We are excited to kick off our first ever EvoNexus Volunteer Spotlight with two individuals who have put in a lot of time and effort with the EvoNexus Downtown EvoStart program, Austin Neudecker and Shawn Conahan.
MEET AUSTIN NEUDECKER
Austin Neudecker has been volunteering his time and mentorship to EvoNexus companies for the past year. He was one of the integral volunteers who crafted the 4 month EvoStart program based on his prior experience with Y-Combinator and his own startups. Not only has Austin spent many hours helping us at EvoNexus, but he is also a co-founder of StartUp San Diego, a grassroots, volunteer-based group of local entrepreneurs, mentors and investors committed to creating an inclusive and thriving San Diego startup community. To learn more about Austin and how cool he is check out his LinkedIn page HERE.
Q: Why do you volunteer to help EvoNexus entrepreneurs?
Three reasons: 1) I believe in giving back. I got a lot of help from amazing mentors myself. Plus, I’ve learned more from my failures and hope to save others from the same snags (to discover new ones). 2) I want to improve the ecosystem in San Diego – IMHO the best way to do that is building successful companies, and 3) I learn from them in the process.
Q: Why are you an entrepreneur?
I want to be the master of my own destiny. I have lots of ideas & energy – if I feel they are suppressed, I go stir-crazy. It is not a financial thing – my expected value was always much higher as an employee or consultant.
Q: Essential Business Philosophy?
Learn from the market. Release quickly & while you are still embarrassed. You’ll learn much more than if you try to make something without that essential feedback loop. This is harder than it sounds.
Q: Most significant business achievement to date?
Failing at several startups. Seriously.
For more traditionalists – raising a couple rounds, being the fastest promoted through a company, coming up with ideas & strategies that saved some big companies $Bs of dollars in efficiency.
Q: One thing people don’t know about me?
Hahaha – I am a dabbler in many random things (not great at any): I had a short gig as a food critic, I love foreign film, I was in a Glee-type group in high school and I can do the Napoleon Dynamite dance.
Q: What does EvoNexus mean to you?
Thanks to the efforts by the team, I have seen EvoNexus rise to the challenge of being the hub for entrepreneurship in San Diego. Props to all your hard work!
MEET SHAWN CONAHAN
Shawn Conahan, CEO of VeraDoc, started out his involvement with EvoNexus as an EvoNexus portfolio company! Shawn is a serial entrepreneur who has had many successes over the years. We were lucky to rope him into helping the EvoNexus Mentor program and he spent many hours creating a mentor handbook for the EvoStart program. Due to the fact that he loved working with EvoNexus startup companies so much he is now a regular mentor and workshop leader in the EvoStart program. Get to know Shawn better HERE.
Q: Why do you volunteer to help EvoNexus entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurs generally do very hard work and take enormous risks for a very slight probability of success. Helping to increase that probability is a good thing to do.
Q: Why are you an entrepreneur?
Because creating something from nothing is a worthwhile pursuit.
Q: Essential Business Philosophy?
Good work is its own reward.
Q: Most significant business achievement to date?
Making a living as a serial entrepreneur.
Q: If you weren’t in high tech, you would be…
In low tech?
Q: One thing people don’t know about me?
I’d be happy to share this under NDA.
Q: What does EvoNexus mean to you?
Free beer. Also a helpful platform from which to accelerate a startup. (But mostly free beer.)
