How to Raise from Top VCs and Save Millions on Taxes: Money Tips for Founders Who Actually Want to Win

​About the Event
Founders wear a hundred hats. But when it comes to money, it pays to get things right early - unless you have the right experts who got your back.

​You will hear from:

​Healy Jones: Head of Finance at Neo, a mentorship-driven venture firm and accelerator supporting diverse, next-gen founders. Featured in WSJ, Forbes, and TechCrunch, Healy brings deep domain expertise from previous work at Kruze Consulting, where he advised startups that collectively raised over $2 billion in venture financing. He has raised and invested two micro venture funds, worked as an investor at multiple funds, and held operating roles at startups and founded an successfully exited a bootstrapped startup.

​Echo Zhong: Co-Founder, Managing Partner of Zhong & Sanchez, a modern accounting, tax advisory and fractional CFO firm helping founders scale smarter with AI-driven systems and tax strategy. As formerly founding product SME at Kick.co (an OpenAI-backed startup) and Big Four CPA, Echo blends technical rigor with startup execution. Having saved clients $3M+ in taxes, and angel invested in 10+ startups, Echo is passionate about helping founders scale smarter and avoid costly mistakes.

​In this live event, we’ll cover:

​📈 How to successfully close your first round of funding
With strategies that avoid common (and costly) founder mistakes

​🧠 QSBS, explained in plain English
Why this is the most powerful tax break for founders, and how to structure your company to qualify

​💸 How to manage your personal finances as a founder
Additional tax tips, how much to pay yourself and your employees

​👥 Best practices for building in the AI era
Real use cases of productivity gain from adopting AI

​Who Should Attend
Early-stage startup founders, first-time entrepreneurs, and anyone preparing for their first hire or raise. Whether you’re bootstrapped or venture backed, you’ll walk away with frameworks and tips you can use immediately.

​🍽️ Dinner and drinks provided while engaging in meaningful conversations with fellow attendees.

​Cohost
EntreConnect is a dynamic community of entrepreneurs and investors, founded in 2023 to empower those building and scaling businesses. We understand the challenges and isolation of the entrepreneurial journey and exist to bridge that gap through world-class events, unparalleled speakers, and transformative connections. We have brought together 14,000+ entrepreneurs, operators, business leaders, and investors through our events — fostering collaboration, exchanging insights, and fueling innovation across the global startup ecosystem. Follow our LinkedIn for upcoming events.

​👉 Sign up here to secure exclusive early access 💌 and join a community that empowers your entrepreneurial spirit!

​Partner
​​JJLake is an innovative hub that enables cross-border entrepreneurs. Located in Silicon Valley, Boston and Germany Frankfurt, JJLake aims to foster innovation and growth through accelerator programs, community events, investor networks, and global market access. 

​Spots are limited; reserve yours now.

​​Can't make it live? Sign up anyway – we'll be sending out workshop materials and templates so you won't miss out.