Podcasts about venture finance

NEW EPISODE ALERT | BLACK FOUNDERS MATTER (BFM) I'm honored to bring Himalaya Rao-Potlapally - Managing Director of The BFM Fund - to the podcast! She's a unicorn if I've ever seen one.  She has a passion for bringing that knowledge to BIPOC communities with the goal of creating access and empowerment. Her interest and passion has led her to many different roles and industries including #BFM which is a seed-stage venture fund focused on Black and innovative entrepreneurs.  She started her career as a Social Worker in Hunts Point. She launched several businesses, including CarBar. Over the last few years, her passion has led her to be one of the Managing Directors and General Partners of the Black Founders Matter Fund which is a $10mm seed-stage fund focused on highly scalable Black-led deal flow within the United States. Prior to becoming a GP, she got an MBA and specialized training in Venture Finance and worked in seven different firms as an Associate, Deal Lead, and eventually Fund Manager. She was an adjunct professor at Portland State University teaching MBA and MSF students about venture investing. She's also excited about co-launching Venture Partners, an educational non-profit, in partnership with VertueLab and NVCA's Venture Forward/VC University.  In this episode you'll hear me and Himalaya talk about the following and more:  1 - What is the BFM Fund  2 - Fundraising for Women of Color  3 - The Pathway to Economic Development  4 - No Generational Wealth 00:07   00:07 - Guest intro  00:25 - How Shauna met Himalaya  02:05 - Shauna Talks about Himalaya's achievements  3:40 - What is Black Founders Matter (BFM)?  05:01 - Breaking into the VC spaces as a woman of color  07:40 - Other Venture Capital initiatives 15:34 - BFM and the Bank Of America equity investment  20:10 - BFM Portfolio  26:09 - Alison Felix's Story  29:15 - Himalaya's Evolution  35:47 - Lack of Diversity in Portland Oregon  40:23 - Going against “the system”  47:28 - How Companies & individuals can get involved  52:19 - Wrap up Special thanks to my dear friends at POV Agency for recommending and introducing me to Himalaya. Pilaar Terry, Kyndall L. Echols, M.A. Echols and Michael (MCB) Chavez Booth – thank you for your continued support and for your commitment to creating positive impact and leading authentically. Continued thanks to Founding Partners Felicia Hall Allen & Associates, CMD Agency, Hijinx Agency and Influence Media Agency.  #podcast #THIS #leadership #entrepreneur #BFM #blackfoundersmatter #vc #equity #BIPOC #AI #impact #evolving #slgimpact

In this episode, Rob sits down for an in-depth conversation with John – The Expat Property Guy who is based in Asia but still invests in UK property. He and Rob discuss the ins and outs of financing a property. They discuss using angel investors, joint venture partners, friends, and family. As well as the ins and outs of drawing up a contract, working out when to repay an investor, how to find investors and much more.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Most property investors need to look for finance, at some stage. People collaborate with you because they like you.  It is safer to draw up formal contracts. Cash enables you to act quickly. Using cash enables you to buy properties others cannot consider buying. In the current economic climate, you must be incredibly careful when using the BRR model. Rob explains why in the podcast. You have got to find out what is important to your investor. Always have your eyes open, you never know what is going to fall in your lap. BEST MOMENTS ‘Property investors usually run out of their own money at some stage and then they look for private finance.' ‘Investors need to know how they are going to get their money back.' ‘You need to have an idea of what's happening at a macro level.' ‘We always prefer to have the finance lined up, then go and hunt down a deal.' ABOUT THE HOST  Rob Smallbone, the host of The Property Nomads Podcast, is on a global mission to guide your success. Success can happen in many ways, shapes, and forms. Think about what success means to you. More properties? More clients? Financial freedom? Time freedom? Rob wants to make a huge difference to people around the world. He is here to guide your success in property, business, and life and to inspire you to achieve your goals, dreams, and visions. He's travelled, explored, and invested. And he's not planning on stopping these activities anytime soon. Buckle up, sit tight, and enjoy the ride that is life.   