Mon, 22 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Anupama Pansare, founder of Volyx Consulting. Located in Sugar Land, Texas, Volyx is a consulting firm focused on digital transformation using cutting-edge technologies from their portfolio of service providers and startups. Their solutions focus on leveraging operations data to optimizing business processes. They help build data models and analytics to enable data correlation, and build predictive capabilities and provide cost-efficient solutions in a time-boxed manner. Volyx consulting works with Digital & Energy transition, Circular Economy and ESG-focused companies to expand markets. Anu is an accomplished business leader with digital, consulting and energy expertise. She has over 25 years of multi-industry experience, with diverse companies ranging from Chevron, Schlumberger, Ernst & Young to startups. She is an innovator and passionate about startups as game-changers for corporate innovation. Her venture focus is disruptors in energy transition, DeFi & digital. Anu is a venture investor and serves on the Advisory Board of the Indiana University Angel Network. She is working on an upcoming talk series podcast/webinar on Venture – Anu Venture. Anu also serves as a judge at the Rice Business Plan Competition, is the past Chair of the Houston Angel Network Screening Committees, and is a speaker at conferences including the Angel Capital Association (ACA). Anu shares her investment thesis and what excites her now in the industry. She discusses how the industry is evolving and advises entrepreneurs and investors. You can visit Volyx Consulting at www.volyx.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/volyx. Anu can be contacted at anu@volyx.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/anupansare/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/anupansare/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 22 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. For every business, there comes a time to sell it. Ask these questions to find if now is the right time to sell your business. Do you still want to run the business? You may want to move on to new projects and opportunities and the current business may no longer be fulfilling. Do you still believe in the business and what it can do for you? Sometimes the market changes and the business opportunity is no longer there. What can you get from the business today versus two years from now? Now may be the right time to sell, or waiting a few years may give you a better exit. You may be able to sell it for more if you stay with it a little longer. Do you need more funding and can you raise it? If your business needs funding to continue and you can raise it, then do so. If you cannot, then consider exiting. What do the other team members want to do? Aside from your own interests, what do the other stakeholders want? It takes a team to run a business. If they want an exit, that should be part of the consideration. 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, 19 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups have a high failure rate. What percentage fails? -25 will remain on the venture track after 2 years Of those 25: -half will die or turn into a lifestyle business between years 2-4 -15 will remain on the venture track for the long haul Of those 15: -10 will fade out For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_What_percent_of_startups_fail.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 19 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Lane Kawaoka, real estate investor and creator of SimplePassiveCashflow.com. Lane’s passion project SimplePassiveCashflow.com, is a Top-50 Investing podcast and free resource for passive real estate investing. Working as a high-paid professional in corporate America and frustrated by the traditional wealth-building dogma, Lane was compelled to inspire and mentor other working professionals on how to do real estate investing and build their own portfolios. Lane urges other working professionals to just get started by utilizing their highest and best use (their day job) to save down payment money to acquire single-family home rentals. The Simple Passive Cashflow method is to only buy investments with a healthy cash flow buffer that can withstand a market downturn. He currently owns 4,200+ units across the U.S. He lives in Hawaii and recently quit his day job as a Professional Engineer with a MS in Civil Engineering & Construction Management and a BS in Industrial Engineering. Lane partners with investors who want to build their portfolio, but are too busy to mess with “tenants, toilets, and termites” by curating opportunities in his “Hui Deal Pipeline Club” where his investors have personal access to him and know that Lane is personally putting his money on the line too. The Hui Deal Pipeline Club has acquired over $350 Million dollars of real estate acquired by syndicating over $40 Million Dollars of private equity since 2016. Lane’s mission is to help hard-working professionals out of the rat race, one free strategy call at a time. Lane discusses how he began investing in appreciation markets, counter-intuitive wealth rules that the rich follow, passive investing for working professionals, passive cash flow investing, and more. You can visit SimplePassiveCashflow.com at www.simplepassivecashflow.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/simplepassivecashflow-com/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/SimplepassiveCF/. Lane can be contacted at lane@simplepassivecashflow.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/lanekawaoka/. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Lane_Kawaoka_of_SimplePassiveCashflow.com.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 18 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Art Smith, CEO of Digerati Technologies, Inc. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Digerati Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: DTGI) is a provider of cloud services specializing in Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solutions for the business market. Through its subsidiaries T3 Communications (www.T3com.com) and Nexogy, Inc. (www.nexogy.com), the Company is meeting the global needs of businesses seeking simple, flexible, reliable, and cost-effective communication and network solutions, including cloud PBX, cloud mobile, Internet broadband, SD-WAN, SIP trunking, and customized VoIP services, all delivered on its carrier-grade network and Only in the Cloud™. Art has over 25 years of public company experience with a comprehensive background in technology and global telecommunications. Over the years, he has developed expertise in broad-based management including corporate finance, financial operations, business development, mergers and acquisitions, strategic and tactical planning, sales and operational management, and international business. As founder of Digerati Technologies, Inc., Art has held various positions within the Company, including Chairman, CEO, and President of the Company’s international subsidiary. Art is also co-founder and former Chairman of GlobalSCAPE, Inc. (NYSE: GSB), a leading provider of Internet-based information exchange solutions and former wholly-owned subsidiary of Digerati. GlobalSCAPE was spun-off to the Company’s shareholders as a separate publicly-traded entity. Art discusses the growth rate and evolution of the sector, and some of the challenges companies face. You can visit Digerati Technologies, Inc. at https://digerati-inc.com/, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/digerati-technologies-inc-/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/DIGERATI_IR. Art can be contacted at ir@digerati-inc.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/art-smith-86838624/. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Art_Smith_of_Digerati_Technologies_Inc_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:28am CDT |
Thu, 18 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Running a fundraise with investors is similar to running a sales funnel with prospects. You must take the investor through the stages of awareness, interest, desire, and commitment. Here are the steps you need to take: Stage 1: Awareness – identify and contact an initial list of investors. Start with an ideal investor profile. Categorize them by type, revenue, and sector. Create a list of investors and set up your task list to add ten investors per week to the list when contacted. Continually add to this list and consistently reach out to potential investors daily. Stage 2: Interest – build interest in the investor by providing updates showing a growth story. You must do more than forecast a growth story, you must demonstrate it happening now. Set up a mailer template and distribution list and schedule a date on the calendar to send out two mailers per month. Stage 3: Desire – demonstrate momentum in your fundraise and create some desire on the part of the investor. Continue adding investors to the funnel and sending mailers 2 times per month. Show how other investors are in the deal. If you have a lead, then highlight the lead investor and how they set it up. Make clear why that investor invested in your deal. Include in your bi-monthly updates to investors, the interest committed and invested amounts showing steady progress to the fundraise goal. Stage 4: Commitment – open the dialog about investing interest and get specific. Ask what is interesting, what diligence is required, what commitment, etc. Once they commit, ask them to sign the term sheet as funding is contingent on passing due diligence. Use DocuSign so it’s easy to fill out the forms, sign, and return. After signing the term sheet, ask for the investors’ diligence process, and provide the appropriate documentation. Fundraising goes in steps and stages just like sales. 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, 17 March 2021
In this our 500th episode, Hall welcomes back Christian Kameir, Managing Partner at Sustany Capital. Sustany Capital is a venture capital firm investing in blockchain and decentralized finance solutions. In this in-depth interview, Christian speaks about Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and answers many questions to include the stated objectives, different concepts that are being discussed around its development, business sectors most likely to be influenced, who stands to benefit the most, CBDCs vs. physical cash and much more. Christian studied classical literature, is certified in neuro-linguistic programming, and is a graduate of Muenster's School of Law. He writes and speaks on topics ranging from high-tech investing to decentralized finance, and blockchain for Harvard, Forbes, Hackernoon, and other schools and publications. You can visit Sustany Capital at www.sustany.co, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sustany-capital/. Christian can be contacted via email at chris@sustany.co, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kameir/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/kameir. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Christian_Kameir_of_Sustany_Capital_on_Central_Bank_Digital_Currencies_V2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:45am CDT |
Wed, 17 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After you’ve had an introduction and talked with the investor either in person or on the phone, it’s important to follow up with the investor to answer questions, update about progress, and walk through diligence. Investors are not interested in spending time to hear about your forecast, they are looking for updates about your progress with sales, team, product, and fundraise. In short, the things you are in control of and not the things over which you have no control such as market growth and competitor actions. You need to have a growth story and your calls need to update the investor on those points. Investors only know what you tell them. If you don’t mention key progress, then it doesn’t exist in the minds of the investors. If the investor is not responsive to your emails, then try texting and calling them. When you call and they say they are not available, then ask for a better time to talk. Not all investors hang out on email. Some only check it once or twice a day. Investors have many other things on their plate and your email may not get top priority every time. When asking for a call make sure you’re bringing new information about the business, especially information the investor asked about such as revenue, team, board, product, etc. Before you end a call with an investor, set up the next call (say one week later). Put it on the calendar with an invite. This avoids the chase around in contacting them. 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_Follow_Up_and_Investor_Prospect.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 16 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startups, cash is king. It’s the key financial metric to watch. Growth may be going straight up. Customer traction may be better than ever, but if cash runs out then it all comes crashing down. Cash management is a daily exercise. The first step is to understand every inflow and outflow of cash. Set up tools to alert for cash disbursements over a certain amount. Watch incoming cash from customers and follow-up when it goes off-track. Set up a daily cash management plan. Identify the biggest cash hits during the month. This is usually payroll. Investigate how to move around other expenses to match your incoming revenue. A recurring revenue model helps as it brings in cash on a regular basis throughout the year in most companies and helps with the cash flow. With some revenue, you can go to the bank and set up a line of credit. This lets you draw down some bank debt and pay it off in the following weeks. 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 |
Tue, 16 March 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 Fintech Problem”, today you’ll hear about the primary trends and what makes for a successful company in this segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The fintech space is now undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. Every business is now a fintech business. We have investors and startup founders describe the shift from a centralized to a decentralized fintech market. 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_Show_2_Primary_trends_in_fintech_and_What_makes_for_a_successful_company_in_this_segment.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 15 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes JR Guerrieri, CEO & Co-Founder at NYNJA. Headquartered in Lavallette, New Jersey, NYNJA is a unified communications platform for remote work (Enterprises and SMBs) that solves the problem of fragmented communications, combining the best features of Zoom (voice and video conferencing), Slack (team collaboration), and YouSendIt/Hightail (large file transfers). NYNJA is the fastest way to make an automatic conference call with a large number of participants. Just click and join! It's that simple with no software download required. NYNJA's mission is integrity in data and Absolute Business Continuity. The NYNJA platform features secure encryption of cloud data storage for saving messages, images, and files. It features a beautifully designed and intuitive interface highlighted by the app's patent and patent-pending concentric wheel navigation system. The concentric wheel enables quick and easy navigation of the app using only one thumb and eliminates the need for back buttons. Salvatore (‘JR’) has over 30 years of experience building and growing startup companies with more than US$50M in successful exits. He has served as a director on a diverse range of boards, including a former board position for the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He founded Acolyte Industries Inc. in 1996 and grew the company into an award-winning global manufacturer of LED lighting solutions. He is also an avid angel investor, seed investor, and advisor for tech, finance, and e-commerce startups around the world. JR was also awarded Entrepreneur of the year in 1988 for the state of New Jersey. JR discusses his background and how NYNJA fits in the landscape. He also advises investors and shares how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit NYNJA at www.nynja.work, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/nynjawork, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/NynjaW. JR can be contacted via email at jr@nynja.biz, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jr-guerrieri-814354159/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 15 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Platform products facilitate two-sided marketplaces that match buyers to sellers. The most common metrics used in platform products are buyer/seller metrics, inventory metrics, and transaction metrics. Buyer/seller metrics include the number of buyers and sellers on the platform. Also, the growth of buyers/sellers and the number of repeat buyers/sellers should be measured. For inventory, metrics should track the total number of products listed and the average number of listings per seller. Finally, transaction metrics track the percentage of sellers who make a sale and the percentage of listings that turn into a sale. 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: Most_Common_Metrics_for_Platform_Products.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 12 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Christopher Ladd, Partner at NewRoad Capital Partners. NewRoad Capital Partners, LLC, headquartered in Northwest Arkansas, is an SEC-registered investment firm investing in growth equity and growth buyout opportunities in select U.S. supply chain & logistics and retail & consumer packaged goods sectors in the lower middle market. As experienced entrepreneurs and operators themselves, the NewRoad team prides itself on the high level of collaboration they bring to each of their investments. They have learned the journey is most fruitful when partnered with like-minded people that share an obsession to improve their business. NewRoad Capital Partners love to bring together people fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, innovative thinking, and a drive for success. Chris is a partner at NewRoad Capital Partners, LLC, where he is responsible for all aspects of the investment process and post-investment operations of portfolio companies for the firm’s venture capital fund (New Road Ventures) and its growth equity fund in partnership with Los-Angeles-based Kayne Anderson (Kayne NewRoad Ventures Fund II). Prior to joining NewRoad Capital Partners, he was part of Walmart’s Corporate Development and Strategy teams, focusing on e-commerce acquisitions and strategic initiatives and the CFO/CIO of a Walmart-led investment fund. Before Walmart, he was an Associate at TPG Capital focusing on post-acquisition operations of its portfolio companies and an Associate at KSL Capital on the buyside. Chris holds a B.A. in Economics from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business. Chris shares what excites him now in the industry. He also advises entrepreneurs and investors and discusses his investment thesis. You can visit NewRoad Capital Partners at www.newroadcp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/newroad-ventures/. Chris can be contacted via email at cladd@newroadcp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-ladd-6950a414/. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Christopher_Ladd_of_NewRoad_Capital_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT |
