. Stephanie and Eric discuss what to do before you ask, how to conduct better customer discovery, common mistakes made when preparing a pitch, and more.

Jackie Roberts is the Executive Director for SparkLabs Frontier-ASU. For over ten years, Jackie has helped organizations expand in the valley during hyper-growth times and in various leadership roles. She joined SparkLabs Group in 2019 to lead the SparkLabs Frontier-ASU accelerator program in partnership with ASU entrepreneurship and innovation.  Jackie has been responsible for several brand market and office launches within the startup space, with the most notable being Booker Software and DoubleDutch.  With a passion for supporting local entrepreneurship, Jackie is committed to building more local Phoenix startup success stories. In this episode… Entrepreneurs trying to raise funds are often unsure when it comes to the best source of capital to prioritize. Should you spend your time pursuing grants, angel investments, venture capital, or all three? Jackie Roberts says that whichever route you choose, you need to have an effective plan that makes the outcome of going to investors predictable. That involves setting your priorities straight and deciding on the funding your business qualifies for, before going after it.  Find out more about preparing to face investors and predicting the outcome of asks in this episode of the What’s Your Ask Podcast as Stephanie Sims interviews Jackie Roberts, the Executive Director of SparkLabs Frontier-ASU. Listen along as they discuss how entrepreneurs are navigating Big Scary Asks, how to prepare for investors, how to decide the type of funding to go after, and more.

Leart Zogjani is a talented graphic designer, teacher, and serial entrepreneur. He's worked in design since the age of 14 and first had his work published worldwide when he was only 17. Leart's first startup was an open-world game for iOS, which won second place out of 118 companies at Techstars Global Startup Battle.  He then founded Skins Agency, a brand strategy and development agency that specializes in global brands and successful investment pitches. Leart's latest venture, Symbolt, is a creative design space for marketing teams that struggle with lengthy document revisions, allowing graphic designers and marketers to collaborate on a project without interrupting each other’s work. Symbolt is part of the StartupYard Accelerator program and is gearing up for a funding round.  Leart has spoken at International Motion Festival in Cyprus, has exhibited at Ars Electronica festival in Austria, and has had his work published in several scientific and design books. These days, he splits his time between Prague and Kosovo, where he still teaches graphic design at two colleges. In this episode… Asking is hard. As entrepreneurs, we want to figure things out on our own, so we feel uncomfortable reaching out for help. And when we do get out of our own way, we don't want to come off as too demanding, desperate, or like we’re demanding a favor. Could there be a better way to ask? What if instead of seeking favors, you could present opportunities to people who need them?  For Leart Zogjani, the best way to do this is by finding a fit before making an ask. And that entails empathizing with the person, understanding the value they are looking for, and framing your offer in terms of mutual benefit. Listen to this episode of What's Your Ask with Stephanie Sims, and Leart Zogjani of Symbolt.io, to learn more. 

Geralyn Breig is the Founder and CEO of AnytownUSA.com, the first eCommerce marketplace for American-made goods which she launched in 2018. She's also the host of the American Made Marketplace podcast.  Before founding AnytownUSA, Geralyn ran operations for Fortune 500 companies, specializing in leading consumer products and specialty retail brands. She also previously served as President of Clarks Americas, a $1 billion division of the global footwear company.  Geralyn has a leadership style that has helped many iconic brands to excel, having previously been the President of Avon North America, President of Godiva Chocolatier International, and VP of Marketing for Pepperidge Farm. Today, she serves on the boards of 1800flowers.com and Hanesbrands Inc.  In this episode… As an entrepreneur, you often feel pressured to figure things out by yourself. This can prevent you from asking for help, even if it’s about your much-needed funding. Then, when you overcome those constraints and try to raise funding, you’re usually unsure about what to expect. Geralyn Breig has gone through this process, having raised seed funding from family and friends to institutional funding for her startup AnytownUSA. She shares insight on what you can expect throughout the process. Listen to this episode of the What’s Your Ask Podcast with Stephanie Sims and hear from Geralyn Breig, Founder and CEO of AnytownUSA. She talks about how she overcomes the fear of asking and will touch on raising seed capital from family, friends, and institutions. Geralyn also shares her insight on how to manage your expectations and better handle the “no’s” until you get your “yes”. 

Mark Moeremans is the Senior Vice President for Entrepreneurship and Venture Development at the Arizona Commerce Authority, a public-private agency focused on economic development across Arizona.  In this role, Mark runs the Arizona Innovation Challenge, one of the largest pitch competitions in the country, as well as the Venture Ready Accelerator Program. He has long been interested in the intersection of the private-public and social sectors, and throughout his career, he has looked at entrepreneurship, technology and business as a way to drive economic development.  Mark has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a background in management, consulting, and private equity. Before joining the ACA, Mark was an Operating Executive with Alpine investors. Mark has vast experience, including global transformations of Fortune 50 companies and successful turnarounds and exits from small boutique shops.  He has consulted on behalf of governments and NGOs from Bosnia Peru and has launched and helped build social enterprises in Ghana and South Africa. Mark is excited about building community and helping founders and entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level. In this episode… There’s a tendency to panic shop and take the first thing that comes along when you’re looking for opportunities. But if you’re discerning and intent on getting what you want, those significant opportunities exist -- it’s just a matter of doing the work to find them. For Mark Moeremans, one of the most important work you have to learn is to master the art of asking people for coffee. Why is it so important? And how can it help you make the asking process easier? Tune in to this week’s episode of What’s Your Ask with Stephanie Sims as she interviews Mark Moeremans from the Arizona Commerce Authority about how you can seek the opportunities you need for your business. Listen in as he discusses tips on how to structure your ask the importance of overcoming the feeling of embarrassment when making an ask, how to best avoid missed opportunities, and knowing when it’s time to stop asking.

Andrea Guthrie is the co-founder of Gyde & Seek, a disruptive travel tech startup connecting discerning travelers with rigorously vetted guides and specialists in 20 global destinations across four continents. Andrea is also a board member of Shoe Carnival, a $1 billion footwear retailer, and she is also the Chairman of the Board of Panda Labs in Park City, Utah.  Previously, Andrea was Senior Vice President of Strategic New Businesses at Claire's Stores, and a Principal at Boston Consulting Group where she focused on the retail consumer and travel industries. Andrea has lived on four different continents and is an avid supporter of entrepreneurship particularly, female founders. In this episode… Going out to raise money is one of the scariest things for many entrepreneurs to do, and this is especially true for those who don’t have a lot of experience. Andrea Guthrie shared that fear but she knew she couldn’t let it cripple her desire to raise capital. She and her business partner, Vanessa Guibert Heitner, had to do the groundwork to feel confident that they had a viable and scalable business and that helped them become comfortable with their ask.  What’s the groundwork you need to do before you make that scary ask? How do you get over the feeling of vulnerability when asking? And in the process, how and when should you show kindness to yourself? Tune in to this episode of What's Your Ask as Stephanie Sims gets answers to those questions and more from Andrea Guthrie of Gyde and Seek. P.S. Here’s Andrea’s questions for you: how are you thinking about meeting your need for capital? Are you either initiating a new funding round or adjusting your business model to need less capital and grow more slowly now and post COVID-19? Leave a comment or send your answer to Andrea through her email address, andrea@gydeandseek.com.

Cameron Herold is the Founder of COO Alliance, where he masterminds growth that helps his clients double both revenues and profits in three years or less. He is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and author, and he’s also known as the CEO Whisperer. By the age of 35, Cameron had already built two $100 million companies, including 1800-Got-Junk.  Cameron is a top-rated international speaker and the best selling author of Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years, Less and Meetings Suck: Turning One of The Most Loathed Elements of Business into One of the Most Valuable. In this episode… When it comes to raising capital, many founders often start their search from friends and family. Well, Cameron Herold says that’s the wrong group of people to start asking from. Instead, it would help if you went after the hard money first, and when you do, you want to make sure that you don’t take the wrong kind of money.  How do you know which investor’s money to take? Cameron Herold says to use the threat of reference check technique. But what does that entail and how do you ask for help when you’re desperate and feeling vulnerable? Tune in to this episode of What’s Your Ask with Stephanie Sims as she asks Cameron Herold of COO Alliance about finding the right investor, making an effective ask, and more. Stay tuned.

Gloria Chou is a US Diplomat turned PR guru. She is the master of the cold call, creator of the first PR-in-a-box solution for early-stage founders called the PR Starter Pack, and she is a pitching guru to startups. Her mission is to help early-stage founders get featured in top tier outlets and gain recognition as industry leaders without having to buy into the agency model of doing things.  In this episode… Whether you’re an early-stage founder or not, if you haven’t done PR already, it’s something you should consider doing. And coincidentally, now is the best time to do it. But there is a required relationship-building when it comes to public relations, so the earlier you start, the sooner you get to share your story with the world, even if you think your product isn’t such a big deal. Gloria Chou says to overcome your fear of rejection, you need to give yourself permission to offer your product to the media and show how you’re contributing to the world. Because in the long run, earned media will put you online for decades as opposed to pay-per-click advertising that goes away in just a few clicks. So how can you leverage PR today?  Join Stephanie Sims and Gloria Chou of Gloria Chou PR on this episode of What’s Your Ask Podcast as they discuss how PR works and how you can use it for your company’s advantage. They also talk about why companies need to look into how they do public relations and the common mistakes early-stage founders make when they first approach the media. Stay tuned.

