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Devin: What is your superpower?

Sherwood: The ability to deeply connect with others, energizing relationships and fostering purpose-driven collaboration.

Sherwood (Woodie) Neiss, a Principal of Crowdfund Capital Advisors, played a pivotal role in creating the regulations that fundamentally changed startup finance. A decade ago, he was instrumental in the passage of the JOBS Act, including the provisions that made Regulation Crowdfunding possible. In this episode, the discussion centered around the challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities entrepreneurs face when raising capital through this regulated process.

Woodie reflected on his journey advocating for Regulation Crowdfunding, beginning with a bold idea and leading to a historic signing ceremony at the White House. “When we started walking the halls of Congress…we kept on hearing one thing: you guys are never going to pull this off,” Woodie shared. Yet, through relentless focus and bipartisan collaboration, he and his team successfully convinced lawmakers that Regulation Crowdfunding could create jobs and significantly enhance access to capital.

The experience of being at the signing of the JOBS Act was described by Woodie as surreal—a moment he’ll never forget. “I remember sitting on the lawn of the White House…watching the president come out, talking about how, quote-unquote, this is a game changer. And we’re pinching ourselves, going, I can’t believe we pulled this off.” For entrepreneurs today, that game-changing legislation has opened new doors, enabling startups to raise funds directly from their communities.

However, Woodie emphasized that success doesn’t end with raising capital; compliance and communication with investors are equally crucial. He noted that many companies fail to meet the SEC’s annual reporting requirements, which can harm both their reputations and future fundraising efforts. To address this, Woodie and his team developed carfiling.com—a tool designed to simplify annual compliance filings for entrepreneurs using Regulation Crowdfunding.

For startup founders leveraging Regulation Crowdfunding, Woodie’s story serves as both an inspiration and a practical guide. He transformed skepticism into groundbreaking legislation and continues to innovate within the space. Woodie believes that Regulation Crowdfunding is not just about democratizing capital—it’s about fostering trust and accountability between entrepreneurs and their communities.

tl;dr:

Sherwood (Woodie) Neiss explained his journey advocating for the JOBS Act and Regulation Crowdfunding.

He described the historic White House signing ceremony and bipartisan efforts behind the legislation.

Woodie emphasized the importance of compliance for companies raising capital via Regulation Crowdfunding.

He introduced carfiling.com, a tool designed to simplify annual reporting for entrepreneurs.

Woodie highlighted his superpower—connecting—and shared personal insights on fostering human relationships.

How to Develop Connecting As a Superpower

Woodie described his superpower as “connecting,” and he shared a heartfelt, personal perspective on what that means. “When my son was three…he said, ‘I’m connecting to your love battery.’” For Woodie, connection isn’t just about relationships; it’s an energy that powers humanity. “We as humans rely on other humans…to recharge us in ways that bring validation to who we are.” Professional and personal connections—whether partnering with colleagues or recharging through family interactions—drive his purpose and success.

Woodie’s son Max provided the inspiration for the children’s book The Love Battery, a metaphor on human connection. Max used to throw his legs over Woodie’s belly at bedtime and explained, “I’m connecting to your love battery.” This heartfelt moment shaped Woodie’s understanding of how vital connection is for sustaining energy, optimism, and creativity. The concept of the “love battery” now serves as a metaphor both for Woodie’s personal life and his work, inspiring communities and encouraging collaboration.

Tips for Developing This Superpower

Be Present: Focus on where you are now, rather than always planning ahead.

Acknowledge Others: Express gratitude to people around you through small, meaningful gestures.

Balance Priorities: Recognize the importance of personal, professional, and health-related priorities equally.

Encourage Collaboration: Build relationships that foster purpose and excitement in your work.

By following Woodie’s example and advice, you can make connecting a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.

Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!

Stay Cool This Summer!

Guest Profile

Sherwood (Woodie) Neiss (he/him):

Principal, Crowdfund Capital Advisors and creator of CARfiling.com

About CARfiling.com: CARFiling is a purpose-built software platform that streamlines the preparation of annual reports for companies that have raised capital through Regulation Crowdfunding. Through a guided, step-by-step workflow, CARFiling helps issuers efficiently organize, compile, and prepare the information required for their Form C-AR filings.

Designed specifically for issuers, CARFiling is not a law firm or a filing agent—it’s a self-service tool that empowers companies to manage their own compliance process with clarity and confidence. By simplifying complex reporting requirements into an intuitive digital experience, CARFiling enables issuers to stay organized, reduce errors, and meet their regulatory obligations while maintaining full responsibility for their filings.

Website: carfiling.com

LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/company/crowdfund-capital-advisors

Biographical Information: Sherwood “Woodie” Neiss is a pioneering force in regulated investment crowdfunding and a key architect behind the legislation that transformed startup investing in the United States. As co-author of the Crowdfunding Exemption Framework that became the foundation for Title III of the JOBS Act, he played a central role in legalizing equity crowdfunding—testifying before Congress, collaborating with the SEC, and participating in the White House signing ceremony. Today, Woodie continues to shape the industry as Managing General Partner at D3VC, an AI-driven venture fund, and Principal at Crowdfund Capital Advisors, where he advises governments, institutions, and platforms worldwide on building modern capital markets.

In addition to his policy and investment work, Woodie is a data innovator and thought leader in private market infrastructure. He created CCLEAR, the industry’s most comprehensive dataset tracking Regulation Crowdfunding activity, and co-founded GUARDD, a compliance and disclosure platform designed to bring transparency to private securities markets. A frequent speaker at global forums including TEDx and SXSW, and co-author of Crowdfund Investing for Dummies, he has been widely recognized as one of the most influential voices in crowdfunding. Through his work, Woodie continues to champion a future where capital formation is more transparent, inclusive, and driven by the power of communities.

LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/sherwoodneiss

File Your Form C-AR.

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Our generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today’s advertisers include High Desert Gear and CARFiling.com. Learn more about advertising with us here.

Max-Impact Members

(We’re grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)

Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC