Jon Nordby

We spent yesterday in an INCREDIBLE annual planning meeting with our business coach, 🔹Andrew O'Brien✔ Chief Energy Officer at ActionCOACH Central Texas. Nicole Osibodu, XOXO and I have made big, bold plans for the year and will reveal them tomorrow! But in case you missed my forecast for 2025 in the holiday edition of The Engaged Attendee, here's a high level of view of what's on my mind for our industry in the year ahead: → Curated collaboration: Communities that thrive in 2025 will actively foster collaboration. Whether through shared problem-solving, co-creation, or unique partnerships, collaboration will become the glue of thriving networks. → The experience-first movement: As people grow more selective about where they invest their time, experiences will reign supreme. Communities and events that prioritize immersion, personalization, and emotional impact will win hearts and loyalty. → Wellness as a foundation, not a feature: Wellness will no longer be a “nice-to-have” but a critical part of how communities operate. From emotional resilience to physical health (and maybe a little "woo" woven in), expect a shift in how we prioritize the well-being of our members. → Authenticity: In a noisy, oversaturated market, the communities that stand out will be the ones that feel real. We're not seeking overproduced perfection. Raw, relatable, and human-first is the way forward.   For us, 2024 was kind of a "throw spaghetti on the walls and see what sticks" year. But now we know, and 2025 is shaping up to be the year of "The Bold Experiment." As a community, we’re not armchair-quarterbacking the trends... we’re creating them. From more retreats and innovative programs, to unexpected collaborations, we’re ready to redefine what it means to belong to a professional community. We're gaining momentum, and with people like Janice Cardinale VEMM, Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP , David T. Stevens®, PMED, Tess M. Vismale, CMP, DES, Lindsay Martin-Bilbrey, CMP, Dahlia El Gazzar 🧿, Sarah Meister - Event Group Housing Expert, Arthur Kerekes, Bruno Silva, Ben Nazario, 📱 Zach Barney, Kris Jenkins, Joe Federbush, Josh Vande Krol, Kyle Morris, Howard Givner, Tahira Endean, MsC, CITP, CMP, CED, Carina Bauer, Dan Shuman, Glenn Stress, Tamar Beck, Matthew G. Laws, Jihan Donawa Gibson, Marcie Merritt, and John Tucker by our sides, we're gonna have a really, really, fun year! ------------------------------------------------------- Haven't purchased your Club Ichi Insider membership yet? Better get in here! www.weareichi.com

158

40 Comments

We received a note from a frustrated customer: “Natural gas prices are extremely low, yet your electricity prices are spiking. You are taking advantage of your customers!” Yes, natural gas prices are low, yet electricity prices for residential consumers in Texas continue to rise. How can this be? TL;DR: Blame wholesale market volatility. The surge of renewables and increased demand reduce the influence of natural gas prices on wholesale electricity prices. High energy demand, low wind availability, and ERCOT’s scarcity pricing model lead to huge spikes in wholesale electricity prices, even when natural gas prices are low. However, when wholesale electricity prices are lower, natural gas prices and power plant efficiency matter. Retail electricity providers like BKV Energy offer fixed-rate plans, but wholesale market prices are volatile. While you won't get a spike in your electricity prices for the term of your contract, it is very probable that your next fixed-rate plan will be higher. In a way, a retail electricity provider serves as “insurance” for the customer. How do natural gas prices influence wholesale electricity prices? In my post on May 13th, I discussed key principles affecting Texas electricity prices, using the May 8th price spike as an example. I did not mention natural gas prices, so let’s dig deeper to understand their relationship with electricity prices. 1. Diverse Energy Sources:  Not all electricity generation depends on natural gas. Solar, wind, coal, and nuclear power plants do not use natural gas. 2. Increasing Renewable Energy: The amount of electricity from solar, wind, and other non-gas sources has been increasing, reducing the impact of natural gas prices on electricity prices. 3. Market Dynamics in ERCOT: When demand peaks, such as in the early evening during summer, and wind is not blowing, electricity prices skyrocket. At these moments, the price of natural gas is almost irrelevant. But what about when these conditions are not present? When wholesale prices are lower, natural gas prices still play an important role. Most electricity in Texas still comes from natural gas-fueled generators. Each power plant has a different efficiency rate, known as “heat rate.” Heat rate is the amount of energy used by a power plant to generate one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. Higher heat rates mean more natural gas is needed, making the plant less efficient. If you own a power plant, you know a) how much gas is needed to create electricity and b) the gas price, so you can determine at what electricity prices you can sell at a profit. Winter also presents interesting dynamics involving natural gas prices, but we’ll leave that for another post. I hope this post helped explain why retail electricity prices increase during summer months even when natural gas prices are low. #ERCOT #RenewableEnergy #NaturalGas #ElectricityPrices #MarketDynamics

