We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cherie Werner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Cherie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

For me, FIESTA’s mission is deeply personal. As someone who has experienced the isolation and challenges of being a founder plus being married to a serial entrepreneur, I know how arduous this journey can be. I am passionate about supporting the growth of others. FIESTA allows me to cheer on, give back, and help others overcome obstacles by building a supportive environment that nurtures innovation and success. By connecting people, promoting a giving environment, and celebrating achievements, I’ve seen individuals realize their potential, find co-founders, create opportunities, and secure funding. It’s gratifying to inspire and support the next generation of entrepreneurs, and I firmly believe in the transformative power of community and collaboration.

During COVID, I connected with over 200 fascinating individuals on Lunchclub, sharing the vision for our startup KOYA and building relationships virtually. Many of these individuals had moved to Austin during the pandemic without knowing anyone, and being from the South, we invited several over for a home-cooked meal, creating meaningful in-person connections. After the pandemic, there was a pent-up demand to meet face-to-face again rather than virtually.

FIESTA was born from this desire to bring back in-person events without the lingering fear of COVID and my extroverted need to be around others. As a founder, FIESTA sought to address the challenges founders, funders, entrepreneurs, and startup teams often face—such as limited access to resources, mentorship, and meaningful connections—by bridging these gaps and fostering a robust and supportive network.

F.I.E.S.T.A. stands for Founders, Investors, Entrepreneurs, Startups, Techies, and Austin Newcomers. We recognize that the startup journey can be challenging and often lonely, but we believe an engaged and supportive community can be the unfair advantage that makes all the difference. Our mission is focused on four key areas:

1. Fostering Connections: In Austin’s rapidly growing tech scene, we provide a centralized gathering where like-minded individuals can come together monthly to share ideas, collaborate, help one another, and build lasting relationships.

2. Providing Resources: Many startups struggle due to a lack of access to essential resources like funding. FIESTA connects startups with the tools and knowledge.

3. Encouraging a giving and welcoming environment: We are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed and empowered regardless of background.

4. Celebrating Successes: Entrepreneurship is challenging, and FIESTA believes in celebrating every milestone to keep the community motivated and inspired.

Cherie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi, I’m Cherie Werner, Founder and CEO—Chief Empowerment Officer—of FIESTA, Austin’s fastest-growing founder community. I’ve called Austin home for over 34 years, and as a native Texan, I’ve always been passionate about building connections and helping others pursue their dreams. This passion for creating supportive networks inspired me to start FIESTA, a community focused on helping early-stage founders, entrepreneurs, and professionals navigate Austin’s vibrant startup ecosystem.

FIESTA was born out of my desire to bring people together, especially after COVID heightened the need for in-person connections. I created FIESTA to provide a space where newcomers to the tech scene and Austin could find resources, support, and a sense of belonging. Since its inception in July 2021, FIESTA has grown tremendously, hosting over 60 events and drawing more than 9,500 attendees. Our events average around 220 attendees each month, and we’ve expanded to include FoundHERs, a women-focused event that empowers female founders. We also share valuable information through the FIESTA Focus and FoundHER Focus newsletters.

I’m proud of several key milestones: FIESTA celebrated its third anniversary in July, I was nominated by my peers for DIVINCs Champion of Change 2024 in the Spacemaker category, FIESTA recently hosted its first global events in Pakistan in March and we visited Toronto, where we learned how other ecosystems support founders.

What sets FIESTA apart is our focus on fostering connections, providing resources, and creating a supportive environment where founders can thrive. I’m deeply committed to helping early-stage founders be seen and find their footing in Austin’s tech landscape. Whether through our monthly events, women’s initiatives, or our community calendar, we strive to connect people and provide the tools they need to succeed.

My journey began in 1985, when I married my best friend, Jon Werner, FIESTA’s CTO and my biggest supporter. Together, we’ve mentored students, guided numerous couples through premarital counseling, and I’ve supported Jon with his startup, Bones in Motion (2002 -2009) sold to Adidas. I made him promise he’d never do another startup given how taxing the seven years were on our marriage and family. Startups are like childbirth, you forget the pain soon after the delivery/acquisition. Hence together in 2018, KOYA – Kindness on Ya! was launched. While these experiences were indeed foundational, the role that prepared me the most was being a stay-at-home mom to our three daughters. Raising and homeschooling them gave me transferable skills like organization, educator, community builder, empathy, compassion, and the ability to foster meaningful connections—all of which I now apply in my work with FIESTA where I’ve been dubbed the “startup mama!”

At my core, I am driven by a desire to uplift others. As a certified life coach, I believe in fostering growth, collaboration, and success in everything I do. My mission with FIESTA is to create a space where founders are seen, heard, and supported on their journey, knowing that by helping others we can create lasting change in our community. I may have started as a stay-at-home mom, but today, I am proud to be Austin’s “startup mama,” dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

“Do not judge me by my success. Judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” – Nelson Mandela.