BOOKS  Buy To Let: How to Get Started = https://amzn.to/3genjle   101 Top Property Tips = https://amzn.to/2NxuAQL  Property FAQs = https://amzn.to/3MWfcL4   WEBSITE www.tpnpodcast.com    SHOP   www.tpnpodcast.com/shop    SOCIAL MEDIA   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thepropertynomadspodcast/   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ThePropertyNomadsPodcast   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCejNnh8OEUXSrdgFDFraWxg Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/tpnpodcast   PODCAST   The Property Nomads Podcast:   I-Tunes = apple.co/3bHNn5G   Stitcher = bit.ly/3cFQVqe  Spotify = spoti.fi/2XaZliP uk property, Investment, Property, Rent, Buy to let, Investing for beginners, Money, Tax, Renting, Landlords, strategies, invest, housing, properties, portfolio, estate agents, lettings, letting, business: https://patreon.com/tpnpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we hear from Kiran Patel, the MD of Venture Finance who is a chartered accountant and broker that has worked on all kinds of property projects. Including HMOs, Buy-to-let, property flips, serviced accommodation, and commercial property. Helping clients to finance and leverage their acquisitions and portfolios. He explains how to get commercial property properly valued. More importantly – how to get it financed at a decent rate. For this episode, Kiran focuses on how to do this for a commercial property that is going to be used for serviced accommodation. Using several examples, during the podcast. As well as explaining how to choose a good broker.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Bridging loans can be used to purchase properties that are categorized as unmortgageable e.g., ones with structural problems. Most people will qualify for bridging finance. Bridging or development finance is expensive. So, you need to have a robust exit plan in place. For a new property development model gain experience through a JV before doing one yourself. This will make you more attractive to lenders. Find a broker before searching for a deal. That way, you can move fast, before the opportunity disappears. It is usually possible to get 75% value to mortgage and 100% works and fees financing. Be prepared. In the podcast, Kiran lists out what information your broker will need. Use a broker that invests in property themselves and is recommended by other investors. The capital value per unit (room) is one of the key metrics for SA property finance. Kiran covers the other valuation elements and does so in great detail. With SA, lenders look at supply and demand in the area and what makes your property different from what is already available. If you are leasing out ground floor units to businesses, frequently having a national brand as a tenant is best. Always get a valuer to evaluate what your block will be worth in the end. Do your due diligence.   BEST MOMENTS ‘We personally use the commercial finance that we provide for our clients.' ‘Always prepare a project appraisal and or a business plan for the deal.' ‘You are never going to know how a valuer is going to value something, but it is good to understand the process.' ‘Just pay for a risk valuer to go out…it's just the cost of due diligence.'   VALUABLE RESOURCES Discovery Day Sign Up Page - https://progressiveproperty.online/serviced-accommodation-discovery-register/AMB3258 The Serviced Accommodation Property Podcast - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-serviced-accommodation-property-podcast/id1436005279?mt=2 https://propertysoldier.co.uk/ Serviced Accommodation Success by Kevin Poneskis Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T Kiyosaki   GUEST RESOURCES Website: https://www.venturefinanceuk.com Email: Kiran@venturefinanceuk.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/venturefinance.propertyfinance/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/venture-finance ABOUT THE HOST Your host Kevin Poneskis enjoys public speaking, travelling, exercising, and keeping fit. He also enjoys working with a charity called STOLL which provides accommodation and training for homeless veterans.   Kevin was in the British Army serving 24 years, mostly in a Commando unit, and retired at the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major. He left the Army in 2011 and became a full-time property investor. During most of his Army career, Kevin was investing in property and has been a property investor now for over 27 years.    CONTACT METHOD https://en-gb.facebook.com/propertysoldier/ kevin@propertysoldier.co.uk See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Bill Reichert, General Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures. Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley with over $1.5 billion in assets under management. Pegasus offers intellectual and financial capital to emerging technology companies around the world. In addition to offering institutional investors a top-tier venture capital investment approach, Pegasus also offers a unique Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) model for large, global corporations that wish to partner with cutting-edge technology startups. Some of the 35+ corporate partners that have partnered with Pegasus include ASUS, Aisin, SEGA, Sojitz, and Omron. These corporations are able to have access to over 200 Pegasus portfolio companies such as SpaceX, 23andMe, SoFi, Bird, Color, Carbon, Vicarious, and many more. Bill has led Pegasus investments in AI, robotics, quantum computing, neuromorphics, space, life science, and other sectors. He is also the Chief Evangelist for Startup World Cup, a platform that connects and supports startup ecosystems all over the world. Bill started his investment career as the co-founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures and has served on the boards of many startups. He also has several years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and operating executive. Prior to Garage, Bill was a co-founder or senior executive in several venture-backed technology companies, including Trademark Software, The Learning Company, and Academic Systems. Earlier in his career, Bill worked at McKinsey & Company, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., and the World Bank. He has authored many articles and delivered many speeches on entrepreneurship, venture capital, innovation, and other topics. Most recently, he co-authored a book for entrepreneurs called, “Getting to Wow! Silicon Valley Pitch Secrets for Entrepreneurs.” The book premiered as “#1 New Release in Venture Capital” in 2020. Bill holds a B.A. degree from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. He has been a member of the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught Venture Finance. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and is a former Chairman of the Churchill Club in Silicon Valley. He is a Beachheads Advisor for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and is also an Advisor to the Women's Startup Lab, Nordic Innovation House, and the Korea Innovation Center. Bill advises investors and startups and discusses the state of startup investing.  You can visit Pegasus Tech Ventures at , via LinkedIn at , and via Twitter at .  Bill can be contacted via email at , via LinkedIn at , and via Twitter at .  ________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:    Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

  A short but valuable episode where Rob tells you what you need to know and do to find and secure joint venture finance!   KEY TAKEAWAYS   How do you ask someone to joint venture with you/provide finance without actually asking? Simple say, “Do you know anyone who…” You can also have them make the first move by ‘financially flirting', talk about deals, what you are doing and fish a bit into what they are about. Your credit worthiness is directly linked to your lending worthiness. You need to have good credit to be able to borrow money to scale. You don't need experience for that, you just need to do the right thing. Where do you find people with money? -Flying Clubs -Golf Clubs -High End Gyms -Charity Balls -Business Meetings -Through family and friends     BEST MOMENTS   “Money moves fast, faster than it's ever moved”   “Never miss a payment, keep your credit clean”   VALUABLE RESOURCES https://robmoore.com/ bit.ly/Robsupporter   ABOUT THE HOST Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK's No.1 business podcast “The Disruptive Entrepreneur”   “If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”   CONTACT METHOD Rob's official website: https://robmoore.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this video, Mr. Bhavik talks about different aspects of startup funding and venture capital. Check out his: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhavikvasa/​ Website: https://www.getvantage.co/

Hacking finance and capital to build better businesses — How do we redesign venture capital models to amplify start-up impact? Aunnie Patton Power (Intelligent Impact | Founder) I talk to Aunnie Patton Power about innovative and creative ways to redesign finance - and specifically venture capital - to improve access to funding, build more sustainable organisations, and deliver better impact. Aunnie was one of the stand out lecturers from my Masters programme at LSE in her course on Exponential Technology for Social Impact. She is one of the world's leading thinkers in this space, and is currently working on a highly anticipated book that will be a collection of her research and best thinking. Aunnie on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aunniepatton/ Aunnie's recent ImpactAlpha article on redesigning venture finance for inclusivity https://impactalpha.com/10-ways-to-redesign-venture-finance-for-a-more-inclusive-post-covid-world/ See Aunnie in conversation with ex-Investec CEO Stephen Koseff, on the topic of Impact Investing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOwq9pmXsRs Aunnie's free Coursera programme on innovative finance https://www.coursera.org/learn/innovative-finance Music : Mike Morse | Perfect Teamwork Engage with Mike https://mikestopforth.com/ Connect with Mike on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikestopforth/ Follow Mike on Twitter https://twitter.com/mikestopforth When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at

