Cameo Doran

Cameo Labs

Most founders don’t struggle with ideas. They struggle with getting them built.

You know the feeling:
→ Customers are demanding features your team can’t deliver fast enough.
→ Competitors are launching what you’ve had on the roadmap for months.
→ Investors are pressing for traction while your team is still planning and complaining about tech debt

It’s frustrating. Every month of delay feels like you are slipping further behind: burning runway, missing deals, losing confidence.

That’s where we come in.

At Cameo Labs, we specialize in building the software that founders need shipped yesterday. Using a process we call Insight Driven Development, which combines AI acceleration with senior engineering talent we can turn urgent product ideas into production-ready platforms in 4–6 months. 

And because our process bakes customer insight into every stage, what we deliver isn’t just fast, it’s software your customers actually adopt and stick with. The kind that drives revenue, not churn.

The result isn’t another fragile product that crumbles under real use, or months of your team still stuck in planning. It’s real, revenue-driving software your business can put in front of customers right away.

Proof?
✔ An EdTech founder closed $3M in contracts on a platform we delivered in under 5 months.
✔ An infrastructure company saved $6M after we migrated 1,000+ servers with zero downtime.
✔ An AI training company hit $1.5M ARR in 9 months after we built their custom education platform.

We’re not a typical agency. We’re the partner founders trust when the stakes are high, the team is stretched thin, and the clock is ticking.

If you’ve got a product that can’t wait, let’s talk.

Founder

Nerd United

Nerd United is a Web3 venture studio focused on building blockchain enabled startups that solve real world problems. 

As SVP of Product for the Studio, I lead a high-caliber product team responsible for bringing highly innovative blockchain products to market.  We teach brands to accelerate the pace of product ideation and leverage concept validation methods to evaluate new product ideas and ensure the success of product launches and the startups as a whole. 

At Nerd United, we are systematizing innovation. I am responsible for building processes that allow teams and founders within our incubator to be learning and discovery focused. We teach repeatable processes for problem and solution validation, user discovery, market research, and other aspects of new opportunity evaluation.
I also work with individual brand product leads and founders to define and own product vision and strategic roadmaps. I act as a strategic partner and advisor to both the brands in the incubator and our portfolio companies, and I'm always looking for ways to create value and support the growth of our startups.

SVP of Product - Venture Studio

Theory of Anything Podcast

Co-Host

LeadingAgile

Leading Agile is company that specializes in agile and digital transformations for Fortune 50 companies. As a Managing Consultant, I was responsible for consulting with executive teams at enterprise companies on implementing agile processes and moving towards a product-driven model. 

I coached C-suite executives and their teams on best practices for modern product management, including design thinking tools and lean startup methodologies. I also trained executive teams on OKRs and leveraging an OKR mindset to empower product teams and create more successful outcomes.

Managing Consultant - Product Management & Strategy

SolutionStream

As Head of Product and Delivery, I focus on building innovation & agile development processes that help our clients create world class products.  With our SolutionMap™ process we keep clients laser focused on building the most valuable product features and exploring potential issues and roadblocks before we start writing code. 

I manage and deliver large, complex products from initial engagement to production launch and ongoing enhancement.  I provide product strategy and agile & lean operations training to our clients and employees while focusing on rapid delivery and top-notch user experience.  

I have helped clients from small startup to enterprise implement agile in transformative ways. I guide and train organizations on cutting-edge product management process. I also coach executives and product teams on strategy and process to deliver products that drive business results. 

I have built a framework that uses rapid agile product development processes and focuses on market research, user testing, refining and validating product ideas based on market and user data.

VP Product & Innovation | High-Growth Product Strategy | Worldclass Execution

LogMeIn

Recruited by the CTO as the first VP of Product, I owned all product-related activities including market definition, Product Strategy, User Experience (UX) and User Testing, and product roadmap and planning activities.  I was responsible for improving and managing product management processes speed up product time to market, deliver enhancements that improved user experience and ensure ROI on product development investments. 

▷ Directed a unified product team including product managers, UX/designers, and agile coaches.
▷ Collaborated with executive leadership to evolve product roadmap to match the overall product strategy.
▷ Introduced Design Thinking methodologies to enhance development processes.
▷ Ensured predictable delivery of features/products by using internally published roadmaps and measurable value of product department work
▷ Managed product planning processes with internal and external stakeholders
▷ Collaborated with customer/partner stakeholders to validate the effectiveness of the product team and communicate upcoming priorities
▷ Analyzed and prioritized future product opportunities based on Jive’s unique software platform
▷ Conducted tactical product management functions as needed - including gathering high-level requirements, developing user stories, etc.

VP Product Management ☆Product Innovation | Culture Transformation | Execution Strategy

Kartiva 

We make videos instantly shoppable. 
The future of everything is video and we make the technology that allows consumers to shop directly inside live video.

