2024 StartupAZ’s Founders Collective Retreat

Sept 5-7

Day(s)

Hour(s)

Minute(s)

Second(s)

Event Schedule

Thursday

05

3:00pm

Check-in: Village Camp

Village Camp – Clubhouse
1 VC Dr
Bellemont, AZ 86015
(Map)

4:30pm – 8:00pm

Fireside Chat Dinner

4:30 pm – Networking and Drinks

Begin your evening by connecting with fellow founders and community leaders.

5:00 pm – Fireside Chat with Ernie Garcia III, CEO of Carvana

Join us for an engaging fireside chat with Ernie Garcia III, CEO of Carvana. The discussion will start promptly at 5:00p, offering insights and inspiration from one of the leading figures in the Phoenix startup ecosystem. Facilitated by Christie Kerner.

6:00 pm – Dinner and Conversation

Continue the conversation over dinner, sharing ideas and experiences in a relaxed and informal setting.

Location:
The home of Mario & Kelly Martinez
1636 E Mira Vista Court
Flagstaff, AZ 86005
(Map)
Carpooling recommended

Ernie Garcia III

Co-Founder and CEO of Carvana

Ernie Garcia, III co-founded Carvana and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since their inception in 2012. Mr. Garcia is also Chairman of the Carvana Co. Board. Prior to founding Carvana, Mr. Garcia held various roles at the DriveTime Automotive Group, Inc. from January 2007 to January 2013. From January 2007 to December 2008, he served as a financial strategist. He was a managing director of corporate finance from December 2008 to November 2009. From November 2009 until January 2013, he served as a Vice President and Treasurer and Director of Quantitative Analytics. As Director of Quantitative Analytics, Mr. Garcia was responsible for the firm’s ongoing development of consumer credit scoring models, and its utilization of those tools in retail vehicle sales deal structuring and vehicle price optimization. Prior to DriveTime, Mr. Garcia was an associate in the Principal Transactions Group at RBS Greenwich Capital from 2005 to 2006, where he focused on consumer credit based investments. Mr. Garcia holds a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.

Friday

06

7:30am

Breakfast

@ Village Camp Event Lawn

Represent your startup – wear your company shirt!

8:30am

Opening Remarks

Get ready to dive into a day filled with learning, networking, and growth opportunities.

9:00am – 11:00am

Workshop: Building a Scalable Sales Process

Join Dan Tyre for an engaging workshop on building a scalable sales process. Learn how to build strong customer relationships, communicate effectively, and close deals with confidence. Enhance your sales skills and drive business success with insights from an industry expert.

Workshop: Talent and Culture

Join us for an insightful workshop on building teams for growth, featuring:

Cailean Bailey, Global Talent Acquisition Leader at Design Pickle
Linny Kresch Jones, Co-founder of Tandemly

Gain valuable strategies and practical tips from industry leaders on fostering a thriving team culture and driving organizational growth.

11:30pm – 1:00pm

Lunch

@ Village Camp Amphitheater

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Storytelling: Founder F-ups

Join Arizona founders for an engaging session on the power of vulnerability in leadership. Facilitated by Aly Saxe, this storytelling event will explore the human side of company building, highlighting how embracing our mistakes can become a source of strength and growth.

Featuring:
Nirit Rubenstein, Founder/CEO, Dovly
Jacob Findlay, Founder/Executive Chairman, Fullbay (acquired, 2024)
Ken Robertson, Co-Founder/Picmonic (acquired, 2021), COO, BY Banger

1:00pm – 3:30pm

Survival Challenge
with Jon Helleson

Using your survival skills your team will compete for the title of sole survivors!

Meet and Greet (1:00- 1:15)

Fun icebreaker activity and meet your instructor!

Survival Skills (1:15- 2:30)

Make fire by friction, weave rope from yucca leaves, create an improvised shelter, learn to hunt, get water from plants…

AND MORE!

The Survival Challenge (2:30- 3:00)

Game on! Using what you have learned, your team will be put to the test in a series of fun, hands-on challenges!

3:30pm – 5:30pm

Break

5:30pm – 8:00pm

Founders Collective Dinner

5:30 pm – Networking and Drinks

Kick off the evening by connecting with fellow founders. Enjoy the opportunity to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones.

6:00 pm – Dinner

Gather for a delightful dinner, continuing your conversations and sharing experiences in a relaxed atmosphere.

Location:
Village Camp – Event Lawn

8:30pm

Founders Block Party @ Village Camp

Join us for a lively Founders Block Party at Village Camp! Explore several themed cabins, each offering unique experiences. Founders are encouraged to hop from cabin to cabin, enjoying a night of fun, networking, and discovery.

Saturday

07

8:00am – 9:30am

Breakfast and Wellness

Start your day with a nutritious breakfast followed by wellness activities designed to invigorate your mind and body. Enjoy a balanced meal and engage in practices that promote overall well-being and prepare you for a productive day ahead.

Before 9:30 am

Check out

Please checkout before Mario’s closing remarks at 9:30 am.

The checkout process is pretty easy. Just text Village Camp (they will provide the instructions) that you’re leaving, repark your car in the general parking area and join us back at the Clubhouse Event Space for Mario’s closing remarks.

9:30am – 11:00am

Closing Remarks with Mario

Join Mario for the closing remarks as he shares insights on company building and leaves founders with words of inspiration and support. Reflect on the journey, celebrate achievements, and gain valuable motivation for the road ahead.

Mario Martinez

StartupAZ Co-Founder + Chairman Emeritus
MRTNZ Ventures Founder + CEO

Who’s all going?