Mitigating risks, maximizing potential,
and moving innovation forward

Meet Our Team


"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself." - Henry Ford

If you are are interested in joining the Startup Growth Advisors team as a mentor, advisor, executive, or otherwise, please complete the form on this page and indicate your background and preferences.


Chad Horstman

Entrepreneur In Residence & Executive Venture Advisor

Chad Horstman is a serial entrepreneur with exits on record. In 2005, he founded Yandy.com after he noticed "lingerie" was a top search term with little competition online. Utilizing his expertise in internet marketing and SEO, Chad built Yandy from a garage startup to a company featuring 50M+ in annual revenue offering women, of all sizes, more than 40,000 unique styles of lingerie, costumes, in-house designed swimwear, and an exclusive lingerie of the month subscription service, Club Yandy. In 2016, Chad successfully exited Yandy.com to a private equity group.

Chad’s latest venture, Likey.com is a social platform that helps people to make new friends through easement of connections related to things that matter and like-minded interests. As both an Entrepreneur-In-Residence with Likey.com and a Venture Advisor with Startup Growth Advisors, Chad and Likey.com contribute to the venture building, acceleration, and growth of the Startup Growth Advisors venture portfolio.

Prior to founding Yandy, Chad spent seven years building his Internet marketing skills as Vice President of Research and Development at both USWeb and Silverback Marketing, working with Fortune 500 companies including The Wall Street Journal, CNet, and Pulte Homes, as well as e-commerce sites The Knot and Expedia. Chad also held the position of Director of Research and Development at iCrossing, a digital marketing agency where he focused on online revenue development, branding, and innovative approaches to search marketing.

Focused on a commitment to helping others and his passion for giving back, Chad has ensured that Yandy supports charitable organizations, including Susan G. Komen, Christian Children's fund, Catholic Tuition Organization, and the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

A graduate of Arizona State University with a degree in Computer Information Systems, Chad currently resides in Scottsdale, AZ.

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Startup Growth Advisors

P.O. Box 930
Carefree, Arizona
85377

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(480) 442-4860

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