TFC IMPACT:
In 2025, The Founder’s Chair hosted two standout gatherings that reflected both the growth of our community and the strength of our partnerships. In Detroit, Signal Advisors welcomed founders and funders into an energizing downtown setting that sparked focused conversations, strategic alignment, and early deal momentum. In Greenwich, we closed out the year at Zinnia’s headquarters, where a private, thoughtfully designed environment supported our largest funder turnout to date and encouraged deeper dialogue, collaboration, and follow-through. Together, these events underscore what makes The Founder’s Chair different: intentional rooms, aligned people, and meaningful connections that extend well beyond the event itself.
TFC
In 2025, The Founder’s Chair hosted two standout gatherings that reflected both the growth of our community and the strength of our partnerships. In Detroit, Signal Advisors welcomed founders and funders into an energizing downtown setting that sparked focused conversations, strategic alignment, and early deal momentum.
TFC
In 2025, The Founder’s Chair hosted two standout gatherings that reflected both the growth of our community and the strength of our partnerships. In Detroit, Signal Advisors welcomed founders and funders into an energizing downtown setting that sparked focused conversations, strategic alignment, and early deal momentum.
In Greenwich, we closed out the year at Zinnia’s headquarters, where a private, thoughtfully designed environment supported our largest funder turnout to date and encouraged deeper dialogue, collaboration, and follow-through. Together, these events underscore what makes The Founder’s Chair different: intentional rooms, aligned people, and meaningful connections that extend well beyond the event itself.
“I was so impressed by the Founder’s Chair event! We gained both user leads and financial leads – a significant win for our team. TFC created invaluable industry connections that will support our growth.”
MILESTONE MOMENTS
AnYear
The Leopard Acquisition: A TFC First
Our Irvine event produced something we’d been working toward since day one: a strategic acquisition. When Reid Buerger joined via Zoom and heard two incredible leaders present their vision, he saw what we saw—an opportunity that would accelerate growth for both firms. After months of diligence, Coventry’s acquisition of The Leopard became our first M&A success story. A milestone that validates everything we’re building.
"Changed My Life": The Greenwich Moment
At our Funders Dinner in Greenwich, Marty Ruby shared his story: a decorated career, a business built to pass down to his daughter Becky, but uncertainty about his next chapter. Then he said something that stopped the room: TFC “changed his life.” For Becky at Stonewood Financial, for Marty, and for us—it was validation from every angle. Marty also shared that he sees a future in supporting the next generation of leaders and making meaningful investments as his next chapter. This is what happens when partnership meets purpose.
Apeiron Gate: Creative Partnership in Action
Great ideas need more than capital—they need partnership. When we met Haley Bowman and Jim Bowman from Apeiron Gate, we saw a firm with brilliant vision but limited resources to scale. Our response wasn’t just a check—it was creativity, talent, and collaboration to help them launch with confidence and real traction. Now, a collaboration is underway between TFC, Tetra G, and Hoyden Branding, and the blueprint is set for a bright future in 2026…stay tuned!
Stephen Goldstein Joins the Team
Adding Stephen Goldstein as a Strategic Advisor elevated everything. His caliber, character, and strategic mind improved how we support founders and structure aligned deals. Having someone of his expertise committed to the TFC mission made 2025’s momentum possible.
Extensions for TFC Funders
Here’s a signal we didn’t expect: Founders who recently closed their funding rounds (and were already executing at full speed) approached us asking to be selected for a TFC event. Why? To add strategic angels who could further support their growth. They offered extensions at the same terms they’d just closed because they recognized what TFC Funders bring beyond capital: operational expertise, distribution knowledge, and genuine partnership. That’s the kind of trust we’re building.
BY THE
16
Founders Selected
30
Funders Attended
$2M
Follow On Money
7
Companies Funded
(and counting)
43%
Funding Rate
$2M
Invested
(and counting)
Filtering
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Intro Video
Before you dive in, check out "James and Goldy's Take": a quick video breaking down each Founder and why they're a good fit for TFC.
Snapshot
See a snapshot about each Founder: industry, location, stage, size, etc.
View Founder
Once you're ready to view the Founders' full profiles, simply click in the white space (or on their name) and their company information will populate.
See the sample screenshot above.
The Lounge
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The Lounge is a simple but powerful way for Funders to evaluate Founders before ever stepping into the room. It gives you advance access to each company’s profile, including what they’re building, how they make money, who they’re looking for, and where they’re headed. This allows you to review opportunities on your own schedule, identify which founders align with your interests, and come into the event already informed. Instead of spending time getting basic context, conversations can focus on strategy, fit, and next steps. The Lounge stays open after the event as well, making it easy to revisit companies and continue diligence during the deal window.
Beyond the Chair
Our Beyond the Chair video series extends the TFC experience year-round by checking in with past Founders to see where they’ve grown, what they’ve launched, and how we can continue to support them.
PAST events
GREENWICH, CT
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DETROIT, MI
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IRVINE, CA
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PHILADELPHIA, PA
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DALLAS, TX
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