Your Hustle Should Match Your Faith

Insights from our May 9th 'Good News' Sessions

AuthorAuthor

Darrel Frater & Precious Xpert
May 12, 2025

Welcome to the 8th edition of The Good News Newsletter—proudly serving over 2,995 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.

  1. Overview:

This week, we hosted two insightful sessions with our fantastic guest investors, including our open format third session:

Session #1: Kevin Valentine, Managing Partner at Syntax Capital

​Syntax Capital is a multi-strategy digital asset investment firm focused on liquid strategies & early-stage venture investment.

Session #2: Sebastian Harris, Founder and Managing Partner of Sandbox Fund

​​Sandbox Fund is a premier private capital firm made for forward-thinking entrepreneurs who envision a future where business success and divine impact coexist.

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.

Past Event: Accelerate North Tulsa Pitch Night – Cohort 5

Roselly and I presented our first project under the banner of The Frater Family Foundation, Plaza 210 & The Center For Faith & Business as participants in the Accelerate North Tulsa Accelerator.

  1. Office Hours Recap:

Session #1 - Kevin Valentine, Managing Partner at Syntax Capital

Stage: Pre-Seed to Seed

Industry: Digital Assets, Crypto Infrastructure, DeFi, and Blockchain Applications

Check Size: $200K–$300K (via SAFEs with token warrants); flexible based on allocation and capital strategy

How to Apply: Syntax Capital is open to inbound pitches and introductions via their website. Founders should be prepared to clearly articulate the problem, their solution, value proposition, and distribution strategy. You can also reach out to Kevin directly via X or LinkedIn.

Key Takeaways from Session:

  1. Hybrid Fund Model for Flexibility: Syntax Capital operates as a hybrid fund with both a venture and a liquid strategy. This allows them to stay active in volatile markets—investing in early-stage crypto protocols via SAFEs and token warrants while also capturing yield through DeFi and systematic liquid asset strategies.

  2. Focus on Product-Market Fit and Distribution: Kevin emphasized that while strong technical solutions matter, their team is particularly rigorous in evaluating how a protocol will gain user adoption and mindshare. A common pitfall for founders is underestimating the go-to-market and distribution challenge—especially in early-stage crypto.

  3. Deep Diligence and Global Perspective: The firm is deliberate in its investment pace, typically spending 3–4 weeks on diligence to uncover blind spots and risk factors. Syntax is also globally active, with investments across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia—especially in stablecoin applications, payments, and tokenized financial infrastructure for underbanked regions.

Session #2 - Sebastian Harris, Founder and Managing Partner of Sandbox Fund

Stage: Pre-Seed to Series A

Industry: Creator Economy, Fintech, Medtech, Infrastructure Tech (with a cultural impact and faith-driven focus)

Check Size: $500K–$1M, with flexibility based on conviction and relationship

How to Apply: Visit sandbox.fund to submit a pitch deck and startup info. Founders can also connect with Sebastian directly via LinkedIn, which is his preferred platform for staying in touch.

Key Takeaways from Session:

  1. Faith-Aligned Capital for Culture-Shifting Ventures: Sandbox Fund exists to back faith-driven entrepreneurs building companies that positively influence culture. Sebastian emphasized that their mission is to support founders who want to scale without compromising their biblical values or mission.

  2. Founder-First Approach Rooted in Integrity: More than just writing checks, Sandbox deeply values character, resilience, and self-awareness in founders. They seek leaders who are humble, hungry, and emotionally intelligent—especially those who’ve grown through failure. Their diligence process evaluates leadership capacity and integrity, not just traction and TAM.

  3. Early-Stage with Eternal Impact: Sandbox invests early not only because that’s where venture returns often live—but also because that’s when values, culture, and systems are most vulnerable to compromise. By showing up early with capital and counsel, they help founders build companies that are both high-performing and spiritually grounded.

Session #3 - Founder Debrief & Open Discussion

In this week’s debrief, founders embraced vulnerability, encouragement, and community. One shared a word reminding everyone that it’s okay to stumble while pitching—perfection isn’t the goal, perseverance is. Another reflected on the book of Nehemiah and the power of fasting and prayer when faced with hard decisions about whether to shut down or keep pushing forward. The session highlighted the spiritual side of entrepreneurship, reminding everyone that their value isn’t tied to their company’s performance, but to their identity in Christ. As always, the session closed with prayer, encouragement, and a spirit of unity as founders rallied around one another with faith, grit, and grace.

