The Lighter Summit Turned Five! Here's What Went Down
- Stephanie Pflaum
- 20 hours ago
- 6 min read
The Lighter Summit is an experience like no other, built from a dedicated community of founders, exited founders, thought leaders, and above all, friends. It began as a simple idea to bring founders together so they wouldn't have to build alone; it's become a ritual gathering that's spanned five years, two continents, seven cities, and included more than 120 tech entrepreneurs.
We met in Park City, Utah for our 5th U.S. Lighter Summit a few weeks ago. The CEOs, founders, and startup operators in attendance this year were not just there to learn, but also to listen, share honestly, and recharge. Ultimately, the Lighter Summit gave all attendees an invaluable experience that they often miss—a chance to collaborate with peers who get it.
We're both humbled and proud that so many clients, sponsors, and alumni return to the Lighter Summit year after year. As we carry on this tradition to new cities and new leaders, we look forward to further expanding our incredible community and giving entrepreneurs more of what they need to succeed.
U.S. Lighter Summit 2025 Recap
This year, the conversations were more real than ever. We didn’t just talk theory—we shared what’s actually happening inside our companies: the hurdles, the breakthroughs, and the lessons learned along the way. That level of candor is what makes the Lighter Summit an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
Brilliance and Blind Spots: The Transformative Power of the Enneagram for Optimal Leadership
Presentation and session led by Mary Wright, M.A. and Dr. Rob Harter of Enneagram Park City.
The Enneagram is a model of personality that describes 9 different personality “types” or styles. The value of this system is that it gives a framework for leveraging strengths and recognizing blind spots or obstacles in leadership and in life. Understanding the Enneagram can be immensely helpful as a tool for maximizing personal potential in business.
Highlights:
Types 3 (The Achiever), 8 (The Challenger), and 7 (The Enthusiast) thrive in the startup world. 85% of Summit attendees fell into these categories.
Enneagram is an excellent tool for team building, and helps improve collaboration by understanding communication styles, behavioral patterns, and thought processes.
Keep in mind that this test and others like it may determine your Enneagram Type accurately, but it is not definitive. It sometimes takes some exploration to figure out your type. People are complex and can never be put “in a box”. Your Enneagram type mostly has to do with your motivation even more than just your specific behavior.
If you’re curious to learn about your own Enneagram Type, Mary and Rob suggest taking your Enneagram Personality Type with RHETI®.
“A rare chance to hit pause, rise above the day-to-day noise, and invest two days in learning, reflection, and genuine connection with fellow leaders.”
— Steve Monterroso, Board Member & CEO of ShareVault
Preparing for Your Exit: A Founder's Guide to Selling Your Company
Presentation on The State of Tech M&A Markets by Gaurav Bhasin, Managing Director of Allied Advisers
Moderated by Becky Mancero, Partner at SPZ Legal. Panelists included:
Scott Sehon, Owner of Mod 4 Finance
Dharshan Rangegowda, Founder of ScaleGrid
Rupert Mayer, former Founder, CEO & Chief of Product of IPfolio (acquired by Clarivate) and current Co-Founder & Technical Director of Bright Saver
Ulrik Binzer, former Founder & CEO of Host Compliance and current Founder & Managing Director at Fairplay Capital Partners
Gaurav Bhasin, Managing Director of Allied Advisers
Highlights:
Preparation is key - build systems and knowledge for exit early, even before you’re ready.
Begin preparing at least two years in advance, and maintain 24 months of clean financials, budgets, and reports.
Ensure any private equity firm you partner with aligns with your values and goals.
Beyond the Exit Door: Why Founders Fumble their Sale and Crash After
Dave Hersh, author of Reignition, came to share an honest and vulnerable session on what can happen after you sell your company. With all the highs, there are sometimes lows that you may not have realized were hiding right under the surface. In speaking sessions around the states, Dave works through the Internal Boardroom which is understanding how different parts of yourself interact to solve problems, and how that can be leveraged.
Highlights:
85% of founders experience feelings of loss or depression post-exit, and only 15% enjoy their financial freedom.
The exit is not the end; it marks the beginning of a new journey.
