Circle.ooo

On days when I’m disappointed, or concerned, I have to choose #joy. And the most joy comes from either spiritual connection ???? or the beautiful innocence of #animals. So I was super thrilled to see that we got our own pygmy hippopotamus at @the Houston Zoo! ?????? Welcome @Akobi!

Check out this fascinating chart from Data Panda plotting the average #IQ for each US #state! I found it remarkable and a bit sobering that State of Texas was so low ?? compared to the State of Massachusetts. Given the concentration of Ivy’s in Massachusetts, it didn’t seem that surprising from that perspective. Any thoughts? ?? Thx Sunny Shuoyang Zhang, PhD for sharing this

Founders can either quit or pivot Venture Starters recently pointed out some massive #pivots that worked: Nintendo Original Business: Playing cards and toys (founded in 1889). Current Business: Video games and entertainment systems (e.g., Mario, Zelda, and the Nintendo Switch). Slack Original Business: Online gaming (the company started as a game developer called Tiny Speck). Current Business: Corporate communication platform for teams. YouTube Original Business: A dating platform with video uploads (the idea was to help people find dates by posting video profiles). Current Business: Video-sharing platform for content creators, entertainment, education, and more. Twitter X Original Business: Podcasting platform (called Odeo, which was focused on podcast distribution). Current Business: Social media platform focused on short messages or "tweets" (now known as X). Netflix Original Business: DVD rental by mail. Current Business: Streaming service and content creation powerhouse. Instagram Original Business: A check-in app called Burbn, focused on social location tagging (similar to Foursquare). Current Business: Photo and video sharing social media platform. Pinterest Original Business: A digital catalog for shopping and bookmarking interesting items (focused on e-commerce). Current Business: Social media platform for inspiration and visual discovery. Shopify Original Business: An online store selling snowboarding equipment (Snowdevil). Current Business: E-commerce platform allowing anyone to build their own online store. Mars Wrigley Original Business: Soap and baking powder (William Wrigley Jr. used to sell soap and offered gum as a freebie). Current Business: Chewing gum (became the world's leading gum manufacturer). Sony Original Business: Rice cookers and electrical products after World War II. Current Business: Electronics, gaming consoles (PlayStation), entertainment, and music. Many startups have benefitted from pivots ???? so keep iterating ! ??????

I’m always intrigued by the charts published by Statista - check this one out ??????

I know so many are tired out by all that precedes an #election. The debates can’t even be scored-both claiming victory. So watching this had me laughing so hard it helped me keep all the noise in perspective: the funniest thing I’ve seen and the hardest I’ve laughed in eons! https://lnkd.in/g3AhVrmm ??????????

??Guess what city? ?? ????

Vanta (YC W18) has raised $150 million in Series C funding to automate companies’ security and compliance processes. Before Christina Cacioppo founded Vanta in 2018, security and compliance were handled primarily through spreadsheets and screenshots. Accountants and auditors needed a more efficient process. Vanta simplified this by automating security compliance with continuous monitoring and real-time reports through its online Trust Center. This streamlines the process for auditors, making it easier to certify companies as compliant with standards like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR. Vanta now offers similar solutions for non-software companies as well. Less than five years after launch, Vanta now has over 8,000 customers, including Quora, Modern Health, and AI firm Mistral AI — and has grown to more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue. Vanta also introduced AI-powered Questionnaire Automation, speeding up security reviews by five times and making it easier for security teams to show trust. They built the world's largest network of Trust Centers and launched a conversational AI interface that answers questions proactively, aiming for zero-touch security reviews. To better support large customers, Vanta also added features like an enhanced REST API, SCIM provisioning, and multi-instance integrations, with plans for more customizations. Vanta has already rolled out over 260 new features this year, enhancing its platform's value and helping startups and companies build a strong security foundation. Congrats Christina and team Vanta on the Series C! https://lnkd.in/g4gY5wRa

While I was taking my #poker lesson tonight on @pokerpower app, (sign up at pokerpower.com for lessons) my neighbors asked to take our #dog for a walk, (which they do often!) another massive storm set in. They texted and said we’re soaked. ????? But they kept running; they actually increased speed towards the goal, which was to get him back here. And when I saw the photo they sent me, (having the presence of mind to stop and take a photo even !?) I realized that really is our task, isn’t it? As #startup founders we cannot collapse in the #rain. We have to run harder and faster, until we reach the finish line. ??♂? ??♀???

Unless we have these kinds of #events with these kinds of #participants, we could remain as much as 10 years behind @Silicon Valley or completely reliant upon it. And in the age of #AI that could render us obsolete in a shorter time than we think. I think it was Paul O'Brien (who is in a position to know) who said City of Houston is about 5-7 years behind City of Austin in #tech and City of Austin is 5-10 years behind Silicon Valley. Thoughts?