StartupExperts

We’d like to take a moment to express some gratitude and recognize our Member Orientation and Onboarding Team and their incredible leader, BriAna Serrano, MBA — for the amazing work they do helping new members feel at home in the StartupExperts community. 🌟 As one of the very first touchpoints for new members, this team plays a vital role in setting the tone for what it means to be part of SuE — from guiding members through orientation and welcoming them into the community, to fostering real connection and encouraging engagement across the group. 💫 They also help bring one of SuE’s core cultural values to life: being a Go-Giver. Through hosting discussions around The Go-Giver book and making sure every member understands how generosity, collaboration, and contribution shape our culture, they help keep that spirit alive every day. 💯 We'd also like to give a shoutout to Natalie Hoop for her work in project managing the group, supporting the team, and creating our New Member Onramp program! 🔈 Shoutout to the Member Orientation and Onboarding Team: Vanessa Camozzi · Tara Lamey · Fredo Alban · Kate Holsapple · Rose N. · Emma Hooks · Betsy Campbell Barth · Natasha Barksdale — Our steady growth over the past year and the continued excitement we’re seeing from new members is a reflection of the welcoming, values-driven experience you create. 💛

True community is about bringing people together for learning, connection, and meaningful value exchange. And on this Thanksgiving day, we are exceptionally appreciative of all of our members who choose to invest their time, energy, and expertise to lift up the people around them. That spirit is what makes our nearly 2,400-member StartupExperts community so special. Our members don’t just show up for content or events. They give back. They volunteer, share openly, support one another, and model what a real community looks like. That generosity is the difference. True community is about value exchange — people giving, receiving, and growing together. And we are especially appreciative of the 85+ members who volunteer on our leadership team. Their commitment is the purest expression of Go-Giver culture — real people showing up for each other, with no expectation beyond making the community better. We’re deeply grateful for our volunteer leaders, our incredible partners, and our senior executive team — Lacey Wescott, Emily Nelson Ramos, Meica Hatters,, Jessica M., Jesse Freese and Michelle Arieta — and for every member who continues to invest in the collective good of this group. We also want to extend a special thank you to our amazing StartupExperts partners — Sparrow, HiBob, Network Right, Bereave, Manifest Law, Sequoia One, and VISTRA — whose support helps us create richer, more meaningful experiences for everyone. To our members, we want to say how appreciative we are that you choose to be true citizens of StartupExperts — because our future is stronger, richer, and more meaningful when we come together. #StartupExperts #LeadershipCommunity #GoGiver #Thanksgiving #Grateful

We’re also celebrating one of the amazing leaders helping bring StartupExperts’ in-person community to life — Bruce Shetler, our LA Hub Director! ✨ 💡 Bruce has been instrumental in creating welcoming spaces for local HR, People, and Ops leaders to connect, share, and learn from one another. His energy, consistency, and community-first mindset help make every LA gathering meaningful (and fun!). Thank you, Bruce, for your leadership and for championing the spirit of connection that makes StartupExperts so special. 💫 #StartupExperts #Community #PeopleOps #HRLeaders #InPersonEvents #LosAngeles

Bringing Community to Life — In Person! 🌏 We’re thrilled to celebrate the incredible team leading our in-person experiences across the StartupExperts community. From coast to coast, these leaders are creating spaces where authentic connection and shared learning truly come alive. 💫 Under the guidance of Lacey Wescott, VP of In-Person Events, our regional leads are helping transform StartupExperts gatherings into moments that matter — full of conversation, laughter, and collaboration. 🌟 Meet our In-Person Events Leads: ✨ Tim Frazier – NYC Hub Director ✨ Bruce Shetler – LA Hub Director ✨ John Christopher (JC) Ramos – Bay Area Hub Director ✨ Gabriel Veuve – Co-Chapter Director Thank you to this incredible group for the energy, creativity, and warmth you bring to every event. You’re helping make StartupExperts not just a network — but a real community. 💛 Here’s to more conversations, connections, and shared experiences across every hub! 🌐 #StartupExperts #Leadership #PeopleOps #Community #GoGiverCulture

Cheers to another great StartupExperts Happy Hour! 🍸 Our Peninsula crew gathered last week for an evening of laughs, learning, and a few unforgettable HR horror stories. 😅 It was such a fun way to wrap up the week and connect beyond the screen. Huge thanks to everyone who joined — Yan Gelman, Carolyn Moore, John Matthew Pagaragan, Michelle Arieta, Maneeza Kassim, Geri Markey, and Priyam Jain — for bringing the energy and great stories! and of course - a big shout out to TehShan L. for hosting! 🙌🏼 Here’s to more real-talk conversations, shared experiences, and good company in every corner of the community. 💛 #StartupExperts #Community #HRLeaders #PeopleOps #HappyHour