53

3 Comments

Acquisition Opportunity: North Texas Trade Mortuary Service and Crematorium 20412 New on the market! Feel free to forward to any other interested parties.   2023 Sales: $915,218 2023 Cash Flow to Owner: Loss   Price: $600,000 This well-established trade mortuary service, with on-site crematory, provides third-party services to Funeral Homes primarily in North Texas plus nationally. Services include removals/transport, embalming, refrigeration and cremation. No services are provided to the general public. In 2023, the business performed ~1680 cremations and is on track for ~2,000 this year. The business averages 100-120 calls per month on the mortuary side and also contracts with a couple of national shipping companies. In 2023, the business had ~316 Embalming and ~189 Cremation customers with the top 10 customers accounting for approximately ~65% of sales. Top 10 embalming clients account for ~86% of sales and top 10 cremation clients account for ~81% of sales. Recently, a major customer has been suspended, due to non-payment of invoices. However, the business recently added a new national account that is expected to drive 20% of 2024 sales. There is a lot of room for growth with proper advertising, networking and adding another vehicle to take on larger volumes. The crematorium has space to add a 3rd retort in current building plus the plumbing is roughed-in for a 4th embalming station. Additionally, there is space on the real estate property to add an accessory building. The Company's well-trained and long-tenure General Manager holds all necessary licenses and runs all day-to-day operations. Owner primarily handles the financial aspect of the business such as payroll, invoicing, processing payments. Many of these tasks could be replaced with a bookkeeper or clerical staff. (Current owner has chosen to do these tasks.) While the owner has excellent industry knowledge, they readily admit that they lack business and finance training, or the marketing prowess to profitably grow the business. NOTE: SELLER REQUIRES THAT PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS HAVE DEATH CARE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AND CURRENT LICENSING (OR ABILITY TO BE LICENSED). Many growth opportunities with strong, central Dallas-Fort Worth location, skilled staff, good reputation and state of the art facility. The business operates primarily as a word of mouth “niche business”. The owner estimates that the business is only running at ~30% capacity. Capacity can be significantly increased by adding retorts, improving cremation schedule efficiency and hiring staff for additional shifts. See additional info at https://bit.ly/ang20412   If you are interested in discussing this opportunity, please reply and we will email NDA. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS TO THE APPROPRIATE DECISION-MAKER WITHIN YOUR FIRM.   Thanks, I hope to hear from you! NOTE: THE SALE OF A BUSINESS IS CONFIDENTIAL AND DISCREET; PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THE BUSINESS OR SPEAK WITH ANY EMPLOYEES OR OWNERS. 

5

1 Comment

Texas DOGEE! OK so don't tell the Governor I call it this (or maybe, if he likes it) but a new and important initiative Texas Venture Alliance has been helping with focuses on Texas' government efficiency with small business entrepreneurs. Or to me, .... Government Efficiency for Entrepreneurs 🐶 The Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed our partners, the Texas State Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, Glenn Hamer to Co-Chair an effort gathering ideas on how state agencies can best engage with, remove barriers for, and improve overall efficiency with our state's small businesses. TVA is helping spread the word as the largest truly statewide network of nearly 10,000 startup founders & ecosystem partners (which are hubs in their own right obviously) featuring: investors, accelerators, incubators, universities, angel networks, regional + state chambers and economic development corporations, and more. In my humble opinion, nobody's better fit to provide ideas on innovative, creative, valuable, and efficient ways of doing (ANY!)thing more than startup founders. We've been advocating for 2 years reminding our legislator friends that these founders/entrepreneurs/special types of small business owners are our state's problem solvers. We hit the ground running starting last year on sourcing information on this, so please share with your innovation network-- NOW is the time to shine! If you've ever complained about government, HERE is your chance to voice concerns, ideas, stories, and there is nothing too big or too small. PS-- This pic is of the DOGE car where I tried to edit bright enough for y'all to see the little dog on it :) It's a reminder of power of community + that it's okay to have a little fun with things as we take on the BIG TEXAS stuff, with our BIG TEXAS boots, and BIG TEXAS mentality! SUBMISSIONS HERE: https://lnkd.in/gGaqz8m4 #texas #DOGE #governor #smallbusiness #entrepreneurs Texas Association of Business | Texas Venture Gala & Forum | Texas Venture Fest