Fri, 12 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many startups use SAFE notes and Convertible Notes for their early-stage investments. So what’s the difference? A convertible note is a debt instrument that converts into equity later upon an event such as raising an equity round or reaching a maturity date. A SAFE is a Simple Agreement for Future Equity which is a warrant to purchase stock in a future priced round. The SAFE can convert when you raise any amount of equity investment and does not give the entrepreneur control of when to convert. Convertible notes are considered to be legal debt, while SAFEs are warrants. Neither a SAFE nor a Convertible Note set the valuation, but rather takes the valuation from the equity round. Convertible Notes include an interest rate while SAFE’s do not. Most convertible notes have a maturity date while SAFEs do not. Convertible notes contain a discount rate which provides additional shares to the investor for investing early. SAFEs have no discount rate. SAFEs are often considered the simpler option compared to a convertible note, but as you can see the convertible note provides more options. 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_--_Safe_Notes_vs_Convertible_Debt.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 11 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Storytelling is a key skill for any startup raising funding. In the early days of a startup, the product and team aren’t fully developed and customers are typically not fully engaged. The investors look to the founders to understand the potential of the business. The founder who can articulate a clear vision of the company and fill in the gaps can win over the investor. Such a skill demonstrates to investors the ability to win over potential employees, future customers, and critical partners to make the business successful. If you can’t convince an investor of your story, how will you convince a customer to buy from you? When talking to investors, the story comes into play when you are defining the problem you are solving. After that, the pitch goes to the specifics of the company - product, team, market - where the story form is less relevant. Overuse of the storytelling technique throughout the pitch can drag out the process. When an investor asks how many people are on the team, it’s best to give a straight-up number rather than a story that explains the history of hiring each team member. If the investor is interested to learn more, then they will ask. 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_--_The_Importance_of_Storytelling_for_your_startup.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 11 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Julien Coulon, Directeur Général at Crédit Mutuel Innovation. Headquartered in Paris, Ile-de-France, Crédit Mutuel Innovation is the evergreen venture capital entity of Crédit Mutuel Equity (€3.5 billion in capital). They invest €1-20M in life science, digital and deeptech companies from seed to growth stages. Today, the 350 companies in which they have invested generate a cumulative annual turnover of €50bn and create more than 250,000 jobs. In 1996, Julien created a strategic analysis for 2 years at France Telecom in New York. He was in charge of the Internet and Minitel site for the football World Cup France ‘98, then he developed the hosting business. In 2000, he participated in the création of Virtual Languages, a web conferencing start-up bought by Genesys Conferencing. He joined Akamai in 2002 to launch the e-Commerce, media, telecom, social networking business and managed to position the company as the key leader in content delivery and application acceleration on the market. In mid-2009, Julien founded Cedexis, "The Waze of the Internet", a community monitoring solution that can be combined with a patented fully configurable real-time flow routing service. After raising more than $33 million and deploying services worldwide, setting up 9 offices in Europe, the USA, and Asia, Cedexis was sold to Citrix in early 2018. In 2019, Julien took over the general management of Crédit Mutuel Equity and has 250 million to invest in digital start-ups, disruptive technology, life science, electronics. Julien is also a member of the boards of Recommerce, Stimio, ABTasty, Antidot, Training Orchestra, Little Big Job, and is a regular speaker in telecom schools & HEC. He is self-taught and recently graduated from Exec MBA at HEC. Julien shares how he sees the industry evolving, and advises startups and investors. You can visit Crédit Mutuel Innovation at www.creditmutuel-equity.eu/fr/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/creditmutuelinnovation/. Julien can be contacted via email at couloncoulon@gmail.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/juliencoulon/?originalSubdomain=fr, and viaTwitter at https://twitter.com/juliencoulon?lang=en. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Julien_Coulon_of_Credit_Mutuel_Equity_FINAL.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 10 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In seeking a buyer for the company, there are two basic choices: a strategic buyer or a financial buyer. The strategic buyer is typically a company in your industry that is seeking to acquire technology, teams, a customer base, or brands. They will look at those aspects of your business for a potential fit with their growth plans. If your company has built value in any of these areas, you can open discussions with potential acquirers. Financial buyers look at cash flow, cash reserves, return on capital, and other financial indicators for a potential fit. These buyers are agnostic to your industry or market positioning but look at it purely as a financial play. There’s also the possibility of splitting up the company so the strategic buyer finds the value relevant to them while the financial buyer finds the part that works for them as well. 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, 10 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Carolyn Jenkins, CSO & Head of the Product Division at EPSoft Technologies. EPSoft Technologies is a global software company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas. They are the creators behind the EPSoft Intelligent Automation Platform, an end-to-end solution for business process management and intelligent automation. The platform supports both front office and back-office operations with powerful natively developed tools that help businesses make better decisions all with a single-pane view for seamless management. Carolyn has more than 20 years of strategic leadership experience, serving in various executive roles throughout her career, including COO, CEO, strategic advisor and board contributor for several companies within the tech sector. As the co-founder of four technology startups—with three successful exits and one still in operation—Carolyn’s experience runs deep and wide. Carolyn advises entrepreneurs and investors, shares how she sees the industry evolving, and discusses some of the challenges startups face. You can visit EPSoft Technologies at www.epsoftinc.com/ and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/epsofttechnologies/. Carolyn can be contacted via email at carolyn.jenkins@EPSoftinc.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/carolyntrevinojenkins/, and viaTwitter at www.twitter.com/carolynajenkins?lang=en. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 9 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After you complete your fundraise and thanked those who helped you, take time to prepare for the next fundraise. Take the investor prospects, the ones who did not invest, and add them to a list to update every 3 to 6 months about your progress. Investors are often curious about how the business turned out, even if they did not invest. Updating them keeps them on the journey with you for the next fundraise round. If you maintain the relationship, then you will have a ready group of investors for the next raise. You can also lean on some of them for startup advice or even introductions. This goes a long way toward building the relationship with the investor which is important to do before the campaign begins if possible. 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 |
Tue, 9 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Brian Burkinshaw, Founder/Owner of Clearpat Services, LLC. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Clearpat Services is a technology commercialization firm specializing in concept research evaluation, patent novelty, clearance, and accelerated searches, drafting and prosecution of patent applications involving mechanical, medical, and biotech devices, technologies, and processes. Among their specialties is the ability to help you protect your valuable ideas (Intellectual Property) and help guide you to market commercialization. Their niche is in helping small to mid-size businesses and individual inventors in the Austin and Central Texas area obtain patent protection for your ideas while keeping your costs to a minimum. They can perform the research necessary for patent planning to determine how best to protect your ideas; whether it’s through trade secrets or the generation of patent applications that stand the best chance for patent allowance and issue. Implementing the right strategies can place your company in the best possible position to be favorably considered for growth, venture funding, or acquisition. Brian Burkinshaw is an inventor and registered US Patent Agent with over 10 years of experience practicing patent law. To his credit, Brian spent nearly six years practicing patent law with Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich, and Rosati PC, a National Tier 1 firm in Patent law, with global reach in the US, Europe, and Asia. WSGR is consistently recognized as the top biotech IP firm in the country with over 180 experienced patent attorneys, patent agents, and scientific advisors, most of whom possess Ph.D. or other advanced degrees in such areas as biology, chemistry, immunology, biomedical sciences, engineering, or other scientific fields. As a member of the Patents and Innovations team with WSGR, Brian routinely performed patentability searches and landscape analyses, but more importantly, developed a keen focus on drafting and prosecution of patent applications, primarily involving mechanical, medical, and biotech devices, technologies, and processes, personally drafting nearly 300 applications and helping his clients acquire over 150 high-quality patents. Some of the patented technologies acquired for his clients include next-generation automotive variator transmissions, Lidar (light detection and ranging) sensor technologies, high-tech sports gear and training equipment, advanced, high volume, indoor and hydroponic farming technologies, downhole drilling and fluid recovery technologies, fermentation technologies, programmable technologies, and a virtual plethora of medical implants, instruments and medical device technologies. For a complete bio, click here. Brian discusses when, what and how to file a patent. You can visit Clearpat Services, LLC. at www.clearpat.com. Brian can be contacted via email at clearpat@outlook.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brianburkinshaw/, and via phone at (512) 657-6843. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Brian_Burkinshaw_of_Clearpat_Services_LLC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 8 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Caroline Goodner, Founder & CEO at OrganiCare. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, OrganiCare’s mission is to create all-natural and organic over-the-counter (OTC) healthcare products that are safe, effective, and simply better than the petrochemical-based, drug-laden products used by most consumers today. OrganiCare offers a range of all-natural and organic first aid, oral care, and feminine care products under two brands, CUROXEN® and FemiClear®. All OrganiCare products are made from a unique process that combines the antibacterial, healing effects of pure olive oil with life-giving oxygen. This formula has been found to be extremely effective at healing anything from minor cuts to mouth sores to vaginal yeast infections. Prior to OrganiCare, Caroline was the CEO of UpSpring Baby, a consumer products company focused on new mothers. Prior to that, Caroline founded Identigene, a DNA identification laboratory focused on paternity and forensic DNA testing. Caroline serves on several boards: the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO), Beyond Batten Disease Foundation and Philanthropitch. She has been a Mentor with SKU for several cycles, and is on the Steering Committee for the Austin Chapter of the Rice Alliance. Caroline earned her BA from Duke and her MBA from Rice. Caroline advises entrepreneurs and investors, explains how she thinks the industry is evolving and lists some of the challenges startups face. You can visit OrganiCare at www.organicare.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/organicare-llc/. Caroline can be contacted via email at caroline@organicare.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-goodner-98b32/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 8 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After the fundraise is complete, wrap up the current raise by doing the following:
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, 5 March 2021
In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Fintech Problem”, today you’ll hear about the growth in the segment. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. As the COVID pandemic passes we emerge into a new world. The fintech space is now undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. Every business is now a fintech business. We have investors and startup founders describe the shift from a centralized to a decentralized fintech market. 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: Show_1_Growth_in_the_Fintech_Segment_V2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:39am CDT |
Fri, 5 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I’m often asked what return angels and venture capital investors seek in their startup investments. 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_--_What_return_to_Angels_and_VCs_look_for.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 4 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors calculate their returns using metrics ROI and IRR. So what’s the difference? ROI is the return on investment without respect to time. IRR is the internal rate of return which is the return on investment with respect to time. If I invest $100K and 5 years later I receive a return of $300,000, then my ROI is 3x. If I receive my return 10 years later, my ROI is still 3x. The same scenario with IRR gives a different result for each case as it takes into account the time of return. In this case, the 5-year return yields a 25% IRR, while a 10-year return yields a 12% IRR. So how do you calculate IRR? We can use an Excel spreadsheet for that.
