How One Couple Built Austin’s Startup Community Over Dinner

What if one of the most powerful ways to build a startup community was not another pitch event, investor panel, or networking happy hour but a dinner table?In this episode, Matt Johns sits down with Jon and Cherie Werner during the Texas Venture Gala and Forum to talk about how they helped build FIESTA, a monthly gathering in Austin that has connected thousands of founders, funders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.But this conversation is not just about startups. It is about hospitality, trust, belonging, Christian entrepreneurship, and what it looks like to bring faith-shaped presence into the marketplace without making it forced or performative.Jon shares from his background as a technologist and entrepreneur, including building Bones in Motion, a mobile fitness company acquired by Adidas. Cherie brings the heart of the story: how community, encouragement, and simple acts of connection can help address the loneliness many founders experience.Together, they show why no-agenda generosity can sometimes create more real impact than traditional networking ever could.In this episode, we discuss:How FIESTA started over dinnerWhy Austin’s startup community needed a place of belongingThe loneliness problem many founders faceWhat makes no-agenda community different from normal networkingHow Christian investors and startup founders can connect with purposeWhy the marketplace can become a mission fieldHow one simple ask helped lead to a $1.5M raiseChristianAlts explores alternative investing, private markets, capital allocation, stewardship, and conviction-led thinking through a Christian lens.📌 Subscribe to our Youtube for new episodes:    / @ChristianAltsTV 📌 Join the ChristianAlts newsletter: https://newsletter.christianalts.com/📌 Follow on LinkedIn for investing insights:   / matthewbjohns   DISCLAIMER: This video represents the views and opinions of it's guest and does not reflect the views and opinions of HoneyHive Capital Partners LLC. Nothing in this video nor any communications from it should be treated as constituting financial, investment, legal, tax or other advice of any kind, or as a recommendation to buy or sell an interest with respect to any investment.