Meet
Michelle Tyler
Investment Opportunity: Seed Funding Stage
At a Glance
Company: New Era ADR
Year Created: 2021
Mission: To make dispute resolution more efficient, accessible, and cost-effective than any other legal dispute resolution forum that exists today.
Target Markets/Audience: Legal Decision Makers in E-commerce, Technology, Retail, Education, and Professional Services
Website: https://www.neweraadr.com/
Background:
What Makes Michelle Unique
As the daughter of Italian immigrants, Michelle Tyler developed entrepreneurial traits early on. Navigating cultural American norms alongside her Italian family traditions taught her adaptability and resourcefulness. The ability to stay flexible and curious led her to work in various roles in legal, operations and compliance. Becoming an entrepreneur is the culmination of her desire to create, her capacity for uncertainty and her unwavering passion for growth and the empowerment of others.
Michelle is most passionate about cultivating a professional space where every person feels heard and seen and where gender norms are challenged, inclusive speech is practiced, and empathy inspires action.
“I am a true believer of the idea that each person has the ability to manifest their own version of success. Put your desires out into the world. Set goals and be courageous. Do your best to cultivate courage and faith in yourself every day. It’s okay to be afraid. Take the leap anyway.”
The Problem:
What Michelle Is Trying To Solve
Michelle’s guiding motivation and belief is that the legal industry is ripe for positive change. The company she co-founded, New Era ADR, is at the forefront of reinventing and improving outdated approaches to managing legal disputes in this country.
Too often, courts and traditional legal dispute resolution forums result in lengthy, expensive litigation, which for businesses and individuals leads to wasted time and lost revenue. The New Era ADR digital platform simplifies and streamlines this process, meaning faster resolution and lower litigation costs.
Q&A
We sat down with Michelle to talk with her about how she got her start as a founder, what her seed funding stage has been like, and how GET Cities has helped.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
Having worked in the legal industry, my co-founders and I witnessed the inefficiencies, bureaucracy and outdated systems firsthand. Law is full of esoteric knowledge, processes and procedures. When the four of us came together to create an innovative approach to replace existing dispute resolution platforms, we knew we had the expertise to build a better, more efficient, more accessible and transparent method.
What is unique or significant about being at the seed stage?
At the seed stage, it has been incredibly helpful that all the founders have had startup experience. I can think of many examples of where we avoided mistakes we’d seen in the past. For us, the wonderful thing about starting from the ground up – roots in the ground rather than boots on the ground – is that we had a wealth of knowledge and lived experience to draw from which enabled us to make impactful hires and strategic decisions early on. Experience and ingenuity are top competitive advantages at this stage.
What do you wish you’d known or done to prepare for the seed stage?
In preparing for the seed stage, I found it’s important to stay grounded, patient, and flexible. Things can change course in a moment’s notice, so knowing to keep up with the current instead of swimming against it in certain situations can make a world of difference.
Why do you think it’s important to encourage more women, trans, and non-binary people –particularly those who are also Black, Latinx, Indigenous and People of Color – to become entrepreneurs?
I wish I could tell every person that feels like an outsider: "Your ideas matter." Innovation thrives on different perspectives.
As the daughter of Italian immigrants, I did not have the built-in connections that come with having a well-established family or community. Often, this meant I had to chart my own course or start my own club. What I have found is that whatever I’ve looked for or needed at certain times in my life, others have needed it too. Being resourceful in finding shared connections to take aligned action is why I’m able to do what I do today alongside such an incredible group of people.
What made you want to participate in this cohort?
I decided to participate in the SEED Founders Cohort because I wanted to improve my pitching skills and offer my experience to assist new and future founders. I also very much wanted to carve out time from my busy career and parenting schedule to work with a mission-driven team to make stronger professional connections, foster more inclusive entrepreneurial communities and dedicate safe spaces for shared experiences.
What would you say is the most valuable tool, connection point, piece of wisdom, etc. that you’ve gained from working with GET Cities thus far?
I have found that engaging with the GET Cities and Tech Equity Working Group [TEWG] members has introduced me to topics, people and ideas to which I otherwise would not have been exposed. I have so much gratitude for the invaluable insights and relationships I have garnered in working with them and for what is sure to be an enduring bond amongst the members of the cohort.
The first all-digital, all-virtual platform that reduces, by up to
the outrageous time and cost of resolving legal disputes.
Offers powerful risk solutions to organizations that, for the
simultaneously reduces exposure to widespread and unnecessary litigation while providing a fairer, more efficient, more accessible avenue to resolve disputes
raised to date
For more information or to get in touch with Michelle, reach out to