🌟 **Calling all Little Founders in the Branson, MO Area! 🚀** Hello, LinkedIn community! We're thrilled to introduce ourselves as the Little Founders Club, proudly rooted in the vibrant entrepreneurial landscape of Branson, MO. As many of you know, Branson thrives on the spirit of entrepreneurship—where innovative ideas, visions, and passions fuel our bustling entertainment town. In the heart of the Ozarks, amidst this entrepreneurial energy, we've been captivated by something truly remarkable: the abundance of young entrepreneurs! It's awe-inspiring to witness these children fearlessly pursue their passions, charting their own paths in the world of business. These young visionaries are making choices that many adults shy away from—embracing the journey of entrepreneurship with unwavering determination. Yet, within this inspiring landscape, we've recognized a pressing need: a lack of resources and guidance tailored to young aspiring entrepreneurs. And thus, the Little Founders Club was born. Our mission is simple: to nurture and support the next generation of innovators, dreamers, and doers. Whether they're tinkering with ideas or already running their own ventures, we're here to provide the tools, mentorship, and community they need to thrive. Know a young entrepreneur—or perhaps a "Little Founder"—between the ages of 8 and 17? Send them our way! Together, let's empower these bright minds as they reach for the stars, illuminating the future with their boundless creativity and ambition. 💡✨ #LittleFoundersClub #BransonEntrepreneurs #EmpoweringYouth #EntrepreneurshipEducation

For the last 3 Sundays our mental breakfast has been served hot with Peter Thiel's Book Zero to One - Notes on start-ups or how to build the future - in The Men's Book Breakfast ~ The MBB thanks to a committed team of great men passionate about reading Benjamin Masila, MBA Nicholas I. Odhiambo Albert Kagguai Hiram Nyaga Daniel Worku Mengstie jesse koober willing to engage with diverse perspectives and making it fun. Key take away from Chapters 9 to 11 was as follows:- It is important to build an effective mission driven company culture hence a start-up needs to have a strong foundation; if messed up at the onset it can't be fixed. It stresses the need for strong relationships among founders (the PayPal mafia) that support the vision from the beginning but also the need to have smaller boards (ideal is 3) to reduce on misalignment and support quick decision making. And lastly within a start-up everybody sells, whether a founder, an employee or an investor. Distribution follows the ''power law'' which means if you can have one effective distribution channel then that's great for the business. Customers will not come just because you build; founders, employees and investors have to make things happen. Follow The Men's Book Breakfast ~ The MBB to be updated on the next season of our book club. #ZeroToOne #PeterThiel #TheMensBookBreakfast #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Founders #Investors #Employees #Culture

Over the last 7 years, diving deep into the startup ecosystem alongside brilliant entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors has been my world. Now, it's my turn to give back. After building my own successful business and sharing bits of my MBA journey here, I'm excited to announce a new venture: A workshop for my MBA peers titled "Startup Fundraising Essentials: Documents & Strategies." The MBA brought us together from varied backgrounds, creating a rich tapestry of experiences and lessons learned. It's from this diverse well of knowledge that I draw my inspiration to host this workshop. My goal? To demystify the fundraising process, share practical strategies, and strengthen our community. This is more than just a workshop; it's proof of the power of giving back and supporting one another. We've all benefited from someone else's guidance and wisdom. Now, I'm stepping up to be that someone for my peers. Because at the end of the day, building a supportive community is what propels us all forward. Stay tuned for the details, and let's continue to lift each other up on this entrepreneurial journey. PS: We just launched a free pitch deck guide. It’s meant for entrepreneurs looking for help with building a pitch deck. You can get it on my profile!

🌟 Exciting Milestone: Teaching My Daughter the ABCs of Entrepreneurship! 🌟 (Support her venture here: https://lnkd.in/gVApSMxx ) With a passion for creativity and a spark of curiosity, my daughter embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, setting up her very own little venture. From crafting handmade bracelets to selling them to friends and family, she embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship with enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. 💡✨ However, as every entrepreneur knows, running a business involves more than just creating products. Yesterday, my daughter learned her first valuable lesson: the importance of reinvesting in her business. 💰📈 After a successful round of sales, we sat down together to review her earnings. Instead of rushing to spend her profits on treats or toys, she learned the significance of reinvesting back into her business to fuel its growth. We discussed the necessity of replenishing supplies to ensure the sustainability and quality of her products. 🔄📦 It was a proud moment for me as a parent to witness her grasp these fundamental principles at such a young age. Teaching her the value of financial responsibility and the rewards of reinvestment sets a strong foundation for her future endeavors, both in business and in life. 🌱💼 As I reflect on this heartwarming experience, I'm reminded of the power of education outside the traditional classroom setting. Through hands-on experiences and real-world lessons, we can instill invaluable skills and values in our children, shaping them into resilient, resourceful individuals ready to tackle any challenge that comes their way. 🌟👩🏫 Here's to many more lessons, adventures, and milestones on this entrepreneurial journey with my daughter! 🚀👧 #Entrepreneurship #Parenting #SmallBusiness #FinancialLiteracy #NextGenerationLeadership

