ACT | The App Association recognizes the gap in representation in the app economy, and we want to change that. Our Amplify series lifts the voices of those in the tech community who are working to close those gaps in representation. We’re highlighting the problem solvers, elevating those who are driving change in their field, and amplifying the efforts and voices of all people across all communities.
This Amplify segment highlights Chris Sims, founder and CEO of member company CAVU and president of Sigao Studios. Recently, we sat down with Chris to learn more about his efforts and what made the difference for him in learning to amplify his own voice through leadership and community.
Q: It’s always a good time catching up with you, Chris! We both know that the App Association is extremely familiar with who you are, but let’s tell the readers a bit more about you. Who is Chris Sims?
A: It’s always great to catch up with the App Association, too! As many of your readers may know, I’ve been involved here for the past few years, and it’s been a pivotal time in my development as a CEO and leader in the Scrum and Agile space.
The main thing I would like people to know about me is that I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunities I’ve had – but more than that, as I’ve met many of the leaders and colleagues who have shaped me into who I am today, I’ve come to understand that I’ve been afforded those opportunities because I have privilege that some people don’t.
When I was in high school and decided to take apart computers and put them back together for fun, no one told me I was being destructive. When I dropped out of college to work full time, my parents raised their eyebrows, but they still supported me. And as I’ve navigated the startup world, I’ve had a lot of mentoring and support that others just don’t have access to.
This realization played a big part in my decision to start CAVU, which is designed to help close the equity gap in the tech industry by providing opportunities specifically for members of communities that have been traditionally underrepresented. That’s the beauty of CAVU’s benefit corporation designation. Not only can I use my skills as a leader and CEO to run a business, but I also have a clear commitment to do good in the world.
I’m nobody’s savior, but I can take what I have and help others who need it so that the playing field becomes more level for everyone. By teaching Scrum and Agile to women, to members of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, and to others who have not had access to higher education or other professional development opportunities, we are preparing a highly diverse group of candidates to enter an industry that desperately needs them.
Q: Knowing you for as long as we have, we have seen firsthand that mentorship is one of the largest driving factors in both your personal and professional life. Can you share who some of your greatest mentors are and what you’ve learned from them as it relates to leadership?
A: One of my longest-standing mentor relationships is actually with CAVU COO Larry Tribble. My relationship with Larry has informed my leadership because he’s shown me that simply being busy isn’t creating value; there are better ways to focus and decide who and what you want to be, what matters the most to you and why.
Another key mentor was Kim Antelo, who led my Scrum@Scale training. She’s a great trainer and Agilist and just an all-around great human being. She has a phenomenal ability to be a leader by challenging the status quo, and she’s not afraid to push people and organizations to grow and change by speaking truth to power.
Finally, I can’t talk about mentoring without talking about the value I’ve found in my mentoring relationship with colleagues—and now friends—within my own company. I’ve worked with several of these guys for years now and have had the opportunity to see them grow from early career to leaders in their own right. I’ve tried to help them where I could, and I’ve learned from them, too.
The biggest thing I’ve found is that a mentor can come from anywhere. Big-name, famous leaders are great, but they inspire me, they don’t mentor me.
Q: OK, so this is a great time to talk about your latest venture: CAVU! What’s going on at CAVU? Tell us what the team is all about and up to.
A: It’s an exciting time at CAVU! We recently opened our LevelUp Scholarship Program, which allows qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds to complete an application process to complete our Scrum Bootcamp training for free, with support from the Alabama Power Foundation.
We ended up with nearly 2,000 applications. I didn’t expect that, especially not on the first go-round. It just goes to show that the demand is there, and there are a lot of excellent BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women candidates who just need an opportunity to succeed. Because the interest level was so high, we’ve now also begun seeking partner organizations to fund additional scholarships and create a pipeline of talent to fill Scrum and Agile roles.
We also have our ongoing Republic campaign. CAVU was selected earlier this year to participate in a Reg CF crowdfunding campaign on the highly competitive platform, and we recently passed the $25,000 mark. Ultimately, we’d like to make it to $250,000. The beauty of Republic is that it democratizes investing; you don’t have to be an expert trader to be part of what CAVU is doing. And additional perks kick in at different investment levels!
Q: And I believe a belated “congratulations” is in order here. Late last year, CAVU was awarded Alabama LaunchPad’s Cycle 3 seed funding – this is great! What do you think set CAVU apart from the other applicants? What impact will this success have on the next big milestone for CAVU?
A: Thank you! We were thrilled to win Cycle 3 of Alabama LaunchPad and really appreciate the organization and everyone who was involved in that process. The feedback we received was that our idea had the potential to have the most positive impact on the workforce and community, and they believed we could do it.
We looked at Launchpad as our coming out party, announcing to the world we were here and we were going to make the world a better place. And people resonated with that message.
It really drove us to everything we’re doing today and opened a lot of doors for us, including local media coverage, other partnership opportunities, getting people talking about the scholarship program, and actually actively doing the mission we said we were going to be doing.
Q: And of course, we can’t NOT talk about Sigao Studios. Y’all have been a longtime member company of the App Association, and it wouldn’t be a member blog without at least MENTIONING your original venture. What’s going on at Sigao – who’s in charge over there?
A: Sigao’s grown up. Brandon Bosco, who co-founded the company with me, has now stepped into the role of CEO there while I focus on CAVU. Sigao needed someone who’s able to lead it into the future, and Brandon’s doing a phenomenal job establishing Sigao as a top software development company.
It’s really cool to have known Brandon his entire professional career and to have seen him grow and develop and now lead Sigao where it needs to go while I focus on developing CAVU. Sigao is going to continue to be a contributing member of the App Association, and Brandon is going to continue to grow our reach and build the next generation of startups, helping them start with a strong foundation.
Q: We always end these with the question: what do you want to leave readers with?
A: If you want to see a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive tech industry, then you need to be involved with CAVU, whether it’s by supporting our scholarship program or investing in us through Republic. We are already making a difference in the lives of our alumni, who are getting Scrum and Agile certifications and moving up in their careers, and with your help, we can do even more.