Jeffery Ponders

Board Director

2023 - Current

Board Observer

2022

About InvestNext At InvestNext, we set out on a mission to transform the way investment firms raise and manage capital. The company is based in Detroit, Michigan, and was founded in 2016. At the time, we realized the industry as a whole operates within a black box, with countless hours spent on activities that made fundraising, investment management, and investor relations tedious and inefficient. Since day one, we’ve known that tomorrow’s investor is one who will not only have access to detailed performance metrics across their portfolio, but also have the full picture of the positive impact they have made on the communities they have invested in. With that in mind, we’ve built a software platform that enables investment firms to operate more effectively and provide greater transparency to their investors. Instrumental to this effort, has been our close partnerships with commercial real estate syndicators and other investment firms around the globe. As of today, we are trusted by tens of thousands of investors, with billions of dollars managed on the platform.

Principal

2021

Co-Founder/Investor

2020

Commune Angels is an angel community leveraging D&I to expand access to angel investing and capital. We invest in scalable consumer, enterprise, and life science companies that transform lives. For more information about membership or investment criteria, please visit communeangels.com.

Keynote Speaker

2004

Keynote speaker and workshop leader on performance, creativity, and innovation. I leverage my varied experiences as an entrepreneur, executive, investor, and jazz musician to help brands unlock their creativity and productivity to increase ROI.

Managing Partner

2018

better is the consultancy for ambitious brands looking to build more valuable relationships and smarter revenue models. When good enough isn't good enough, it's time work with better. In 2019, we've helped our partners: - Grow revenue 5x+ - Expand retail footprint from 1 to 150+ locations - Develop and deliver winning pitches, leading to $250K+ in funding - Deploy new community impact programming - Expand team headcount - Launch new products - Refresh branding Expertise: Strategy | Branding | Creative Direction |Innovation Consulting Clients range from Automotive & CPG conglomerates to start-ups and keynote speakers.

CEO/Co-founder

2020 - 2021

We're building interactive learning experiences for streaming videos that kids love.

Entrepreneur In Residence

2018 - 2021

Sparked 10X revenue growth and key partnerships for startup clients as strategic advisor and business coach. Developed and launched TechTown Startup Studio, a cohort-based customer discovery incubator for early stage startups. Provide guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs and growth stage companies. Build relationships on behalf of TechTown within the Midwest entrepreneurial ecosystem. Expertise Delivered: - Sales Strategy - Fundraising - Branding & Marketing Strategy - Financial Modeling

Saxophonist

2001 - 2020

Manage 9 person multi-discipline team across varied disciplines, including live performance, event planning, project management, strategy, and creative production. HotSauce Entertainment represents Detroit-based recording artist HotSauce. The seven-piece R&B band delivers an exciting all ages show featuring live instruments, promoting “Real Good, Feel Good Music” and the “Elements of L.I.F.E. – Love, Inspiration, Freedom & Entertainment.” HotSauce aspires to reestablish live music as a mainstay in American music and to bridge the gap between generations with their unique blend of music encompassing R&B, jazz, rock, and more. Milestones include winning on and off air business for creative and talent in a nationally broadcast McDonald’s commercial, securing a partnership with the American Cancer Society to promote cancer awareness amongst post-secondary institutions as a a performing artist on the AfroFlow College Tour, and numerous sold out shows across North America and Caribbean. Other awards & recognition: U.S. Runner Up for the 2005 Global Battle of the Bands; Finalist on NBC’s StarTomorrow competition; and multiple Detroit Music Awards.

VP, Director of Innovation

2016 - 2018

Agency Strategy & Innovation Lead. Recruited to lead business strategy and develop innovation frameworks for GM CCA business units. Developed agency innovation practice and approach; Led cross-functional teams through design sprints and pilots to test new opportunities and business models. Authored and presented thought leadership POVs and workshops on customer experience and business model design for executive clients and internal stakeholders. Championed critical customer segmentation initiative within matrixed organization of client leaders and agency partners to yield better insights for customer experience design. Developed innovative EXPECT-CONNECT-DIRECT customer-first strategic framework to simplify communication and align teams. Led strategy for redesign and deployment of websites across multiple business units.