Chris Halligan is a Charlotte-based entrepreneur, investor, and advisor with decades of experience working alongside high-growth technology companies. He is the co-founder of Good Human Partners with Don Rainey, where he works with entrepreneurs on growth strategy, capital formation, and operational execution.
Chris has been part of five exits as an entrepreneur and several more as an investor. He is also an instructor at the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte, working with Rob Cummings. Away from work, Chris is usually listening to music, getting in time on the tennis court, or talking about his cat.
1.) What is in your pockets?
Nothing. Everything I need is in my bag: laptop, wallet, keys, chargers, and more. There’s almost always music playing wherever I’m working, so I also keep a speaker with me.
2.) What exciting thing has happened recently to you or your organization?
Good Human Partners is a two-person consultancy—me and my partner Don Rainey—based in Charlotte and Las Vegas. We have both spent a lot of time in and around venture-backed companies, so we bring that combined operating and investing perspective directly to the founders with whom we work.
We focus on go-to-market execution and capital strategy by helping companies grow revenue, build repeatable processes, and position themselves effectively with investors.
What’s exciting right now is seeing several of the companies we work with gain real momentum. Don is working closely with FastBreak.ai, which has been growing rapidly and raising significant capital. John Stewart is leading that, and he’s one of the strongest entrepreneurs I’ve ever worked with.
I’m also spending a lot of time with Lucid Bots, where Andrew Ashur recently raised a $20 million Series B financing round. The growth there is terrific, and there are a lot of opportunities in front of them. (Editor’s note: Ashur was the subject of a previous edition of The Download.)
I’m also advising Franzy, led by Alex Smereczniak and Chris Wright. That company is growing at a really impressive rate, and they’ve built a strong team. (Editor’s note, again: GrepBeat previously covered Franzy here.)
And then there’s Siftwell.ai, a healthcare analytics company led by Trey Sutten, Chuck Hollowell, and Mark Liber that is doing meaningful work in that space.
So, when I think about what’s exciting right now, it comes down to growth, capital, and the momentum building around Charlotte.
3.) What is your favorite coffee spot?
Waterbean Coffee. It’s easy to get to, not too crowded, and the coffee is great. The atmosphere, the people, and the music really stand out.
4.) What keeps you up at night?
I wouldn’t say I worry a lot. I don’t think worrying really accomplishes much.
But I do spend a lot of time thinking about what founders and leaders are dealing with right now. There’s a lot of change happening in the world, and AI is a big part of that. It’s reshaping expectations, timelines, and what people believe companies should be able to do.
Because of that, there’s more pressure on founders than there has been in the past. And it’s a very challenging, often lonely job. These people are responsible for growth, hiring, customers, capital—everything—and at the same time they have to project confidence to their teams.
What I try to stay mindful of is how I can help. One of the ways [we] create value in the companies we work with is by being honest and direct, yet empathetic and supportive. These are people who have put themselves out there and taken real risks, and they need both truth and encouragement.
Rather than worry, it’s more an awareness of how much is on their shoulders and making sure we’re showing up for them in the right way.
5.) What is your favorite restaurant or happy hour?
Comet Grill. It’s unassuming, has great music, and just feels like a real local spot.
6.) What is next for you or your organization?
Continuing to support our clients and help them grow. For us, that means staying close to founders, helping them make better decisions around growth and capital, and continuing to contribute to the momentum we’re seeing in Charlotte’s startup ecosystem.
