Mili Llama’s Post

We have all seen the articles and posts about why hiring college kids is a bad idea, yet no one ever seems to think about the good in hiring young workers, especially in the education sector. Over the past year we have been working tirelessly to connect with new schools in new states and we would not have been able to do it without our amazing substitute teachers. Our teachers hail from every background you can think of yet they are the most hardworking people working a job that doesn't always give them the same love back. Let face it substitute teaching is HARD and we have to grow and learn to do it but having worked with each of our subs on a personal level we have seen just how much our subs shine. #milillama #llamasubs #education #edu #collegestudents #hiring #workwithus 

We're excited to spotlight the last member of our team Our Co-Founder and CEO, Donavan Bennett. Donavan founded Mili Llama after he worked as a Substitute Teacher at his daughter's school. He saw the dire need for substitute teachers within our schools. Before founding Mili Llama Donavan worked in Quality Assurance for several companies. Donavan is also a veteran serving 4 years in the United States Army as a Platoon Leader and an Executive Officer. You will often see Donavan with our Llamas at any and all college events. Donavan has been boots on the ground every single day of Mili Llama's existence and we would not be here without him. #Milillama #Substituteteacher #Startup

CU Boulder we had the best time talking all things substitute teaching at Startups2Students! We were able to talk to Computer Science students about how they can help us grow our app and our mission! A huge thank you to University of Colorado Boulder career services for putting on this amazing event!

Introducing the next team member Joshua Rodgers, Josh serves as Co-Founder and CRO. Joshua graduated from the Citadel with a BS in Political Science and In May received his MBA from Notre Dame. Before coming to Mili Llama Johsua worked in Health Care. Josh is also a Veteran serving as a CBRN Officer (Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Officer) in the United States Army. Joshua has been with Mili Llama from the very beginning and we cannot thank him enough for all of his efforts. To quote some of his former co-workers "Joshua embodies the seven Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, self-respect, honor, integrity, and personal courage. We worked together for some time as Army Officers at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri. Although we had a small team, he was a great team player who was results-driven - not time-bound - to get the job done" and "I was always impressed with Josh's calm strength and demeanor. His experience and worldview provided an added depth to these conversations. He treated everyone with the utmost respect and dignity, which helped people feel comfortable, even during uncomfortable conversations."

Introducing our Education Advisor Iris Hammel, Iris is a force with over 15 years of educational startup experience. The Indiana governor appointed her to the State Board of Education. Iris has worked in all realms of education from public schools, charter schools, and even high education. Iris is the co-founder of Connected Classrooms, LLC, where she launched TeachMe3D.org, a complete training tool for 3D modeling designed specifically for middle and high schools and robotics teams. She is also the co-founder of Regional Innovation and Startup Education (RISE), which aims to transform the lives of individuals through entrepreneurial thought and immersion. We are fortunate to have her on our team! #milillama #llamasubs #startup #southbend #detroit

Wayne State University! Our Co-Founder and CEO, Donavan Bennett, is on campus with our llamas this week. Find him during the Welcome Week Block Party to learn why substitute teaching is the perfect job for college students! We look forward to meeting you and telling you about our company. #milillama #llamasubs #waynestate #detroit

Our team is truly the best and we want to celebrate each member, Starting with Vince Smith, our Business Development Intern. Vince is a Sophomore at the University of Notre Dame studying finance. He has worked at Mili Llama since September of 2023, he helps us with funding pitches, recruiting, and sales. Before Mili Llama, he worked as a venture capital intern and is the President of Notre Dame's Venture Capital Club.