118

9 Comments

📣 📣 Calling All Early-Stage Investors 📣 📣 Join NuFund Venture Group, a pioneer in the Venture Group model since 1997, at their inaugural Austin Cluster Pitch Event tomorrow, August 15th, at 11 AM CST. This event will bring together Austin’s most innovative startups and NuFund members to showcase the unique intersection of angel investing and venture capital. Tomorrow features pre-selected Austin startups and introduces local angel investors to NuFund. The session showcases five innovative startups, each followed by investor Q&A and discussions. 🚨 This online event is exclusive to accredited investors 🚨 Event Details: 📍 Location: Virtual 🗓️ Date: August 15th (Tomorrow) ⏰ Time: 9 AM PST/ 11 AM CST 🔗 Link to Registration: https://lnkd.in/eW-av6Yf Why choose NuFund? Their collaborative, rigorous due diligence approach, led by industry experts, helps mitigate risk and improve decision-making. Their Annual Fund allows you to diversify your portfolio while maintaining flexibility in investments. Why Austin? 🌟 Thriving Startup Ecosystem: Home to vibrant organizations like Central Texas Angel Network, TiE Global Angels Austin , Capital Factory, ATX Venture Partners, Antler Austin, Silverton Partners, GTMfund, etc. 🎉 Home of SXSW 💡 Diverse Investment Opportunities 🏢 Supportive Business Environment 🤝 Active Angel Investor Community 🚀 Successful Track Record of Exits 🗺️ Active NuFund Members: Thank you James Burkett for leading the efforts and inviting Founding Titans to pitch. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with top early-stage companies and investors. Let's strengthen the synergy between Southern California and Austin. #NuFund #AustinStartups #VentureCapital #AngelInvesting #PitchEvent #AustinAngelInvestors #Startups #Founders #Investors #ATX

1

I really enjoyed recording this episode of The Digital Industrial Podcast with Ty Findley. We talked about common misconceptions for deep tech, the "Why Now" for the category, and differences between investor diligence for deep tech and traditional tech. https://lnkd.in/eKtwjauu

19

4 Comments

Really appreciate the perspective from Anissa G.'s piece in The Information this morning based on her conversation with Bill Braun, Chief Information Officer at Chevron. Like other enterprises, Chevron has pursued two core areas that I believe are low-hanging fruit for AI adoption — they’ve built an internal chatbot with OpenAI’s API to help their HR and legal teams more easily query Chevron-specific company information and are testing out Copilot for Microsoft Office. What’s fascinating is Chevron, 15 on the 2024 Fortune 500 list, established an Enterprise AI team last summer to see what tools in the market they should be adopting, but haven’t yet found anything they believe will have a significant impact on the business — whether by boosting revenue or saving time and money. It’s easy to forget but helpful to keep in mind that, like many of their peers, Chevron began their cloud journey in 2017 and is still in the process of moving workloads there. While I believe it’s absolutely the right thing for management teams, boards and technology leaders to be actively seeking answers to the question of how they should leverage AI, there’s still a lack of clarity on where the rubber will meet the road to deliver transformative business outcomes. In many cases, continued cloud adoption is both a more immediate priority and a necessary intermediate step to being opportunistic with AI. Highly suggest reading the full article here — https://lnkd.in/em8s7J_2

16

1 Comment

Big Company or Big Network: Which is the better partner? When you think partnerships, It’s easy to think of collaborating with companies. But have you considered partnering with a network? When I was in Austin, I struck a deal with Capital Factory. Community of 100,000 entrepreneurs. Portfolio valuation of $21 billion. This partnership opened doors to New brands, New investors, New level of growth. The takeaway? Partnering with a network doesn’t just add value— it channels it 🔮 #Networking #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

6

Bitcoin promotes sustainable energy by incentivizing the use of renewable energy sources for mining through its ability to monetize excess or stranded energy, improving grid efficiency, and supporting green energy investments. Thank you to Sid Bensalah 🌿 for hosting a great conversation, Here’s what you’ll hear: 🔹 Web3: Ownership & decentralization. 🔹 Tech’s role in a sustainable future. 🔹 Meme coins, celebrity influence, and crypto culture. 🔹 Personal growth and mindfulness tips. https://lnkd.in/gU2SuXhJ #Bitcoin #Web3 #RWA

