In this week's 60 Seconds With… founder profile, we get to know
Shahab Kaviani. Kaviani, 39, is the CEO and cofounder of
CoFoundersLab, an online matchingmaking service for entrepreneurs that was founded in D.C. but has grown into an international force, hosting online and in-person matchups in cities around the globe, including São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv, Singapore, Mumbai and Dublin, among many others.
Elevation DC: What was your first job?
Shahab Kaviani: I guess you could say I started as an entrepreneur, as I began cutting lawns and delivering newspapers around the age of 12.
Best thing about your business right now?
I'm really thrilled to see how globally our service is being adopted. We're being invited into economic development groups around the world; watching entrepreneurs from more than 35 cities attending our team building Matchup events has been incredible. We [also] have people from many more cities around the world using the online platform. So I would say, watching the global Internet brand come to life is really exciting, but ultimately, the very best thing is seeing the hundreds of companies being formed through our community and the jobs these courageous founders are creating.
If you could change one thing about your business right now, what would it be?
Have more people upgrade to our paid plan—go Pro, people! You're 10 times more likely to find your co-founder if you do : ).
What are you reading? Or, what have you read recently that has had an impact on you? Why has it been influential?
I've just started reading
On the Edge by Alison Levine. The author led the first expedition of women to Mt. Everest, and she shows the parallels of extreme sports and business. As a founder, you're making a lot of critical decisions in an environment with lots of adversity and imperfect information. I think this book will help me become a better leader to my team.
Biggest influence in tech or startup culture today? Why?
Crowdfunding. As the laws continue to relax and enable a larger pool of people to invest in startups, promising founding teams will have more chances to build their [companies]. Early stage capital is really hard to come by and I see a window opening to help early stage companies access capital. CoFoundersLab has benefitted from the JOBS Act and I think 2014 will be the beginning of a huge shift to make capital more accessible outside the usual tech hubs, allowing startup communities to thrive in many more cities where talented entrepreneurs are.
Company to watch (besides your own)?
I really like what
Founder Institute is doing—they've grown into more than 50 cities, and have cranked out more than 1,000 companies. In my humble opinion, companies that can help create jobs are the ones we should be supporting and rallying around in order to strengthen the global economy and raise the standard of living.
Beverage of choice?
Green tea.
Guilty pleasure?
White pizza.
Most recent app purchase/download?
I really like working with
Skitch to help illustrate product designs and collaborate with designers and programmers.
What do you loathe about D.C.?
All this money sitting on the sidelines [be]cause people are too conservative; we need more risk capital coming into the system so all these talented entrepreneurs can innovate and create jobs.
What do you love about D.C.?
Cultural diversity. With all the activities around the embassies and the organizations that draw people in from all over the world, especially since we have a growing international presence, it's really convenient to be able to catch people coming into my hometown so easily. The cultural diversity can be appreciated on so many levels, including cuisine, arts, music, and friendships.
Nominate someone (or yourself!) for a 60 Seconds With…Q&A by emailing [email protected].