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Capital Gains - Capitalism.com

How do you go from comfortable affluence to real wealth? Listen to the Capital Gains podcast, by Capitalism.com, with host and professional real estate investor Jonathan Twombly. In interviews with top professionals, we'll discuss alternative investments you might not have known about that can help you go beyond merely obtaining a passive income to growing your asset base and becoming truly wealthy.
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Now displaying: September, 2016
Sep 27, 2016

If you want to learn how to network with the people you most need to meet, nobody can teach you how to do it more effectively than my guest today, Judy Robinett. I came to know about her through reading her book, “How To Be A Power Connector.” Through the book, she opened my eyes to a systematic way to connect with people that influenced my thinking significantly. I invited Judy on the show to talk about her book, but also to share her experience in the angel investing niche - which is significant. Those are two ways you’ll benefit greatly from this conversation, so I hope you take the time to listen.

As soon as you learn how to add value to people quickly, you get noticed.

Networking used to be nothing more than going to business meetups and exchanging business cards. But even back then, those who knew the “secret” recognized that it wasn’t about being at the meeting to blast out your name and business to others, it was about adding value. Judy Robinett says that those who learn to add value to people quickly, get noticed quickly - and it’s that kind of attention that puts you on their radar in ways that can move your business endeavors forward. Judy unpacks that principle and a whole lot more on this episode, so be sure you listen.

Do you know how to get a warm introduction to someone you need to know?

It’s so much easier to start a conversation with someone you need to meet if someone they already respect or work with introduces you to them. That’s called a “warm introduction” and it’s not always something that’s easy to come by. But Judy believes that anyone can learn how to get those kinds of introductions - to almost anyone on the planet - if they know how to go about it. On this episode, she shares her two “golden questions” and tells you how to use them to make connections with the people who matter. You won’t want to miss this simple but powerful tip. It’s so obvious it’s embarrassing that I hadn’t thought of it before.

Anything you need is attached to people. You need to connect with them.

Judy Robinett points out that since the average person knows 600 people, it’s likely that almost everyone you meet is connected to someone that would be beneficial to you or your business. Said another way, the resources and introductions you need the most are only a few relationships away. But you have to know how to go about discovering those relationships and how to go about getting the warm introduction you need. Judy is a pro at doing that and in this conversation he tells me some of the ways she has gone about connecting with high profile people in all industries, government, and more.

Don’t ask for help right away, ask how YOU can be of help.

One of the foundational principles of power connecting is that you play the long game. Patience is indeed a virtue. Find out what other people do. What are their dreams? Then think of the ways - through your resources and connections - that you can advance what THEY are doing. In this way, you become an asset to them that they won’t easily forget. When the time comes that you need to ask for a favor or introduction, they’ll respond in light of the value you’ve already provided to them. In other words, they’ll trust your motives because you’ve already been generous to them - and they’ll be eager to help. Judy Robinett is my guest today and she shares a lot more tips like this one, on this episode.

 

 

Outline of This Episode

  • [0:24] My introduction of Judy Robinette and this episode.
  • [1:38] Judy’s path to becoming an entrepreneur and influencer.
  • [6:00] How Judy learned how to develop her power connecting skills.
  • [8:22] The 5-50-100 rule for establishing and maintaining connections.
  • [10:30] Judy’s two golden questions for strategic networking.
  • [12:52] How should a startup founder go about finding capital funding?
  • [16:30] What is a warm introduction and how do you receive one?
  • [19:59] What is a “good deal” to an angel investor? What are they looking for?
  • [22:37] How an advisory board fits into a startup/investment scenario.
  • [27:20] What an investor could do to become familiar with angel investing.
  • [31:31] What it means to do “due diligence” when checking out a startup company.
  • [34:47] What are angel investing teams looking for in investing partners?
  • [41:26] How to respond to a deal that comes to you privately.
  • [44:27] Judy’s biggest mistakes in angel investing and what she learned from them.
  • [47:12] Big projects Judy has in the works.
  • [49:38] How you can connect with Judy.

Resources & People Mentioned

Sep 20, 2016

Seed funding in a specific niche.

My guest today is Razi Karim, CEO of Bayside Venture Partners. Razi and his team focus specifically on investing in early stage companies that they see as potential successes in T.I.M.E. - Technology, Intelligence, Media, and Entertainment. Razi sees their company as a “Micro VC” company, an early stage accelerator. On this episode, you’re going to hear Razi describe the many ways his company comes alongside early stage companies to both advise and fund them toward the path to success.

Invest early at low cost.

That’s the strategy that Razi and his team follow as they consider startups that are in need of early stage investing. They want to make wise decisions about whether to invest in the company of course, but once they do make the decision to fund a company they want to do so in a way that allows them to ride the wave of success as the company raises funds, builds out its infrastructure, onboards users or clients, and begins to make a splash. You can hear how Razi guides his company through everything from initial conversations to negotiations, to full on seed funding in an early stage company, on this episode of the Capital Gains podcast.

Red flags in startup companies that will prevent seed funding.

