A Developer's Guide to Entrepreneurship
🎯 About This Session
Join us for an honest conversation with Justin Abrams and Mike Rispoli, co-founders of Cause of a Kind, as they share the real story behind leaving stable corporate jobs to build their own AI-first agency. If you've ever wondered whether you should take the leap into entrepreneurship, this session will give you the clarity and practical insights you need to make that decision.
📝 What We'll Cover
The pivot story: What signals told them it was time to leave their corporate roles and actually pull the trigger
Landing the first client: The real tactics that generated their initial pipeline
Financial decisions that matter: Why they bootstrapped, expensive mistakes they made, and their controversial advice about timing your exit
Packaging your services: How they developed their DISCOSPRINT®, WEEK2WEEK®, and MONTH2MONTH® models
Building with AI: Practical ways they're using AI to stay competitive
The partnership advantage: How technical + non-technical co-founders create complementary strengths
Live Q&A: Your toughest questions about making the entrepreneurial leap
🎁 Exclusive Perks for Attendees
Join us live for some incredible giveaways and discounts:
Cause of a Kind Swag Pack Raffle - Complete with a custom t-shirt shipped directly to you
Free 1-on-1 Consultative Session Raffle - Get personalized advice from Justin and Mike for your entrepreneurial journey
FIN Forecasting Exclusive Discount - Attendees get access to a special coupon code: $9/month for a full year (normally $30/month)
🔍 What Makes This Session Special
This isn't a polished success story. Justin and Mike will share the unglamorous reality of building a business - from early mistakes to operational challenges. You'll hear two different perspectives (technical vs. non-technical) on the same journey, giving you a complete picture of what entrepreneurship actually looks like for developers.
With 8+ years building Cause of a Kind and working with brands like Marriott, Disney, and The Home Depot, they've learned what works (and what doesn't) the hard way.
👥 About the Speakers
Michelle Bakels is your moderator for this fireside chat, guiding the discussion and asking the questions that matter most to developers considering entrepreneurship.
Justin Abrams is Co-Founder & CEO of Cause of a Kind. A 17x award-winning creative technologist, CSS Design Awards judge, and host of the Strictly From Nowhere Podcast, Justin brings expertise in brand strategy and scaling from zero to market - having previously consulted for Fortune 500 companies at BrightEdge.
Mike Rispoli is Co-Founder & CTO of Cause of a Kind. With 15+ years building software and previous roles as Lead Engineer at The Knot Worldwide, Mike declined offers from Spotify and Netflix to build his own thing. He brings the developer's authentic perspective on maintaining world-class standards while running a technical business.
Together, they've built Cause of a Kind from a surf lineup conversation into a thriving agency—and co-founded FIN Forecasting, a SaaS platform born from their own operational needs.
This event is hosted by G2i, a talent marketplace connecting top-tier developers with meaningful remote work. As a community deeply invested in developer career growth and entrepreneurial journeys, we're excited to facilitate this candid conversation about one of the most significant career decisions you can make - and ensure you have the real information you need to make it wisely.