Current Participants
Meet some of the companies working with us!
Kids Vet Club
Workshops and Summer Camps for Animal Lovers and Aspiring Veterinarians
We teach children about being a veterinarian in several Wake, Orange and Chatham county locations. Kids Vet Club and Junior Vet Academy students learn through hands-on experience on our farms, as well as local animal clinics, rescues, and even a mobile veterinary truck.
Cabbage Branch Farm
Kornegay Farms
Regenerative Grass-fed Beef, Pasture-raised Pork, and Eggs
In the upper part of Duplin County, North Carolina and tucked next to the bottomlands of Goshen Swamp, Kornegay Hereford Farms has continued the 1949 heritage of producing rich foods from the land.
NLN Farms, LLC
Live and Purged NC Crawfish
We are Natalie Woolard and Nick Dotson; business partners as well as mother and son. We have had countless hours of discussions with my parents/ Nick's grandparents; mentoring us on the potential pitfalls as well as the rewards that come with farming. After two long years of preparing, learning all we can from the NC Crawfish Association members, our NC Extension Agent and NCDA&CS staff, we are finally open for business!
JOY Filled Foods
Food for the moment.
JOY Filled Foods, formerly known as Farrell Farms, is a company that produces artisan snack products and seeks to help charities that support children. Farrell Farms was started to support the KW Methodist Children’s Home in La Paz, Bolivia. The home served abandoned, abused and orphaned children in a loving Christian home.
SportScale
A Good Catch
Whimsical Watercolor
Whimsical vintage themed bathing ladies cover pillows, table runners and t towels, made in USA, quality linen cotton, adding a touch of sunshine to your home.
Baker's Southern Traditions Peanuts
"From the Baker Family Farm to You"
Peanuts are our passion, and only the best peanuts we grow will do! It is our family tradition to use only the best Virginia type peanuts that we grow on our farm to make our peanut snacks.
Simply Divine Extensions
Beautiful. Glamorous. Divine.
Jadalyn P is a young entrepreneur, businesswomen, and a full-time student. She started Simply Divine for her passion for hair In 2019. Her main purpose of selling hair is to help others recognize the divinity in themselves.
Grass Grazed
Grass fed. Raised right.
Our mission is to produce protein with the promise of integrity. We will uphold this promise with ethical practices and regenerative farming methods. We care about having a connection to our food. Our understanding of where it’s coming from is now our livelihood.
Booze Dogs
Spirited meat, spirited moments.
Booze Dogs is Social Food. Don’t settle for boredom. Be the food hero that provides social food to compliment your social drink. Liquor infused meat, delivered to your door.
Your Minute Mechanic
Convenient, Fast, No Wait, No Pressure "Know And Go"
Your Minute Mechanic is a patented, new revolutionary concept in automotive diagnostics. It is a stand alone auto diagnostic machine similar to an air or vacuum machine outside your local gas station. With Your Minute Mechanic, your car is diagnosed by a state of the art computer in simple terms to allow you to make an educated decision about the servicing of your vehicle.
Hobgood Hemp
Just good folks making great CBD.
Two of the primary barriers to more people benefiting from CBD products is quality and affordability. Hobgood Hemp addresses these by our commitment to supply a product that is grown locally and processed under the highest standards … and to do it at a price that everyone can afford.
Here’s to your health. Here’s to your enjoyment. Here’s some Hobgood Hemp.
Asheville Chocolate
Get chocolate sauced!
We combine farm-fresh cream from local Jersey cows and pure Belgian chocolate, then follow a six-step process to create truffles that contrast a creamy center with a delicately crisp chocolate shell. We make all of our gelato right here in the shop with milk from grass-fed local cows. Come try an Italian classic such as Stracciatella, or one of our ever-changing experimental flavors!
Patchwork Microgreens
Local and sustainable microgreens.
With a wide variety of microgreens, including our signature microgreen mix, we can work with any chef to help create their own signature microgreen mix.
UltraSanitary
The Cleanest Toilet Plunger Ever Made
No drip, no rinse, toilet plungers eliminate the mess in your bathroom, don't require rinsing, cleaning or sanitizing, and are quick and easy to use. Plunge and you're done. It's that simple.
