Wed, 30 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Troy Schlicker, Owner, Broker, and Real Estate Advisor at Reserve Realty, and Host of the Austin Spotlight podcast. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Reserve Realty is an Austin real estate company specializing in residential buying and selling for homeowners and buyers. Started in 2014, they have helped clients navigate hundreds of real estate transactions, emphasizing educating them through the process to make it as smooth as possible. As a resident of Austin, Texas, for 15 years, Troy has seen Austin go through rapid growth and numerous changes. Originally from Michigan and with degrees in Marketing and Financing from Concordia University, St. Paul in Minnesota, he has used that experience as the foundation of a real estate career that has spanned over a decade. Troy previously worked at Bank of America as a Senior Mortgage Loan Officer. His knowledge of the mortgage industry and of the Austin real estate market has helped him assist clients with all of their real estate needs. Troy hosts the Austin Spotlight Podcast, highlighting the stories and people behind local small businesses. His competitive nature doesn’t end in the office. On top of playing basketball in college, he transitioned to being a professional beach volleyball player. He also enjoys playing golf and being on Austin’s various lakes, and taking part in many other outdoor activities that Austin’s warm weather allows. Troy’s goal is to link individuals and families with their real estate aspirations to help build wealth, dreams, and memories. Troy discusses how he sees the real estate industry evolving and shares some of the challenges persons face when investing in or buying properties. You can visit Reserve Realty at www.reserverealty.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/reserve-realty. Troy can be contacted via email at troy@reserverealty.com, via his website at www.troyschlicker.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/troyschlicker, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/troyschlicker. Listen to the Austin Spotlight podcast at www.troyschlicker.com/austin-spotlight-podcast. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Troy_Schlicker_of_Reserve_Realty__Host_of_Austin_Spotlight.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Wed, 30 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The elevator pitch is a key tool in your fundraise. Here are some best practices to make your elevator pitch a success: Before delivering your pitch, learn something about your audience. What are their careabouts? What motivates them? Customize your pitch for your audience. Don’t try to tell them everything, instead, tell them just enough. Focus on the benefits of your product or service and not the features. Capture their attention with a question or problem description. Describe your solution in one sentence. Set up for the follow-up by offering to send them more information or set up a call to discuss in more detail. Write out your elevator pitch and replace the filler words with more descriptive words. Wordsmith the pitch so it’s tight and flows well. Practice it so you know it by heart and can customize it when necessary. It’s important to take time to craft a good elevator pitch.
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: Best_practices_for_writing_an_elevator_pitch.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Tue, 29 June 2021
This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Understand Blockchain”, you’ll hear about growth in the Blockchain segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The blockchain space has made tremendous progress in setting up substantial networks and meaningful applications. Blockchain continues to drive change in the tech space in particular fintech. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: I hope you enjoy this episode. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: IP_Blockchain_Show_1_-_Growth_in_the_Blockchain_Segment.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:58am CST |
Tue, 29 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Elevator pitches can be used in many ways. The pitch states the problem, the solution, and how to learn more about it. In addition to fundraising, it can also be used in sales. Instead of asking for an investment, the ask goes to purchasing the product. Another type of elevator pitch is the question pitch. Ask a question that leads the user to the answer which is your company. “How can a user gain 2X more productivity in their work? They can use the xyz product.” There’s the intro pitch which you can use to start a conversation or email. “How you can gain 2X more productivity in just a few minutes.” There’s the social media version of your pitch. “2X productivity in your work in just a few minutes.” Use numbers in your pitch to incite a reaction. “You can reduce your work by 50%.” Use metaphors in your pitch to highlight its value. “Add rocket fuel to your workday.” Create scarcity in your pitch to generate interest. “This solution is only available for those in our network.” Consider how to use the elevator pitch for your next interaction. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 28 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gady Nemirovsky, Managing General Partner at Inspiration Ventures. Headquartered in Burlingame, California, Inspiration Ventures is an early-stage investment firm that structures its investments in a way that minimizes risk for their limited partners and benefits founders by better aligning the investors’ interests with the founders. Their interests are completely aligned with yours — whether the next step is a follow-on venture investment or a company acquisition — your success is their success. Gady co-founded Inspiration Ventures with Robert Fanini in 2007 and has over 30 years of experience working within the financial and technology markets as an analyst, engineer, entrepreneur, and investor. Gady’s career started at JP Morgan Investment Management in New York and then moved from Wall Street to C*ATS Software, a Silicon Valley startup providing financial derivatives decision support software for multi-national banks. As employee number 17, Gady was able to participate in the unique experience of joining a startup at a very early stage and contributed to its growth into a successful initial public offering. Following C*ATs, Gady founded Sonnet Financial, a company that provided an internet-based international funds transfer and foreign exchange service. Sonnet grew from a startup to processing billions of dollars in international payments for over 200 clients including many Fortune 100 companies such as IBM and ADP. Following the implementation of a joint venture in Japan and after over 7 years of operations, the company was successfully acquired by an East Coast foreign exchange provider. Gady was also an early employee at AlterEgo, a provider of adaptive network services for the wireless internet acquired by Macromedia, and a founder of an online advertising network called Adzaar. Inspiration Ventures portfolio holdings where Gady holds Board or Advisory positions include UserTesting (https://www.usertesting.com), Buffer (https://buffer.com), DailyPay (https://www.dailypay.com), OneEleven (https://oneeleven.co), and Preciate (https://join.preciate.com/en/preciate-home). Gady simultaneously earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. Economics (major in finance) cum laude from the Wharton School of Business. Gady discusses his investment thesis and some of the startups he invested in. He also shares what excites him now and advises investors and entrepreneurs. You can visit Inspiration Ventures at www.inspirationvc.