Startup Cafe: H5E Founders with Adam Miller (Cornerstone OnDemand, $5.2B Exit)
Join Jeffrey Chernick and Alix Gitter, co-authors of High Five Energy: A Different Kind of Founder (#1 Amazon New Release), for High Five Energy Founders Podcast, a deep dive into the founder experience building billion-dollar enterprises with purpose and flow.
Our special guest is Adam Miller, founder of Cornerstone OnDemand, which he started in a one-bedroom apartment and grew over two decades into a publicly traded global education technology company before it was acquired for $5.2 billion. Adam now runs for Mayor of Los Angeles and co-founded Better Angels, which has prevented 1,500 evictions and served 12,000 unhoused Angelenos. His story spans startup to public company to civic leadership.
Together, we'll explore the mindset shifts and behavioral tools behind the founder flow state, including what it means to go All In on a 20-year vision, how to Find Your Champion when you're building something no one understands yet, and why the builder's mindset doesn't stop at the exit. Walk away with clarity, strategy, and renewed energy to move forward.
Expect:
Live, unfiltered conversation and audience Q&A
Real founder stories and behavioral insights
A creative, high-vibe crowd of builders and believers
Networking, breakfast, and community energy before and after the show
Come for the advice. Stay for the flow.
Based on the book "High Five Energy: A Different Kind of Founder. Link to Book
Agenda
8:45 - 9:30 am • Coffee and Socialize
9:30- 10:30 am • Live Podcast Recording with Adam Miller
May 6th, 2026
Adam Miller, Founder of Cornerstone OnDemand ($5.2B Exit) | LA Mayoral Candidate
Adam Miller is the founder of Cornerstone OnDemand (NASDAQ: CSOD), an LA-based education technology company he started in 1999 and spent two decades scaling to 3,000 employees across 25 countries, serving tens of millions of people with over 2 billion courses. In 2021, Cornerstone was acquired for $5.2 billion.
Adam co-founded Better Angels, which has prevented 1,500 evictions and served 12,000 unhoused individuals in LA. He chaired Team Rubicon for a decade, helping scale it into the largest veteran-led disaster response organization in the country with 180,000 volunteers. He also created LA-Tech.org, connecting over 2,000 underserved youth in south and east LA with tech internships.
He is now running for Mayor of Los Angeles in the June 2026 election. He holds a BA from Penn, a BS from Wharton, a JD from UCLA Law, and an MBA from UCLA Anderson.
About: Jeffrey Chernick
Jeffrey is a 3x founder, advisor, angel investor, and former Wall Street wealth manager. He has been featured by more than 30 media outlets including Techcrunch, Forbes, and the LA Times. His company RideAmigos is the leading commute management platform, taking millions of cars off the road annually.
With over 20 million downloads and $12 million raised, his visual caller ID app, Vyng, boasts 5 billion videos played across 170 countries (acquired by Siprocal). Chernick is an inventor of 21 US Patents, 3x Emory Goizueta Business School Alumni Luminary, and both a guest lecturer and advisory board member at Pepperdine University's Entrepreneurship MBA Program. In his spare time, Jeffrey DJ's around the world with neon drum sticks.
🔗 WEBSITE
About: Alix Gitter
Alix is an American actress, writer, and producer from Los Angeles, California. Known for roles in television movies such as Blue Lagoon: The Awakening and The Bling Ring, and appearances in acclaimed series like GCB, Longmire, and Bones, Gitter has brought characters to life with humor and soul.
Beyond the screen, she is a storyteller fueled by curiosity, compassion, and the conviction that life — like art — is a collaborative effort, one where everyone’s role matters. With a passion for the creative process and deep reverence for those who dare to try, Gitter sees the world through a simple belief: creation is participation.
ABOUT The KINN
The KINN is a membership network, accelerator, and collaborative workspace for conscious entrepreneurs, based in Venice, CA. Running tailored inner development and business accelerator programs for startups, providing executive coaching, accountability, and access to a top-tier LA-based community of entrepreneurs, creatives, intrapreneurs, and investors. If you're interested in learning more about KINN Membership, please visit http://thekinn.co/apply
Pilot
Pilot provides outsourced finance and operations support for startups, including bookkeeping, tax, CFO, and COO services. We help early-stage companies scale from Pre-Seed to Series C with accurate financials, operational discipline, and investor-ready insights.
ABOUT The KINN
The KINN is a membership network, accelerator, and collaborative workspace for conscious entrepreneurs, based in Venice, CA. Running tailored inner development and business accelerator programs for startups, providing executive coaching, accountability, and access to a top-tier LA-based community of entrepreneurs, creatives, intrapreneurs, and investors. If you're interested in learning more about KINN Membership, please visit http://thekinn.co/apply
ABOUT Nerdstage
Communication training and high-impact events giving tomorrow a louder voice. Nerdstage hosts the Demo Day event series & the Nerdstage Podcast.
If you're a builder turning hard problems into progress, you might be a fit for the Nerdstage Pitch Accelerator.
Who wants to go to Japan! 🇯🇵
KINN member Jeffrey Chernick partnered with Japan’s largest travel site to launch Kabuk.com — a free travel booking platform that offers:
A personal Japanese Concierge to plan your dream trip
Monthly payment installments instead of one lump sum
Free cancellation or rebooking within 7 days of your trip
Access to unique experiences not found online
Through its parent company, Kabuk has direct partnerships with over 4,000 hotels in Japan, offering up to 40% off your stay.
Sign up at Kabuk.com, book your discovery call, and use the code KINN to receive $200 in travel credits if booked by October 31, or $100 thereafter.