Carolina Butter Beans & Produce Farms
Fresh, local produce
Carolina Butter Beans is a whole sale produce farm located in Goldsboro NC. We offer fresh produce from farm to city prepackaged meals with local produce ingredients all from our farm and central and eastern NC Jams, Jelly’s, Dressings, and all General Store products
Indian Springs Pecans and Farm, LLC
Farm Fresh Pecans Produced Sustainably in NC
We produce farm fresh, naturally grown, premium pecans in eastern NC. We have thirty acres of trees and fifteen varieties. We use sustainable best farming practices with annual cover crops to improve the health and productivity of the soil. We sell shelled pecans retail and wholesale. Pecans are the only nut native to North America and are heart healthy, high in fiber, antioxidants and vitamins. Tim and Karen Haithcock are the owners and operators in Wayne County, NC.
Troy Haithcock has started Seven Springs Pecan Nursery. The trees are grafted to local root stock from known varieties in our orchard. The emphasis is on newly released, proven cultivars from USDA that are naturally scab resistant and known as low input varieties.
Alinement Dancewear
ALIGNING DANCERS WITH THEIR PASSION AND PURPOSE
Alinement Dancewear, founded by Madeline Douglas, grew from a passion for new and colorful leotards. Madeline, a North Carolina-based dancer, began designing and sewing herself leotards so she could create patterns and color combinations of her choice. As Madeline continued to create leotards and tops, she discovered endless possibilities of styles and colors. While the initial leotards were sewn for herself, Madeline’s friends quickly began requesting leotards, and thus, Alinement Dancewear was born.
Rose Rast
Hand Embroidered Wearable Art
Off the Cuff Designs ✨⠀
🐝 ONE of a KIND, let yourself shine
Big Buji
Buy Professional High Quality Beats Online
Branson Edwards (born April 27, 1975), best known by the name Big Buji or simply Buji, is an urban media producer, music executive, DJ and visual artist from Eastern North Carolina. He acquired the name “Big Buji” because of his size and his knowledge of the music industry. He has an interesting editing style in which he uses sampling and extreme breaks to produce various genres in music. Yet, hip-hop is his true passion and the closest to his heart. He has found a way to mix the old with the new creating nostalgia for the retro soulful hip-hop of the early days. Buji is an innovator in mass media contributing to the development of several Internet ventures. He is knowledgeable in freelance video editing and graphic designs. Buji has been featured several times in his local newspaper and magazine. He has also been featured in XXL magazine. He is the founder and CEO of A-Camp Productions LLC.
Go-Bo
Lightweight modular
martial arts weapons kitsCan be configured into 20+ martial arts weapons. Reduces weight from over 20 pounds down to 5 pounds. No need to buy new weapons as children grow.
Mentor Profiles
Meet Our Mentors!
John Ciannamea
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Academy Venture Funds
Charlotte, NCMr. Ciannamea has been investing in and working with early-stage companies for approximately 20 years.
He co-founded and is a Senior Managing Director of ACF and AVF II. In this capacity, he is responsible for performing due diligence, making decisions on portfolio company investments and contributing to corporate development issues.
Tom Newell
Board Director and Strategic Advisor
McLean, VAAs CEO, Tom provided the growth and exit capital for Signature Senior Lifestyle Limited, a UK developer and operator of super premium nursing care homes in London and surrounding counties with the goal of creating the best possible resident experience. As EVP and President of Sunrise Development, and then global company President, helped lead Sunrise to become the preeminent and largest international senior living provider, operating over 450 homes, in four countries, with +50,000 excellent employees serving nearly 44,00 residents. Growth was primarily through development, with selective acquisitions, including the acquisition of Marriott Senior Living
Pam Marrone
CEO and FounderMarrone Bio Innovations (NASDAQ:MBII)
Davis, CA
Experienced, serial entrepreneur who is a thought leader in the ag biologicals industry, successfully bringing multiple science-based products to market and scaling two agbio companies from founding to a consistent high growth revenue stage. Skilled at raising money from angels, VCs, public markets and debt. Experienced at: M&A, turnarounds, technology licensing and acquisition, building intellectual property portfolios. Non-profit and for-profit boards. Mentoring entrepreneurs. Organizational culture, corporate ethics. Public speaking: Entrepreneurship, sustainable, regenerative and organic ag, agtech and ag biologicals.
