CJ Follini

My father was a decorated NYFD firefighter who then founded a company that helped build New York landmarks like Idlewild Airport and the US Open Tennis Center. He taught me that durable things—buildings, companies, careers—are built on grit and discipline, not hype.

He built New York’s skyline. I build go‑to‑market engines and capital stacks.
As Founder & CEO of NOYACK, I operate at the intersection of fintech, AI, and fundraising—designing GTM systems that acquire customers efficiently and capital strategies that actually close.

What I Do Best
GTM for Complex Fintech  
I turn confusing products into clear value propositions, then build narrative-led funnels that compress CAC and accelerate payback. Content → community → conversion → capital.

Fundraiser & Capital Strategist  
I’ve raised capital from institutions, family offices, and 17,500+ retail investors. I led the omnichannel campaign for Pacaso’s $72.5M Reg A+ raise and know how to position deals that clear investment committees and close.

Fintech & AI Founder  
I built and scaled NOYACK’s agentic AI platform to 130,000+ users while pioneering “one core, multiple agents” architecture for personal wealth management. I don’t just market AI—I architect and deploy it.

How I Help Companies
•	Clarify the offer so buyers instantly understand the value
•	Build GTM motions that lower CAC and increase LTV
•	Design capital campaigns that bring in aligned investors
•	Translate between product, marketing, and finance so teams execute in lockstep

If you’re building fintech, AI, or financial infrastructure and need a founder-level operator who can help you acquire users, raise capital, and tell a story the market can’t ignore—let’s talk.

Professor of Real Estate

I teach in the NYU Masters Program specifically about Real Estate Investment Trusts, Financing and Investment

It takes 4 years of hard work to be an 'overnight success'


We just hit Wefunder’s "Most Raised" list. $250k+ secured in under a week.

Not hype. Just the hockey stick moment of the $199B Agentic AI opportunity.

We aren't just riding this wave; we spent years building the infrastructure for it.

To the hundreds of new investors: Welcome to the cap table. To everyone else: The round is moving fast.

Don't sit on the sidelines while others cash in on the AI boom- Own it.

Secure your allocation  today starting at $250                                                 👉 https://lnkd.in/ez-X34KM 👈

Charles Follini

Building agentic AI for digital finance | Alternative investment expert and financial commentator - Bloomberg, CNBC, Barron’s | Nonprofit Founder/CEO | Proud dad

Ever felt sticker shock at the grocery store checkout—even with a good salary?


Here’s why your wallet feels squeezed, and what you can actually do about it.

The other day, I watched a Millennial ahead of me at the cashier quietly wince as the total flashed on the screen—eggs, rent, a recent hospital bill. 

“Everything’s up except my savings,” she joked. But she’s not alone.

As the founder of Noyack Wealth Club, I meet countless high-earning Millennials facing the same reality:

Essentials are skyrocketing, but tech is cheaper than ever.

The data proves it:
🏥 Hospital services: +275%
🎓 College tuition: +196%
🏠 Housing: +111%
🍲 Food: +104%

Meanwhile:
📺 TVs: -98%
💻 Software: -75%
📱 Cellphone service: -43%

No wonder we feel stuck in place—even with growing paychecks.
How do you break out of this cycle?

At Noyack Wealth Club, we empower Millennials to:
Invest smarter, aiming to beat inflation
Dodge lifestyle creep (and cashier shocks!)
Build wealth that stands up to today’s economy
Want real, actionable financial insights in your inbox?

Join our free newsletter 👉  https://bit.ly/493fTA6

Let’s build a community that understands money—and wins the game.
#FinancialLiteracy #Millennials #Inflation  #WealthBuilding

Agentic AI builder | Alternative investment educator and media contributor | Financial education non profit Founder/CEO | Proud dad

This is Mike Repole...


Son of a waiter and a seamstress in Queens. Blue-collar kid from Queens. I can relate because I grew up working construction in Whitestone Queens

First in his family to go to college. GPA? 2.20.

