Monthly Archives: March 2024

Business Articles, Investing, Investment Adviser, Investment Adviser Arizona, Investment Adviser Kansas City, Investment Adviser Representative, Investment Vehicles, Money Manager, Venture Capital

Why VC Firms Are Turning To Investment Advisers?

VC and other Partnerships have a big problem. Some are not evolving with the changing Financial Landscape.

Many Venture Capital Funds and Private Partnerships are literally risking their capital to risk. It’s not difficult to observe the Capital they have worked tirelessly to raise is diminishing from sitting for long periods. It’s also apparent from the current VC Partnerships without a Investment Adviser the accounts they keep their funds in do nothing to serve the developing Risks. Which in return silently and maliciously erodes the Funds Purchasing Power and additionally? Diminishing the capital. Discounting continuity and Preservation of Principle. Investment Advisers know how to minimize risk, strategically Preserving Capital, while at the same time implementing Growth of Funds. The bottom line is this! Not evolving to the changing ecosystem. Will diminish your Partnership Performance and diminish your returns and capital performance for your clients.

Exemption for Venture Capital Funds for Investment Advisers

Currently the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 has an Exemption for SEC or State Registered Investment Advisers who manage Private and or Venture Capital Funds. This is a Gift to the VC Partnership and Private Fund world. However based on my experience and research only the serious Professionally managed Firms are quietly utilizing Investment Advisers skills to help manage their VC Funds. After reading a Post on Medium about this Topic. It seemed prudent for me to give my Professional opinion as a new Investment Advisor Representative. You can read the article the Attorney who wrote about Compliance of RIA’s turned Venture Captial Firms “HERE“.

Market Conditions Always Changing

The SEC is very strict in it’s Regulations, and the Finance Laws are extremely complex in the Investment Adviser money management world. However the Laws and Regulations can be used for good. Especially for PROFIT AND FUND GROWTH. If you have a small team of Advisors and Attorneys who are experienced and trained in how to use their skills to navigate the complex Regulations and laws for the Benefit of your Partnerships Fund. Your ahead of the Curve of Diminishing Funds. Making your Clients capital grow and keeping your Clients Happy with your Fund or Partnerships performance. There is one certainty in Business. That is “THINGS ARE CERTAIN TO CHANGE! EVLOVE OR DIE.”

Founders Fund Registered Investment Adviser?

Peter Thiel Founders Fund is now a Registered Investment Adviser. (Image BELOW)

Which recognizable VC Firms are Investment Advisers Currently? Sequoia Capital registered recently as a Registered Investment Adviser to begin investing in the Capital Markets and Crypto Assets. Andreessen Horowitz is another Venture Capital Fund that recently registered as an Investment Adviser. This list is growing. And it seems more and more VC Firms who are serious in the space are turning to Investment Advisers for their Funds. It’s likely they have so much money under management they need to distinguish themselves and account for risk vs. returns to add a layer of Preservation of Capital. It also must be shared it’s just good business acumen to have a Money Manager who can give peace of mind to the Fund Manager and Client’s personal Asset Allocators.

If you stop to fully read the SEC.Gov website on Exemptions for Advisers to Venture Capital Funds (BELOW). You will likely conclude this is certainly the future of VC Funds who are leaders in the VC Space. Having a Professional manage your Firms Funds is added security. The benefits far outweigh any downsides. When your thinking strategically as a Investment Committee. Recently a College PH.D Finance Professor shared with me at Arizona State University, “He feels the future of Investment Advisers will begin to morph into a fragmented space where VC funds become Powerhouse VC Investment Adviser Run groups.” I honestly can see myself it’s likely to expand into other Partnership Funds as well. Interestingly this is already taking place.

Did you know..? “It is against the Professional Standards and Regulations of the Uniform Securities Act and Investment Advisers Act of 1940 for any Investment Adviser Representatives to make guarantee’s or promises related returns.”

Venture Capital Firms Turning Into Investment Advisers

Traditionally many Private Funds or Venture Captial Funds have used a REG D offering for their Funds framework. However based on evidence in the space and growing sums of Capital under management? Times are changing and VC Firms are turning to or into Investment Advisers. To leverage Capital Markets for Preservation of Capital and Growth.