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/8904228/admin. Gady can be contacted via email at gady@inspirationvc.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gady-nemirovsky-804bb33. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Gady_Nemirovsky_of_Inspiration_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Mon, 28 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The elevator pitch follows a simple format. Start with the people who have this problem so the listener has context. Show the cost in time or dollars to demonstrate the size of the problem. Demonstrate your competitive advantage over the other solutions. Quantify the benefit with numbers. Propose the next steps to discuss further. Close with an action item to connect again. Here’s the format you can use to build your pitch: <Describe people who have the problem> <show cost of the problem in time or dollars>. Our solution <reduces the cost in time or dollars by x amount> Unlike other products, our solution <state differentiator> to <state benefit>. I can <state path to learn more> to tell you more. <Setup next engagement> Here’s an example use of the template. Office workers spend 75% of their time searching for files on the network. Our solution reduces that time by 3X. Unlike other products, our solution uses proprietary software to achieve productivity gains. I can send you a link so you can try it out. Here’s my card so you can send me your email address or call me. Build your elevator pitch with these core concepts.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: startup_funding_espresso_-_elevator_pitch_template.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Fri, 25 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Karen Contet, Co-Founder & CEO of AngelHub. AngelHub is Hong Kong’s only SFC-regulated tech investment platform enabling investors to co-invest on a deal-by-deal basis alongside their fund & institutional investors. AngelHub combines a highly selective due diligence process, diverse network of partners, and the WHub start-up ecosystem to empower tech entrepreneurs for success. Over the past year, AngelHub has vetted over 1,400 companies and made investments in more than 8 different sectors such as edutech, FinTech, foodtech, robotics & AI, healthtech, blockchain, gaming, and fast fashiontech. Karen has been working in Asia for 13 years, starting in Tokyo as JP Morgan’s Exotic Equity Derivatives Trader, to software engineer for an IoT startup, teaching Front-End Web Development before co-founding WHub. She is immersed in the startup scene as a Community Leader for Techstars, a Front-End Web Development Instructor, a mentor for several accelerator programs, a speaker at international conferences like the JS Conference 2015 in Singapore, a French Foreign Trade Advisor, a FrenchTech Ambassador, and Founder of WomenWhoCodeHK. Karen has a double degree engineering diploma (France EPF - Canada ETS) and a Masters in Finance International from HEC Paris. Karen is also a founding board member of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong. Karen discusses the current state of angel investing and how she thinks it will evolve, some of the challenges she has faced, AngelHub’s fund, and what excites her right now. You can visit AngelHub at www.angelhub.io, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/angelhub-limited/?ref=angelhubio. Karen can be contacted via email at karen@angelhub.io, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/karencontet/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 25 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In crafting an elevator pitch, the intro is the most important part. You must grab their attention and make them want to hear more. Start with a problem and show how big and costly it is. Generate curiosity in the listener by telling them you have a solution to that problem. Demonstrate your solution to the problem and the benefits that come out of it. Use numbers to strengthen your case. Numbers demonstrate your knowledge of the problem itself. Investors will ask questions so be prepared with short and to-the-point answers. No need to tell the full story, just give a direct answer. If they don’t ask a question, then you ask a question to continue the conversation. The intro is crucial to an elevator pitch. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 24 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. To craft an elevator pitch, start with the end in mind. Do you want to pitch an investor? Do you want to sell a product? Start the pitch with the problem you solve and what your company does. There needs to be a hook at the beginning of the pitch to capture attention. Describe your main value proposition so the audience knows why your company is successful. Pose a question to engage the audience into the pitch and start a dialog. Close with a call to action by inviting the audience to learn more. You can set up a call to show the product or give a pitch to discuss the business further. It’s important to practice the pitch so it flows and comes across naturally. Customize the pitch for each person so it resonates better. The goal of the elevator pitch is not to tell them everything, but to get to the next meeting.
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 23 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes James W. Day, Senior Corporate Counsel at EquityZen. EquityZen is a FinTech platform and online marketplace for investors and shareholders in alternative assets. If you are an accredited investor, EquityZen helps you access ordinarily hard-to-find alternative investments (such as secondary sales of pre-IPO equity). If you are an employee or shareholder of a privately held, venture-backed company, EquityZen helps you sell your shares and unlock some of the value created by your efforts. By developing technologies that help to streamline and systematize deals implicated by the complex regulatory framework undergirding the private capital markets in the United States, EquityZen has closed over 20,000 investments serving over 250 companies with a combined market capitalization of over $900 billion. Shares of companies such as Coinbase, Lemonade, and Spotify all traded on EquityZen’s platform prior to their public debuts. EquityZen was selected by the World Economic Forum as one of the most promising technology pioneers of 2020 and as the recipient of the Innovation in Wealth, Asset and Investment Management award at the FinTech Innovation awards in 2016. Before joining EquityZen, Jim worked as a corporate attorney in several major law firms and multinational corporations. In those roles his experiences include representing early-stage investors and their portfolio companies from initial funding rounds through the corporate lifecycle. He represented the court-appointed trustee under the Securities Investor Protection Act for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC and coordinated hundreds of legal proceedings and avoidance actions in multiple foreign jurisdictions. He also represented debtors, creditors, and acquirers in dozens of complex bankruptcies and restructurings and their related asset sales. Prior to his business and legal career, Jim served as a Naval Officer and military intelligence analyst. He deployed to the Middle East in support of UN trade sanctions and to South America as the Anti-Terrorism and Gunnery Officer onboard a guided missile frigate that performed one of the U.S. Navy’s most successful counter-narcotics operations. He taught graduate students as a Visiting Professor in one of Mozambique's first MBA programs (teaching Finance, Entrepreneurship and Business Planning). He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy (where he was the captain of the golf team) and holds a law degree and an MBA from Georgetown University, where he studied while working as an analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence and interning at the U.S. Department of Justice. He has also volunteered as an instructor at The First Tee and the Bridge Golf Learning Center of Harlem; these organizations seek to use golf to teach important life lessons to youth in underserved communities. Jim shares his thoughts on how he sees the secondary industry evolving and what criteria qualifies somebody to go for a good secondary. You can visit EquityZen at https://equityzen.com/, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/equityzen, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/EquityZen. Jim can be contacted via email at jim.day@1998.usna.