Nothing about his resume said “future billionaire founder.” In fact, a self-taught entrepreneur 

After school, it took him 18 months just to land an entry-level job at a small beverage company.
​
No connections. No fast track. Just hunger and determination
​
He clawed his way up to VP of Sales at Crystal Geyser.
​
Then he made the move that changed everything.
In 1999, Mike co-founded Glaceau, the company behind Vitaminwater and Smartwater.
​
Early on, they launched products that didn’t work. They failed, adjusted, and kept swinging.
​
Then the flywheel hit:
Year 1: $1M in revenue
​
By 2007: $1B in sales
​
Coca-Cola buys the company for $4.1B
​
Most people would retire. Mike hit reset.
He saw a massive gap in sports drinks.
Gatorade was old. Powerade was a follower. The category was ripe.
So he built BodyArmor from the ground up to go right at them.
​
Better product. Better brand. Better story for athletes.
In 2021, Coca-Cola came calling again.

This time, the deal valued BodyArmor at $5.6B.
​
Two companies.
Nearly $10B in exits to the same buyer. Now he buys thoroughbred horses.
​
This Mike isn’t a “once-in-a-generation genius.”
He’s what happens when:

👉 You ignore the pedigree game.
👉You outwork your résumé.
👉You treat every failure as R&D.
👉Your GPA, your first job, your last mistake — none of that is the final word.

So the question is:  Do you want to be like Mike?

Then invest in Agentic AI - https://lnkd.in/ez-X34KM

Builder of AI agents to help you manage your finances & invest smarter | Nonprofit Founder/Leader | Alternative investments & private markets expert | Proud Dad

Wealth management is heading from information to action. 

At NOYACK, we’re building ProphitAI to do exactly that: Understand your full financial picture. From your cash to your life insurance and optimize it based on the same strategy my late mentor, David Swensen, used to make Yale the #1 endowment in history.

He believed in alts before it was popular. Now we’re bringing that playbook to individual investors — with an AI that acts like your own CIO, not just a dashboard.

I'm inviting you all to take part of our seed round, and invest in the very AI Agents that you use and will elevate your financial plans. 

Don't limit yourself to just be a consumer, become an investor as well 👉 https://hubs.ly/Q03-sthW0

AccessGranted™

🚨 40% of agentic AI pilots fail. Here's why most companies get it wrong:
• They set unrealistic expectations
• Feed agents bad or fragmented data
• Change management failures
• Integration failures / drop agents into outdated, brittle systems

These aren’t tech failures. They’re execution failures. And they’re precisely why most enterprises stall in “pilot purgatory” while a select few move to scale.

At NOYACK, we’re not experimenting with AI. We’re building agentic systems designed to work in the wild, at scale, with real people and real outcomes.

Our agents don’t just answer questions. They learn, plan, and act — helping users manage money, cut taxes, and build wealth across every life stage.

One reasoning core, multiple specialized agents:
• NoyackAI: Your personal wealth mentor, turning learning into action.
• ProphitAI: Portfolio modeling, tax-aware strategy, and automated “Plays.”

This is your chance to get in early on the infrastructure behind financial autonomy for the next generation.

EARLY BIRD TERMS AVAILABLE — 💸 Min investment: $250

👉 Join us in the next wave of investing, into the AI agents reshaping personal wealth: https://hubs.ly/Q03_Pglv0

AccessGranted™

Open article: Invest in NOYACK LLC: NOYACK builds AI agents to help you manage money, build wealth, and cut taxes. by hubs.ly

Invest in NOYACK LLC: NOYACK builds AI agents to help you manage money, build wealth, and cut taxes.

2026: The Year of Agentic AI, and a New Era for Finance

This is the year AI stops answering questions—and starts making decisions.

Agentic AI is not an evolution of Generative AI. It’s a complete reframing of intelligence:
➡ Systems that act autonomously
➡ Orchestrate complex workflows
➡ Make real-time financial decisions
➡ And integrate across APIs, data, and legacy infrastructure

It’s not just faster. It’s foundational. And it’s already redefining the core operations of major institutions — from customer interactions to fraud, portfolio management, even engineering.

