Fri, 29 October 2021
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Philip Webb, Managing Director at Investors In Community Limited (IIC). Phil started his career working for IBM UK as a hardware specialist. He established a hardware/services business in 1990, growing to over £6.7M and selling on in 1996. Since set up, he has merged and sold 5 SME businesses in the areas of software development, training, and business consultancy. In 1996, Phil was elected Chamber President, and in the same year, represented SME businesses in the CBI Regional Council. Phil has published three business books, leading to university lecturing about rapid change management, and is the legal custodian of the research from the Stanford University of the SWOT Analysis. Phil discusses how he sees the industry evolving and its growth rate, some of the challenges in starting a business in this space, and he explains community credits. You can visit Investors In Community Limited at www.investorsincommunity.org, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/investors-in-community/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/IICTweets. Phil can be contacted via email at philip.webb@investorsincommunity.org, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/philipwebbtam/. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Philip_Webb_of_Investors_In_Community_Limited.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 29 October 2021
Communicating With Members Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel group, it’s important to communicate your membership criteria and organizational structure to prospective members. The website and associated documents should make clear not only the membership criteria, but also the process to become a member, and how the group is structured. It also should make clear the process for membership application, acceptance, onboarding, and annual renewal. The website and documents should include the following:
In addition to the website, members should have the opportunity to attend a meeting to learn more about the group. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 28 October 2021
Setting Membership Criteria Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In setting up an angel network, you need to determine the membership criteria. Here are some points to consider: The Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC sets the investor criteria to allow for investments into startups. Members must meet the SEC criteria for accredited investors. Make clear the goals of the group, whether supporting the local entrepreneur ecosystem, fostering a new technology, or educating the community. The “why” of the group is as important as the “what to invest in” question. In the university angel group setting, the “why” is typically focused on student experience and job placement. Making a return on investment is also important but typically not the number one goal. Also, connecting investors to one another is a goal many angel groups have. Consider the “why” of your group and communicate that to prospective members. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 27 October 2021
Funding the Angel Network Program Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In setting up an angel network, you need to fund the program. Here are some funding sources to consider: Most angel networks charge a membership fee to cover the expenses for running the program. For those groups using the fund structure, a management fee or carry can be taken from the fund to cover the cost. Special purpose vehicles can also be used for each deal to pool investors’ funds and then take a carry or fee from it. Other sources of funding include sponsorships from providers related to the startup space, such as legal and financial work. Some angel groups qualify for grants in their area and can use the grant to cover expenses. Finally, some groups charge an administration fee to the funded companies. Members can only volunteer so many hours to the group, so make sure you are funding the program properly with these sources. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 27 October 2021
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes back Brian Parks, Founder & CEO of Bigfoot Capital. Brian founded Bigfoot after having been an operator in early-stage software companies since 2010. During that time, Brian was Co-Founder & CEO of Brandfolder (acquired by Smartsheet), an executive team member at a marketplace lending business, and employee #1 at an online travel distribution company. Prior to that, he was an M&A investment banker and a commercial banker. Over the course of his career, Brian has been involved in multiple financings and acquisitions totaling north of $500M. Brian gives an update on what he has been doing since the last interview, discusses what he is passionate about and shares some of the challenges startups and investors face. You can visit Bigfoot Capital at www.bigfootcap.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bigfoot-capital, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/bigfootcapital. Brian can be contacted via email at bparks@bigfootcap.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/parksbrian, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/parkstweet. ____________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Brian_Parks_of_Bigfoot_Capital_follow_up_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 26 October 2021
Choosing the Investment Structure Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In setting up an angel network, you need to choose an investment structure. Here are some structures to consider: Individual investments -- the members can each decide if they want to invest and how much to invest in each deal. This allows for maximum flexibility for the members to invest in the deals they want. The drawback is the administration is high, as you must work with each investor in determining their amount of investment and signing of the documents. Group investments -- the members invest as a group. In this structure, the investors can create a pledge fund so the group decides which deals to pursue. The members have some decision-making control over the investment decisions. This reduces the administrative overhead. The group can also choose to create a fund in which a screening committee or manager determines which investments are made. This requires the least amount of administration as the manager or committee makes the decisions on their own. The group can also choose to create a sidecar fund that invests from a fund into deals the members have funded individually. The sidecar fund provides members diversification on top of their individual investments. This is also a low-cost administrative structure as the sidecar investment is typically a calculation based on the members’ investment and does not require a manager to run 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 26 October 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Real Estate 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 Real Estate Problem”, you’ll hear about the primary trends and what makes for a successful company in this space. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The real estate space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a new normal way of life. Work from home and the shift to work from anywhere is changing the real estate market. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are:
