Kasra Khalili created the Baton Rouge chapter of Startup Grind from what he says is an entrepreneur field “riddled in networking problems.”
The monthly series is hosted at Tin Roof Brewing. Framed as “fireside chats,” the meetings swap local entrepreneurial stories and advice.
The next meeting, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, will be led by Vishal Vasanji, CEO and co-founder of Relief Telemed. Those interested can sign up online here.
Khalili, a Southeastern Louisiana University graduate, launched his networking app Mintor in July to match entrepreneurs based on experience levels, needs, personality and backgrounds.
Mintor and the Startup Grind series are working hand-in-hand to better the entrepreneurial scene in Baton Rouge.
After finding too many “gatekeepers” locally and eventually flying out to Los Angeles every other month to meet up with his own mentor, Khalili says he wanted a better way.
“It shouldn’t have been this hard to meet someone that you’re just networking with,” he says.
Mintor itself is housed in the Research Park Corporation’s Louisiana Technology Park and its founders have been to a number of accelerators and other entrepreneurial events.
Yet, Khalili says the Baton Rouge entrepreneurial community is “broken into too many silos.”
Between the varying small business development groups, there’s a sense of territorialism and scooping up as many entrepreneurs as possible, even if it’s not always the right fit, he says.
“I want to be a part of the shift. And acknowledging is the first piece. There’s a connection problem, a collaboration problem in the city. It’s there,” Khalili says. “That’s where Startup Grind comes in.”
The monthly events go beyond a speaker and appetizers, using the Mintor app to pre-network attendees with three other guests to meet and leading rapid-fire ice breakers. The event also partners with The Patty-G Show, a local business podcast, to break down the lessons of the event.
The group’s February host is Mallory Whitfield, a diversity and inclusion speaker and the founder of Towards Together. The events are currently limited to 50 attendees, but Khalili says they may expand after February, possibly launching pitch competitions or peer feedback sessions.
“With the backing of Google, this is going to be one of those foundational pieces for the Baton Rouge ecosystem,” Khalili says. “I’m just the driver of their vehicle. They’re giving us what’s working.”
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