The Angel Next Door

In this episode, Marcia sits down with Dr. Lyndsey Harper, a physician/OB-GYN who founded Rosy, a subscription-based women’s health app that delivers direct-to-consumer education and community in the women’s sexual health world, while providing anonymity to the user. Lyndsey discusses her background as a private practice OB-GYN, where she noticed a commonality in patient’s sexual health problems and their shame and embarrassment in discussing those issues. 43% of women experience sexual problems, while only 17% of providers regularly ask about a patient’s sexual health. Lyndsey decided to start Rosy to connect the dots between these women’s problems, education and community, and providers. Marcia and Lyndsey talk about the importance of building the right team for your startup early on and having a minimum viable product to gain customers as well as interest from investors. Lyndsey explains how she found a developer to build the first iteration of the Rosy app in exchange for equity prior to approaching investors and how she navigated the difficulty of fundraising by building a network of angel connections to find the right investors. Lyndsey also tells us about how crucial it is to have a structured plan with deadlines and goals when raising capital so that subsequent rounds of funding can be at higher valuations due to proven progress. She discusses with Marcia the future of Rosy, and how she hopes to broaden the scope of women’s sexual health, create academic partnerships with providers, and use what they learn to improve screening rights for things like breast and cervical cancer. You won’t want to miss hearing the wisdom of this accomplished doctor turned entrepreneur and the obstacles she has navigated! Enjoy the show!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick here to read Dr. Lyndsey Harper's profile on LinkedInClick here to redeem a FREE 1-Month Rosy Silver Membership or use code “ACAROSY”Click here to learn more about RosyClick here to learn more about Mindshift Capital Click here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

In this episode we discuss some important tax codes that most investors and entrepreneurs don’t know about and could save millions! Marcia Dawood interviews former Chair of the Angel Capital Association, Tony Shipley. Marcia and Tony worked together as ACA board members for over 7 years! Tony is also Chairman and Co-founder of Queen City Angels, Cincinnati’s first group of experienced, accredited investors committed to accelerating the growth of early-stage businesses. Their primary investment areas are Information Technology and Life Science.Tony tells our listeners all about how he got started in the angel investing world and what led him to co-founding QCA with the hopes to provide growth to his community. Since the organization was founded in 2000 they’ve grown from 5 to 180 members, invested in more than 110 different companies, and invested approximately one hundred million dollars. He also shares how diversification was a very important factor in moving from network to fund model and growing the organization to what it is today. Marcia also asks Tony about the 2 most memorable exits he has been part of (one of which was 9 figures!) and how his group was able to use Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code (aka IRC) to take advantage of the Qualified Small Business Stock (aka QSBS) provision that eliminated federal tax on the exit transaction. They also discuss code 1045 and why these codes encourage investors to recycle QSBS returns from one deal to another QSBS company to obtain further tax savings. A new-er term is also revealed to our listeners, “dry powder,” which is the money investors set aside to make follow-on investments once a company starts to grow. The initial investment is important but sometimes those follow on rounds make the difference as to which companies make it and which ones don’t.Lastly, Tony and Marcia discuss the importance the ACA has on public policy, how active they are with lobbying for tax codes and the work being done to preserve the definition of “accredited investor.” This episode is packed with great tips and inspiring stories for both entrepreneurs and current/future investors! Listen to the full episode with Marcia and Tony here!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Tony Shipley’s profile on LinkedInClick Here to learn more about Queen City AngelsClick here to learn more about how ACA is active with Public Policy’sClick here to learn more about ACA’s Grassroots ToolkitClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