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Mon, 25 October 2021
Thank you for joining us today for our TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program. In this program, we help startups prepare for a fundraise. We provide templates, tools, eGuides, and advice to founders who are working towards raising funding. We’ll kick off the session with a short overview on a fundraising topic, then we’ll answer questions from the founders. I hope you enjoy this episode. Thank you for joining us for the TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program where we help startups prepare for a fundraise. For more episodes, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 25 October 2021
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Eric Stegemann, Managing Partner at TRIBUS Capital. Eric brings over 20 years of brokerage and proptech experience and expertise to his role as Managing Partner of TRIBUS Capital. Having become a realtor before reaching the age of 20, Eric grew passionate about an industry where responsibility and hard work were rewarded. After selling for a large brand brokerage, he started his own brokerage which quickly grew to the largest independent in St. Louis within 20 months. Within six years, he received an offer to purchase the brokerage while retaining all of the technology developed. Using this technology, he started TRIBUS. Eric is regarded as one of the brightest minds in the real estate technology realm and has spoken at a variety of real estate events, such as Inman Connect in New York and San Francisco, the NAR Annual Conference, and numerous state and local board meetings. Eric advises entrepreneurs and investors, discusses some of the challenges they face, and mentions some of the companies he has invested in. You can visit TRIBUS Capital at https://tribus.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/tribus/. Eric can be contacted via email at eric.stegemann@tribusgroup.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ericstegemann/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/ericstegemann?lang=en. ____________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 25 October 2021
Choosing the Regulatory Environment Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. As angel networks expand across the globe, those groups outside the U.S. should also consider their local regulatory environment before launching an angel network. Here are some points to consider:
While these issues are clear in the U.S. and for the most part foster angel investing, other countries have not yet built out their regulatory environment to foster it. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 22 October 2021
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes David Goldberg, General Partner at Alpaca VC. Headquartered in New York, New York, Alpaca VC is a seed-stage venture capital firm that believes that layering technology over daily life transforms how the real world works so they invest in the people, products, and processes that power commerce in the physical world. Led by a diverse team of company builders, operators, and analytical thinkers, Alpaca develops a repeatable playbook to help its entrepreneurs most efficiently progress from Seed to Series A. After coming off his own entrepreneurial journey as Founder/CEO of FreshNeck, David joined Alpaca in 2014. He relies on empathy and personal experience to form deep bonds with founders and add value where it matters most. David enjoys partnering with startups on high-level strategy and building scalable ‘operating systems’ consisting of structured priorities and OKRs. Some of David's past investments on behalf of Alpaca include Latch, Transfix, Imperfect Foods, Minibar, FirstBase, and Monument. Before getting the startup bug, David spent his early career in finance and law at the University of Miami and Fordham University. He spent three years as an Assistant District Attorney, representing the people of New York, and following that, spent three years across Merrill Lynch and Jefferies & Co. David discusses his investment thesis and some of the challenges entrepreneurs and investors face. You can visit Alpaca VC at www.alpaca.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/alpacavc/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/alpacavc/. David can be contacted via email at david@alpaca.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/david-goldberg-056a973/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/davidrgoldberg. _____________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 22 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are several legal structures to use when setting up your angel network. Most angel networks form a Limited Liability Company or LLC. This gives the angel network a legal entity with which it can conduct business. The members often pay an annual fee to fund the operational activities of the company. Some angel networks form in association with a university. Since the university is a non-profit organization, the angel group can work inside the university for its mentoring, networking, and other non-financial activities. For running a fund or making investments, the angel network inside the university must set up an entity outside the university, since non-profit organizations cannot engage in investment activities. Some angel networks form a not-for-profit LLC and then apply for non-profit status 501(c)3 with the IRS. Again, the mentoring, education, and other non-financial aspects can be done within the organization, but the financial aspects such as investing must be done outside. Finally, some angel networks form a not-for-profit LLC and then apply for trade organization status or 501(c)6. This structure allows the organization to engage in political activities. Those angel networks choosing a non-profit or trade organization structure must set up a separate legal entity for any funds they want to raise and deploy. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 21 October 2021