  1. Funding Resources:

💰 Resources of the Week:

YC is a three month accelerator program.

$500K | Deadline: 5/13/2025

A 12-week program by Visible Hands and Build in Tulsa for early-stage, Tulsa and Southern-based founders. The program will support 20 idea-stage founders who are working on launching tech-enabled solutions and/or venture-backed ideas.

$10K | Deadline: 5/16/2025

A $1,500 microgrant designed to empower early-stage entrepreneurs who are building innovative product-driven and community-based businesses.

$1.5K | Deadline: 5/16/2025

Equity Workforce Planning and Capacity Grants provide up to $150,000 to start or expand a clean energy equity workforce program.

Up to $150K | Deadline: 5/19/2025

The Backing Small Businesses grant program, supported by American Express, supports locally significant small businesses facing economic hardship.

$10K | Deadline: 5/21/2025

As part of the Good Soil Forum presented by Wells Fargo, this competition offers significant funding and expert mentorship to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit.

Up to $200K | Deadline: 5/23/2025

Amazon Business is celebrating small businesses by empowering their growth through the Small Business Grants.

Up to $25K | Deadline: 5/23/2025

The Dream Makers Founder Grant aims to provide underrepresented entrepreneurs with the opportunity to scale their businesses and continue our mission of fostering an ecosystem where more founders can thrive.

$25K | Deadline: 5/30/2025

The Fund Her Future Grant, powered by Block Advisors by H&R Block and Hello Alice, is awarding $100,000 in total funding to up to six outstanding small businesses.

Up to $50K | Deadline: 5/30/2025

A live, in-person pitch competition for climatetech founders on July 10th.

Up to $100K | Deadline: 5/30/2025

Each year Women Founders Network creates a unique opportunity for Female Founders to pitch and receive valuable mentoring, coaching and in-kind sponsorships.

$25K | Deadline: 5/31/2025

Over 20 weeks you’ll validate your idea, build your MVP and gain real traction with hands‑on workshops, user testing, mentorship, funding, coworking and network access.

$20K | Deadline: 6/8/2025

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.

$5K | Deadline: 6/9/2025

This program is for talented entrepreneurs designing innovative solutions that generate greater economic mobility for low- and moderate-income Americans, i.e., the 60%+ of Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck.

$220K | Deadline: 6/11/2025

The Prize seeks exceptional solutions that strengthen disaster resilience in the United States.

$250K | Deadline: 6/12/2025

The Cartier Women's Initiative is an annual international entrepreneurship program that aims to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs. Founded in 2006, the program is open to women-run and women-owned businesses from any country and sector that aim to have a strong and sustainable social and/or environmental impact.

Up to $100K | Deadline: 6/24/2025

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.

Up to $20K | Deadline: 7/8/2025

🎙️ Podcast of the Week:

In this episode, Wesley Tian shares how he bootstrapped Aragon from a weekend project into a $10M ARR powerhouse by obsessing over product quality, leveraging affiliate SEO, and relentlessly iterating based on user behavior. From cold-start experiments to product-market fit, Wesley walks through his path to building one of the fastest-growing AI tools with just 10 employees and no VC backing.

Why I recommend it: This episode is a masterclass in scrappy, customer-first building. Wesley breaks down how to spot a real opportunity, how to get traction with no audience or funding, and how timing, execution, and ruthless focus can beat venture capital. A must-listen for founders trying to turn a side hustle into a breakout business. 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 1 on 1 support in securing capital? I will be working 1 on 1 with select founders to help. Interested founders can learn more and consider submitting their company here.

  1. 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?

Heads Up: My 2nd child is due the first week of June so we will have 2 more sessions before I take a 6 week break for Office Hours.

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

​​For session #1 we have Jigney Pathak, Principal at BBQ Capital.

​BBQ Capital is a venture capital firm committed to investing in companies at the earliest stages.

For session #2 we have Carter Bourassa, Associate at Moneta Ventures.

​Moneta Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in early stage technology companies across the West Coast and Texas.

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.

Ask: I am exploring new roles in venture where I can effectively utilize the LP, VC, and Founder networks I've built over the last four years. If you know any funds or accelerators that I should be speaking with, please let me know.

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