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jim-day-4141572, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/JimDay98. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 23 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. An elevator pitch is a short version of your fundraise pitch. Use it when you are engaging investors in situations where the slides are not available and the time is short. It’s useful for setting up a more formal presentation by giving the investor a reason to take the meeting. The elevator pitch demonstrates you have a startup that is worth exploring for an investment. Use it when you are introduced to an investor by a mutual connection or when you meet someone at a networking event. Online meetings often invite the participants to introduce themselves and say a few words about their company. The key to a good elevator pitch is to generate interest from the listener such that they want to learn more. There’s not enough time to tell the listener everything, so focus on two or three key points. Start with the problem you are solving and how it's a big pain point. Show how you solve the problem and how it benefits the customer. Wrap up with a high-level version of your fundraising ask. Use keywords and phrases to communicate the value propositions you have in your deal. Don’t rush the pitch, but talk as you normally do. The elevator pitch is the one pitch you’ll use more than any other.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 22 June 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Cannabis Problem: Changes Expected in the Cannabis Sector in the Coming 12 Months
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about changes expected in the coming 12 months and our guests’ final thoughts. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The cannabis space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. Every state is reviewing its regulations and accelerating legalization across the board. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: I hope you enjoy this episode. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: IP_Cannabis_Show_4_Changes_Expected_in_the_Coming_12_Months.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Tue, 22 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are pros and cons to working with Corporate VCs. Here are the pros: They take a long-term point of view giving the startup time to grow and develop. They bring access to partners, customers, and other resources. They bring domain knowledge far beyond what most traditional VCs bring. They can fund major projects much longer than traditional VCs. You must gain commitment all the way to the top of the organization. Corporations have silos and can be difficult to build consensus or sell ideas across department lines. Corporations move slowly compared to the startup world which can frustrate the new ventures. Corporations are competitive and do not always work well with other corporations. Corporates can shift their attention to other things leaving the startup underfunded. The startup’s innovation will ultimately be pulled into the corporate structure which dilutes the startup’s brand.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: Pros_and_Cons_of_working_with_Corporate_VCs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Mon, 21 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Brandon C. White, Host and Editor of Build a Business Success Secrets podcast and playbook. Headquartered in Half Moon Bay, California, Build a Business Success Secrets is a monthly print playbook revealing the inner game about how to build a business. Readers get monthly articles on how to perfect their mind, tune their body, investing tips, information on new and undiscovered products and services that have been tested and shown to increase sales and profits, and ultimately how to build a successful business. The newsletter also sponsors a podcast called Build a Business Success Secrets that provides straight talk for entrepreneurs and business owners. Brandon is an entrepreneur with two exits under his belt (so far). One, the largest social networking/e-commerce/membership site for sport fishing, and the other, a government software engineering service business. Brandon is also an angel investor, worked for two prominent venture capital firms, and served in management with a Fortune 500 company (AOL Time Warner). Brandon started his professional career in technology as a pioneer on the Internet in 1996 as the Founder/CEO of Worldwide Angler, Inc. Worldwide Angler was recognized as an early technology innovator and as the number-one social networking and e-commerce site for sport fisherman on the internet. He bought the company back from the investors and led it to a successful exit to a large media company. Brandon has his M.B.A from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School where he studied internationally at five leading business schools. He also has a Masters and BA in Psychology from Washington College where he was President of the Psi Chi National Honor Society. Brandon gives detailed advice to investors and startups and shares how he sees the startup industry evolving. You can visit Build a Business Success Secrets at https://BuildaBusiness.io, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com. Brandon can be contacted via email at b@brandoncwhite.com, via his website at https://BrandonCWhite.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brandonwhite/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrandonCWhite. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 21 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In working with corporate VCs, follow these best practices:
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: Best_practices_in_working_with_corporate_VCs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Fri, 18 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes John Dalton, Managing Partner at Industrial Device Investments (IDI). Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, IDI invests in manufacturers of industrial devices, sensors, machinery, and instruments. More specifically, they prefer specialty product companies that have $5 - $50 million in revenue, $1 - $6 million in earnings, strong technical features such that "use expertise" is value-added, the opportunity to improve by stronger strategic focus and strong operational execution, but not turnarounds, and segments where technology and innovation can drive sustainable advantage. John is a three-decade industrial products veteran with experience in all company functions and as a private equity investor with SouthPointe Ventures in Atlanta. John’s past experience began with General Electric and Black & Decker and includes senior leadership and ownership positions with smaller organizations focused on unique technologies within basic industries. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina. Dalton and his wife Sandy live in Knoxville, with their five children: Mark, Chris, Ari, Connor, and Krystin, and are active attendees at Two Rivers Church. John mentions some good opportunities for investors to pursue. He also shares his investment thesis and some of the challenges entrepreneurs face. You can visit Industrial Device Investments at www.idinvest.net, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/industrial-device-investments/about/. John can be contacted via email at john@idinvest.net, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/john-dalton-32996730. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: John_Dalton_of_Industrial_Device_Investments.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Fri, 18 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Corporate VCs can leverage their position in the industry to sign up good startups with an investment. The corporate VC brings a network of partners, distribution channels, a brand, an existing product line, and more. An investment can leverage their research dollars and achieve more than if they build it themselves. The pharmaceutical industry recognized this advantage years ago and now primarily invest in funding successful biotech startups rather than doing all the research and development themselves. This model works well where R&D is expensive and there are many potential avenues to take. There is a cost of setting up a corporate VC arm, but this investment can be spread across many startups. If used extensively, it can become a core competence for the company. To be successful at this, start with a clearly defined set of goals. Gain commitment from the corporation. Align the compensation of the corporate team to that of the performance of the investment. Those companies whose growth has stalled for some time may be more open to committing to it. Those facing a new wave of technologies may find this a better way to engage.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: how_to_achieve_success_running_a_corporate_vc.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Thu, 17 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Companies setting up a corporate VC arm often make the following mistakes: Treating the corporate VC arm as purely an acquisition pipeline. There are several other ways to gain value from a corporate VC structure than just recruiting target acquisitions. Not taking enough risk in selecting startups to pursue. The startup world has a higher level of risk involved than what most large companies find normal. Not accepting the fact that there will be failures and planning for it. Most companies want to succeed at everything. In the startup world, there is a high failure rate and there must be a program to manage those failures. Not giving the startups enough time to develop and mature. Startups can take several years to develop a meaningful product. Most VC funds are set up for a ten-year cycle. Make sure your company is committed to at least that time frame for running a corporate VC program. Treating the corporate VC arm as a business development unit. The VC arm should be working on next-generation technologies and not just the current generation. Requiring a majority stake which can be difficult to negotiate and support. Minority stakes are a better fit as it brings other investors into the process. Low balling the budget. True innovation is not cheap or easy.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: Mistakes_companies_make_with_Corporate_VCs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Thu, 17 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Patricia (Trish) Costello, CEO & Founder of Portfolia. Trish is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in preparing venture capital investment partners through the prestigious Kauffman Fellows Program, which she launched in 1994 with the Kauffman Foundation, and continues as CEO Emeritus. At Kauffman Fellows, she created the first training program for venture capital partners and launched the careers of many VC leaders, including numerous women VCs. She realized there was a culture around the VC industry that did not reflect how women like to operate. Traditional VCs were not funding the types of founders, products, and solutions that women wanted in the world, and adding 1-2 women to an existing venture firm was not shifting the equation. Trish saw an opportunity to create a best-in-class community and culture that united and empowered women to invest in innovative companies that have outsized potential for returns and impact -- and Portfolia was born. At Portfolia, their global network of top VCs source best-in-class companies and high-value deals and bring deep experience to each fund. They have 10 funds in market and invest in 8-12 companies per fund. The performance of their first two funds placed them in the top quartile of venture funds launched in 2016 and 2017. Trish was Founding President of CVE Capital Corp, the holding company of a $1.7 billion Fund of Funds founded to endow the Kauffman program. Trish was on the startup team of the Kauffman Foundation’s entrepreneurship center, where she played a leading role nationally in increasing equity investments in women’s businesses and in funding initiatives supporting high-growth women entrepreneurs, as well as equity programs for all high-potential entrepreneurs. Trish led the National Science Foundation SBIR Sub-Committee on Commercialization and was the Director of the Arthur M. Blank Center of Entrepreneurship at Babson College. She led and exited venture-backed companies in the pediatric market earlier in her career. Trish is on the Board of Directors of the Motley Fool Foundation. Entrepreneur Magazine named her to its 2020 inaugural 100 Most Innovative Women Entrepreneurs in the World, and Portfolia won the 2019 Golden Stevie Award for the Year’s Most Innovative Company Run by Women. Fast Company awarded Portfolia as one of the 10 Most Innovative Finance Companies in the World in 2020, along with unicorns Brex and Carta. Trish discusses her investment thesis, advises startups and investors, and shares some of the challenges they face. You can visit Portfolia at www.portfolia.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/portfolia/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/Portfolia1. Trish can be contacted via email at tcostello@portfolia.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/trishcostello1. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 16 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In setting up a corporate VC fund in your organization, consider the following: Start with the legal structure. You can either create an LLC legal entity for the fund or move the fund inside the corporate structure. Next, establish your investment thesis in alignment with your corporate strategic objectives. Build an investment structure with a team for managing deal flow, diligence, portfolio management, and other activities in running a fund. Use traditional VC programs as a benchmark for this process. Establish a pipeline of deals to review by setting up partnerships with funds, accelerators, and other groups launching startups that fit your thesis. Set up syndicate partnerships with traditional VCs to fund deals they’ve completed. Make sure you create internal communication programs to update the corporation on status and progress. Create an external communications program to promote the fund and attract startups as well as syndicate partners. Startups sign up to gain access to corporate partners, customers, brands, and more, so create support programs for the invested companies. Establish metrics to capture the results of the work. Traditional VCs typically use exits on funded startups. Corporate VCs should focus on meaningful collaborations with corporate departments and partners.
