Prayer Works! — In Life and in Business

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Welcome to the 16th edition of The Good News Newsletter—proudly serving over 3,264 founders! Here, we break down the latest insights from our weekly Investor Office Hours sessions and equip you with tools to help you secure capital, customers, and talent for your business.

Missed the live session? Listen to the recording here.
Want to join the next session? Check out the full list of investors here.
Help us build Plaza 210! Learn more about this exciting project here.

Support this newsletter by learning about Pacaso. Click below ↓

From Italy to a Nasdaq Reservation

How do you follow record-setting success? Get stronger. Take Pacaso. Their real estate co-ownership tech set records in Paris and London in 2024. No surprise. Coldwell Banker says 40% of wealthy Americans plan to buy abroad within a year. So adding 10+ new international destinations, including three in Italy, is big. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

Prayer Works - Our daughter is a Testimony!

On Saturday I posted this photo of my daughter on Linkedin sharing about her journey with Hip Dysplasia. To my surprise her story touched so many people in such a powerful way. Not only did my daughter receive healing for her hip, but her testimony also became an inspiration to many — showcasing the healing power of Jesus and the power of prayer.

God still answers prayers. He still works miracles.
Sometimes instantly. Sometimes over time. But always perfectly.

In the midst of the busyness of life, I encourage you to carve out just five minutes this week to pray over your family, your friends, your business, and every area of your life.

Prayer works. We just have to believe in its power.

Office Hours Recap:
We are now partnering with the Startup Community led by @TheBestOfAdam on X to bring our Office Hours to over 151,100 community members!

Session #1 - Phil Jung, Partner at Sovereign's Capital

Stage: Seed to Series A

Industry: Enterprise Software, FinTech, HealthTech, SaaS, and mission-driven companies aligning faith and business values

Check Size: $300K - $3M (initial investments), with capacity for follow-on capital

How to Apply: Reach out via their website at sovereignscapital.com or through a warm introduction. They especially value authentic connections through founders or trusted ecosystem partners.

Key Takeaways from Session:

1. Faith-Driven Investment Lens: Sovereign’s Capital uniquely integrates faith and values into investment decisions, prioritizing founders whose mission and character align with long-term stewardship and impact.

2. Strong Business Fundamentals: While values matter, financial rigor is non-negotiable. Phil emphasized traction, customer validation, and a scalable business model as essential for investment consideration.

3. Partnership Approach: They see themselves as more than capital providers—offering mentorship, strategic connections, and encouragement for founders balancing faith and entrepreneurship.

Session #2 - Andrew Chan, Founder and Managing Partner at Atas VC

Stage: Pre-Seed & Seed

Industry: Complex technology companies disrupting legacy industries, with a specific focus on The Evolution of Energy, The Future of Manufacturing, and American Necessities.

Check Size: $100K - $750K

How to Apply: Contact Andrew directly on Linkedin, X, or TikTok.

Key Takeaways from Session:

1. Founder-Market Fit Over Everything: Andrew emphasized that Atas VC looks for founders who deeply understand their target audience—often because they are their own first customer. This authenticity is crucial in consumer-focused investing.

2. Unit Economics Matter Early: While early traction is important, Atas VC wants to see evidence that the business model has the potential to scale profitably. Andrew highlighted the importance of knowing your margins and demonstrating path to sustainable growth.

3. Brand as a Moat: In consumer investing, brand differentiation and storytelling are critical. Andrew noted that a strong brand can create defensibility that goes beyond product features, especially in crowded markets.

Funding Resources:

💰 Resources of the Week:

VHBOS - $5K | Deadline: 8/22/2025

The SkyDeck Berkeley Acceleration Method - $200K | Deadline: 8/22/2025

Johnson & Johnson Polyphonic AI Fund for Surgery - $100K | Deadline: 8/22/2025

AWS Impact Bootcamps - $50K | Deadline: 8/25/2025

AI x New Energy Tech Startup Bootcamp - $100K | Deadline: 8/30/2025

CHASM Grant - Up to $50K | Deadline: 8/31/2025

Palantir Startup Fellowship - Deadline: 8/31/2025

Quit & Thrive Challenge - $100K | Deadline: 9/2/20225

Tulsa Remote - $10K | Rolling

💸 Alternative Funding Sources:

Access up to $2M in non-dilutive debt financing. Request information here.

Raise up to $5M in equity capital through a Community Round. Request information here.

Interested in 1 on 1 support from Darrel? In preparation for launching my own fund, I will be working 1 on 1 with select founders as an advisor. Interested founders can learn more and consider submitting their company here.

🎙️ Podcast of the Week:

The Learning Corner by Precursor - Episode #40: Windsurf "Blitzhire", Demystifying Venture Speak, Founders Running "Fast and Loose"

Summary:
Charles Hudson and Mia Farnham unpack Windsurf’s unconventional “blitzhire” approach to building teams quickly, diving into the pros and cons of rapid hiring in an early-stage startup. They also demystify common venture capital jargon, highlighting how terms like “strategic investors” or “value-add” can obscure more than they clarify. Finally, they reflect on a rising founder trend of operating “fast and loose”—skipping formalities like contracts and processes in the name of speed—and debate whether this approach accelerates innovation or risks long-term sustainability.

Why I recommend it:
This episode is packed with insights that challenge founders to think critically about speed versus structure in their journey. Charles’ perspective on the hidden tradeoffs of blitzhiring, alongside his candid take on VC language, makes this a must-listen for entrepreneurs navigating both team building and investor conversations. It’s an honest look at where moving fast can be powerful—and where it can be dangerous—giving founders actionable takeaways to balance urgency with intentionality. You can listen here.

✨ Inspiration

💬 Tweet of the Week

🙏🏽 Scripture of the Week

That’s all for this week’s edition of The Good News Newsletter. We hope you found these insights valuable as you continue your journey to securing funding.

What’s next?

Join us the this Friday for more amazing guests joining us for Office Hours.

​​For session #1 we have Christy Johnson, Partner at Fireroad Ventures.

​Fireroad Ventures is an inception-stage technology investor, focused on backing mission driven founding teams in their earliest days.

For session #2 we have Trey Ikard, Managing Partner at WIV Ventures.

​WIV Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Austin, TX, supporting early-stage FinTech investments.

If interested in joining and/or pitching, please register here.

You can see the full list of past and future VCs on this Calendar.

Be on the lookout for our newsletter next week where we’ll bring you more actionable advice, resources, and success stories.

Let’s All, spread ‘The Good News’

Best,
Darrel Frater
Co-Founder
The Frater Family Foundation
Linkedin | Twitter/X | 609-804-5999

P.S. - If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to a founder you know who could benefit from these insights!

P.S.S. - Got ideas or suggestions for The Good News? Shoot me an email at [email protected] for us to discuss!

About TFFF: The Frater Family Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the family office of Darrel and Roselly Frater, dedicated to promoting human prosperity through entrepreneurship. To learn more, reach out to Darrel Frater directly.