How to Angel Invest: Understanding Risk
September 7, 2018 | By Vela Wood
Before you begin throwing money at startups, it’s important to understand the risk involved with investing. Venture capitalist, Sammy Abdullah, believes “angel investing is the absolute hardest thing to do in investing.” Angel investing can be fun and exciting, but … Read More
How to Angel Invest: Where to Find Deals
August 30, 2018 | By Vela Wood
After confirming your accredited investor status, the next step is to find promising companies. Serendipity is definitely a factor; however, you can approach finding deals in a systematic way. Identify Local Angel Networks Local angel networks are the safest and … Read More
Three Things with Michael Walsh
August 29, 2018 | By Vela Wood
In this episode, Kevin interviews Michael Walsh, the founder of Cariloop. They discuss the difference between raising capital from private equity vs. traditional venture avenues, the sales cycle of B2B companies, the importance of establishing a culture, and asking for help from mentors and advisors. You can connect with Michael on Twitter @WalshMichaelR. Read More
How to Angel Invest: What is an Accredited Investor?
August 20, 2018 | By Vela Wood
Who can play the game Angel Investors are individuals who provide seed or startup financing to entrepreneurs. If you give your little brother a few hundred dollars to start a business, technically, you’re an angel investor. However, the more intricate … Read More
How to Angel Invest
August 20, 2018 | By Vela Wood
You’ve noticed it everywhere. Whether you see Mr. Wonderful grilling someone on Shark Tank, hear about Kevin Durant building a tech empire and basketball dynasty in California, or read about George Clooney selling a Tequila brand for $1 billion, everyone … Read More
Understanding Basic Contracts: The Payment Provision
August 16, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
I know, it seems like a simple contractual provision. It can be, but a lack of detail in the payment section of a contract can be disastrous. Take the following provision for example: Payment: “Contractor shall be paid $40,000 for … Read More
Flipping Through PitchBook’s 1Q 2018 VC Valuations Report
August 15, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
Yes, it’s the 1Q (available here). It’s been on my desk for a few months. But I’ve made my way through it and wanted to share a few thoughts. Let me start with a little background. First of all, this report, … Read More
Understanding Basic Contracts: The Indemnification Clause
July 31, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
One of the most confusing, yet critical, sections of a contract is the indemnification section. Hard word, hard section. Hopefully this blog will help. “To indemnify” means to compensate someone for his/her harm or loss. In most contracts, an indemnification … Read More
Understanding Basic Contracts: Terminating for Material Breach
July 23, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
All contracts will have a term (length of the agreement) and termination (how you terminate the agreement) clause. Well, they should have a termination clause. As I wrote last time, it’s important to take great care in reviewing your contracts … Read More
Understanding Basic Contracts: The Termination Clause
July 10, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
A client of mine called me last week to express her frustration with a vendor. The vendor wasn’t turning around the work in a timely fashion, and this was severely impacting her business. She wanted out of the contract. My … Read More
Pricing Stock Options
June 26, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
As I wrote last time, equity is currency for startups. As you launch your startup, you’ll likely be granting some equity to service providers throughout the life of your company. Now, it’s critical to understand that anytime you grant equity, … Read More
Grant Your Equity Wisely
June 8, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
Which conversation would you rather have? “So…that 10% equity we gave you last year – yeah, I’m gonna need half of that back,” or “Thanks so much for everything you’ve been doing for the company; here’s another 3% equity!” As … Read More
