Startup Stories: Founder Experiences Building Tech Companies for All While Elevating Diverse Communities provides students with a collection of case studies that provide insight into the challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs and company leaders face, particularly in the context of consumer engagement, company development, and supporting diverse ventures. The book features seven case studies, each focusing on a unique problem encountered by a different company, such as adapting to a pandemic, creating new consumer behaviors, rebranding, supporting first-time founders, managing creator payments, engaging niche markets, and finding culturally inspired products. Each case encourages students to analyze situations and develop recommendations all while considering the risks and potential contingency plans associated with their strategies. Designed to foster greater critical thinking and decision-making skills, Startup Stories is an excellent resource for independent learners, courses, and programs in business administration, entrepreneurship, strategic management, marketing, and organizational behavior.
Christopher C. King, M.P.A, M.B.A. is a venture partner, startup investor, activist entrepreneur, adjunct professor, and author recognized by Black Enterprise, Disrupt Magazine, Village Capital, and the National Institute of Health. He is Managing Partner at Theo Advisors, a consultancy and advisory network built for diverse founders, and the CEO of WAM Academy. During the pandemic, King became active as an angel investor with a portfolio of startup investments managed by Theo Wealth Co, which he founded in 2021. He also served as a mentor in Techstars and a designer in the Angel Syndicate Community via 4.0 philanthropies. For his impact work, he was inducted into the Wisdom Council by W4H, a global impact community recognized in Istanbul, Turkey, during their annual executive convening. Locally, he sits on the board of Urban Ed, a nonprofit certification program for tech careers in southeast Washington, DC. In his studies, he earned an M.P.A. from Baruch College and an M.B.A. in information systems from Howard University's School of Business. He also holds a bachelor's degree with honors distinction from the University at Albany, Rockefeller School of Public Policy. King lives outside of Washington, DC. He is currently learning software engineering, loves spending time with friends and his growing family, self-care, nature, and road trips.
"I've worked with Christopher for many years now and his ability to thread the needle between economic inclusion, venture capital, and community is something I hold in high regard. One of my favorite thought partners, Christopher is a breath of fresh air in the venture capital industry." Marlon Thompson, Founder, Future Capital, CXO, Spring "I was impressed by the book Startup Stories: Founder Experiences Building Tech Companies for All While Elevating Diverse Communities. It was not just a collection of anecdotes, but a valuable guide for aspiring and diverse founders. It showed me how to apply the key lessons from the real stories of successful and diverse entrepreneurs who overcame various challenges and obstacles." Martin Freeman, MBA, PMP, Managing Consultant at Guidehouse "In an ecosystem that can often make you feel like you're on the outside, Chris's work opens doors for all who are curious to learn and be challenged. Startup Stories is a testament to that." Ashima Chopra, Esq., Investment Program Manager, Spring Activator VC "This book is perfect if you're stepping into entrepreneurship and looking to grasp its fundamentals. Similarly, this book is a valuable resource for established entrepreneurs aiming to enhance their expertise. It offers knowledge akin to an accelerated MBA, explicitly tailored for entrepreneurial minds." Jacob Aladejobi, Information Tech Leader, Howard University
