How can a small VC firm produce Founderland? Easy answer. We don't. My wife Shannon Kelly does. Without her and her team working year-round to build this invite-only, 1,000+ person B2B festival... The Family Fund wouldn't be able to produce anything remotely close to this. We need to spend the far majority of our time investing and helping our PortCo founders win. So when I had the idea for Founderland a few years ago, there was only one reason I wasn't looked at as if I was insane... It's because Shannon is our secret weapon. And prior to running events and experiences at our fund, spent years building Coachella, the Long Beach Grand Prix, Outside Lands and other scintillating shows. Sure, Josh Wand and I need to get the right people to the event...and that matters immensely... But the majority of the credit for what Founderland has become belongs to Shannon and her team. You're incredible Shannon. I'm honored to be your partner in more ways than one. Thank you from all of us at The Family Fund. Let's roll!
Behind every talented woman is a man taking credit! In this case two men! No seriously, Sean Kelly - great speech tonight. Thanks for showing your true emotions and your gratitude for Shannon and THE FAMILY behind The Family Fund & Founder Community - Shannon Kelly - Josh Wand!
Shannon is amazing!
As a founder, I love what Sean, Shannon and the entire team are building with Founderland. Creating a community where founders can connect, learn, build relationships and support one another is incredibly important. As David Dobrik and I continue building WAVERS together as co-founders, this is exactly the kind of founder ecosystem we value and want to be part of in a bigger way. Incredible work by everyone involved. 👏🔥 Sean Kelly Shannon Kelly
Great events look effortless only because someone spent a year sweating details. Ideas get the credit, producers earn it.
The best “secret weapons” usually aren’t very secret to the people who work alongside them. Love seeing Shannon get her flowers for what she’s built.
Love seeing founders openly credit the powerhouse talent behind their events—having someone with Coachella-level experience on board is total cheat code status!
Props to her and the team. It really looks like an event people actually want to attend, not just another networking conference. Having roots in Coachella, Outside Lands, and events people get excited about is a great asset to bring into the business world. Congrats, looks like an amazing event,
No words have ever rung more true. @Shannon Kelly is absolutely the magic, the special sauce, and the CEO of Founderland. None of this happens without her. The fact that we are creating what I truly believe is the best event in consumer health and wellness is a testament to who Shannon is as a visionary, an operator, an executor, and most importantly, a partner. She brings this entire vision to life and somehow makes the impossible happen. Shannon, you are definitely the better half, and I love and admire Sean Kelly a lot 😂 So grateful to have you as a partner on this journey and for everything you do to bring Founderland to life. Cannot wait to see all the magic come together this Thursday in Malibu. So much gratitude. 🙏