- The Good News Newsletter
- Posts
- Stop Chasing Trends. Start Solving Problems.
Stop Chasing Trends. Start Solving Problems.
Insights from our April 11th 'Good News' Sessions
Precious Xpert & Darrel Frater
April 14, 2025
Welcome to the 5th edition of The Good News Newsletter—proudly serving over 2,937 founders! Here, we break down the latest insights from our weekly Family Office Hours sessions and equip you with tools to help you secure the capital and spread ‘The Good News’.
Missed the live session? Listen to the recording here.
Want to join the next session? Check out the full list of investors here.
Overview:
This week, we hosted two insightful sessions with our fantastic guest investors, including a new third session:
Session #1: Bryan Huang, Venture Scout at 40+ VC Funds
Bryan is a Super Scout, collaborating with over 40 VC funds to back the best in class pre-seed and seed companies writing checks between $250K - $1.5M.
Session #2: Chinedu Udeogu, Investor at 53 Stations
53 Stations is a Chicago-based venture capital firm, supported by The Pritzker Organization, that backs early-stage tech companies with flexible capital and strategic support.
Session #3: Founder Debrief & Open Discussion
A new open-format session where founders reflect on lessons from the investor conversations, share wins and testimonies, and ask for support.
4/24 Event (Tulsa): Accelerate North Tulsa Pitch Night – Cohort 5
Roselly and I will be presenting our first project under the banner of The Frater Family Foundation at Central Library, Downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday, April 24 at 6pm as participants in the Accelerate North Tulsa Accelerator. Join us!
RSVP: https://lu.ma/aozxy5ox
Office Hours Recap:
Session #1 - Bryan Huang, Venture Scout
Stage: Pre-Seed to Series A
Industry: Climate Tech, Enterprise SaaS, Healthcare, Gaming, and more
Check Size: Typically $250K–$2M; Varies by partner fund
How to Apply: Reach out to Bryan directly on linkedin
Key Takeaways from Session:
Relationship-Led Fundraising: Bryan emphasized that scouting is not just about transactions—it’s about long-term relationships. Founders who show up consistently and communicate well build investor trust faster.
Experiment-Driven Clarity: Founders should use lightweight go-to-market experiments to validate their messaging, positioning, and product. Bryan challenged participants to iterate quickly and let the market refine their pitch.
Fit Over Funding: Bryan shared that he scouts for fit, not just hype. The best investor-founder relationships are built on aligned vision and vertical-specific insight—not just check size. Prioritize strategic capital over fast capital.
Session #2 - Chinedu Udeogu, Investor at 53 Stations
Stage: Seed to Series C
Industry: Construction Tech, Wealth Tech / Fintech, Healthcare Software, and broader B2B SaaS
Check Size: $4M–$15M, can flex up or down
How to Apply: Build relationships early, come prepared with a strong thesis fit, and traction. Warm intros work best. Contact Chinedu directly.
Key Takeaways from Session:
Understand the Nuances of Capital Sources: Chinedu shared that family offices and corporate VCs approach investing differently—CVCs focus on strategic alignment with the parent company (e.g., Microsoft at M12), while family offices like 53 Stations prioritize financial return with value-add through their broader operating companies. Founders should tailor pitches accordingly.
In-Person Still Matters: Despite the rise of virtual dealmaking, 53 Stations still emphasizes face-to-face meetings with founders—especially for large checks. Someone from the firm typically flies out to meet the team or hosts them in Chicago.
A Strong One-Minute Pitch: Chinedu recommended focusing on the problem you solve, how you’re different from competitors, key traction or financials (as much as you’re willing to share), and your long-term vision. Bonus points if you can clearly fit within their investment themes.
[NEW] Session #3 - Founder Debrief & Open Discussion
This week’s Founder Debrief was a beautiful reminder of the heart behind this community. Founders took the mic to share wins, struggles, and open-hearted reflections—from building solo and bootstrapped to navigating personal challenges. We closed with founders offering encouragement and a heartfelt prayer for all building through uncertainty. This wasn’t just a session; it was a safe space to be real. A space where builders support builders—personally and professionally.
Funding Resources:
💰 Resources of the Week:
A 12-week hybrid accelerator that invests between $150,000 and $500,000 for ~10-15% of your company.
Deadline: 4/15/2025
IFS creates pathways for early-stage Black business owners to thrive by providing $150,000 in capital awards, mentorship, networking, and educational resources.
Deadline: 4/23/2025
The MSP Equity Accelerator sponsored by Allianz invests $100K each into five high-growth startups founded by undervalued entrepreneurs.
Deadline: 4/25/2025
Urban Future Lab identifies and supports top climatetech startups; providing two $50K cash prizes.
Deadline: 4/28/2025
The Enthuse Foundation offers a series of financial grants, up to $10K, to assist entrepreneurs with critical business needs.
Deadline: 4/28/2025
The Black Ambition Prize competition provides a platform for underrepresented founders across the nation to access $15K - $1M in growth capital, coaching, and a curated community of innovators and mentors.
Deadline: 5/2/2025
A 12 week global startup program where founders receive up to $1M in funding and additional resources.
Deadline: 5/11/2025
Equity Workforce Planning and Capacity Grants provide up to $150,000 to start or expand a clean energy equity workforce program.
Deadline: 5/19/2025
Pathway to Opportunity is a competition designed to connect small businesses with corporations seeking to expand their supply chain with innovative products and services; providing a $5K cash prize to three winners.
Deadline: 6/9/2025
Santander’s Cultivate Small Business helps early-stage entrepreneurs build and sustain businesses in the food industry providing a 12 week food-focused curriculum, mentorship, and up to $20K in capital grants.
Deadline: 7/8/2025
🎙️ Podcast of the Week:
This episode is a masterclass in startup realism. Charles Hudson and Mia Farnham unpack how the venture world often values optics over substance, how “successful” exits aren’t always what they seem, and how media hype can distort founder incentives. They also break down the fine line between founder optimism and misrepresentation, especially in fast-scaling AI startups. Plus: why fund specialization is temporary—and how generalists win by catching trends before they go mainstream.
Why I recommend it: You will walk away with a sharper lens on how venture capitalists think, what narratives really matter, and how to stay grounded in an ecosystem addicted to hype. It’s the kind of honest, behind-the-scenes conversation we need more of. You can listen here.
💸 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.
Need additional support in your fundraising journey? I will be working 1 on 1 with select founders to help. Founders interested in 1 on 1 support from me can learn more and consider submitting their company here.
Inspiration 🙏🏽
Tweet of the Week
Founder Question:
“Hey Darrel, do you have any VCs in your network that invest in healthcare, wellness, or longevity? I’m interested in launching a new business this year, but would like to understand what VCs want to invest in first.”My response:
Hey [Founder]—I know a few,
— Darrel Frater ✝️ (@DarrelFrater)
1:00 PM • Apr 12, 2025
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 next Friday for two more amazing guests joining us for Office Hours.
For session #1 we have Brett Perlmutter, General Partner at Bulletpitch+.
Bulletpitch+ is the investment vehicle of Bulletpitch that backs mission, founder, and community driven companies at the pre-seed and seed stages.
For session #2 we have Haley Medved Kendrick, PhD, Senior Managing Director of Investment Accelerators at gener8tor.
gener8tor runs accelerators to catalyze community, mentorship, network, conviction and capital to bridge a community’s genius with opportunity.
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 look out 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 giving. To learn more, reach out to Darrel Frater directly.
Reply