Shows
Portland, Oregon, startup news - Silicon FloristWeek ending Apr 25, 2025 - Portland startup newsPortland Startup Week 2025 (06:55) is only 2 weeks away. Get the latest news on PDX Startup Week and all of the events, Portland startup raises $11.2M, some interesting guests in town, and a couple of startup applications that are due. Let's get into it…PORTLAND STARTUP LINKS- Photon Marine https://photonmarine.com/- Newlab https://www.newlab.com/- Pitch Black Podcast https://www.pitchblack.org/podcast/clarence-bethea- Show up for small business (Ankeny Alley) https://www.meetup.com/pie-portland-startup-community/events/307221148/- Portland Startup Week 2025 https://lu.ma/pdxstartupweek- Araceli Biosciences - https://www.aracelibio.com/ - https://www.youtube.com/wa...
2025-04-2521 min
The Pitch Black PodcastS1:E07 - Clarence BetheaIn this episode, Stephen Green sits down with Clarence Bethea, former founder of Upsie and now a partner at True Ventures, one of the largest seed funds in the country. Clarence shares real talk about what it means to go from founder to VC, the art of the pitch, why storytelling is everything, and how founders can navigate the often confusing and high-pressure world of venture capital—without losing themselves in the process.Clarence doesn’t hold back. Plus, he gives a behind-the-scenes look at True Ventures’ approach to backing great people and building real communit...
2025-04-1137 min
Omni Talk RetailStartup Funding Tips: VC Insights from Clarence Bethea at True VenturesJoin Chris and Anne for a candid conversation with Clarence Bethea, investor and executive in residence at True Ventures, as he shares his incredible journey from a troubled youth to startup success with Upsie and becoming a VC. Clarence discusses how AI is shaping the future of retail and startups, the importance of empathy and honesty in funding decisions, and share practical advice for early-stage entrepreneurs, including why early money matters.Key Moments:(1:00) Clarence’s personal journey from Georgia to VC success(3:00) Building Upsie and disrupting the warranty market(7:00) True Ventures’ focus on seed-stage investments and AI(1...
2024-12-1725 min
Omni Talk RetailStartup Funding Tips: VC Insights from Clarence Bethea at True VenturesJoin Chris and Anne for a candid conversation with Clarence Bethea, investor and executive in residence at True Ventures, as he shares his incredible journey from a troubled youth to startup success with Upsie and becoming a VC. Clarence discusses how AI is shaping the future of retail and startups, the importance of empathy and honesty in funding decisions, and share practical advice for early-stage entrepreneurs, including why early money matters.
Key Moments:
(1:00) Clarence’s personal journey from Georgia to VC success
(3:00) Building Upsie and disrupting the warranty market
(7:00) True Ventures’ focus on seed-stage investments and AI
(11:00) Challenges for women and...
2024-12-1525 min
It's Not Magic, a Sixth Street podcastSixth Street Live from Dallas: Maj. Gen. Rod Lewis, Clarence Bethea, and Sean MendyOur Sixth Street team plus friends from across our Dallas network came together for a night of conversation to discuss business leadership, culture, and connections. We were honored to be joined by our great friends United States Air Force Major General (ret.), Rod Lewis, True Ventures EIR and Investor Clarence Bethea, and Westbound Equity Partners co-founder Sean Mendy in a discussion led by Sixth Street Founder and Co-President David Stiepleman. Our panelists discussed their remarkable career trajectories, how they set their teams up for success, and how to adapt skills and mindsets for the different seasons of a career.
2024-01-1557 min
What Would The Church Say?! With The Veleka B. ProjectNew Music Monday - Guest Melissa BetheaSend us a textPowerhouse Singer MELISSA BETHEALeaves Jersey Roots for New Chapter in Texas,Drops “Awesome” New Radio Single Houston, TX: Former Jersey Girl Melissa Bethea’s debut radio track, “You’re Coming Out,” snatched over a half million digital streams in 2021. The mesmerizing gospel belter who shot to church fame as the soloist on the GRAMMY® Award nominated group JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise hits such as “No Holding Back” and “You Are Worthy,” is ready for her next close-up. On August 26th, the Houston, Texas transplant will release the bouncy track, “...
2022-08-3028 minWhat Would The Church Say?! With The Veleka B. ProjectNew Music Monday - Guest Melissa BetheaSend us a textPowerhouse Singer MELISSA BETHEALeaves Jersey Roots for New Chapter in Texas,Drops “Awesome” New Radio Single Houston, TX: Former Jersey Girl Melissa Bethea’s debut radio track, “You’re Coming Out,” snatched over a half million digital streams in 2021. The mesmerizing gospel belter who shot to church fame as the soloist on the GRAMMY® Award nominated group JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise hits such as “No Holding Back” and “You Are Worthy,” is ready for her next close-up. On August 26th, the Houston, Texas transplant will release the bouncy track, “...
2022-08-3028 min
Trucking for MillennialsFrom Basketball to Prison to Trucking to Tech CEO Raising $25M w/ Clarence BetheaToday we have the inspiring story of Clarence Bethea, who Michael connected with this week at a recent event. Clarence is the CEO of Upsie, a warranty company which saves its customers anywhere from 50% to 90% compared to competitor warranty plans. While his main area of focus is not trucking, Clarence found himself on the path of personal and professional growth through an opportunity that began in the trucking industry. Throughout the conversation you'll hear how Clarence transformed himself from a talented basketball player with a criminal history and not much education to being m...
