Shane Ray Martin

B Ventures Group

Venture capital for peace.

☑ I work with Brian Abrams (he co-founded a $1.2B fund)
☑ We’re helping turn PeaceTech into a $100B ecosystem
☑ Business Insider, MarketWatch, and VC Journal have featured the fund
☑ We back founders building Lucinity, Culture Pulse, Anadyr Horizon, Inclus, Didi AI, and Map Collective

Want to see how PeaceTech could fit your portfolio?

Email me → s@bventuresgroup.com

Investor

hubble

You can book a 1:1 call with me for:

☑ Pitch Deck Review
☑ Raising Venture Capital
☑ Faith Driven Investing & Entrepreneurship
☑ Fundraising Strategy & Investor Readiness
☑ Personal Brand Strategy for Founders & VCs

Book your 1:1 below ↓

Advisor

Deal Talk Podcast

Over 75,000 listeners in 35 countries.

Featuring best-selling authors, top VC's, and CEO's:

☑ William Ury PhD, Author "Getting to Yes"
☑ Alexandra Carter J.D, Author "Ask for More"
☑ Brian Abrams, Managing Partner, B Ventures
☑ Faiq Ali Khan, MCIPS VP at Supply Chain Humans
☑ Melissa Fortunato, Former FBI Hostage Negotiator 
☑ Rebecca Gevalt, Managing Partner at Dcode Capital
☑ Alexandre Lazarow, Managing Partner, Fluent Ventures
☑ Lousin Mehrabi, Most Influential Negotiation Professional Globally
☑ Prof. Dr. Remigiusz Smolinski, Co-Founder The Negotiation Center
☑ Dr. Joshua Weiss, Co-Founder Global Negotiation Initiative at Harvard

Listen to all 85+ episodes below ↓

Host

American University - Kogod School of Business

Co-founded $150K student-run VC fund, sourcing deals and making investment recommendations.

☑ Advised fund managers and sourced inaugural seed investment
☑ Built investment strategy and structured deals
☑ Led due diligence on early-stage startups

Eagle Seed Fund, Investment Manager

Comparing human negotiators to AI-based alternatives. 

☑ Prompt engineering 
☑ Data analysis 
☑ & more

AI Research

Ambassador

CulturePulse

Psychologically Realistic Digital Twins Using AI Agents.

ARES platform provides information for making better decisions in high-risk situations.

Procuro

AI-powered Procurement Contract Automation. 

The platform automates tasks, optimizes contracts, and empowers data-driven decisions —maximizing contract value.

The Negotiation Center

Most prestigious international negotiation competition in the world. Founded by Dr. Remi Smolinski and Dr. Peter Kesting.

Pathrise

Built a 7-step negotiation system to help executives secure $30,000+ salary increases.

Meditation Table

CEO & Founder 

American Negotiation Institute

Scaled business to 7 figures in < 18 months.

Head of Sales

The AI Negotiator EBook 🔥 Get your copy today!

VC @ B Ventures Group

Currently:

I invest in early-stage SaaS.
↳ First-of-its-kind global peace VC fund.
↳ bventuresgroup.com

I was named a Rising Star in VC.
↳ Recognized for deal flow, founder support, and ecosystem impact.
↳ VC in DC 2025 Rising Stars

I host a podcast with 75,000+ listeners in 35+ countries.
↳ Conversations with top VCs, founders, and operators.
↳ Brian Abrams, Alex Lazarow, and Rebecca Gevalt (DCode Capital).
↳ shaneraymartin.com/podcast

I help run AU’s $150K Eagle Venture Seed Fund.
↳ Sourcing, evaluating, and funding mission-driven startups.
↳ Training the next generation of VCs.

Results:

→ 1 failed startup (learned more from that than anything else)
→ 250+ CEOs coached in negotiation & fundraising
→ $1M+ in startup growth supported
→ 100+ #PeaceTech founders helped
→ 400+ contracts sourced & closed
→ 3M+ content impressions
→ 47 countries traveled

On weekends, I love working out, going to church, and hanging with Rachel. 

