Bootstrapping to Exit, Then do a VC-Funded Venture: Cordial CEO Jeremy Swift (Part 2)

Jeremy Swift: I worked full-time during the day. I started waning on college. I was talking to advisors and told them about it. An advisor in the Comm department and another from the business department both sat down with me and said, “We understand your personality and what you’re interested in pursuing. We’re going to work with you if you’ll work with us to help you finish school.”

It took me a bit longer. It took me three more years to be able to finish my degree. I was on the six-year college program. I ended up taking night classes. I put my out-of-office reply in the middle of the day and I’d drive back to campus to a class and then race back to the office.

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How to Teach Technology Entrepreneurship Using the 1Mby1M Methodology and Case Studies: Conclusion

I believe, strongly, that entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial capitalism can be democratized, and wealth can be created in the middle of the pyramid using capitalistic principles. In the next 2-3 decades, the potential for distributed capitalism is very high and the outcome should be extremely positive around the world. That is the mission upon which my current work with One Million by One Million is based.

Best of Bootstrapping: Building an AI Software Company from Dallas

If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

Artificial Intelligence startups are very hot these days. Read how CEO Dave Copps built Brainspace from Dallas. After we spoke in 2016, Brainspace was acquired by Cyxtera Technologies in 2017.

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start with the very beginning of your story. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

Dave Copps: I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. My dad was an eye surgeon. My parents had moved down from Wisconsin. They were snow birds, as they called themselves. My mom was a community leader. My dad was very smart. He graduated from college at 17. His dad had the same background. He went to the Navy while his friends were graduating.

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Video FAQs

1Mby1M Virtual Accelerator Investor Forum: With Hamiz Awan, Founder and Partner at Plutus21 Capital (Part 3)

Sramana Mitra: Now explain the structure in one of these cases where you’re investing as Plutus21.

Hamiz Awan: In Uniswap’s example, there’s a governance token for the protocol called the Uni. How does a company that doesn’t have a CEO make decisions? It’s actually the community that makes the decisions. They vote on that using their token. Their token gives them a voting right. That is the asset that we invest in. Investing in that asset gives us voting rights today. We believe that, in the future, it will give us a piece of their cash flows or some connection to their cash flows. Today it’s really a governance token. It gives a voting right. 

Bootstrapping to Exit, Then do a VC-Funded Venture: Cordial CEO Jeremy Swift (Part 1)

A very effective way to dance the entrepreneurial Waltz is to do a bootstrapped company first, sell it, and then do another with a more ambitious agenda. Jeremy’s journey is a great case study in this method.

Sramana Mitra: Let’s go to the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

How to Teach Technology Entrepreneurship Using the 1Mby1M Methodology and Case Studies: Startup Ideation

Teachers need to inspire their students to ideate, guide them on how to evaluate their ideas and make sure they are viable and scalable. 

How to Teach Technology Entrepreneurship Using the 1Mby1M Methodology and Case Studies: Domain Specialization

Every student is different, every entrepreneur is different, and every sector is different. It is important to study domain-specific case studies to validate a concept, discover product-market fit, and learn about various forms of startup funding. Based on your student’s interest, point them to the right resources that can help them understand a domain’s opportunities and pitfalls.

Thursday, November 18 – 554th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are invited to the 554th FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, November 18, 2021, at 8 a.m. PST/11 a.m. EST/5 p.m. CET/9:30 p.m. India IST.

If you are a serious entrepreneur, register to “pitch” and sell your business idea. You’ll receive straightforward feedback, advice on next steps, and answers to any of your questions. Others can register to “attend” to watch, learn, and interact through the online chat.

You can learn more here and register to pitch or attend here. Register and you will receive the recording by email, even if you are unable to attend. Please share with any entrepreneurs in your circle who may be interested. All are welcome!