I’ve experienced hardships, misunderstandings, and immense joy in the three years since starting FIESTA. Life has a way of throwing challenges at us, but how we choose to respond makes all the difference. I’ve learned that playing the victim doesn’t benefit anyone—embracing resilience is far better. To me, resilience means not just surviving but pushing forward, navigating life’s challenges, and thriving despite them. It’s about finding the silver linings and practicing gratitude, no matter how hard the road may be.

This past July and August tested my resilience once again in ways I never expected. On June 30, I experienced a freak accident, tearing my hamstring tendon from the bone while walking. I had surgery on July 9 and was unable to put any weight on my leg for five weeks. It was physically demanding, but the support I received from the FIESTA community—people reaching out and bringing meals—reminded me of the benefits of community as I received such an outpouring of care.

But that wasn’t the end. On July 29, my daughter had knee surgery, which turned out to be more complex than anticipated. I couldn’t help her as much as I wanted due to my own recovery. Then, just two days later, on July 31, my mother-in-law underwent a major shoulder surgery. Three surgeries in one month felt like too much to bear, each one piling on more weight. As August unfolded, my mother-in-law faced complications and has since spent two weeks in the hospital, with two additional surgeries behind her.

Being a parent while also caring for aging family members adds another layer of complexity to life. It has taught me the importance of setting priorities. Family is at the top of that list, and sometimes that means saying “no” to other demands and being kind to myself, acknowledging that I can’t do it all. There have been countless moments when I felt like giving up, when the burden of serving others felt overwhelming. But as the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” I’ve realized that in order to keep serving others, I need to take care of myself first. Easier said than do ;-)

Starting FIESTA is another example of resilience in my life as you are never too old to serve. I’ve faced the isolation of entrepreneurship, especially during COVID, but instead of letting that hold me back, I chose to build community, one meal at a time. I invited strangers, many new to Austin, over for dinner and helped them connect with each other. That simple act of connection grew into FIESTA, now Austin’s fastest-growing founder community. But the journey hasn’t been without setbacks.

Monetizing FIESTA was one of the biggest challenges I faced. Without sustainable revenue, volunteers didn’t stay long, and, most painfully, my daughters—who co-founded FIESTA with my husband and I—had to move on to pursue other opportunities. Last summer, I attempted to build a volunteer-based organization to expand FIESTA, but it didn’t work out, causing frustration for everyone involved and leaving me to pick up the pieces. To add to it all, I had a health scare in July that further complicated things.

Despite these setbacks, I’ve never stopped moving forward. My favorite quote sums it up perfectly: “Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s not what you envisioned. You can fight it, scream about what you’ve lost, or you can accept it and build something good from what remains.” That mindset has carried me through the difficult times, and it continues to drive me today.

Every challenge has made me stronger and more determined to create a space where others can thrive. Whether it’s juggling family responsibilities or navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, I’ve always found a way to rise above and keep moving forward. Resilience is not just part of my journey—it’s at the heart of everything I do. It’s how I’ve turned obstacles into opportunities, and it’s how I continue to build something meaningful from whatever life throws my way.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe my reputation as a community builder and connector was built on consistently showing up with a heart of service and a genuine commitment to follow through on my word. When I said I would do something, I did it. From the beginning of FIESTA, my focus was always on helping others and creating a space where people felt welcomed, supported, and valued. I never approached this with a personal agenda or for the sake of building a community for my benefit; it was always about lifting others and supporting them on their unique journey.

One key element in building my reputation has been my focus on collaboration over competition. I actively seek opportunities to work with others in the ecosystem because I genuinely believe we can accomplish much more when we come together. Collaboration makes things more accessible and practical for founders, which has always been my priority. People often ask me who my competition is, and honestly, I don’t see myself as competing with anyone. Everything I do is centered around the founder’s journey, not my own agenda.

I see FIESTA as the hub and the various ecosystem builders and providers as essential spokes. Each one plays a vital role in supporting founders, and by working together, we create a more robust, more beneficial network. It’s never been about me—it’s always been about serving the founders and ensuring they have the resources, connections, and support they need to thrive. This collaborative mindset has helped foster a deep sense of trust and authenticity within the community, showing that when we prioritize the success of others, we all succeed together.

Six decades of life experience have also shaped how I approach community building. I understand the value of empathy, patience, and perseverance, and I apply those lessons to everything I do. Over time, people have known that when they engage with FIESTA, they are connecting with someone who genuinely cares about their success and well-being.

At the end of the day, I believe what helped me build my reputation was an unwavering commitment to giving more than I take, leading with kindness and integrity, and always showing up for others. This servant mindset is why I’ve been dubbed the “startup mom,” and it continues to guide me as I work to create a thriving, supportive community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fiesta.community/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiesta.community/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherie.werner
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherie-werner/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fiestacommunity-atx/videos

Image Credits

Cherie Werner, Isaac Rodriguez, Ibukun (Tayo) Falaiye, Travis Lilley, & Nick Williams