At NOYACK, we saw this shift coming. That’s why we’re building agentic systems designed specifically for personal wealth — starting with AI agents that execute financial strategies end-to-end.

This isn’t the next productivity tool. It’s the new financial backbone.
And just like every platform shift before it, those who invest in the rails, not just the apps, win big.

🤝 We’re opening access to our current raise. The deck is live, DOWNLOAD FOR FREE and learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q0409jm_0 

AccessGranted™

No alternative text description for this image

Over the next 12 months, most companies won't be debating whether to invest in agentic AI — they’ll be deciding how much more to allocate:

🔹The biggest group is planning a 10–25% AI budget increase.
🔹Another meaningful chunk is moving 26–50%+.

This is huge, because budget is the loudest signal in business. When dollars move, behavior follows.

Agentic AI is crossing the line from “innovation project” to operating expense—the same transition cloud went through. And when a category becomes a line item, the winners aren’t just the flashiest demos… they’re the platforms and products that enterprises standardize on and renew year after year.

That’s exactly where NOYACK is focused.

We’re building a portfolio to capture the shift from AI experiments to AI at scale—backing the infrastructure, platforms, and applied agent products that will absorb these expanding budgets.

Big companies have already decided that agentic AI is a budget line item, make sure you are too. Our seed round has already raised over $200k. If you want to invest early check out our fundraise here 🔗 https://hubs.ly/Q040YdWd0

Or comment “Agentic” below and I’ll send you details.

AccessGranted™

If you're a parent, you’re already thinking about the future — the question is, are you investing in it?

AI is reshaping every industry our kids will work in — from medicine to law, logistics to entertainment. It won’t just change the tools they use — it will redefine the careers they pursue, the skills they need, and the way they contribute to the world.

As parents, we plan for college funds, tutoring, and enrichment programs — but few of us consider the economic infrastructure that will shape our children’s world.

This is the moment to invest not just for growth — but for relevance.

At NOYACK, we’re focused on agentic AI — the layer of AI that goes beyond automation to make independent decisions, optimize outcomes, and augment human talent.

💡 The best gift we can give our kids? A stake in the systems that will define their future.

Become an early investor in the foundation of tomorrow. Learn how you can invest in Agentic AI with NOYACK here 👉 https://hubs.ly/Q03_b8hd0

AccessGranted™

Most companies will use AI agents. A few will own the infrastructure that makes them indispensable.

We’re at a tipping point — not hype, not theory, but measurable value. AI agents aren’t just experiments anymore. They’re driving real outcomes: higher productivity, lower costs, faster decision-making.

But here’s what the headlines won’t tell you:
 👉 The companies that stop at surface-level AI pilots? They’ll be replaced.
 👉 The ones rethinking entire workflows with agentic AI? They’ll lead.

And the investors who back that shift now? They’ll win.

At NOYACK, we’re not chasing AI trends. We’re building the physical and digital infrastructure to support this next era — the hardware, the data centers, the edge compute. Agentic AI needs more than code. It needs a foundation.

This is the real economy of AI. And we’re making it investable.

Join us in the next wave of investing — agentic AI infrastructure, built for exponential value.
 
👉 Learn more about NOYACK's current raise: https://hubs.ly/Q03WvGvn0

AccessGranted™

WealthMindset #07: Wealth isn’t earned. It’s engineered.

If your income depends on your output, you don’t own your time—you’ve leased it.

Stop chasing raises. Start acquiring leverage. That means placing capital where it compounds without your constant energy.

Right now, I’m watching one frontier closely: Agentic AI. Not just automation—agency. Systems that make decisions, adapt, and run workflows autonomously.

This isn’t about betting on the next shiny tool. It’s about owning the infrastructure behind the next productivity revolution.

The opportunity isn’t obvious yet (that’s why I like it and you should too 😉).

👉 I’m investing early. If you’re serious about positioning your capital where the world’s moving, start here: 🔗 https://hubs.ly/Q0408L0H0

AccessGranted™

We are entering a zero-barrier era for entrepreneurship and it’s about to rewrite how wealth is created, captured, and distributed.