To understand your investment results better, you’ll find IRR is a better metric as it takes into account the time factor. 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_--_IRR_vs_ROI.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 4 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Stephen Collins, Founder of Luca Partners LLC. Luca Partners provides strategy, finance, operating, and transactional advisory services to C-level leadership teams at venture and private equity-funded technology businesses. Luca Partners are a team of highly-experienced technology industry professionals who are career operators that understand the challenges facing leadership teams. Their core competencies include strategic planning, investor and board management and communications, corporate finance/M&A including diligence and acquisition integration, go-to-market, and general business operations. Stephen is a decisive and energetic high-growth-oriented business leader with extensive management expertise and experience particularly in developing disruptive and rapidly-growing markets. His experience ranges from Big 4 audit, to consumer products in emerging markets in Eastern Europe, and to the early days of online advertising. For the last twenty years, Stephen has been a C-level leader and board member in the software industry. During this period, Stephen’s pursuits included experience with on-premise enterprise software, SaaS, social media, e-commerce, programmatic advertising, and healthcare technology. During his career, Stephen has held the titles of Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Innovation Officer reflecting his diverse skills as a leader and operator. Also, Stephen has extensive international experience having lived abroad and worked in more than 20 different countries. As a career operator, Stephen’s core functional competencies include strategic and operational leadership, management, finance and accounting, strategic finance, investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, talent acquisition, personnel development, and board responsibilities. Stephen shares what excites him now in the sector. He advises entrepreneurs and investors and shares his investment thesis. You can visit Luca Partners LLC at https://lucapartners.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/d4d2/about/. Stephen can be contacted via email at collins@lucapartners.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/srcollins/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 3 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I’ve seen CEOs pitch and when asked about their numbers they defer to a CFO or someone else for the answers. This is not a good look for the CEO. Investors want to know you are on top of it, and knowing your numbers is one indication of it. As a startup, you should know your numbers inside and out. Investors will always ask for some numbers usually related to revenue, growth rates, and costs. Before engaging an investor, review your numbers and be able to cite them if asked. Numbers that seem out of range from the standard will elicit questions, so for those numbers, you’ll need to be able to explain them as well as what you are planning to do to improve them. If you have compelling numbers such as high-growth rates, be sure to bring this up in the pitch or follow-on discussion. Remember, it’s up to you to articulate the values in the business. 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 |
Wed, 3 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Kevin R. Jacques, General Partner at Cota Capital. Cota Capital is a San Francisco-based, SEC-registered, multi-stage investment firm focused on private and public enterprise technology companies. Cota has invested in more than 100 private and public technology companies since inception. Cota’s overall mission is to deliver impactful outcomes through principle-guided investment in modern enterprise technologies. Kevin joined Cota in 2021 as a General Partner. Prior to Cota, Kevin was Head of Corporate Ventures at Visa, where he executed over 30 investments into leading fintech companies including Plaid, Railsbank, Paidy, and Paystack. Before Visa, Kevin spent 6 years at Intuit directing Corporate Development. At Intuit, Kevin and his team completed over 30 acquisitions, five investments, and 11 FinTech venture fund investments. Earlier, Kevin spent nearly 12 years as an investing partner with Sevin Rosen Funds and Palomar Ventures. Kevin was also the CEO of Globeranger, an RFID middleware provider, and a consultant at The Boston Consulting Group. Kevin received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Kevin speaks about the growth rate, primary trends, evolution of the fintech sector, and much more. You can visit Cota Capital at www.cotacapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/cota-capital/. Kevin can be contacted via email at kevin@cotacapital.com. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 2 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Will Ciolino, Founder and CEO of Anthology Corp. Headquartered in Union City, New Jersey, Anthology is a brand new portfolio management system that provides powerful organization for all of your photos. Anthology provides a fully customizable profile UI, which allows artists to extend their creativity beyond just their photos and maximizes given real estate on small devices to bring the viewer’s focus on the photos. Keyword tagging allows users to easily find new profiles, photos, and portfolios. Additionally, Anthology introduces beginners and hobbyists to consumers looking to purchase physical prints. It also allows artists to set their own royalty rates, terms and conditions for licensing. Businesses pay less for stock photos while artists keep more of the revenue. This gives Professionals and Amateurs the ability to sell and market their skills to consumers seeking private or event photoshoots. Will is the CEO of Anthology Corp. and ImagiNations LLC. Will graduated with honors in his engineering program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and worked his way into multiple industries. His creative passions began a decade ago as an artist and hobbyist photographer. These passions carried into his career as he spent time in a small-scale pharmaceutical venture and in project management at a manufacturing plant before finding his way to a 3D printing career at a Fortune 500 company. While there, he served as project manager, designer, and engineer for over 1000 unique projects. Will started ImagiNations LLC as a startup venture for his entrepreneurial goals, with the vision of fostering ideas into business solutions – from which Anthology came about. Will discusses the growth rate and evolution of the sector and how Anthology fits into the landscape. You can visit Anthology Corp. at https://anthology-us.com, via their platform at Anthology iOS Platform, via their blog at Anthology Blog, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/anthology-corp, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/anthologyus. Will can be contacted via email at william.ciolino@anthology-us.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/will-ciolino/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/willciolino. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 2 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, you’ll need to propose a value for the equity in your startup. This is called valuation. One way to determine it is to use the liquidation method. Here’s how it works. The exit value is set to the value of the business at liquidation, which means the value of all assets minus liabilities. Assets include equipment, computers, servers, branding, and data such as customer lists. Liabilities include debts, cost to let go employees, contracts and leases terminated, and taxes to be paid. This values the business primarily for physical assets and branding. It’s possible your computer code or prospect list would be of value as well. When you sell the business for assets only, it’s often about 10% of what you could have sold it for if it were an ongoing business. 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, 1 March 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding you’ll need to propose a value for the equity in your startup called valuation. One way to set a valuation is to use the 5X your raise method. Here’s how it works. Most investors want to see the valuation for their money coming in at 20%-25% of the post-money valuation. This gives a 4X-5X valuation based on the investment. For example, using 4X raising $500K, a $500K investment plus $1.5M pre-money, yields a $2M post-money valuation. In another example using 5X raising $500K, a $500K investment plus $2M pre-money, yields a $2.5M post-money valuation. Using this method, your pre-money ranges from $1.5M-$2M. This gives you a ballpark estimate for setting the valuation of your raise. 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, 1 March 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Grace Lee, CEO of Health Enovation. Headquartered in New York, New York, Health Enovation provides Incubator and investor funding for health tech, wellness, and patient data analytics. They help startup entrepreneurs design the business and build engaging technology to aggregate and facilitate health data management. Health Enovation aims to help startups realize the missing components of their business that will determine if they succeed or fail. They also facilitate angel investors from Pharma, Insurance, and Healthcare in finding, evaluating, and conducting due diligence to invest in health & wellness tech startups. Health Enovation aims to minimize your regulatory, clinical, legal, and financial risk. Grace is a serial entrepreneur and subject matter expert with 20+ years of experience in product development and launch, business design, healthcare, technology innovations, and customer & business data analytics in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare. She is also an executive consultant for VPs and C-levels in designing and integrating businesses and technology innovations. She is a designer of patient and customer data integration platforms focusing on improved user engagement and customer experience. Grace is a published author of over 40 research publications in cancer, Alzheimer’s, and epilepsy and was recognized by the US government as an Extraordinary Scientist/Outstanding Researcher. Grace advises entrepreneurs and investors in the healthcare industry. She also discusses how she sees the industry evolving post-COVID-19. You can visit Health Enovation at www.healthenovation.com. Grace can be contacted via email at grace.lee@healthenovation.com and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gracelee528/. |
Fri, 26 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In launching your product you have a choice to either set a high price that gives you a high margin, or a low price yielding a low margin for sales. The high price is harder to sell but you don’t have to sell as many units to make the business profitable. The low price is easier to sell but you have to sell more of them. Choosing your margin is choosing what part of the business you want to work on. The high price requires you to focus on sales and marketing. You’ll need to hire more people and pay more in commissions. The low price requires you to focus on providing the product at a low cost. You’ll need to invest in reducing your operating costs and keeping expenses low to make it work. Neither option is free and both are valid approaches to the business. If you end up with low margins and low volume you will be out of business. Think carefully about what your team can do and where they work best in making the pricing decisions. 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, 26 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Brett P. Swarts, Founder & CEO of Capital Gains Tax Solutions and host of the Capital Gains Tax Solutions podcast. Headquartered in Folsom, California, Capital Gains Tax Solutions provide one-to-one business owner & investor guidance throughout your entire deferred sales trust process, from selling to reinvesting. They will help you outline the options of selling or not selling and the tax consequences for each deferral strategy, including Deferred Sales Trust, Opportunity Zones, 1031 Exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trusts, & Charitable Remainder Trusts. Then they will teach you everything you need to know to design a tax-deferred deferred sales trust transformational exit plan & provide DST trustee services to help you achieve proven results. Brett is considered one of the most well-rounded Capital Gains Tax Deferral Experts and informative speakers on the west coast. His audiences are challenged to lean into multiple capital gains tax deferral strategies, create and develop a tax-deferred passive cash flow optimal timing wealth plan of their own, and execute on this plan so they can create and preserve more wealth. Each year, he equips hundreds of business professionals with the Deferred Sales Trust tool to help their high-net-worth clients solve capital gains tax deferral limitations. Brett discusses capital tax gains and how entrepreneurs can manage those gains when they sell their business. He also advises startups who are just now launching their business and what they should do to prepare for an exit. You can visit Capital Gains Tax Solutions, at www.capitalgainstaxsolutions.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/capitalgainstaxsolutions. To listen to Brett’s podcast, please click on www.capitalgainstaxsolutions.com/podcast/. Brett can be contacted via email at brett@capitalgainstaxsolutions.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brett-swarts.