Introduction Welcome to Distilling Venture Capital.  I am your host, Bill Griesinger Distilling VC is a visionary podcast that provides an insightful and informed view of the key trends affecting the VC and tech startup world.  My mission is to cut through and go beyond the hype and Silicon Valley pop-jargon that tends to dominate the tech landscape.  I seek to provide transparency and    Opening Observations: Given that this is my inaugural episode under the Distilling VC label, I thought it would be appropriate and useful to provide you with some brief background regarding the podcast and the type of content you can expect in the future and a little about me… First, the podcast;   The vast majority of episodes I will bring will take you inside the insights, challenges, successes and the journeys revealed and shared directly through the words and experiences of tech company entrepreneurs, sometimes from the VCs who back them and others in the tech and VC community…So, I’ll usually have very interesting guests.   Some brief background on me, your host:  I have spent a large part of my professional life (last 20 years) working in the Venture Finance business assisting VC-backed tech companies in procuring the capital they need to grow Over the years, I have had the opportunity and good fortune to meet and work with incredible, visionary management teams, many savvy investors and have had the privilege of underwriting and financing ground-breaking technology companies, many of which continue to have an impact on the technology landscape today (like Google; a $10M deal in 2001, for example).    With that as backdrop, today I want to focus on a topic that I believe signals something has gone awry in tech startup and VC land over the last 4-5 years.  And it concerns me greatly.   Have you noticed, Everyone seems to be fascinated with “unicorns?”  Venture capitalists, tech company founders and management teams, the tech press and the financial press and many others,   So, today’s episode will delve into and distill down, “Unicorn-mania” so we can make sense of what’s really going on. Let me state for the record, It Is a big distraction from what’s really important in evaluating and valuing venture-backed tech companies.  Furthermore, it really touches upon the issues of transparency and accuracy, and ultimately the credibility of the industry itself, in my view  The longer this mania continues, I believe it presents dangerous consequences for multiple players inside and outside the VC industry.     So, what am I talking about?   Let’s unpack this…  First, some definitional context:  What is a Unicorn company that we hear so much hype about today?  In tech and VC parlance, it is a private startup tech company that is valued at $1B or more, in theory, referred to as its “Post-money Valuation.”   Great, what does that mean?  Not what you may think it does, as I will explain… And for historical context, The term unicorn, in VC, originated…in late 2013 when Cowboy Ventures Partner, Aileen Lee, coined the term for what she described as a tech company with a $1B valuation – and noted it was a pretty rare thing, as she pointed out then – which was correct.  There were 39 companies identified then in the ‘Unicorn Club.’  27 of those were in the Bay Area!   So, it really was just a Silicon Valley phenomenon in the beginning…   Lee admitted the term probably wasn’t the best or most well-thought-out description but went with it nonetheless.   “Yes we know the term “unicorn” is not perfect – unicorns apparently don’t exist, and these companies do – but we like the term because to us, it means something extremely rare, and magical” Aileen Lee, Cowboy Ventures, Nov. 2013   The term was reinforced further in a 2015 interview with Crunchbase, and it has unfortunately, been with us ever since, to the detriment of the industry, in my view.   The Cowboy Ventures’ website, even contains, to this day, a link to what it calls its “Unicorn Handling Guide” or protocol insisting that anyone using the term give proper attribution to the firm.  No one actually adheres to this “guideline” today, of course – but there it is.        This is not to malign or denigrate Cowboy Ventures as a reputable VC firm in any way.  It is, by most measures, a successful venture firm boasting a number of impressive investments and it has had a substantial number of notable exits, which you can find on their website.  So, I’m sure their LPs and their portfolio companies alike are pleased… The real issue is not about Cowboy Ventures at all…but rather a group-think mentality that has gripped and permeated venture capital…with no discernable benefit…   How Many Unicorns Are There?  