Sean Kelly

Founder & Investor. Building companies at the intersection of health, media & founder performance.

Hey there, I’m Sean. I play at the intersection of investing, media and human performance.

I’m a three-time INC 500 founder & entrepreneur with businesses in eCommerce, SaaS, media and B2B services that have collectively generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Right now, I serve as a General Partner at The Family Fund and am the CEO of Significant Publications, a B2B digital media holding company.

I'm particularly passionate about our brand FounderIV in support of today's founder-athletes. We help today's top entrepreneurs achieve breakout performance in their personal and professional lives.

I co-founded and led multiple other companies, including SnackNation, a health-centric foodservice and brand discovery platform that served 20,000 businesses across the US. 

Under my leadership, SnackNation was honored as one of the country’s Best Workplaces by Inc. Magazine, recognized for Top Company Culture by Entrepreneur Magazine, and certified as a Great Workplace by Great Place to Work®.

Forbes listed me as one of the top 30 leaders under 30 and one of America’s most promising CEOs under 35. Comparably also ranked me among the country’s top 50 small-to-medium sized business CEOs multiple years in a row. 

Outside of the business world, I’m a two-time national medalist in freestyle snowboarding, hold an advisory role at the growth capital firm, Meaningful Partners, have a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University and am an avid sports fan of all Michigan sports teams (especially the Wolverines).

I currently live in Venice, CA with my wife and college sweetheart, Shannon, and our goldendoodle, Jameson.

Chairman

One of the oldest laws in markets that everyone forgets:

More capital → more competition → higher entry prices → lower returns.

Abundant capital is great for momentum, but it rarely produces the best long-term outcomes.

The most durable venture returns tend to come from non-obvious places—where fewer checks are being written, expectations are lower, and pricing resets ahead of fundamentals.

You can make money following the herd...

But differentiated returns usually accrue to investors willing to underwrite conviction when capital is scarce.

That’s why we at The Family Fund & Founder Community are bullish on Consumer NOW.

Not despite the pullback in capital—but because of it.

Josh Wand Christine Wang Colleen Kang

CEO & Cofounder @ HOP WTR | Disrupting Non-Alcoholic Beverages

As the CEO and Cofounder of HOP WTR, I am leading a mission to disrupt the non-alcoholic beverage market with a health alternative to beer. HOP WTR is a delicious and refreshing drink that combines natural hops, adaptogens, and nootropics to create a functional and fun experience with no alcohol, no calories, and no sugar. Check us out at hopwtr.com or one of our amazing retail partners and enjoy cracking a cold one.

I have over 10 years of experience in advanced technology, manufacturing, sustainability, cleantech, CPG, marketing, sales and ecommerce. Before launching HOP WTR, I was the Head of Ecommerce at The Wonderful Company, where I managed the online sales and marketing of seven CPG brands, including FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, and Wonderful Pistachios. I also led the strategic initiative to create a centralized ecommerce group, resulting in the first fully integrated sales team across the company. I started my career at Merrill Lynch, where I gained investment experience, and then moved to SAIL Capital Partners, a cleantech venture capital firm. There, I focused on one of their portfolio companies, SNTech, an electric motor manufacturer, where I increased sales and developed a strong domestic and international network. I have also won multiple awards for public speaking and innovation, and hold a patent for speed-defined torque control. I have experience working in several countries, including Canada, South Korea, Mexico, and the UK.

Jordan Bass

Stone Brewing was one of the breweries that got me into craft beer. From the very beginning, it was a staple. Big flavor, unapologetic hops, zero shortcuts and zero f***s giving!

Fast forward to my wedding. I literally asked the distributor for their beer list so I could make sure to have my favorite beers, Stone IPA was one of them. I like to joke that the only two things I was responsible for were my tux and the beer. The beer was the priority.

Over the years, Zachary Keeling and I became friends. One day we were just catching up, talking shop, life, and somewhere in that conversation the idea came up organically to collaborate. We’ve always admired each other’s brands, so the collaboration felt natural and fun. 

And now here we are.

This January, HOPWTR and Stone Brewing teamed up to launch Centennial Citrus Double Hopped, a non-alc IPA-style hoppy water inspired by the bold profile of Stone’s flagship IPA.

We worked closely with Stone’s brewers to emulate that iconic hop-forward character in a hoppy water format. Their team was incredible to collaborate with. Total pros. Honestly felt like working with craft beer royalty. And yes, they signed off on it. So you know it’s killer good.

Amazing hop flavor and aromas all packed into HOPWTR’s signature formula with no calories, carbs, sugar, or alcohol. Built for hop lovers who still want to stay on track with their New Year goals.

Launching now. Available at select retailers nationwide and at hopwtr.com. Pick up a case before it runs out!

This one feels full circle. Proud of the product. Proud of the partnership. And grateful to build something great with a brand I have long admired.

Special thanks to everyone involved Zachary Keeling Tom McReavy Jeremy Moynier Steve Gonzalez Ryan Haggerty Samuel Scott Vanessa Vellozzi Elizabeth Isenbart Ryan Greenway Erika Vamos Pearl McCarter Dafina Prelvukaj Laura Burns Olympia Anton Richard C. TJ Creighton Joshua Jaufmann Robert Hamrick Samuel Jacobson Amy Anderson Aaron Hicks and everyone else that contributed. Cheers!

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The Battle

Sean Kelly

Jordan Bass

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);}Sean Kelly's LinkedIn Performance

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