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Allison Piper Kimball, Managing Partner at Wave 27 Ventures. Allison, MSPH, MBA is also the founder of the Blue Catalyst Group. Angel investing is Allison's third career, after first working as an environmental and occupational health consultant and then spending almost two decades as an executive in the retail electricity industry. Allison served in a variety of roles including as Chief Operating Officer of Texas electricity retailer StarTex Power before and through its sale and transition to Constellation Energy; and then as Chief Operating Officer at Spark Energy, a nationwide retail electricity and natural gas company which she helped take public in 2014. Throughout her career, Allison worked closely with multiple entrepreneurs at all stages of company growth and development, from start up to taking companies in their early years from start up to sale or IPO. Allison leverages this experience to mentor and invest in entrepreneurs and early-stage companies. Allison is a member of the Houston Angel Network and serves on its board of directors, is an LP in Golden Section Ventures and The Artemis Fund, and serves on the board of Montucky Cold Snacks. Allison is active in regional startup, business model and pitch competitions, and mentoring entrepreneurs. Allison holds an MBA in Finance and Information Systems from Tulane University, a Master of Science in Public Health from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science from Clarkson University in New York. Allison shares what excites her now, advises startups and investors, discusses how she sees the angel industry evolving, and mentions some of the startups she has invested in. You can contact Allison via email at allison@bluecatalystgroup.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/allisonpiper/. __________________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Allison_Piper_Kimball_of_Wave_27_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 21 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are two ways to organize your angel network: member-led or manager-led. Member-led groups let the members source deals, lead the investments, and recruit the members. They hire staff members to handle the administrative tasks. Manager-led groups hire experienced professionals to perform key functions such as determining which startups to fund. Managers also work on screening the deals so only the fundable ones go through to the members. They also prepare the founders so their documents and presentations are ready. They maintain communication with the startup throughout the process. They lead the diligence process and produce the diligence report. Some angel groups partner with incubators, accelerators, universities, and other groups. The partner provides meeting space and shares the operational cost of the group. Some partners provide administrative support. The choice of member-led versus manager-led often comes down to the availability of someone to take the role of the manager. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 20 October 2021
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Michael Nogen, Managing Partner at Overton Venture Capital. Overton Venture Capital is a woman-led fund that invests in seed and early-stage, revenue-generating companies whose entrepreneurs break the world’s confines and reimagine it with transformational solutions for next-generation businesses. They partner with ambitious entrepreneurs who are meeting the challenges and opportunities of today’s rapidly evolving consumer landscape. Before his career in retail, and before earning an MBA at NYU, Michael launched a premium contemporary maternity apparel design and manufacturing business, growing distribution to 200+ global specialty and department store retailers and launching the maternity category for Zappos.com. Michael holds a BA from Wabash College in history, a MA in Public Policy from Middlebury’s Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and received his MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. Michael discusses the state of startup investing and some of the challenges startups and investors face. You can visit Overton Venture Capital at www.overtonvc.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/overton-venture-capital/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/OvertonVc. You can contact Michael via email at michael@overtonvc.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/michaelnogen, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/Michael_Nogen. ____________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Michael_Nogen_of_Overton_Venture_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 20 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Angel investing can be fun and financially rewarding to the investor as well as helpful to the startup. It can also be challenging. Here are some challenges to consider: Angel investing requires hands-on work with the startups not only in funding but also in supporting them after the investment. Angels often fill in the gaps left by the local incubators and accelerator programs in coaching them into a place where they can raise funding. First-time angels can find it time-consuming and expensive to learn the process. New market segments require the angel investor to continually learn new industries and business models. There’s no collateral for the investment and it can all go to zero as it’s a risky investment class. One out of ten investments will be a home run. Two or three will provide a small return on investment. And the rest will fail. Angel investing can be a rewarding endeavor but it’s not without its challenges. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 19 October 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 Real Estate Problem”, you’ll hear about growth in the real estate space. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The real estate space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a new normal way of life. Work from home and the shift to working from anywhere is changing the real estate market. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: We hope you enjoy the show. |
Tue, 19 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. An angel investor will find many benefits in joining an angel network. The angel network can build resources to share with the angel such as due diligence. This is time-intensive work, so it helps to share the load. Angel networks provide more and better deal flow than individual investors can find. The bigger the angel network, the more likely there will be knowledgeable investors about the market segments and startup business models. This lets the angel investor pursue deals outside their core expertise. Angel groups can write bigger checks than individual angels and thus command better terms with the startup. Experienced angel investors can share their knowledge with new angels. This is particularly helpful in setting valuations, defining term sheets, and supporting the company. Angel investors can find diversification through the angel network and its deal flow. An angel network will have more influence over its startup scene than an individual investor. Consider joining an angel network. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 18 October 2021
In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Heeten Doshi, Founder and Managing Partner at Doshi Capital Management. Headquartered in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, Doshi Capital Management, LLC ('DCM') is a private investment management firm, that was incorporated in 2011. DCM relies on its decades of extensive research in understanding different market cycles and the cause-and-effect relationships that drive asset prices. Their strategies seek to capture returns in both up and down markets while minimizing portfolio volatility and downside risk. DCM accomplishes this by creating strategies that provide true diversification—an uncorrelated strategy that diversifies away risk—and downside protection, giving their investors the opportunity to stay invested and generate absolute returns in any market cycle. DCM draws on a strong, multidisciplinary skillset, proprietary quantitative models, and decades of experience investing across a broad range of asset classes and multiple market cycles. Their ultimate goal is to generate alpha, however, their focus is to preserve their clients’ capital in any market environment through a distinctive and systematic approach to investing. Heeten manages the firm’s equity marketing timing strategy, the Doshi Systematic Strategy Fund and was formerly a senior equity strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman, where he focused on the US economy, equity market and provided investment recommendations to global institutional clients including hedge fund, asset management, and pension funds. Prior to that, Heeten worked at Morgan Stanley as an equity research analyst where he conducted deep-dive fundamental company analysis, and at Lehman Brothers where he was a derivatives trader and hedged the firm’s $14bn fixed income portfolio. Heeten has received two graduate degrees – an MS in Accounting from the University of Illinois GEIS Business School, and an MS in Management from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Rutgers University and has obtained the CFA designation. Heeten shares with Hall what excites him now, advises entrepreneurs and investors, discusses how he sees the startup industry evolving, and explains his investment philosophy. You can visit Doshi Capital Management at www.doshicapm.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/2276082/admin/, and via telephone at 973-898-3702. You can contact Heeten via email at heeten.doshi@doshicapm.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/heetendoshi/. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Heeten_Doshi_of_Doshi_Capital_Management.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 18 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Should you start an angel network? Before launching an angel network, assess your community as follows:
Research your community to see what currently exists and what must be built. Check with the local entrepreneur groups to make this assessment and get their potential support for starting an angel group. 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 15 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes John Zic, Partner and Founding Team Member at EQUIAM. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, EQUIAM is a non-traditional, systematic VC firm. They use deeply researched, proprietary, data-driven algorithms to make their investment decisions. EQUIAM focuses on finding great firms and capturing the high returns associated with these bets, but they are equally invested in bringing world-class portfolio engineering practices to the private markets, mitigating risk, and increasing long-term performance. This focus, along with their proven execution capability, allows them to offer their investors diversified portfolios of private firms designed to outperform in even the most challenging environments. EQUIAM is deal-structure agnostic, tapping both primary and secondary markets for private firms. They leverage a variety of private and publicly available data streams to create a book of signals that identifies private firms positioned for outperformance. Their visibility on both historical and live-price data, combined with their logic-driven models, allows them to identify and unlock the most attractive entry and exit points for their investors. John leads several functions at EQUIAM overseeing the investment execution process, driving investment model optimization efforts, and leading core strategic initiatives. Prior to EQUIAM, John was the 6th non-founder hire at Forge. While there, he facilitated $500 Million+ of private equity secondary transactions helping to grow company revenues 300% Y-o-Y. John executed hundreds of transactions across dozens of issuers, gaining best-in-class knowledge of private secondary transaction mechanics, issuer-specific idiosyncrasies, and general private equity market dynamics. In addition to market-related activities at Forge, John led multiple data-centric initiatives including the formulation and development of the Tech30 Index, a market-cap weighted index of the 30 largest VC-backed private companies in the U.S. based upon proprietary secondary-trading marks. Prior to Forge, John spent several years in management consulting with a heavy focus on data science and big data analytics. John discusses how he sees the VC industry evolving, the biggest change he thinks we will see in the next 12 months, his investment thesis, and some of the companies he has invested in. You can visit EQUIAM at www.equiam.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/equiam/. You can contact John via email at john@equiam.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/johnzic/. __________________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 15 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel group, it’s important to provide regular reports to the investors about the investments as well as the state of the group. For individual investments, negotiate regular updates from the startups to include the following:
For groups with a fund, provide the following information on a quarterly basis:
It’s important to set up a reporting structure so the members can keep track of the progress of both individual investments and funds. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 14 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Sarah Jennings, Director at Beyond Angel Network and Fund. As a national community for faith-driven investment and entrepreneurship, Beyond provides increased access to faith-aligned capital for founders of faith-based companies as they seek to invest in scalable, for-profit companies. Beyond's investment thesis is to invest in companies with developed products or services and early customer traction that will provide market returns to investors in addition to making a kingdom impact on culture and the marketplace. Sarah previously served as the Assistant Director for Beyond, focusing on managing investor relationships and scouting for potential deal flow. Prior to joining the network, Sarah worked for JP Morgan Chase as an Internal Auditor. Sarah gives an update since her last interview and describes some of her experiences with startups. She shares some of her challenges and suggests some good options for investors to pursue. You can visit Beyond Angel Network and Fund at www.beyondangels.org, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/beyondangels. You can contact Sarah via email at sgjennings@beyondangels.org, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgjennings/. ______________________________________________________________________ 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Sarah_Jennings_of_Beyond_Angel_Network_and_Fund.