Tanooki Labs

I'm channeling my frustration into actionable positivity as I deeply believe America should be run by Americans. And right now, our education system is not working. 2 weeks ago, new legislation was introduced that will expand 529's to cover all K-12 tuition and costs for private, public, and homeschool students, including tutoring, testing fees, and more. This makes 529's more critical than ever. Who overwhelmingly benefits from 529 Savings today? The top 5% richest out-enroll everyone else 50x. The system is unfair and broken. But we can fix the system -- and it's on us to do it. I saw this problem in 2019 when I came across 529s for my nieces. My sister never heard of 529 Plans - neither did I, and neither does 7 in 10 Americans. Turns out, 529's are for adults and children alike, and they cover school as well as student loans, retirement, disability costs, and more. Yet, <5% of Americans have a 529 account. When I finally figured 529's out for my nieces, I had a moral obligation to act. Americans all do better when Americans all do better. I left my stable, corporate job as a single person to help fellow Americans pursue their best paths with Hadley. With no salary the last 3 years, I got to work. Hadley joined Interplay, StartOut, Tampa Bay Wave, Presidential Leadership Scholars, and Venture Accelerator UCLA Anderson. Hadley won the SXSW Innovators Fund investment at SXSW unlocking capital from Gaingels, Alamo Angels, Notre Dame Venture Capital, Tanooki Labs, and others. But systemic forces are making it super challenging to breakthrough. <1% of venture capital goes to LGBT+ people, including from "progressive social impact" organizations that purport to help underrepresented founders, but don't. I can write a coffee table book on the number of investors who've passed on Hadley - then in the same email asking "but what's the best 529 for my own family?" Some investors take calls just to "gain intelligence." But here's the truth: companies like GiftofCollege, UNest, Backer, and Early Bird working on the same problem but differently are not competitors. The true competitor is debt and the socioeconomic forces preventing Americans from pursuing their best paths. The craziest part? 529 Plans make more revenue the more Americans save. Yet, 529 Plans with the highest fees and biggest marketing muscles intentionally dupe Americans to save in their Plans with higher fees. Outraged? So am I. Let's take back our power and make America work for all of us. Let's repurpose our energy from doomscrolling to actually doing something. I can't rely on the system to do what's right, but I hope I can rely on you. Message me if this resonates. Let's offer 529 Benefits at your work. Let's get 529's for your students and staff. Let's get donors seeding 529's for underserved communities. The time is now to *actually* make educational equity a priority, and I invite and need you to work together and join Hadley's coalition.

This is what I love about the work I do at Tanooki Labs, and why we think of ourselves technical cofounders for hire. I spent this week at Techcruch Disrupt with Hadley working the booth, bouncing around side events and helping pitch investors. I had an amazing time at our booth educating attendees about 529 college savings accounts and how Hadley’s app and benefits platform make it easy contribute to the college funds of children in their lives. That look on people’s faces when they connect a need in their lives with how Hadley helps is magic. It makes all the time and energy we poured into building Hadley worth it. I couldn’t be more proud of Yosh, Tim and the Hadley team for working so hard to make their dream of helping Americans solve our college debit crisis and enabling young people to be the best version of themselves.

Is your software project silently heading for disaster? 🧊🚢 Here’s how to find out before it’s too late.⏰ In this video, we break down the monthly health check we include in our First Time Founders email series to stay ahead of potential problems when working with tech vendors. This health check covers everything from budget tracking to project progress, so you can catch issues like missed deadlines, disorganized teams, or misaligned expectations before they spiral out of control. We’ll show you how to: * Ensure you’re getting consistent progress updates from your dev team * Maintain a proper testing environment to QA your software * Set regular check-ins and demo schedules to keep the project on track * Track your budget and feature correctness with transparency * Create an open, healthy dialogue with your team to address issues early These check-ins can turn stressful conversations into opportunities for clarity and collaboration. Whether you’re a first-time founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, having this system in place is key to avoiding costly mistakes and building strong, sustainable vendor relationships. Want more strategies like this? Join our First Time Founder email series for actionable insights on managing software projects and more. Sign up at https://lnkd.in/gH59B9DZ

A picture isn't just worth a thousand words—it's worth millions 🖼️🤑 Calling all founders, entrepreneurs, and tech leaders: enhance your leadership toolkit and connect with peers at our exclusive Visual Leadership workshop on Thursday, October 24. https://lnkd.in/eMb4ihgj Join the Founders Network NYC Chapter for an in-person event led by Todd Cherches, bestselling author of "VisuaLeadership" and acclaimed TEDx speaker. This interactive session will equip you with powerful visual thinking strategies to: * Craft more compelling investor pitches * Communicate your vision with clarity * Boost team collaboration and problem-solving Beyond skill-building, this workshop offers a prime opportunity to network with fellow founders and leaders in the NYC startup ecosystem. Share experiences, forge valuable connections, and gain insights from peers facing similar challenges. Based on Cherches' renowned work, you'll leave with practical techniques to elevate your leadership and startup communication. Don't miss this chance to invest in your skills and expand your professional network. Space is limited – secure your spot today for an evening of learning and networking that could shape your startup's future. #startups #founders #entrepreneurship #workshop #VisualThinking #leadership #StartupSkills #VisualLeadership #EntrepreneurWorkshop #TechInnovation

Should you build a mobile app or a web application? Eric Skiff and David Renz highlight the pros and cons of both options, discussing home screen presence, push notifications, hardware interaction, and the impact of new EU antitrust regulations. We also explore the challenges associated with the release cycles of mobile apps compared to the continuous development and release process of web applications. Learn when building an app makes sense and how to weigh the extra time, costs, and risks involved.

I love my 6 Sonos speakers… Unfortunately, Sonos’ recent botched app relaunch is a crisis. Eric and I talk through pitfalls to look out for when relaunching an app: Beware of external deadlines Make the fewest changes possible Prioritize the features your users care about Impact of delays early in strategy/design If you don’t have a Sonos or haven’t heard, here’s some background: https://lnkd.in/eiRA6XKA

For first-time founders, the next time you're brainstorming that next big feature or pivoting your product, ask yourself: What job is my customer hiring this product to do? The answer could be the key to your startup's success. 💡 One of the most powerful frameworks that can guide early startups is Clayton Christensen's "Jobs To Be Done" framework, highlighted in his book Competing Against Luck. This approach is a game-changer, especially for first-time founders, as it shifts the focus from what features we think are valuable to what our customers are actually hiring our product to do. Take the example of TurboTax. Initially, they were adding endless features, trying to cover every possible scenario, but when they dug into the core job that customers were "hiring" TurboTax for, they found it wasn't about the bells and whistles. People wanted one thing: a simple, accurate way to file their taxes. By refocusing on this primary job and streamlining the product accordingly, TurboTax not only improved user satisfaction but also saw a significant increase in revenue. #Startups #ProductManagement #JobsToBeDone #Innovation #Entrepreneurship