Bill Pursche
Managing Director
First Call Advisors
Orleans, VABill Pursche is the founder of First Call Advisors,
Bill is widely regarded as one of most knowledgeable experts in the world in the area of Post Merger Integration (PMI). He has been involved in over 350 M&A and PMI efforts in a variety of industries and geographies, including cross border deals, and has authored many articles on M&A and PMI. His special emphasis is on the PMI process and the identification and capture of profit improvement opportunities.
Previously, he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company where he led its worldwide Post Merger Management Group. While at McKinsey he also founded and led its Mergers and Acquisitions Group (M&A), and its Turnaround (Operational Profit Improvement) Group.
Gus Bessalel
CFO
Fugue, Inc.
Bethesda, MDExperienced entrepreneur, private investor and business development professional. Inc. 500 CEO. 7 years in management consulting for Global 1000 companies. Founder of numerous companies and board member/advisor to early stage ventures.
CFO - Fugue, Inc. - Technology startup developing Fugue, a cloud operating system that builds, monitors, and enforces cloud infrastructure, continuously and automatically.
Mentor - Harvard Business School Alumni New Venture Contest, DC Region, advising contestants in this global new venture competition. Have worked with regional winners PhytoTek and KnockOut!
John Chafee
Business Broker
Transworld Business Advisors
Greenville, NCJohn has four decades of progressive executive leadership experience involving the startup and recruitment and development of companies, assessment of competitive landscapes and synergistic relationships to develop strategies that capitalize on unique opportunities to advance geographic areas. A change agent dedicated to leading organizations in new directions and developing cross-functional teams to diminish attachment to silos that inhibit growth. Responsibilities have included budget development and oversight, direct P&L for funding/operating specific projects, and other programs to support company recruitment, retention and entrepreneurial activities as well as regional workforce development and STEM education efforts to improve the talent pipeline.
Currently serving on statewide SBTDC Board of Directors, Rivers East Workforce Development Board, co-chair of STEM East ENC Employers & Superintendents Advisory Board, East Carolina University College of Engineering & Technology Advisory Board, NCSU Industrial Expansion Solutions Advisory Board and the Institute for Emerging Issues National Advisory Board. Also a member of several ECU departmental advisory boards.
Mark Wdowik
President & CEO
East Carolina Angels
Greenville, NCMark was the Executive Director for Innovation and New Ventures at ECU. Prior to ECU, Mark was AVP for Research and Industry Partnerships at Colorado State. Mark managed multiple technology-based businesses in Colorado. ECA is the newest angel investor network in NC. East Carolina Angels (ECA) is an angel network focused on return on investment (ROI) for its Members through facilitation of the flow of capital and support from East Carolina University (ECU) alumni and supporters, as well as other angel investors with an interest in high growth startups in eastern North Carolina and the U.S. as a whole. ECA seeks to invest in private companies with the potential for significant growth and financial returns. In addition to facilitating investments, ECA leverages its leadership expertise, and the power of the global ECU community and other sophisticated investors to provide guidance and expertise to portfolio companies, including serving in operational and leadership roles to drive success and exits.
Mike Aman
Chairman
C12 Group
Greenville, NC Area
Mike Aman serves as a mentor on ECU's Entrepreneurs-in-Residence team.
Partnering with Business Owners to lead with excellence for eternal impact.
Experienced Leader skilled in Coaching & Development, Management, Marketing, Operations and Client Satisfaction. Strong professional with a BSBA & MBA focused in Business from East Carolina University.
Amena Ali
CEO
VividCortex
Bethesda, MDI joined VividCortex as CEO in July 2018 and led the company to a highly successful exit 17 months later, with a 5X increase in valuation over the prior funding round. Following our acquisition by SolarWinds, I currently serve in an integration capacity as GM of the Database Performance Monitoring group for our SaaS infrastructure product (formerly VividCortex). Charlottesville-based VividCortex was backed by leading VCs including Osage Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates and Battery Ventures.
Previously I spent more than 25 years successfully leading revenue generation efforts at startups, middle market and public companies, including 17 years in enterprise software and SaaS. I served as CRO at Whisker Labs, and was the senior marketing executive at several companies including Earth Networks, WeatherBug, Arxan Technologies, Softek Storage Solutions (acquired by IBM), and Legato Systems/OTG Software (acquired by EMC).
