Detroit Metropolitan Area
I evaluate early-stage founders and build investable pipelines combining diligence, capital readiness, and ecosystem strategy to move companies from “promising” to fundable. Over the past 19 years, I’ve worked at the intersection of founders, capital, and platforms. I’ve supported more than 100 early-stage founders, helped 44 companies raise a combined $2.4M in early capital, and invested directly in 13 startups. I also built SmallBusinessBrain.com, a national resource hub that has served 39,000+ entrepreneurs since 2020. I currently serve as Program Manager for the Michigan Founders Fund Pre-Accelerator, powered by gener8tor, where I design and lead a capital-readiness pipeline for underrepresented founders in Michigan. My work includes founder evaluation, investment readiness, and preparing companies to engage successfully with angel and institutional investors. In addition to my regional work, I serve as Chair of the Angel Capital Association’s Marketing Committee, contributing to national strategy around how early-stage investing is communicated, accessed, and expanded across angel groups, founders, and the broader venture ecosystem. My focus is pre-seed and seed-stage companies with strong execution potential that need disciplined readiness, strategic positioning, and credible pathways to capital. I work closely with founders, investors, and ecosystem partners to strengthen pipelines, improve decision quality, and increase the number of companies that are genuinely ready for investment. If you’re an investor, LP, ecosystem partner, or founder building toward a real raise, connect with a brief note on what you’re working on and what you’re seeking.
Program design— •Design and manage a capital-readiness pipeline that prepares underrepresented, Michigan-based founders for angel and institutional investment through structured coaching, milestone planning, and investor positioning. •Provide hands-on coaching and strategic advising to founders on business models, traction, fundraising readiness, go-to-market strategy, and investor-facing materials through 230 one-on-one coaching sessions and office hours delivered across four cohorts. •Serve as a connective layer between founders, 101 investors, 109 mentors, and many ecosystem partners across Michigan and nationally, while hosting 167 office hour meetings, managing programming that included founder support sessions, Lunch & Learns, and 4 showcase events with 591 attendees. •Support portfolio founders in securing non-dilutive funding, early capital, and follow-on opportunities, contributing to $2,061,500 in total capital raised by accepted founders. Operating model redesign— •Analyze founder, portfolio, and ecosystem data to identify structural gaps in pre-seed support and capital access, and translate those findings into strategic recommendations on program design, staffing, diligence, and capital strategy. •Operate as the primary program lead across founder pipeline management, coaching, and reporting in a high-volume environment managed by a single Program Manager. Process improvement— •Lead evaluation, selection, and advancement of early-stage founders for Michigan Founders Fund’s pre-accelerator, managing a 4-cohort pipeline of 447 applications and selecting 20 high-potential founders through a 4.5% acceptance process. •Maintain a high-quality founder experience and strong program delivery standards, contributing to an NPS of 90.
•Serve as Vice Chair of the Angel Capital Association’s Marketing Committee, supporting national initiatives related to early-stage investing visibility and access. •Contribute to shaping how angel investing is communicated to founders, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders nationwide. •Collaborate with angel groups, investors, and ecosystem leaders to strengthen early-stage capital pipelines.
•Invested in 11+ venture-backed companies led by underrepresented and diverse founders through SPVs, angel syndicates, and equity crowdfunding platforms. •Portfolio companies have collectively raised $615M+ in follow-on capital alongside leading institutional and strategic investors. •Investment focus includes fintech, healthtech, legaltech, edtech, and insurtech, with emphasis on scalable business models and strong execution. Selected Investments: •Bump (Fintech) – $5M Seed •Career Karma (EdTech) – $40M Series B •Brex (Fintech) – $300M Series D-2 (Exited for $5.5 Billion, Sold to Capital One) •Paladin (LegalTech) – $8M Series A •Alto Pharmacy (HealthTech) – $200M Series E (Exited, Sold to Fuze Health) •XP Health (HealthTech) – $17.1M Series A •Noyo Technologies (InsurTech) – $45M series B Early-Stage & Equity Crowdfunding Investments: Upright, Backstage Capital, ShoppinPal, EventCombo, BomaLink, ESSEN, Quick Do.
Clients: MUFG Americas TIAA Bank/EverBank Self Financial Lear Corporation American Heart Association Henry Ford Health Transplant Services
I provide Search Engine Optimization and Content Strategy Planning Services to enterprise level clients of the agency in the financial services, insurance, automotive, apparel, and public administration industries, etc. Clients: Port Authority of New York & New Jersey New York Power Authority Alliance for Lifetime Income Mutual of Omaha