Today on the FlexUp blog, we're thrilled to have a special guest. Fabrizio Nastri, the founder of FlexUp, sits down with Lara Pienaar, the trailblazing founder and CEO of True Local Heroes. Lara's startup was the very first to use the FlexUp model for a real-world fundraising round. Now, as she prepares for a second round, she shares her incredible journey, the challenges of traditional fundraising, and why FlexUp was a game-changer for her and her team.
Fabrizio: Hello everyone, I'm Fabrizio Nastri, founder of FlexUp. Today I'm very happy to interview Lara Pienaar, CEO of True Local Heroes. True Local Heroes was the first startup to adopt FlexUp for fundraising, and Lara is now preparing for a second fundraising round—again using FlexUp. I wanted to share her journey and why she chose FlexUp. So let's start: Lara, can you introduce yourself to our audience?
Lara: Hi Fabrizio, thank you for having me. FlexUp
has been such an integral part of my journey. I hope that if there's anyone out
there listening who's at the same point where I was a year and a bit ago before
I discovered FlexUp, that they will investigate it for themselves because this
has truly been a game changer for me.
Before I started True Local Heroes, I ran a small online marketing company. I had a lot of people come to me who wanted help with their business—help get them visibility, build them a website, do online marketing for them. I understood firsthand what it takes for a business to grow, how much capital it takes, how much expertise, how much money. Because I was just one person, I often had to say no to people who either didn't have the money or didn't have the resources. Over time I started thinking more and more about those people and thinking, you know what, there should be a way for them to get the visibility that they deserve locally. That's how the idea for True Local Heroes started to take root.
Fabrizio: Many people have great ideas but hesitate to act on them. What was the specific trigger that made you decide to build something new?
Lara: It wasn't just one moment, but a series of them. The first was back in 2009. I saw a YouTube video on how to build a patio, so I ordered a thousand bricks and a ton of sand while my husband was away at a conference. I quickly realized YouTube makes it look much easier than it is! I needed help, but the only option was Craigslist. As a woman alone, I felt scared inviting strangers into my home—there was no trust or verification. I remember wishing for a way to find someone trustworthy in my own neighborhood.
Later, as my kids became teenagers, they wanted to earn money by babysitting or teaching ukulele. I'd post for them in our community Facebook group, but the posts would disappear so quickly under new ones. My heart hurt for them because they were so willing to work, but the system wasn't effective. Those experiences planted the seeds for a better solution.
Fabrizio: It's one thing to see a problem and another to decide you're the one to solve it. What gave you the push to move from idea to action?
Lara: There's a saying: "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." Honestly, just like with the patio, I thought, "How difficult can it be? I can do this." I didn't realize the true complexity of building a platform until I was already in too deep to turn back! But I'm also extremely stubborn; once I decide to do something, I see it through.
I started by studying the competitors and was shocked to find that nothing like my vision existed. The real "aha!" moment came during a flight from Cape Town to Boston. High up in the air, I get this incredible clarity, and the full vision for True Local Heroes came to me. I couldn't wait to land and start researching. I knew it was something big.
Fabrizio: So, what exactly is True Local Heroes? What's the vision?
Lara: True Local Heroes is a platform—some call it a marketplace, but I like to think of it as a digital town square for every neighborhood. It's a space where local businesses and individuals can create a listing, showcase their skills, and be rated by their neighbors to build trust. Whether you're an established business or an individual who's great at organizing closets but doesn't have a formal company yet, you can get visibility and compete on a level playing field.
We also added two features that are very close to my heart. First, nonprofits can create free listings for themselves and post "help wanted" ads for volunteers. Second, every neighborhood gets its own event calendar, where anyone can post local events to help build a real sense of community. It's about more than just transactions; it's about connecting people and strengthening communities from the ground up.
I feel very strongly that entrepreneurship is individual empowerment. And then the more people are empowered, the stronger the communities get. I have a worldview and a philosophical view which says, we don't have to thrive at the expense of other people. We can all thrive together.
Fabrizio: That's a powerful vision. Let's talk about the journey. You went full-time, used your savings to pay your team, and eventually, the money ran out. What was that experience like, and what did you learn trying to raise funds the traditional way?
Lara: Running out of cash is a terrible feeling. It plunged me into a very dark place where I questioned everything and thought about giving up. But the idea just wouldn't let me go. I started researching how other people raise funds and learned about the world of venture capitalists.
It was completely overwhelming. Unless you come from a background with access to wealth or business experience, it feels like an impossible mountain to climb. You hear about needing "accredited investors," and you face a chicken-and-egg problem: investors want to see traction, but you need money to build the platform to get that traction.