A Reg D offering and a (RIA) Registered Investment Adviser are completely two different things. A RIA is a Firm that Manages Funds for a percentage of Assets Under Management. Usually 1.5percent. A REG D offering is a “Exempt Offering”. The Law and Regulations all RIA’s Registered Investment Advisers have to adhere to professionally. Includes a long list of seriously strict responsibilities, Regulations and Policies. It’s serious business. Some of the rules of the road address Portfolio Management, Custody, Investment Discretion, Record keeping and lots lots more. However this is not a Post about Laws, Regulations or the differences of a REG D offering vs. a Registered Investment Adviser. This is meant to share more in depth examples of the complexity of Managing Funds.

Venture Capital Teams Under Pressure to Evolve From Competition

With many Venture Capital Firms under pressure to out perform each other and evolve from their competition by performing with their Clients Money. These Venture Capital Funds are feeling the squeeze of having Capital sit for long periods inside accounts without proper preservation policies implemented. This causes the Capital to be inactive on the Firms Balance Sheet. There are strategies Investment Advisers can execute to minimize Purchasing Power Risk and begin to grow Funds implementing a preservation of capital as it’s Objective. Several large VC Firms have seen the Value Investment Advisers bring to the Balance Sheet using Advisers. And more and more Venture Capital firms are on the look out to Recruit Investment Adviser Representatives for their Skills. One thing is certain in this Asset management Business. You should always be looking to gain the edge by utilizing Investment Advisers Skills to help grow the Firms Funds.

Conclusion Clients Impressed By Increased Returns

In conclusion after sharing the above examples. It looks to be completely clear the Venture Capital space is turning to Investment Adviser Representatives and utilizing their money management skills. It’s absolutely clear the Value and increased performance Advisers can bring to a VC Firm and their Investment committee. Traditionally speaking? Investment Advisers do 3 things incredibly well. Preserve Capital, Manage Capital while managing risk, and strategically use Capital Markets to Grow funds, for the purpose of beefing up a Company’s Balance Sheet.

Have you read my post on the Three Financial Statements “HERE“.

Risk will always be apart of Professional Investing at every stage. However many Investment Committee’s and Investment Professionals would most likely agree. “Having a Professional Money Manager on your Firms Team will likely give your Company an Edge in the Market while making your Clients very happy from seeing a improvement ROIC.”

Thank you for reading.

JS

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Asset Management, Business Articles, Financial Adviser, Investment Adviser, Investment Adviser Arizona, Investment Adviser Kansas City, Investment Adviser Representative, Money Manager

News: Series 65 Law Exam Investment Adviser

Professional Investment Adviser Representative Law Exam “PASS”

After studying and taking on the challenges that lasted for nearly 2 years. Monday March 11th 2024 I passed my Professional Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Representative Law Exam.

Passing this difficult professional exam allows me to register with a State Securities Administrator as a Licensed Investment Adviser Representative, through a Federal Registered Covered Investment Adviser or State Investment Adviser. Investment Advisers are hired as Fiduciary’s to give Institutions and Individuals Investment Advice, and are also able to Manage large pools of money inside Investment Funds. To read FINRA’s description of what this Exam does for a Professional Money Manager click this link, HERE.

Investment Adviser Examples: Some give Investment and Securities advice to Corporations, Institutions, Boards of Directors, Individuals planning for Retirement, work as Hedge Fund Managers, Pension Consultants, Sports & Entertainment Management, Asset Managers, Wall Street Private Bankers, and also High Net-Worth Wealth Advisors. It’s a serious Profession. That comes with serious responsibilities. Investment Advisers are considered Fiduciary’s.

This is a Huge Victory for me professionally. And it’s only fair that I Thank the people who helped push me to achieve this life long professional goal. The list of people who have helped prepare me to pass this difficult exam is small. As soon as I left the exam office I took some time and shared the special news firstly with my Dad. To the others who did help me? You know who you are and I am whole heartedly eternally grateful for your confidence and trusting in me to perform.

Cheers to you all. I am very excited of what’s is to come next on my journey.

The mission continues.

