Investors

I’ve published research on private equity, venture capital, hedge funds and mutual funds, and angel investing, as well as on fund management: origination, due diligence, investment research, and portfolio acceleration.   I’ve presented on my research to institutional investors (Franklin Templeton); corporations (Microsoft, KPMG); conferences (Association for Corporate Growth Intergrowth, Family Office Association, Terrapinn Private Equity World); and associations (Kauffman Fellows, Tiger 21).  Many of my presentations to entrepreneurs are also relevant to investors.  Here’s some feedback from institutional investors who have seen my research.

Investment Process

• Where Are the Deals?!: Best Practices of Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds in Originating Investment Opportunities (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.
• Beyond the Money: Best Practices of Venture Capitalists 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.
• Tech Investors Eat Their Own Dogfood: How Private Equity and Venture Capital Investors Are Using Technology to Make Better Investments
  Innovative ways PE/VC investors are using technology for origination, due diligence, deal execution, value creation, and exits.  We discuss this more at PEVCTech.com.
• Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: How to Interview Management and Industry Sources for Due Diligence
  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.
• 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.
• New Ideas for Hedge Funds to Identify Macro Themes and Trade Ideas
  VCs have a range of tools for identifying new investment themes; I summarize here some ways that hedge funds can learn from them.
• 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.
• Financial Modeling
  Discusses best practices in building financial models, a template financial model, and valuing startup employee options.

Investment Themes

• Innovation in the Asset Management Industry
  The most attractive industries to build new companies in are highly profitable ones, and asset management is traditionally a highly profitable industry. We believe there is significant room for innovation in this industry.
• 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