Francisco Joao Lopes’ Post

Last week, I checked off a MAJOR bucket-list item by hosting an incredibly rewarding and meaningful #NYTechWeek event for 100+ founders, execs and operators in attendance. My co-host, Tushar and I had a clear vision from the start. Not only did we want the fireside chat to be highly relevant for those navigating today's resource-challenged environment, but also be ruthlessly authentic and shed light on the not-so-glamorous aspects of being a founder or exec over the past two years. Here's the truth – no matter your role, you've likely felt the impact from the broader economy on you, your team, or your business. With that in mind, we assembled an extraordinary panel of founders and C-level execs, featuring: Steven Wang – Founder and CEO of dub (Harvard dropout backed by CEO of Uber and co-founder of Robinhood). Angela Crossman – Chief People Officer at multi-billion dollar startups like Dragos, Inc., Brex, and Noom. Michael Landsberger – Chief Product and Growth Officer at Pumpkin (pet insurance startup acquired in 2023) Cyrus Karai – Co-founder and CEO of CoverForce (backed by Nyca Partners, QED Investors, and co-founder of Plaid) And covered topics such as: 1) maneuvering co-founder breakups 2) pivoting business strategy under investor pressure 3) building and nurturing a resilient company culture 4) hiring and promoting high-value talent in a competitive job market The reaction from the crowd? "That was one of the most uniquely genuine and resonating discussions I have ever been part of." For those of you who joined us in person, thank you for cheering us on at our debut event sponsored by TECH WEEK by a16z. I can't wait to host more of these for you! Please follow me and The Beyond Network (where I'm building a community and resources for immigrants) for more events to come! Cheers and see you soon!

How can one live not one, not two, but THREE honeymoon phases at the same time? You can. Are multi-year honeymoons a thing? They are. HOW?! Read along... I came back from one of my honeymoons just recently. The post-wedding honeymoon phase as a newlywed (got married 5 months ago) is of course ongoing. Loved every moment of our amazing trip (there WILL be a V2.0), and we're loving every moment of this new phase! I definitely have the perfect wife (and no, my wife didn't force me to write that haha). My second honeymoon phase is also ongoing, but this one is on its second anniversary this month. Working with the entire Stockpress team these past two years has been so much fun! Going from a Pre-Seed bootstrapped kick-a$$ product to living and building through the PMF phase (looking to evolve to GTMF phase soon!), PLUS transitioning roles has been quite unique. My third honeymoon is (you guessed right) ongoing as well. I've been involved with the Stage 2 Capital network for almost 3 years now. Thanks to my great friend Sean Po for being instrumental in this journey. So this got me thinking...I'm going to write/talk more about these journeys and experiences. I think it'll be cool to give back and share with my network the good, the bad, and the ugly so we can continue learning and growing together - that's what life is all about, right? With that in mind, here are two very cool announcements: 1. I will be embarking on a podcast journey with the one and only Ian Parkes where we'll talk about life at Stockpress and the why behind our mission. 2. Due to popular demand, I'll be writing about my very exciting and enriching journey with Stage 2 Capital. Many folks have asked how to transition from being an operator to also being a Coach, Advisor, and/or Investor at startups. Plus, the cherry on top - become an operator at a startup backed by the VC you're part of (Hint - Fill in the missing letter: _tockpre__ i_ a _tage 2 Capital portfolio company). Stay tuned!