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 14 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A key part of angel investing is negotiating terms with the startup. It’s important to take time to negotiate good terms for the investors in your group. Key areas to focus your negotiations include the following: Valuation - this is the most important term as it determines equity ownership and is the primary determinant of returns. Option pools and who pays for them - the options pool is important to the growth of the company as it incentivizes the team. The investors could pay for a portion of it as part of the overall negotiation. Board composition - for most companies raising a Series A, the board consists of two investors: two from the company, and one as an independent. Vesting founders’ shares - requiring a portion of the founders’ shares to vest over time ensures there will be shares available to pay for a replacement if needed. Liquidation preference - it can compensate for what the investors consider too high a valuation. Minimum amount of funding required - it’s important for the team to raise enough to achieve a meaningful milestone before the next raise. In addition to negotiating good terms, the process should maintain a good relationship with the 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 13 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Thomas Madden, CEO at TransMedia Group. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, TransMedia Group is a full-service public relations and marketing firm serving clients worldwide since 1981. TransMedia has conducted highly successful PR campaigns for many of the largest companies and organizations in the country, including for The City of New York for which it won a Bronze Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. Other major clients over the years include giants AT&T, Rexall Sundown, and many startups across all fields. Tom is the quintessential “PR man.” Telling him to stop publicizing, inventing products like his Knife and Forklift™ that helps you to exercise while eating, and writing articles, blogs and books, are like telling the government to stop spending money—pointless. His popular blog is called MaddenMischief. Tom’s rise in the world of media was meteoric, evolving from news reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer, to speechwriter for the CEOs of AT&T, Kellogg’s, and other companies. He became a highly ranked executive at NBC, serving as Vice President, Assistant to the President under then-CEO Fred Silverman, for whom Tom also wrote speeches when he was Director of PR at American Broadcasting Companies. When television wunderkind Silverman became CEO of NBC, Tom was the only ABC executive he took with him. Tom has won many awards and owns Madden Talent, a licensed talent agency representing actors, artists, and models. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida, with his wife Rita. He is the author of several best-selling books including Spin Man, King of the Condo, Is There Enough BRADY in TRUMP to Win the inSUPERable Bowl?, and his latest book, Love Boat 78, available on Amazon and recently nominated for 2020 Reader's Choice Awards. Tom shares what led him to start working in the public relations space. He advises entrepreneurs and discusses how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit TransMedia Group at www.transmediagroup.com, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/TransMediaGroup. You can contact Tom via email at tmadden@transmediagroup.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/tom-madden-83b3919/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/search?q=%23MaddenMischief _____________________________________________________________________ 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 13 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, it’s important to drive the funded startups toward an exit. Investors funded the companies with an expectation of a return typically in the 5 to 7-year timeframe. While some startups will fail and shut down completely, most startups continue as ongoing businesses. It’s important to review the status of those startups to see what exit can be achieved. For those companies that continue to grow, the angel network can help the startup raise the next round of funding from venture capitalists. If the company has built value but not enough to raise additional funding, the angel group can help find a buyer for the assets of the company. The development team, technology, and product lines could find a home within another company. The secondary markets continue to thrive, and so there may be an option to sell the shares of the company to other investors. Many times the founders want to maintain the business as is and not sell it. The angel network could negotiate a buyout by the founders. If the company is generating a regular stream of revenue, they can set up a revenue share agreement to pay out the investors from revenue. It takes an active effort to pursue startup exits and there’s more than one solution. Consider setting up an exit committee with the goal of examining each investment to find a path out of the deal. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 12 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Adam Haber, angel investor and CEO and Co-Founder of Trellus. Adam is dedicated to serving his community. As a Roslyn School Board Trustee from 2009-2018, Adam fought for residents and children, and helped bring the Roslyn School district back from the brink of financial ruin from an $11.2 million theft. After Hurricane Sandy, he personally initiated Project Long Island to repair over 200 damaged homes in Long Beach, through All Hands and Hearts, a disaster relief organization where he is currently a board member. Adam is exceptionally proud to be a board member of the Hagedorn Little Village School since April 2017. As a small business owner and entrepreneur, he has real experience creating jobs, attracting capital, and managing complex budgets. He had a 22-year career as a commodity options trader, has owned three restaurants (one of which had a Michelin Star), and is a non-operating principal of ScanlanKemperBard, a Portland- Oregon-based commercial real estate merchant bank. Adam is also an avid angel investor, a member of the Long Island Angel Network, and has sat on the boards of several start-up companies. Adam was a Director at the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) from July 2015-April 2016 and was Deputy Chief of Economic Development and Government Efficiency for the Town of Hempstead, from January 2018 to December 2019. He also writes a column for the Island Now called “All Things Political.” He resides in Roslyn with his wife Renée, and has two children Stephanie and Ethan, whom he is proud of. Adam discusses his angel network, how the industry is evolving, the biggest change he expects in the next 12-24 months, some of the challenges he faces, and he mentions some of the companies he has invested in. You can visit Trellus at https://bytrellus.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/trellus/. You can contact Adam via email at adam@bytrellus.