During 9 years at MCI-Worldcom, I led consumer branding and product marketing efforts and ran loyalty marketing programs as well as financial planning and business analysis functions. I started my career as a management consultant at Bain & Company in Boston.
Yale School of Management (MBA) and Wesleyan University (BA).
Wayne Jackson
CEO
Sonatype
Baltimore, MD AreaWayne has been CEO for several large VC-funded technology companies including Sonatype, Sourcefire and Riverbed. Wayne is an avid cyclist and mountain climber. His broad technical background and leadership skills have helped him generate a lot of value for stakeholders over a long period of time.
Phil Hodges
Board Director
Mayne Pharma, USA
Greenville, NC Area
Phil was Co-Founder, President & CEO of Metrics, Inc. which was acquired by Mayne Pharmaceuticals.
John Andrews
CEO
PhotofyRaleigh-Durham, NC AreaLoonshot Taker.
I help companies reimagine retail marketing.
Career marketer in the consumer packaged goods and retail industries. Serial entrepreneur and intrapreneur that seeks to not only adapt to a rapidly changing marketing environment but to help create and lead the future of the industry. Experience ranging from Fortune 1 to start-ups.
Founder of Collective Bias Social Shopper Media Company (Acquired by Inmar in 2016), Carusele Content Marketing Company and creator of Walmart Elevenmoms content marketing platform. Proven leader with the ability to conceive and execute emerging media business models that drive consumer engagement and ROI.
Leveraging 20+ years of experience in cpg marketing coupled with 13 years of ground up social media knowledge to build new media formats in the shopper marketing space.
Experience includes brand marketing positions for Verbatim, Eastman Kodak Digital (PictureVision), Hanes Brands, Newell Rubbermaid, Implus, Dominos Pizza and Walmart, all with a hands on approach to implementing innovative marketing plans with demonstrated ROI.
#ContentMarketing #Shopper Marketing #EmergingMedia #SocialMedia #MobileMedia #Entrepreneur #Branding #Marketing #ProductDevelopment #Public Relations #DigitalMedia, #Retailrelevancy #MarketingStrategy #Dad #Retail
Andy Gilicinski
Managing Director
CPG Advisor, LLC
Greater Milwaukee AreaAfter a career with Gillette, SC Johnson, Glade, Clorox and other major brands, Andy is offering M&A services from deep experience in both innovation and M&A in consumer products and technologies. We accept projects ranging from short strategy assessments to intensive engagements that follow a deal from initial pitch through post-deal integration. M&A services include Diligence (product, IP, regulatory and portfolio assessment), Valuation (value vs market alternatives, defensibility, risk assessment) and Integration (building transition and post-deal plans, including contingencies).
Matt Crisp
Co-Founder & former COO of eVestment
Co-Founder & former Chief Operating Officer of an Atlanta-based Financial Technology company called eVestment, a Data & Analytics organization that services the Institutional Investment industry. The company grew from 4 partners to 400+ employees globally with offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Sydney Australia, Dubai UAE & Tokyo Japan and regional sales offices throughout the United States & Canada. In October 2017, eVestment was acquired by publicly traded NASDAQ and remains a key component of the NASDAQ portfolio of companies to date.
As COO, Matt helped lead eVestment’s global expansion into the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong from 2009-11 and was part of the Executive Team responsible for the strategic direction of the business. He also led the post-acquisition integration of several companies, acquired by eVestment between 2010-2015, into a common operating environment and culture.
He now spends his time as a private investor/strategic consultant in pre- & post-revenue companies helping fellow entrepreneurs avoid common pitfalls of start-ups and growing businesses. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Ron Clark Academy (“RCA”), a globally recognized Non-Profit, educational organization founded by fellow ECU alum, Ron Clark.
Frank Marvin
President
LeGuard, Inc.
Washington, D.C. Metro Area
I am President of LeGuard, an industry-changing technology that gives corporate legal departments LIVE visibility into outside counsel activities and spend as it accrues.
I am a strategic, hands-on CEO / COO / Business Development Executive accomplished in leading world-class executive and management teams in commercial and federal businesses and community endeavors.