Advisory Board - Product

As the director of Product Management & Operations, I provided strategic advice and technology expertise to deliver the products and solutions our clients need to be successful. Oversaw strategy, design, development, production, and execution of complex programs for this well-known custom software development firm.
▷ Managed all development and production for Modere.com, a $2.5 million program introducing an all-new name and brand, but also a complete overhaul of their e-commerce system. 
▷ Oversaw creative, account, client, and technical teams to develop comprehensive products and product campaigns for various B2C and B2B clients
▷ Created budgets and maintain dynamic timelines for multiple interactive advertising campaigns simultaneously for various brand/agency clients
▷ Responded to proposal requests; Generate competitive bids, estimate level of effort and technical requirements, and develop project scope to create comprehensive statements of work for clients

Director of Product Delivery | Product Management & Strategy | Agile/Scrum Mentor

OrbSix Software

As a founder of this SaaS startup, I wore many hats. Since we were bootstrapping, every dollar was vital. I was responsible for almost everything that touched Product management and Product Strategy. I was also responsible for Project Management and Customer Experience.
As part of my role, I had to learn how to successfully manage projects and products and teams. In an attempt to develop more successfully, we implemented XP as an agile methodology. This was my first introduction into agile and it changed my perspective on how software should be built. 
I developed and implemented project and product Management guidelines and policies across the organization and monitored effectiveness and geared changes to optimize budget and time and ensure success.

Orbsix Software specializes in Loyalty Programs and Compensation Management software for the Retail and Network Marketing Industries.

Co-Founder | Head of Product 

FedEx Office

Worked directly with Project stakeholders to define project requirements and success criteria.  Coordinated with project teams to ensure on time project delivery.

Sr Project Coordinator

Chief Product Officer ⇢ Fractional Prices with Full-Time Impact ◆ Digital Transformations ◆ Advising Startup Founders and Executives Building Innovative Products ⇢ AI / XR / Web3

I’ve always been fascinated (and a little frustrated) by how many great companies can’t seem to ship great software. I’ve sat inside teams where brilliant ideas died in Jira backlogs, and I’ve watched the opposite too: features rushed out fast, only to flop because they were poorly executed or customers didn’t care. Both hurt. Both waste time and burn cash.

Cameo Labs is my answer to that problem. I started it because I couldn’t stand watching founders lose momentum on ideas that should have changed their business and their lives. 

My mission is simple: help founders build the right product, fast enough to matter.

Since starting, I’ve led projects that:

- Shipped an EdTech platform that closed $3M in contracts in under five months.
- Migrated 1,000+ servers with zero downtime, saving $6M.
- Built an AI training platform that scaled to $1.5M ARR in 9 months.

I’m dorky about this stuff. I love the messy early product conversations, poking at assumptions, figuring out where speed really matters, and then helping a team pull off what feels impossible. That’s what gets me up in the morning.

If you’re a founder under pressure to ship something that can’t wait, I’d love to hear about it.

Chief Product Officer / Fractional Product Management

As the owner and founder of Cameo Labs, I am dedicated to helping CEOs and executives of $100M - $500M businesses in the Edtech, Fintech, and SaaS sectors achieve rapid and transformative innovation. 

At Cameo Labs, we understand that staying competitive in today’s market requires more than just innovative ideas—it demands strategic execution and a customer-centric approach.


I founded Cameo Labs to empower our clients by streamlining their product development processes, aligning their business strategies with technological advancements, and fostering a culture of continuous innovation.

We operate differently than most agencies. 

Our holistic approach combines technology, strategic foresight, and customer insights to create cohesive and impactful product visions. Our clients have experienced faster innovation cycles, improved product success rates, and higher customer satisfaction.

With a proven track record of success, we are committed to turning your challenges into opportunities for growth and success. Our goal is to be your trusted partner, helping you achieve your business vision and lead your industry.

Let’s Connect:
Discover how Cameo Labs can transform your business. Visit http://cameolabs.com or reach out to me directly to explore how we can work together to drive your business forward.

Everyone wants AI, but almost no one is ready for it. 

And it's not just one thing holding companies back. It's a whole laundry list of problems. 

Companies are rushing as fast as they can to implement AI.
Add it to development. Embed it in the application. 
Hell, embed it in everything and use it to replace headcount.

But so far, the data is pretty clear. Most companies struggle to see tangible, long term impact. I mean beyond more causing dysfunction and confusion

Because AI depends on how well your system already works.
It's the well-worn phrase, "Garbage in, garbage out" at scale and lightening speed. 

the companies seeing the greatest impact are the ones with good foundations. 