Direct download: Brett_P_Swarts_of_Capital_Gains_Tax_Solutions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 25 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a startup there will be upturns and downturns. Managing a downturn takes a different approach from the upturns. First, seek advice and guidance from others such as investors, mentors, and CEOs. Don’t delude yourself into thinking it’s better than it is and that it will turn around soon. Acknowledge that it’s a bad situation and action must be taken. Get a little aggressive with those steps that must be taken. Reconfirm your commitment to your company and mission statement. You’ll most likely need to take on extra responsibilities which will require more of you. In an upturn, it’s about increasing your top line, hiring new employees, and increasing market share. In a downturn, it’s about keeping the lights on, getting more productivity with fewer team members, and living to see another day. Downturns bring new market opportunities so start looking for them. 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, 25 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Patrick Ryan, Founder of Aardvark Research/PSR Lawfirm, LLC. Patrick is the founder of Aardvark Research for angel investing. His day job is at Tik Tok, where he leads the team of Technical Program Managers for global network security. Before TikTok, Patrick was a Strategy and Operations Principal at Google for 9 years. Patrick has also co-founded companies including Towersource (a search engine for vertical assets) and Fastback Networks (wireless 5G). In addition to work, Patrick is an academic and author of more than thirty papers about technology policy. He is the former Faculty Director of the Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program at CU-Boulder. Patrick holds a Ph.D. from Leuven (in Belgium), an MBL from the University of St.Gallen (Switzerland), and a JD from the University of Texas. Patrick speaks fluent Spanish, French, and German and is currently studying literature, Chinese and Russian. Patrick discusses the state of venture capital investing and his investment thesis. He also advises startups and investors. You can visit Aardvark Research/PSR Lawfirm, LLC, at www.linkedin.com/company/psr-lawfirm-llc/about/. Patrick can be contacted via email at patrickryan@gmail.com and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/psrlaw/. You can also access a list of his scholarly papers at www.ssrn.com/author=355448. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 24 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In a fundraise, one typically uses the same term sheet throughout the raise. From time to time, investors will demand certain rights and conditions. If there are no investor representations, then you may be able to do so. For some investors, you may need to vary the terms of the raise and use a different term sheet. The key is to keep the valuation the same but add additional terms to make the deal more attractive. Additional terms include most-favored-nation status which means the investor gets the best deal that anyone else in the round gets. It also could include advisory and board positions, warrants, or redemption rights. Lead investors often ask for special terms to compensate for their time and effort. Investors spending time mentoring the team also may ask for these considerations. Before changing the terms or using new term sheets, you should check with your attorney. 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_--_Varying_the_Terms_of_the_Raise.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 24 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dr. Stuart Titus, Chief Executive Officer and President at Medical Marijuana, Inc. Headquartered in Poway, California, Medical Marijuana, Inc. is a cannabis product research and development company. The Company offers various CBD oils and related products such as CBD tinctures, concentrates, beauty products and pet supplements. Medical Marijuana distributes its products to worldwide customers. Stuart, a 10+ year pioneer of the cannabis industry, is the CEO of the first-ever publicly traded cannabis company in the US, Medical Marijuana, Inc. He has been involved in all aspects of the medical marijuana and industrial hemp industries overseeing a robust portfolio of subsidiaries and investments. Through his leadership, Medical Marijuana, Inc. became the first company to deliver cannabis brands across U.S. state lines, and the first to hold import permits for hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) in dozens of countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and many European nations. He is also a veteran of the financial services and medical healthcare industries with over thirty years of combined experience in each discipline. In the investment banking industry, Stuart worked with well-regarded firms including A.G. Becker, Prudential-Bache Securities, and Credit Suisse-First Boston. Stuart shares with Hall how he sees the industry evolving and some of the challenges startups face. You can visit Medical Marijuana, Inc. at www.mjnagroup.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/medical-marijuana-inc-/, and via Twitter at Stuart can be contacted via email at Stuart@mjnagroup.com. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Stuart_Titus_of_Medical_Marijuana_Inc.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 23 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In valuing a startup for an investment, it’s useful to find valuations by looking at similar startups. This technique is referred to as ‘comps’ which stands for comparable. This method looks for companies in the same sector and analyzes both exits and investments to determine the current valuation for the segment. This is often a multiple of revenue or EBITDA. Five to ten companies should give you an indication of the valuation metric currently in use. Look for investments and exits that are three years old or less. Valuations shift with the stock market, investor sentiment, and other factors. For exits, note what the investor paid for. Exits are driven by acquiring the team, the core technology, a product, or the entire business. This will help you determine the going rate for the company you are considering investing in. 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_Use_Comps_to_Value_a_Startup_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 23 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Cam Houser, Founder of Actionworks. Located in Austin, Texas, Actionworks mixes humans (from companies, universities, and governments) with algorithms trained on interesting topics (from business books to psychology textbooks to everything Paul Graham ever wrote) to create a process that helps organizations innovate. For over a decade, Cam has used video to win customers and build social capital. Actionworks' flagship offering is Minimum Viable Video, a cohort-based online course that teaches camera confidence and smartphone video. Cam also teaches entrepreneurship to students in 30 countries as an entrepreneurship educator and University of Texas professor. Before Actionworks, Cam founded 3 Day Startup, an organization accelerating 20,000 entrepreneurs at 300 institutions, including Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. Alumni have raised hundreds of millions of dollars, participated in Y Combinator, and exited to Google. Cam shares with Hall what excites him now in the sector. He advises entrepreneurs and investors, and discusses what he sees as immediate opportunities for investors to pursue. You can visit Actionworks at www.actionworks.co, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/actionworksco/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/cahouser. Cam can be contacted at http://bitly.com/camhouser, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/camhouser/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 22 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In negotiating the valuation, the investor can use current market comps or comparables to set the initial price. By looking at companies in the same sector and stage, one can find the range of valuations. From there, the investor can raise the valuation based on the values the startup has built already and lower it for the risks remaining. Investors typically look for 20-25% of the equity for each raise. The investor can adjust the valuation depending on how much the company is seeking. Other factors that can change the valuation include recent changes in: Market growth -- has the market growth changed? Competition -- has the competitive landscape changed? Also, by applying the current valuation to the fundraise, the investor can see if it is still in line with the longer-term roadmap of fundraising. It’s important to ensure the startup doesn’t set the valuation too high on this round as it may prove difficult to raise a follow-on round at the next valuation. Market comps give the investor a starting point but other factors must be considered. 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, 22 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Juan Alonso-Villalobos, Fintech Program Director at Startup Wiseguys. Headquartered in Tallinn, Harjumaa, Startup Wiseguys is a mentorship-driven accelerator program for early-stage B2B SaaS, Fintech, Cyber, and Sustainability startups, providing seed capital (€30K), office space, and most importantly – world-class mentors. The intensive 5-month accelerator program is focused on validating, developing and selling products to business customers. Over 250 international and local mentors with B2B startup experience help startups move through those stages much faster than they would on their own. Founders are also prepared to sell their vision to investors, and the program culminates in a Demo Day, where startups get to present to venture capitalists and angel investors. Focused during the last years in the investment and startups world, Juan is himself an entrepreneur at heart, having launched several projects (and closed some of them too). Juan has been Fintech Director in Startup Wise Guys for the last 4 years, and although also supporting startups from other sectors, he sees all the startups within Fintech, Insurtech, or other “money-related” regulated businesses. As he says, he was already part of one of the first “fintechs” in Spain and France, within ING Direct, which was there to challenge the status of banking at the time. He is a Partner of his own consultancy firm, PMLG Advisory through which he gives support to International PE firms seeking to develop their Spanish businesses. Juan has developed his professional career mostly in financial services (banking and insurance) in C-level positions covering very different organizational areas: Finance, Marketing, Business Development, Strategy, Digital. These multi-expertise skills allow him to have a 360º view on businesses. A vast experience in consultancy, banking, insurance, and capital markets. He holds BA degrees in Law and Business, both from Comillas University in Spain, and gone through Executive Education in CEDEP (Fontenaibleau – France). He lives (most of the time) in Madrid with his wife, also a tech entrepreneur, and his four children. Juan advises entrepreneurs and investors, discusses how he sees the industry evolving, and shares some of the challenges he has faced. You can visit Startup Wiseguys at www.startupwiseguys.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wise-guys, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/StartupWiseGuys. Juan can be contacted at juan@startupwiseguys.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/juanalonsovillalobos/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 19 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. As an investor, you can often see warning signs of trouble in small ways before they become full-blown in the startup. Here are some of them:
When you notice things seem out of the ordinary, it’s best to contact the team and ask for a straight-up answer.
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: Warning_signs_the_startup_is_in_trouble.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 19 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ben Mackay, Principal at Evolve Capital. Based in Dallas, Texas, Evolve Capital is a private equity firm focused exclusively on leveraged recapitalizations of entrepreneurial businesses. They provide entrepreneurs with liquidity upfront and also upon exit through their retained equity stake. In between, they provide professional management and a strong partnership, which increases shareholder value and attracts more potential buyers. Their entrepreneur and management team partners focus on positioning companies to maximize value upon exit. Prior to Evolve, Ben worked as a collateral asset examiner for Wells Fargo Business Credit focusing on loans of $25 million and smaller. Prior to Wells Fargo, Ben founded and served as the COO of the Rosebud Group, a real estate investment fund focused on mixed-use commercial properties in emerging western recreational towns. A Minnesota native, Ben earned his MBA with a concentration in finance from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts and his BA from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Ben shares with Hall what excites him now in the sector. He advises entrepreneurs and investors and discusses how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit Evolve Capital at www.evolvecapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-capital. Ben can be contacted via email at ben@evolvecapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/benmackay/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 18 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a startup, it’s important to focus on the essentials of the business. In your strategy planning, identify the Must-Dos. The Must-Dos have to get done. Beware of the Nice-to-Haves. If you hear yourself saying “wouldn’t it be nice if we did this?”, it most likely will be taking you away from the essentials. Here’s how to protect your time in the business :
Look for activities that directly contribute to the Must-Dos and focus on those. 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, 18 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Mike Smerklo, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Next Coast Ventures and author of “Mr. Monkey and Me”. “In Mr. Monkey and Me, Smerklo draws on his broad range of experiences and mistakes as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Using lessons he learned from renowned entrepreneurs, he developed the SHAPE formula — Self, Help, Authenticity, Persistence and Expectations — which gives readers an actionable approach to mental toughness that will help any entrepreneur start, grow and run a successful business. An anti-memoir, Mr. Monkey and Me features practical tools and the “other stuff” you don’t normally learn in classrooms or business books, such as the mental hurdles you have to overcome, the risks you have to take, and the sacrifices and mistakes you’ll make to become a successful entrepreneur.” Mike is an experienced entrepreneur, investor, and business leader driven by the desire to turn ideas into reality. Having bought and scaled a small business into a publicly-traded company worth nearly a billion dollars in value, he has a deep understanding of the hard work, dedication, and grit that truly powers successful entrepreneurship. Today, as the co-founder and managing director of Next Coast Ventures, Smerklo is a champion for a new generation of entrepreneurs building disruptive companies in big markets. His new book, Mr. Monkey and Me, is a “real talk” guide for entrepreneurs who want to cut through the noise to cultivate a mindset that supports greatness. You can purchase Mike’s book at www.mikesmerklo.com. Mike can be contacted via email at msmerklo@nextcoastventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/mikesmerklo/, and on his website at www.mikesmerklo.com. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 17 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Running a startup is hard work. The team must work long hours and often at low pay. This can wear down the team. The CEO should monitor the employees for burnout. Burnout can be caused by several factors:
Employees suffering from burnout exhibit signs of exhaustion, cynicism, and apathy. It’s important to watch out for signs of burnout. 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, 16 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups seek to grow as fast as possible. One of the key barriers to growth is the Sales Learning Curve. This learning curve is a combination of the product, marketing and sales working together to create customer acquisition and product-delivery system that achieves scale and can be maintained. In seed-stage funding, the investor looks for evidence of initial traction. In growth-stage funding, the investor looks for evidence of growth traction. Growth traction indicates the company is growing in a repeatable, predictable manner. Sales, marketing, and product development are working in concert to achieve that growth. Forecasting breakout growth without having mastered the sales learning curve will prove disappointing. Investors looking to fund growth-stage companies look for evidence that the sales learning curve has been done. This is most often evidenced by a sales funnel with known metrics such as time to close, cost to close, and well-defined steps that show lead generation, qualification, and closing. In diligencing a company, look at the systems behind the numbers to see how much of the Sales Learning Curve has been done and what is left to do. The Sales Learning Curve is another barrier - without it, the company won’t be able to generate the revenue necessary to achieve breakout growth. 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, 16 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Martin Saenz, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Bequest Funds. Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, Bequest Funds operates multiple residential mortgage funds designed to provide consistent income for qualified investors. The fund purchases and owns a diversified portfolio of income-producing mortgages. They purchase performing mortgages at a significant discount which produces above-market returns. The fund is secured by real estate in the United States. Renowned as a thought leader in the mortgage note investment industry, Martin is generous with his first-hand expertise, to the benefit of his many clients and followers. Genuine, loyal, and passionate about creating a better world through profitable business, he works hard to share and spread success. Together with business partner Shawn Muneio, Martin co-founded Bequest Funds with the dual purpose of helping investors grow their wealth and helping mortgage borrowers stay in their homes. Martin owned and operated multiple successful companies prior to launching Bequest. A successful entrepreneur and real estate investor for over 15 years, he brings a high level of strategy and experience to the Bequest model. He has directly helped over a thousand families stay in their homes and countless more through the influence of his mentorship. Martin holds a BA degree in Philosophy from U.T. — San Antonio, an MBA from Drexel University, and an M.S. in Project Management from George Washington University. Martin, his wife Ruth, and their four children live in the D.C. area. Together, they enjoy exploring the history and natural beauty of state and federal parks and being a part of their church community. Martin shares with Hall what excites him in the real estate space. He explains Note Investing, how he sees the industry evolving, and he discusses some of the challenges startups face. You can visit Bequest Funds at www.bqfunds.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bequest-funds/. Martin can be contacted via email at martin@2cfnow.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/martin-saenz-45073b7b/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 15 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In launching your startup, you’ll need to determine which sales channel is best for your business. The sales channel is how you reach prospects and then turn them into customers. Most first-time startup founders envision a channel and then assume that’s the best path. Experienced founders know you must research, test, and analyze the channels to find the best one. Here are the steps to choosing the right channel:
You’re looking for channels that provide high-quality leads at a low cost, with a fast response time, and the ability to grow lead targets through that channel. Don’t assume that the first channel that came to you is the best channel.
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, 15 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tom Wallace, Managing Partner at Florida Funders. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Florida Funders is a hybrid between a venture capital fund and an angel investor network that discovers, funds and builds early-stage technology companies in Florida. They exist to evolve Florida from the Sunshine State to the Startup State by ensuring there is as little friction as possible in the ecosystem, that investors have access to meaningful deal flow and entrepreneurs have access to a wide range of accredited investors. Florida Funders educates and ignites its community of investors and network of partners to drive investment in the most exciting startups Florida has to offer. Their one-of-a-kind angel investor network provides transparency, fosters communication, and empowers strategic relationships between the investor network and the founders. Their team is composed of serial entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and experienced angel investors singularly focused on uncovering Florida’s next breakout technology company. Tom is a 40 year veteran of technology startups, both as a founder and an investor. After multiple successful exits, most recently selling VectorLearning for $268M, he is now the Managing Partner at Florida Funders. As an angel investor for the last 25 years, Tom has learned how rewarding investing in early-stage technology companies can be...and how challenging. The mission at Florida Funders is to provide better and broader access to tech investments for new and existing angel investors and to turn Florida from the sunshine state into the startup state. Bio (full) Tom shares with Hall how he sees the industry evolving. He discusses his investment thesis and some of the challenges both startups and investors face. You can visit Florida Funders at www.floridafunders.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/floridafunders, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/FloridaFunders. Tom can be contacted via email at tom@floridafunders.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/tom-wallace-568412. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 12 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Choosing a co-founder is an important step in launching your startup. Consider these points before finalizing your decision:
Is there any chemistry from the relationship? Does their work ethic match yours? Does their professionalism match yours? Is the communication between you and the potential co-founder open and honest? Choosing a co-founder is an important step, so by no means rush it. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 12 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jonathan Spangler, CEO & Founder of Ciari Guitars. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Ciari Guitars is the creator of the Ascender, the world’s first pro-play, gig-ready guitar with foldable convenience. It is also the only guitar company approved for in-airport experiential marketing via the “Music Oasis” free guitar lounge. A concealed lever “detensions” the strings and unlocks a hinge at the neck, which allows the guitar to bend completely backward as the strings follow the fold under light tension. The Ascender can fit in a backpack and takes up less space than any travel guitar on the market. It’s perfect for all forms of travel - by air, by land, and by sea - and also great at home for space-limited places like apartments, condos, tiny homes, van life, etc. Jonathan is a business and legal executive turned entrepreneur. To his leadership role, he brings the business acumen and experience from multiple successful start-ups over a 20+ year career in the medical industry based on market-making innovation, as well as a lifetime passion for music and guitars. He is an inventor on 18 US patents ranging from medical devices to music instruments. Jonathan received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Dayton School of Law. Jonathan shares with Hall what led him to start working in this space. He discusses some of the challenges he has faced and how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit Ciari Guitars at www.ciariguitars.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ciariguitars/. Jonathan can be contacted via email at jspangler@ciariguitars.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-spangler-127a037/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 11 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In planning your startup, consider the challenge you will have in converting users from their current solution to your solution. Customers don’t move to a new product because it’s 10% better. They move because it’s 10X better. Make sure you are positioning your startup to be competitive in the market. To do so, consider 10Xing your business. The combination of the reduced price of the product and increased productivity provided over the competition, should be 10X or greater. In addition to the basic price, consider these points of differentiation:
Consider how you are going to be 10X better than the competition. 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, 11 February 2021
In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on COVID-19’s impact on the CPG sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of COVID-19. The consumer product goods space is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution. Retail is undergoing transformation as consumer products move online and the market shifts to functional benefits prioritizing wellness. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the consumer product goods market. 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: Expected_Changes_in_Consumer_Product_Goods_-_Show_4_V2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 10 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Pricing the product or service is a key step in running a startup. There are four pricing strategies to choose from:
Once you’ve chosen your pricing strategy, you then set the specific price with one of the following:
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, 10 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Rick Grinnell, Founder and Managing Partner at Glasswing Ventures. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Glasswing Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in the next generation of AI and frontier technology startups that are enabling the rise of the intelligent enterprise. They are laser-focused on funding exceptional entrepreneurs who are leading the AI revolution, capitalizing on the intellectual might and talent from the premier academic institutions on the East Coast, and fostering growth for our ecosystem. Whether they are helping their portfolio companies build the best teams, acquire their first customers or brainstorm about strategic opportunities, or scale their operations, they are there for their founders and CEOs in the good times and the bad times on their journey to success. Rick has led investments and serves on the Board of Directors of Allure Security, Armored Things, Black Kite, and Terbium Labs. As an experienced venture capitalist and operator, Rick has invested in some of the most dynamic companies in security, storage, analytics, and SaaS applications during his 20 years in the venture capital industry. In his previous role as Managing Director at Fairhaven Capital, Rick led investments and served on the Board of Directors of Digital Guardian, EqualLogic (acquired by Dell, a unicorn and fund returner), Prelert (acquired by Elastic), Pwnie Express, Resilient Systems (acquired by IBM), TrackVia (acquired by Primus Capital) and VeloBit (acquired by Western Digital). He also has deep operating experience having held senior marketing and engineering roles at Adero (acquired by Inktomi), ClearOne Communications (acquired by Gentner Communications, later renamed as ClearOne), and PictureTel (acquired by Polycom). Rick is a member of the Educational Council at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is active with the entrepreneurial programs at Harvard and Tufts Universities, and is a frequent judge at MassChallenge. Rick’s contributions to the broader community include serving as a member of the Board of the Advanced Cyber Security Center, New England’s public/private security collaboration, and as Vice Chairman of the Board of Advisers at the Museum of Science in Boston. He previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay. Rick has been recognized by New England Venture Network with the Community Leadership Award for his philanthropic work and contribution to the community. Rick holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from HBS. Rick advises investors and entrepreneurs and shares his investment thesis. You can visit Glasswing Ventures at www.glasswing.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/glasswing-ventures, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/glasswingvc?lang=en. Rick can be contacted via email at rick@glasswing.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/rickgrinnell. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 9 February 2021
In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on COVID-19’s impact on the CPG sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of COVID-19. The consumer product goods space is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution. Retail is undergoing transformation as consumer products move online and the market shifts to functional benefits prioritizing wellness. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the consumer product goods market. 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: Participation_in_Consumer_Product_Goods_-_Show_3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:09am CDT |
Tue, 9 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I often see founders begin work on their startup by building out their tech platform. Customers will come later they say. I recommend starting with the customer and have them guide you through to the tech platform you need. In the early days, hire a few people to run the process manually. As the process evolves, so will your plans for the tech platform. The chance that you will build the tech right in the first place without customers is near zero. The more code you write at this stage, the more code you will throw away later when it becomes clear what the customer needs really are. From the customer’s point of view, it doesn’t matter how you get it done as long as you do. Also, the go-to-market plan is not the plan that scales. Building too much code at the early stage means you’ll have to rewrite it or throw it away to build out your platform for scaling. It’s not hard to look like a tech company with websites and user interface forms for capturing data. Many startups launch with a WordPress site using standard plugins. The go-to-market design is geared for the first 100 customers. The scale design is geared for the next 10,000 customers. The tech platform for each is very different. 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, 8 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Akhilesh Pathipati, Partner at MVM Partners. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, MVM Partners has been a life science investment fund for more than 20 years and invests broadly across the healthcare sector, including medical technology, specialty pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, life science tools, and digital health. MVM has a global perspective on healthcare and maintains offices in Boston and London. Current MVM portfolio companies are headquartered in the US and Europe. Prior to joining the firm, Akhilesh practiced medicine as a resident at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center and Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital. In addition, his research on healthcare systems has led to more than a dozen scientific publications and 50 articles in the popular press, including in The Washington Post and Scientific American. Akhilesh received an MD at the Stanford School of Medicine and an MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He also holds an AB magna cum laude with highest honors from Harvard University. Akhilesh shares some of the challenges investors and startups face in the sector. He also advises investors and entrepreneurs. You can visit MVM Partners at www.mvm.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/mvm-life-science-partners-llp/. Akhilesh can be contacted via email at ap@mvm.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/akhileshpathipati/. |
Mon, 8 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most startups envision a product and then proceed to build out an MVP. After they polish it enough they may show it to a customer. In some cases, they try and take it all the way to a finished product because they want to show completeness to a customer. A customer should be involved before you even start building a product. Collect the customer’s careabouts and challenges and verbally propose solutions. The customer should be involved every step of the way. When it comes to developing the solution, then it’s best to ask for payment for the product before building it. Sell it first, build it second. If you can’t sell it in the first place, then there’s no need to build it in the second place. Those who are first to pay for your solution are called anchor clients. You will need to add custom features to it, so charge accordingly. Do this three times and you will have a product ready for the broader market. Build all versions on the same architecture, format, and platform so you get maximum reuse. 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, 5 February 2021
In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the SaaS sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of COVID-19. Software as a Service is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted many industries such as travel, hospitality, restaurants, and more. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the SaaS market. Our guests are:
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: Show_5_-_What_Does_the_Startup_Have_to_Do_to_COVID-19-Proof_Their_Business.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:24am CDT |
Fri, 5 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Venture Capital method of valuation uses a discounted cash flow combined with a multiples-based valuation. The valuation takes into account cash flows in a best case, medium case, and worst-case scenario. It then uses an industry multiple to set the anticipated sell price. The cash flows and exit price are discounted giving three valuations - one for each scenario. Then each one is assigned a probability giving the final value with a probability-weighted sum of the three. This method works well for growth companies and is better than a straight discounted cash flow because it factors in multiple scenarios. 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_--_Venture_Capital_Method_of_Valuation.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT |
Thu, 4 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Annette Finsterbusch, President & CEO of EnPower, Inc. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, EnPower is focused on developing scalable, engineering-based innovations that unlock the full potential of lithium-ion, high energy density cells with their patented electrode architectures deliver 3X faster charging, 70% more power, and longer service life than today's best batteries. Annette is a serial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of operating, management, and venture capital investing experience. Her career has been dedicated to driving growth and building value through successfully identifying, financing, and developing innovation into products and businesses in untapped markets. Her global corporate board experience spans multiple industries, including compound semiconductors, energy storage, lighting, advanced materials, 3-D printing, and the Internet-of-Things. Previously, Annette was the Founder of Applied Ventures, the venture arm of Applied Materials. She was responsible for developing the venture group’s investment strategy and execution plan. She sourced, led, syndicated, and managed Applied Material’s investments while also managing a group of investment professionals. From 1996 to 2000, she was based in Russia, where she led Applied’s expansion into Eastern Europe, chartering Applied’s first office in Moscow. Other notable positions include CEO of MindShadow.com, a technology spin-out of DaimlerChrysler’s Research and Technology Center; Investment Manager at DaimlerChrysler Venture Capital, where she was responsible for enterprise software and fuel cell investments; and CEO of Ketra (formerly Firefly Green Technology), an IoT company based on LED lighting and wireless controls. Annette has been a member of the National Science Foundation’s SBIR/STTR Advisory Committee since 2014 and was named the chair in 2019. She is a Kauffman Fellow, Class 11, where she was honored with the first annual Jeffrey Timmons Memorial Award. She is currently serving as a Mentor for Class 23. Philanthropic Directorships include seats on the Board of Directors at the Junior League of San Jose, the Exceptional Women Executives of San Jose State University, and Los Gatos Rowing Club. She also serves on the Board of GLAC (Global Leadership Advancement Center). Annette holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and Economics from the University of Houston and an MBA from San Jose State University. She received the Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award in 2004 from the faculty at SJSU. Annette shares her investment thesis with Hall, advises investors and entrepreneurs, and shares some of the challenges investors and startups face in the sector. You can visit EnPower, Inc. at www.enpowerinc.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/enpowerinc/. Annette can be contacted via email at annette@enpowerinc.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/annettefinsterbusch. |
Thu, 4 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The CEO must operate in two modes: managing and leading. As a manager, the CEO must define the strategy, recruit the team, and set goals for the company. This requires strong organizational skills. As a leader, the CEO must set the vision, motivate the team, and create a culture. This requires having a vision, caring about the people, and communicating effectively. The team will be more motivated if they can see themselves as part of the company’s vision. Start with the “Why?” and show how each person is a part of it. In the early days of a company, there’s energy and excitement in the startup world. As the company grows, the startup euphoria wears off and the company becomes an ongoing business. The CEO establishes and reinforces the culture every day by the choices made. The team watches the CEO for cues on what’s valuable to the company. The CEO can articulate the values of the company, but what the CEO actually does will determine the culture the company achieves. 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: Role_of_the_CEO_-_Managing_vs_Leading.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT |
Wed, 3 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Alex Suarez, Co-founder and Chief Legal Officer at Door Capital Partners, LLC and Managing Partner at Suarez Law Group. Door Capital Partners is a private equity firm investing in hospitality assets to increase its revenue and value through efficient management and a passionate vocation to service to their guests. Suarez Law Group provides strategic legal advice to companies, private funds, and family offices with their cross-border business and investment projects. In addition to being the co-founder and Chief Legal Officer at Door Capital Partners, Alex is also a business attorney and has been legal advisor to family offices and private investors in projects in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Spain for the past 20 years with renowned international law firms. Currently, he manages a boutique international business law firm, Suarez Law Group, while he co-manages Door Capital Partners. He is an advisor on the board of directors of several companies for strategic topics of international expansion. He is a private investor in startups in the city of Austin, Texas. Alex discusses how he sees the industry evolving and advises investors and entrepreneurs in the space. You can visit Door Capital Partners LLC at www.door.capital/en/home/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/door-capital-partners-llc/. You can visit Suarez Law Group at www.suarez law group.us, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sumter-ventures/about/. Alex can be contacted via email at as@door.capital, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/alejandro-suarez-83025057/.
Direct download: Alex_Suarez_of_Door_Capital_Partners-Suarez_Law_Group.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:05am CDT |
Wed, 3 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Companies with a strong culture do better with investors, customers, and employees. Building a company culture is the long game, not a short one. From the beginning, focus on instilling core values into the business. As you recruit new team members, they too will have an impact on the culture. Here are some key points for building your company culture:
It takes years to build a strong company culture. Start early and work on it often. 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, 2 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Krista Morgan, General Partner at Stage and founding partner of the Stage Fund. With its headquarters in Denver, Colorado, Stage makes control-based investments in businesses that have proven market traction but need a new approach and capital partner to get to the next level. Stage is a turnaround venture fund that offers early stage-small and medium-sized enterprises both the capital and management expertise to rethink their approach to growth. Stage specializes in situations that require restructuring, refocusing, and reinvesting for growth. They work with management teams to balance growth and cash flow to create a sustainable, valuable company. Krista is an accomplished fintech entrepreneur, founding two ventures prior to joining Stage. She has raised over $100M in debt and equity, managed a $75M loan portfolio, and provided over $1B of financing. She is a regular speaker on entrepreneurship, finance and a champion of diversity in tech. Krista discusses how she sees the industry evolving and shares some of the challenges investors face. You can visit Stage at www.stagefund.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/stagefund/. Krista can be contacted via email at krista@stagefund.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kristamorgan. |
Tue, 2 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Having a strong company culture helps the startup succeed. Customers and partners are attracted to companies with strong cultures. It guides the employees on what is important. The CEO fosters the company culture. In general, CEOs build cultures they like to work in. It’s important to hire well throughout the life of the company. The first round of hires brings the team that will have a strong influence on the culture. Here are the steps for establishing the culture at your startup: The CEO brainstorms with the team to generate a list of potential values. The goal is to identify values already in the company and not values that don’t exist. Build the chosen values into everything -- website, internal communications, meetings, new hire onboarding, and more. Setup rituals to showcase those values. Capture stories that demonstrate those values. Use the values to build products, run meetings, and make daily decisions. Include it in your recruiting and hiring process. Continue to reinforce and reiterate the values through stories and experiences. Culture is one of the harder assets to build into your business and one of the most important. 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, 1 February 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Abby Levy, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Primetime Partners. With its headquarters in New York, NY, Primetime Partners are an early-stage venture capital fund that invests in, and builds from the ground up, companies that can transform the quality of living for older adults. They support the founders and organizations that create meaningful new products, services, and experiences in the under-served, trillion-dollar global sector of Aging. They accelerate business growth through their direct-to-consumer marketing expertise, their strategic distribution partners, synergies across portfolio companies, and an engaged network of advisors. Also core to their mission, they unlock the talent and expertise of experienced older adults as founders and business builders. Abby has spent her career helping businesses and consumer brands grow as an operator, entrepreneur and advisor, most notably in the wellness sector. Prior to Primetime Partners, Abby was an executive at SoulCycle, where she oversaw business development and revenue growth outside the consumer studio business, with an emphasis on building new digital products as the Senior Vice President of Strategy & Growth. Abby has also been a Founder herself, teaming with Arianna Huffington to launch Thrive Global, a behavior change technology company focused on employee productivity and wellness. Abby served as President of Thrive Global and remains on the Thrive Board. Abby began her career at McKinsey & Company then led product development at OXO International. She is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Business School. Bio found here: https://www.primetimepartners.com/abby-levy Abby shares what excites her right now in the aging sector, advises startups and investors, and discusses the state of investing in the sector. You can visit Primetime Partners at www.primetimepartners.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/primetime-partners/. Abby can be contacted via email at abby@primetimepartners.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/abbymillerlevy/. |
Mon, 1 February 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. An entrepreneur raising funding must demonstrate confidence. Investors will look for someone who has confidence in their plan, their team, and themselves. Oftentimes entrepreneurs fake confidence and come off looking cocky, which is unfounded confidence. True confidence inspires others and persuades them to support the company. Investors look for this in the founder as he must attract others to join the team as well as customers and partners. Customers must always be wooed and are attracted to confident companies. Founders who inspire others have a greater chance of success at the early-stage startup since they didn’t have enough money to pay for everything. 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, 29 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Jake Ryan, founder and CIO of TRADECRAFT Capital and author of “Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy”. “Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy is an indispensable handbook showing new and experienced investors how established financial strategies like valuation and asset allocation apply to these new markets. Equipped with this knowledge, any investor can prosper, taking advantage of one of the biggest financial paradigm shifts of our time.” Jake’s fund is a macro/thesis-driven crypto fund. He brings 20 years of professional experience in software development to the world of crypto asset investing. Jake is also an advisor to several venture-backed startups, a venture advisor at Mucker Capital and a strategic advisor at Diversis Capital, a private equity firm. You can purchase Jake’s book at www.ageofautonomy.com/. Jake can be contacted on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tradecraftjake?lang=en. |
Fri, 29 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There’s a quantitative side and a qualitative side to due diligence. The quantitative side includes checking the list of documents in the data room to verify the accuracy of those documents. For example, do the entity filings match what the company said they have? Do the intellectual property documents match what they claim they have? Then there’s the qualitative side of diligence. This includes evaluating the team and the growth prospects in the market. Sizing up the competition and the company’s ability to execute. An analyst or assistant can help with the quantitative side as it requires basic research. The qualitative work requires a higher degree of discovery and should be done by those with industry experience. 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_--_the_Quantitative_and_Qualitative_side_of_due_diligence.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 28 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Anil Ramineni, CEO of CQ Infotech. CQ Infotech was founded in 2005 and is based out of Laguna Hills, California and India. It is an IT solution company that specializes in end-to-end managed IT, infrastructure, and global delivery services to their clients, ranging from small regional companies to Fortune 500 multinational corporations. They align technology to support and strategize business challenges. With them as your technology partner, expect unparalleled results that match the client’s requirements, and solve business challenges. Anil is an entrepreneur, angel Investor, resourceful technical leader and solutions-driven strategist with a passion for leveraging emerging technologies to achieve key business objectives. He is experienced in leading technically complex solution delivery and operations management initiatives for multiple companies. Anil has more than 20 years’ success in client-centric, service-driven environments at various progressive management roles. He is also Executive Director of TiE SoCal, a non-profit, global community of entrepreneurs from all over the world. Anil discusses the investment thesis of the company, some of the challenges in the space, and how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit CQ Infotech at www.cqinfotech.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/cq-infotech/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/cqinfotech. Anil can be contacted via email at anilr@cqinfotech.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/anil-ramineni/. |
Thu, 28 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Entrepreneurs are often concerned about the confidentiality of their information. During the initial engagement with the investor, it’s not common to sign NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) as the investor is still figuring out the basics of your business. At the introductory stage, keep the discussion on the general level. As you go further with the discussion and then into due diligence, the investor will ask for deeper information that you may consider confidential. Confidential information includes customer names, intellectual property such as trade secrets, and more. If you have highly sensitive information, then you can have the investor sign an NDA before reviewing the diligence. Another approach is to develop two diligence boxes. The first is non-confidential and contains basic financials, entity filings, patent filings, customer company names, and other information that is not sensitive. The second diligence box contains detailed information such as specific customer contact details, trade secrets, etc. For this, the investor signs an NDA which can be used to control how it is handled. For many investors, the first box will be sufficient and alleviates the NDA 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.
