Dingman Bootstrapped

This episode of Bootstrapped features UMD alumna Lauren Foundos ’06, a former Maryland varsity field hockey player, and Founder and CEO of FORTË. After years of working in the finance industry, Foundos left the stability of her well-paying job to start FORTË, a technology company that helps gyms and studios livestream their classes. An entrepreneur ahead of her time, Foundos came up with the idea for FORTË after inviting her clients to her daily gym workouts. As global lifestyles shifted after the COVID-19 outbreak, the FORTË model became an investment win, with demand increasing by the second. Tune in as we discuss raising capital with big-time investors, entering the tech space with no tech experience, and the importance of perseverance amidst a venture’s most troubling moments.