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Evan Baehr

Met at: Arena Hall South Congress Grand Opening Met date: October 3, 2025 Role(s): CEO of Arena Hall, Managing Partner at Learn Capital, Serial Entrepreneur, Author, Community Builder Last interaction: October 3, 2025

Contact Information​

  • Location: Austin, Texas
  • Arena Hall Locations: Pearl Street office, South Congress location (opened October 2, 2025)

Professional Background​

Current Ventures​

Arena Hall (CEO)

  • Building private club and coworking spaces in Austin
  • Pearl Street location (original)
  • South Congress location opened October 2, 2025 (prototype for 8-10 months before renovation into full club/restaurant)
  • Philosophy: "In the spirit of Ted Roosevelt, man or woman in the arena do hard things"
  • Planning to transform South Congress into "Soho House for vegetarian nerds" (renovation starting May 2026)
  • Almost acquired South Park Hotel recently

Learn Capital (Managing Partner)

  • Venture capital fund focused on companies promoting human flourishing

Previous Ventures & Experience​

  • Teneo: Founded national leadership network
  • Able: Co-founded financial technology lender for small businesses
  • Outbox: Co-founded startup aimed at reinventing postal mail
  • White House: Office of Faith-Based Initiatives
  • Other Experience: Hedge fund, U.S. House of Representatives, Facebook
  • Author: Co-author of "Get Backed" (widely used business book on startup fundraising and pitch decks)

Education​

  • Princeton University
  • Yale University (Ethics and Law)
  • Harvard Business School (MBA)

Arena Hall Vision & Operations​

Team Members (as of October 2025)​

  • Lindsay: Co-founder, working with Evan for 3.5 years
  • Riley: Operations, communications
  • John Nelson: CCO of Arena Hall
  • Allie: Front house hospitality
  • Eden: Events coordinator
  • Celeste Machado: Chef (2.5 years with Arena Hall)
  • Mike Esposito: Creative/musician helping with space curation (married to Lindsay)

Programming & Community​

  • Friday lunch gatherings for networking
  • Coworking space with dedicated desks and private offices
  • Events programming including sound baths and various experiences
  • Private event hosting for F1, holidays, board meetings
  • Lunch and learn sessions planned

Membership Philosophy​

  • Looking for people "on the cutting edge" who embody "in the arena" spirit
  • Interdisciplinary community
  • Focus on problem-solvers and doers

Personal Interests & Health​

  • Current Health Focus: Working on lowering A1C levels (mentioned publicly at October 3 lunch)
  • Community Building: Creating spaces for meaningful connections and hard work
  • Faith Integration: Open to faith-based initiatives within Arena Hall ecosystem

Arena Hall South Congress Details​

  • Got keys one week before October 3, 2025
  • Temporary 8-10 month prototype before major renovation
  • Features: Coworking spaces, outdoor seating, meeting rooms
  • Food program with health-conscious options (A1C-friendly meals)
  • ~25-30 people signed up for dedicated desks in first two days

Network & Collaborations​

  • Works with Alternative (venture studio for human flourishing companies)
  • Connected with Ford Smith
  • Works with Chris Gober (attorney, Congressional candidate for District 10)
  • Partnership with Peter Barland (building owner)

Interaction History​

  • 2025-10-03: First meeting with Gary at Arena Hall South Congress grand opening lunch. Gary introduced himself as "engineer and lover of Jesus, very interested in technology that helps support Revival." Evan welcomed diverse spiritual perspectives and seemed open to Christian-focused initiatives within Arena Hall. Brief discussion about potential faith integration in coworking spaces. Gary mentioned upcoming baptism and missionary work with pastor in Liberty, Texas.

Notes​

Evan Baehr represents a unique blend of venture capital expertise, entrepreneurial experience, and community building vision. His Arena Hall project aims to create meaningful spaces for work and connection, with an openness to spiritual dimensions. His willingness to publicly discuss personal health challenges (A1C) and create inclusive environments suggests authentic leadership style. The South Congress location's rapid prototype development (one week from keys to opening) demonstrates execution capability and bias toward action.

Transcripts​

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2025-10-03-gary-sheng-arena-hall-south-congress-grand-opening2025-10-03Arena Hall South Congress grand opening launch event with entrepreneurs and community leaders