Extraordinary Pursuits by BIP Ventures

Mini episode: Sales Core Competencies for Startups

Investing in skilled sales professionals or managers is essential for business growth. Knowing the right qualifications and characteristics to hire for should happen before any interview takes place.
In this mini episode of Extraordinary Pursuits, Christy Johnson speaks with John O'Brien, the founder, CEO, and managing partner of Sales Talent Group. They discuss the most necessary qualifications for the first hire in a startup, including cultural fit, adaptability, strong communication skills, passion for the product, willingness to take risk, alignment with the vision and mission, and a successful track record.
John and Christy highlight core competencies and behaviors to look for, such as being a top performer and having proficiency in the company's tech stack. They conclude with a conversation about attitude, aptitude, and desire as essential qualities for success in sales.
Timestamps:
[02:38] Cultural Fit, Adaptability, and Communication Skills
[03:06] Passion, Risk Orientation, and Alignment
[03:36] Core Competencies and Behaviors
[04:34] Attitude, Aptitude, and Desire in Sales
Points of Wisdom:
"One of the big headlines is the cultural part...talking about an entrepreneurial spirit, because if there is only three or four members, the resources are lean and mean."
"You need the ability to take on risk and understand it and work in an environment of chaos and madness and be okay with it."
About John O’Brien:
A seasoned executive in the field of sales, John specializes in placements across the United States. As the Founder, CEO, and Managing Partner of Sales Talent Group, he oversees the day-to-day operations of the Professional Sales Search Division, focusing on both outside and inside sales professionals across various leadership levels. With a track record of success, John has consistently ranked in the top three among over 600 nationwide sales professionals during his 15-year tenure at Lanier Worldwide. His experience includes roles such as Sales Manager in New Orleans, Louisiana, National Sales Trainer, and Director of Marketing & Sales Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsalestalentgroup/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-talent-group/
Website: https://salestalentgroup.com/
BIP Ventures
Website: www.bipventures.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures

Scaling a Startup from Vision to National Impact: A Founder Story with Colleen Hoke of ObjectiveHealth

Building and scaling a business requires a builder's mindset and a willingness to embrace risk. As a founder, your ability to envision solutions that effectively solve problems for your target audience is the key to progress. This involves stepping into uncharted territory, navigating uncertainties with resilience, and venturing forward to drive innovation and impact in the marketplace. Successful scale is driven by a blend of ambition, creativity, and the courage to take calculated risks.  
In this episode of the Extraordinary Pursuits podcast, Colleen Hoke from ObjectiveHealth shares experienced insights about why in-person relationships matter to a scaling business, how to set and achieve big and near-term objectives, and what it looks like to have a business model that can fuel problem identification and solutions.  
Timestamps: 
[00:01] Intro and what is in for you in today’s show 
[01:36] Colleen's background and her work in the clinical research field  
[03:30] What sparked Colleen's drive to entrepreneurship   
[06:21] ObjectiveHealth and the problem they are out to solve 
[11:07] How to create and unlock scale in your business 
[15:46] What Next: entrepreneurial superpower skills for scale 
[18:45] How to build a rapidly growing team  
[20:53] Tips on building in-person relationships and partnerships  
[25:20] What ObjectiveHealth has on the horizon   
[28:56] How to position your partners to be better partners 
[29:44] The one thing that Colleen loves about her business 
Points of Wisdom: 
“To be an entrepreneur, you have to have the magic of wanting to build and being okay with risks.” [04:29] 
“To be a market driver and changer, find an area, a sweet spot that no one is paying attention to, and home in on that.” [13:52] 
“If you want the keys to the kingdom, you have to be a partner and build the people holding the keys.” [23:25] 
About Colleen Hoke: 
Colleen Hoke is the founder and CEO of ObjectiveHealth. She is a seasoned leader whose experience in clinical research organizations, specialty providers, and healthcare entities has guided the company's formation and stunning progress. Founded in 2018, ObjectiveHealth is already a leading integrated research provider. It brings sophisticated healthcare to the mainstream and partners with physicians and healthcare organizations to establish advanced infrastructure for research programs. In doing so, ObjectiveHealth is improving patient outcomes in palliative care.   
 