2021-11-221h 04
Black Tech Green MoneyHow you too can raise $18.2 Million w/ Clarence BetheaClarence Bethea is founder and CEO of Upsie, a technology company offering consumers an alternative when purchasing extended warranties for electronics like mobile devices and home appliances.He recently closed an $18 million Series A funding round.On this episode, Clarence speaks with Will Lucas about raising large startup financing rounds, capital intensive launch strategies, and how to make warranties sexy.Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucasLearn more about other Black tech disruptors and innovators at AfroTech.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork...
2021-09-0736 min
Marcus Whitney's Audio UniverseE108: Black Leadership in Tech and Entrepreneurship with Clarence Bethea - #MWL Ep. 39Today’s guest on #MWL is Clarence Bethea, founder, and CEO of Upsie. We talk about entrepreneurship, his experience with VC and accelerators, and the current state of Black leadership in tech. Also... how the good people in Minneapolis are doing.
2020-07-2232 min
By All MeansEpisode 13 - Upsie Founder and CEO Clarence BetheaClarence Bethea does not fit the typical venture capitalist’s profile of a promising founder. He grew up in a broken home, got into trouble with the law, dropped out of college. But when he started working in a group home with vulnerable adults, something clicked.
Through a series of jobs and mentorships, he realized what he was meant to do: start something. “My heart and soul is built to build something big.” In 2015, he launched Upsie, a warranty app designed to make it easier and more affordable for consumers to protect their purchases. Very quickly, Bethea pitched Upsie for the Te...
2019-07-3146 min
The JourneyThe Will to Survive with Clarence Bethea, Founder and CEO of UpsieClarence Bethea (Twitter, LinkedIn) is the founder of Upsie — a company that sells extended warranties for consumer electronics. But Clarence isn’t a typical startup founder. He didn’t go to an ivy league university. He doesn’t live in Silicon Valley. And entrepreneurship wasn’t even on his radar as a kid. He had a rough childhood. And most of the time, his biggest concern was finding food, and surviving until the next day. “If you had asked me when I was ten years old, what do you want to be when you grow up, my answer was a...
2019-07-3111 min
The Founders MentalityEP.8 Be IntentionalIn episode 8 “Be Intentional” Host Josh Fedie of SalesReach.io welcomes guest Clarence Bethea of Upsie. Since participating in Techstars in 2017, Upsie has been a rocket securing the customers and funding needed to disrupt the warranty industry. A beacon of grace, humility, humanity and inspiration, Clarence walks listeners through his journey from lightbulb moment to growing business and discusses what helped him get there.
I highly recommend that you watch Clarence on his Coffee & Closers episode with Mickeli Bedore first before watching this episode.
Watch the video on our website: http://thefoundersmentality.com
Lear...
2019-04-2934 min
Coffee&ClosersCoffee & Closers - Selling Uphill feat. Clarence BetheaIf learning how to increase revenue and make more money for your business is a skill you’ve been looking to acquire or fine-tune, please join us for this Q&A series. The goal of this gathering is for attendees to authentically receive process design, tools used, and tips on what works to successfully grow revenue. This is a natural interview style format that will give you a peek into some of the top sales minds that propelled the growth of companies like When I Work, Workday, Microsoft, Magnet360 and more. This series is for entrepreneurs, small businesses, intraprenuers, solopreneur...
2019-04-1533 min
Schmidt ListThe Importance of Mentorship with Clarence Bethea - Ep 039As Founder and CEO of Upsie, Clarence Bethea joins me to talk about how essential it is to not only have a trusted mentor but to become one yourself. Get full access to Schmidt Stack at kurtschmidt.substack.com/subscribe
2018-08-2136 min
Schmidt List - Business InsightsThe Importance of Mentorship with Clarence Bethea - Ep 039As Founder and CEO of Upsie, Clarence Bethea joins me to talk about how essential it is to not only have a trusted mentor but to become one yourself.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/schmidt-list-business-insights--2664825/support.
2018-08-2136 min
The PriceClarence Bethea - Founder of UpsieFounded in 2015 by Clarence Bethea, Upsie is an insurance technology company changing the way device warranties are purchased, managed and serviced. In this episode, Clarence tells the story of how he learned about his opportunity in the marketplace, how he got the first version of his product made, and what it was like to raise money via TechStars. Clarence also explains the thing that keeps him motivated and excited everyday.
2018-07-181h 02
Top Figure PodcastEP: 11 Challenges Startup Entrepreneurs FaceIn this #KeyCast we sit down with Clarence Bethea a local tech entreprenuer, where we discuss his journey of running a startup, its challenges, as well as his process of raising $1.7 million for his startup company, Upsie.
2018-07-0628 min
upsideUP010: Upsie // a cheaper way to protect your stuffUpsie is a mobile app platform that provides an easier & better way to protect your stuff. You get the same warranties and coverage offered by other companies, but at an affordable price. Upsie is an alum of the Techstars Retail accelerator and is based in Minneapolis, MN.//Clarence Bethea is the founder and CEO of Upsie.learn more about Upsie: https://upsie.com/follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
2018-06-201h 30
I Am Black Success®This Black Founder is Disrupting the Warranty Business | Clarence BetheaClarence is the Founder & CEO of Upsie, which is a free mobile app that now gives us the power of making warranty decisions directly to the consumer. Clarence has worked with several startups and Fortune 500 companies & previously helped launch other ventures. He had this frustrating laptop warranty experience, and realized there was a significant opportunity to reinvent the warranty industry. And so using his wealth of business knowledge and new found passion for improving the warranty experience, he worked to make warranty purchasing simple, fun and educational for consumers. In this episode, we discussed:
2016-03-2833 min