Thanks to agentic AI, one-person startups are going from idea to revenue in record time. No team, no code, no outside capital — just a founder and a few well-trained agents.

That’s a complete reordering of how companies get built… and who benefits.

I’ve spent my career backing overlooked opportunities before they go mainstream. This is one of them.

Agentic AI is bringing this ownership revolution to scale. By aligning capital with autonomous agents, we can empower entire workforces (not just executives) to participate in value creation from day one.

At NOYACK, we’re building the financial rails for an economy where everyone can be an owner — not in theory, but in structure. And we’re inviting investors to help accelerate this evolution before it becomes inevitable.

Because the next wave of capitalism won’t be legislated, it’ll be engineered!

👉 Want to learn how you can invest in Agentic AI with NOYACK? Find out more information here 🔗 https://hubs.ly/Q03ZWlxw0

Or ask me a question below, let’s talk!

AccessGranted™

Now that everyone’s finally shaken off the holidays and is actually back at their desks, let’s talk about the year that’s really going to matter for your balance sheet: 2026. 

The last two years I’ve put out some pretty aggressive predictions and more than a few hit the mark. This year, I’m not dialing it back. I’m doubling down.

Here’s the through-line: 2026 will reward the Architect, not just the User.
If you are still using AI to “chat” and public markets for “safety,” you are running the 2022 playbook. In 2026, the game shifts to Agentic Engines and Liquidity Engineering.

I just graded my 2025 calls like a grumpy professor (spoiler: I failed the Rangers prediction again). Now, I’ve mapped out your 2026 Wealth Blueprint (see the slides attached)...

Which 2026 shift scares (or excites) you the most? Let me know in the comments below 👇

2026 Wealth Predictions

We quietly opened our community round right before New Years and raised $26K the first day. Thank you to all our new investors and cant wait to meet you all. 

Come join our journey as we revolutionize personal wealth management through agentic AI

Open article: Invest in NOYACK LLC: We don’t give financial advice; we build AI agents that help you personal finance and grow your wealth. by wefunder.com

Invest in NOYACK LLC: We don’t give financial advice; we build AI agents that help you personal finance and grow your wealth.

Trump proposed a cap on credit card rates, what does that mean for you? 👇

If passed, the 10% cap would upend a trillion-dollar industry overnight. Banks would scramble to protect profits, rewards would shrink, and everyday consumers (especially those with less-than-perfect credit) would lose access and benefits first.

Why? Because the game is rigged. The financial system prioritizes institutions, not individuals.

The winners won’t be those waiting for the next policy shift,  they’ll be the ones building wealth outside the system entirely.

That’s why I’m betting on Agentic AI. Autonomous software that works, learns, and scales like a digital workforce. The companies that master it will cut costs, compound margins, and move faster than legacy incumbents.

At NOYACK, we’re not offering another rewards card. We’re offering equity in the future of AI itself.

💰You don’t need perfect credit to start. Just $250.

Join us in the next wave of investing 👉 https://hubs.ly/Q03-_rMR0

Don’t let shifting laws decide if you earn more — take control. Give yourself the ultimate reward: invest in Agentic AI early.

AccessGranted™

What do you think of our pitch video for our community fundraising round on Wefunder ?

Lmk in the comments below and be honest... I can take it... I think 🙄

Now that everyone’s back to work from the holiday season, let’s look at what I beleive is coming in 2026…


I’ve made some bold predictions the last two years — and many of them came true! But this year? I’m going even further.

Here's the through-line: 2026 will reward builders who automate, audit, and own their entire financial ecosystem end‑to‑end.

Think:
👉 Tokenized alternatives you can actually use, not just read about.
👉Agentic commerce that negotiates, allocates, and rebalances while you sleep.
👉Wealth compounding quietly in the background so you can live a bigger, louder life in the foreground.

One prediction I deliberately left on the cutting‑room floor: prediction markets.

Platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi have the raw ingredients to become the most addictive form of gambling we've seen — the financial equivalent of the opioid crisis in terms of damage to families and communities. I also expect they'll be heavily regulated or throttled within the next two years as regulators wake up to the fact that we've financialized "being right on the internet" and wrapped it in a casino.