It depends on who you ask & upon whose data you rely: (Q2 2019), there were around 450 companies globally designated as ‘Unicorns’ Fast fwd to Feb. 2020 and it’s alleged to be 580! Valued at ~ $2T (From Recent Crunchbase Unicorn Leaderboard) Q4 2019 CB Insights states there are about 390  (CB Insights) Roughly 48% to 50% are in the US About 24%-25% are in China UK and India come in 3rd and 4th with roughly 5% each   Here’s the central problem – The $1B+ valuations ascribed to so-called unicorn companies are not true market valuations at all.  They all utilize a metric called “post-money valuation” that inflates their value.  In fact, based on a Stanford Univ. Study, which I will dig into in a moment, 100% of all unicorns are actually over-valued to some degree when applying proper market valuation metrics based upon the terms and conditions found in the Preferred Stock rounds.   There is both Good News and Bad News to report with respect to this phenomenon:   The Good News:  There is a solution, a remedy, if you will, for this self-inflicted malady of unicorn-mania.  It is The Stanford Graduate School of Business Study - And it has been readily available for several years.  Stanford GSB  (By Prof. Ilya Strebulaev and his colleague, Will Gornall) – which I’ll dig into in a moment Now, The Bad News:  Few are paying attention, and some are deliberately ignoring the solution that’s been made available.  Why?   The Study:  Squaring Venture Capital Valuations with Reality Downloadable pdf found here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2955455   So, let’s dig into the study.  The results are astounding and vitally important to EVERYONE connected to Venture Capital, tech startups, capital markets and even consumers – I’ll explain.    Released in April 2017 by the Stanford Univ. Graduate School of Business  The Authors:  Prof. Ilya Strebulaev, Prof. of Private Equity & Prof. of Finance, Graduate School of Bus., Stanford University Will Gornall, Sauder School of Bus., University of British Columbia, (Gornall earned his PhD from the Stanford Graduate School of Bus.)   Summary of Findings – From the Study Abstract: We develop a valuation model for venture capital--backed companies and apply it to 135 US unicorns, that is, private companies with reported valuations above $1 billion. We value unicorns using financial terms from legal filings and find that reported unicorn post--money valuations average 48% above fair value, with 14 being more than 100% above.  Reported valuations assume that all shares are as valuable as the most recently issued preferred shares.  We calculate values for each share class, which yields lower valuations because most unicorns gave recent investors major protections such as initial public offering (IPO) return guarantees (15%), vetoes over down-IPOs (24%), or seniority to all other investors (30%).  Common shares lack all such protections and are 56% overvalued. After adjusting for these valuation-inflating terms, almost one-half (65 out of 135) of unicorns lose their unicorn status.   Important takeaway regarding the findings of the Stanford Study:  The results and findings are not predicated upon some intricate mathematical or econometric model requiring reliance on multiple assumptions and conditions to arrive at its conclusions.  On the contrary, the Stanford Study valuations are derived directly from the legal, contractual terms and conditions negotiated between the venture investors and the companies.  Therefore, the study utilizes the actual economic terms of each Preferred round as it was negotiated – No assumptions or conjecture about the values in the Study are necessary.  This is a critical point.   It’s a Consumer Protection Issue: A number of the largest US mutual fund companies (Fidelity, JH, T. Rowe Price and Vanguard) have invested directly in private co. unicorns In 2015, Fidelity > $1.3B into unicorns!  That’s more than any US-based VC fund invested that year.  Including $235M in WeWork, $129M in Zenefits – A company that hired too many people, grew too fast, and the company culture spiraled out of control, and $118M in Blue Apron, the food delivery startup that IPOd in June 2017 and is now looking for a buyer… What is the common thread on all these investments by major mutual fund companies?  They all used the meaningless post-money valuation to value these private tech company assets in their portfolios.  Let that sink in for a moment.  It’s Mind-boggling Incredibly, they have accepted and used these meaningless valuations to mark their holdings of these private tech companies w/o further analysis – a completely irresponsible methodology.  It surely doesn’t inspire confidence in their ability to perform proper valuation analytics  Where’s the adherence to the fiduciary responsibility of these investment firms to their clients?  There are real financial implications for any retail investor in a mutual fund (401k or directly) related to this high-risk category.  How about institutions?  Univ. endowments, public pension funds, etc.? Are mutual fund companies fully disclosing real risk of this asset class to their retail investors?  Accurately?  How so, if at all?  (e.g. – Fidelity had to recently write down its WeWork holdings to reflect the difficulties the company has “reported” after the cancelation of its IPO.)   In addition, 3rd party equity market platforms, such as EquityZen, are providing average retail investors exposure to this class of priv. company unicorns…never before available.      Where are the Real Journalists? On the Media side - There exists an almost a schizophrenic-like behavior exhibited by the technology press in its years-long coverage of unicorns; To be sure, at the beginning there were some real attempts by a handful of outlets to highlight the findings of the Stanford Study, which were astounding; On the one hand, tech & financial media and the data analytics groups (CB Insights, Pitchbook) seem to recognize the lack of rigor and reality associated with over-valued unicorn companies.  They openly refer to it at times in their reporting e.g.  - CB Insights CEO, Anand Sanwal, recently opined in an August 2019 piece that it (unicorn status) is often used as a scheme to attract top talent in a very tight hiring market for key tech talent… At the same time, however, they ALL seem to vacillate between this recognition that something isn’t quite right about the valuations, yet still breathlessly, gleefully and even feeling duty-bound to report on the next stable, class, pack, leaderboard or club of unicorn companies, which have allegedly “achieved” unicorn status as a result of their last preferred stock financing round;   Some of which are even “born,” as has been reported!  Who knew?  Just a matter of being born into the unicorn aristocracy, I guess.   From my experience, a $1B tech company isn’t ‘born.’  They are built, nurtured and grown with talent, hard work and execution with a value proposition geared to solving real, identifiable needs and wants of customers.   Did you ever notice that the PE industry doesn’t have an equivalent designation (Unicorns) for its $1B+ value companies, even those that are in the tech category?     Let’s Summarize Where We Are:   So, The widely touted tech unicorn is a myth…So, why are so many tech and business news outlets breathlessly reporting about it as if there is some meaningful significance behind these widely hyped values?   We surely know that unicorns are mythical and not real – just like the post-money valuations touted and hyped by Silicon Valley and many others… How do we know that?  The Stanford Study proves it!  Again, we’ve had the empirical evidence showing exactly that since the Study was first published in 2017.    Keep in mind, that I don’t care or decry that Pref. equity investors desire, negotiate and receive such terms.  It’s a matter of proper disclosure…not economics.  The market will make its own determination of value associated with such economics. However, the economics must be disclosed…before an IPO or other exit.   Every claim that a tech firm has allegedly achieved what is fondly referred to in the Silicon Valley bubble of “Unicorn” status, a valuation of $1B+, should be required to apply an asterisk * next to that proclamation.   A footnote detailing and clearly explaining that “post-money valuation” is not market value nor market capitalization and explain how it’s derived.   However, there is no such reporting requirement for these private companies.  Should there be?  You know, in the interest of transparency and accuracy;  In other words, some real “truth-in-advertising” I believe it says a lot about the state of reality in tech-land today;  A loss of focus on business fundamentals, a willingness to kid ourselves, our LPs and the public about true value… In the long run, history will reflect upon this episode in tech history, as nothing more than a silly aberration…and hopefully a forgotten footnote    Conclusion:  It’s been fun and, and I will admit, even entertaining at times, but we need to put a stop to this game before it all gets out of hand…and someone gets hurt. The WeWork debacle, among other examples, indicates some have already been harmed…And major mutual funds are in on the game and failing to uphold their fiduciary responsibility to retail investors.     Caveat:  While unicorns are definitely mythical characters, there is an identifiable, measurable valuation of priv. tech companies – it just isn’t what has been used to arrive at the purported $1B+ valuations promulgated today that are masquerading as unicorns… What I am really hoping we can do is just move on, refocus on the important and relevant metrics in building and growing successful companies, and dismiss the unicorn-mania phase as nothing more than an idyllic aberration and distraction, to be forgotten, for good…because it has served no useful purpose in understanding VC and technology.  NONE!   [Also See:  Silicon Valley has a Media Problem and it’s Getting Worse – Yahoo Finance]  [Note:  It’s not a media problem. It is a credibility and transparency problem, which is creating negative coverage, that SV finds uncomfortable.]

AN INTERVIEW WITH EMERALD FISK – FOUNDER OF THE ONLINE LANDLORD In this latest edition of their fascinating mini-series devoted to successful people in property investment, Rob meets Emerald Fisk, co-director of Prospects Property. Emerald's impressive biography includes having raised over half a million pounds in joint venture finance and is currently the head of a property empire that includes Buy-To-Lets, Serviced Accommodation, mixed-use properties and a number of flips. In this exclusive interview, Emerald talks about her outlook on investment, the strategies that have made her so successful, and her hopes and ambitions for the future.    Sign Up For MSOPI Here: https://bit.ly/msopi-nomad KEY TAKEAWAYS Emerald discovered her way into property investment through the medium of podcasts. By hearing other people's stories, and heeding the advice of successful and experienced people, Emerald began attending events where she received the help and the push she needed to enter the industry. Emerald has found that having a solid support network and a skilled power team behind her, has made the acquisition process, as well as the management of her properties, much simpler and far more efficient. Emerald is not a fan of development projects - After having spent a lot of time developing a land deal, Emerald has come to the conclusion that these types of deals are not for her. They are too slow to work through, the risks are too high, and too much time is spent in meetings.  Venture capital was gained by building a solid network of contacts. Emerald believes that it is important to constantly be on the lookout for investors rather than waiting until finance has run out, as many do. Emerald's viewpoint is that it's always wise to keep potential investors informed and “warmed up”, meaning that if an opportunity arises, she can instantly inform her network and gain finance quickly. Having a solid plan is far more attractive to investors. Many enter the industry without having a clear plan, which can put investors off. Emerald's ideal investment is a small family buy-to-let property, which she says, she can rent out all day long, such is the demand, especially in areas that may be a little more deprived than others. Having two exit strategies for a flip property is essential - Emerald always tries to sell first, but if there is no interest, then she is equally happy to rent out the property. This is a valuable safeguard against any negative market trends. At the beginning, it's not unusual to spend all your time and energy chasing deals and investors. But as your experience and your contacts grow, you can afford to be more selective. Emerald sees the value in sourcing deals for investors as a means to sustain liquidity. Sometimes the property itself may be a project that will require more time than you have available. In these cases, it may be best to simply hand the deal off and take a fee for doing so. Emerald is definitely of the opinion that a healthy portfolio is far more valuable than an expansive one. Her vision for the future centres around accumulating a workable bank of properties that bring in healthy returns instead of trying to take over the world. All you ever need is one deal and one investor. Take your time. One deal every six months is quite enough to build a stable, successful portfolio that could provide you with a healthy income for rest of your life. Be patient and build as quickly as your life allows. Build solid contacts and develop successful relationships.   BEST MOMENTS ‘It's not necessarily about the number of properties you have. It's also about the quality' ‘Property journeys go up and down' ‘Stick me on a building site rather than fluffing cushions' ‘No one's going to lend you money if you don't have a clear plan' ‘The clear strategy is what enabled me to gain more venture finance' ‘I'm a lifestyle person. I want to enjoy the work I do' ‘If you do everything under an ethical umbrella, there's really no wrong way of doing things' ‘When you're building something big, you have to start with foundations. And people can't always see the foundations'   VALUABLE RESOURCES The Property Nomads Podcast Emerald Fisk – LinkedIn Emerald Fisk - Instagram   ABOUT THE GUEST Emerald Fisk is co-director of Prospects Property, with Sarah. Emerald has raised over £500,000 of JV finance and has another £200,000 in the pipeline. Emerald explains how and why this has been achieved and how running around like a headless chicken really isn't a good strategy in the long run.  Emerald currently has 5 BTL's, 1 Lease Option (land and we are looking at a planning gain), seven SA units, but they will be gone by the end of 2019, two flips in the pipeline and two mixed used buildings. Emerald is currently sourcing deals in South Wales and wants to expand her Buy To Let portfolio there too along with undertaking various projects (specifically blocks of flats) in the Gloucester area. ABOUT THE HOST Rob Smallbone and Matt McSherry, the hosts of The Property Nomads Podcast, are on a global mission to guide your success. Success can happen in many ways, shapes and forms. Think about what success means to you. More properties? More clients? Financial freedom? Time freedom? Rob & Matt are just two guys who want to make a huge difference to people around the world. They are here to guide your success in property, business and life and to inspire you to achieve your goals, dreams and visions. They've travelled, explored, and invested. And they're not planning on stopping these activities anytime soon. Buckle up, sit tight and enjoy the ride that is life. CONTACT METHOD  LinkedIn Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest Bio:Greg Warnock, PhD is co-founder and managing director of Mercato Partners, where he is involved on the boards of Sphero, SteelHouse, and Stance. Greg is a technologist, innovator, and entrepreneur with a proven history of building and growing companies.Prior to Mercato Partners, Greg was co-founder and managing director of vSpring Capital, an early stage venture capital fund. Before vSpring, Greg was principal in more than 20 M&A transactions and launched several businesses spanning technology, consumer, biotech, and marketing.Greg was also the founder of Junto Partners, an entrepreneurship education initiative designed to train and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, and is a past chairman of the board for the Community Foundation of Utah. Greg has been named Utah Business Outstanding Director and Utah Business Mentor of the Year, and was honored with the Supporter of Entrepreneurship Award by Ernst & Young.Greg received a B.S. in computer science and an M.B.A. and PhD in Entrepreneurship and Venture Finance from University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business. Greg enjoys collecting and restoring muscle cars.

For the initial launch of Tanner’s Podcast Series, we know we wanted to “go big”, so we asked Dr. Greg Warnock, a visionary leader in the growth of Utah’s VC, private equity, and technology community, if he would be our first interview. He graciously accepted!  Garrett Koerner, a tax partner at Tanner, and Dan Griffiths, Tanner’s director of strategy, appreciated Greg’s perspective as a true visionary in Utah’s growing technology community. Greg Warnock is the co-founder and managing director of Mercato Partners and successful innovator and builder of high-growth companies. He is a brilliant thinker (PhD), technologist, innovator, and turnaround artist. Greg is also an amazing person who has helped so many companies and the entrepreneurs who lead them (Skullcandy, Domo, Cymphonix, and Stance) become better. Prior to Mercato, Greg was the co-founder of vSpring, a scrappy early stage venture capital fund. He has been the principal in more than 20 M&A transactions and has spent his entire career helping other entrepreneurs succeed. Greg has been the recipient of numerous awards and received a B.S. in computer science, an M.B.A.,  and a PhD in Entrepreneurship and Venture Finance from University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business

Ben White is exceedingly well-travelled, and his love for building new businesses has taken him all around the world and seen him collaborate with like-minded individuals pretty much anywhere he spends three hours or more. As the founder of what is widely considered Africa’s leading platform for startup funding, VC4A (Venture Capital for Africa)— Ben leads a team that brings together thousands of business professionals from 159 countries who are dedicated to building game-changing startups on the African continent. VC4A has recently published a report called the 2016 Venture Finance in Africa which cites growing investor appetite in African early stage startups. In this conversation with Andile Masuku, Ben unpacks some of his organisation's findings and factors in on what players within the VC and angel investment scene on the continent ought to be doing to improve the state-of-play overall. Music Credits: All music by Brian Lupiya. Used with permission.

If there were a race to being Africa’s largest media and internet company, out of fairness to other firms in the running, Naspers would probably be asked not to enter. After seeing its share price rise to an all-time high on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange last week— reaching R2,320.73 per share, pushing its market value to R1,02 trillion (±$6,7 billion), it’s now a matter of “catch me if you can” as far as any of the firm’s competitors closing in on them. In this week’s African Tech Round-up, Andile Masuku shares some of the reasons why Naspers stock is such a hot ticket at the moment, and dishes on the firm’s latest high-profile investment in a popular American e-learning platform. Andile also catches up with the Founder of Venture Capital For Africa (VC4A), Ben White. Ben’s organisation has recently published a report called the 2016 Venture Finance in Africa which highlights growing investor appetite in African early stage startups. Listen in to hear him unpack some of their findings, and give Andile a sense of the current state of play on Africa’s VC scene.