If you want to compete seriously with AI, you have to fix the flow of data, decisions, and ownership first.

li_at

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Talks about #agile, #innovation, #leadership, #leanstartups, and #productmanagement

From Vision to Execution | Faster Products, Better Results, Bigger Impact | SaaS Companies | Strategic Software Partner

"If you continue to improve a product enough, eventually you'll ruin it."
- David Pogue


What’s your favorite product that got ruined by improvement?

So many teams fall into the trap of new feature chasing and the. they don’t understand why customers stop using their product..

Friendly reminder:
The code was never the bottleneck

Did you know that even before AI, as much as 60% of code was never used?
Complete waste!

And now AI can spit out code in minutes. But that speed doesnt make it inherently useful. No matter how quickly you can debug it. 

The hard part in product development is:
--> Identifying a clear urgent problem
--> Making real product decisions
--> Keeping your code flexible enough to allow for change
--> Closing the loop between what you ship and what your customers actually want/use

If you want AI to be a multiplier instead of a mess, Treat code as the cheapest part of the system and discipline as the real scarce asset.


Are you using AI to actually improve your product development process, beyond “we make more code faster”?

When everything is #1, nothing is. 
Everyone knows it's true. 

But I bet your organization is still guilty of this: Trying to make everything a top priority.

“But it’s all critical” you say. Sorry friend, it just doesn’t work that way. 

Balancing multiple critical projects seems like the way to get ahead. And especially with AI, everyone is convinced that they can add more and more and more work into the queue.

It almost always results in everything moving slower. 

It’s why effective prioritization is critical. 
It's why the key responsibility of leadership is to effectively decide and communicate what is the most important thing. 

Instead of spreading your resources thin, focus on what truly matters. 
Remember, clear priorities lead to clear outcomes. 

Choose wisely.

AI doesn’t hallucinate. 

It is working as designed. 






Hi, I am Cameo👋

I help transform “we just added AI” into 
”customers now pay more for this.”

No alternative text description for this image

I guess this is an effective way to know your meeting could/should have been an email. 

At least people read emails still (mostly) 
No one is even going to skim the meeting summary.

Sampling bias is the quiet killer of product decisions.

The people who answer surveys are almost never “customers.” They are a specific personality type with spare time, strong opinions, or a grudge.

So a team builds and ships a new feature because: “We asked 200 users and 92% wanted it.”

No you didn’t.
You asked the 200 people who felt like answering.

Meanwhile, the silent majority:
	•	ignores the survey
	•	never opens the feature
	•	churns with zero explanation
	•	complains to peers instead of your inbox

That is how feature bloat happens.
That is how AI turns into product clutter.

What I often see is a bit different. 

The CEO announces a bold AI vision and tells the CTO to make it happen, but refuses to allocate any additional budget and insists that they can make do with Copilot. 
The CTO knows this won't work but can't push back because the CEO already made the announcement at the last all-hands.

Meanwhile, there's no training, but everybody is still using it in the day-to-day, but usually only ChatGPT, and they hide it because they're supposed to be using Copilot. They are sharing prompts in Slack DMs, and getting shit done despite the lack of support. 

They're not hiding because they're rebels. They're hiding because admitting they need better tools means admitting the company's "AI strategy" is a joke.

The real problem isn't that we need more Jacks. It's that Jack is forced to work around a leadership team that thinks AI transformation happens through proclamation instead of investment. 

You can't transform a company with vibes and a press release.

🤖 Generative AI Lead @ AWS ☁️ (150k+) | Startup Advisor | Public Speaker | AI Outsider | Founder Thinkfluencer AI

The real reason AI is failing inside companies (and nobody wants to say it)...

Here’s what the org chart looks like in most companies “going all-in” on AI:

- The CEO announces a bold AI vision and tells the CTO to make it happen.
- The CTO nods, shifts priorities, and hands the CIO the budget to “become AI-first.”
- The CIO gets excited and starts building a brand-new AI empire:

A Chief of AI? Of course.
An AI Center of Excellence? Mandatory.
An AI Ethics Officer? Absolutely.

And yet… you already know the punchline.

Everyone is talking about AI.
Almost no one is building with AI.

Except Jack.
The intern.
The only person actually shipping anything.

And then leaders wonder: “Why isn’t our AI strategy working?”

The answer is simple.
We don’t need more AI committees.
We need more Jacks.

#ai

You know what kills trust faster than a bad product? A great pitch followed by a mediocre product.

I bet you have seen it again and again. 
Sales overpromises. Product underdelivers, and the customer suffers.

And here is what I rarely see mentioned: Sales overpromises because the product is already underdelivering.

The sales team is out there trying to close deals with a product that doesn't meet customer needs. So they start selling what they wish existed. Because what does exist isn't good enough.

So why are companies building products that are so obviously underwhelming in the first place?

Companies waste 69% of their development investment on features customers don't use. And AI is making this worse. 

