The Startup Playbook: Building, Funding & Scaling

Join us for an exclusive breakfast where early stage founders hear directly from the people who've built, funded, and scaled companies, in a curated setting.
Who This Is For:
Early-stage founders looking to gain insights on structuring, fundraising, and scaling their companies
Seed+ operators and startup leaders eager to expand their network
Why Attend:
Get firsthand experience on what it actually takes to build and scale
Gain actionable advice on structuring your company, fundraising, and growing from seed to Series A, and beyond
Network with a curated room of founders in a focused, high-value setting
Agenda:
9:00 AM — Arrival & Networking
9:30 AM — Panel Discussion + Live Q&A
10:00 AM — Breakfast & Table Conversations
10:30 AM — Closing Networking

About Sam
Sam gives startups access to US-based, flexible tech-industry experienced talent that scales with their growth, helping teams move faster without the overhead of traditional hiring.
By registering for this event you agree to Sam events terms and conditions.

Sonia Farber, Partner, Perkins Coie
Sonia advises innovative companies in SaaS, Consumer tech, Health tech, AI, and CPG through critical phases of their lifecycles, from formation through exit. She works closely with founders on governance, board matters, and co-founder separations. Prior to Perkins Coie, she co-founded a boutique law firm specializing in startups and venture capital, began her career at Debevoise & Plimpton, and clerked in the Southern District of New York.

Monica Roman, Chief of Staff & Investor, Visible Hands
Visible Hands is a venture capital firm that supports and invests in underrepresented founders. Monica leads sourcing and selection for their founder-facing programming including VHNYC, VHBOS, and Blueprint: Tulsa, with expertise spanning investment diligence, portfolio evaluation, and fund operations.

Nick Freund, Co-Founder, Not Another CEO
Not Another CEO is the number one platform for CEOs to grow themselves and their companies, serving 50K+ subscribers and 500 community members. Nick works directly with Founder/CEOs through Coaching, Advisory, and Community Building. He brings 20 years of experience as a founder and operator, including as Founder and CEO of Workstream Analytics (backed by Lerer Hippeau), VP of Operations at BetterCloud (acquired by Vista Equity), and employee #200 at Tesla.

Moderator
Ash Straughn, Co-Founder & CEO, Sam
Sam is an AI-powered platform that places US-based, startup-experienced talent through flexible, subscription-based engagements. Ash brings 12+ years spanning Operations, Marketplace scaling, and Startup infrastructure, including experience at Postmates and JPMorgan Chase, where she built a foundation in financial operations and enterprise systems. Having worked across early-stage and high-growth teams, she understands firsthand what it takes to build the right team at the right time.