Practical Founders + Lighter Leadership Collective
Lighter Capital offers a monthly gathering for founders, CEOs, and co-founders from the portfolio, which we call the Lighter Leadership Collective. We opened up day two of the Lighter Summit with a Collective session led by Greg Head of Practical Founders.
Check out Practical Founders, founded by Greg Head. He’s passionate about supporting startups like yours and he's got an excellent podcast.
“The Lighter Summit is a great place to meet and learn from other founders. You just might make a connection or learn something that is the spark to really elevate your business.”
— Jill Schriefer, Co-Founder & Chief Customer Officer of teleCalm
Mastering the Sales Cycle: A Strategic Approach to Boosting Revenue
Presentation and working session led by Kemp Maxwell and Matt King from Ridgeview Associates.
Highlights:
Discussed the buyer–seller paradigm and the “creator’s curse” (being too close to the product and missing external feedback).
Choose prospects wisely, pursue strategically and enable your buyer’s internal win.
Early speed in the sales cycle does not mean a short sales cycle, so pace strategically.
AI at the Edge: Navigating the Future of Tech
Moderated by Kevin Fink, CTO at Lighter Capital with panelists Keith Lauver, Founder & CEO of Atomic Elevator and Michael Nikitin, Co-Founder & CTO of AIDA Healthcare.
Highlights:
Most people are using AI for engineering, product development, and a range of general business applications.
Explore the idea of a digital twin - a chatbot that mirrors your knowledge, personality, and approach so others can interact with “you” and get consistent answers.
Consider setting up AI as an advisory board by using multiple chatbot agents to simulate different perspectives or roles.
“It was a great opportunity to step away from the day-to-day business and think strategically.”
— Ross Ely, CEO of AIDA Healthcare
We Always Save Time for Fun
Startup leaders get to have fun, too! But that’s our little secret. We headed out into Park City in groups to motor around town on two wheels or take a 4.4 mile hike into the hills. The beautiful fall landscape of Park City held nothing back.
“The Lighter Summit is the event I prioritize each year for learning and connection with other founders, because I always leave feeling energized and with a list of new ideas and takeaways.”
— Paul-Bradley Slay, Co-Founder & President of BossmakeHer
“A great opportunity to meet a diverse group of founders, gain new perspectives, and make deep personal connections in a relaxed setting.”
— Rupert Mayer, Co-Founder & Technical Director of Bright Saver
Give It Up for Our Awesome Sponsors!
We were thrilled to have two sponsor partners who were able to connect directly with Lighter Summit attendees this year.
SPZ Legal | Gold Sponsor
SPZ Legal is a boutique law firm with a global reach that is dedicated to serving startups, growth-stage companies, and investors with practical business-savvy legal counsel. Our team combines deep expertise in corporate law, financings, commercialization, and M&A with an approach designed to support fast-moving, innovative businesses as outside general counsel and deal counsel. SPZ recognizes that scaling startups demand more than traditional legal counsel; they require a committed partner devoted to their success and a long-lasting relationship. SPZ brings a track record of handling substantial transactions in a variety of industries.
Allied Advisers | Dinner Sponsor
Allied Advisers is a global technology-focused boutique advisory firm focused on investment banking for entrepreneurs and investors. The Silicon Valley-based firm, with a presence in Los Angeles, Israel, and India, serves entrepreneurs and investors of technology growth companies globally on strategic advisory including M&A and capital raises. Allied Advisers’ bankers have completed technology transactions globally for clients with Fortune 50 buyers and top tier Private Equity firms.
More at https://www.alliedadvisers.com/
“Lighter Capital did a phenomenal job getting founders together in a two-day event where a lot of learnings and best practices were shared, in addition to having good social bonding activities in an intimate setting. Allied Advisers appreciated the opportunity to participate with founders who continue to push forward, adapt, and grow, despite somewhat challenging macro conditions.”
— Gaurav Bhasin, Managing Director of Allied Advisers
Mod 4 Finance | Session Sponsor
Mod 4 Finance provides fractional CFO services to high growth organizations. The services include KPI, cashflow & budget modeling, controllership & bookkeeping, debt & equity fundraising advisory, and corporate governance.
