In this episode we sit with Harold Hughes, the founder & CEO of Bandwagon, Harold shares his journey from being a first-generation American in South Carolina to becoming a tech entrepreneur in Austin, Texas. Inspired by his experiences at Radio Shack and driven by a passion for uniting people, Harold founded Bandwagon — a technology-based solution to break down barriers and foster community through the love of sports.   We delve into the concept of affinity groups and community building, exploring how technology can be harnessed to create meaningful connections among people from diverse backgrounds. Their platform allows fans to access exclusive content, join fan clubs, and celebrate their favorite teams, regardless of geographical limitations. Discover how Harold's vision bridges gaps and builds a stronger community, empowering individuals to engage, support, and understand one another better.   In addition to Bandwagon, Harold discusses his latest innovation, Poet (Proof of Experience Token). Poet allows artists and athletes to invite their fans to submit content directly to their pages, with commercial rights belonging to the creators themselves. This innovative approach empowers entertainers and athletes to control their brand while enabling fans to share their experiences and build deeper connections with their favorite icons.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Harold Hughes is the founder & CEO of Bandwagon, a South Carolina-based live experience technology company. Under his leadership, Bandwagon has raised more than $3M in venture capital and successfully acquired IdealSeat, Inc. in 2020. Their customers include Fortune 50 brands, entertainers, as well as professional and collegiate athletes. As a first-generation American, Harold prioritized education, receiving two bachelor's degrees (Economics and Political Science) from Clemson University and later received his MBA from Clemson while he led business development at a Fortune 1000 company based in Greenville, South Carolina. As a web3 builder and community leader, Harold published "A Kids Book About Blockchain" to help educate people "from 6 to 60" about the revolutionary technology that Bandwagon specializes in. To that end, Harold is also an active angel investor, primarily investing in women, people of color, and Black founder-led companies. Most notably, he has invested in Partake Foods, the Jay-Z-backed CPG company making allergy-friendly snacks, and companies like Goodr, Chipper, Athletic Greens, Republic, Stix, and the National Cycling League.   Time Stamps: 03:18 Harold’s background and professional journey 05:31 Exploring the pain point behind Bandwagon fan club 08:05 Benefits of poet and fan club for artists and fans 11:50 Exploring the benefits of using Poet for content creation and monetization 14:47 Benefits of connecting fans and artists through data 17:55 Leveraging blockchain technology to build value in an ecosystem 22:06 Building a blockchain platform 24:47 Recruiting and go-to-market strategy for blockchain-based platform 28:19 Value propositions and benefits of token access for artists and entertainment brands 31:03 Data analysis and funding for expansion of the brand 32:29 Leveraging social capital for successful fundraising 36:19 Potential of proof of experience technology 38:18 Discussing Bandwagon's product roadmap and connecting with fans 39:37 How to get in contact with the Bandwagon team Resources: Company website: https://bandwagonfanclub.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builtxbandwagon/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/builtxbandwagon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bandwagon-fan-club/