JS

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Business Articles, Investing, Investment Vehicles

“Exchange Traded Fund” ETF Basics

Many Business professionals would be shocked to find out that a basic Exchange Traded Fund on the NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange or on Japans 225 funds that make up the Nekkei Index are all either UIT’s or Open-Ended Funds (Mutual Funds). This article’s purpose is meant to identify and educate more executive business leaders about ETF’s you likely see daily listed on TV or on the many Stock exchanges.

Before we are able to begin listing the different key components that make a Exchange Traded Fund. It’s a good idea if I share some basics to help you understand the ETF’s are complex Financial Vehicles. And for today’s article we will be touching on UIT’s, and Open-Ended Funds. Because that is what the majority of ETF’s are! Unit Investment Trusts and Open-Ended Funds. Interesting stuff right? Lets breakdown the basics of UIT’s and Open-Ended Funds.

Unit Investment Trust “UIT”

What is a Unit Investment Trust? Great question! According to FINRA‘s Website:

“Unit investment trusts, or UITs, fall in the same category as mutual funds and closed-end funds. All three are investment companies, which means they pool money from many investors and invest it based on specific investment goals. The key difference with UITs, however, is once a UIT sets its portfolio, it remains the same for the life of the fund (barring any major corporate events, such as a merger or bankruptcy proceeding) and the term is fixed.”

Investment Company Act of 1940

The key to understanding ETF’s is the fact all ETF’s are Investment companies. If I share more descriptively. A ETF is a Pool of Money that has been legally established as an Investment Company. Now we need to dive slightly deeper into what is “The Investment Company Act of 1940?” The S.E.C. Securities and Exchange Commission. The S.E.C. states on it’s website :

Additionally The Act was signed in to law by President Franklin D. Rosevelt who felt the need for Regulation after the Stock Market Crash of 1929 destroyed so many and especially after the Great Depression left its mark on America’s tattered Finances. The biggest thing I would like to leave you with to know and recognize about the Investment Company Act of 1940 is the fact this Law is a regulatory framework for retail investment products and vehicles. Most importantly the Act leaves Fund Managers and Financiers with three categories of Investment Companies to make offerings. These Company categories are “Unit Investment Trusts” UIT’s, (Mutual Funds) Open-Ended Management Investment Funds and Closed Ended Management Investment Funds. It’s very important to discern the Requirements for Investment Companies are based on their categorization and offerings of Investment products or vehicles.

Open-Ended Management Investment Fund

All a Open-Ended Management Investment Fund really is in most cases is a Mutual Fund! It’s very simple. A collection of Securities or Investments organized into a Pooled Investment Vehicle as a Investment Company. Here are some facts about Mutual Funds. An Open-Ended Fund continuously makes new Shares available to the Public for purchase. These funds are professionally managed and often are able to negotiate and procure Investment vehicles at a discounted price that is not available to Retail Investors. Most Retirement Funds and Retirement Accounts prefer the ease and efficiency of Mutual Funds for Investment Vehicles. Open-Ended Funds can be Growth Oriented, or even Mixed with Alternative investments used as Products inside the Fund. And this is why they make a excellent vehicle for Exchange Traded Funds.

Exchange Traded Funds

By now I think your catching on to the fact Exchange Traded Funds can take many forms or basically be a Investment Company formed into one of three categories Unit Investment Trusts, Open-Ended Funds, Closed Ended-Funds. It is remarkable that when you breakdown the basics of “What a ETF is?” you find that most Exchange Traded Funds are a unmanaged UIT or a Mutual Fund. I do hope you learned some things reading this week’s article. And in conclusion stay tuned! I feel it’s only fair for me to revisit expand on Closed-Ended Investment Management Companies in the near future. But for today? After doing some heavy studying. I felt it was really interesting to write about the fact that 70% of the ETF’s in the OTC and Big Blue Chip Markets? Are UIT’s and Open-Ended Funds are just Mutual Funds. I hope you found this article interesting and educational. This was something I felt could be useful and I felt it would make for a great little article. In conclusion. I would say, stay tuned. Big NEWS next coming week. Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to contact me. HERE.

Godspeed

JS

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