With over 10 years of providing revenue-based financing to our clients, we’ve built an impressive portfolio network of SaaS businesses. We take pride in helping our clients succeed. In an effort to give more than money (and partner perks), we are prioritizing community. The launch of our Inaugural Founder and CEO Summit was the first of many in-person events to educate and foster connections between entrepreneurs.
Lighter Capital Founder and CEO Summit 2021
“Real people with real problems and real answers.” – Michael Kassing, Chief Visionary Officer (CVO) of Insured.IO
Founder and CEO Summit 2021 Recap
Our inaugural summit was a two-day retreat Thursday 10/7 – Friday 10/8 at The Boulders Resort in Phoenix, AZ with 20 leaders from 17 different businesses in attendance.
Day 1 (all business) was filled with panel discussions, group conversations, one-on-one meetings, and a lot of shared stories.
Panel Session #1 – Acquisitions: Lessons Learned through Selling a Business
(left to right): Panelist Conor Begley (Co-Founder of Tribe Dynamics), Panelist Rob Farrow (CEO of Aisle Planner), Moderator Melissa Widner (CEO of Lighter Capital), and Panelist Susan Sly (Co-CEO / Co-Founder of Radius AI)
Panel Session #2 – Board: Fundraising and Board Management
(left to right): Panelist Brian Schiff (CEO / Co-Founder of RedRoute), Panelist Danielle Demming (COO and Co-Founder of Seamless.AI), Moderator Bonnie Crater (President / CEO of Full Circle Insights), Panelist Garth Brantley (Founder of Subscribe Pro).
Panel Session #3 – People: Remote Workforces & Navigating the ‘Great Resignation
(left to right): Panelist Michael Kassing (CVO of Insured.IO), Panelist JoAnna Abrams (Founder / CEO of MindClick), Scott Moran (Founder of Go2), Moderator Jon Prentice (Investment Director at Lighter Capital), and Panelists Kevin Tighe II (CEO / Co-Founder of Beachly Brands).
Panel Session #4 – Growth: What I wish I knew at $1M that I know at $5M+
(left to right) Panelist Chris Vance (CEO and Founder of Playground Sessions), Brandon Bornancin (CEO and Founder of Seamless.AI), Panelists Gregg Weisstein (Co-Founder of BloomNation), and Moderator Jody Page (Investment Director at Lighter Capital).
At the end of the day, the group changed gears from entrepreneurship to a history lesson on Arizona and comic relief provided by Marshall Trimble, Arizona Historian and Entertainer.
Day 2 (all fun) was spent exploring local attractions – ATV rides and horseback riding. It allowed for more casual conversations and follow ups on topics from the day before. Good times ensued.
“Opportunity to network and share experiences of the challenges of being a founder / CEO.” – Andy Watson, Board / Investor / CFO of Go2
The positive feedback garnered from attendees proves this type of event has a place on everyone’s calendar and is time well-spent. The takeaways from 48-hours of real-life advice are invaluable for all. Thank you to everyone who attended and made our first summit a success! We look forward to providing more opportunities for our community to connect IRL in the future.