The Angel Next Door is back with all new episodes!! We will start off with demystifying equity crowdfunding. Marcia Dawood sits down with Howard Marks, CEO and cofounder of the crowdfunding platform StartEngine. StartEngine is an equity crowdfunding platform that recently acquired SeedInvest, bringing the total amount raised between the platforms to over $1 billion. Howard discusses how he started as an entrepreneur with his roommate at the University of Michigan, and purchased a controlling stake in the video game company Activision and turned it into the industry leading company it is today, leading to a purchase offer from Microsoft of $68 billion. Howard tells the listeners how StartEngine was initially launched in 2010 as an accelerator for entrepreneurs in LA, but he quickly realized capitalizing these very early companies was the problem he really needed to solve. He explains how the JOBS Act of 2012 paved the way for a revolution in the way start ups could raise money, and how it changed the way StartEngine was going to help entrepreneurs. Howard also shares with Marcia the background of how the rules and regulations for investing had limited who could invest in private startups to a very small group of people. The new regulations motivated him to launch StartEngine as a crowdfunding platform in 2015, which now operates as a funding portal, broker-dealer, and transfer agent, while providing liquidity options for investors, providing endless opportunities for regular investors outside of just the 4700 companies traded on the NYSE. Finally, Howard explains what it takes to be successful when raising capital through crowdfunding. He and Marcia discuss the future of StartEngine and crowdfunding and new alternative investment opportunities in things like art, comic books, wine, and real estate (allowing new ways to diversify an investment portfolios) and touch on the debate on whether consumers should have the ability to risk their money on these types of investments. Tune into this episode to get some great background on equity crowdfunding and learn how startups can be successful in gaining capital through these platforms! Click here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick here to read Howard Marks' profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about ActivisionClick here to learn more about StartEngineClick here to learn more about SeedInvestLink to Howard's blog pageClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

The Angel Next Door is back this week for a BONUS episode with US Congressman Byron Donalds. Byron serves as the US representative for Florida’s 19th congressional district which covers most of southwest Florida. In this episode our host Marcia Dawood talks with congressman Donalds about why angel investing plays a crucial role in giving everyone an equal shot at building wealth. They also discuss proposed legislation related to angel investing and how many people don't realize just how active the Angel Capital Association is in influencing public policy. The ACA is deeply involved on federal, legislative, and regulatory fronts. Congressman Donalds shares his views on many of these topics in addition to some of the regulatory changes he anticipates during this midterm year. Some of these changes include reforms to Dodd-Frank, bills established for crypto, and (he is hoping) the end to CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). Finally, Marcia and Byron both discuss the importance of maintaining current financial thresholds in the definition of an accredited investor while concurrently widening the parameters, through demonstrated measures of sophistication, of who CAN be an investor which will stimulate growth in our economy. ACA's CEO Pat Gouhin drops in to share some very powerful statistics on the impact that the ACA has on our economy. "We have 15,000 accredited investors that contribute 650 million dollars per year into 3000-4000 startups. Based upon economic studies for every $100,000 invested it leads to 5.8 jobs and 2.1 mil in economic output."Now imagine how much MORE impact we could have if the parameters of an accredited investor were widened! Tune into the full episode to learn more about other changes congressman Donalds expects in the near future and how these regulations can directly affect everyone's equal opportunity to build wealth. Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Congressman Byron Donalds profile on LinkedInClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week Marcia Dawood is bringing you a very brief episode of The Angel Next Door to share some powerful statistics delivered by Dr. Ronald Weissman at the ACA Summit in May. Marcia shares stats on the current economic decline we are experiencing in public markets, IPOs, valuations, seed funding, mergers and acquisitions, exits and more after studying the data from Q1 2022 compared to last year. When exits slow down, raising money is harder and takes longer. Marcia also tells us what down rounds are and why they can often occur during an economic downturn. Marcia tells our listeners, “this is a time when angels and entrepreneurs need to protect ourselves and as always, cash is king!” She also explains what cram downs are and what to look out for!On July 6th at 12 PM ET, Marcia will be moderating a webinar where Dr. Ron Weissman will be giving up to the minute updates on his presentation from May and give more insights on what can be done to protect ourselves now and in the future as times are unsteady.Finally, Marcia wants everyone to know that although there may be a rough 6-12 months ahead of us it is not a time to be scared but simply to focus on preserving every dollar you can. Tune in to listen to the full episode to hear examples of what we can do to get ahead of the game! Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Dr. Ron Weissman’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about the webinar on July 8th - Crystal Ball 2022: The Path Forward for Angels and Startups in Down MarketsClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week on the Angel Next Door, Marcia Dawood interviews Liz Sigety, expert lawyer in everything startup, partner for Fox Rothschild Law Firm and co-founder of Delaware Crossing Angel Group in Philadelphia. This episode is great for both entrepreneurs and investors as we discuss both sides of the angel investing process. Fox Rothschild offers a great program called the Fox Launch Pad, a virtual incubator and resource center developed to nurture startups. Marcia and Liz discuss all the resources that startups receive when entering their program, how they help get their legal documents in order, as well as why it is so important that entities are set up correctly from the VERY beginning. They also discuss how a series LLC can assist in housing many investments into 1 SPV. Liz also explains pre and post money SAFE, what it means and the difference between the two. In addition we hear about how Delaware Crossing started and the types of companies its 35 members typically invest in. Liz has been a part of over 50 investments as an angel investor and tells our audience all about what makes her region unique from an investment standpoint. Finally we will get a briefing from Ahmad Takatkah, Chief Investment Officer at Kingscrowd. Kingscrowd uses data across crowdfunding platforms to help investors make more informed decisions.There are tons of great tips and tricks in this episode for entrepreneurs and investors!Tune in to listen to the full episode! Enjoy the show!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Liz’s profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Ahmad’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about Fox RothschildClick here to learn more about Delaware Crossing Investor GroupClick here to learn more about Fox Launch PadClick here to learn more about KingsCrowdClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

