August 14, 2024 - Gritty In Pink (Female Upwork) Shira Yevin and Construction Technology Chris Callen

School for Startups Radio

Shira Yevin – Punk Musician and Founder of Gritty in Pink and INPINK Marketplace

Women make 50% less on digital platforms like Fiverr and it is because
they are underpricing their services. There is a confidence gap when it
comes to women pricing their services, maybe not having that network.
We are developing an AI powered pay scale that we are excited about.
We are trying to use technology to close some of these gaps.

Shira Yevin’s innovative startup, Gritty In Pink, and its INPINK Marketplace would make for a compelling interview that aligns perfectly with your focus on transformative business ventures. Shira is a true maverick in the music industry, burst onto the scene by commandeering the Vans Warped Tour in a vibrant pink RV, a daring act of protest against the industry’s gender imbalance. This audacious move led to the birth of the Shiragirl Stage, which spotlighted over 300 female-led bands, including Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Paramore. It earned a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Warped Tour exhibit. Today, Gritty In Pink stands as a formidable force for gender equity, with INPINK at its heart—a groundbreaking marketplace that has empowered over 3,300 artists and facilitated transactions exceeding $300,000 to date. Strategic alliances with Live Nation Women and TuneCore have further amplified these impressive figures. With a $1 million seed fund on the verge of closing, INPINK is poised to become a transformative force across industries, offering a blueprint for intersectional equity and representation.

Chris Callen – Founder of PLOT – Construction Technology

Let the market tell you what they want and for them to tell you what they
want, they have to see it. They have to at least touch it and say, ‘I need
more of this’ and ‘I don’t necessarily care about this.’

Born into a construction family – both of his parents were full-time employees of a concrete contractor – Chris Callen took a different career path: technology. After he completed his studies in Business Information Systems, he worked for a brief time in corporate technology. He then went back home to lead the same construction firm where his parents worked. While pursuing the available software for construction teams, Chris founded Grit Virtual, his first startup. Although Grit was a powerful technology, it struggled to gain adoption. Licking his wounds, Chris joined another construction technology startup before finally deciding to branch out on his own again. With Koch Brothers backing, he established another company: PLOT, Procurement and Logistics Optimization Tools. Launched in mid-2022, PLOT currently works with more than 20 leading general contractors across the nation. Chris loves to connect with contractors who have problems that are solvable with software. He also enjoys sharing his ‘failure lessons’ with anyone looking to start a software company.