Sales teams are pitching AI capabilities that don't exist yet or wildly overstating what the technology can actually do. Product teams are scrambling to deliver on promises that were never realistic in the first place.

But the problem isn't Sales. The problem is companies are building the wrong things and wondering why nobody's excited about them.

Your customers deserve better than this.

Next week I'm running a training for founders who are tired of wasting capital on products their customers don't want. Come learn how to validate what to build before you build it.

Send me a DM if you want an invite.

Everyone is optimizing for speed.

And believe me, I think that speed matters more than ever. 
But dont mistake picking which way to build the wrong thing faster as a strategic choice.

Hey, that new feature was cheap to build with AI, right?

Cheap code almost always has an expensive outcome.
- A surge in support tickets.
- Feature bloat in your app
- Disgruntled customers churn.

And now your team gets to babysits a feature nobody wanted anyway....forever

Just my weekly reminder:
Code was never the bottleneck. Value still is

In the professional world, Is it ok to say, “I am learning something new. I am still bad at it.”?

The rise of AI is crazy. I don’t think we’ve ever had a moment where so many experienced people have to pick up something new at the same time. 

Lots of people talk like they are experts. Most people quietly feel like beginners.

Most business cultures still reward polished confidence over honest, in-progress learning. So people fake it and quietly fall behind while AI is reshaping how real work happens.

So I am am here to tell you, if you want to truly learn and grow, you have to do new things even when you are still bad at them.

With AI, you cannot wait until you feel ready. Be willing to learn in public. It is okay if you feel you are not ready or lack the in-depth experience. 
That is still true of almost everyone. 

What are you going to push yourself to be bad with AI at this weekend?

AI isn’t the problem...
The shoddy way you’re trying add it to your product is the problem.

Slapping AI onto your software doesn’t make it innovative, it is just a gimmick unless it actually solves a real customer problem. 

It seems like most every company is using AI as a buzzword to impress investors or check a trendy box. 
I guess they think that we the customers are too stupid to realize when something's crappy

LinkedIn is the poster child of crap AI products.

Is there anyone releasing innovative solutions anymore? 
Why is the AI age so mediocre?

I will say the exception to this for me is Wispr Flow, which I absolutely love.

What are you seeing out there? Are there products that you feel are going to change the world, or have we entered the "mid" era of the internet? 🎙️

Hey! That's not my music! This is all wrong! 

That was my immediate thought when I saw my Spotify wrapped. 
I suspect that a lot of parents with younger kids had a similar reaction. 

But then I remembered how every time my 13 year old gets in the car she asks, "can I put on music?" And of course I say yes and hand her my phone. 

And so we drive to and from school, or to run errands, or up the canyon late at night while we eat ice cream and listen to the music she loves and for a few precious minutes a day she lets me into her world. 

Of course my Wrapped would reflect that. 

I see the same thing with companies and their data all the time. 
They do not trust it. They argue about it, or second guess it. 
They say, “That cannot be right,” anytime the numbers do not match the story in their heads.

But data remembers the small moments we forget. 

So yeah, maybe those arent the songs I would have chosen, but I wouldnt change them for the world. 

Where are you looking at your data and saying, “That cannot be right,” when it absolutely is?

Trusting Spotify_Cameo Doran

2018: Our Development teams are slow, we need to add more developers.

2025: Our development teams are slow, we need to add more AI
Different moment in time, same organizational mistake.

Executives keep assuming that more engineering firepower solves slow delivery.

Wrong ⚠️ 

Without changes to systems and process, more code generation usually slows you down because you just run into the same constraints, faster.

Instead, look at the real roadblocks:
↳ No real customer feedback loops
↳ Vague requirements and shifting scope
↳ Stakeholder chaos and unclear ownership
↳ Release anxiety and brittle delivery pipelines
↳ Governance bottlenecks (security, legal, compliance)

Fix those problems instead. And watch productivity soar.

“Stop mining our souls”

Fiery speech by Utah Governor Spencer Cox today at Utah AI Summit. 

“We will not continue to allow big tech companies to abuse us. 

We own our data and can take it anywhere we want

We are going to tell you (big AI companies) what we will and won’t allow.”


I don’t always approve of the Utah political landscape, but I like the vision of the Utah Pro human AI initiative he announced today.

Albert Einstein famously said, “It is not that I’m so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.”

When we are building products, success doesn’t require that we have all the answers, 
But it is critical that we are asking the right questions.

The best leaders and teams embrace curiosity. 
They dig deeper when something doesn’t feel right. They ask “why?” Over and over when others stop at one.

Ultimately our goal in product development is to: 
- Discover root causes
- Challenge our assumptions
- and Find insights and opportunities others miss.

The truth is most breakthroughs don’t come from what we know. 
They come from what we’re willing to uncover by asking better questions.