Website: https://objective.health/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-hoke-objective/ 
BIP Ventures 
Website: www.bipventures.vc 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bipventures/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures 

Navigating Entrepreneur Support Organizations with Dr. Malcolm Muhammad

Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) help people who want to start or grow their businesses. These organizations provide various resources such as advice, training, and funding. They might also offer workshops, mentorship programs, or networking events to connect entrepreneurs with experts and other business owners.
In this episode of the Extraordinary Pursuits podcast, Dr. Malcolm Muhammad joins BIP Ventures to talk about how support communities for entrepreneurs are evolving and what it means for anyone considering or working on building a new business. He explains the ESO model and identifies the ways they can help (or hinder) entrepreneurs as they overcome challenges and succeed in their ventures.
Timestamps:
[00:01] Intro and what is in for you in today’s show with Malcolm Muhammad
[02:08] Malcolm’s entrepreneurship background and as VP @ the Russell Center
[05:52] What the Russell Center is doing to empower entrepreneurial growth
[11:15] Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESO) to network with entrepreneurs
[13:35] The prevalence of ESOs in different countries
[17:04] Components of an ESO and how founders can know the most useful components
[19:49] What it means to be an accountable entrepreneur with the availability of ESOs
[25:00] Tips to maintain accountability in entrepreneurship
[33:09] Is entrepreneurship drive innate or learned through ESOs?
Points of Wisdom:
“Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESO) as the name suggests, exist to support businesses. They are not there to do it for you or give you ideas or strategies. It is your job as an entrepreneur to ensure that you are leveraging that support.”- [23:07]
“Enjoy solitude as an entrepreneur. It gives you time to reflect because entrepreneurs are always on the go all the time.” [26:46]
“Entrepreneurial drive is about seeing the circumstances around you and deeply believing that it should be different.” [33:14]
About Dr. Malcolm Muhammad:
Dr. Malcolm Muhammed is vice president of engagement and outcomes at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE). It is an economic mobility engine that provides black entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources needed to innovate, grow, and build wealth. In his day-to-day work, Malcolm focuses on his efforts and experience in unlocking the full potential of the RICE community of entrepreneurs and managing a powerful evidence-based framework for scaling black businesses.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolm-muhammad-phd-a17a8640/
Website: https://russellcenter.org/
BIP Ventures
Website: www.bipventures.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bipventures/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures

Measurement Matters: How to Set the Right KPIs for Your Startup

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are essential metrics for any company. For startups – particularly those that are backed by private capital – KPIs are not only necessary for setting a path to manageable growth, but they also are critical indicators for investors. 
KPIs can include metrics like revenue growth, profit margins, customer acquisition costs, and return on investment (ROI). Individually and collectively, they provide a snapshot of a company's overall health and performance. Investors use these metrics to gauge a company's performance and potential for future growth. Strong KPIs attract investors by demonstrating that the company is financially sound and has a good chance of providing a profitable return. Conversely, weak KPIs might signal potential risks, making investors cautious. 
This episode of Extraordinary Pursuits features John Thackston, the CEO of SOAR Performance Group. A business and sales performance expert and consultant, John designs, develops, and implements Sales Capital Management℠ projects that help B2B companies adopt new go-to-market (GTM) strategies and enhance their bottom line. He is a sought-after guest speaker and panelist who frequently shares advice about why KPIs matter for early-stage companies and what investors look for in the metrics. 
What You Will Learn: 
[00:01] Intro and what is in for you in today’s show with  John Thackston 
[01:24] John’s entrepreneurship background and journey with the SOAR Performance Group 
[02:29] What are KPIs 
[03:50] When should early-stage companies start tracking their KPIs 
[05:12] The four most critical KPIs startups should track 
[07:50] Tools that can be used to help in tracking those 4 metrics 
[12:46] KPI benchmarks for startup companies 
[14:02] Factors that hold companies from monitoring their KPIs 
[20:20] How to note lagging and leading indicators in a company 
[23:17] Filtering the necessary data from the indicators 
Standout Quotes: 
“Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are metrics that show whether the business is performing, in what way, and in what periods of time.”- [02:29] 
“When the foundation of your business is solid, it becomes easier when you start to scale.” [04:04] 
“The four essential core KPIs for a startup company are revenue, pipeline, retention, and efficiency.” [07:09] 
“Most startups run the risk of not scaling up well especially when they start adding more KPIs to track” [28:11] 
Let’s Connect! 
 
