Category Archives: Social Impact Investing

investing in companies with potential to make a social impact

7 Angel Investor Due Diligence Resources

In preparation for a panel on “How to Conduct Due Diligence to Avoid Surprises and Make Great Investments” that I’m hosting at the Angel Capital Summit, our great team of panelists has pulled together our favorite resources for angel investor due … Continue reading

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What Companies Are Angels Actually Investing in?

It seems as if a new startup is funded every day, but in reality a very small percentage of startups are able to successfully raise capital. To give some perspective, the Impact Angel Group reviewed 522 angel investments last year … Continue reading

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Why I Love Angel Investing

I had a phone call yesterday with a very smart and savvy former Angel investor. He told me he stopped angel investing because he lost most of his money and finally realized that angel investing is risky, complicated and a … Continue reading

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The Impact Angel Group | 2012 Impact Investing Progress Report

With less than 4 hours until 2013, I thought it would make sense to reflect on the first year of Impact Angel Group existence. Since our inception 11 months ago, we’ve: Reviewed 502 executive summaries Met with 242 angel investors Made … Continue reading

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Why I am NOT an Impact Investor

The Colorado Capital Conference (in Denver 10/8-10/9) announced its list of presenting companies today and it has solidified my decision to STOP IMPACT INVESTING.

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Executive Summaries | What do investors really need to see?

There are some basic questions that most investors ask before making an investment decision, but very few of the executive summaries I’ve seen actually answer these questions. These incomplete executive summaries are inefficient for investors – we spend far too … Continue reading

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Impact Investing | Capital is NOT the Problem

After meeting a gentlemen who is sitting on 20 million dollars in cash and would like to invest for impact, but is frustrated by a lack of opportunities to do so – I am officially convinced that ACCESS TO CAPITAL … Continue reading

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How to Make a Demo Day Successful – Lessons from the Unreasonable Institute

It seems as if I get an invitation to join an accelerator Demo Day on a weekly basis these days, but I hardly ever attend them. It’s expensive and time consuming to travel and seeing a company’s five minute pitch … Continue reading

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Why I Won’t Invest in Convertible Debt

Convertible debt seems to be an increasingly popular vehicle for angel investing. While it has it’s benefits, it also has it’s drawbacks, but there are certain instances when I WILL NOT INVEST in convertible debt. Here’s one of them:

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A Great Template for Effective Angel Investor Updates

From my experience, very few entrepreneurs and investors communicate effectively, but one of my recent investments sends out bi-weekly updates that have been great for both the entrepreneur and the investors. I think it’s an excellent template for angel investor … Continue reading

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