WARNING: To the Nashville Start-Up Community!
To all my fellow entrepreneurs and start-up investors in Nashville. I'm sure you can all appreciate the incredible hard work, dedication, and tremendous sacrifice it takes to launch any new business or "start-up". While it's true, technology and the internet have made it easier and more affordable than ever to launch a new business today, in most cases though (as I'm sure ALL of you can attest), it will still usually take a lot of investment capital to scale that business and reach the milestones needed to have a successful outcome and provide shareholders and investors with a profitable return.
However, we all know it takes more than just money to build a successful business. It takes a team of talented and dedicated people committed to doing whatever it takes to make that business a success. In fact, in my opinion, selecting the right 'team" is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure your long term success and avoid future problems...or worse - total failure!
As a start up founder myself, I regrettably have learned that lesson the hard way. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong partner and it cost me years of hard work and cost my investors over $500k. That is why I decided to write this expose' in the hopes that it will help prevent others from suffering a similar fate. I want to try and make sure no one else is duped or misled by this professional con artist and fraudster that now appears to be preying on the Nashville start up community.
The person I'm referring to is Mr. Steve Repetti (https://www.linkedin.com/in/steverepetti) of Crunchfire Ventures, Crunchfire Technologies, (www.crunchfire.com) and Radweb Tech (www.radwebtech.com).
As you will see from all his various websites, Steve Repetti appears to have a very impressive background and represents himself to be an "accredited" angel investor, software programmer, speaker, author, and all around start-up expert. He proudly promotes his affiliation with other reputable venture capital firms like the New World Angels and The Miami Innovation Fund. He regularly attends and speaks at many different start-up events & conferences, including sponsoring one of the recent well publicized "Start-Up Bus Tour" events in Nashville. He also has numerous YouTube videos featuring him speaking at different events espousing his philosophy, credentials, experience, and his so called expertise?
As you can imagine, given his impressive credentials and online reputation, my original thought was we just hit the proverbial jackpot..right? WRONG!! Herein lies the problem and again, why I chose to write this?
Like most good con artists, Steve Repetti is a MASTER at "talking the talk"! However, I can tell you from first-hand experience that Steve Repetti is not who he represents himself to be. Although he may be competent at writing code, building a website, or spewing the latest "buzz words" to a group of investors or wannabe entrepreneurs, he doesn't have a clue about how to run a company, how to treat people with respect, and he is really nothing more than a total bullshit artist and pathological liar! In fact, my experience working with Steve Repetti was so highly dysfunctional, unprofessional, and contentious that it's actually hard to articulate into words that which would fully convey the tremendous waste of time, money, and disrespect myself, my employees, and all of my investors had to endure by choosing to work with Mr. Steve Repetti! Now, you're probably asking yourself, why would I say all that?
Well, let's review the facts...
According to public records, Steve Repetti has a long history of fraud and deceit! He has been sued numerous times and currently has close to $3 million in previous judgments and other various tax liens, including liens for failure to pay payroll taxes at one of the companies he was previously associated with. He also has a current judgment against him for over $700k (+ another $533K in legal fees) which originated from a "Fraud in the Inducement" claim. He has another judgment for over $300k which represents a "Misrepresentation" claim. Both of these were from previous start up companies whereby Steve Repetti was serving as the CTO or was hired to develop their technology. He is also currently facing litigation from his previous partners at Crunchfire Ventures / Crunchfire Technologies, as well as, another investor who was kind enough to provide a personal loan to him for $12,000.
See the links below to confirm all of my claims made above:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/specific_search/steve%20repetti
https://www.muckdocs.com/search?q=steve+repetti
https://officialrecords.broward.org/oncoreV2/search.aspx?bd=1%2F1%2F1978&ed=11%2F9%2F2015&n=repetti%2C%20ste&bt=O&d=11%2F9%2F2015&pt=-1&dt=ALL%20DOCUMENT%20TYPES&st=fullname&vbt=M
So, how does Steve Repetti continually get away with this type of fraud and deceit?
Again, let's look at the facts... Steve Repetti has at least 12 different tax liens and other judgments levied against him from previous lawsuits. As any smart lawyer will tell you, this now in essence makes him "judgment proof"! This is also something Steve Repetti is keenly aware of and in my opinion also why he has no remorse or reprehension for his fraudulent behavior. Why? Because he knows there will be no financial repercussions for him. He's well aware that any smart business person is not going to continue throwing good money after bad paying attorney's fees pursuing litigation when they know even if they prevail, they will never collect!
So, Why am I addressing the Nashville Start-Up community?
Well, given Steve Repetti's now very documented reputation and history of fraud and deceit here in Florida, combined with his defunct partnership in Crunchfire Ventures and Crunchfire Technologies, he apparently has now set his sights on the Nashville start up community where he appears to continue his pattern of fraud and misrepresentation. Needless to say, Steve Repetti has worn out his welcome here in Florida and, like most "Grifters" who burn there bridges in one location, they will typically relocate to another community to further perpetuate there fraud and deceit on new and unsuspecting innocent victims. Again, this is a classic trait for any good con artist and why I chose to write this expose'. My goal and motivation behind this scathing expose' is to truly try and help others from becoming another victim of Steve Repetti's fraud and misrepresentation!
So, PLEASE, PLEASE don't be fooled!!
Everything I've said here is 100% true and I have the documentation to back up all the claims I've made here (see the links above). Look beyond the public facade and readily available info you will find on Google or YouTube? The reason you'll find what appears to be so much "positive" information about Steve Repetti this way is by his own design. Like any good con artist, they are great at self promotion and Steve Repetti is one of the best! DON'T BE FOOLED...it's all bullshit and he is nothing more than a crooked fraudster, and a convicted felon!
But, don't just take my word for all this...review the public records for yourself. Ask to speak with all or ANY of his Crunchfire partners? Ask to speak with any other founder in his supposed portfolio of companies. Ask him why he's no longer associated with the New World Angels Group, or The Miami Innovation Fund? Ask Steve Repetti to provide any proof of another startup he's been a part of that's had any success? I'm confident if you do, you will learn everything I've outlined here is 100% true and based on facts!
Steve Repetti is NOT an accredited investor. He has never had a successful venture. And, he has burned EVERYONE he has ever been associated with, including members of his own family!
So, If you are considering working or partnering with Steve Repetti, please do yourself a favor and take my advice...
RUN!! RUN AS FAST AND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE!!