I didn't include this in my 2026 calls because the timeline is probably longer, but the collision between markets, speculation, and public health is coming — and it's not going to be pretty.

Which of these feels "too far" to you — and why? Tell me in the comments, or throw your own wild prediction on the table. 

That's how this community gets sharper.

If you're serious about turning this from theory into practice, subscribe to Your Wealth Blueprint 👉 https://bit.ly/493fTA6

It's the #1 financial education newsletter in your inbox every Sunday — and where you'll see, in real time, which of these 2026 calls actually play out.

AccessGranted™

Can Agentic AI be designed to build wealth ethically? Yes — if it's built with intent, not just intelligence.

At NOYACK, we believe Agentic AI should serve people, not replace them. That means designing AI agents to educate before they automate, to prioritize financial wellness, and to unlock access — not reinforce exclusion.

We’re addressing a $2.3 trillion gap in unrealized millennial wealth, as 72 million Americans inherit $4.8 trillion in the coming years. These are digitally native investors underserved by traditional finance.

That’s why we built NoyackAI and ProphitAI — autonomous agents that guide users from financial literacy to portfolio execution. Always-on, data-smart, and ethically aligned, they empower users to act with confidence, not confusion.

This is how we design AI to build wealth ethically: by democratizing elite-level tools and embedding trust into every interaction.

📈 The agentic AI market is projected to 38x this decade — and NOYACK is your first-mover opportunity to invest at the infrastructure level.

🤝 Join us in the next wave of investing. Our Wefunder raise is now live 🔗 https://hubs.ly/Q03_CDKy0

AccessGranted™

We’re not building another fintech feature. We’re building the system that replaces it. 👇

At NOYACK, our AI agents are designed to learn, plan, and act—closing the wealth guidance gap that’s left over $2.3 trillion in potential on the table.

Too many Americans, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are stuck navigating a fragmented, paywalled financial system. We’re changing that—with agents that do, not just advise.

Here's what we've built for you so far:

🔹 NoyackAI — a 24/7 financial mentor that educates, budgets, and plans.
🔹 ProphitAI — a portfolio copilot that models strategy and automates execution.

Together, they form a seamless engine — from financial literacy to real investing action. And with $4.8T in generational wealth already in motion, timing matters.

This isn’t a vision. It’s operational. And we’ve moved fast: $5M → $50M valuation in 90 days.

🤝 If you’re looking to invest in the rails of Agentic AI (not the apps riding them) join us. The raise is open. Starts at $250: https://hubs.ly/Q0409F7Z0

AccessGranted™

Agentic AI isn’t the future, it’s the present. And the window to invest early is HERE!

In my 25+ years building platforms across real estate, media, and tech — few moments have felt as transformative as this one. Agentic AI isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a seismic shift in how we manage money, build wealth, and make financial decisions.

At NOYACK, we’ve built AI agents that do what traditional financial tools can’t:
➡️ Automate tax planning
➡️ Personalize portfolio strategy
➡️ Turn complex data into clear, actionable advice

🔥 Over $200,000 invested so far
🕒 Less than $50K left in early bird terms
💰 20% discount on a $40M valuation cap

Join us in the next wave of investing. Let’s reshape the financial system — together 🤝 https://hubs.ly/Q040pFfC0

AccessGranted™

One provides care to #veterans in their final hours, working double shifts. 
One calls veterans "losers."     See if you can tell which one is which...

Howard W. Lutnick Russ Vought

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.

FALL IN LOVE...

with the process.

If you’re building something right now,
here’s the shift that changes everything:
Fall in love with the process, not the results.

Results are unpredictable.
They’re delayed.
They show up on their own timeline.

The process is what you live in every day.
Consistency isn’t about intensity.
It’s about showing up when it’s boring.
When it’s quiet.
When no one is watching or applauding.

Founders don’t burn out because they’re doing too much.
They burn out when all their hope is tied to an outcome
instead of the work itself.

When you love the process,
progress stops feeling fragile.
Missing a day doesn’t feel like failure...
it feels like life.
And you simply come back the next day.