🚀 New Podcast Episode Alert! What does it mean to lead with perspective — and stay grounded in your values while navigating the fast-changing world of people leadership? In this episode of Becoming Better with StartupExperts, Jesse Freese sits down with Heather Dunn, Chief People Officer at Brex and one of our 25 Leaders to Follow in 2025, to explore how reflection, alignment, and self-awareness can reshape the way we lead. Heather shares her career journey — from discovering HR at 16 to leading people strategy at some of the most dynamic companies in tech — and opens up about what she’s learned through moments of growth, misalignment, and rediscovery. 🔥 What she’s learned: • Slow down — when everything feels urgent, perspective is often what’s missing • Alignment matters — the wrong cultural fit can make even great work feel heavy • Lead with clarity — knowing your values and priorities is key to making better decisions 💡 Her advice: • Be intentional about where you spend your energy — at work and at home • Trust your gut — if something feels off, it probably is • Be an “aggressive learner” — reach out, ask questions, and keep growing through community 🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/g7fXstk4 #BecomingBetter #StartupExperts #Leadership #PeopleOps #Community #GoGiverCulture

Ready to level up your AI skills? 🚀 As part of our AI Learning Journey in partnership with Clarinet (formerly ApplyAI), we are hosting a hands-on hackathon session tomorrow, November 19th — focused on helping you put agentic AI into action. In this practical session, you’ll learn how to: ✅ Build personalized workflows that save hours each week ✅ Use AI to boost the quality and impact of your work ✅ Confidently manage agentic automation — one of the most valuable skills emerging in today’s AI-powered world Whether you’re a StartupExperts member or exploring our community for the first time, you’re invited to join us for this high-impact learning experience and walk away with skills you can apply immediately. 👉 Register here: https://luma.com/a1mm4zim #StartupExperts #AILearningJourney #AgenticAI #Leadership #FutureOfWork #Community

🚀 New Podcast Episode Alert! What does it mean to lead with intention — especially in the unpredictable world of startups? In this episode of Becoming Better with StartupExperts, Jesse Freese sits down with Adam Hill, one of our 25 Leaders to Follow in 2025, to unpack the lessons he’s learned across five startups, a recent acquisition, and his journey leading People Ops in high-growth environments. 💭 Adam shares thoughtful reflections on leadership, resilience, and the balance between drive and well-being — along with a few hard-earned insights every startup leader will recognize: 💫 What he’s learned: • Be ruthlessly organized with your people data — it matters more than you think during an acquisition • Define your non-negotiables — Adam evaluates every role through three filters: impact, ownership, and broader company impact (he needs at least two out of three) • Spot misalignment early — if the role isn’t what you expected, address it directly or exit sooner 💡 His advice: • Protect your well-being — HR and People leaders often put themselves last; burnout is real • Find a strong mentor — someone who can guide you through negotiations, decisions, and career pivots 🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/gbFRQsT9 #StartupExperts #BecomingBetter #Leadership #Startups #PeopleOps #HRLeaders

💡 What does it look like to lead with curiosity and courage — and to question the long-standing “rules” of HR? In our latest Becoming Better with StartupExperts episode, Jesse Freese sits down with Eliza Bell, Fractional Head of People and long-time StartupExperts community leader, to explore how HR is evolving and what it means to build teams that thrive in uncertainty. Eliza shares her journey from early startup days to leading People Operations for tech and robotics companies — and why she believes it’s time to rethink traditional systems like performance reviews and engagement surveys. 💫 🎧 Tune in to hear how she approaches leadership, community, and the art of asking the “awkward but helpful” questions that move us all forward. 🔗 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eeeYzSfd #StartupExperts #BecomingBetter #PeopleOps #Leadership #HRLeaders #Community

The StartupExperts East Bay crew showed up in true community spirit — overcoming a massive rainstorm and a last-minute location change to gather in Walnut Creek! 🌧️➡️☀️ It was a night of great conversations, new connections, and shared energy among people who are building and leading with purpose. A huge thank-you to everyone who joined us — especially Holly Jett Kraiker from Sequoia, who helped make it all happen as our East Bay Experience Host, and to Jake Schwartz and Human Interest for sponsoring the evening. 🙌 Here’s to more meaningful meetups ahead! 💫 #StartupExperts #Community #EastBay #HRLeaders #PeopleOps #Networking