From deal-making to IPOs, Valor Venture Partners bring big wins and unmatched expertise to Southern startups. For many years, the lack of access to startup know how has held back many top founders who wanted to build their startup in the region they call home. Now, discover how we are rewriting the playbook for entrepreneurial success in the South with local expertise from proven leaders in the innovation ecosystem.
Recently, five of the venture partner force sat down to discuss how we see supporting founders.
- Kirk Somers, the Legal Ace: With a background as a general counsel for numerous tech companies, Kirk brings a wealth of experience in deal negotiation and legal strategy. His advice to founders navigating the complexities of contracts and negotiations with larger entities? “It’s not negotiating, it’s sales… If you get a commitment from the big guy, you should never, ever look at the paper again.” Kirk emphasizes securing the commitment and focusing on building the relationship, highlighting the practical realities for startups facing power imbalances.
- Craig Snodgrass, the Fintech and Adtech Data Guru: Craig’s journey from chemical engineering to the world of finance and advertising provides him with a unique perspective on the startup landscape as a chief data architect. He emphasizes the importance of the founder-investor relationship, stating, “This is going to be a 10, 15-year relationship, particularly if it’s this early in the fundraise.” Craig underscores the long-term commitment required in early-stage investing and the significance of selecting the right partners for the journey. Craig is in Virginia and helps support Valor’s dealmaking in the Commonwealth.
- Sean Cook, the Partnership Pro: As the co-founder of ShopVisible and a former leader at Mailchimp, Sean understands the power of strategic partnerships. He advises founders to seek partnerships that “help you sell more of your thing” or “round out a missing part of what you have and provide some innovation.” Sean highlights the potential for partnerships to accelerate growth, fill gaps in offerings, and drive innovation.
- Donald Knight, the People and Culture Champion: Donald, a seasoned HR executive at Warner Brothers and Greenhouse Software, challenges the traditional approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). He advocates for “diversity of thought,” emphasizing that “if you have diversity of thought, regardless of what humans you have in the room, then that will promote greater conversations around creativity.” Donald underscores the connection between diverse perspectives, creativity, innovation, and ultimately, business success.
- Lynne Laube, the Post-IPO Phenom: Lynne Laube is co-founder of Cardlytics, and took the fintech startup public on NASDAQ as CEO. She brings a wealth of company building experience to founders around fundraising and building the right team for your dream.
(Please note: Valor’s venture partner team also includes George Azih, Alaina Percival, Steve George, Joe Schab and Raechel Canipe, who is based in Tampa. Learn more about them on our team page.)
Southern Roots, Global Impact
With these Venture Partners at the helm, Valor Ventures is poised to make a significant impact on the Southern startup ecosystem. These individuals, shaped by the unique culture and entrepreneurial spirit of the South, are committed to fostering innovation and supporting the region’s most promising founders. Everyone can read a blog post like this about “how it should be done,” but Valor venture partners fill in the gap for founders with advice, mentoring and relationships that truly pull people forward. As Valor continues to attract and nurture the South’s best and brightest, the future of Southern entrepreneurship looks better than ever with their guidance.
Valor Venture partners lead MasterClasses on critical skills for founders of high growth startups. Visit Valor’s event page to learn more and sign up.