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/adamhaber1/. __________________________________________________________________________ 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Adam_Haber_of_Trellus_Same_Day_Delivery_and_Marketplace_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 12 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After investing in a startup, it’s important for the angel investor to determine their role with the startup. There are several roles to consider: The investor can take an advisory board seat and provide coaching to the startup on an informal basis. The investor can take a board seat and help guide the founders through a formal board seat with regularly scheduled meetings and reports. The investor could forego the board seat, but stay in touch with the founders to provide support and advice. It’s important to define with the founders the information rights including what content and how often it should be delivered. The frequency of updates should match the needs of the company. When the company is in a steady-state mode, this is often quarterly. If the company is in crisis mode such as running out of cash, then this should move to weekly. Regardless of the state of the startup, the investor should check in at least once per quarter with a call to the founder. Finally, the investor should track the investment in their portfolio and maintain the most recent valuations and ownership levels. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 11 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There’s risk in startup investing as most investments don’t pay a return to the investor. In running an angel network one must take steps to mitigate liability. It’s a best practice to have all members sign liability waivers stating they understand the risk of startup investing and take responsibility for it. The waiver should indicate that each member makes their own investment decisions and the angel group is not recommending any startup for investment. Members in the group should provide full disclosure. If the member has any relationship with a proposed startup such as advising, consulting, or otherwise, the member should disclose this to the other members. Each member can decide for themselves how that impacts their investment decision. In syndicating deals to other groups, an angel network should have those groups sign liability waivers indicating that each investor is responsible for their own due diligence. Finally, most startups are raising capital from angel investors who are doing so under an SEC exemption. The angel group should have written confirmation from the members indicating that they are accredited investors. Take care to cover these areas of liability for your angel network. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 11 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes John McEvoy, Managing Partner at Tribeca Early Stage Partners (ESP). His first venture, Creditex – a hybrid electronic and voice brokerage trading platform for the credit derivatives market – was acquired by IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) in 2008 for over $600 M. He was also a founder and operating partner of eBond Advisors, which brought financial technology to the product level of a corporate bond – creating a more liquid financial instrument for investors while lowering financing costs for issuers. Finally, John founded a Bermuda-based reinsurance company backed by Wachovia Corp. Prior to his entrepreneurial pursuits, John spent 13 years on Wall Street at PaineWebber, Bankers Trust, and Deutsche Bank in derivative structuring and sales. He has been an active angel investor, board member, and advisor to many young companies. He loves the entrepreneurial environment and process and is always willing to lend a hand or give advice when asked. John advises entrepreneurs and investors in the fintech industry and discusses his investment thesis and some of the startups that fit his thesis. You can visit Tribeca Early Stage Partners at www.tribecaesp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/5384379/admin/. You can contact John via email at john@tribecaesp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/john-mcevoy-6ab7425/. __________________________________________________________________________ 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: John_McEvoy_of_Tribeca_Early_Stage_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 8 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tom Wisniewski, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Newark Venture Partners. Tom is an active member of the NY Angles, the Black and Latino Angel Investment Fund, and a Board Member of the New Jersey Innovation Institute. Across Tom's many roles, he works to deepen collaboration within the Newark/NYC tech ecosystem, create opportunities for founders, and mentor diverse entrepreneurs and investors. Tom has an MBA from Dartmouth and a BA in Physics and Philosophy from Clark University. Tom advises entrepreneurs and investors, discusses the state of startup investing and how he sees it evolving, and shares his investment philosophy. You can visit Newark Venture Partners at www.NewarkVenturePartners.com and www.newark.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/newark-venture-partners, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/NewarkVc. You can contact Tom via email at tw@newark.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/thomaswis/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/thomaswis. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Tom_Wisniewski_of_Newark_Venture_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 8 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, it’s important to set up a due diligence process. Diligence can take a substantial amount of time, so there needs to be a prescribed process for the members to follow. The process needs to be led by those with experience in diligence and startup investing. It starts with gathering core documents such as historical financial statements, patent filings, entity filings, and other relevant documents. There’s a quantitative aspect to diligence to verify what you think you know about the business. For example, if the company claims to have a Delaware Corporation, then there should be documentation confirming that. There’s also a qualitative aspect to diligence such as assessing the skills of the team. This requires interviewing the team members, the business goals, and then making a judgement call about the skills required. Someone needs to lead the diligence. It could be the manager of the group or a member who is particularly knowledgeable about the sector. Some groups use university students for the analysis phase of the process. Members often tap contacts who are domain experts to review the technology or the business model. The diligence team compiles a report with the findings and recommendations to provide to the rest of the group. Findings from the diligence process often impact the valuation and terms used in the term sheet. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 7 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Kareem Elsirafy, Managing Partner at Modus Capital. Founded in 2016, they have offices in New York, Cairo, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Their team consists of international experts spanning across six countries and four continents, bringing together marketers, developers, designers, and operators. Kareem is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with extensive strategic and operating experience in early-stage tech. Having dedicated almost two decades of his career toward technological solutions for business and social complications, Kareem believes in the power of technology to drive positive returns for social impact and business initiatives. Kareem is a United States Marine Corps veteran and holds multiple degrees from Columbia University including BAs in Political Science, Economics, and Middle Eastern Studies, and an Executive MBA in Technology Management from Columbia as well. Most recently, Kareem held executive roles at various NYC-based companies providing strategic advisory and execution for various public institutions including the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Departments of State, in addition to notable private corporations such as Google, MetLife, IMG, Ally Bank, Pepsi, and Citibank. In 2011, Kareem co-founded and built Uniteus.com, a network care coordination SaaS platform that initially helped military veterans transition to civilian life and expanded to the entire U.S. Health and Human Services industry raising over $195.3 M in total capital at a $1.65 BN valuation. Kareem also founded M1 Marketing Firm in 2007 which exited for 22x in 2009. Kareem discusses his investment thesis and how the VC industry is evolving in the Middle East and North Africa. He advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face. You can visit Modus Capital at www.modus.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/modus-capital, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/moduscapital. You can contact Kareem via email at kareem@modus.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kareemelsirafy/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/kareemelsirafy. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 7 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, it’s important to set up several sources of startups seeking funding called deal flow. The best source is the angel group members. Continually check with your members to see what deals they’ve seen or heard about. Other sources include the following: Incubators and accelerators often have deals, although most of the startups tend to be a little early for most angel investors. Venture capital investors in your area see many startups that are not an exact match for their fund but are good venture investments. Local universities may be a source of startups out of their development programs. Service providers see startups looking for funding and can provide a referral to the group. Online funding portals are also a source of deal flow. Finally, the angel network’s website may attract startups looking for funding. Set up a number of deal flow sources and track which ones provide the best startups for your group. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 6 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ryon Anderson, CEO and Founder of Ryon Esquire. Ryon wants to change the world by leading, inspiring, and challenging the status quo! After losing his vision from a random illness at age 11, he was lost. Up until then, his dream and vision were to be an NFL quarterback. Losing his vision not only took his dream from him, but it also stole his identity. Unknown at the time, he had this drive to be great! He thrives on challenges and ultimately turned what most consider a disability into his greatest challenge because challenges can be beaten, while disabilities cannot. Ryon channeled his competitiveness into the only thing he felt he could be great at - his education. He went on to obtain an MS in Counseling Psychology and a law degree from Texas Tech School of Law; he is a member of the Texas Bar. But it all felt so empty. Ryon obtained these degrees because they made him employable as a blind person - they were just credibility checks. It was during this period of empty pursuit of societal excellence that he started on his journey of self-improvement. He discovered he still maintained the identity of an NFL quarterback. It has now shifted from physical skills to intangible traits, three of which are in his mission statement: inspire, lead, and serve along with unite, motivate, care for, and help achieve desired goals. Ryon is still quarterbacking. Ryon starts with “why?” when coaching individuals and consulting companies. Once an individual and/or company understands their true “why?”, their true beliefs, they can work together to implement creative strategies to not only achieve but blow beyond those desired results. Ryon discusses his background, some of the challenges he has faced, and how the coaching industry is evolving. __________________________________________________________________ You can contact Ryon at www.ryonesquire.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ryon-anderson-esquire-64919330/, via Twitter at www.twitter.com/ryonesquire?lang=en, and via email at ryon@ryonesquire.com. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 6 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The deal screening process is a key program for an angel group. The process needs to capture all available deals in one place for review. For each deal, sufficient information must be provided by the startup including their revenue, sector, product stage, and fundraise sought. The screening process can be done by the group as a whole, by a select number of members, or by the director. The first step is to filter out all deals that do not meet the group's basic criteria. This typically cuts the number of submitted applications in half. The second step is to filter based on the quality of the deal such as traction, strength of the team, and size and growth of the target market. This typically cuts the number of applications in half again. The third step is to talk with the startups to gather additional information about fundraise status and valuation. This cuts the number of applications in half yet again. The fourth step is to choose the top 5 to 7 deals to go through the presentation process inviting the rest to apply on the next deal flow cycle. After the presentation process, the fifth step is the due diligence and funding process which pursues two to three deals for investment. The deal screening process is important as it provides an efficient method for identifying the deals to present and fund. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Tue, 5 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Sam Silvershein, Associate at Alpha Partners. Alpha Partners partners with early-stage VCs to double down in their leading companies. Small, specialist VCs are the first funders of 80% of unicorns and tech IPOs, but 90% of the time, these first funders lack the capital to follow on in their growth stage winners. Alpha is purpose-built to solve this capital gap for early-stage VCs. As a result, Alpha invests in top-tier growth equity rounds led by the world’s best investors. Some of their recent exits include Coupang, Coursera, Rover, Vroom, and Wish. Before turning to venture, Sam spent time working in both the hospitality and CPG industries. During his tenure in hospitality, he managed a restaurant in Manhattan where he built a private-label beer brand and started a speakeasy inside of the main establishment. While working at the restaurant, he also went back to school to study for his Masters in Business Administration. Prior to joining the restaurant, he professionally brewed beer for three different breweries on the East Coast where he planned and executed expansion plans for output production and growing their distribution range. Sam obtained his Master’s degree from The University of Kansas where he had a finance concentration. He received his Bachelors from Dickinson College where he graduated with a Biology degree. Sam currently lives in New York City and is originally from New Jersey. When he’s not busy working with founders and fellow investors, he keeps busy playing hockey and hanging out with his rescue dog. Sam shares with Hall what excites him now in the industry, and how he sees it evolving post-COVID-19. You can visit Alpha Partners at www.alphapartners.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-venture-partners/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/alphaptrs. Sam can be contacted via email at sam@alphapartners.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/sam-silvershein. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 5 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, consider using online events for the program. Here are some key tools for creating successful online events: A website. This keeps track of scheduled events with information about each one including name of the event, description, who should attend, and associated documents. Event registration. This page gives information about the event, registration capability, and a payment page if required. Streaming software. Software tools for capturing the speakers. Digital video equipment. Digital camera, lighting, microphones, and associated equipment for capturing the presenter. Webinar software. Software tools for setting up breakout sessions, recording the event, and managing the flow. Capable WiFi. You’ll need wireless connectivity in the room. Event planning tools. This keeps track of everything that needs to be done for each event including pre-show, show, and post-show action items. Consider these tools for setting up your online events. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 4 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Carolyn Lowe, Founder of ROI Swift, and Author of “Business Growth Do's and Absolute Don'ts”. What is “Business Growth Do's and Absolute Don'ts”? Markets fluctuate and trends come and go, but some principles of the business world are here to stay. Founders and leaders need to know—and cannot ignore—the vital differences between success and failure. Carolyn has worked with hundreds of companies, from startups to Fortune 500s, in identifying their unique path to sustainable success. She’s seen her share of costly mistakes and understands the principles that endure, no matter the business size or industry. This book shares her most valuable takeaways from nearly three decades of experience. She wants to help you bridge the gap between brand and customer by showing you how to define your core values and ensure the right people are representing your company. With imperative insight on growing your Amazon or online business, you’ll learn the eCommerce metrics that truly matter to maximize profit and fast-track your way to unrivaled growth. Carolyn founded ROI Swift in 2015 to help emerging consumer brands get expert help in Amazon, Paid Ads for Facebook/Instagram, and Paid Search. So many smaller businesses were being taken advantage of by paying agencies big dollars for no results, and Carolyn thought that was wrong. Her team grew an apparel and footwear company from $0-12M in 18 months through paid Facebook and Instagram ads. Carolyn’s goal is to help 1000 brands grow profitably. So far, they have helped nearly 200, so she is 800 away from retirement! She lives in Austin, Texas, and is married with two children. Carolyn has her pilot’s license, though no time to actually fly anymore. Carolyn discusses her inspiration for writing the book, the primary audience, the most important takeaway, and more. You can purchase Carolyn’s book at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1544522444. Carolyn can be contacted via email at carolyn@roiswift.com, and via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynbyronlowe/. 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, 4 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Warrants give the holder a number of shares to be exercised over a specified period to buy the company’s stock. Warrants play a key part in venture debt. Companies offer warrants in exchange for a lower interest rate on the debt. Investors offering venture debt use warrants to gain access to the equity upside of the business. As long as the company is solvent, the warrant will have some value. Warrants are often offered at levels below the current market price. There are challenges with warrants. They are tied to the performance of the company’s stock price which fluctuates. They don’t last forever as they have an expiration date. They don’t give the investor any control rights in the company. They don’t offer any dividends. Venture debt providers typically offer debt at 10-20% warrant coverage. Warrant coverage is that portion of the loan taken in the form of warrants. 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 1 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Litigation funding provides investments to businesses seeking to litigate a lawsuit. Lawsuits come from businesses suing other businesses, tenants suing landlords, startups defending their intellectual property claims, and more. The one pressing the lawsuit needs funds to carry it through the courts. Investors receive a return when the business wins the lawsuit and pays the investor back from the settlement. Private equity raises funds from investors and then applies them to various lawsuit cases. These funds charge a management fee and carry to the fund. The fund follows the venture capital model. They only pay the investors in the event they win the case. The fund sees hundreds of lawsuits, but only backs a small percentage of them. Each lawsuit must payout at least five times the original investment. To join these funds, the investor must be accredited. Crowdfunding could also be used to source funds for litigation 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 Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 1 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dr. Raymond Levitt, Operating Partner at Blackhorn Ventures LP. |