Mentor Spotlight: DyShaun Muhammad

Mentors are a big part of what makes the Startup Tucson community what it is. They coach founders, lead trainings, judge and prep pitches, and show up at events to trade ideas. This is the first in a series where we introduce you to the people behind that support.

Meet DyShaun Muhammad.

Partner, Jasper+Black | Co-Owner, Bookworm Omaha

What do you do?

Spark business growth by crafting human-centered strategic narratives and marketing plans that convert vision and meaning into results for mission-driven organizations. As a Mainstreet business owner and start-up co-founder who has also built major brands for companies such as Uber and General Mills, my mission is to make big-company tools actionable for small brands ready to write their next growth chapter.

How have you been part of Startup Tucson?

I’ve crafted and delivered trainings on marketing and brand strategy to Startup Tucson Pre-accelerator cohorts, advised local entrepreneurs on business growth and M&A opportunities, coached multiple founders in preparing for TENWEST IdeaFunding, served on marketing strategy panels, delivered a strategic brand marketing session for TENWEST, and assisted the Startup Tucson team with TENWEST sponsorship engagement approaches and content curation. I find the energy, creativity, and resilience of the Startup Tucson community intoxicating. I enjoy engaging other business owners and aspiring leaders at Startup SIPS, mixers, and other events to exchange ideas, bear witness to our shared challenges, and provide mutual support. Small businesses are the engines of our communities and I’m committed to helping more of us to thrive.

The Good Stuff: What’s your favorite part of mentoring founders?

My favorite moments are the light bulb moments, sparks that flash in founders eyes, as we explore the meaning of what they are trying to create and how it can drive change in the world. When we unlock that coherence between what their heart aims to create and how that can be expressed—not only in what they do, but how they bring it to life in an investor pitch, their positioning, or their operations—we feel renewed energy and focus behind the business. Their messaging became sharper, the path to growth more tangible, and they mustered the energy to dig deeper with focused decisions on customer targeting and channel strategy. It is exciting to help vague or meandering ideas gain strategic traction and clarity.

Want to do this too?

If you’ve built something and you’re ready to give back, we’d love to talk. Mentors help GROW founders see their business more clearly and move with more confidence. Become a mentor →

Looking for support for your own business?

GROW is our membership for founders who are ready to build with support, and mentors like DyShaun are part of it. Explore GROW →