How do you approach curiosity in your work? Do you push past the obvious to find the real insight?

This headline cracks me up. 

I am glad to see Spotify is the benchmark for successful subscriber growth.

Interestingly Open AI currently has 35 million subscribers after 3 years and is giving themselves 4 years to get to 220 million (not quite the 280 million that Spotify currently has)

I would be curious how Spotify classifies users on their family plan. It allows 6 users for $19. 
Do they count those as 6 different subscribers? Or one? 

Will OpenAi try and create a comparable family type plan to drive up their subscription numbers to reach this milestone? 

A lot of people are claiming that we are only a couple of years away from AGI or ASI or whatever name for artificial super intelligence they are using. 

But apparently they think super intelligence will happen before this Spotify subscription milestone is achieved. Lol

Maybe their super intelligent version of ChatGPT can help OpenAI figure out increase subscriber count fast. 

What do you think? 
Will Open AI drive a Spotify level of growth over the next 4 years?

Do you want a key to more happiness?

Start with gratitude.

It is Thanksgiving, so hopefully you are already thinking about what you are grateful for. But gratitude changes your entire life, not just your mood for one day. 

Years ago during a dark time, I started a purposeful gratitude practice, and now being thankful is a constant mindset that has transformed my life. 

Being appreciative of the goodness in my life opens me up to joy. 
Gratitude helps me refocus on my blessings rather than my trials or frustrations. 

People who regularly practice gratitude: 
- Sleep better
- Feel more alive
- Have stronger immune systems.
- Experience more positive emotions
- Express more compassion and kindness

Here are some simple ways to incorporate gratitude into your life:

𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲.
- Focus on the present moment without judgment 

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹. 
- Try and be specific about the sensations you feel when good things are happenings.

𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸-𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲.
- Find excuses to formally express enjoyment and appreciation to the people around you. 

Lastly… on a day dedicated to gratitude, make sure to openly express thanks to the people around you and to your creator for your blessings and fortune. 

Have you incorporated a practice of gratitude into your life? I am curious to hear how it has impacted you.

Did yall get your ChatGPT wrapped yet?

mine just dropped and its a little unhinged. 

- 87,502 minutes with ChatGPT
- 129,247 prompts
- 6,879 “try again” requests
- 1,119 “finally, yes” moments
- 824 hallucinations caught

What do your stats look like? Did you use AI the way you wanted to? 
What were you most surprised about? 


No...
This isnt real. There is no ChatGPT wrapped. LLMs dont work this way. 
In fact, as I was making this, I asked ChatGPT if it could provide me with any of this data, and it told me:

"Usage stats live on OpenAI’s side, not inside me.
I don’t have a memory of “being” the same agent across your sessions or any direct access to account data, logs, or billing. 
Each conversation is basically a fresh brain that only sees what’s in the current thread plus whatever you explicitly share or store as “memory.” 
So I literally don’t know."

Cameo's 2025 ChatGPT Wrapped

Wife & Mother of 7 | Venture Capital | Scientist | TOP 30 Patent Drafters | United States Patent Examiner | Violinist | Polyglot | STEM Children's Author | #1 LinkedIn Global Influencer in Innovation/IP Law

Kathryn Vatt is a scientist, former USPTO Examiner, and devoted wife and mother of seven, with over 25 years shaping the future of innovation. Recognized as one of the Top 30 Patent Drafters and Prosecutors and the #1 LinkedIn Global Influencer in Innovation/IP Law, Kathryn has built a career at the intersection of science, law, and business—helping inventors, startups, and global companies turn creativity into competitive advantage.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.S. Biology) and Johns Hopkins University (M.S. Biotechnology), Kathryn is currently pursuing her Juris Doctor in Patent Law at the Franklin Pierce School of Law, one of the world’s leading IP programs. Her rare cross-disciplinary background gives her both the scientific insight and the legal strategy to protect ideas at the highest level.

At the USPTO, Kathryn examined thousands of patent applications, conducted exhaustive prior art searches, and made determinations that shaped industries and influenced global innovation. After leaving the Patent Office, she founded Vatt IP Management, where she develops bulletproof IP strategies, drafts airtight applications, and supports litigation teams in defending patents. She also mentors engineering and life science students through Arizona State University’s Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute and judges international startup competitions, nurturing the next generation of innovators.

Her entrepreneurial vision extends to her ventures:

My Startup Shield™, a founder-focused program that helps startups secure their innovations before they pitch. It protects ideas at the earliest, most vulnerable stage and positions founders to raise capital with confidence

My AI Examiner™, the world’s first proprietary patent search platform that combines examiner-trained AI Patent Examiners with Kathryn’s own human review. Unlike conventional tools, it doesn’t just search faster—it “thinks like an examiner,” offering inventors and startups clarity, precision, and strategy.