The Angel Next Door is back this week with a new episode! Marcia Dawood sits down to interview Kingsley Advani the CEO and founder of Allocations, a private markets platform with a vision to create more economic freedom for the world. Allocations scaled to $1B in assets in less than 3 years! Kingsley is also an Angel Investor who in 2017 founded and scaled Allocation Angels to over 1,000 investors. He has also personally made over 300 angel investments in companies such as Solana, Coinbase, Robinhood, SpaceX, and more!Marcia and Kingsley discuss how he turned his $34,000 in savings into $100M in private investments all before turning 30! Kingsley discovered the crypto world back in 2011 while studying finance and economics and in 2013 took his savings and started to make his first small investments into cryptocurrency. Kingsley shares a few tips on how to get started in the crypto world, how he got started in the Angel Investing world and what led him to creating Allocation Angels! The Allocation Angels are one of the many groups today that are using SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles) to have access to more deals and to help angels develop a more diversified portfolio. Marcia and Kingsley talk about some behind the scenes work and how Emerging Managers can expand their track record with groups of investors making investments into SPVs. Kingsley also shares how Allocations is helping to streamline these deals as much as possible and in the future will even be releasing INSTANT SPVs. If you're interested in learning more about crypto, SPVs and Angel Investing all together, this episode is for you!Tune in to listen to the full episode! Enjoy the show!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Kingsley’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about Allocations Click here to learn more about Allocation AngelsClick here to learn more about the Corporate AMEX offerClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week on The Angel Next Door, Marcia Dawood interviews fellow ACA board member, Elaine Bolle! Elaine is very active in the angel community and acts as an advisor to early stage companies after the many years she spent being a CEO and senior executive. She has quite the track record leading domestic and global organizations from venture-backed start-ups to $750M+ enterprises. In addition she is a marketing extraordinaire who has truly done it all! Currently she is the investment chair at RTP Capital Associates located in the Triangle area.Elaine has a unique story - from the role she played in Chewy Granola Bars 41 years ago, to building a business to compete with Western Union, to deciding to branch out and become an entrepreneur and investor and move to Silicon Valley, she has been a CEO and COO for multiple companies over the years. Elaine has worked fiercely to grow companies that she truly felt passionate about.Elaine also shares with our audience how angels today are building the world they want to see one investment at a time, by investing in companies that they truly care about and are making a difference. She tells us all about her work with Portfolia and her role as a lead venture partner on the Active Aging and Longevity Fund.In addition, Elaine talks a bit about RTP Capital Associates and the 60 members that make up their organization. She tells us how they currently invest, how many deals they average per year and how a sidecar fund is a much simpler way of managing investments today. She also tells us about her part in the Angel Funders Report and why that is so important each year in looking at key companies, trends, and what's happening within Angel Capital Association groups. Tune in to listen to the full episode! Enjoy the show!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Elaine’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about RTP Capital Associates Click here to learn more about Portfolia Click here to learn more about the Angel Funders ReportClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week Ann & Bill Payne are joining Marcia. Bill Payne has been a pioneering angel investor for over 3 decades and he is a huge part of the Angel Capital Association's history. Ann, Bill and Marcia have a great conversation about how Bill got involved in ‘angel investing; before it was an actual term. In addition to investing, he has been a founder and board member of many successful angel groups, as well as an educator who has spent countless hours curating content and then teaching workshops and classes about becoming an angel investor. Bill believes educating accredited investors to become great angel investors is the key to the success of our entrepreneurial driven economy. Bill has been an integral part in the development of the Ann & Bill Payne ACA Angel University which now has 9 classes including everything from Fundamentals of Angel Investing to Term Sheets to Valuations and many more. In this episode we learn how Bill was able to invest in over 50 companies as an angel investor after having an exit as a successful founder of Solid State Dielectrics Inc. in the 70's that was later sold to Dupont. We will hear about some of his most exciting companies he's invested in as well as his first experience in the angel investing world and how it has changed and evolved to what it is today. Bill will also tell us about the start of two major ACA groups the Tech Coast Angels and Band of Angels, both of which are still very active in the angel community with over 500 angel investors in these groups combined. We also get to hear from Bill why the ‘angel fund’ model is so successful with angels and getting a real return on your investment. Bill credits much of his success to having a trusted partner at his side. Ann continues to remain a reassuring voice and sounding board for all Bill continues to accomplish.Tune in as we talk all about the history of angel investing told by none other than one of the best teachers that ACA has had the pleasure of learning from! Don't miss it! Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Bill’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about Tech Coast AngelsClick here to learn more about Band of AngelsClick here to learn more about the Kauffman FoundationClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

