Scaling Marketing Like a Pro! Just wrapped up an awesome session at PHX FWD with Shawn McKee, CMO of NContracts, on The Vertical Growth Playbook: 5 Proven Steps to Build a Scalable Marketing Machines. Wow, so many gems! Biggest takeaways: ➡️ Reinventing Marketing Processes with AI – Applying AI to first drafts and creating additional content form factors! ➡️ Know your ideal customer – The better you understand them, the easier it is to attract (and keep) them. ➡️ Pricing matters – Your value model can make or break your success. Get it right! Huge thanks to Shawn for the insights and PHX FWD for bringing us all together. Let’s connect if you’re working on scaling your marketing game! #MarketingGrowth #ScaleUp #PHXFWD https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7301001119881646080

It’s time to send off Forbes Shannon in style! Join us on Tonight as we celebrate our legendary emcee with a Farewell Roast & Afterparty—because no goodbye is complete without a few jokes and a lot of love. From shaping the vision of Venture Café Phoenix to keeping us laughing (and on schedule), Forbes has been at the heart of it all. We’ll roast, we’ll toast, and we’ll reminisce on the unforgettable moments he’s brought to our community as he embarks on his next big adventure as Editor-in-Chief of Extraordinary—a community and consultancy dedicated to transformative change. Come for the laughs, stay for the afterparty, and help us give Forbes the extraordinary send-off he deserves. Don’t miss this chance to share your favorite Forbes memories and wish him well on his next chapter! https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7300988443797463040

It’s time to send off Forbes Shannon in style! Join us on Tonight as we celebrate our legendary emcee with a Farewell Roast & Afterparty—because no goodbye is complete without a few jokes and a lot of love. From shaping the vision of Venture Café Phoenix to keeping us laughing (and on schedule), Forbes has been at the heart of it all. We’ll roast, we’ll toast, and we’ll reminisce on the unforgettable moments he’s brought to our community as he embarks on his next big adventure as Editor-in-Chief of Extraordinary—a community and consultancy dedicated to transformative change. Come for the laughs, stay for the afterparty, and help us give Forbes the extraordinary send-off he deserves. Don’t miss this chance to share your favorite Forbes memories and wish him well on his next chapter! https://www.instagram.com/p/DGlWI9GP2S5

Small Business Boot Camp Session 355 - Building Trust and Authenticity in an AI-Focused Approach

Are you ready to turn your product into a best-seller on Amazon? 🚀 Selling on Amazon is more competitive than ever, and without a proven strategy, even the most innovative product can struggle to gain traction. That’s why we’re bringing you The Toy Launch Formula—a step-by-step blueprint designed to help entrepreneurs, brand owners, and manufacturers successfully launch and scale their products on the world's largest online marketplace. In this action-packed session, Jason Hsieh Amazon expert and founder of Toy Launch—will reveal the exact formula his team uses to transform new brands from zero to hero on Amazon. https://www.instagram.com/p/DGi8SjqSqDU

Does Venture Café Phoenix's @forbesfivehundo and @rashad_armstrong have jokes? Join them tonight in Chandler and hear their best ones! Free for all Venture Café Phoenix folks! https://www.instagram.com/p/DGiyYvDpvhM

Join Freeway Phx and Loloft for Breakthrough Brew, a morning meetup where founders, innovators, and ecosystem builders come together over great coffee and even… https://lu.ma/t83lai5a

PHX FWD is proud to welcome Clate Mask as our new CEO! 🎉 Clate built and scaled Keap into a category leader, and now he’s bringing that experience to PHX FWD to help make Phoenix a top software city by 2035. With his leadership, we’re expanding our coaching, connections, and resources to help founders and builders scale faster. Phoenix has the talent – now it’s time to rally together and make it a leading city for software innovation. Join us in welcoming Clate to the team. And if you’re a founder, builder, or investor who believes in Phoenix’s potential, let’s connect. The future of software in Phoenix starts now! Get involved: www.phxfwd.org #PHXFWD #phoenixsoftware #phoenixstartups Gregg Scoresby Chris Chumley Jeff Kerr Jackson Scoresby Elizabeth Taylor https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7300289257758212096

ASU Business Student Intern Program for Startups AMA

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing cybersecurity—but is it a friend or a foe? This Thursday, join us for an exclusive fireside chat with Ryan Murray, Arizona’s State Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) with AZ Dept. of Homeland Security, and Wendy Jameson, Deputy Director of the Digital Solutions Office at the AZ Department of Administration. Together, we’ll explore how AI is shaping the future of cyber defense, the risks it presents, and what it means for businesses and individuals alike. Come ready with your questions as we dive into the intersection of AI and cybersecurity in an interactive and insightful conversation. https://www.instagram.com/p/DGgQdykvyjg

Happy 144th birthday, City of Phoenix! Incorporated in 1881, this community has it all: global advanced manufacturing activity, a dynamic bioscience ecosystem, vibrant creative and startup communities, and much more. Here's to 144 more years of top-notch economic growth! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gxJKjfc4 | Phoenix Community and Economic Development | #PhoenixAZ https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7300360661975343104