MyKidVentors™, a STEM-inspired children’s book series born from her seven children’s real “What if?” questions. Through these imaginative stories, she nurtures curiosity in the next generation, showing that every big invention begins with a single question.

For Kathryn, the same motherly instinct that guides her family fuels her professional mission: to protect, guide, and nurture startups with care, strategy, foresight, and integrity. She believes innovation doesn’t just start in labs or boardrooms—it starts in the curious minds of those brave enough to ask, “What if?”

Kathryn V.

WHEN FORMULA AND DIAPERS ARE A MOM'S BEST FRIEND


You never really know what someone is carrying
when they’re standing right beside you.

The weight behind their smile.
The fear behind their silence.
The quiet calculations they’re making
just to get through the day.

And sometimes…
what feels like an ordinary moment to you
becomes a miracle to someone else.

A breath they didn’t think they were allowed to take.
A burden they didn’t know how to set down.
A reminder that they haven’t been forgotten.

As we step into the holidays,
a season full of light, but also full of longing,
may we be gentler with each other.
More patient.
More aware.

Because one small act,
one unassuming choice to be kind,
one moment of seeing someone fully…
can change the entire shape of their season.

And sometimes...
of their life. 💛

FINDING YOUR BEAU


Founders don’t burn out because they’re weak.
They burn out because they care deeply…
because they carry the weight of a dream
long before anyone else can see it.

And sometimes the way back
isn’t to grind harder
or push through the exhaustion...
it’s to let something new in.

A fresh idea.
A different perspective.
A person or moment that brings light back into the work
and reminds you why you started.

You are not done.
You are not fading.
You’re simply waiting for your spark to find you again.

And it will...
often in a way you never saw coming. 💛

THE SWEETEST PIGGYBACK RIDE EVER


Some vacations are about places.
Others are about people.

About the ones who don’t see a limitation...
they see a human being who deserves the full experience.

What moved me most about this moment
wasn’t the strength it took to carry another person.

It was the instinct.
The, "of course I’ll help you."
The, "you’re not missing this."
The, "we’ve got you from here."

And when others stepped in...
hands reaching out without hesitation...
it became something even bigger than one kind act.

It became community.
It became dignity in motion.
It became humanity at its best.

This is what the world looks like
when people choose compassion over convenience.

When they don’t ask,
“Is this my responsibility?”
but instead say,
“This matters.”

May we all be the kind of people
who clear the sand for someone else.
Who carry when the path is too heavy.
Who make sure no one is left behind
when joy is waiting on the other side. 💛

SPOIL THE WAG DAY

Today is Thankful For My Dog Day...
a day that asks us to pause
and really feel the quiet, steady love
that our dogs bring into our lives.

Because it’s easy to move through our days
and miss the little things they do...
the small gestures that speak louder
than any words ever could.

Like the way they greet us at the door
as if we’re a gift they’ve been waiting for.
Or the way they curl up beside us
when our heart is heavier than we’re willing to admit.
Or how they watch us...
really watch us...
with eyes that seem to say,
“I’m here. You’re not alone.”

Dogs love with a purity
that asks for nothing but presence in return.
They sit with us in our silence.
They celebrate with us in our joy.
They somehow know
when to nudge us outside for fresh air,
and when to press their head into our lap
because they sense we need grounding.

They don’t care about our accomplishments.
They don’t measure our worth.
They simply choose us,
every single day,
in the simplest, most beautiful ways.

And that’s what makes this day matter.
It’s a chance to honor the companion
who teaches us what loyalty really looks like,
what unconditional love truly feels like,
and how healing it can be
to be understood without needing to speak.

So today, do something extra for your sweet pup...
a longer walk,
a special treat,
a gentle brushing,
a moment of stillness where you just sit together.

Because our dogs give us
their whole heart,
their whole presence,
their whole life.

And being thankful for them
is the easiest thing in the world. 🐾💛



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Kathryn V.
VATT IP Management
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NON-ARTIFICIAL STEPPING STOOLS


I read a great Substack today, Unicorn Parents, and I couldn’t agree more with David Y.: in a world racing toward AI, the thing that will matter most for our children is what makes them beautifully, unmistakably human.

Not their speed.
Not their efficiency.
Not their ability to compete with machines.

But their ability to love.
To serve.
To lead with heart.

And then I saw this video and it felt like the perfect illustration of that truth.

A little girl is washing her hands at the kitchen sink…and you suddenly realize why she can reach it:
Her older brother is already on the floor beneath her,
quietly acting as her stepping stool,
holding still so she can stand on his back without falling.

Then another brother walks in, sees what’s happening,
and immediately drops to the ground beside him…
positioning himself so that when she steps down,
she’ll land safely on his back too.