How Can Your Hard Work in Start-Ups Lead to Unseen Success? Answers: https://lnkd.in/g_Qs3-Sd #StartUpStruggles #EntrepreneurLife #YouGotThis Hey there! 🌟 Have you ever thought about how challenging running a start-up can be? It often feels like you're “chewing glass and staring into the abyss,” right? But guess what? You’re still here! You continue to push forward and believe in your vision. That’s something really special. 🙌 Let’s break it down: You’re committed: It takes a unique kind of tenacity to stick with your dreams when the going gets tough. It’s a tough road: Many people outside of the entrepreneurial world have no idea just how hard it is to keep your head above water. Your journey matters: Even if it feels like you’re going through a never-ending grind, remember that every effort counts! 💪 So, if you needed a little boost today, let me just say it: I’m proud of you for not giving up! Your determination is inspiring. Keep going; you really do have what it takes to make your vision a reality. I’d love to hear from you! What’s something you’re struggling with, or maybe a small win that made you smile this week? Let’s share our experience...

Entrepreneurship is a difficult and challenging path. There's no denying that. And while we're always told of the sucess stories, very few founders and investors are willing to talk publicly about their failures. The truth is that less than 1% of founders successfully raise investment from VCs and Angels combined. If you want to be in the top 1% of founders who are successfully closing deals, stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Learn about tried and tested ways to nail the fundraising process by ordering a free copy of my best-selling book - link in comments

One of my cousins called me last night after making a decision to close her business (brick and mortar). The first thing she says is she feels like a failure! I immediately remind her that entrepreneurship was not talk about at our dinner tables! For many of us, we are first generations. So the fact that we don’t get it right this go around, doesn’t mean we won’t the next. This is not failure! These are learning lessons for our children, grand children and future generations! The only overnight success is on social media 🫣 Entrepreneurship is not an instant thing. It takes time and a lot of mistakes. With that, we have to give ourselves grace! Pivot! I went back the drawing board this year, built something bigger and better! And using myself as an example, starting over doesn’t necessarily have to mean a new business. It could mean revamping the idea! Do more research! Talk to previous clients! See what worked, what didn’t work and what sets you apart from the rest. Give an entrepreneur who is feeling defeated encouragement in the comments!

Helping beginners through my experience feels AMAZING. During a mentoring conversation yesterday, I was reminded of what it was like to be new the entrepreneurship, and especially fundraising, game. All the passion, drive, ambition. But lacking the experience to make good, strategic decisions. I'm grateful for the opportunity to help guide a fellow founder. To help him avoid some of the (big) mistakes I've made in the past. Here are 3 equity lessons I was reminded of yesterday on my call for anyone else who can benefit from this information: 1. Equity needs to be distributed strategically. When you're a new startup and have 100% equity ownership within the founder(s), it is easy to want to pay consultants, vendors, partners, and everyone else with small pieces of equity. But here's the thing... Flooding your cap table with these new "owners" is a big 🚩red flag🚩 to new investors. If they're investing millions for 10%, why does the consultant who helped you with you pitch deck own 3%?!?!? 2. Don't overdilute yourself too early I remember approaching my first investment round when I was a rookie. I was so sure that after that pre-seed round, we would make a profitable company who will never need another investment again. I was ready to offer 49% equity for the deal, because I was so eager. ***naive*** Companies take way more time and money than you think. ALWAYS. Hold you to your precious equity for the future rounds that you will definitely need. If your seed round will overdilute the founders' shares, that is a huge 🚩red flag🚩 to you potential investors. They want to see the founders with all the equity so they know you're motivated and in control of your own company. (And that you make good decision by the way.) 3. Remember equity for future employees Set aside a 10% equity pool for future employees. This will allow you to hire skills and experience above what you can afford to pay them with money. ♻️ Repost to your network if you someone else might need to hear it and 📌 Follow me, Travis James Mathers, for more about fundraising, entrepreneurship, high performance, and reaching your full potential. #business #entrepreneurship #fundraising

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