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The Founder Roundup
So much to do...
So much to do…
I’ve been thinking a lot about founder boundaries lately. Startups are tricky, because there’s always something you could be doing. Without the clear boundaries of the 9-5, it can be difficult to switch between rest and work.
Are you successfully able to separate the two? How can you do a better job this week?
Welcome back to the Founder Roundup! A big thank you and welcome to all our new subscribers. If you haven’t reached out and introduced yourself yet, please do! I’d love to meet you.
– Luke
Weekly Wisdom
Backseat Startup
On the latest episode of the Backseat Startup Podcast, I had Gregg Bieser, Founder of Security in Motion on the show. A Reddit user asked whether they should join an incubator/accelerator. Gregg and I gave our thoughts.
What Else We’re Reading
Our friend Justin Gordon at Vitalize VC writes fantastic case studies of legendary founders in the Just Go Grind newsletter. I highly recommend checking it out below 👇️
Please note that the above link is a Magic Link. Clicking the link will automatically subscribe you to Just Go Grind
The Founder Roundup
Gregg Bieser of Security In Motion
Security systems protect your home, but what happens when you leave the house? Gregg Bieser and the team building Security in Motion are keeping you safe on the go.
nōmad is a slender, self-contained, and deployable security device. It's the first security system designed with true mobility in mind.
With a motion sensor, HD camera, and zero-hassle cellular connectivity, it travels with you wherever you go.
You can extend nomad's reach with wireless sensor PoDs ("Points of Defense") that attach and charge right from the base unit.
When you’re ready to deploy, you just unstack and place PoDs at security risk points. Once deployed, nōmad is instantly ready to sound alarms and send text, image, or video alerts to your mobile device the moment a sensor is tripped
The first nōmad product is set to release in Q4 of 2023. Until then, head over to their website to learn more.
“While generally quite effective, traditional security infrastructure with landline based connectivity to law enforcement or private security can be circumvented. nōmad is different because it can be very stealthy – intruders don’t know that it's watching, don't know where it might be.. Our team is spending a great deal of time designing nōmad's security so that it cannot be detected and that only you can disarm it.”
Julie Janides of Toy Trader
Don't let your kids' toys go to waste. Julie Janides created a marketplace allowing parents to trade pre-owned children items.
Founder, Julie Janides, is a solopreneur and mother of three. After having twins, she realized just how many items get outgrown.
Rather than an endless cycle of buying and throwing away items as kids grow up, Julie knew there had to be another way.
So she built it!
Toy Trader App is a platform allowing parents to swap their children's items with other parents. This is handled with in-app currency ("Zennies"), allowing the items to retain their value and be traded for items of similar value.
In less than a year, the app has already acquired ~200 parents swapping items on the platform. Download Toy Trader App on the Google Play or Apple App Store today to stop letting your children's items go to waste.
“When we found out we were having twins we realized how much stuff actually comes along with having kids because we had two of everything. I found myself constantly on alternative marketplaces and as they grew I was selling all the baby stuff and buying new things for the next stage of life. I was rotating constantly and realized that we were all using the exact same items. And I kept thinking that there has to be a better way.”
Sami Abuzarifa of Klu
Sami and the team at Klu raised $130k for an MVP built in 2 weeks:
Klu was born when its three co-founders built the MVP in two weeks in order to impress an investor. The co-founders were working day and night to pump out the MVP, and were rewarded with an initial investment of $130,000.
Klu is a platform that allows users to search for files across the apps they use every day, Including Google Drive, Slack, Figma, Trello, Notion, and more.
The magic of Klu comes from the ability to integrate files across different tools: Klu doesn't move any files from your applications. It simply creates references to those files so you can search them instantly, from one place.
Every team has multiple applications in their tech stack. Head over to their website to make them searchable.
“Klu's vision is to revolutionize the way teams work and collaborate by providing a seamless and efficient way to access and share digital information. By integrating with the most popular cloud-based apps and utilizing a powerful search algorithm, Klu aims to make it easy for teams to find the information they need in seconds, increasing productivity and reducing the time and effort spent searching for lost knowledge.”
Community Corner
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Founder Mastermind: I’m very excited to be presenting at Founder Mastermind Jumpstart Summit this August. The Founder Mastermind is designed to help you get on track and stay on track with trusted experts along the way. Early Bird registration prices run through March 31st. Click here to register.
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