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YOUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON THE CHAIR YOU’RE SITTING IN

 

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Fsch 2024 Dallas 8

Where Founders Gain Clarity from Operators Who’ve Been There

The Founder’s Chair creates carefully selected events where founders building in insurance and wealth tech receive candid feedback from operators who’ve built, scaled, and exited companies. Some founders secure funding, partnerships, or strategic clients. All founders leave with insights that change how they build.

How it works for Founders
How it works for Funders

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THE FOUNDER’S CHAIR     chair   
DID YOU KNOW?

Building in insurance and wealth tech requires more than capital—it requires credibility

Traditional financing offers capital but rarely provides strategic guidance from people who understand distribution realities. The Founder’s Chair connects you with operators who’ve navigated the exact challenges you’re facing—and can help you avoid the mistakes they made.

What are my funding options?
FAQs
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Different chairs for different needs

Startup Support
Capital Infusion
Transition Planning

For those seeking strategic guidance

  • Candid feedback from operators on your business model and go-to-market strategy
  • One-on-one preparation to refine your pitch and positioning
  • Presentation at curated event with qualified funders
  • Strategic insights on distribution, pricing, and early customer acquisition
  • Potential funding from aligned operators (not guaranteed)

For those ready to scale thoughtfully

  • Feedback on growth strategy and capital efficiency from experienced operators
  • Analysis and refinement of investor materials
  • Connections with funders who understand your market
  • Presentation at a curated event with potential investors
  • Ongoing access to the operator community for guidance

    For those ready to transition or exit

    • Strategic advice on positioning your company for acquisition or succession
    • Consultation on valuation optimization and deal structure
    • Introductions to potential acquirers and strategic partners
    • Presentation at curated event with qualified buyers
    • Guidance from operators who’ve successfully exited
    • Private event with qualified acquirers where presentation, Q&A, feedback, and buyout discussions occur
      Startup Support

      For those seeking strategic guidance

      • Candid feedback from operators on your business model and go-to-market strategy
      • One-on-one preparation to refine your pitch and positioning
      • Presentation at curated event with qualified funders
      • Strategic insights on distribution, pricing, and early customer acquisition
      • Potential funding from aligned operators (not guaranteed)
      Capital Infusion

      For those ready to scale thoughtfully

      • Feedback on growth strategy and capital efficiency from experienced operators
      • Analysis and refinement of investor materials
      • Connections with funders who understand your market
      • Presentation at a curated event with potential investors
      • Ongoing access to the operator community for guidance
        Transition Planning

        For those ready to transition or exit

        • Strategic advice on positioning your company for acquisition or succession
        • Consultation on valuation optimization and deal structure
        • Introductions to potential acquirers and strategic partners
        • Presentation at curated event with qualified buyers
        • Guidance from operators who’ve successfully exited
          View services
          BEYOND THE CHAIR

          Est. 1919 · Des Moines, Iowa

          HOTEL FORT DES MOINES

          A century of stories, one remarkable address

          Famous Guests
          Scandals & Secrets
          Firsts & Innovations
          The Beginning
          1922
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          1922

          Helen Keller rang in the New Year here, staying at the hotel while in Des Moines for performances over New Year's Eve.

          1927
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          1927

          Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig had breakfast here before an exhibition game. Two of baseball's greatest, at the same table, in Des Moines.

          1927
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          1927

          Charles Lindbergh hosted a banquet here after his famous transatlantic flight. The menu featured boneless squab — reportedly a rare Des Moines delicacy at the time.

          1933
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          1933

          Amelia Earhart visited the hotel to speak about her solo flight across the Atlantic — a rare chance for Iowans to hear her story firsthand.

          1947
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          1947

          Mae West stayed here during her performance of "Come on Up" at the KRNT Radio Theater. One imagines she made an impression on the staff.

          1959
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          1959

          Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev occupied the Presidential Suite during the height of the Cold War. This hotel has seen history made.

          1960
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          1960

          JFK, LBJ, and Hubert Humphrey all attended dinner here and held a meeting on farm policy — three future or sitting presidents under one roof.

          1980
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          1980

          Elizabeth Taylor stayed here during a Des Moines appearance. Hollywood glamour, right here in the heartland.

          1980
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          1980

          Elizabeth Taylor stayed here during a Des Moines appearance. Hollywood glamour, right here in the heartland.

          2003
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          2003

          Cher requested her own personal mattress be placed in room #1025. The hotel obliged. Room 1025 has never quite been the same.

          2008
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          2008

          Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both stayed here during the Iowa caucuses — rivals for the presidency, sharing the same address for a night.

          1939
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          1939

          Police raided the Log Cabin Room on the 11th floor, seizing liquor and gambling equipment. The tip reportedly came from the men's own wives.

          1927
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          1927

          When Lindbergh dined here post-transatlantic flight, he reportedly insisted on serving boneless squab, an extravagance that raised eyebrows across Iowa.

          1959
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          1959

          The FBI monitored Khrushchev's stay closely. Guests on nearby floors reportedly had no idea who was sleeping down the hall.

          1971
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          1971

          President Nixon greeted supporters in the lobby during his stay — a reminder that this hotel has always been where Iowa's political drama plays out.

          1919
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          1919

          When it opened, every single room had a bathtub, purified chilled circulating water, and a window. Unheard of luxury for its era.

          1938
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          1938

          The hotel announced the first air-conditioned guest room in Des Moines, a genuine technological milestone that made front-page news.

          1953
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          1953

          100 rooms received TV sets in what was reportedly the largest single installation of televisions in Iowa at the time. The fee to operate yours? 25 cents.

          1982
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          1982

          Governor Terry Branstad nominated the hotel to the National Register of Historic Places, cementing its place in Iowa's official history.

          1919
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          1919

          The hotel opened on July 15, 1919, built for approximately $1.5 million and designed by the architectural firm Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson.

          1919
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          1919

          Its opening was a statement of ambition: every room had a private bathtub, purified water, and a window. In 1919, this was genuinely extraordinary.

          1974
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          1974

          Ronald Reagan attended WHO Radio's 50th anniversary celebration at the hotel, proof that Fort Des Moines has always been Iowa's premier gathering place.

          2021
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          2021

          After major renovations, the hotel reopened as part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, a century of history, restored for the next hundred years.