John Thackston 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-thackston/ 
Website: https://soarperformancegroup.com/ 
SOAR LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soar-performance-group-inc-/  
Rachelle Kuramoto 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellekuramoto-atlanta/ 
BIP Ventures 
Website: www.bipventures.vc 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bipventures/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures 

MINI EPISODE: Building a Top 5 Innovation Economy

To become a Top Five innovation community, Atlanta needs to produce 2000 companies per year—that's 10 times the number of companies we’re currently developing. Listen to this fascinating mini-episode of for an honest conversation between Donnie Beamer Jr., CFA and Mark Buffington. You'll learn how the ATL Tech Hub team from the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office is focusing on perception, measurement, and talent development to make the goal a reality.
In the full episode, Donnie Beamer, the Senior Technology Advisor for the City of Atlanta, discusses the ATL Tech Hub initiative and the city's efforts to become a top five innovation and technology investment ecosystem. The conversation highlights the importance of technology in creating a safe and effective city, as well as the need to provide opportunities for all residents. They also discuss the unique advantages of Atlanta, such as its diverse industries and accessible community. The episode concludes with a discussion on the city's plans to increase capital availability and support student entrepreneurs through a co-op program and pitch competition.
 
Takeaways
The ATL Tech Hub initiative aims to make Atlanta a top five innovation and technology investment ecosystem.
Technology is crucial for creating a safe and effective city, as well as improving the citizen experience and operations.
Atlanta's unique advantages include its diverse industries, accessible community, and the willingness of leaders to support and collaborate with entrepreneurs.
The city is working to increase capital availability and support student entrepreneurs through programs like a co-op program and pitch competition.
Standout Quotes
"To be a safe city, one that's a government that's effective, a place that's built for the future, all that is gonna require technology."
"Atlanta treats venture capital dollars very, very well in terms of batting average and then outcome, multiple of outcome, multiple of invested capital."
"Atlanta is a 10 times better city to raise a family and build and scale a business compared to San Francisco."
 
About Donnie Beamer
Donnie Beamer, CFA was appointed by Mayor Andre Dickens as Atlanta’s first-ever Senior Technology Advisor. He serves as the Mayor’s chief liaison with the tech sector and assists with shaping policy and programs to grow the ecosystem. Beamer also works with Invest Atlanta to attract new companies to the city, grow existing ones and advises the Administration on fostering Atlanta’s technology workforce.
Prior to joining the City, Beamer was the General Manager of LotVision Automotive at Cox2M, Cox Communication’s commercial IoT business line and was responsible for the product roadmap and strategy for their flagship vehicle tracking and telematics platform.
Beamer was also an Atlanta tech entrepreneur, leading the Monsieur team that created an automated bartending system that was deployed in movie theaters, hotels, and sports & entertainment venues. Although his first job out of undergrad was in investment management at BlackRock in NYC where he served institutional clients and earned his CFA charter.
Beamer studied Economics as a Division I student-athlete at the Georgia Institute of Technology and earned an MBA from The Wharton School at UPenn.
 
Social Channels – Company
LinkedIn: @city-of-atlanta
You can learn more about them at https://www.atltechhub.com/
Social Channels – Guest: Donnie Beamer
LinkedIn: @donniebeamer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/donniebeamer/
 
About Mark Buffington
Mark Buffington is the founder of BIP Capital and the Managing Partner of BIP Ventures. Since founding BIP Capital in 2006, Mark has led the venture capital firm to its position as one of the most active and recognized brands outside of Silicon Valley.
Mark has led investment rounds in more than 80 companies in numerous industries (Healthcare, Digital Media, Ed Tech, Enterprise SaaS, FinTech, and Advanced Computing). Notable investments include Vendormate, Ingenious Med, QA Symphony/Tricentis, PlayOn! Sports, Huddle Tickets, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Cypress.io, ConnexPay, REACH Health, Trella Health, Shareholder InSite and Aspirion Health Resources.
Mark earned an MBA from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University and a B.S. from the Georgia Institute of Technology (where he lettered as a varsity baseball player).
Mark serves on the board of directors of several companies, including the NFHS Network, AchieveIt, Trella Health, PlayOn! Sports, UserIQ and ConnexPay. He also serves on several nonprofit boards, including Buckhead Coalition, Inc. and the Georgia Tech College of Computing.
 