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 16 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Greg Shepard, Founder of BOSS Capital Partners. Headquartered in San Diego, California, BOSS Capital Partners is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to working with technology businesses that need operational expertise and guidance to achieve capital-efficient and rewarding outcomes. By utilizing the BOSS - Business Operating Support System - the BCP team assists portfolio companies with tactical challenges they face in product management, engineering, sales, marketing, pricing, legal, and finance. BOSS Capital Partners is focused on applying the battle-tested BOSS Startup Science methodology to assist companies that have found product-market fit, yet need additional operational assistance to achieve a reasonable financial exit. Consistently and efficiently applied, BOSS allows BCP to transform the day-to-day operations of portfolio companies and significantly increase the quality of potential exit outcomes. Greg is a 20-year startup veteran and serial entrepreneur with 14 liquidity events under his belt, two of which were sold as part of a $925M transaction that won 4 PE awards for transactions between $250M-$1B. He is a ForbesBooks author and has written over 100 articles published in 25 national and international publications. Greg is a TEDx speaker and keynote speaker for universities, associations, and conferences worldwide. He is the host of a Forbes Radio show and has been featured as a guest on over 25 popular podcasts as well as numerous network TV and radio shows. Greg Co-Founded BOSSStartupScience a learning center that is based on Greg’s Business Operating Support System (BOSS) - an open-source methodology developed to empower entrepreneurs while increasing the startup success rate. Greg shares what excites him now in the sector and gives detailed advice to both investors and entrepreneurs. He discusses some of the changes we may see in the startup space in the next five years and he speaks about his investment thesis. You can visit BOSS Capital Partners at www.bosscapitalpartners.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bosscapitalpartners, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/bosscappartners. Greg can be contacted via email at greg@bosscapitalpartners.com, via his website at www.gregoryshepard.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gregshepard, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/gregshepard_. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Greg_Shepard_of_BOSS_Capital_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Tue, 15 June 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Cannabis Problem: Participation in the Cannabis Segment and What Investors Look for
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about participation in the cannabis sector and what investors look for. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The cannabis space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. Every state is reviewing its regulations and accelerating legalization across the board. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: William Muecke, Co-founder & Managing Director, Artemis Growth Partners, 00:56
Direct download: IP_Cannabis_Show_3_Participation_in_the_Cannabis_Sector_and_What_Investors_Look_For.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:53am CST |
Tue, 15 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. While traditional venture funds increase their fund size over time, corporate VCs should keep their fund size low. Traditional VCs seek higher compensation and can do so by increasing the size of the fund which increases their management fee. Corporate VCs are often compensated as employees of the company with some upside on successful outcomes which are not necessarily financial exits. Collaboration, partnerships, and pilots are the most often used metrics for funded companies in a corporate VC fund. Therefore it is important to keep the costs low especially at the start and then grow it over time as you prove out the program. It will be easier to provide a positive return on investment for a $25M fund rather than a $200M fund. This will reduce the dollar investment into each startup but there again, it’s best to start small and increase the investment per company over time. A large fund may also draw criticism from other departments in the corporation who want that budget for their purposes. A large fund can create a culture of “contracted labor” rather than a culture of collaboration. The final outcome is not a financial return, but successful collaborations and pilots. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group
Direct download: How_to_make_the_corporate_VC_fund_model_work.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Mon, 14 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are several approaches corporate VCs can take in setting up their venture program: For finding innovations for current challenges the corporate VC can use collaborative innovation tools such as coding sprints, hackathons, or Xprize competitions. For generating new business concepts, utilize accelerators by either bringing in an existing program or creating your own. For creating new businesses, set up an incubator program either by joining an existing incubator in the area or by creating your own. For solving specific problems, set up partnerships with entrepreneurs or venture capital firms using the joint venture model. For investing in startups for future collaborations and projects, set up a fund and look at crowdfunding platforms, incubators, and venture capital channel partners. There are several tools one can use to foster the collaboration. The venture studio model can be used for building startups from the ground up. Crowdsourcing can provide additional tools for finding developers, technology, or business models. Entrepreneur-in-residence programs match the startup with an existing business to provide a solution in-house. Embedding corporate employees in a startup can also be used. Determine your objectives and then build your program around it.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 14 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Adam Hull, Partner at Redbud Advisors. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Redbud Advisors is the fulcrum to your wealth. They serve as wealth strategists and focus on winning relationships in all forms. Their ideal client makes a multitude of financial decisions in a day, week, and throughout the year. Redbud brings them the strategies needed to achieve their goals and serves as a thought partner, advocate, expert, advisor, and facilitator to ensure every decision is in support of the strategy. Like the fulcrum moves to keep things balanced, Redbud moves to ensure their client has constant balance. Adam is no ordinary person, let alone an advisor in the financial world. In high school, he was a stand leader and got all the fans in home team cheering mode. He's the father of 4 and found a new appreciation for life when going through the humbling experience of losing his first child as an infant; today, his 3 vibrant children and loving wife add wind to his sails. He brings heart to everything he does. In his profession with Redbud Advisors, and 11 years under his belt, Adam is a Wealth Strategist; the guy that sits beside the wealthy helping them make critical decisions. Clients say Adam, and Redbud, have more intimate knowledge of their financial situation than any other family member, let alone professional on their team. From 'should I tell my kids about their inheritance' to, 'do I invest in this business or not', to, 'is it better to do X or Y', and 'what's the best estate plan', along with all the things in between, he is committed to helping clients have the best wealth strategy through winning relationships. Adam explains how Redbud Advisors help startup and growth companies and discusses some of the challenges startups face. You can visit Redbud Advisors at www.redbudadvisorsatx.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/redbud-advisors/about/. Adam can be contacted via email at hull@redbudadvisorsatx.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/adamhull. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 11 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Hubert Vaz-Nayak, Co-Founder and President of the Chicago Booth Angels Network of Texas. The Chicago Booth Angels Network (CBAN) of Texas was formed by Booth alumni in Texas who came together to identify and invest smartly in startups. They focus on early-stage companies that are looking for a diverse, high caliber of investors who can leverage their capital, expertise, and global networks to the advantage of the companies they invest in. As part of the global CBAN organization, they also have access to the broader CBAN investor network. CBAN Texas is an inclusive organization that encourages all accredited investors to consider participating in their investment opportunities and events. They consider investing in businesses from anywhere in the United States and invest in a broad range of industries. Hubert began his career in India working on the launch of Pepsi and 7Up across the country. After graduating from the University of Chicago Booth Business School, he worked with large technology companies including Motorola, BMC Software, and AT&T Wireless where he pioneered several wireless services we all use today. As a management consultant with Accenture and KPMG, he advised the management teams of several Fortune 100 companies. Hubert also has a strong start-up track record. He came up with the idea and wrote the original business plan for Convergys, which grew into a $3B public company. He then went on to co-found Eclipse Networks, which went from 2 to 400+ employees in less than 12 months. He led the turnaround and repositioning of Dynamicsoft that was acquired by Cisco Systems. Moving to Houston, he was initially Director of the Tech startups at the Houston Technology Center, where he advised over 30 startup companies. Hubert is a board member of TIE Houston and TIE Houston Angels, the world’s largest entrepreneurship organization. He is also currently the CFO of a rapidly-growing social media startup called Aapoon, which is focused on the Indian market. Hubert is an active angel investor investing in multiple startups around the country and remains an advisor to many of them. Hubert discusses the state of startup investing and his investment thesis. He advises investors and entrepreneurs and discusses some of the challenges they face. You can visit the Chicago Booth Angels Network of Texas at www.boothangelstexas.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/chicago-booth-angels-network-of-texas/. Hubert can be contacted via email at vaznayak@hotmail.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/hubert-vaz-nayak-8ab1b1/. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Hubert_Vaz-Nayak_of_Booth_Angel_Network.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Fri, 11 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Corporate VC funding continues to grow as companies look for innovation and startups look for funding opportunities. There are several types of corporate VC funds. Here are three: 1. Traditional investment fund
2. Strategic investment fund
3. Opportunity investment fund
Make sure the type of corporate VC matches the needs of your startup. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 10 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes David Meltzer, CEO of David Meltzer Enterprises. David is the Co-Founder of Sports 1 Marketing and formerly served as CEO of the renowned Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agency, which was the inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. Considered one of the top esports entrepreneurs and investors, David is also a three-time international best-selling author, a Top 100 Business Coach, and host of the top entrepreneur podcast, The Playbook. David is the Executive Producer of the Bloomberg and Amazon television series 2 Minute Drill and also is the executive producer of Entrepreneur’s #1 digital business show, Elevator Pitch. David is featured in many books, movies, and TV shows such as World’s Greatest Motivators, Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy and Beyond the Secret, airing on Netflix. Additionally, he has been recognized by Variety Magazine as their Sports Humanitarian of the Year and awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. His life’s mission is to empower OVER 1 BILLION people to be happy! This simple yet powerful mission has led him on an incredible journey to provide one thing…VALUE. In all his content, and communication that’s exactly what you’ll receive. For the past 20 years, David has been providing free weekly trainings to empower others to be happy. David shares what led him to start working in the eSports space, what excites him now, and he advises both investors and startups. He discusses some of the challenges startups face and how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit David at www.dmeltzer.com, www.free.dmeltzer.com/training, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/david-meltzer-enterprises-dme/about/, www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeltzer2, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/davidmeltzer. David can be contacted via email at david@dmeltzer.com. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: David_Meltzer_of_David_Meltzer_Enterprises.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Thu, 10 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are several tools for the corporate VC to use in a venturing program. Here’s a list to consider:
Consider augmenting your corporate venture fund with these tools and activities. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: tools_for_running_a_corporate_vc_program.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Wed, 9 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ben Rifkin, CEO at Ten Eighty Capital. Ten Eighty is a single-family office and diversified private investment firm with three primary focus areas. Ten Eighty Trading develops proprietary technical trading strategies for the public markets. Ten Eighty Capital invests time, capital, and expertise into operating companies ranging from concepts incubated in-house to late-stage growth rounds and even full buyouts, alternative funds, and other investment vehicles. Ten Eighty Land invests in discrete residential and commercial properties as well as broader development projects. Ben is the co-founder and board director of AcceleratUM, a privately funded collaborative that advances consensus solutions for the unmanned mobility industry. He devotes significant time to public education and youth development organizations as board chair of the Park City Education Foundation and board director of Live Like Sam Foundation. Prior to Ten Eighty, Ben served as President of Royal Street Investment & Innovation Center, leading strategic investment and business decisions and advising on Royal Street’s sale of Deer Valley Resort and Solitude Resort to Alterra Mountain Company. He was also a founding Venture Partner of Royal Street Ventures. In these roles, Ben worked closely with private and public companies in the hospitality, virtual reality, consumer products, consumer internet, and enterprise software industries. Ben also managed the Park City Angels as Executive Director leading membership, deal sourcing, and diligence efforts. He helped open Park City’s first co-working space and incubator, PandoLabs, and also served as co-chair and emcee of Thin Air, a business leadership and innovation conference underwritten by the Park City Chamber of Commerce. Ben began his professional career in media, working his way up at Time Warner and Bonnier Corporation from intern to eventually become the youngest-ever Publisher of the SKI and Skiing brands while also serving as associate publisher of Saveur and Garden Design. He left media to pursue a career in finance via sports and entertainment, first as SVP Marketing and Operations at Consumer Capital Partners and world-class cycling stage race the US Pro Challenge, and later as President and General Manager of the Denver Cutthroats, the AA-affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. Ben grew up in Maine, graduated from Hebron Academy, and went on to the alpine ski race at Dartmouth College, where he majored in creative writing and was involved in various academic and social organizations. Ben discusses his investment thesis, some of the startups he has invested in, and some of their challenges. You can visit Ten Eighty Capital at www.teneighty.us, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ten-eighty-capital/about/. Ben can be contacted via email at brifkin@teneighty.us, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/benrifkin/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 9 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders looking to raise funding from corporate VCs should avoid the following mistakes:
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: mistakes_founders_make_with_corporate_vcs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Tue, 8 June 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Cannabis Problem: Primary Trends and What Makes for a Successful Company