I approached VCs, but most wouldn't give me the time of day. My story wasn't AI, and I didn't have the numbers they wanted to see. Generally, venture capitalists either want a very strong story—and at this current time, the strongest story is AI—or they want numbers that show traction. But the chicken and egg thing is you can't get traction until you've actually got a platform that's robust and working. But to get there, you need money.
Fabrizio: You were in a tight spot with a limited runway. How did FlexUp solve the problems you were facing?
Lara: FlexUp didn't just solve one problem; it solved so many. Initially, I calculated I needed to raise around $300,000. When VCs weren't an option, I aimed for $150,000 from friends and family. In the end, I was only able to raise $75,000. I thought, "Okay, let's see how far this gets us."
That's when the magic of FlexUp kicked in. With only a quarter of the funds I originally thought I needed, I could move forward. First, FlexUp simplified the entire fundraising process—the business plan, the projections, the legal contracts, administering funds—it was all made so much easier.
But the real game-changer was how it empowered my team. I went to them and explained the situation. I asked if they would be willing to take part of their compensation as equity in the company. Thanks to FlexUp's transparent system, they said yes! My developer, for example, agreed to take 40% of his salary in cash and invest the other 60% as equity. My team became co-investors. The app makes it incredibly simple to create monthly invoices and track everyone's contributions and growing equity in real-time. We all know we're in this together.
Fabrizio: And it also helped you attract new talent, right?
Lara: Absolutely. I was able to bring on an amazing co-founder who worked entirely for equity. And just recently, the former head of marketing for several multi-billion companies joined our little startup, also on a 100% equity-basis. How could a pre-launch company like mine ever afford that level of talent otherwise? FlexUp makes it possible.
It also completely removes the tension around valuation. Instead of speculating on future revenue, FlexUp uses a cost-based valuation. We just count the real investment of cash, time, and work put into the project. It's simple, transparent, and easy to explain to everyone, from team members to investors.
Fabrizio: You're now launching a second funding round with FlexUp. From an investor's perspective, why is this a better deal than traditional investment vehicles?
Lara: That's a great question. Traditional vehicles like SAFE notes promise to convert an investment into equity at a future priced round, but that future round might never happen, leaving the investor with no recourse.
FlexUp is different. It rewards you immediately with two things. First, your investment is treated as a credit—like a loan that the company is obligated to pay back once it generates surplus cash. Second, you receive FlexUp tokens in addition, which are like shares that give you a right to a portion of the profits.
So, you get your initial investment back and you get equity. There's clear governance built in that defines how and when surplus cash is used to pay back credits and distribute profits. It's the best of both worlds, with a level of transparency and security that traditional models just don't offer.
Fabrizio: That's a perfect summary. Can you tell us about this new funding round?
Lara: I've opened a new round to raise $150,000. This will give us the runway we need to
launch successfully and scale our marketing efforts. The round is open on a
rolling basis, so investors can join at any time over the next 12 months.
The other thing that's important to mention is that unless you've done fundraising before, you don't have any idea of how time intensive it is. A fundraising round will take all of your attention for many weeks, I would say a month, two months. And so if you can reduce that—and FlexUp helps to reduce that by just making it so much easier—then you should seriously consider that.
Fabrizio: Lara, this has been a fantastic and inspiring story. Thank you so much for sharing it. We wish you all the best on your journey with True Local Heroes.
Lara: Thank you, Fabrizio. And thank you for bringing FlexUp to the world. It's helping people just like me realize their dreams.
Ready to Build Your Dream?
Inspired by Lara's story? Here are a few ways you can take the next step.
1. Support Lara's Vision for Stronger Communities
True Local Heroes is building a platform to empower local economies. You can play a direct role in its success by participating in the second funding round.
👉 Learn More and Invest in True Local Heroes
2. Launch or Grow Your Own Project with FlexUp
If you're an entrepreneur with a dream, discover how FlexUp can help you launch and grow your business with a framework built on fairness, transparency, and collaboration. Avoid the hurdles of traditional fundraising and align your team from day one.
🚀 Join our Beta Program: Get early access to the FlexUp app and receive free, hands-on support from our Advisory Services team to get your project off the ground.
✉️ Sign up to our newsletter to get regular updates
3. Dive Deeper with More FlexUp Stories
Read more about how our model works in practice with these articles from our blog:
- Interviews: Reinventing Solar Project Financing in Africa
- Case Study: Rebecca Web Agency - Bootstrapping a New Business With a Team
- Insights: Why Do We Need a New Economic Model?
From Cash-Strapped to Community-Backed