The Entrepreneurial Survival Plan: Market Fit, Planning, and Perseverance

As any seasoned entrepreneur will tell you, starting and running a business is challenging. In fact, almost 90% of new startups fail—10% of those fail within the first year. The causes range from poor product-market fit to ineffective marketing, talent issues, and cash flow problems. Even with a real challenge to solve and the desire and grit to try, entrepreneurs need more to survive and thrive.
Entrepreneurs require proper preparation and support, along with clarity about the market and their customers, and a solid business plan. Continuous learning and seeking advice from mentors can provide valuable insights and help make better decisions. With the right steps and support, entrepreneurs can increase their chances of success.
In this episode, serial entrepreneur Jan Heybroek joins host Rachelle Kuramoto to share what he wished he had known early in his entrepreneurial journey. He explains why conviction in a market opportunity is a good starting point, how to confirm product market fit, why thinking ahead is a critical skill, and why perseverance is a core quality for any founder.
Tune in!
What You Will Learn:
[00:01] Intro and what is in for you in today’s show with Jan Heybroek
[01:53] Jan’s background as a founder
[05:32] Knowing when to unleash your entrepreneurship potential
[08:32] Why conviction in a market opportunity is a good starting point for entrepreneurship
[12:15] Tips for an effective pivot decision-making process for founders
[15:21] How to gauge the value of the advice you get when making business decisions
[21:41] Having a long-term vision guided by the short-term realities
[27:35] Why thinking ahead is a critical skill in entrepreneurship
[30:51] How Jan’s future horizon looks like
[33:31] Best ways to connect with Jan and the end of the show
Standout Quotes:
“Entrepreneurship is something that many people aspire to. Quite a few try it and there’s a lot of failure.”- [01:58]
“All entrepreneurs have an incredible drive and pursuit or typically want to address a problem they have faced.” [05:42]
“There needs to be a market opportunity for any entrepreneurial venture. Otherwise, you can never be successful. One way to unlock that is by talking to many people.” [09:09]
“Entrepreneurs need to have the short-term ability to see what is in front of them that can affect their long-term business vision.” [21:43]
Let’s Connect
Rachelle Kuramoto
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellekuramoto-atlanta/
 
Jan Heybroek
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janheybroek
BIP Ventures
Website: www.bipventures.vc
LinkedIn Podcast: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/extraordinary-pursuits-podcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bipventures/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures

MINI EPISODE: The Startup’s Guide to ICPs

Building an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is a critical first step for startups. It forms the foundation for targeted go-to-market (GTM) strategies, building customer traction, and understanding how to evolve the brand as the company scales. In other words, the ICP is the guiding beacon for every aspect of sales, marketing, and customer success.  
 
The process begins with understanding why the ICP is tightly framed and specific. Building the ICP should engage collaboration from teams across the organization. Involving various departments ensures the ICP accurately reflects the needs and preferences of the most valuable audience. Once built, this profile becomes the foundation and driver for tailored strategies to attract, convert, and retain key target customers – ultimately driving sustainable business success. 
 
In this mini-episode, BIP Ventures General Partner and Chief Performance Officer Christy Johnson explains how to define an ICP that effectively attracts, converts, and retains the most important audience for the business. She considers the need for a sufficient market size and budget, as well as the challenges of targeting only the largest companies. The conversation also explores the concept of having multiple ICPs versus focusing on one, highlighting the benefits of focus and the potential internal distractions of having too many targets. The main takeaway is the importance of clarity and focus in defining and pursuing an ICP. 
 
