John Conafay - Co-Founder & CEO at Integrate - Providing program management software for the world's most ambitious machines.

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John’s Bio

John Conafay is a US Air Force Veteran and the CEO and Co-Founder of Integrate, building program management software with a systems engineering approach for the world’s most ambitious machines. Previously he was an early employee at three space unicorns – Head of BD at ABL Space Systems, was one of the first ten employees at Astranis, and Interned at Spire Global early on. He also worked at the Office of the CFO NASA Headquarters while at BryceTech and was a Director of Business Development at Spaceflight.

We talked about the following and other items

Art, music, and the Air Force

Fundraising, market validation, and investor diligence in the space industry.

Fundraising for a startup in the space industry.

Fundraising strategies for startups.

Entrepreneurship, military service, and space exploration.

Space industry, entrepreneurship, and the democratization of space technology.

Space exploration and its potential benefits.

Space technology, entrepreneurship, and the challenges of getting things done.

Hiring and learning in software engineering.

Startup equity splits and employee compensation.

Sales strategies and industry conferences.

Startups, entrepreneurship, and lessons learned.

Design philosophy and product roadmap for a space technology company.

Pricing and expansion strategies for a software company.

Entrepreneurship, leadership, and self-care.

Building software for managing hardware development.

UFOs and extraterrestrial life.

Space exploration, internet access, and AI.

Space exploration and mining with a focus on India's space program.

Entrepreneurship, work ethic, and self-care.

Remote work and company culture

. Military service and personal growth.

Business growth and program management in the space industry.

Leadership, decision-making, and trust in a startup environment.

John’s Social Media

John’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conafay/

Integrate Website: https://integrate.co/

Integrate X: https://twitter.com/integrate_co

John’s Advice

Keep your friends close, and be good to your partner. Don't let those things fall by the wayside. Or learn how to not let those fall by the wayside. Because this can be absolutely all consuming.

Crystal Clarity is the COO for s2s Public Relations and Communications, a boutique public relations firm serving startups and small businesses, primarily in the life sciences, biotech and clean tech sectors.

Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms.

Sponsor

CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. www.CavnessHR.com

Crystal’s Bio

Crystal Clarity is the COO for s2s Public Relations and Communications, a boutique public relations firm serving startups and small businesses, primarily in the life sciences, biotech and clean tech sectors.

Crystal has built her career on the premise that clarity and authenticity build trust, strengthen relationships and foster success. She has spent the past 20 years working with startups, nonprofits and public sector organizations to build their brand through marketing, public relations, public affairs, events and internal communications.

A former journalist, Crystal's prior roles include TV news Executive Producer, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Pacific Science Center and, most recently, she led new business vertical development and investor relations for a Seattle-based startup.

We talked about the following and other items

Optimism, resilience, and helping others become more optimistic.

Life balance, resilience, and self-care. Self-criticism and managing inner voices.

News industry changes and storytelling.

The challenges of modern journalism in the digital age.

Storytelling, journalism, and entrepreneurship.

Startup funding and vulnerability.

Science education and outreach at Pacific Science Center.

Generosity, leadership, and lifelong learning.

Learning new skills and personal growth.

Creating and maintaining a newsletter for a business.

Content marketing for small businesses.

Setting boundaries with clients in the PR industry.

Crisis management and reputation management strategies.

PR strategies for tech startups.

Social media platforms for HR professionals and investors.

New social media platforms and their potential for success.

The dangers of poorly timed PR announcements.

PR strategy and media placement.

PR firm's approach to building relationships with journalists.

Space technology, lifespan increase, and ethical considerations.

Startup investment and networking in Seattle.

PR agency's focus, business model, and work-life balance.

Travel experiences and networking in various cities.

Networking and events with a focus on building connections.

Growing a content creation team and promoting Tacoma as a viable alternative to Seattle.

Crystal’s Social Media

Crystal’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalclarity/

Crystal’s X: https://twitter.com/CrystalJClarity

S2S PR Website: https://www.s2spr.com/

S2S PR X: https://twitter.com/s2sPRComms

Crystal’s Advice

I think presence is probably the thing that is most scarce in our lives today. I think the more we can carve out time to be fully present, the more successful we're going to be in all the work that we do both personally and professionally.

So if I could just put that out there as a kind of a thought, seek opportunities to be fully present with yourself and with people. Because there has never been a time where there have been more distractions and more noise than there is now. It's really hard to do good work and make a big difference when you've got 27 things on at the same time

Jason Doudt - CEO - Quantify 360 Solutions

Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms.

Sponsor

CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. www.CavnessHR.com

Partners

Message your customers - https://www.tawk.to/?pid=byo1znq

Payroll - https://offers.everee.com/cavness-hr

Sales CRM for small business - https://refer.close.com/100cqlbfcgg5

Health Insurance and Benefits - https://www.peoplekeep.com/refer

Jason’s Bio

As the CEO of Quantify 360 Solutions, Inc., I lead a dedicated team focused on driving digital transformation. With over 20 years of diverse experience in sales, consulting, and problem-solving, my journey is characterized by a steadfast commitment to helping clients and customers achieve their objectives through innovative solutions and strategic consulting. Currently, I also proudly serve as a Strategic/Government Account Executive for Astound Business Solutions.

In this role, I am dedicated to expanding Astound's Fiber network through Dark and Lit networks in the Western Washington State Area. My mission here aligns with my broader professional philosophy: to facilitate efficiencies in network infrastructure solutions and offer technical consulting that genuinely impacts and improves business operations.

Whether collaborating with founders, small to medium-sized businesses, or government accounts, my passion lies in solving problems through leading technology and digital transformation. My experience in the ISP space, enriched with specialized knowledge in fiber optic and data network solutions, underpins my ability to provide practical, forward-thinking, and sustainable technology solutions.

Let’s connect to explore how we can collaboratively navigate the path of innovation, efficiency, and success in your technology journey.

We talked about the following and other items

Hobbies

Small business challenges in Dupont, WA.

Development in DuPont, Washington.

Local development and military experience.

Tech consulting, custom software development, and problem-solving.

Choosing the right tech stack for a startup idea.

Team structure and client onboarding in a small consulting firm.

Outsourcing software development and finding skilled talent.

Developer skills and AI's impact.

Sales strategies and prospecting in the digital age.

Outsourcing software development to Argentina and dealing with challenges. Outsourcing development work to remote teams.

Remote work challenges and solutions.

Remote work, AI, and technology advancements. AI ethics and governance.

Chat GPT's potential features and developer tools.

AI, robotics, and job displacement.

AI, robots, and human dignity.

Web3, blockchain, AI, and virtual reality.

AI and its potential to widen the gap between developed and developing countries.

Immigration, economic stability, and technology.

AI education in schools and its potential impact.

Data privacy and security in the digital age.

Personal growth and societal messages.

Work ethic, productivity, and work-life balance.

Tech industry diversity and career development.

Tech industry layoffs and finding affordable developers.

Software development project management and client expectations.

Starting a tech company with a focus on AI and social issues.

Liberal arts education at Evergreen State College.

Tolerance and understanding in America.

Jason’s Social Media

Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doudt-a217ba3/

Company Website: https://www.q360s.com/