Which is your home chapter?
Portland
Describe what your company does in 25 words or less.
Our software, TANGO, brings the power of artificial intelligence to the ETF asset management industry, enabling superior portfolio management and AUM growth.
Why does the world need your company?
Asset managers have a big fiduciary role in most people’s lives and like a physician with people’s health, “good enough” is not really a great level of execution. We provide an AI enabled software solution that facilitates Exchange Traded Fund portfolio managers to provide the best possible end product to clients which results in a better bottom line and effortless scalability which allows for revenue and profitability growth.
If you were a hero/villain, what would be your origin story?
I was swimming in the ocean and was bitten by an unknown deep-sea monster that had come closer to shore to die. It was really a space alien that gave me the powers of basically Aquaman and Thor because it had the power to harness electricity in the atmosphere as well as fly through the air via the same mechanism and swim underwater indefinitely and have super strength.
What has been the biggest win for your company?
Our current beta client.
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made along the way?
Underestimating the time for enterprise sales cycles, especially now. All of 2023 was a de-risked environment for startups where funding was/is low, and companies are hesitant to engage with startups due to the uncertainty.
What do you like most about being a founder?
Having a sense of self-determination.
What is the hardest thing about being a founder?
Having all of the responsibility every…single….day.
What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome as a founder?
2023
What’s your favorite hack for dealing with the demands of running a startup?
Eating healthy and getting good sleep.
What were you doing before you started working on your company?
Consulting and software development
If you weren’t building your company, what else would you be doing now?
Building another company.
What advice do you have for founders who are two stages behind you?
Find other people who are familiar in some way with what you do as either other founders or CEO groups. They will help you stay accountable and provide advice.
How has Startup Haven helped you on your journey?
Since I joined recently it’s helped me try to calendar in fun social events that I have yet had a chance to make it to but will continue to try.
What superhero power would help founders most?
The ability to go without sleep.
What do you need… what’s your “ask”?
I probably need the most help right now with marketing.
What help can you offer to other Startup Haven member founders… what’s your offer?
I can offer any tips and tricks I might have that some might not be aware of and advice on whatever they might need. Can also be a “Cheer” leader. Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated.
What question didn’t we ask you that we should have… and what’s the answer?
What keeps you motivated? The drive to succeed and be able to implement our superior software solution over and over again.
If you were to found another company (after you exit your current company) and you could choose any real person living or dead to be your cofounder, who would it be?
Dolly Parton because everybody loves her so there’s automatic exposure and she’s smart and pragmatic, she could fund it, and it would be fun.
What company would have been your company if it didn’t already exist, and why?
Conde Nast Traveler Magazine because traveling, writing, and taking pictures would have been my alternate universe.
