VENTURE VISIONARIES

Episode 5

Being Brilliant And Owning It:

Inside the Mind of Jasmine Shells,
CEO of Five to Nine

In this episode, we sit down with Jasmine Shells, CEO of Five To Nine. Five To Nine is a groundbreaking event management and evaluation software platform tailored for leaders. This platform eases the administrative burdens associated with hosting events, ensuring seamless execution. Yet, perhaps its most vital contribution is providing leaders with real-time data on engagement and impact – insights they can carry to the decision-making table.

Jasmine is one of less than 100 black women in the US who have ever raised over $1M. She shares her proven approach for  startup fundraising and the intersection of diversity and inclusion on that and every other part of the founder journey. We  delve into her approach to personal growth and understand the importance of keeping your company’s mission aligned. Jasmine walks us through how real solutions for real customers will always trounce fleeting trends. She then unpacks the challenges of navigating divergent ideas, and address the unique obstacles faced by underrepresented individuals in the tech industry.

Episode
Highlights

Observations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Tech and Corporate America

Shells and Igeme discuss the importance of doing the work and executing on ideas, as well as the need for more access and opportunities for underrepresented groups in the tech sector. Shells shares her experiences as a Black woman founder and the challenges she faced in securing funding, as well as her work in mentoring and supporting other women and Black founders.

Fundraising Tips and Pitfalls:

Thomas Igeme and Jasmine Shells discuss the challenges of fundraising in the current venture marketplace. Jasmine shares her tips for securing funding, including starting early, leveraging networks, and updating investors regularly. She also warns against common pitfalls, such as being attached to past valuations and not reading the room.

Navigating Challenging Decisions and Staying True to Your North Star:

Jasmine Shells shares an example of a challenging decision she had to make as a CEO and how she stayed true to her North Star. She also talks about the importance of listening to customers and being prepared for shifts in the market. Thomas Igeme and Jasmine Shells discuss the balance between listening to the market and staying true to your mission as a CEO.

The Dangers of Chasing Tech Twitter Hype:

Jasmine cautions against chasing tech Twitter hype and emphasizes the importance of staying true to a company’s mission and learning from customers. Thomas agrees, stating that investors and customers are two different groups that need to be sold to, and that companies should focus on solving real problems for customers rather than just chasing buzzwords

Resiliency and Betting on Yourself:

Thomas Igeme and Jasmine Shells discuss the challenges of carving one’s own path in the tech industry, particularly for underrepresented individuals. Jasmine emphasizes the importance of resilience and taking calculated risks, and advises listeners to remember their past successes as a source of confidence.

Stories Segment

Venture Visionaries goes
beyond the boardroom,
giving a voice to the heart
of every organization –

its employees. In our Spoken Stories segment,
Learnerbly employees share what makes working
at Learnerbly unique.

Recent episodes

Episode 02

The Courage to Stick and The Courage to Shift:

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Episode 03

Shaking Things Up:

A Study in Industry Transformation with Arielle Kilroy, CEO Dado

Episode 04

Values and Vision:

A Blueprint To Keep Pointing In The Direction From Rajeeb Day, CEO Learnerbly

 

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