Andréa Hudson’s Post

If "straight talk, no brakes" had a spokesperson, it would be Diego. For the last 12 weeks, I’ve had a front-row seat to his journey at Techstars Miami . And last night, I sat front row again—this time as he delivered a standout pitch on Demo Night. Diego stands out as a founder—a combo of grit, focus, and unrelenting drive to build something powerful means he 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 seeks what many avoid: 🔹 Raw, unfiltered feedback. 🔹 Hard questions that push his thinking. 🔹 Challenges that force him to level up. When someone asked him last night why he works with coaches, the answer was simple: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰. Refuse to settle for "good enough," and the results speak for themselves: • A team operating with trust and alignment. • A pilot secured with Chick-fil-A. • Their first U.S. customer, Hangry Joe's Franchising, sitting front row and 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘯. Diego isn’t just building a business—he’s building a movement. Moments like Demo Day remind me why I love working with founders: To help build something that inspires belief—not just in their product and vision, but in themselves.

When I started Level Up Creator School, it wasn’t just about helping creators grow their businesses—it was about building something much bigger. We’re here to help creators like you: ✔️ Amplify your knowledge and skills. ✔️ Create sustainable businesses. ✔️ Build wealth—especially for women and BIPOC entrepreneurs. Every system we design, every strategy we refine, is about giving creators the tools they need to thrive. This 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, I’m inviting you to take the first step: 🌟 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗨𝗽 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 $𝟭 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. You’ll get: ✅ Live coaching to solve real challenges. ✅ Tools and strategies that scale (and multiply!) your revenue. ✅ Access to a community of incredible creators with aligned values. This isn’t just a membership—it’s a partnership to create something meaningful, enduring, and wildly profitable. We’ve built this to take the guesswork out of running your business. So you can focus on what you do best: 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 💻 Sign up now—this offer ends soon → https://lnkd.in/gBViXAUq Let’s make your next year the breakthrough year. And let’s do it together.

🎤 Ever started a pitch with stinky fish? 🐟💨 Between did, and let’s just say, it was unforgettably pungent! Here’s why weaving in a humorous, albeit slightly smelly, anecdote can make your pitch a catch! 🎣😂 Imagine this: You’re all geared up to impress a room full of potential investors. They’re expecting the usual stats and figures, but instead, you open with a tale of fishy crotches and unexpected discharges. Instant attention-grabber, right? That’s the power of starting with something so outlandishly relatable that it hooks your audience right off the bat! 🪝 Why does this work? 🤔 Comedy breaks barriers. It transforms the stiff atmosphere of pitch meetings into a playground of engagement. When you share a laugh, you’re not just a founder pitching a business—you're a storyteller, connecting on a human level. Laughter is the universal language of connection, and a well-placed joke can make your audience feel at ease, paving the way for a deeper, more memorable exchange. 🌟 But here’s the twist: the stinky fish story isn’t just a gag—it’s a masterstroke of strategy. 🧠 Imagine this: it’s not only about the laughter but also a clever lead into the major problem her company aims to solve. By starting with something as vividly unpleasant as fishy mishaps, she immediately highlighted a serious issue that grabs everyone's attention. From there, she deftly shifted to illustrate how her company uniquely tackles this and similar challenges, proving they’re not just aware of the problems but are actively crafting innovative solutions. 🛠️✨ This approach is brilliant because it sets the stage for a narrative where every anecdote and example she shares is a piece of the puzzle, showcasing the many ways her company acts as the solution. And let's face it—investors don’t just put their money into ideas; they invest in vision, the promise of resolution, and the people who can turn tides with a smile. 🚀 That’s the real power of starting with something so relatable yet unexpected. It shows foresight, creativity, and a robust readiness to tackle the unpleasantness head-on, turning it into opportunity. 🌟 #betweenhealth #between #acthouse #actdemoday #masterfulpitching

A GLOBAL BUSINESS BADASS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF I have an exciting new business role model for my mental mentors list, and I’m guessing you’ve never heard of her. Despite her billionaire status, I’d had no idea she even existed. Until this week when she pulled off a sneaky global-scale win, spearheading a US$36B acquisition to add to the $81B in growth she’s helped drive so far. And never being heard of was a deliberate choice on her part. Their global family company brings you household name products, but is so low-key their head office doesn’t even have a sign. They can do whatever they want, and answer to nobody. This week's story: why that’s so great, and how you can work toward that autonomy yourself. Link to full story in the comments.

Hustle is important, but building a business with heart can be the real key to success. John Lurtz, Executive Chairman and Founder of MorelandConnect, started and continues to build his Software Development business by creating meaningful relationships. He joins VividFront’s Chief Technology Officer, Joseph Testa, to talk about cultivating trust in tech industries and the balance between subject matter expertise and compassion. If you’re looking to establish trust with every potential new client, make sure to listen to this week's Marketing Moves episode. Link in comments! 🎙

At 1848 Ventures, we ask “how might we,” and we respond “yes, and.” We develop empathy for others. Hear directly from our storytellers how our Culture Catchphrase “Ask Another Question” comes to life. To learn more: https://insde.co/yiw5

SF TECH WEEK by a16z is almost here, and we’re beyond excited to host Pitch Perfect, where you’ll have the chance to present your product to a panel of seasoned investors and VCs, get your ideas validated, and gain invaluable feedback! Register here 🔗 —> https://lu.ma/qfquzehc Here’s a throwback to our panel on "𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐈”. It was a massive success! But don’t just take our word for it—check out what Deepak Gupta, Sai Prameela Konduru, Ammara Mehd Ghani, and Jennifer Y. Chan, CFA had to say. 🙌 💡Founders walked away with some amazing insights. Here’s one key takeaway: “Listen to your customers. Obsess over them. Understand their needs, frustrations, and dreams. It’s not glamorous, but it works.” Whether you’re ready to pitch or just want to connect and learn, Pitch Perfect is going to be full of insights. We can’t wait to see you there! Mala Ramakrishnan | Vince Lane | Hardik Jagda | Lei Du | 42px Media | EchoHer | Qianwen Chen

I spoke to a founder this week who was unsure what type of video to make for their investor pitch. Do you create one on the product? Do you create one on your whole pitch? Should the founder be in it? There are lots of options. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬: What are the weakest and strongest parts of your pitch? Would a video emphasise your strongest message? Or bolster your weakest? We helped a start-up bring its product vision to life before it was finished. We helped a start-up put pictures to the founder’s powerful personal story. We helped a start-up condense and convey a 90-second pitch for investors they’d never share a room with. It’s not a one-size-fits-all templated video. It’s about the right communications strategy and using the miracle that is multi-media.

As the year draws to a close, I find myself looking back, not just at the path I’ve walked as a founder but also at the horizon ahead. Building Lemon Yellow LLP is a journey of purpose, empathy, and constant adaptability. Being a founder is a balance: • Thinking like a designer to solve user problems. • Acting like a founder to build systems that scale. This year has been a climb, with every challenge transforming into an opportunity and every small win leading to a bigger vision. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way: 1. Empathy isn’t just for users - it’s for your team and clients too. 2. Perfection isn’t the goal - systems and processes sustain real growth. 3. Relationships matter - clients don’t just buy designs; they buy trust. The year ahead feels like an open sky - vast, full of possibilities, and ready for bold ideas, sustainable solutions, and meaningful impact. Cheers to a fresh start! Happy New Year, everyone!