535

85 Comments

#Leadership requires constant self-assessment of your intent and actions to ensure you get results. Autopilot does not win! At Energy Capital Ventures, every decision we make is continually measured against our #greenmolecules thesis and industry advocacy. It's the only way to make it count! #energy #innovation #naturalgas

11

2 Comments

Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) illustrates the current "readiness" of #ClimateTechs + their potential impact on carbon reduction. As shown, many techs are at an early stage of being able to have a material impact. Concerningly, some tech funds recently returned capital back to investors recently + closed their funds - citing inability to fund capital intensive techs, found in areas like ClimateTech. This in part may be contributing to the $2 trillion shortfall in ClimateTech, that Deloitte estimates. What this may mean for the future? - The migration of LPs to global, super VC funds within ClimateTech, given the large capital pools needed to fund tech development - Greater specialization from smaller funds, energizing more niche elements of the ClimateTech market - but also altering their / LP's risk profile - A greater role to be played by debt financing in funding growth entities at an earlier stage - impacting cashflow dynamics Will be an interesting space to watch moving forward. We at The Proptech Connection are constantly working with all parts of the Proptech ecosystem. From the leading LPs, funds, techs and adopters in market, providing an independent view. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help. #InvestorTrends #Strategy #Global Ivo van Breukelen Stuart Daun Kiki C. Ethan Ward

9

2 Comments

September is a crazy month for #climatetech #FOAK themed events. Some I'd like to shout out from the first half: ✅ A FOAK-themed dinner Tim Franklin-Hensler, Charlie Nelson, Dev Motiram, and I hosted, sponsored by Jordan Kellerman (Peachtree Group) and Robert Sarfatis (Polsinelli) during the inaugural #HoustonClimateWeek ✅ A FOAK panel at the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship's Energy Tech Venture Forum, also during HCW, moderated by Tim Franklin-Hensler with panelists Charlie Nelson, Laureen Meroueh, PhD, Mac Hatch, and Janice Tran. Topics included adapting rapidly to delays in timing, managing cost runovers, balancing the myriad of KPIs for FOAK, learning to be smarter about how to talk to customers, and how market uncertainty can dramatically affect FOAK projects ✅ A 4-hour "pilotathon" hosted by the Energy Tech Nexus, where different startups got to pitch their pilots. SUCH a good idea, Jason Ethier, Nada Ahmed, Juliana Garaizar, and the rest of the ETN team! ✅ A FOAK panel during Decarb Connect's TechInvest that I got to moderate with panelists Claude Vachet, Jeff Johnson, Francis O'Sullivan, and David Yeh. Topics included using corporate and DOE dollars in FOAK deals, encouraging communication between different investor classes, the 10,000 hours of experience needed to be a good developer, educating companies on project development, and the need for everyone across the climate universe to stretch their roles & take a bit more risk ✅ A generally FOAK-themed set of talks at Decarb TechInvest, expertly curated by Alex Cameron and her team, which included (among others): - a fascinating fireside chat with Rob Day and Matt Lucas moderated by Wim Reyntiens that touched on how critical it is to have accurate cost forecasting, how ROFRs can block additional access to capital, evaluating offtake risk beyond just the ideal, the folly of up rounds for the sake of up rounds, and why one shouldn't obsess over scale up factors and number of operating hours - a talk by Chris Creed that outlined the LPO's strategy around FOAK deployment loans - a FOAK success panel moderated by Kerri Fox that included Leah Ellis, Martin Keighley, and Shreya Dave, which talked about using a carbon price to incentivize corporate action, choosing the right cooperative FOAK partner, creating new offtake agreements in markets that haven't had traditional offtake (like cement<>concrete or CDR), and using job growth to incentivize growth vs. decarbonization. AND ⭐TOMORROW⭐ is the second annual Cleantech Day at Denver Startup Week hosted by Colorado Cleantech. I'm moderating a panel on FOAK successes in Colorado with Eric Davis, Johanna O., Carling Spelhaug, and Kimberly Purdy. Shoutout to Ken Carlson, Laura Hickernell, Joseph P., and Jack Fritzinger for their help & hard work. REGISTER BELOW!!