Naturally, every seed funding source is going to have its own criteria for what would remove an early stage company from funding consideration. Razi ????? and his team have discovered that there are a handful of things that indicate that the company or its team are not quite ready for the kind of support that Bayside Venture Partners (Razi’s company) are able to give. If you’re an early stage company that will eventually seek funding, you’d do well to know Razi’s list so you can do everything possible to be an attractive opportunity for your investors when that time comes. You can hear his suggestions on this episode.

How should you approach a possible investor to seek seed funding?

The world of venture capital and seed funding is new to most startup founders so it’s good to have an experienced voice that can speak to the issues involved. Today’s guest, Razi Karim gives a handful of suggestions to teams that are seeking or will soon be seeking investments in their early stage company. His suggestions range all the way from team dynamics and business model to already existing customers or users, as well as the attitudes he looks for in the leaders of new companies that tell him they will be a great partner to work with.

If you have funds to invest in early stage companies, what should you do?

Many people who are actively investing are tired of the stock market, don’t believe in the return on bonds, and are open to other options. If that is you, it’s entirely possible that you could invest your funds in early stage companies. Razi Karim suggests that you find a group that invests in companies like you are interested in that has a track record of experience and good returns. The company's team should also have an eye toward identifying and evaluating the talent and opportunities that early stage companies bring to the table. You can learn more about how you can go about seed investing, on this episode of The Capital Gains Podcast.

Outline of This Episode

  • [1:07] My introduction of Razi Karim and his company Bayside Venture Partners.
  • [2:04] What is a Micro VC?
  • [2:33] Understanding the terms used in venture capital investing.
  • [5:14] The types of companies Razi looks at to invest in.
  • [7:58] The growth and status of Razi’s investment company: Invest early at low cost.
  • [10:59] Razi’s process of looking for and investing in an appropriate company.
  • [14:46] Signals Razi looks for in potential investment opportunities.
  • [18:10] The percentage of deals Razi takes on compared to those he considers - and the things that makes a company stand out as a winner.
  • [19:33] The product VS the team. Which is more important?
  • [23:41] The advisory services Razi’s company provides and where it fits as a service.
  • [27:50] How Razi got into angel investing in the first place.
  • [31:35] What is an accelerator and how does it work?
  • [34:26] How Razi advises startup founders to approach possible investors.
  • [36:44] What should a person do if they have money to invest and are curious about venture capital investing?
  • [40:50] Lessons learned on the journey.
  • [43:20] The vision and future of Razi’s company - as he sees it.

Resources & People Mentioned

 

Sep 13, 2016

Becoming a successful entrepreneur.

It’s a vague dream most of us have that we’re not really sure how to define. We have that entrepreneurial itch, we’ve even build a small business of our own, but we don’t really know what it takes to make it to a level of true success. Tony Coretto is a guy who knows what it looks like and what it takes to achieve it. Tony and his partner began a business together without a lot of experience or savvy in the world of startup businesses. But as they learned in the school of hard knocks they discovered some timeless principles and strategies that made their business flourish. So much so that they sold it for big money and Coretto is now investing in real estate, dabbling in angel investing, and lots more.

Building a marketing firm from the ground up with little experience.

Coretto and his partner didn’t really know what they were doing when they first started their marketing firm. They had mostly done contract work for others and inherited a big client from someone they had worked with in the past. That client opened their eyes to the possibilities of building something more significant and the journey began. On this episode of the Capital Gains podcast I’m speaking with him about the challenges they faced as the business grew, what they did to find the right team members, the psychological challenges of transitioning from part of the team to leader of it, and much more. Anyone who wants to become a successful entrepreneur will learn a lot from this guy. He is one.

It’s true. You need to hire slowly and fire quickly.

As his company was growing, Coretto and his partner realized that the main thing holding them back from more growth was the two of them. They were the only ones doing the work for their clients and simply had no more bandwidth to add more. Their first step was to outsource some of the work to contractors, which worked for a while and helped them grow to the next level. But in time they came to see that full-time employees were the next step toward greater success. When they begin the process they learned very quickly that you have to take your time to ensure that you hire the right people. And if somebody is not working out, you need to do something about it quickly. You can hear the hard lessons learned from this successful entrepreneur’s climb to the top, on this episode.

From trying to buy businesses to trying to sell his.

When his business kept growing, Coretto and his partner began to entertain ideas for how they could grow their income and one idea was buying other related businesses. They were just at the point of exploring those possibilities when other business leaders began approaching them about buying their business. It wasn’t something they had thought about but figured they’d better consider it. Long story short - they sold the business for a tidy sum and today are doing the things they love to do - travel, family time, and more. Sounds like a dream entrepreneur success story, doesn’t it? You can find out how they did it, on this episode.

What do you do after you sell your successful company?

For my guest today that was a very valid question. He actually enjoyed building and running his business and felt that he had to find something to engage in that kept him sharp and built toward the future. He had already begun investing in real estate a bit and decided to crank up his investing quite a lot. That’s lead to the creation of a holding company, many rental properties, and possible land and real estate purchases in Costa Rica. You can hear what Corretto is up to and how he got there, on this episode.

Outline of This Episode

  • [0:25] My introduction to today’s guest, Tony Corretto.
  • [1:52] Why I wanted to have Tony on the show.
  • [2:20] Tony’s background and how he got into business.
  • [6:11] How Tony and his partner landed their first clients and built repeatable systems.
  • [11:11] How did they guys know to build the systems that made things work?
  • [13:00] The realization that team members had to be hired.
  • [15:21] How hiring team members changed the business.
  • [24:14] Advice for those about to take on new employees.
  • [32:17] From growth and success to the decision to sell.
  • [35:20] Tony’s role once they sold the company and the desire to move on.
  • [37:09] The first steps after selling the business.
  • [38:40] The projects Tony is working on now: A holding company.
  • [45:42] Tony’s future plans for real estate investments - possibly in Costa Rica.
  • [50:03] Angel investment opportunities and the challenges faced.
  • [1:02:19] Tony’s latest “Sharpen the Saw” project.
  • [1:04:06] Tony’s personal “secret ambition.”
  • [1:05:18]  How you can connect with Tony.

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect With Capitalism.com

Website: http://capitalism.com/

On Youtube

On Facebook

On Twitter

On LinkedIn

 

Sep 6, 2016

Medical marijuana is big business.

Or at least it’s going to be. Think back to what happened to the alcohol industry once prohibition was lifted. Many companies sprang up overnight and the financial boom it was for smart investors was unheard of. The medical marijuana industry is poised to present a similar opportunity - only this time it offers an additional bonus - the use of cannabis as medicine is truly helping people (unlike alcohol). On this episode, Jonathan Twombly chats with Asher Troppe of Tress Capital about the opportunities that exist now and others that are coming as cannabis is becoming legal across the United States and even the world.

Isn’t it just pot? Or is there really such a thing as medical marijuana?

It’s easy to be skeptical about something that has come on the scene as quickly as the legalization of marijuana has. And with recreational use being pushed forward right alongside the medicinal uses it’s no wonder the average American is slow to accept the idea. But research and actual case studies are showing significant medical uses for marijuana that can’t be denied and those who are interested in investing in things that truly help others have an opportunity to both help and profit financially at the same time. This episode unpacks the legal and medical issues and paints a great picture of the opportunities that exist for savvy investors.

Many medicinal cannabis related companies are already thriving.

Every state in the United States has its own laws and guidelines for the use and production of medicinal cannabis, but it’s only a matter of time before common standards are created and enforced regarding the potency and use of it as medicine. The State of California has already passed a law that will soon require laboratory verification of the potency of medicinal marijuana. There are already companies that conduct lab testing to determine THC levels in medicinal cannabis - and they only serve about 5% of the medicinal market at this time. What’s going to happen when the regulations go into effect? Those companies will boom. The good news is, your investments could too. Find out more on this episode of Capital Gains.

Tress Capital exclusively invests in medicinal marijuana based companies.

It stands to reason that as regulation and law begin to legitimize the use of marijuana as a medicine that investment companies will step in to provide funding for the cannabis related companies out there and opportunities for investors. Tress Capital is one of those investment companies and on this episode you’ll get to hear from co-founder Asher Troppe about how Tress Capital is carefully positioning itself as one of the leading investment firms in the industry - and doing so from the standpoint of credibility and trust. It’s a great and revealing conversation.

Where is the cannabis industry headed in the next 5 years?

It’s impossible for anyone to predict exactly what will happen in any industry. Investment forecasters have proven that to be true over the years. But all signs point to rapid and continued growth for the cannabis industry for the foreseeable future. With legalization spreading across the U.S. and more effective regulations coming into place each year, the need for companies and capital in the industry are going to become more and more in demand. Find out how you can get in on this growing industry at almost the ground floor, on this episode of Capital Gains.

Outline of This Episode

  • [1:52] Who is Asher Troppe?
  • [3:01] The legal issue currently surrounding cannabis use.
  • [3:34] Comparing legal usage numbers to medical usage numbers.
  • [5:07] How cannabis is being used medicinally these days.
  • [9:15] How are cannabis dosages regulated when used medicinally?
  • [11:38] Where is the marijuana sourced for medicinal products?
  • [15:11] The state of the U.S. banking industry as it relates to cannabis financing.
  • [19:52] Asher’s background and how he got into this field.
  • [27:01] How you can personally research this issue.
  • [28:08] What Tress Capital is investing in.
  • [39:15] How Tress Capital is institutionalizing their approach.
  • [43:49] Asher’s view of where the cannabis industry is going in the next 5 years.
  • [48:08] What’s on the horizon for Tress Capital?
  • [49:45] Advice for those wanting to invest with a capital group like Tress Capital.
  • [51:29] How a company in the cannabis industry should approach Tress Capital.

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect With Capitalism.com

Website: http://capitalism.com/

On Youtube

On Facebook

On Twitter

On Youtube

On LinkedIn

 

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