Drop me a note at:

📬 s@bventuresgroup.com

✌️

Negotiation Consultant

Helping executives at Google, Amazon, McKinsey, and more secure $30,000+ salary RAISES through the mastery of effective negotiation, proven frameworks, compelling storytelling, communication skills.

I did something uncomfortable this month.

I led a workshop with 180 people.

The topic: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 

10 years ago, I was scared to negotiate.

I didn’t like asking for things.
I didn’t know what to say.
I kept quiet.

That’s why this workshop felt so special.

I’ve come a long way.

Here’s what we did 👇

🧠 We started with Crystal Knows:

We looked at personality types.

It helped us see how people think. Because good negotiators listen first. And they speak in a way others understand. 

AI helped us do this.

✍️ Then we wrote scripts with Claude:

Claude read our emails.

It helped us write better replies. It showed us when to speak up. When to pause.

And how to move forward.

🎤 Last, we practiced with GPT Voice Mode:

We role-played live.

The AI played the other person. It felt real. It gave feedback like a coach.

Can't recommend it enough. 

_____

When I started my career, I had none of this.

No tools.
No training.
No shortcuts.

Just me, trying to figure it out.

Now, AI changes everything. 

If you want to watch the full session, it’s on Section AI.

📩 Let me know how you’re using AI in your negotiations. I’d love to learn from you.

VC @ B Ventures | Backing #PeaceTech Founders | Rising Star in VC | 3X Author, Podcast Host, MBA

I read all 211 pages of Peter Thiel's Zero to One.

It’s an MBA of its own.

If you're a founder, here's what you need to know ↓

➊ You can have the best product...
But you will fail if you can't sell it.
Distribution isn't optional. It's core.

➋ Build with distribution in mind
From day one, think about how you'll reach customers.
Don't bolt it on later.

➌ Make sales invisible
Sales should feel like progress.
Turn user interactions into buying moments.

➍ One strong channel > many weak ones
Find one scalable path to customers.
Get traction first. Then expand.

➎ You must sell first
In B2B? You are the sales team.
No one sells like the founder.

➏ Sales is a grind
You might be technical, but you can't outsource hustle.
Respect the sales engine. Build the engine.

➐ Dominate one niche
Don’t go wide at launch. Go deep.
Own your niche, then grow out.

➑ Build in virality
Make it easy for users to share.
Incentivize word-of-mouth. Fuel growth from within.

➒ Every touchpoint is a selling point
Homepage. Onboarding. Product updates.
Each one builds or breaks trust.

➓ Startups rarely fail from bad product
They fail from no traction.
Sales is the lifeline.

⓫ Teach the market how to think
Don't wait to be discovered.
Lead the narrative. Shape perception.

This book didn’t just change how I think about startups.

It changed how I:

• Talk to customers
• Pitch
• Build

If you're building the next big thing—especially in AI—Zero to One is more than a book.

It’s a mindset. 

What book changed how you build? 👇🏼

Next stop: San Francisco 🚀

Ife and I are hosting a Faith-Driven Investor & Founder event during TECH WEEK by a16z. 

We’ve prayed.
We’ve pushed each other.
We’ve shown up every week.

We’ve tested ideas.
We’ve rallied the community.
We’ve grown stronger together.

Now it’s time! 

I’m so thankful for everyone who’s been part of the journey so far.

On October 7, join us and 200+ others who believe faith and startups can grow side by side. 

(Event link in comments ♻️👇 )

Devon’s story shook me.

→ Homeless at 21
→ Now closing billion-dollar AI deals
→ And just getting started

Here’s what I learned 👇

1. He went from sleeping in his car… to leading Google negotiations
2. He breaks down 3 easy steps to start your business in 2025
3. Billion-dollar ($) deals don’t get done without sacrifice
4. He doesn’t run from setbacks; he uses them
5. How he turned pain into purpose

If you’re building something hard…
Or trying to find your way…

Devon’s story will help you! 

He’s wise.
He’s humble.
He’s proof setbacks are setups. 