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Signing_NDAs_in_Due_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 27 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup investing, investors take in information from the startup about the product, team, financials, revenue, and more. This information does change rapidly in the startup phase of the business. One method of assuring the investor the information provided is true and accurate is for the startup to sign a Reps and Warranties contract. This is often tied to the diligence provided. A Reps and Warranties contract basically states that everything provided in the diligence is true and accurate and nothing material has been omitted. If it later turns out that there’s a material difference between the business and the diligence, then the Reps and Warranties contract provides legal recourse to the investor for recovering any damages. For example, if the financial statements indicate there’s no debt in the business, then the investor assumes the business is debt-free. In this case, if the startup indeed has debt, then the investor can take legal action against the startup. Some investors demand such a contract to be signed to ensure they have the full picture of the business. A startup can strengthen their case if they sign a Reps and Warranties contract on the diligence provided.
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_--_Reps_and_Warranties.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 26 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ashu Garg, General Partner at Foundation Capital. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Foundation Capital was founded in 1995. As an early-stage venture capital firm, they have lived through the emergence of the World Wide Web, the IT war of the 90s, the dot-com bubble, Web 2.0, the mobile revolution, the Great Recession, the rise of Big Data, software’s ascension to the cloud, and the birth of blockchain. The wisdom of those experiences remains with them, transmitted to each successive generation of partners. Foundation Capital is 25 years and nine funds strong, with over $3B in committed capital, 28 IPOs, and 80+ acquisitions to their name. Their fintech, enterprise, and consumer investments have reinvented industries and defined new markets, with companies that include Lending Club, Sunrun, TubeMogul, Chegg, and Netflix. For a quarter of a century—through boom and bust, prosperity or calamity—Foundation Capital has endured, evolved, and thrived. Building companies is in their bones. The Rubik’s Cube has 43 quintillion combinations – but only one solution. At age 11, Ashu found that solution in 25 seconds flat. Although Ashu hasn’t picked up a Rubik’s Cube in quite a while, he still takes great pleasure in solving complex business challenges. To give just one example, in 2010, an early stage Berkeley-based company that specialized in analytics wanted to get into the media-buying platform business. Ashu helped their small team reach the growing number of brands that were migrating their television advertising to the web. That company, TubeMogul, soon became the leading video-advertising platform for brand advertisers, went public in 2014, and was acquired by Adobe in 2016. Ashu serves on the boards of Anvilogic, Arize, Coefficient, Cohesity, Conviva, Eightfold, Fortanix, Layer9, OpsMx, Stacklet, Skyflow, and Turing. In addition, Ashu was responsible for our investments in Aggregate Knowledge (acquired by Neustar), Custora (acquired by Amperity), FreeWheel (acquired by Comcast), TubeMogul (acquired by Adobe), and Tubi.tv (acquired by Fox). He has led seed investments in HipDot, Next Force Technology, Oliv.ai, Radiance Labs, Robin Systems, Testim, and has personally invested in Databricks, Falcon Computing, G2 Esports, and VPS. Ashu is passionate about helping technical founders scale as CEOs. His podcast B2B a CEO has featured Eric Yuan, Jennifer Tejada, Aaron Levie, and Tien Tzuo. Before joining Foundation Capital in 2008, Ashu was the general manager for Microsoft’s online-advertising business and led field marketing for the software businesses. Previously, Ashu worked at McKinsey & Company, helping technology companies scale their go-to-market efforts. Earlier in his career, Ashu founded TringTring.com, one of the first search engines in Asia, set up Unilever’s Nepal operations, and led the marketing and pre-sales teams at Cadence Design Systems. Ashu has a bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in New Delhi and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Bangalore, where he received the President’s Gold Medal. Ashu has lived in India, Nigeria and Sudan, and today makes his home in California with his wife, Pooja (an entrepreneur as well), and their two sons. Ashu advises investors and entrepreneurs in the space. He also discusses how he sees the industry evolving and the investment thesis of Foundation Capital. You can visit Foundation Capital at www.foundationcap.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/foundation-capital/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/foundationcap. Ashu can be contacted via email at agarg@foundationcap.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ashugargvc/, and via Twitter at www.witter.com/ashugarg. |
Tue, 26 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In diligencing a startup, the size of the market is a key question. The larger the market, the greater the growth potential of the startup. There’s rarely a need to pay for research as so much exists on the web. In searching the web, you’ll find research reports giving market sizes, trends, analysis, and more. The key here is to analyze the market at three levels. The first is Total Available Market which is anyone the company could ever sell to. The second is the Serviceable Market which is the target market the company wants to serve. The third is the Beachhead Market, which is the first niche the company will pursue. Ideally, this is a small but well-defined group of companies that fit the startup’s current product. It may not be the biggest or most lucrative market, but rather is the easiest to pursue. The startup should have some interactions with the companies in the Beachhead market already. 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_--_How_to_diligence_the_Market.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 25 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Kiyan Zandiyeh, CIO at Sturgeon Capital. Headquartered in London, England, Sturgeon Capital is a leading frontier markets investment boutique. Since the establishment of Fund 1 in 2016, they have made nine investments. Sturgeon Capital focuses on technology-enabled businesses that offer a product or service which solves an unserved, acute pain point for a large addressable market. They seek to be meaningful equity partners alongside entrepreneurs, helping businesses reach their full potential. Kiyan has over 10 years of investment experience and has worked intimately with early-stage frontier businesses. He has successfully led numerous seed round investments, working with management to develop the companies such that each today are the leaders in their respective verticals. Kiyan shares with Hall what excites him the most in the space. He advises entrepreneurs and investors and discusses how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit Sturgeon Capital at www.sturgeoncapital.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sturgeon-capital/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sturgeoncapital?lang=e. Kiyan can be contacted via email at kz@sturgeoncapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kiyan-z-6a0b6629/. |
Mon, 25 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. How can an investor group make the diligence process manageable?
In most cases, the startup will find the process manageable if they understand how it works and if they see consistent progress to the goal. A good diligence process often provides new information and insight to the startup. Reducing time, making it efficient, and helping the startup, are the signs of a good diligence 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.
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Successful_deal_diligence.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 22 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Tools are important for running a deal-flow process. You’ll need tools for managing deal flow, running diligence, and tracking the portfolio. For deal flow, there needs to be an application process for capturing the essential information and pitch deck. Examples include Proseeder, Gust, and there are others. For diligence, you need checklists to share with the fundraising company and a set of instructions for the investors performing diligence. For the diligence report format, you should set up a standardized template for the final report and a way to combine the work of several investors. Google docs can be helpful in sharing documents and compiling the final report. Finally, you’ll need a way to track your portfolio for performance and generate reports to the investors. Seraf is one tool for portfolio tracking. Also, you’ll need a conference call and online webinar accounts for running the meetings. Zoom, FreeConferenceCall, and Hopin are examples.
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_-_How_to_Manage_the_Deal_Process.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 21 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Archie Cheishvili, CEO of GenesisAI. With its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, GenesisAI is a Machine Learning protocol. On top of this protocol, they are building a marketplace for AI products and services - Amazon for AI. The marketplace connects companies in need of AI services, data, and models with companies interested to monetize their AI tech. By linking AI services with each other and increasing the supply of AI services, GenesisAI provides a web platform that offers low-cost AI services. This makes AI technology more efficient and affordable for businesses. Their platform enables different AIs to communicate with each other, exchange data, and trade services. Anyone can develop and purchase AI services. Archie is a serial entrepreneur who graduated from Harvard University. He worked at Bridgewater Associates and went on to co-found The Bears, which he later sold and made a 6x return on. He went on to become the VP of Artificial Intelligence at venture capital firm IDFEC and is now the CEO of GenesisAI. He is recognized by media outlets including the New York Post, Forbes, and Yahoo Finance. Archie advises entrepreneurs in the AI sector. He shares how he sees the industry evolving and discusses the biggest challenge they face. You can visit GenesisAI at www.genesisai.io, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/genesisai. Archie can be contacted via email at archil@genesisai.io, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/archie-archil-cheishvili-854aa792/. |
Thu, 21 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In early-stage investing, someone needs to take the lead and screen the deals, diligence selected ones, and negotiate the valuation with the chosen ones. In most cases, the lead investor doesn’t want to be the only one in the deal and promotes other investors to join. This promotion process is called syndication. Most investors are looking for someone else to take the lead and actively follow the deal as it progresses. As a deal lead, make sure you do the following:
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_-_How_to_Lead_a_Deal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 20 January 2021
In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on COVID-19’s impact on the CPG sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of COVID-19. The consumer product goods space is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution. Retail is undergoing transformation as consumer products move online and the market shifts to functional benefits prioritizing wellness. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the consumer product goods market. 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 |
Wed, 20 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a diligence process it’s important to keep track of the progress of team members. Set up frequent follow-up calls to check progress and resolve issues. Follow-up calls should be scheduled and led by the deal lead. A check-in call should take no more than 30 minutes. In the follow-up calls, make sure the team members share their information in the Google doc format so the lead can start compiling the information into the final diligence report. Take notes directly into the report including outstanding issues and questions for the startup. In most cases, new information about a startup will come to light that may give the team pause about continuing with the investment. If the new information is a major change, then the deal lead should gather feedback from the group and follow up with the startup to get clarification. Plan on two follow-up calls in your month-long diligence 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.
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_Followup_Calls.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 19 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are three phases to diligence before funding a startup:
For documentation diligence, ask the startup for a list of key documents for diligence. The key documents include:
These are the documents you will review. Other documents related to the business such as lawsuits, by-product breakdowns, by-customer breakdowns should be requested if appropriate. Read each document and check to see if it matches what you understood about the deal. Note any differences and ask for clarification. It’s important you review the diligence documents so you understand the business. You may need to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) for sensitive information. It’s standard practice to do so in due diligence as the information should be kept confidential even without an NDA in place. Team diligence is the most critical part of the process. Meet with the team and assess their skills. In almost every startup failure, the investor can trace it back to the team not being up to the task. It may be the task was underestimated by all upfront, but with the right team, the company can succeed. In most cases, you’ve heard the CEO pitch, but it’s important to understand the CEO’s skills set including what is there and what is not. The rest of the team needs to bring the necessary skills to succeed. For domain diligence, check the positioning of the company in the marketplace. Identify the value proposition and how well it resonates with customers. Look at their pricing compared to the competition. Check the industry to see the conditions in which it will grow or decline. 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_-_Financials_Team_and_Domain_diligence.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 18 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Braden Barr, seed investor and Board Member at PostitPlayit, and Charles Reinert, Co-founder of PostitPlayit. Based in Dallas, Texas, PostitPlayit Inc. is a startup offering a first of its kind alternative to fantasy sports and peer-to-peer gaming. With PostitPlayit, users are able to research and pick their favorite teams, set their own spread, and easily invite friends to compete in user-created competitions. As a user, not only can you create your own contests and face off against friends and family but you're also able to open up competitions and compete with all other users. PostItPlayIt takes the thrill of competition to a whole new level of skill, fun, and transparency. Braden has over 15 years of experience scaling capital-raising efforts in private equity and venture capital organizations. Most recently, he raised over $200 million in private real estate transactions. Charles has more than twenty-five years of small business ownership and management experience. As a technology entrepreneur, he is the founding partner of DingMonkey, a nationwide warranty company (2004 - present), EAi Reinsurance, a reinsurance company (2017-present), and Elite Administration & Investment, a real estate and oil and gas investment company (2012-present). Charles has been a leader in five startups, responsible for innovative marketing strategies, business development, and execution of daily operations. Braden and Charles discuss how they see the industry evolving, some of the challenges in the sector and how PostItPlayIt fits in the landscape. You can visit PostitPlayit at www.postitplayit.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/postitplayit-inc. Braden can be contacted via email at braden@postitplayit.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/braden-barr-166ab6a/. Charles can be contacted via email at charles@postitplayit.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/charlesreinert/.
Direct download: Braden_Barr__Charles_Reinert_of_PostItPlayIt.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:54am CDT |
Mon, 18 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running due diligence it’s important to build a team and bring others into the process. A deal lead should take care of gathering the initial documents so the team doesn’t stall out waiting on the startup. Assign each team member a task and include the instructions for the task. Make clear that the goal is building a due diligence report. Set up a timeline for completing the diligence including referrals, document analysis, etc. Use online tools such as Google docs for sharing the information as the team members will be working remotely in most cases. It takes 4 to 8 hours to complete a task. The overall diligence process takes from 20 to 40 hours of work. Set four weeks as a timeframe for completing the diligence. Keep the startup apprised of the progress and if there are any open questions. 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_-_Managing_the_Deal_Team.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 15 January 2021
In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the SaaS sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of COVID-19. Software as a Service is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted many industries such as travel, hospitality, restaurants, and more. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the SaaS market. 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
Direct download: Show_4_--_The_Impact_of_COVID-19_on_the_SaaS_sector.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:32am CDT |
Fri, 15 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After the diligence is complete and the open questions answered, the team must decide whether or not to invest. It’s important to identify the risks and write them out in the report. The team should articulate an investment thesis that includes the opportunity in the deal such as how big it could become. The team should include the potential exit value and how long it will take to reach it. The team should also clarify their assumptions around the deal and write it out as well. To decide to go forward, take the temperature of the team. It’s either heating up or cooling off. Monitor the company’s progress to see if it continues to demonstrate a growth story. If enough investors want to move forward, then the investors should pursue it. If not enough investors want to move forward, then it’s a pass. It’s important to make a timely decision as the entrepreneur needs to know the group’s position. 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_-_Moving_to_Close.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 14 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups can raise funding even without a lead investor. In this situation, the startup acts as the lead. Here are three steps to take: First, the startup must present investor-friendly terms and conditions. There should be no push back on the terms. Second, the startup must supply a due diligence package already completed. Consider adding a Reps and Warranties contract to the diligence report to show the startup stands behind it. A Reps and Warranties contract states that the founder stands behind the due diligence provided and there is nothing omitted. It is a legally binding contract. Third, standardize the investment amount, such as “each investment unit is $25K”. Removing the various decision points - terms, investment amount, and diligence compiled - takes care of the lead investor’s role. The drawback to this approach is that there is no one investor who “owns” the fundraise. The startup most likely won’t get meaningful investor engagement after the check signing, and there will be little support from investors for helping raise the next round of funding. If you don’t need those things, then this method is a good way to raise your 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: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_How_the_Startup_can_lead_the_deal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 13 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups who find an investor expressing interest often stop their fundraise as they believe - or sometimes hope - this will be the one who completes the rest of their raise. I tell entrepreneurs to continue the fundraise effort until the funds are in the bank account. I’ve seen deals blow up on the 1-yard line. Even if you have an investor committing to the raise, don’t stop your updates to the other investor prospects. Maintain your fundraise efforts at some level as it takes additional effort to restart your campaign. It’s not over ‘til the money is in your bank account. 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: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_When_to_stop_following_up_with_an_investor.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 12 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A startup investment goes through a series of stages. It starts with the pitch presentation in which the startup introduces the deal to the investors. Then there’s the first follow-up meeting in which the investors dig into the deal to learn the details. Investors want to think about it and also want to see the startup continue to make progress. Then comes the Due Diligence phase in which the investors perform a more rigid review of the startup’s documents, team, and market. If the terms sheet has been established by other investors, then the investors review those documents. If not, the investor must negotiate the terms including valuation. Investors then check with their network to see who else may want to invest or put it out to other investors for syndication. Finally, there’s the closing of the round with the signing of documents.
It’s important to keep the momentum going throughout the process both on the investor side and the startup side. 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: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Stages_of_the_Deal_Process.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT |
Mon, 11 January 2021
In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on COVID-19’s impact on the CPG sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of COVID-19. The consumer product goods space is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution. Retail is undergoing a transformation as consumer products move online and the market shifts to functional benefits prioritizing wellness. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the consumer product goods market. Our guests are: 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 |
Mon, 11 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I’ve had startups approach me and give me one or two lines about their startup. When I start to ask questions, they say they can’t tell me anything more without signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement or NDA. I often find this puzzling, as investors don’t sign NDAs to find out what the startup business is. They only sign when they understand the startup business and want to find out more about the proprietary details. These details include specific clients, their contact information, details behind the intellectual property, in particular trade secrets, and more. It’s best to have non-confidential information available to share with the investor to educate them about the business at a high level. It’s best to ask for an NDA when the investor is going into diligence. Startups should examine their business and tease apart what is general information and what is proprietary. If the information is already on your website or could be obtained by a customer using your product, then it’s not proprietary. It’s best to sign NDAs on information that is truly proprietary and only when the investor is interested in pursuing diligence. Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Signing_NDAs_with_investors.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT |
Fri, 8 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes R. Adam Smith, Founder & CEO of Big Sky Partners. Headquartered in New York City, New York, Big Sky Partners collaborates with companies and their brands to develop, grow, and maximize their potential. Through expert advice and extensive networks, Big Sky Partners helps clients to build brands and businesses that are respected, unique, global, profitable, and leave a legacy in today's crowded marketplace. Big Sky Partners assists clients through brand positioning, executive and board resources, product distribution opportunities, corporate development, strategic partnerships, and capital and M&A affairs. Selective in its collaborations, Big Sky Partners takes a meritocratic approach to client relationships, utilizing traditional client/advisor engagements as well as revenue-sharing and equity upside arrangements. Adam is an experienced investor, advisor, and builder of tens of startup, venture and private equity-backed companies in the U.S., and abroad, since the mid-1990s. Through private equity partnerships, he has led and/or sponsored since 2002, Adam has invested in over a dozen privately-held companies (including seven acquisitions) with a combined $600 million in sales and over $250 million of contributed equity invested capital, while also forming and serving on the Board of Directors, or Advisory Boards, of each company. Adam is the founder and manager of alternative investing holding company, RAS Capital Partners LLC. In 2002, Adam founded Circle Peak Capital LLC, a private investment merchant banking partnership based in NYC which he still manages today and which has served tens of limited partners with over $50 million of invested capital over time. To read Adam’s full bio, please click here. Adam shares with Hall how he sees the industry evolving, what excites him as an investor, and discusses his investment thesis. You can visit Big Sky Partners at www.bigskypartners.net, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/big-sky-partners-llc/. Adam can be contacted via email at adam@bigskypartners.net, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/radamsmith/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/rasvintage. |
Fri, 8 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a deal follow-up process, you’ll need to create a diligence report. Here are some key points to consider:
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Diligence_Report.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 7 January 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Alpesh Patel, part of the Global Entrepreneur Program (GEP) at the Department for International Trade in the UK. The UK Government’s Department for International Trade has under it the Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP). In it, Dealmakers are business people who make deals with overseas outstanding tech scale-up companies to land their global HQ in the UK. They help companies with VCs, angels, potential customers, etc. Alpesh Patel OBE has represented the United Kingdom since 1999 when the then Prime Minister appointed Alpesh to advise on closer UK/India ties. Thereafter the Department for International Trade made Alpesh their Dealmaker since 2004 to bring outstanding tech companies to the UK, which solve the world’s biggest problems and create jobs here. (www.theeinsteinchallenge.com). Alpesh believes that trade underpins liberty. An Oxford University Fellow in Business & Industry back in 2001, Alpesh won a competition in Financial Times against fund managers, journalists, analysts, using the investment software he created to forecast UK company performance. The ambition is to publicly list that fintech/edtech company as a disruptor to the global multi-trillion dollar fund management industry, so regular people can benefit from making better stock investments themselves. Alpesh is a Financial Times author who being a Barrister to pursue investing and educating people on financial literacy for social mobility. As a firm believer in the power of mentoring, Alpesh co-founded the UK chapter of the world's largest entrepreneur mentoring organisation (Tie.org). As a founder of a hedge fund/private equity firm (the hardest easy money to make) – his focus is on cleantech, sustainability, and social impact, not self-enrichment. Committed to public service, Alpesh uses his Barrister's training and TV presenter skills to raise funds for widows, orphans, under-fed school-children, victims of slavery. Alpesh has served as a Governor of Luton University and Council Member of Chatham House including on their Investment Committee. Before all that, Alpesh worked in US Congress for Eliot Engel on anti-terrorism and nuclear proliferation. Degrees in Law and Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Oxon). 18 FT, Macmillan published books on global markets and online trading. Alpesh’s BBC paper review for 10+ years to 300m shows his direct to the point, no nonsense analysis on issues such as technology for social change, and his principal cause, the unfair treatment by fund managers of pensioners and financial literacy: www.alpeshpatel.com/tv TV presenter with a dedicated show on Bloomberg formerly, then Sky gave Alpesh his own tech/politics show and CNBC asked him to co-host; and 5 years columnist for Financial Times. Born & raised in Leeds (no silver spoon). Co-Chair Loomba Trust which supports widows and orphans. Alpesh gives advice to both investors and entrepreneurs. He shares with Hall some of the startups that fit his investment thesis and what excites him. For more information on the Global Entrepreneur Program (GEP), please visit https://www.great.gov.uk/international/content/invest/how-to-setup-in-the-uk/global-entrepreneur-program/. Alpesh can be contacted by visiting www.tech2great.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/alpeshbpatel/, and via email at alpesh.patel@tradermind.com.
Direct download: Alpesh_Patel_of_Department_for_International_Trade.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:56am CDT |
Thu, 7 January 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. To pitch an investor, you’ll need a carefully crafted startup story. Just any old story won’t do. Tell the story in your own words as if you’re talking with a friend at a bar. Show how the story is relevant to those in the audience, something everyone can relate to. Keep the story simple. It needs to be tight and keep the audience engaged. Instead of starting at the beginning, start from the first big event whether it be a disaster or a success. Show the mistakes you made that others can learn from. Talk about your values and those of the company. Demonstrate authenticity along the way. Finally, have a message about your company’s brand that you want to communicate and use the story to build up to 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
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_How_to_craft_a_good_startup_story.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT |
Wed, 6 January 2021
In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the SaaS sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of COVID-19. Software as a Service is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted many industries such as travel, hospitality, restaurants, and more. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the SaaS market. 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
Direct download: Show_3_-_What_New_Applications_Within_the_Sector_Will_We_See_Come_Up.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:53am CDT |
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