Linda Crawford
CEO
HelpshiftSan Francisco, CADynamic executive with extensive experience establishing and developing sales and product organizations for both start-up and high growth companies. Motivational management style with a record of driving innovation, employee success and customer success at the world’s leading software companies, including Salesforce, Demandware and Optimizely
Ben Knight
Artist
Self-Employed
Kinston, NC
20 Years in Restaurants
14 Years Professional Artist
3 + Years Graphic Design
Lifetime Entrepreneur
Specialties: Thinking outside the box
Phil Galdi
Chief Customer Solutions Officer
e-Courier Software
Baltimore, MDPhil is longtime technology executive in the logistics industry. He recently sold his company to Alpine SG and continues in a consulting role.
Phil has worked with major manufacturers and large technology on software solutions including one of the earliest implementations of bar codes.
Grant Godwin
Managing Partner, Polaris Associates, L.L.C.
Chairman
N.C. Rural Economic Development Authority (NC Rural Center)Raleigh-Durham, NC AreaPolaris Associates provides marketing services in advanced and additive manufacturing and in community/economic development. Prior to Polaris, Grant was Vice President and General Manager, Martin Marietta Composites (MMC) in which he led an engineering team in product development utilizing leading edge technologies and materials in North American, European and Far East markets. Product focus areas were in transportation and defense. MMC was a division of Martin Marietta Materials, a Fortune 1000 NYSE company. He retired from Martin in 2011. Prior to his seventeen years with Martin, Grant spent thirteen years with AOV Industries, Waste Management and Browning-Ferris in marketing and operations positions with bulk materials handling and distribution on national and international basis. Grant began his career with a ten year stint with the North Carolina State Budget Office (budget analyst) and the North Carolina Department of Commerce (Deputy Director Ports Authority),
Grant serves as current Chairman, N. C. Rural Economic Development Authority and as a board member of the N. C. Community Colleges Foundation, the N. C. Industrial Extension Service and the N. C. State Additive Manufacturing Center.
Moe Farhat
CEO
Webinopoly
Houston, TX
Moe Farhat is a Father, Entrepreneur, Inventor, and the CEO of Webinopoly and several IT companies with the lead role in Web Design and Software Development. He serves in all roles consisting of an online basis and precision. Prior to joining Webinopoly, Moe worked as a Software Developer and an IT Specialist in many well-known companies overseas and in the United States. With 14 years of experience, Moe holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science & an MBA Degree from the University of Houston. Providing Webinopoly’s online operations the steps for national success.
Scott Crawford
Co-Founder
OneWindow PartnersSt. Helena, CAAccomplished and results driven executive with an excellent track record of achievements in developing, executing and managing solution sales, alliances and business development plans for software and services. International experience, including direct sales, telesales and channel sales for enterprise to mid market sized territories. Excellent communication and team building skills focused on analyzing complex technology solutions and delivering business value. OneWindow is a sales consultancy focused on accelerating sales growth. We work with our clients to tie their overall strategy to their the sales strategy; align product, marketing and sales; mentor and coach leaders and individual contributors; and fine tune sales operations to create incremental value inherent in our clients business.
www.onewindow.com
Stephen Bishop
Head of UX
Amazon Alexa AutoMountain View, CAFor the past 15 years, Steve Bishop has unlocked business potential for companies by applying a human-centered, design thinking approach to problem solving. He currently leads User Experience (UX) for Amazon Alexa Auto.
Most recently, Steve served as Head of Design, Partnerships at Automatic Labs, where he built strategic relationships and connected car services that helped partners innovate their business. He also spent 9 years at IDEO where he developed portfolios of work in the transportation and built environment spaces, creating new-to-the-world products, services, and design capabilities.
He has worked with several organizations, including government agencies, energy utilities, the US Navy, Fortune 100 companies, academic institutions, startups, and non-profits. He devotes much of his time to leading and mentoring design teams inside client organizations to create innovative products and digital experiences while helping to internalize design thinking. His portfolio includes award-winning automotive dashboard design, office furniture and medical injection devices (all for which he holds patents).
After earning a graduate degree in product design from Stanford, Steve returned there to teach foundational product design courses to undergrads. He also launched a graduate course on Design for Sustainability and periodically teaches at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (the d.school).
Steve serves as an advisor to startups and frequently speaks at conferences. His writing has been published in The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, and Rotman magazines.
Alan Fitzpatrick
CEO
Open Broadband
Charlotte, NCTech company founder balancing engineering and operations with marketing, sales and business development. I enjoy working with early stage technology companies, and in addition to the companies I co-founded, I served as Head of Marketing, Head of Business Development, and advisor to several startup SaaS and Data Analytics companies.
I support the Big Data & Analytics Society in Charlotte, and serve on the Board of the Society of Information Management (SIM) for Marketing of the Charlotte Chapter. Additional roles include working as a Marketing consultant for Carolina Premier Bank and TechWorks Gaston innovation center, and previous Membership Development at the NC Technology Association.
Tom Wall
Director, Small Business Credit Initiative
NC Rural Economic Development Center
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area
Finance and marketing professional with experience in a broad range of positions including business lending, investment and financial management, business development and marketing. After a long career with Nortel and other organizations, Tom has been in charge of the NC Rural Center's successful Venture Capital participation fund and their small business lending activities..
Robin Mee
President and Founder
Mee Derby
Washington, D.C. Metro Area
The real thread of my career has been putting people to work. At first it was public service oriented - running a Summer Youth Employment Program to find jobs for young people who were economically disadvantaged and under the poverty line. Then I moved to the private sector and transitioned my “putting people to work” skills to the staffing industry. Seven years later I became an entrepreneur by starting Mee Derby. We have been slowly growing for more than 30 years now, to the point that we are today a leading search firm for the staffing industry.
For 30 years at Mee Derby I’ve built a team of people, a solid core of like-minded professionals who embrace the same values of community, communication, integrity, and results who are passionate about the staffing industry. We aspire to innovation and harness technology in a way that allows us to work effectively. Technology provided us access to people, to each other, and enhances work-life balance. The company evolved from a corporate headquarters on K Street to virtual officing across the United States.
Benjamin Hardy, CPA
Owner, Page & Smith, P.A.Greenville, NC Area
Benjamin Hardy completed his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from East Carolina University in 1989. Ben is currently a member of the AICPA, NCACPA and the NCACPA Accounting and Attestation Committee.
Additionally, Ben serves on the NCACPA's Accounting and Attestation Technical Assistance Program for the Construction Industry and the AICPA and FASB Private Company Financial Reporting Committee Resource Group. He is proficient in the areas of individual income tax, business tax matters and estate and gift taxation. Ben is highly experienced in tax and financial reporting matters specific to the construction industry.
Michael Georgiou
I am currently the Co-founder at Imaginovation, as well as the host of Tales from the PROS podcast. I have built an award-winning 7-figure app development company 100% organically bootstrapped and started from nothing since 2011 with my brother-in-law. I am also a creative marketer, passionate business storyteller, and a member of the Forbes Council.
—————————————————
What I’m Currently Doing:
- Co-founder at Imaginovation
- Tales from the PROS Podcast
- Award-winning Entrepreneur
- Forbes Council Member
- Business Storyteller
- 12k + followers on LinkedIn
- Contributor and featured in Forbes Entrepreneur, Goalcast, VentureBeat, Search Engine Journal, and more...
On my Tales from the PROS podcast, I’ve interviewed amazing leaders sharing their inspirational stories:
- David Meltzer
- Chris Do
- Evan Carmichael
- Brandon Steiner
- Shanee Moret
- Neil Patel
- Rand Fishkin
- Jay Baer
—————————————————
My Purpose:
My drive and passion come from inspiring and making a positive impact on other people's lives and in the community. I know that as long as I do right by people and have the right motives behind what I am trying to accomplish, then nothing is impossible.
—————————————————
How To Find Me:
Imaginovation - www.imaginovation.net
Tales from the PROS Podcast - www.talesfromthepros.com
Valarie Valdepeña
Valarie Valdepeña is an attorney in California, Texas and Georgia with over 16 years of experience in several areas of practice: business, contracts, estate planning, real estate, solar, broadband, cannabis/hemp and entertainment law. She also holds a real estate sales license and a life, accident and sickness insurance license in Georgia. She currently resides in Georgia where she is assisting individuals and businesses build generational wealth through the development of long term personal and business strategies, complex business transactions and unconventional partnerships. Valarie is a founder, board member and volunteer for nonprofit organizations that focus on the use of sustainable, regenerative farming systems within local communities, creating environmentally friendly building materials, and the use of innovative business and real estate models to eliminate environmental harm, remove systemic inequalities and encourage the advancement of sustainable rural developments.
