Oliver James’ Post

One of the most challenging, and rewarding, parts of my career has been trying to help push the Cincinnati startup ecosystem forward, while also being "in the arena" building companies and a family here, myself. Yes, it takes vision, and I'm grateful that God has gifted me with that super power, but as Thomas Edison put it: vision without execution is hallucination. Having a vision to make Cincinnati a better place to build companies that change the world is nice, and pointing out where we're falling short is helpful in the right circles, but I pray that I never grow tired of actually doing the work. I'm grateful for the other amazing partners and doers we have around town pushing things forward, and will continue showing up to support them as much as I can. Want to meet some of those people and organizations doing the work? Two amazing opportunities coming up (links below for more info). 1. Founders + Funders Summit at 1819 Innovation Hub THIS FRIDAY, put on by UC 2. Startup Cincy Week put on by Cintrifuse Oct 7-10

Adapting to the needs of the market place….

Next stop: San Francisco. Co-founding Pike has been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life. Over the past two years, we built something I’m incredibly proud of—an app that helps people discover and share meaningful experiences, partnerships with amazing creators and brands, and cultivated a community that I’m honored to have been part of. Last fall, I made the bittersweet decision to successfully exit Pike. This journey has been a masterclass in entrepreneurship, resilience and creativity. It was a strategic move part of a bigger plan, and I’ve left it in great hands. My co-founders have everything they need (and more) for Pike’s next chapter. Since my exit, I have spent the past few months traveling, connecting with loved ones, having meaningful conversations, and reflecting on what’s next. I’ve learned that creating Pike wasn’t just about building an app, it was about fulfilling everything the younger me aspired to be. And while this chapter closes, Pike will continue. As for me? A new adventure is on the horizon. Next stop: San Francisco.

“Builders gotta build.” Apparently, it’s my one-year work anniversary. 🤷♂️ It went by so fast, I almost missed it. You know why? Because I don’t see what I do as work. Don’t get me wrong—I (along with the rest of the team) put in a lot of effort and a lot of hours. But you’ve probably heard the saying: “Find something you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, as a builder, I love to build. But there are two things I love even more: helping others build and working alongside brilliantly talented people. At Alderway Partnership Capital I get to do both. I get to witness the entrepreneurial spirit of business owners who are driven to create, innovate, and build brilliant, critically important businesses across a huge range of sectors. And I get to see how our supremely talented team works with these entrepreneurs—not just to protect the legacy of what they’ve built but to help shape the next chapter of their story. #retringbusinessowners #investment #partnershipcapital

All the talk about finding the right co-founder… Really underestimates how important it is to find the right co-founder. I’ve been working on Peel for over a year and I now think of that time as consisting of 2 distinct phases: Pre Ben Henson Post Ben We were doing really well pre Ben. But post Ben, we’re just crushing it! What happened? Ben just brings an energy and optimism to the team that creates momentum. I really mean that - his personality just creates momentum. Momentum is probably the most important thing at a startup and finding someone who can create it out of thin air is invaluable. Here’s to Ben and other founders like him!

As I celebrate 9 years of building Winnie, I'm getting a lot of comments like, “Wow, that’s a really long time. When’s the exit?” I get it. It’s a common assumption about startups: you get to an exit as fast as possible (or the company dies). But what happened to building a lasting, enduring business? One that grows steadily over time, creates value for its customers, and rewards its investors along the way? Yes, we want our early investors and employees to have options for liquidity. My feeling is that as long as we continue to build something truly valuable, opportunities for investors and employees will come. At nearly a decade in, I don’t feel like I’m nearing the end of the road—I feel like I’m just getting started. Building a company like Winnie isn’t about flipping it for a quick return. It’s about creating something that lasts, solves real problems, and redefines the childcare and education industries in a meaningful way. Here’s to many more years of building, learning, and growing.

As founders, we prided ourselves on wearing all the hats — until those hats became too heavy to carry. For a long time, Adam Horner and I ran Synova Technology and developed Kindred on our own. Every day was a blur of tracking endless details, juggling follow-ups, and treading water just to keep things afloat. We were running the show, but the show was running us. Adding an EA to our team has changed everything. - Details are being handled.  - Tasks are being checked off. - The moving parts are no longer all on us. And now, we finally have the space to think strategically and act intentionally. Having an EA onboard has eased the workload and given us breathing room. It’s freed us to focus on what truly matters: Vision, strategy, and the initiatives we’ve been too busy to pursue. This experience has reminded me that growth doesn’t come from doing it all — it comes when you create space to do what truly matters. 👉🏼 Founders, what was your first big hire — and how did it change the way you lead? - - - P.S. I’m Jenine, and I’m on a mission to make parenting a little easier. Follow my journey building our bootstrapped startup Kindred in public.

Meet WILD #boardmember Matt Ward, Head of Growth at XCD Partners and a true innovator in the tech world! 🔥 Some highlights from our recent Q&A series: 🚀 Originally from Birmingham, Matt's journey has been nothing short of inspiring. From navigating acquisitions to supporting startups, he's all about pushing boundaries and creating impactful solutions. 🔍 What's his secret sauce? Matt's career isn't a straight line—it's a mix of curiosity, problem-solving, and a passion for making a difference. Whether it's shaking things up in Yorkshire or fueling growth at XCD partners, he's all about driving change. 🌱 So, what keeps Matt going? Surrounding himself with bright minds, a good laugh, and the joy of seeing others succeed! It's all about that positive energy and collective effort. 👥 Why he joined WILD? For Matt, it's all about the people—the diverse minds coming together to tackle big challenges and make a difference in our community. 🌈 And let's talk diversity and inclusion. It's not just about being morally right—it's smart business. Matt knows that true innovation comes from embracing different perspectives and building for everyone. 💡 What's his advice to future leaders? Stay curious, dive in, and trust yourself. These principles have been Matt's guiding light, helping him navigate the twists and turns of his career journey. ✨Want to read the blog in full and learn more about Matt 👉https://lnkd.in/eW2Sp7rk #MeettheTeam #WILD #Diversity #Inclusion #Blog #Q&A #Read

10 years ago, everyone doubted my idea. Today, it’s a multi-million dollar reality. Here's how it came to be. In 2008, I co-founded an insurance management platform with my cousin Phil called BriteCore. I needed to find a great engineer, so I went to Missouri State and asked for their top computer science major. And that was Ben Hayden. I hired him almost immediately—and then spent a decade building together. By 2019, we had a successful exit with a private equity firm. A few months after the exit, I decided it was time to move on. After a brief 2-year retirement stint, I reconnected with Ben. I pitched him an idea that would become the foundation of our next venture—Surton. The premise was simple. The tech curve is getting steeper every day. Small businesses, startups, and scale-ups aren't taking full advantage of all the tools and solutions available to them. A lot of startups also lack the context to make proper engineering decisions that only come with decades of experience. There was (and still is) a huge opportunity to provide high-quality engineering services and solutions to clients. So we founded Surton in February 2022. Since then, the company has more than doubled its revenue YoY. And our clients have noticed the difference. As Valerie Texin, CFO at Zeera, shared with us: "The Surton team has been a brilliant partner from day one. They jumped in quickly to manage all of our technical needs and can operate both autonomously and in tight coordination with our other business functions. With very limited handover, the Surton team was able to maintain continuity in all of our engineering processes and seamlessly deliver customer-specific enhancement work on tight timelines." We’re already growing revenue 3x faster than my first time around. It's been a wild ride so far, and I can't wait to see what the future holds. P.S. I'll be sharing more learnings and stories from scaling my next company. What are some topics you want to hear about?