73

4 Comments

1. What specific features or functionalities does Hoop offer that differentiate it from existing task management tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com? 2. Can you elaborate on how Hoop’s AI-powered solution addresses the workplace distractions mentioned in the post? 3. How does Hoop’s integration with communication tools like Zoom and Slack enhance its usability and effectiveness for users? 4. Are there any unique AI-driven capabilities within Hoop that set it apart in terms of task organization and productivity improvement? 5. Can you provide examples of how Hoop’s advanced automation and predictive task prioritization features benefit users in real-world scenarios? 6. How does Hoop’s vision for AI-first task management align with current trends in workplace productivity and collaboration tools? 7. In what ways does Hoop aim to revolutionize the task management space, particularly in terms of addressing the needs of modern work environments? 8. What strategies does Hoop have in place to effectively communicate its value proposition to potential users and investors amidst a competitive market landscape? 9. How does Hoop plan to leverage its recent funding round to further enhance its product offering and market presence? 10. Can you share insights into Hoop’s roadmap for future development and innovation, particularly in terms of expanding its AI-driven functionalities and integrations?

1

🏢 3 Reasons You'll Love This Multifamily Passive Investment 💼 I just wrapped up a quick video about our latest project in Dallas-Fort Worth. Here's why you should be excited: 1️⃣ Prime Market, Brand New Build 🆕 144-unit luxury complex built in 2023 📈 Booming DFW area with strong growth 👥 Expanding population & rising incomes 2️⃣ Unbeatable Financing 🔒 Fixed-rate debt with 5-year interest-only term 🤝 Rare seller financing opportunity 💰 Lower payments, higher cash flow potential 3️⃣ Incredible Value & Tax Benefits 💎 ~$8 million instant equity 💵 $160k/unit vs. market rate of $200k-$230k 🏷️ 100% property tax exemption (saves $500k/year!) 🎥 Want the full scoop? I've got more to share! 👇 DM me or schedule a call to access our detailed webinar. Let's discuss how this passive investment can work for you! 506(c) Accredited investors only. #PassiveIncome #RealEstateInvesting #MultifamilyInvestment #AccreditedInvestors

12

9 Comments

Private Markets (PE, VC, Growth Equity) are asset classes largely inaccessible to public investors, yet there's a lot of demand. This locks individual investors out of the market for innovative companies, and also reduces liquidity opportunities for employees, founders and angels (opaque secondary markets with high tx fees and approval hurdles don't count). Is there a way to solve this using technology, potentially GAI, in a regulated way to give retail investors access to private markets in the UK? It would for sure encourage more entrepreneurship and innovation as well. This was one of the topics we discussed yesterday at the panel at Fund Finance Association , where I was invited to give the Founder's & Entrepreneur's view. Thanks for having me Joel Buckett and very insightful to hear the different perspectives of Muhammad Billal Malik, CAIA, Ibrahim Khan and Mohamed Azzam Khan, CFA

48

3 Comments

🚀 Austin's Top 100 Startups into 2025! As we prepare for a promising banner 2025-year, Austin’s tech ecosystem is more dynamic than ever. With over forty unicorns already born in the region, we are keen to be mindful of the rising stars—startups with the potential to shape the future of innovation in Austin and beyond. 🌟 Opportunity Austin and Dealroom.co have ranked the #Top #100 #Startups to Watch in the Austin region going into 2025, highlighting companies that stand out for their fundraising timelines, poised for growth indicators, and exceptional founding teams. Keep a close eye on these startups as they forge the path toward becoming Austin’s next unicorns. Celebrate these companies as you close out 2024! 🚀 Dive into the full list and explore the full capabilities of our ecosystem platform here: https://bit.ly/41KkiUD #austinecosystem #innovation #austinregion #Top100 #unicorns

72

8 Comments

Before & after! Here’s how this deal went 👇 This is one of our newest rental units in The Colony, TX. (Btw…after having flipped over 800+ properties, I haven’t ever posted about them until now so let me know if you found this interesting.) We do this in what I call a 4F Framework. 1. Find it - we market for properties in geo's that meet strict criteria in Population, Income, Job, Appreciation and Crime. 2. Fund it - we bought this property for cash so we could close quickly with a combination of investor capital and company capital. 3. Fix it - we didn’t want to overdo this house. A mistake I used to make when I first started. We repaired all majors and on the interior we put paint and floors and made minor repairs. 4. Flip it - we are not exiting this property but adding it to holdings as a rental unit. We wound up buying, rehabbing and listing for rent in 22 days (we have amazing teams) with an ROI of 46.82% and an anticipated NOI margin of 33.5% and an appraisal value of 468k. All in all, our investors are happy, we are happy. What do you think of this deal?

16

8 Comments