Consistency compounds.
Small steps add up.
And over time, the work begins to shape you
as much as you shape it.

So if today feels slow,
if momentum feels distant,
if the results aren’t there yet...
stay.

Keep building.
Keep learning.
Keep becoming.

Fall in love with the process.
The results will meet you there. 💛

Founder Friday 💫

Some founders build with brilliance.
Some build with courage.
And every once in a while, you meet someone who builds with both brilliance and heart.

Rachel Buchanan is one of those people.

Rachel has been working in blockchain since 2017...long before trust, verification, and integrity became buzzwords or regulatory requirements. 

She didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t chase what was fashionable. She stayed true to what she knew mattered.

That clarity is why she’s now building IntegraLayer, focused on certificate integrity, verification, and trust. Not because it’s trendy. But because it’s necessary.

But here’s what I want people to really know about Rachel.
She is not just thoughtful and brilliant...she is kind.
She is steady.
She leads with integrity in how she builds and how she shows up for others.

That’s why it meant so much that she entrusted the protection of her intellectual property to me. That kind of trust is never taken lightly. 

I’m truly honored and so happy to welcome her as part of the moatly Crew™ 😊 .

And this moment is also a reminder of how meaningful real connections are.
Thank you to my beautiful friend, Bettina Briz, for introducing us, and to founders Kevin Jurovich and Timo Gehrke of Hubble, for introducing Bettina to me in the first place. 

The ripple effect Hubble creates through authentic human connection is genuinely life-changing. One introduction can change the entire trajectory of a founder’s journey.

Rachel, I’m cheering you on!! Not just as a founder, but as a human.
The world needs more builders like you.

#founderfriday #womenfounders #kindnessinleadership #trustbydesign #moatlycrew™ #moatly™ #hubble #buildingwithheart

One of the things I respect most about thoughtful investors
is when they’re honest about what they’re really looking for.
David Y.’s post is spot on.

At the very earliest stages, investors aren’t betting on a polished product.
They’re not betting on traction, revenue, or perfect data.
They’re betting on the person.

Because at pre-seed, almost everything is unfinished.
The product will change.
The strategy will evolve.
The plan will break...more than once.

What doesn’t change as easily is the founder’s ability to keep going
when nothing is guaranteed.

And here’s the part I love most:
The kind of “swagger” that actually matters isn’t loud.
It isn’t hype.
It isn’t performative confidence.

It’s quieter than that.
It’s the steadiness of someone who is aligned with a purpose bigger than their pitch deck.

Someone who, “treats the company as a vehicle, not an identity.”
Someone who keeps building when no one is clapping yet.

As a former patent examiner and now someone who works closely with founders, I see this same pattern over and over again.

The founders who endure aren’t the ones chasing validation.
They’re the ones making progress in silence.
Learning.
Adapting.
Following up with substance.
Showing up again after the fifth setback.

So if you’re a founder feeling discouraged by a slow response, a long diligence cycle, or a quiet room...
this may not be rejection.
It may be observation.

And sometimes, the most important thing you can do
is exactly what you’re already doing:
keep going.

That kind of inevitability?
It can’t be faked.
And the right people notice.

I’m a VC who hates most VCs. I live to help people identify and scale their gifts.

A pre-seed truth most founders miss:
Investors aren’t betting on your product or idea.

Our firm spoke with 10,000+ founders over the last 3 years.
We invested in 25 of them.

That’s <0.2%.

We’re not unique.
That ratio is normal at the pre-seed stage.

At pre-seed:
- The product is usually incomplete
- Revenue is often $0
- Data is thin or non-existent

So what are investors actually evaluating?
The founder.

More specifically?
Swagger.

Not pitch polish.
Not hype.
Not “founder energy.”

Pre-seed swagger is quieter.

It’s the strength that shows up when a founder is aligned with something bigger than the company...and treats the company as a vehicle, not an identity. 

At pre-seed, investors aren’t really asking:
- “Is this the best idea?”

They’re asking:
- “Is this person inevitable?”

Inevitable doesn’t mean certain.
It means disciplined enough to survive uncertainty.

