Heidi Lehmann, The Renaissance Woman - Her Journey From Art Major to Tech Start-Up Founder

You will learn and laugh while listening to my conversation with Heidi Lehmann (see her bio below). We talk about how she compares art to creating a startup company ("Making the Strange Familiar and the Familiar Strange), selling her first company to AOL for $105 million, why she uses the "3 Es" (Entrepreneurship, Energy, and Enthusiasm) to make career decisions, her goal to make Kansas City an innovation destination via blockchain (she co-founded the KC Futures DAO), co-producing the BET (later acquired by Viacom/CBS) series "Queen Boss" (8-episode series that strives to find the best and brightest African-American female entrepreneurs and have them compete for the business opportunity of a lifetime.), explain blockchain technology to the average person, why female (especially African- American) entrepreneurs have a hard to obtaining funding for their startup (females entrepreneurs only receive 2% of all venture capital funding), and how she likes her martinis :-) We also have a few celebrity references when she was in the entertainment industry in her first job post-college. The list includes Gus Van Sant, Melissa Etheridge, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Bethenny Frankel (she was also a "seat warmer" at the Oscars one year). Please enjoy my conversation with Heidi!

 

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Heidi's bio: Heidi E. Lehmann (LinkedIn) is a seasoned investor, board member, and five-time startup founder leading high-impact global tech deals. As Strategic Director at Ligo Partners, a Miami and New York-based family office, she collaborates with Family Offices worldwide to source investments in cutting-edge startups, venture funds, and real estate, contributing to $455M deployed across 80 companies since 2022. With over 20 years of experience, Heidi has co-founded and scaled venture-backed companies like Kenzen (industrial IoT, $30M raised) and Third Screen Media (mobile ad tech, acquired by AOL for $105M). She advises startup CEOs and holds board and advisory roles with Workplace Healing, Glasswing VC, and Gaingels Syndicate. Heidi co-founded the KC Future’s DAO, driving innovation in Kansas City through blockchain technology, and serves as a Business Advisor to Critical Materials Crossroads, a coalition of investors, innovators, and legislators focused on the energy transition. She also co-produced the media franchise "Queen Boss" (acquired by Viacom/CBS). Featured in Forbes, WSJ, NYT, and more, Heidi is a sought-after speaker and panelist at top conferences like SXSW, Mobile World Congress, and the National NGLCC Conference.