March 6th, 2024
Last year, I was backpacking the O-trek in Patagonia, and on the last day, I focused on the question: Is this the right time to do it?
I had just gotten married and was completing a project as a consultant, and I had to decide on what to do next. Do I return to Fortune500 and become a little guy in the mix, or sacrifice my mental and physical health for another founder in a startup?
>> forward >>
Less than a year later, I’m preparing to launch the KINNECT app backed by the largest pre-seed investor in the world—TechStars. TechStars is KINNECT's first investor and investment through their Rising Stars Fund.
As we get ready for launch, I am lucky to have the support of the TechStars team and portfolio companies. It's a big deal to have access, guidance, and support from them before launching the product.
on a personal note>
One thing that I didn't predict:
How emotional it is to talk about friends, family, and aging. I spend each week networking or interviewing people about their relationships. I've seen the typical investor a person could objectively be intimidated by break down. I've also seen the happiest moments when someone retells their favorite story.
Our families are filled with a range of emotions, and I feel that. That's why KINNECT will become the primary example of what it means to be Tech For Good - focused on making it easy to feel like they belong in their family.
I’m proud of the team for building KINNECT with me. Each of us has individual and family reasons for why we feel and see a need for the product and how special it will be over time as more memories are captured.
Some advice for those considering becoming an entrepreneur:
- Do it.
- Ask for help.
- Do your research.
- Lean into your communities.
- Don’t assume your people will do things - that’s unfair.
Thank you to the TechStars team, advisors, friends, and teammates for believing in me, especially Tricia Martinez.
The KINNECT team and I plan to launch KINNECT in mid-April and have more announcements soon.
abrazos,
omar
