Squire

The founders of Squire, Edlyft, and Promise explain how personal experience helped them identify problems worth solving. Squire set out to improve the barbershop experience with business management and point-of-sale software, while Edlyft aimed to support students who lacked encouragement and resources to pursue computer science. The speakers describe reflection, mentorship, early customer conversations, and startup structure as ways to manage the risks of building a company. They also discuss widening access to technology entrepreneurship and supporting more Black founders.