The South is the capital of the country.

S1 · E2

Even AI Haters Love This AI Built In Dallas, Texas | Signal South

Jun 1, 2026

While the Class of 2026 was ripping diplomas and protesting AI, 80% of teens in rural Arkansas couldn't put Taylor Shead's AI down. One kid in rural Georgia played four hours past bedtime. Another switched her major from ultrasound tech to business after a single session. They're inviting friends. This is the first AI product Gen Z is evangelizing on its own--and it's backed by Valor, Draper, the Gates Foundation, Stride, and Slauson. Same generation. Different takes. Why? Taylor says the "consequence engine" she built with one of the world's most famous game designers is the difference, and why every other AI tool in education is teaching the wrong thing entirely Why is LAUSD — the district that just banned screens — writing a carve-out specifically for her game? Why is the National Governors Association is choosing to retrain adults whose jobs Meta just cut using her approach? What does it takes for people to move from "unprepared" to "prepared" for an AI future? You'll hear answers and outcomes in this deep dive conversation with host and managing partner at Valor VC Lisa Calhoun and Taylor Shead, CEO and founder of STEMuli and the founder honored by the United Nations as the #1 AI aligned with UN sustainable development goals. This is not the usual AI conversation, so buckle up and enjoy. BONUS: Taylor provides a free opportunity to use the platform for yourself in the middle.

S1 · E3

How to Hook One of the South's Most Successful VCs, Gary Peat

Jun 22, 2026

Five years ago, Lisa Calhoun recruited Gary Peat to Valor VC as general partner— one of the most experienced and successful venture capitalists in the South. In this episode of **Signal South**, he tells the whole story: how a Wall Street analyst became a seed-stage legend, and what he's learned across 25 years and 18 exits in this region. This is the conversation Southern founders need to hear. Gary breaks down what actually separates the companies that scale from the ones that stall. You'll learn: -the four data points he uses to vet a sales leader *before* you hire them, -why "ready to grow" beats a big idea every time, and -the painful lesson behind picking A-level talent over an A-level market. He's candid about the struggle: why a third of his biggest winners had to transition their founding CEO, and how he learned to coach founders into becoming top CEOs. Gary is clear about what he wants to see now — the sectors, the signals, and the kind of founder he'll chase across the South. If you're building here and wondering how to get on the radar of an investor like this, start with his own words. If you're pitching venture capital in the fastest growing region of the country, this is a must-listen conversation.