Founders
At Founders ASCEND, we are helping Founders succeed and thrive. We believe entrepreneurship is one of the boldest acts of courage—and one of the most underserved when it comes to ongoing support, advocacy, and growth. Founders carry the vision, the pressure, and the responsibility to build something that didn’t exist before, often in isolation and under uncertainty.
Supporting entrepreneurs, is not just about business success. It’s about fueling innovation, driving economic mobility, and building stronger communities from the ground up. Founders ASCEND is a bold new initiative from The ASCEND Collective, created to champion, support, and elevate entrepreneurs—helping Founders succeed and thrive with tools, mentors, networking and more!
At Founders ASCEND, we know that people are the foundation of every thriving business. That’s why we developed the H.O.P.E. Model of Success — a practical HR training framework built to help small business founders strengthen their teams and sustain long-term growth. H.O.P.E. stands for Hiring, Onboarding, Performance, and Engagement — the four pillars that turn talent into foundational success.
With H.O.P.E., we provide small business leaders with the tools to not just build teams, but to create communities of success within their organizations.
Stay tuned for the launch! In the meantime, if you have an HR or talent optimization question – schedule a fifteen minute call with our Founder and Talent Optimization expert.
Talents ASCEND’s Skills Based Hiring Platform
A Hiring Solution that Puts Your Business First with Military Talent
We simplify hiring so you can focus on what matters.
What if your open roles were filled with qualified talent—people who are ready to contribute, not just apply? Talent that respects your time, shows up prepared, and allows you to focus on what you do best: leading, building, and growing your business.
With the right match, hiring isn’t a headache—it’s an opportunity to shine.
We make hiring smarter, faster, and more human.
The ASCEND Collective is collaborating with iZen to bring Free IT Training to veterans and military spouses
- Tailored for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses.
- Develop in-demand skills in Cybersecurity and AI-ML
- Gain real-world experience and certifications
- Enhance leadership and soft skills with veteran mentors
- Get personalized support for job readiness and placement
Hiring the right talent is one of the most critical and challenging aspects of running a small business. Limited resources, competing priorities, and a lack of expertise often result in reactive hiring processes, costly turnover, and missed opportunities for growth. Small businesses need a solution that simplifies hiring, ensures access to high-quality talent, and aligns with their budgets.
This is where an AI-powered, skills-based matching model with a blind hiring process offers a game-changing solution. By focusing on skills over traditional metrics like resumes and leveraging technology to remove bias, small businesses can make smarter, faster, and more inclusive hiring decisions—all at an affordable cost.
- The L-EAF Lab’s mission is to prepare students for 21st century by training them in the skills they’ll encounter beyond the classroom.
- What sets the Lab apart is a commitment to agility. Students actively engage as teams, collaborate, and tackle real-world challenges.
- They empower students with the executive skills that transcend classroom boundaries. Within the lab, students master team collaboration, honing skills in prioritization, planning, execution, and iterative improvement.
- Students craft digital portfolios showcasing their skills and accomplishments. These portfolios are living proof of their growth and professional acumen.
- Ready to transcend your business with talent skilled in agility? Email us at talentsuccess@theascendcollective.org
🔹 Access to resources, mentors, and networks
🔹 Blogs and events
🔹 Visibility, advocacy, and inclusive opportunities
Have Questions? Need Assistance? Interested in being a Guest on our Podcast?
Email us at TalentSuccess@theascendcollective.org