What You Will Learn: 
Factors to consider when building an ICP profile  
How to determine the market with the best ICP for your product  
Having one vs. multiple ICPs  
Standout Quotes: 
“Choose the highest probable segment that has plenty of prospects, the ability to pay, and a repeatable process and go after it exclusively.”  
“Every single ICP requires a different marketing motion, message, and competitive card.”  
Let’s Connect! 
Rachelle Kuramoto 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellekuramoto-atlanta/ 
 
Christy Johnson 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjohnsonatlanta/ 
 
BIP Ventures 
Website: www.bipventures.vc 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bipventures/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures 

The Startup’s Guide to ICPs: Why They Matter & How to Get Them Right

Building an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is a critical first step for startups. It forms the foundation for targeted go-to-market (GTM) strategies, building customer traction, and understanding how to evolve the brand as the company scales. In other words, the ICP is the guiding beacon for every aspect of sales, marketing, and customer success.  
 
The process begins with understanding why the ICP is tightly framed and specific. Building the ICP should engage collaboration from teams across the organization. Involving various departments ensures the ICP accurately reflects the needs and preferences of the most valuable audience. Once built, this profile becomes the foundation and driver for tailored strategies to attract, convert, and retain key target customers – ultimately driving sustainable business success. 
 
In this mini-episode, BIP Ventures General Partner and Chief Performance Officer Christy Johnson explains how to define an ICP that effectively attracts, converts, and retains the most important audience for the business. She considers the need for a sufficient market size and budget, as well as the challenges of targeting only the largest companies. The conversation also explores the concept of having multiple ICPs versus focusing on one, highlighting the benefits of focus and the potential internal distractions of having too many targets. The main takeaway is the importance of clarity and focus in defining and pursuing an ICP. 
 
What You Will Learn: 
Factors to consider when building an ICP profile  
How to determine the market with the best ICP for your product  
Having one vs. multiple ICPs  
Standout Quotes: 
“Choose the highest probable segment that has plenty of prospects, the ability to pay, and a repeatable process and go after it exclusively.”  
“Every single ICP requires a different marketing motion, message, and competitive card.”  
Let’s Connect! 
Rachelle Kuramoto 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellekuramoto-atlanta/ 
 
Christy Johnson 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjohnsonatlanta/ 
 
BIP Ventures 
Website: www.bipventures.vc 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bipventures/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures 