It takes a special effort to get done on a Friday evening & then turn-up on Tuesday to get the ball rolling. In between it is #vibe with the #tribe. As a #community #builder it amazes me that every time I go to same place, there is something new to learn. As time has gone by… New members have joined in… Old ones are giving the space to the new ones & evolving with time. Last weekend, it was a similar experience to land up at End of Season party, meet the pilots both new & the old ones… Some couldn’t start their program & for some it was stopped in between all thanks to weather. What bought us together was #flying #food #lakeside & a place which we call it our own. That’s what #community is all about, finding your #tribe, a happy place, & growing with it. Creating these experiences in various setups and transferring the learning from one domain to another is what keeps it going. #community is everyone - different tribe, different vibe - that emotions binding us all. At Nirvana - it’s Peace, Bliss & Happy Landings. Sanjay - Melita - Apoorva Easwar What’s your go to emotions with #community ? Do share your thoughts in the comment section. #VinEatRepeat The Startups Funding Practice (TSFP) And if you are still wondering what community could do to you and your organisation. Ping me on LinkedIn & let’s chat about it. Signing Off on Friday…

A super senior once told me, "If you just show up, take care of your clients, meet your deadlines, and build trust, you'll be ahead of the game." At first, I didn’t quite get how these simple actions could lead to success. But over time, I’ve realized that it’s the consistency in doing the basics right that really makes the difference. No fancy formulas. Just show up, do the work, and you’ll probably be in that top 2% sooner than later. #lifelessons #techfounders #startupfounders #success

Loris Candylaftis Diego Silva Villalba and I have been working on Loro since 2021. It was a different world when we started, a certain disease was on everyone's mind, we were all saying "you're on mute", start-up money was flowing.... Fast forward to the cusp of 2025 and we are still working towards being an "overnight success". The reality is the hard work never stops: 🖋️ Gaining customers and delivering meaningful value 🚀 Developing a brand that speaks to the core of the #insurance industry 💻 Iterating a modern SaaS product These are not quick things to achieve, they take consistent effort and commitment from all of team Loro. One thing will never change though, our use of corporate photos from 2021 😉 🥂 To many more years of #startup life! 🦜 #insurtech #letyourbusinessflywithloro

When co-founders stop speaking to each other, the whole startup holds its breath. Real story : Two technical co-founders, best friends for 10 years. Built amazing product. Raised millions. Then: Complete communication breakdown over product direction. The solution wasn't technical - it was emotional. 5 Warning Signs of Co-Founder Conflict: 1. Passive-aggressive emails 2. Separate team meetings 3. Conflicting directions to employees 4. Avoiding social situations 5. "I" statements replace "we" statements Co-founder relationships need maintenance like any other. Sometimes the best technical founders forget this. Tag a co-founder you're grateful for 🙏

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Time flies when you're deeply immersed in building something you believe in. 🌟 It feels like just two minutes ago I was starting my day, ready to tackle the challenges of growing our business. Now, the clock says otherwise, but my excitement and passion haven't diminished one bit. From brainstorming sessions to late-night strategy meetings, every moment has been a whirlwind of learning, adapting, and pushing forward. Grateful for the support of an incredible team and the encouragement from friends and family who believe in this journey. Here's to continuing the hustle, no matter the hour! 🚀💪 #EntrepreneurLife #StartupJourney #TimeFlies #Gratitude #BusinessGrowth

Let's normalize failure. Here are 5 of my biggest f*ups: * Founded 2 startups which failed. * Had a breakdown at 17 which ended up with me in the hospital. * Pursued a career as a chocolatier for exactly 1 day. 1! 🍫 * Spent 3 years talking about being a coach before I even did a thing. * Tendency to overwork. * Terrible at texting back friends I've collected a shiny collection of 'oops' moments. And I love talking about failures because they’re real. And it's so important to share them in the internet world. What are some of yours? p.s. Want this kind of honesty? I'll be keeping it real in the upcoming challenge I'm running "Finally! A Career In Tech That Feels Good." Grab your free ticket in the comments!

A young boy falls in love. And like most love stories, he battles countless odds, fails multiple times but stays relentless in his pursuit for well over a decade. Finally, Lady Luck smiled on gritty Paras Chopra who, along with Sparsh Gupta, bootstrapped Wingify into a profitable and global SaaS company. Make sure you like and follow :@karlostartup Video credit:@curious.parthh #WINGIFY #saascompany #founderstory #karlostartup