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Cherie Werner

Overview​

Cherie Werner is an Austin-based entrepreneur who co-hosts Fiesta, a monthly networking event for startups and founders in Austin. She is married to Jon Werner and together they are deeply embedded in the Austin startup ecosystem. Cherie has experience homeschooling her daughters and is passionate about education reform and building community connections.

Background​

  • Homeschooled her daughters when it was considered "uncool" - partly because she was an "out-of-the-box thinker" with ADD who hated sitting in a desk
  • Started homeschooling after observing problems in traditional schools when her oldest was in kindergarten/first grade in California
  • Served as homeroom mom and organized activities for all elementary classes at a private school
  • Previously worked at a startup called Koya (standing for "kindness on ya") prior to COVID
  • Attempted to partner with McKenzie Price (Alpha Schools) but found her "standoffish" compared to her own collaborative approach
  • Has lived in Washington DC area for 6 years after first getting married
  • Lives in the Mueller neighborhood of Austin

Professional Activities​

  • Fiesta: Co-hosts monthly networking events (recently had 226 attendees)
  • Regularly attends women-focused networking events
  • Previously worked on Koya startup focused on kindness
  • Strong believer in collaborative approaches and elevating what others are doing

Education Philosophy​

  • Advocates for personalized education based on observing young boys forced to do "busy work" in traditional classrooms
  • Believes in avoiding labels that follow children through their education
  • Recognizes that "when you try to serve everyone you serve no one" in education
  • Successfully advocated for her daughter who was told she'd "probably never go to college" - the daughter did attend college
  • Used Veritas curriculum initially (hybrid model with teachers and home teaching)
  • Later hired teachers and brought together 5 homeschooling families
  • Used a 3-year biblical worldview curriculum covering history from creation through various civilizations
  • Had students read diverse works including Darwin's Origin of Species

Family​

  • Married to Jon Werner
  • Has three daughters: ages 36, 34, and 24
  • The age gap between children meant different technology experiences in raising them
  • Moved Jon's parents from New Orleans to Austin in January (from 4-bedroom to 1-bedroom)
  • Values family time and connection - noted how church used to be more about fellowship and connection

Faith & Community​

  • Christian (non-denominational)
  • Was "saved" after first getting married, around the time of Tiananmen Square
  • Attended church in Washington DC through connections with Jon's coworkers
  • Feels disconnected from modern churches post-COVID: "churches have changed a lot"
  • Misses the fellowship aspect: "You'd go have lunch... now everybody just goes and they leave"
  • Attended Grace Covenant on 360
  • Uses home as ministry: "we actually invite a lot of them into our home for dinner"
  • Believes in being "that light in dark places" rather than exiting

Connections​

  • Jon Werner: Husband and business partner
  • Blake Mosher: Recently met, wants Tim to know about him
  • Tim (Alpha/Gauntlet): Met at Capital Factory event
  • Stacy (Trilogy alumni): Knows her and her four boys
  • McKenzie Price: Attempted partnership, found her standoffish
  • Romanian entrepreneur: Friend who wants to bring Fiesta to Romania, has dev shop there

Personal Interests​

  • Egyptian art and decor (has pieces from in-laws' Nile cruise)
  • Supporting the local restaurant scene (friends with Xi'an Famous Foods owners)
  • Building genuine community connections
  • Advocating for children and education

Notable Quotes​

  • "When you try to serve everyone you serve no one"
  • "We did not allow the labels of the schools and the experts to define who she was"
  • "I'm super collaborative. I like to elevate what other people are doing"
  • On modern churches: "It doesn't feel like fellowship"

Strategic Value​

  • christofuture-prep: Cherie's extensive homeschooling experience (successfully educating three daughters) and education philosophy make her a valuable advisor for the K-8 microschool launch. Her collaborative approach and network of homeschooling families could provide early adopters and curriculum insights.
  • applied-ai-society: Through Fiesta events (226 attendees) and her deep connections in the Austin startup ecosystem, Cherie can connect Gary with potential AI community members and business owners who need AI implementation.
  • christofuture-foundation: As a Christian entrepreneur who uses her home as ministry and believes in being "light in dark places," she represents the kingdom-minded influence Gary seeks. Her network of faith-based entrepreneurs and community builders aligns with foundation goals.
  • daily-spirit: Her insights on modern church fellowship declining ("churches have changed a lot") and her approach to home-based ministry could inform strategies for reaching disconnected Christians through daily exhortations.

Interaction History​

  • 2025-05-28: Met with Gary Sheng and Ron Roberts at her home in Mueller, discussed Alpha Schools, education philosophy, faith, and potential collaboration. Shared extensive insights about homeschooling experience and education reform ideas.

Transcripts​

Transcript IDDateSummary
2025-05-28-werner-meeting-christofuturism-alpha2025-05-28Meeting with Gary Sheng and Ron Roberts discussing Christofuturism, Alpha Schools, and community building