Building a Top 5 Innovation Economy

In this episode, Donnie Beamer, the Senior Technology Advisor for the City of Atlanta, discusses the ATL Tech Hub initiative and the city's efforts to become a top five innovation and technology investment ecosystem. The conversation highlights the importance of technology in creating a safe and effective city, as well as the need to provide opportunities for all residents. They also discuss the unique advantages of Atlanta, such as its diverse industries and accessible community. The episode concludes with a discussion on the city's plans to increase capital availability and support student entrepreneurs through a co-op program and pitch competition.
Takeaways
The ATL Tech Hub initiative aims to make Atlanta a top five innovation and technology investment ecosystem.
Technology is crucial for creating a safe and effective city, as well as improving the citizen experience and operations.
Atlanta's unique advantages include its diverse industries, accessible community, and the willingness of leaders to support and collaborate with entrepreneurs.
The city is working to increase capital availability and support student entrepreneurs through programs like a co-op program and pitch competition.
Standout Quotes
"To be a safe city, one that's a government that's effective, a place that's built for the future, all that is gonna require technology."
"Atlanta treats venture capital dollars very, very well in terms of batting average and then outcome, multiple of outcome, multiple of invested capital."
"Atlanta is a 10 times better city to raise a family and build and scale a business compared to San Francisco."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:21 ATL Tech Hub Initiative and Economic Priorities
04:16 Atlanta's Unique Advantages for Entrepreneurs
06:12 Increasing Capital Availability and Supporting Student Entrepreneurs
25:56 Plans to Achieve Top Five Innovation Ecosystem Status
35:42 Conclusion
About Donnie Beamer
Donnie Beamer, CFA was appointed by Mayor Andre Dickens as Atlanta’s first-ever Senior Technology Advisor. He serves as the Mayor’s chief liaison with the tech sector and assists with shaping policy and programs to grow the ecosystem. Beamer also works with Invest Atlanta to attract new companies to the city, grow existing ones and advises the Administration on fostering Atlanta’s technology workforce.
Prior to joining the City, Beamer was the General Manager of LotVision Automotive at Cox2M, Cox Communication’s commercial IoT business line and was responsible for the product roadmap and strategy for their flagship vehicle tracking and telematics platform.
Beamer was also an Atlanta tech entrepreneur, leading the Monsieur team that created an automated bartending system that was deployed in movie theaters, hotels, and sports & entertainment venues. Although his first job out of undergrad was in investment management at BlackRock in NYC where he served institutional clients and earned his CFA charter.
Beamer studied Economics as a Division I student-athlete at the Georgia Institute of Technology and earned an MBA from The Wharton School at UPenn.
Social Channels – Company
LinkedIn: @city-of-atlanta
You can learn more about them at https://www.atltechhub.com/
Social Channels – Guest: Donnie Beamer
LinkedIn: @donniebeamer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/donniebeamer/
About Mark Buffington
Mark Buffington is the founder of BIP Capital and the Managing Partner of BIP Ventures. Since founding BIP Capital in 2006, Mark has led the venture capital firm to its position as one of the most active and recognized brands outside of Silicon Valley.
Mark has led investment rounds in more than 80 companies in numerous industries (Healthcare, Digital Media, Ed Tech, Enterprise SaaS, FinTech, and Advanced Computing). Notable investments include Vendormate, Ingenious Med, QA Symphony/Tricentis, PlayOn! Sports, Huddle Tickets, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Cypress.io, ConnexPay, REACH Health, Trella Health, Shareholder InSite and Aspirion Health Resources.
Mark earned an MBA from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University and a B.S. from the Georgia Institute of Technology (where he lettered as a varsity baseball player).
Mark serves on the board of directors of several companies, including the NFHS Network, AchieveIt, Trella Health, PlayOn! Sports, UserIQ and ConnexPay. He also serves on several nonprofit boards, including Buckhead Coalition, Inc. and the Georgia Tech College of Computing.

How Startups Can Avoid Sales and Use Tax Missteps

As startups grow and expand, they must comply with the ethical and tax laws of the state. Interestingly, taxation can be both an advantage and disadvantage for a company, which is why tax experts become so crucial for startups. In this episode, Stephen Bradshaw joins us to discuss key tax considerations for startups, including identifying when your goods or services are taxable, analyzing your risk exposure to sales tax, mitigating or minimizing your sales tax burden, and handling tax compliance if you are a scaling startup without a dedicated tax team.
Stephen, a Partner at Bennett Thrasher specializing in State and Local Tax, offers expert guidance to software companies on sales and use tax matters. His focus includes conducting nexus studies, advising on tax categorizations, negotiating voluntary disclosure agreements, preparing for diligence processes, and establishing best-practice procedures for automated sales tax software like Avalara. Stephen's insights have been featured in prestigious publications such as the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Accounting Today, Thompson Reuters, and the Georgia Society of CPAs.
Before joining Bennett Thrasher, he spent five years at Deloitte Tax, LLP in the Multistate Tax Services division, providing state income/franchise tax consulting, compliance, and ASC 740 (provision) services to major corporate clients.
Tune in!
What You Will Learn:
[01:42] Stephen Bradshaw's insights on how to determine whether your services are taxable  
[09:19] The process of understanding your level of risk exposure and compliance
[14:50] Negotiating voluntary disclosure agreements, time and cost
[18:43] Ways to minimize or mitigate sales tax exposure
[25:04] Best practices for scaling startups who cannot afford to hire a sales tax team or staff
[28:35] Instances where startups can put a hold on sales taxes
 Standout Quotes:
 “If your product or services are simple, such as a Saas company, it is recommended to work with an advisor to help you figure out the right categorization of your products for taxation purposes.”- Stephen Bradshaw [04:35]
 “Getting a tax exemption certificate is a great way to mitigate prior expenses.”- Stephen Bradshaw [21:01]
Let's Connect:
Stephen Bradshaw
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbradshawbt/
Website: https://www.btcpa.net/ 
BIP Ventures:
Website: www.bipventures.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bipventures/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bipventures