Contact Information:
E-mail: Info@AttorneyVal.com
Cell: 678-888-3474
Greggory Bordes
Managing Partner, Front Porch Venture PartnersMr. Bordes has twenty years of direct investment experience across venture capital, private equity and public market investment strategies. Mr. Bordes is currently the Managing Partner of Front Porch Venture Partners, which he co-founded to help individual accredited investors and family offices secure diversified exposure to the Southeast's top venture capital firms and startups.
Prior to Front Porch, Mr. Bordes helped oversee a large ($4bn+ AUM) North Carolina based family office's investment strategy across a diverse set of industries. Prior to that role he was the VP/Head of Research at venture capital backed alternative data startup YipitData in New York.
Prior to joining YipitData, he was a Partner at Hurley Capital (NYC), and held various roles at Blum Capital Partners (SF), Stone Tower Capital (NYC) and AEA Investors (NYC). Mr. Bordes started his career as an Analyst in the M&A group at Merrill Lynch (NYC).
Mr. Bordes received a Master's in Business Administration, with honors, from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a bachelor's degree in Finance and Economics, cum laude, from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Mr. Bordes was born and raised in the Appalachian mountains of Eastern Kentucky (Williamsburg).Mentor Guide
The ARNC Mentor
More for Mentors
Helping Rural Businesses Grow
Dennis Tracz, Director of ARNC along with Brady Hillhouse, Summer Intern and David Mayo, Director of Crisp Small Business Resource Center wrote this article about mentor expectations in order to articulate the values and characteristics of mentorship in the Accelerate Rural N.C. community.
Mentors are individuals with deep industry, investment, or entrepreneurship experience. They work with the companies pro bono, without expectation of reward or compensation, will share of their knowledge and guidance freely, and will open their networks when appropriate. Mentors are what make ARNC unique. The success of the companies enrolled are a direct result of the generous contributions of mentors.
Based on our experience of mentoring and being mentored, and in order to help guide the many mentors who volunteer their time to help entrepreneurs and startups succeed, we offer the following points to consider.
- Be Socratic.
- Expect nothing in return (you will be delighted with what you do get back).
- Be authentic / practice what you preach.
- Be direct. Tell the truth, however hard.
- Listen too.
- The best mentor relationships eventually become two way.
- Be responsive.
- Adopt at least one company every session. Experience counts.
- Clearly separate opinion from fact.
- Hold information in confidence.
- Clearly commit to mentor or do not. Either is fine.
- Know what you don’t know. Say I don’t know when you don’t know. “I don’t know” is preferable to bravado.
- Guide don’t control. Teams must make their own decisions. Guide but never tell them what to do. Understand that it’s their company, not yours.
- Accept and communicate with other mentors that get involved.
- Be optimistic.
- Provide specific actionable advice, don’t be vague.
- Be challenging/robust but never destructive.
- Have empathy. Remember that startups are hard.
There's so much more we could say about each of these points and we will over the course of time.
If these values describe you, and you're interested in becoming a Accelerate Rural N.C. mentor, read on.
More on Mentorship
Although there are a million ways to mentor — something that we realize and fully support we will be experimenting with different approaches as we gain more experience.
Becoming an Official ARNC Mentor
Attend at least two events in the first month of the program and interact with the companies and the founders that you are interested in.
As the program progresses, your interaction with the companies will be self-driven, driven by company interest, or directed through the director.
A Few Other Points on Mentoring at ARNC
- Stay in touch! We only know as much as you tell us about your interest, your availability, and your ability. Keep the Director in the loop in regards to all things ARNC.
- There are many reasons to mentor. Know what your reasons are and make sure they are the right reasons. Mentors in this community are not financially compensated throughout the program and should expect nothing in return. If a mentor has this mindset, they always end up getting most out of the program.
- Remember that much of what you’ll be exposed to is highly confidential. Please do not discuss the company outside the ARNC community without the company’s permission.
