Tools, insight and inspiration for entrepreneurs

Since it was launched in 2002, StartupNation has provided millions with the information, inspiration and connections they need to start, grow and manage a successful startup business. Founded by passionate entrepreneur Jeff Sloan, StartupNation is a multimedia company located in Birmingham, Michigan.

StartupNation’s content is crafted by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, offering the necessary insights for personal growth through in-the-trenches, how-to content authored by subject matter experts, thought leaders and business professionals.

StartupNation provides access to experts in a variety of business disciplines through its various media channels and fosters peer-to-peer interaction in its vibrant online community forums. The breadth and range of businesses StartupNation serves include sole proprietorships, home-based businesses and part-time businesses, all the way to the most esoteric and sophisticated ventures.

StartupNation remains a long-standing, mainstay brand and constantly attracts, inspires and educates entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to be their own boss and live the American Dream.

Jeff Sloan, Founder and CEO

Jeff Sloan is a visionary and entrepreneurial expert with a proficiency in creating and developing early stage companies. With more than 30 years of experience, Jeff has truly lived the entrepreneurial journey and is dedicated to helping others realize their potential by bringing their ideas to life.

Entrepreneurs are Jeff’s people. Like him, they become stronger when faced with a challenge, and see it as their obligation to courageously pursue a better way, no matter the odds. They understand, like Jeff, that successful people take command of their reality and transform it into something great.                  

Jeff serves as founder and CEO of StartupNation LLC., a multimedia company that provides educational and inspirational to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small business owners.

StartupNation.com is one of the leading brands in the world of entrepreneurship, with more than 2,000,000 people using the StartupNation “10 Steps to Open for Business” startup process.

In his leading role with StartupNation, Jeff hosts the daily WJR-AM (760) “Business Beat” segment live on air during the morning drive prime-time programming, spotlighting subject matter of interest to the entrepreneurial, startup and tech community, and helms the revitalized legendary Business Biography show. He hosted the award-winning StartupNation Radio show on WJR, which aired 2004-2001 in more than 85 markets nationally.

Jeff is also founder and CEO of Aria Ventures, LLC., a company that partners with founders to develop their business concepts into viable startup businesses.  For select ventures, Jeff and his team actively guide the business planning process, invest directly and/or raise seed funding in the startup and provide ongoing strategic guidance through the entire development, launch and growth lifecycle.

Jeff’s firm has raised more than $60 million in venture and angel funding for a portfolio of startup ventures and has successfully led five portfolio companies from startup to exit, totaling more than $200 million in exit value. Jeff’s current portfolio of ventures can be viewed here.

In addition to Jeff’s leadership roles at StartupNation and Aria Ventures, Jeff founded and leads the app known as FanLabel, a music gamification platform that has been embraced by both the biggest companies in the music business as well as by an active user base. In this role, Jeff works alongside top record labels and today’s hottest artists to understand the preferences and opinions of listeners to be more effective in supporting artist promotion and monetization.

Jeff is a true evangelist for the virtues of entrepreneurship. He was recognized as a “Small Business Journalist of the Year” awardee in 2005 by the U.S. Small Business Administration and has been interviewed on numerous national and local media networks, including Fox Business News, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

A published author, Jeff shares his entrepreneurial expertise in an acclaimed how-to book, “StartupNation: Open for Business,” published by Doubleday.

Jeff has been named one of the 500 most powerful business leaders in metro Detroit by DBusiness magazine’s “Detroit 500,” as well as Small Business Journalist of the Year, Midwest Region; and among Detroit’s top 20 “Dynamic Duos” in Business.

Jeff has keynoted entrepreneurial and business conferences, including the Microsoft Small Business Conference and the Small Business Administration of America annual conference.