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about primary trends and what makes for a successful company in the segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The cannabis space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. Every state is reviewing its regulations and accelerating legalization across the board. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: William Muecke, Co-founder & Managing Director, Artemis Growth Partners, 00:56 I hope you enjoy this episode. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: IP_Cannabis_Show_2_Primary_Trends_and_What_Makes_for_a_Successful_Company.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Tue, 8 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups looking to take corporate VC funding should be aware of the requirements put on founders. Here’s a list to consider:
There’s a cost of working in the large company world, so it’s important to understand the requirements that come with the funding.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: corporate_vc_requirements_of_founders.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Mon, 7 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Chris Fronda, CEO of Logictry. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Logictry, the first-ever Logic Management system, is a no-code, low-code application platform that allows anyone to build business Logic Apps that combine learning and productivity for instant expertise. Logictry helps businesses systematize their processes and institutional knowledge into interactive, actionable content. The result is that businesses can onboard new hires faster, senior members can delegate more with less risk, teams can unlock untapped efficiencies, and overall, businesses can protect against knowledge loss. Chris is a serial tech entrepreneur and a 15-year software architect. He is well known for his ability to deliver the benefits of complex technologies in efficient ways. His endeavors have included launching a cryptocurrency (ICO) as well as building blockchain dApps, trading algorithms, scalable cloud architectures, and consumer mobile apps. He has also owned and operated a technical systems integration firm working with clients such as SwRI, Metso, Pfizer, and NASA. His firm built automated production test systems for verification and validation, solar power quality monitoring systems, plant asset condition monitoring systems, and automated cell secretion analysis systems for the research and treatment of Type 1 diabetes. Chris brings nearly 20 years of experience in delivering productivity through technology. Prior to founding his systems integration firm, he served as a top applications engineer for National Instruments (NI) where he guided clients in bringing complex automation systems online. At NI, he was tapped as a top instructor for NI’s top and senior client base. Chris was promoted to Product Manager for NI’s $25M Sound and Vibration product line overseeing and coordinating sales, marketing, R&D, and manufacturing. In this role, he was often tapped to close large sales opportunities and for global speaking engagements promoting the product line. Chris has parlayed his high-level achievements in math and physics, his love of strategy and chess, and his desire to unlock the benefits of advanced technology for the masses, into tools that leverage technology to unlock front-line innovation and untapped efficiencies for businesses and clients. Chris is also deeply passionate about learning complex topics and simplifying them to empower others. He aims to help grow awareness of the Socratic Method, formal logic, and systems thinking, and to help anyone think like an expert. His mission is to optimize the way we structure information and intelligence for better decision-making and his vision is to help keep humans relevant and innovating in this age of acceleration. Chris discusses the growth rate of the sector and some of the challenges startups face. He explains what his target customer looks like, and the future of Logictry. You can visit Logictry at www.logictry.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/logictry, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/logictry. Chris can be contacted via email at chris@logictry.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/chrisfronda. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 7 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The corporate VC must set up and run a program. Here’s a list of core functions the corporate VC must cover: Planning out the portfolio - this includes estimating the size of each investment as well as the type of company to invest in. There needs to be a target valuation and percentage ownership for each investment. Searching for startups that meet the plan - startups must be able to grow rapidly and scale to higher levels with limited capital. Convincing startups to take the investment - this includes connecting the startup to other investors and providing resources to facilitate growth. Diligencing startups - this includes researching the startup, in particular the team, to understand their skills and ability to accomplish the goal. Tracking and supporting existing investments - this includes attending board meetings, supporting the startup, and updating the limited partners of the status. Some startups will require more attention than others and limited partners will look for in-depth reports.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 4 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jim Stallings, CEO of PS27 Ventures. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, PS27 Ventures is a veteran-owned venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies that are driving dramatic changes in high-growth markets. Their investments focus on healthtech, e-commerce, fintech, SaaS, and sustainability companies. They work with a diverse group of founders to provide the tools, resources, and expertise they need to succeed. They use a hands-on approach and require their companies to attend weekly sales calls, peer-to-peer events, and annual programs. They also work alongside them to assist with cash flow management. PS27 has a proven success rate for graduated portfolio companies who have gone on successfully to build their companies. Jim is an internationally recognized business leader, entrepreneur, and investor who specializes in launching and scaling early-stage companies in areas of technology and e-commerce. Jim has been involved in starting dozens of new ventures in fintech, healthtech, and Software as a Service. He believes innovation should be viewed as the core offensive strategy of any company, "either disrupt or be disrupted". Jim's career spans over 30 years as IBM General Manager of several major lines of business including the company's $7B Linux software business, its intellectual property division with 39,000 patents, and its $21B global hardware sales group. He started his business career as a data analyst in the Space Division at GE. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the US Naval Academy and served as a Captain in the US Marine Corps. He is on the Board of Directors at Fidelity National Informations Systems (FIS), UGI Corporation (UGI), and Cannae Holdings, Inc (CNNE). He also serves as a Trustee on the Folded Flag Foundation which provides scholarships to descendants of fallen warriors in the US Military. Jim advises investors and entrepreneurs and shares his investment thesis. He discusses the state of startup investing and what he thinks will be the biggest change we will see in five years. You can visit PS27 Ventures at www.ps27ventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ps27-ventures, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/PS27Ventures. Jim can be contacted via email at jbs@ps27ventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jimps27, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/JimPS27. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 4 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. With the growing number of startups seeking funding, it’s easy to increase your corporate VC fund to capture more deals. Fund sizes in many corporate VCs increase almost every year. For many startups, too much funding can bring unexpected problems. It’s best to start small and grow the fund organically. The corporate VC also needs to build out the program to provide the strategic and forecasted results. Many startups that pursue corporate VC need substantial support. Most corporate VC funds are started when their strategic initiatives come up short. The corporate VC must consider the needs of the fund as well as the needs of the startup. Start with a small investment up front, then start looking for a connection with the corporate group with meaningful interactions. Too much funding will create the impression that the funding was the end-game when collaboration should be the outcome. Measure each step that leads to a productive collaboration. The startup should feel like a successful part of the company and not a hired contractor. In the end, you must find a good fit and build a strong collaboration process.
