I’ve presented on my research to institutional investors (Franklin Templeton, Goldman Sachs, D.E. Shaw); investment conferences (Association for Corporate Growth Intergrowth, Family Office Association, Terrapinn Private Equity World); and associations (Kauffman Fellows, Tiger 21). Here’s some feedback from institutional investors who have seen my presentations.
Investment Process
- Financial Modeling
Discusses best practices in building financial models, a template financial model, and valuing startup employee options. - Tech Investors Eat Their Own Dogfood: How Private Equity and VC Investors Are Using AI and Analytics to Generate Alpha (VIDEO)
Private equity and venture capital investors are copying our sisters in the hedge fund and mutual fund world: we’re trying to automate more of our job. I summarize industry best practices, based on what I’ve built and what I’ve learned from our community at PEVCtech.com. - Where Are the Deals?!: Best Practices of VC Deal Sourcing (VIDEO)
and - Private Equity Deal Origination Best Practices (VIDEO)
How to become a magnet for potential investments; use social media technologies; and search for companies with motivated sellers. Based on the first research study on deal origination best practices and our proprietary dataset of 150 institutional investors’ origination practices. Published in Harvard Business Review, Journal of Private Equity, Institutional Investor, etc. - Portfolio Acceleration Platform: Best Practices of Private Equity and VC Investors in Increasing Portfolio Company Value (VIDEO)
Discusses use of mentor networks, preferred provider resources, shared services, and other tools VCs use to aid portfolio companies. Based on the first research study on this topic. - It’s the People: Improving Private Equity Portfolio Companies by Working with Operating Executives (VIDEO)
How to build a pool of senior executive talent around your investment fund, whom you can tap as board members, interim executives, full-time executives, and deal sources. - Fundraising Hacks for Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Other Alternative Investment Funds
- Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: How to Elicit Maximum Information in Minimum Time from Management and Industry Sources
What questions should you ask? What are the killer phrases NOT to say? Based on the best practices of intelligence professionals, psychologists, and journalists in gathering information. - New Ideas for Hedge Funds to Identify Macro Themes and Trade Ideas (VIDEO)
VCs have a range of tools for identifying new investment themes; I summarize here some ways that hedge funds can learn from them. - Revenue-Based Finance: a New Option for Founders who Care about Control
What is Revenue-based Finance? Why is it growing in popularity? Why are RBF VCs investing in so many women and underrepresented founders? - How to Judge Investment Pitches
How to evaluate a range of potential investment proposals…and add value both to your audience and to the presenting companies.
Investment Themes
- Who is Disrupting the Investment Management Industry, and How? (VIDEO)
Why do Money Holders *really* hire an investment management firm? What are the ‘Jobs to Be Done’ of an investment manager? And how can you predict the startups that will disrupt the lucrative investment management industry? We interviewed over 50 Money Holders to find out the answers. This is an expansion of my Institutional Investor cover story, “Asset Managers, Prepare to Have Your Business Disrupted” . - Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services
AI is a layer of technology changing financial services just like many other industries. I discuss what is AI, why is it exploding in prominence, how it’s impacting investing in particular, and then more broadly other areas of financial services. - Online Dating is the Future of Your Business
Online dating is now a mainstream method for singles to meet one another. Entrepreneurs, investors, and other businesspeople can learn a lot from the diverse and well-developed business models in the online dating sector.
Angel Investing
- Exceptionally High Returns Are Not Free: Introduction to Angel Investing (VIDEO)
Why and how to be an angel investor, with an overview of Harvard Business School Alumni Angels
Other Research
- Syllabus for how to launch, manage, and invest a VC fund
- Microcredentials for the Effective Venture Capital or Private Equity Investor (including VC associations to join and accelerators for emerging VCs)
- 15 Steps to Fundraising for Your New Venture Capital or Private Equity Fund
- 5 Innovative Fundraising Methods for Emerging Venture Capital and Private Equity Funds
- Fundraising hacks for VC and private equity funds (includes lists of LPs interested in emerging managers)