Today we’d like to introduce you to Taiga Gamell

Hi Taiga , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

My story takes an unconventional path. Born in Yamagata, Japan and raised in the picturesque city of Missoula, Montana, I experienced a unique blend of cultures. Japan offered me a glimpse into a high-tech, densely populated society that harmoniously preserves its natural beauty. In contrast, Missoula, nestled at the convergence of three rivers and surrounded by five mountain ranges, provided a laid-back, small-city community vibe. Known for its vibrant outdoor scene, Missoula allowed me to appreciate the stark differences and unique charms of both worlds.

From a young age, the entrepreneurial spirit coursed through my veins. At 15, I launched my first venture: a poop-scooping business that thrived in the aftermath of Montana’s harsh winters. Earning $50-$70 per hour, I quickly learned the fulfilling nature of self-employment. This early success fueled my passion, leading me to compete in two startup weekends during high school, securing third place in one.

My academic journey at university further honed my business acumen. Pursuing a degree in business with a minor in spatial studies, I developed Kudos for my senior project – an app promoting sustainability by rewarding users with points redeemable for discounts on eco-friendly goods and services. This innovative concept earned second place at the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Fast Pitch competition, garnering significant interest.

Post-graduation, I sought hands-on experience in tech startups. My first role at Jungle Works, a SAAS branch of Click Labs, saw me excel as a business development manager. They had their sales team based in Seattle and their entire development team based in India. As a business development manager I would do the full sales cycle. I sourced my own leads and closed them selling multiple saas tools and custom dev solutions. I ended up leading the whole entire company the first quarter I joined. I closed one $70k deal that was a custom art buying app called Art buy, I believe it is still on the app store to this date. Since I lead my company in Sales the C-suite was impressed and wanted to send me to India to meet the development team and the company CEO. I ventured off to India by myself and was in for an incredible journey. I landed in New Dehli and immediately my company set me up with a driver to drive 4 hours north to Chandigarh, which is where a huge company office is located. I ended up meeting the team and saw all the amazing tech innovations Click labs was creating from delivery drones to AR and VR tools. I also got to spend time with a lot of co-workers and that was the best part of the experience.

After about a month I came back to Seattle more motivated than ever. I wanted to find a more Seattle based company to work for and I started working for a fintech company called Doxo. I also did sales but helped build out their sales team and trained some interns. This was a great contrast see how laid back a Seattle based startup is compared to a multinational development company. I learned the ins and out of how the C-suite was managing because I sat a few desks away from the company CEO. During this time the Pandemic started and we had the opportunity to work from home and thats when everything changed.

Seattle started to shut down, riots were happening, there was an autonomous zone in Capital Hill (CHAZ), some folks got shot, and I wanted to move out. I ended up moving back to Missoula in August 2020 temporarily while working remote. Remote working and not going into an office saved me a lot of time. I wanted to rekindle my dream of starting my senior project in college as my own business. I then got a team together and we started working on Kudos during my down time. We got some traction and funding to build the app. I quit my job and then started working on Kudos full time.

We ended up finding that customer acquisition was the most difficult part when launching a business, especially an app. During this time starting up Kudos I moved to Las Vegas for a few month because it was the most open spot during the pandemic and I thought it would be a great place to gain more users for Kudos. I didn’t have money coming in but I saw Turo was blowing up so I thought it would be a good opportunity to start a Turo business in Vegas. I bought a Jaguar XKR sports car to put on Turo. I didn’t realize insurance was so expensive since I was only 23 at the time so I ended up selling the Jaguar at a profit. Later a startup accelerator called New Chip reached out to me to join and I told them I am not in the position yet to join an accelerator.

A few months later Kudos ended up not going as planned and we were burning through too much capital, it was my first major startup failure, but I learned a lot. I learned to take more time into planning and focus on customer acquisition. Around this time a recruiter reached out to me to see if I would be interested in working at a startup accelerator fully remote as an account executive. That startup accelerator happened to be New Chip. It was a full circle moment and I ended up getting the AE position. I worked my way up to a team lead then after a year of sales the company c-suite thought I would be great building out the product from my past startup experience. I then switched over to the product and program team and built out the mentor program and investor relations component. During this time I was working with the Director of Product, Brian Lee, to build out these startup accelerator products. I lead the product and program team in numbers such as high quality mentors onboarded, startup investor introductions, and my boss Brian noticed.

Brian and I loved working together and then thought of launching our own business that provides startups with mentorship and access to investors. We then started Gildre. Gildre is an international membership community designed for innovators, founders, and startup leaders to elevate their entrepreneurial potential. Our platform offers a variety of resources and support mechanisms to help members grow both personally and professionally. We do this by offering mentorship as well as tools and resources. This is where I am at today.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

It hasn’t been all so smooth. Obviously there were a lot of failures and learning lessons along the way. The biggest struggle was trying to start a Turo business and I didn’t do enough research before starting and there was super high insurance costs since I was only 23 when I tried starting this business back in 2020. I also didn’t realize that acquiring customers was so challenging for an app. Kudos in theory was a great idea, but it only works if there is a large user base.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

Gildre is an international membership community designed for innovators, founders, and startup leaders to elevate their entrepreneurial potential. The platform offers a variety of resources and support mechanisms to help members grow both personally and professionally.

Key Features of Gildre:
– Personalized Mentorship: Members receive 1:1 mentorship pairing with subject matter experts in their field, aimed at accelerating professional growth.
– Meaningful Connections: The community fosters genuine, long-lasting relationships among members, mentors, and industry experts.
– Workshops and Events: Curated, interactive workshops and events are designed to engage members and bridge connections.
– Engaging Digital Community: A highly active digital Slack community with weekly AMAs, newsletters, and unique content. Online digital HQ.
– Interactive Coaching: Mentors with decades of experience provide knowledge across various industries.
Exclusive Partnerships: Members benefit from exclusive perks and partnerships to support their business or career at any stage.

The mission of Gildre is to create a supportive community for people of all professional backgrounds to come together and build impactful ventures. The community is inclusive, welcoming individuals who are motivated to build something great, regardless of their background. Members include entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals from various industries, all united by the desire to innovate and drive change

We want Gildre to be so powerful as a startup founder tool, that if an investor know they are part of Gildre– they are an investible startup with amazing credibility.

We are very proud of our brand and have many heavy hitting members in our community. Our members have raised $1billion plus.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?

Growing up as one of the few Asian children in my community, I initially grappled with self-consciousness. However, this challenge became a powerful catalyst, propelling me to excel in sports and pushing me to become the fastest and strongest version of myself. My passion for physical activities blossomed, and I found myself drawn to the intensity of boxing, the teamwork of basketball, and the exhilaration of snowboarding.

Summers were a thrilling adventure, filled with the rush of waterskiing and wakeboarding. These activities not only honed my physical skills but also provided a platform to forge strong friendships. Between the ages of 12 and 15, I embraced a carefree spirit, balancing my love for sports with a penchant for humor and fun. This period marked a significant boost in my confidence, culminating in a proud second-place finish at the national Taekwondo championships.

As I transitioned into my junior and senior years of high school, I underwent a noticeable maturation. While I maintained my athletic pursuits, I began to shift my focus towards academics and future planning. This newfound perspective led me to contemplate potential career paths and job opportunities, setting the stage for the next chapter of my life. This period of growth allowed me to strike a balance between my physical prowess and intellectual development, preparing me for the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.

Pricing:

• Gold Membership – $59/month
• Platinum Membership – $149/month
• Diamond Membership – $395/month

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gildre.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taigamell/
• Youtube: https://www.gildre.com/