BUT swagger doesn’t replace execution.
It signals who will still be executing after the first five failures.

And that's why good pre-seed investors take their time.

The delay isn’t always disinterest.
It’s often a test.

At pre-seed, we’re watching:
- Do you keep building without validation?
- Do you follow up with substance, not pressure?
- Do you show progress when no one is watching?
- Do you adapt… or just re-pitch?

What founders experience as “foot-dragging” is often pre-seed diligence in motion.

Early investing isn’t about moving fast.
It’s about identifying who keeps moving when nothing is guaranteed.

That’s who gets funded at pre-seed.
And that’s where real swagger comes from. 

---

If this resonates, Founder Chapel is where we unpack this kind of founder formation.

Link in the comments.

31-27 🐻 

"Good, better, best!
Never let it rest!
Till your good gets better,
And your better gets best!"

Not as pressure.
Not as perfection.
But as a reminder.

This isn’t just a post-game locker room chant. 
It’s something all of us can carry…whether we’re riding a wave of success or sitting quietly in a lull.

Because becoming doesn’t stop when things are going well.
And it doesn’t end when momentum slows.

Good means you’re here.
Better means you’re willing to grow.
Best isn’t a finish line…it’s a direction.

Some seasons are loud with wins.
Others are quiet with reflection.
Both matter.

And in both, the invitation is the same:
keep becoming.

Not by rushing.
Not by burning yourself out.
But by staying open.
By learning.
By choosing to show up again, exactly as you are…still caring, still trying.

Wherever you are right now…
celebrating or recalibrating…
this motto holds true.

Good. Better. Best.
A reminder that growth is ongoing,
and that we are never done becoming. 💛

DON'T WALK THE DESERT ALONE

I am resharing my friend Kevin Jurovich’s post because what he is building is truly invaluable for founders.

What he shares about those early days, learning on the go and wondering whether the struggle meant failure or growth, is a season so many founders live through quietly. It takes courage to speak about that part of the journey with honesty.

What stands out most to me is how he turned that experience into something generous. Instead of keeping those lessons to himself, he is creating space for founders to hear the truth behind building a company. The uncertainty. The doubt. The moments where continuing feels hard.

Founders Uncovered feels like an offering to the people still in it. A reminder that difficulty does not mean you are doing it wrong. Often it means you are doing something that matters.

By sharing real stories from people who have built before us, Kevin is helping founders feel less alone and more capable of staying in the work. That kind of encouragement can change everything.

So proud of you, Kevin. This is going to help a lot of people. Cannot wait for Season 1.

👉 Join the list for Episode 1. https://lnkd.in/gi2NaDMf

Co-founder, CEO at Hubble | Lifelong optimist

Back in 2019, I used to walk around SoMa in San Francisco listening to founder podcasts, trying to figure out if what I was feeling was failure…or just the process.

How I Built This, Masters of Scale, then later Lenny’s Podcast and My First Million. That was my founder education.

I was obsessed with learning from people who came before me.

Because when you’re in the desert as a founder...trying everything, hitting dead end after dead end, it helps to hear that the people you admire went through the exact same thing.

Behind every “overnight success” are years of doubt, false starts, and almost quitting.

That’s why I’m excited to announce the launch of Founders Uncovered.

I’ve teamed up with Drew Glover and Nick Madrid, CFA at Uncovered Media to host a podcast focused on the real stories behind building companies...the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable parts we usually skip.

There are so many incredible founders out there quietly changing the world. Their stories deserve to be told.

Season 1 drops next month. Our hope is that you walk away feeling educated, inspired, and a little more optimistic that you can get it done too.

One conversation can change everything.

👉 Join the list for Episode 1. I’ll send it the moment it drops.
https://lnkd.in/gi2NaDMf

Can’t wait to see more founders win. 🚀

#startups #entrepreneurship

taplio

The Battle

CJ Follini

Kathryn V.

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreCJ Follini's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreKathryn V.'s LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

CJ Follini

Kathryn V.

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}CJ Follini's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreKathryn V.'s LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreCJ Follini's LinkedIn Performance