Then they switch.
They laugh.
They treat her tiny struggle like a chance to lift someone they love, literally.

It’s playful.
It’s innocent.
And it’s the kind of kindness that takes your breath away.

Because this is something no machine can ever replicate:
The instinct to serve without being asked.
The joy of helping someone else rise.
The quiet pride of being the reason someone feels safe, supported, and seen.

AI might shape the future of work.
But our children...the way they care for each other and the communities they build...
that is what will shape the future of the world. 💛

Check out David Y.'s full article here: https://lnkd.in/g75sVRfe

If you haven’t followed David Y.’s work before, treat this as your invitation.
I love how he describes Unicorn Parents:

“Each week, I share practical insights and reflections to help you build a profitable business without missing the magic at home. If you’re serious about winning at work while raising great kids, you’ve come to the right place. This is a community built for ambitious parents who want both.”

It’s rare to find someone who understands the reality of building something meaningful at work while nurturing something even more meaningful at home. Thank you, David Y. 🙏 

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CONES OF LOVE


It’s recess time...
and while most kids run toward the playground,
a teacher walks toward one child.

Gently, he lifts him from his wheelchair
and helps him sit in a chair to begin their practice.

Step by step, they move together...
weaving through cones, building strength, building courage.

And when the boy reaches him on his own,
he falls into his teacher’s arms…
a hug filled with trust, pride, and pure joy.

But what makes this scene just as powerful
is what’s happening around them.

The other children gather close.
They witness compassion in action.
They see what patience looks like.
They learn what love can do.

And without a single lecture or lesson plan,
this teacher is shaping them too...
quietly teaching kindness, empathy, and the truth that every person deserves a chance to rise.

Because sometimes the most powerful lessons
don’t happen at a desk or in a book…
they happen in moments like this.

One teacher.
One child.
One act of love that changes everyone who sees it. 💛


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NO MORE POOL WATER


With Thanksgiving just days away,
I find myself thinking about the people
who make this world softer, safer, and more beautiful
just by the way they choose to love.

People like the couple in this video.
They didn’t walk past suffering.
They didn’t turn away because it was inconvenient,
or because they were on vacation,
or because helping would take time and effort and heart.

They saw a life that needed them...
and they stepped in.
They cared when they didn’t have to.
They stayed when it got hard.
They fought for a little dog
who had no one else to fight for her.

They crossed countries,
sat through vet visits,
endured uncertainty,
and carried her through treatments
that would have scared most people away.

Not for recognition.
Not for praise.
Just because compassion whispered,
“Do something,”
and they listened.

It’s easy to talk about love.
It’s easy to talk about kindness.
But living it...
especially when it costs you time, comfort, and ease...
that is something sacred.

And today,
I am thankful for people like this.
People who choose empathy.
People who open their hearts wide.
People who make room for the vulnerable,
the hurting,
the overlooked.

They are the quiet heroes among us.
The ones who remind us that goodness still wins.
The ones who show us what love looks like in action.

As we continue into this week of gratitude,
may we notice them.
May we celebrate them.
And may we strive to be more like them...
people who don’t just pass through the world,
but leave a trace of kindness wherever they go. 🧡🐾


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✨ Founder Friday Spotlight: Kevin Jurovich ✨

Today I want to highlight someone who represents everything this series is meant to celebrate: courage, reinvention, resilience, integrity, and the kind of leadership you don’t just notice…you feel the moment he walks into a room.

Kevin Jurovich.

He is the person founders call when the noise gets too loud, the pressure gets too high, and the path forward feels impossible. The person who helps you breathe again. The one who guides people through big decisions not with ego, but with grounded wisdom and the kind of kindness you can see in his eyes.

And he took that instinct...that rare ability to steady others...and built something extraordinary from it.

That “something” is Hubble.
A platform reshaping how startup due diligence, fundraising, and investor-founder trust actually works.
Not performatively.
Not theoretically.
But practically.
Systematically.
Intelligently.
Humanely.

If you’re a founder, you need to know what Hubble is doing.
If you’re an investor, you can’t afford not to.

But what makes Kevin stand out...what makes him someone truly exceptional...isn’t just what he’s building.

It’s who he is.

A founder with heart.
A leader with humility.
A thinker who listens before he speaks.
A builder who cares deeply about the people he serves.
A human who shows up for others again and again, even when he doesn’t have to.

The founder journey isn’t linear. It’s filled with highs, lows, pivots, and pressure…
but how you show up for people can stay steady.
And Kevin shows up every single time.

If you want to see what real grit, real vision, and real integrity look like in a founder...explore what he’s building at Hubble.

Some people build companies.
Some build movements.
Kevin is building both.

