Business Articles

Search Funds

Entrepreneurs Are You Ready To See If Your Worth Your Salt? This guide explains more about Search Funds. If your needing structure. Search Funds may be a unconventional option for you.

Let us define Search Funds.

How many search funds are there? Irving Grousbeck, a professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, who originated the concept in 1984 while lecturing at Harvard Business School. Since then, it is estimated that 627 traditional funds have been or are currently being formed, with 198 operating currently.

Good day to all the visitors who showed up to read the Investment Fund advice. I genuinely would like to Thank you. Your here probably because you have an interest in Search Funds for Entrepreneurship through Acquisitions. Let’s get down to Brass Tax and open up with the two types of Search Funds I am privy to.

  • Self-Funded Search Funds
  • Investment Fund Backed Search Funds
  • Private Equity Funded Search Fund
  • Private Individual Funded Search Fund

Both are polar opposites from each other. And honestly I have to be straight with you here. If your serious and backed by a well funded Private Equity Firm? I do not feel you will have to work as hard as a Scrappy Entrepreneur who is self funded. That’s my opinion. However I guess the old stand by should be suggested. Warning “RESULTS MAY VARY.” I hope you get chuckle. You are out searching or are about to begin your search for a Company to approach and acquire? In all seriousness there seems to be some assumptions that I am going to address to set up your expectations.

Self Funded Search Fund

I feel the well funded entrepreneur should out perform the scrappy entrepreneur. Because the scrappy entrepreneur who is not as well funded may have to work harder or longer. But! Just because an Entrepreneur is well funded? Doesn’t prove he or she will out perform the poorly funded or scrappy entrepreneur. There are to many variables at play in this analysis.

Self Funded Entrepreneurs are exactly just that. They’re using their own money to cover costs of being on the road and traveling while searching. Usually these entrepreneurs are incredibly resourceful using self taught street smarts and pure hustle to achieve their goals. Uncertainty and being uncomfortable are normal operating environments.

Traditional Search Funds

What is a traditional Search Fund? These are funds that are funded by wealthy private individuals or investment funds including Private Equity Partners. If we really consider the roots of Search Funds. The model originated at Stanford Graduate School of Business in California. A few Stanford Alums raised some funds to search for an Acquisition.

In conclusion wether your funded by a wealthy Private Individual or secured funding from a Private Equity Firm. Search Funds are defined differently by different experts. As I had mentioned earlier “Results may vary.” There are no metrics to discern which entrepreneur will be successful. However from the research I have completed. If you follow a Search Fund Model 60% of Entrepreneurs who adhere to the model of a Search Fund are likely to be successful.

Thank you for stopping by and reading. Please do drop us your email address for new Blog posts as I write them. Because I will be writing a ton more about Search Funds as my own Business model evolves.

Please feel free to share on Linkedin or any groups. And If I missed something in writing this? Please feel free to send me a email and I will consider your information you provide to add to this guide.

Happy Hunting to all Entrepreneurs using a Search Fund model.

JS

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Business Articles

How To Raise Money As A Entrepreneur?

A Strategy For Entrepreneurs Needing To Raise Money & Build Partnerships.

It takes courage

Thank you for showing up and reading my Blog. If your a serious entrepreneur, or maybe your a Commercial Banker, or even a Investor that wants to take your out reach to a entirely new level? My learned experiences will be like having a secret playbook. They always say. “When you know where your going? It’s difficult to get lost.” Please understand it’s ridiculous to think you can cold call a wealthy investor or someone influential you don’t know. Do you really think these investors will pick up the phone warmly greet you and invest on the spot with out doing any due diligence? Sorry that’s just not going to happen. LOL So seriously what does it take to be determined to win in Business entrepreneurship? How do you develop relationships with influential investors? It takes strategy an patience like a Saint.

When I meet Wantrepreneur’s, Solopreneur’s and and small business owners who would love to take their life to that next level. I immediately ask them if they truly know what they are asking for? And I question their motives. And if I get the sense that your just wanting to get rich quick to service your ego or toot your own horn? I immediately disqualify you from further conversation. And politely excuse myself. Because in the Market and real world. All the Ultra Wealthy Entrepreneurs and C-Suite Executives I personally know will do the same. Im harsh because I have to be. This is not personal. This is reality. What I share here with you. Will get you ready for that next level.

So what does it truly take to Raise Millions of Dollars and build a life as a entrepreneur? It takes walking into the unknown, facing uncertainty and relying on the mercy of intimidating strangers. It takes you being genuine. Demonstrating authenticity. Strength and Perseverance.

Be Strategic Have A Formula

Before I share one of my learned simple capital raising strategies with the world. I would like to share that this strategy will only work for Business Professionals and Entrepreneurs who are ethical, moral, and lawful. You must also be at a certain level in life that you are willing to do whatever it takes. And I mean up to and including experiencing painful defeat and flat out rejection. To complete and dominate the competition. After all it’s warfare when you consider all your other competitors. If your sensitive? Cold Calling and reaching out to people you do not know will leave you in a pool of tears and defeat. If you are a military veteran you probably are good to go. Because seriously we all know how hilarious Military Service is to anyone with a sensitive personality. But I digress. Bottom line, is you must develop a very thick skin. Period.

Simple Strategy

By this point you as a professional should already have a pitch deck already created and ready to go with all your opportunity’s. The next step is making a list of 100 influential families, their professional offices and learning about their success including previous investments. Make contact only after you have completed militant style due diligence. At this stage is where your likely to need further coaching.

So to help you along your journey I am offering you a courtesy call with me for 15 min. If you click here let me help you. Because in all honestly it’s likely your at your wits end with sales funnels and experiencing continued rejection and failure. Hey! This isn’t easy at all. Your probably reaching out to the gatekeeper at their office. And the nice Gatekeeper wont listen but instructs you to email a pitch deck, or more likely you were told No thank you with a painful rejection. But all is not lost! Contact me.

Ok so in the unlikely event you do get a scheduled call or email with the person on your list. Now What? Well remember that prepared pitch deck? This is where your going to shine. Make sure you schedule a zoom call to present your pitch deck. Be happy to answer their hard questions. “Pro’s tip.” Have a professional accountant who has worked at a Big 4 Firm help you create the Pitch Deck.

Now this next part is truly important. So after sharing your pitch deck with the investor. Schedule a follow on call in a few days. If by this time you can answer all their questions satisfactorily. Ask them, “Sir. Ma’m How can we move forward and make this work together?” See the brilliance in this question? Congrats.

In Conclusion

So to follow up and end this article or post. I do hope you feel ready to go out there and take on the crucible called the market. It’s likely your going to fail, be frustrated to tears, and feel exuberant triumphs along your journey. However this is not a post about failure it’s a post about the simple strategy and having a simple formula to go out and be successful! I felt the need to begin sharing some of my invaluable experiences to help other Entrepreneurs who do not know where to start. But if you really are serious about doing whatever it takes to win? This blog and my experience will no doubt give you an edge where others have failed you.

Thank you so much for reading. Please subscribe, comment, share and like. And please know I am available for serious entrepreneurs and investors who are going out in to the market and making their dreams reality.

Godspeed and Thank you.

Jameson Sharp
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