Grateful to share this with you. 

(link in comments)

Founders say:

“If I build it, buyers will come.”

That’s wrong.

New tech without sales is nothing.

You built a product, not a business.

The long-term winners:

→ Sell first. 
→ Then build. 

Here are 3 steps to close:

1. Talk to customers now
2. Solve a real pain
3. Pre-sell

Because if you don’t close sales… 

You don’t have a business.

PS - Please be honest with customers. Only sell what you know you can deliver. 🙏

I'm testing 9 AI agents to help PeaceTech founders grow sales. 

If I was starting from scratch and needed to land my first 3 paid pilots in 90 days, this is exactly what I would do 👇🏾

MONTH 1: FIND LEADS

Days 1–30 – Build your pipeline 📈

→ Lead Qualifier
Sorts leads by who’s ready to buy and who’s not

→ Warm Intro Finder
Scans your inbox for contacts who can make intros

→ Buyer Job Change Tracker
Notifies you when someone moves into a role with budget

✓ You know who to talk to and when to reach out

MONTH 2: CLOSE DEALS

Days 31–60 – Make leads customers 💰

→ Call Prep Sheet
Pulls prospect info so you can show up prepped 

→ Demo Script Writer
Creates easy, clear talk tracks based on what they value

→ Decision Maker Checker
Confirms if you’re talking to the person who can actually say yes

✓ You’re leading better calls and closing faster

MONTH 3: KEEP CUSTOMERS ENGAGED

Days 61–90 – Convert your pilots to revenue 📅

→ Follow-Up Writer
Listens to your calls and writes emails in your voice

→ Pilot Progress Reporter
Sends clean weekly updates with usage and progress

→ Churn Risk Notifier
Alerts you when a pilot goes quiet so you can act quickly

✓ You’re staying top of mind and showing value

These 9 agents are a start.

No engineers.
No heavy setup.
You can get one running today. 

They help you do what matters most:

1. Get new customers.
2. Keep the ones you serve.

Start here.
Keep it simple.
Land your first 3 customers. 

PS - My $25k PeaceTech Pilot Playbook drops in 7 days. Want it free? Tap Follow on my profile and hit the 🔔.

Deals stuck in the pipeline?

You’re not alone.

That’s why we're hosting PeaceTech Founder Office Hours: Pipeline + Closing Sales.

📅 September 30
⏰ 1 hour
📍 LinkedIn Live

What we’ll cover:

→ How to build a pipeline that doesn’t dry up
→ The 3 steps to close more deals (customers, pain, pre-sell)
→ How to hit your first $25K MRR without wasting time

Founders will share what’s working, what’s not, and you’ll have the chance to ask questions directly.

🎥 Join us live here 👇🏼

PS - PeaceTech is where profit meets peace- companies built to end conflict and create profit.

PeaceTech Founder Office Hours: Pipeline + Closing Sales

I interviewed the man behind 60 VC funds.

Chris Rizik has backed 800+ startups and built the Midwest startup ecosystem.

Here are 10 lessons that can save you years ↓

1 - Back the learner 

Chris invests in GPs who: learn fast and own their mistakes.

2 - Democratize to outperform

More voices = better deal flow. Broad networks find top 1% founders.

3 - Know when to walk

If trust slips, end it early. Protect your time and LP capital.

4 - Specialize to win

In the AI era, specific focus beats broad ideas. Niche expertise compounds.

5 - Be founder-first

Help with intros, hiring, and strategy. Service earns allocation.

6 - Play long games

Great returns come from patience not impatience.

7 - Make your story investable

Simple thesis. Clear edge. Evidence of repeatability.

8 - Treat LPs like customers

Communicate early. Report clearly. Show how your fund works.

9 - Build local, scale global

Strong regions create repeat founders and faster cycles.

10 - Do the unglamorous work

Reference calls. Post-mortems. Portfolio help. This is the job.

If you’re a founder, GP, or investor, this episode is a field guide.

Want the link? DM me for the Spotify episode.

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