Here’s to extraordinary humans building extraordinary things.
Happy Founder Friday, Kevin. It’s an absolute honor to know you and be part of the incredible community you’re building. ✨

THE MAGIC OF MEETING IN REAL LIFE

There’s something special about meeting someone you’ve only ever known through screens:
the messages, the Zoom calls, the Slack threads...
and then suddenly, there they are… right in front of you.

That was my Sunday with Sasha from Hubble. 💛

We were supposed to meet earlier this week at a Hubble meetup,
but schedules got in the way
(and yes…I was so bummed to miss her while she was visiting from London).

After Thanksgiving, I checked in...
“Are you still in AZ?”
She was.
She leaves Monday.
And just like that, we planned a little coffee walk.

What I thought would be a short visit
turned into hours of talking about life,
our journeys,
our dreams,
and of course…how incredible the Hubble community is. 😊

And here’s the thing:
It’s no surprise she’s Hubble’s Head of Community.
Sasha makes you feel cared for the second you meet her.
Warm, thoughtful, deeply present...
she embodies everything community is supposed to feel like.

Just look at this sweet handwritten card from Sasha and the Hubble team.
Yes, handwritten.
Old-school.
Intentional.
The kind of gesture that says,
“I see you. I appreciate you.”

There are big things that make the Hubble community special...
the platform, the vision, the mission...

And then there are little things.
The impromptu meetups.
The unexpected kindness.
The way people within this network make you feel at home.
Sasha does that effortlessly.

Feeling grateful today for community, connection,
and the beautiful real-world friendships that start online
and only get richer in person.

Thank you, Sasha Cayward.
My heart is full. 💕

🌟 FOUNDER FRIDAY: Michele Costa of GoSadi

Some meetings just feel meant to be.

Thanks to our amazing mutual friend, Bettina Briz (who truly has a gift for connecting the right people at the right time), I finally got to meet Michele in person. 

From the moment we started talking, it felt effortless.
Then came the most unexpected surprise:
our shared connection to Naperville.

We both lit up talking about Anderson’s Bookshop
and, of course, Two Bostons...
the happiest dog treat store on earth.
It made the world feel wonderfully small in the best possible way.

Michele is the co-founder of GoSadi, a platform helping fiber artists create, sell, and organize without getting tangled in tech - but what struck me most wasn’t just what she’s building.

It was her.
Her warmth.
Her kindness.
Her energy that somehow leaves you feeling lighter, inspired, and excited about what’s possible.

After our meeting, she sent me the sweetest message about our Naperville connection being “serendipitous.”
And she was right.

Because this work we do isn’t just about building things.
It’s about the people we meet along the way...
the unexpected threads (pun intended 😉 ) that connect us, and
the communities that form in the spaces between.

Michele is one of those people who makes the world brighter simply by being in it. I’m grateful our paths crossed, and I can’t wait to cheer on everything she’s creating. 

Here's a special Two Bostons video…
just for you, Michele. 🐾💛

THE THANKSGIVING LINE-UP

Today, homes everywhere are filling with familiar scenes:
the cool cousins, the football fans, the honorary chefs,
the picky eaters, the Black Friday planners,
the ones keeping the kids entertained,
and the uncle who always ends up in a food coma before dessert.

Thanksgiving has a way of gathering all the characters we love.
And I hope this video makes you laugh…
a little humor, a lot of personality,
and a reminder that family, in all its beautiful chaos,
is something to be grateful for.

But holidays hold many stories.

For some, today is full of laughter.
For others, it’s a quieter kind of day.
Maybe someone you love isn’t at the table this year.
Maybe you’re missing a voice, a chair, a presence.
Maybe this holiday feels different…or a little heavier.

Wherever you are:
in a full, lively home,
in a peaceful, quiet one,
or somewhere in between…
I hope today brings you something gentle:
a warm moment,
a good laugh,
or a memory that makes you smile.

I’m especially grateful today for the friendships born right here on LinkedIn.
The serendipitous connections,
the kind messages,
the “small-world” moments that turned strangers
into mentors, supporters, and friends.

This community has brought some of the kindest, brightest souls into my life,
and I’m thankful for every conversation,
every encouragement,
every bit of humanity we’ve shared along the way.

Wishing you a day filled with love, grace, gratitude,
and the reminder that your presence matters…
today and always.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. 🧡


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Kathryn V.
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FINDING YOUR ESCALATOR


As we step into a new year,
take a moment and think about the people
who helped you find your way.

The ones who saw you trying hard,
but gently helped you change direction.

The ones who offered guidance instead of judgment,
and stayed close when things felt uncertain.

Because of them...
their care, their wisdom, their willingness to step in...
you’re here.
Ready for what’s next.

So don’t forget to thank them.
Send the note.
Say the words.

None of us gets to a new beginning alone.
And sometimes the greatest gift
is being guided by people
who care enough to walk with us. 💛

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