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 3 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes JC Otero, COO & Co-Founder of Change4Change. Headquartered in Austin, TX, Change4Change’s mission is to democratize the political fundraising process by broadening the donor base, making fundraising more accessible to all, while combating the influence of big money in politics. It is this monumental challenge that compelled JC to join forces with Nik Kulkarni to start Change4Change in the Fall of 2018. Through their mobile apps, politically active donors can round up their everyday debit and credit card transactions to the nearest dollar, and donate that spare "change" to political candidates and causes they support. JC's career has spanned roles in sales, operations, marketing, and management with large companies such as Informatica, a world-leading data management company, Dell (prior to going private), and Wells Fargo, while also being an early employee with tech startups such as nDivision, which went public in 2018, and BestFit Mobile, which was acquired by Software Paradigm International in 2015. JC also co-founded one of Austin's first green cleaning companies and sold his stake in 2009. Outside of being an early-stage startup employee, JC has also been involved with more mature startups in FinTech, Buzz Points who raised over $25M since its founding in 2009, and in the Cryptocurrency space, Cointerra who generated over $35M in revenue its first year manufacturing ASIC machines for bitcoin mining in 2013 where he helped launched one of the world's first cloud-based mining services in 2014. Outside of work, JC is very involved in the community, both locally and internationally, is an avid reader with an insatiable appetite to learn, and loves traveling the world. To date, JC has been to 29 countries across 4 continents. Community accomplishments JC is most proud of are in helping build the largest deaf empowerment NGO in Kenya, being an early catalyst and champion for at-risk youth, entrepreneurship efforts in Central Texas, and his Emzingo NexGen fellowship in Peru with the National Red Cross. JC discusses how he sees the industry evolving, and how Change4Change fits into the landscape. You can visit Change4Change at www.change4change.co/, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/change4change/about/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/change4changeco. JC can be contacted via email at jc.otero.atx@gmail.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/juancarlosotero/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 3 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Corporate venture capital is venture funding from a company, rather than a fund raised from limited partners. Most corporate venture capital invests for strategic reasons rather than financial ones. Reasons for corporations to invest in startups include the following: - Gain market insight through their startup portfolio companies - many companies want a front-row seat on how an emerging market is developing. - Access to new research and business models - this can support research and development as well as business development. - Provide a flow of new customers for the corporate investor - investing in companies gives the corporate VC leverage for selling their products. - Identify new talent for future projects in the space - as the market matures, the corporate VC may want to enter the market with their own products, and having the talent to build and sell those products can be quite valuable. - Build a relationship with potential acquisition targets - some corporations use M&A to gain access to a market and investing in early-stage companies is one path to acquisition.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 2 June 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Caroline Lewis, Partner at Rogue Venture Partners and Managing Partner of Rogue’s Women’s Fund. Rogue Venture Partners is a venture capital firm specializing in investments in startups. It seeks to invest in new and growing businesses in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. The company invests in entrepreneurs that reject the status quo, and who are driven by market traction. Rogue values ingenuity, insight and intelligence, and accelerates entrepreneurial success with resources, values and vision. Rogue is committed to increasing Oregon's entrepreneurial footprint through committed, sustainable investment in new businesses and growing enterprises. Rogue optimizes its fund to ensure alignment between investors and founders generating outsized venture returns on market-based exits and are actively investing out of Fund IV and the Rogue Women’s Fund. Rogue focuses on Consumer Health/Tech and B2B SaaS and enterprise in E-Commerce, and Aging/Care tech. Caroline identifies new investment opportunities for Rogue and leverages her previous experience to assist portfolio companies with growth. She is a Kauffman Fellow and is a board observer for Stix, Source, All Voices, Edify, Caregiven, and EnviralTech. Prior to Rogue, Caroline was Senior Director in Strategy and Operations for Global Design, Product, and Merchandising at Nike where she managed a portfolio of strategic programs focused on consumer experience, digitization, and big data. Prior to being recruited to work for Nike, Caroline was a technology consultant for Propeller and Hitachi Consulting, working with Fortune 100 companies on enterprise technology implementations and organizational restructuring. Her love for start-ups comes from her early career experience as a founder for an e-commerce business and as a leader at a consumer health product company. Caroline graduated as a Division 1 Field Hockey player with an MS in Psychology from Davidson College. She then received an MBA with a focus on entrepreneurship from Portland State University. Caroline discusses her investment thesis and some of the startups that fit the thesis. She advises entrepreneurs and investors and shares some of the challenges she sees startups facing these days. You can visit Rogue Venture Partners at www.roguevp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/rogue-venture-partners/about/. You can visit Rogue’s Women’s Fund at www.oguewmn.com. Caroline can be contacted via email at caroline@roguevp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/carolinejlewis/. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Caroline_Lewis_of_Rogue_Venture_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Wed, 2 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Corporate VCs follow the startup cycle with many launching their programs at the peak of the cycle. Most Corporate VCs last about 4 to 6 years, at which point the economic cycle creates a challenging environment for the company. To be successful at running a corporate VC, you’ll need to do the following: Set goals that are aligned with the corporation. Managing a startup is different from managing a business unit in the company. The needs of a startup are entrepreneurial and don't necessarily fit into the company's current support set. Make sure you incentivize the management team properly for the fund as they can find more lucrative jobs in the VC space.
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 1 June 2021
This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about growth in the cannabis segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The cannabis space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. Every state is reviewing its regulations and accelerating legalization across the board. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: IP_Cannabis_Show_1_Growth_in_the_Cannabis_Segment.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |
Tue, 1 June 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Overall, corporate VCs invest more than traditional VCs by about 2%. Corporate VCs operate the same as traditional VCs with some exceptions:
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group
Direct download: How_Corporate_VC_Compares_to_Traditional_VC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST |