Interview/podcast Archive

Gary Phillips, Michaela Mueller and Bill Payne

Gary Phillips, Michaela Mueller and Bill Payne


Play

What if you had a new way to attract deal leads?

That’s what I was hearing as Tech Coast Angels‘ Gary Phillips recently described a new approach to organizing the due diligence process in San Diego.

Lots of members, lots of sponsors – it adds up to an angel network with a lot of resources. San Diego is the largest network within TCA, and arguably, the most innovative. Gary’s applied all these gifts to the Art of Due Diligence.

I knew others would be interested, like Michaela Mueller from Netwzwerk Nordbayern in Bavaria, Germany; she wrote me last September:

Some of our angels are building up a syndicate and trying to find a model to compensate the effort of being an lead angel? Do you have any expertise or interviews with a focus on this topic? It is really hard to get some information on this special field amongst angels here in Germany. Most of them work closely together for years and don’t have any payment models. It would be really helpful if you have some hot tips for us. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

I avoided her until today.

To answer her questions who else would you look to? Bill Payne, of course, because he’s an expert on everything. Listen as Michaela, Bill and I discuss Gary’s innovations in managing the due diligence process.

Bill Payne will be in San Diego for 2 days of angel training in April. The 24th features an Early Exits workshop followed by The Power of Angel Investing on the 25th; register here.

Show #404 Stream, flash player or iTunes

Kendrick D. White, Marchmont Capital

Posted February 5, 2013 By Frank

Kendrick D. White

Kendrick D. White

He’s creating an Innovation Corridor that will move projects from Russia’s Lobachevsky State University to US academic partners to accelerate the growth of startups in his adopted country. Meet Kendrick D. White, an american venture capitalist and innovation evangelist who is almost single-handedly inventing a robust startup economy in Russia.

We met last April in Nihzny Novgorod; outgoing EBAN President Brigitte Baumann and I shared a train ride from Moscow to Nizhny immediately following the well attended EBAN Congress. Neither one of us was quite sure what we were in for, but the 2 day conference that awaited us would be a very memorable experience. It’s here I met Kendrick and soon we were huddling during each break between sessions to discuss his plans for expanding angel investing infrastructure across the country. In today’s Show you’ll here him describe how he’s now assisted in building a dozen angel groups across the country.

What are the hurdles that he faces? And can one man make a difference? Does he experience any hostility or prejudice as an American, even though he’s a long-term resident with a family locally?

The question that keeps coming up for me – wouldn’t you love to be in his situation, at the helm of the ship, captain of a growing Russian entrepreneurial economy?

Play

Show #403 Stream, flash player or iTunes

Scott Shane, Myths and Illusions

Posted January 28, 2013 By Frank

Scott Shane

Scott Shane

It’s the first interview with an author here on the show. Not just any author, but Scott Shane from Case Western University. His Fool’s Gold is well known among angel investors, but today in this interview from the Archives Scott shares his research on The Illusions of Entrepreneurship. Both are must-reads.

But before you listen, take Scott’s Entrepreneurship Quiz.

Speaking of myths, I ask Scott, “What myths are the Kauffman Foundation holding to?” You’ll enjoy his response.

If you’re ever going to make money as an early-stage investor you must be aware of the myths you’re investing in, too.

Play

Show #148 Stream, flash player or iTunes

illusions-of-entrepreneurship

Catherine Mott, Bluetree Angels

Posted January 17, 2013 By Frank

Catherine Mott

Catherine Mott

She’s the president of the Bluetree Allied Angels in Pittsburgh and the immediate past Chair of the Angel Capital Association – meet Catherine Mott.

Syndication, sponsors, sustaining angel groups, Pittsburgh, public policy, Crowdfunding, the upcoming Summit in San Francisco — yeah, we cover it all.

Play

Show #402 Stream, flash player or iTunes

Luigi Amati Announces Business Angels Europe

Posted January 10, 2013 By Frank

Luigi Amati

Luigi Amati

He’s a founding member of the Italian Angels for Growth, based in Milan; today he’s a Vice President of the new Business Angels Europe. Meet Luigi Amati.

Play

Concerned about the direction EBAN was taking, Luigi resigned along with board members from Scotland, France and the Netherlands. Something new would eventually be built and today Luigi announces the formation of Business Angels Europe.

How will it differ from EBAN?

Already BAE has attracted angel groups from Germany, Belgium, Spain plus the founding groups in Italy, France and the Netherlands.

There’s a lot still to be worked out, but according to Philippe Gluntz, President of France Angels and BAE President-elect, some things are clear:

We want to make sure that angel investing stays high on the political agenda.

Vice Presidents Luigi Amati will be responsible for Policy Affairs, Ute Guenther responsible for Research and Market Data, René Reijtenbagh Responsible for Cross Border collaboration and Reginald Voessen as Treasurer.

Juan Roure, Nelson Gray, Jacek Blonski and Claire Munck have been appointed independent Board Members.

See the press release here.

Show #401 Stream, flash player or iTunes

We met last in Moscow 2012

We met last in Moscow 2012

Seven Meals, Startup Weekend

Posted January 7, 2013 By Frank

Franck Nouyrigat, Clint Nelsen and Marc Nager

“An extremely passionate community,” and a viral phenomenon, Seattle-based Startup Weekend, puts software entrepreneurs together for a fast-paced weekend to actually create a startup; just as the name implies. Meet the team, spread from Seattle to France, on this lively and brief interview.

How is it organized and what do they attribute to their rapid growth? Are there trends in what the entrepreneurs work on over this intense weekend? And how have those trends changed over time?

Play

Show #314 from December 2, 2010