It’s time for some inspiring stories! Over the past few months, the GAN Community came together to support startup founders who have been deeply impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. GAN launched The Founder Support Fund in early May with commitments from GAN Partners UPS, Mailchimp, and Chargebee, members of the GAN Advisory Board, and individual supporters, […]
Category: Founders & Companies
Announcing the Founder Support Fund
I’m excited to announce the Founder Support Fund. It’s an evergreen microgrant fund dedicated to supporting founders’ mental and emotional health and well-being. As we enter the first full week of Mental Health Awareness Month, the GAN team, like many others, has been thinking about the additional stress many people are facing in the midst […]
Startups Who are Rising to the Occasion
The inherent role of a startup is to find a problem, create a solution, and do it in a way that is efficient, cost-effective, and impactful. In COVID-19 times, we’re seeing story after story of startups doing exactly this: finding problems, creating solutions, and deploying those solutions in an efficient and effective way. While in […]
Four Questions Founders Should Ask Before Joining an Accelerator
Accelerators tend to do a great job of asking founders questions that help to ensure startups are the right fit for their programs, but founders don’t always do the same. Here’s what startups should be asking themselves before even applying.
Why Every Startup Should Have an Advisory Board
Running a business isn’t easy. Demands from your team and your clients can fill every minute of every day and it can be hard to prioritize the work that’s actually essential to you and your company. So sometimes, it really can help to get feedback at the right time, from the right people—people who understand the intricacies of your business and who allow you to be incredibly open and honest.
Our Obsessive Fear of Failure
One of my favorite theologians is a man named N.T. Wright. He writes a lot on the “afterlife” and what may happen when we die. At the beginning of one of his books, he makes a point about how our view of the afterlife affects how we live today. In other words, what we believe […]
Why We Invest in Authentic Founders
At GAN Ventures, when we invest in startups, we say over and over again that we look for four things and one of them is “authentic founders.” But, what does it mean? Why is it so important? And, how can founders work to become increasingly authentic?
The Tradeoffs We Make as Founders
Thriving amidst the chaos of running a startup isn’t exactly a cake walk. So, when I see someone pulling it off even relatively well, I get intrigued and want to know more. That’s exactly how I felt after meeting Piper Foster Wilder, CEO of 60Hertz and a renewable energy expert who’s not only running a company but doing it while caring for a newborn.
10 Women-Run Startup Founders You Should Know
Over the past few years, both the total number and overall percentage of female founders at GAN Startups have increased drastically. Multiple factors are leading to the rise, but here are a few GAN Startup founders (who happen to be women) that are worth watching.
How to Be a Great Co-Founder
A business is often only as strong as its relationships—inside and out. So, Reilly—my GAN Ventures Co-Founder—and I have worked hard to make sure our relationship was a top priority. Here are several specific habits we’ve adopted to keep our partnership strong.