Ben Chiarelli is the co-founder and CEO of Cellibre. Cellibre is a cellular agriculture company that employs an organism-agnostic approach to turn cells into specialized, sustainable factories for the manufacture of globally significant products at scale. He is also the Founder, and Managing Partner of Divitempus Ventures, a venture capital and private equity firm that’s focused on investing time to create value.  Ben has held roles at Synthetic Genomics, Millennium Health, and spent nearly a decade with JP Morgan's Healthcare Investment Banking Group where he executed over $20 billion of transactions. He is the Founder and director of the 3221 Foundation, a scholarship charity founded in his brother's honor.  In this episode… It’s not easy to get funding for your business idea but imagine needing to get funding for a business idea that poses a barrier on venture capitalists to invest? Ben Chiarelli had to raise capital for a federally illegal business. He knew it would be tough because of the vice clause that makes it impossible for institution-funded venture capitals to invest in tobacco, firearms, and cannabis-related business. Ben began his search for funding in 2017 and in July 2019, he finally raised the money he needed after getting 384 NOs. So how did Ben turn the tide in his favor? Join Stephanie Sims as she speaks with Ben Chiarelli of Cellibre on this episode of What’s Your Ask where they discuss Ben’s fundraising journey, the lessons he picked up along the way, what founders can do when they get a no for an answer, and how they can get investors interested enough to look at their deck. Stay tuned. 

Kimmy Paluch is the managing partner of Beta Boom, a pre-seed fund that invests in founders who've been overlooked due to gender, race, or background. Beta Boom uses an academy approach that provides an intense hands-on apprenticeship structure focused on developing the founders, not just the businesses. The majority of Beta Boom’s investments are in companies based in rising U.S tech hubs like Salt Lake City, Chicago, and the Midwest as they seek to change the patterns of old venture capital and close the access gaps that founders in those regions face.  Before joining Beta Boom, Kimmy worked as a founder, product manager, and product experience designer for dozens of startups. She holds a BA in Computer Science from Dartmouth and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management. In this episode… When founders want to meet with investors, they often come from the premise that they are meeting with them for an ask; but according to Kimmy Paluch, says that needs to change. Why? Because if you present an investment opportunity rather than a pitch, you’re not only going to feel more confident about yourself, the chances of piquing the interest of potential investors increases as well. Shifting the conversation from a one-sided ask to a mutually beneficial engagement makes all the difference for that particular meeting. Kimmy Paluch says that how you frame your mind, whether you’re pitching for the first time or pitching for the hundredth time, will determine the outcome of your ask. But how can you shift your mindset into one that invites a positive outcome? How do you battle feelings of vulnerability in the process of making your ask? Join Stephanie Sims in this episode of What’s Your Ask as she interviews Kimmy Paluch of Beta Boom about the best practices for fundraising and why you need to focus on shifting your mindset in order to have a confident and effective ask. They’ll be discussing the telltale signs of investor interest, why the sports academy approach is helpful when looking to improve your pitch, and the true value of human capital in a successful business. Stay tuned.

Eric Miller is the Principal and Co-Owner of Tempe-based PADT Inc., a company that provides tools and services to companies who design and manufacture physical products. He's the Chairman of The Arizona Technology Council, Member, Board of Directors of the BioAccel. He is also on the screening committee of Arizona Technology Investors where he's also an active angel investor on behalf of PADT Inc. He also regularly contributes to the Phoenix Business Journal and hosts the All Things ANSYS podcast.  Eric holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and has lived in Arizona since 1986. After over three decades in the industry, Eric is often called upon to write and speak on simulations, design and 3d printing, as well as on startups in the high tech sector. In this episode… Where does the ask for investment begin? Are pitches enough to help founders raise the capital they need to grow their business? For Eric Miller, the asking part isn’t just about one single individual pitch, it’s about the relationship you build with a potential investor. By building a genuine relationship with the person you’re making the ask to and by leveraging on the value that you can add for them, the decision to invest becomes easier and more doable. But the key questions are, how do you build relationships with investors? What’s the best way to approach the founder-investor relationship? Eric takes a case study of the biggest ask he and his partners at PADT Inc. has ever made to offer insights into the process.  Tune in on this episode of What’s Your Ask as Stephanie Sims interviews Eric Miller of PADT Inc. about the best approach to building a genuine founder-investor relationship, understanding the role of the investor in any business, and why founders actually need to be choosy about the people and/or groups that they approach for a potential investment.