Meta Data Center Grand Opening, Mesa, AZ

This Thursday come hear an overview of GORE material science background and their innovative medical products. Learn more about how GORE has leveraged a deep understanding of expanded PTFE in various applications from hernia patches to arterial stents. Members of the GORE team; Holly Lauridsen, PhD, Cody Bliss, and Cole Cameron, MBA will walk through product development followed by hands-on demos of their products. https://www.instagram.com/p/DGeNQTFSIaH

Register today (link below) for Tues night's virtual event hosted by Silicon Oasis... "We don't need to be exactly like other tech ecosystems (and we shouldn't), but we should observe what elements were important during their growth stage. Jeff has been pivotal to the tech scene growth in Utah, and he is here to answer your questions. This exclusive event is for tech founders, investors, operators, and ecosystem partners. If this describes you, show up!" Register here > https://lnkd.in/gjQP7MgA #yesPHX #Startups https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7299885463257894913

The ACA was proud to partner with @greaterphx JETRO Los Angeles and Japan Consulate of Los Angeles to host a delegation of 50+ Japanese companies, showcasing our premier business environment in Phoenix and Tucson. @suncorridorinc @uarizona https://www.instagram.com/p/DGdowZYuHVJ

Huge congratulations to Prickly Pear Health and founder Imen Maaroufi Clark on surpassing their $250K pre-seed funding goal! 🎉🌵 This exciting milestone is a big win for Arizona's femtech community. We’re proud to see innovation thriving here in Silicon Oasis! 🌞 #ArizonaStartups #FemTech #SiliconOasis #Innovation https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7299875194041446400

Feb 20, 2025 ACA Board Of Directors Meeting

📣 Something BIG is coming! 📣 Join us March 25 for TechFusion: AI, IT + Computer Science Conference, where industry leaders, innovators and tech enthusiasts unite! 💡 Cutting-edge insights on AI, IT and business transformation ⚡ Expert speakers & networking opportunities 📍 @GCU Let’s push the boundaries of technology together! 💻 🔗 Register now: Link in Bio Many thanks to sponsors @azcommerce @gcu @openclassrooms! #TechFusion #AI #IT #ComputerScience #TechInnovation #AZTech https://www.instagram.com/p/DGWNUB9SSrx

Last night at Venture Café Phoenix, we took the AI leap! 🚀🤖 We kicked off the evening with our CleanTech & Sustainability session, where Kris Saunders, Timo Moeller and Victor Atlasman explored the challenges of Energy Demand & Grid Capacity how clean energy solutions can impact it. Next, we dove into the intersection of creativity and AI with "Investing in Human Creativity and The Unforeseen Competitive Advantage", led by Martin Treinen. Danny Robles then guided us through "Embracing Your AI Workflow", demonstrating how to offload repetitive tasks to Gen AI and optimize productivity. We wrapped up the night with "AI in the Wild: How Businesses of All Sizes are Putting AI to Work", where Danny Robles, Chad Cook, Jeff Hughes and Peter Liefer shared real-world AI adoption stories, showcasing how companies are leveraging AI across industries. And of course, we can’t forget the free professional headshots courtesy of Gabriel Valdez. A big thank you to our incredible speakers, attendees, and community for another night of insightful discussions and networking! #AI #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #CleanTech #VentureCafePhoenix https://www.instagram.com/p/DGV-Knlv3K8

On our latest Phoenix Founders Podcast episode, Gregg Scoresby sits down with Trevor Larson, Co-Founder & CEO of Nectar to talk about resilience, sales, and building a company that thrives on culture and recognition. From hustling as a young entrepreneur to pivoting a struggling startup into a fast-growing HR tech platform, Trevor's story is packed with lessons for both founders and operators. In this episode: • Why sales is everything - closing deals, hiring top talent, and raising capital. • How Nectar evolved from an early employee perks app to a category leader in employee recognition. • The power of hiring the right people and why Trevor personally recruits top talent. • Navigating tough pivots, customer churn, and scaling a SaaS business. Listen on any podcast platform: https://lnkd.in/ghDnY_Ym #hrtech #leadership #entrepreneurship #companyculture https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7298451992694202368

PHX Founders Podcast: From Startup Grit to Culture-Driven Growth - Building Nectar

Today marks the start of another amazing Cactus League Spring Training season! Over the next 5 weeks, we look forward to the 1.5+ million visitors who will enjoy the baseball, blue skies and stress-free afternoons that define Arizona’s pastime. ⚾️ Cactus League Association https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7298572791199473664

Many thanks to @10to1pr for hosting another fantastic after5 Tech Mixer! 🎉 The space was packed, the conversations were flowing, the food was excellent and the air was filled with the energy only the Arizona tech community provides. ⚡️ Missed last night’s event? Not to worry - visit the link in our bio to check out our upcoming events in Phoenix and Tucson! https://www.instagram.com/p/DGTiyjuyMwC

Only two days until our workshop with Shawn McKee and we're almost full! Save your seat now: https://lu.ma/ttki05ni https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7300204625519878144

Free Professional Headshots Tonight! Tag someone that needs a new profile picture! https://www.instagram.com/p/DGTVhO8v218