Verlin Gradney is a Southern California native, born and raised. He graduated from University of California, Riverside with a degree in Business Administration and Finance. Immediately after university, he began his career in the securities' industry in La Jolla, California with American Express. Then after a successful securities career with GE Capital, Verlin owned and operated his own wealth management firm and a California Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm in San Diego County, California. After a 13 year career in the securities and wealth management field, Verlin Gradney started his own private finance firms which specialized in venture capital, corporate debt and structured finance. Verlin now owns and operates an international finance consulting firm, Trade Desk Advisers, which specializes in assisting startups / early stage / growth companies in the design and implement of institutional quality capital raise Pre Seed / Seed / Series A priced rounds. In 2019, Verlin founded Mindset Startup Academy. Since its inception, Mindset's created a thriving community of over 1,000 early stage companies who are part of Mindset's free online community entitled Mindset Founders Online Community as well interviewed nearly 1% of the professional early stage investor community with over 100 fund interviews.Today Verlin enjoys spending time in his roles as Managing Director of the Financial Services Division for Instant, Inc. (inst.com) as well as Director of Capital Markets for Formula, Inc.