Kate Beardsley is a venture capitalist, angel investor, and business strategist. She is Managing Partner at Upslope Ventures (Galvanize Ventures), she also serves on the Board Vice-Chair of Rocky Mountain Venture Capital Association and is a board member at the Rockies Venture Club. Kate is also an active member of the Colorado Technology Community, and prior to joining Upslope, she started funds for Lerer Hippeau and did business strategy for Martha Stewart. Kate serves as a mentor for both TechStars and Galvanize; she has appeared on CNBC and Fox News, and she has been featured on CNN and in the Denver Business Journal. In this episode… One big mistake founders often make is not investing time and energy in researching about their investors before making an ask. They don’t take the time to find out what their potential investors want and need and as a result, they often make asks that get turned down by investors because it leaves them feeling lackluster about the opportunity. But Kate Beardsley says that doesn’t have to be the end of the founder-investor relationship.  Kate says that building genuine relationships post-ask is a crucial part of maintaining ties and connections in the business industry. Not only that, it’s an opportunity for continued growth, learning, and can be a great resource for references that can help with future asks. In this episode of What’s Your Ask, Stephanie Sims talks to Kate Beardsley, Managing Partner at Upslope Ventures, about the importance of relationship building even when you get turned down after a pitch. She also explains the importance of references when filtering out advice and the best ways to get these, the different approaches in getting funding from VCs, and find out why it’s imperative for her to set her priorities before replying to an ask. Stay tuned. 

Sammy Abdullah is the Founder and Managing Partner of Blossom Street Ventures, which is also known as the anti-VC. Blossom Street Ventures focuses on companies with $2 million to $20 million of run-rate revenue, and year over year growth of 50% plus. They invest anywhere in the US or Canada and they prefer leading one to 10 million series A or B rounds, but can also follow. BSV does traditional growth rounds, inside rounds, recaps, secondaries, and restructings. And unlike a lot of other VCs, they like hearing from founders directly. In this episode… One of the biggest mistakes founders make when asking for investments is being overconfident about their business and setting a very high valuation for the product they offer. This turns investors off and it could lead to a reputation within the fundraising circles that can be hard to shake off. According to this week’s guest, Sammy Abdullah, the last thing you want is to be in a situation where your valuation is too high leaving you with few options and hard-to-please investors whose patience is lower than you would prefer. Doing your research and preparing for your pitch when sending out cold emails and preparing for your ask is crucial. Why? Because a fair deal is always appreciated and laying out your numbers and milestones in a crisp and straightforward tone will more than likely grab an investor’s attention. Tune in on this episode of What’s Your Ask as Stephanie Sims talks to Sammy Abdullah of Blossom Street Ventures about the common mistakes founders make when asking for investment, how to do research to get a fair deal, how these can affect investor-founder relationships, and how to draft a cold email that will grab your potential investor’s attention.

Stephanie Sims is a Capital Strategist who teaches founders how to tell economic stories that make dollars and cents. She is the founder of Finance Ability, a boutique consulting firm focused on helping entrepreneurs get the money they need to grow their business. Stephanie founded Finance-Ability after her more than two decades of experience working on both Wall Street and Main Street. In this episode… Ever wondered what makes some ask successful and others not so much? What could be the common denominator for successful asks? Stephanie Sims says that it’s all about figuring out where and how you can add value to make your ask a partnership rather than a favor. She says the emphasis of your ask should be on how to make it beneficial not just for you but for the person you’re making the ask to. In this solo episode of What’s Your Ask, Stephanie Sims shares her insights on what most successful asks have in common, when and how you should leverage the power of mentorship or a community of thought leaders to revolutionize your ask and more. Stay tuned.

Jeff Erickson is an Entrepreneur, Founder, CEO, and Director of Business Development at Carta, a leading software company that helps companies, investors, and employees manage their equity.  Jeff founded a successful consumer goods company that was ranked number 138 on the Inc. 500 List of Fastest-Growing Companies. Prior to that, Jeff was a partner at Beanstalk Partners where he led the sales and business development activities, and also served as the Business Development Director for a venture-backed tech startup, where he developed a company's channel partner program.  Jeff has a degree in Accounting and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah. After receiving his MBA in Finance from the University of Utah, he served as the Vice President of Investments for Century Financial Corporation. In this episode… Business asks are unavoidable, but your ask will have a higher success rate if you look out for your partner’s interests and not focus solely on asking for favors. The question now is, how do you decide which partners are ideal partners for mutually beneficial asks?  Jeff Erickson, Director of Business of Carta, says that it’s about figuring out what is in it for the partner and how you can build a mutually beneficial relationship that will last. It’s a challenging time for relationship building but it can be done, thanks to technology. Join Stephanie Sims as she interviews Jeff Erickson on this episode of What’s Your Ask where they talk about mutually beneficial asks, building relationships over the internet, and the long term and future effects of the COVID-19 pandemic not just in work but in relationships as well. Stay tuned.