The Angel Next Door is back with another episode! Today's guest is Ashley Gautreaux, Director at CreativeCo Capital and investor in early growth software companies. Ashley shares with Marcia Dawood how she got started in the technology and software world, what it was like working at Tesla for 7 years and the reason she wanted to enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Charlotte with the start of CreativeCo. CreativeCo Capital invests in B2B software companies across the US at seed stage (anywhere from 500k-1.5 million in revenue) with an annual growth of over 100%. As a bonus they also offer their portfolio a 60 person product engineering team as a shared resource for them in order to help accelerate their product roadmap. This is huge today as access to engineering can be very challenging! Ashley also shares a few examples of companies that they've invested in such as Rent Ready, a company that automates the turnover for large apartment buildings. In addition Ashley tells our listeners what it's like making her own investments as an Angel investor and the core qualities she looks for when investing. Her mission is to invest in female founders with inspiring stories, companies that are aiming to redefine industries, and businesses involved in the crypto and NFT world. One of her most recent investments was in Moonwell, a company that allows you to lend and borrow cryptocurrency. We also will hear about World of Women, a group of women creating an iconic global brand and making a statement not only in the NFT space but also in the real world through impactful actions and utility. Tune in this week to hear Ashley's story and learn more about these great companies. Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Ashley’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about CreativeCo CapitalClick here to learn more about Rent ReadyClick here to learn more about MoonwellClick here to learn more about World of WomenClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week on The Angel Next Door, Marcia Dawood is solo for a quick episode to share her personal experience with buying crypto currency! Not as easy as you would think!Marcia decided to experiment in the crypto market and see what would happen when she bought a few different, not as popular currencies and see how complicated the process would be. Marcia talks about a few of the popular platforms to buy such as CoinBase, Binance, and Gemini. She also introduces some others you may not have heard of like KuCoin!Tune in as she talks all about what happened when she tried to purchase these crypto currencies, why she chose them, and the hoops she jumped through to finally receive the crypto! SHOW NOTES: Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about The Latecomer's Guide to Crypto - The New York TimesClick here to learn more about Coin BaseClick here to learn more about Polygon MaticClick here to learn more about GeminiClick here to learn more about HeliumClick here to learn more about Binance.UsClick here to learn more about Rose CoinClick here to learn more about KuCoinClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

We’re back this week with another purposeful episode of The Angel Next Door! This week Marcia Dawood sits down to interview co-founder of Invest for Better and author of “Activate Your Money, Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better World,” Janine Firpo. Janine is a social entrepreneur known in the Bay area for impact investing and her many years of working in foreign services. She is also an active member of the private investing world with a diverse portfolio catered to helping women entrepreneurs and other minorities. Janine explains to our listeners that 1 in 3 dollars that are invested by institutional investors and professional investors are invested in sustainability. Shifting assets into these kinds of more sustainable investments are not only helping our world but are getting a higher return than those that are not. She also shares her experience as a mentor in investing groups like the Rising Tide Network and why the Next Wave Impact model was so effective, especially as barriers to larger funds become bigger and bigger. Janine also shares her most recent project as the co-founder of Invest for Better, which puts women together in investment clubs to teach them how to become confident investors and align their money with their values. Janine has a very unique story and is a wonderful example of aligning your money with your purpose in life. To hear her full story and her most recent investment success story about a bagel company listen here! Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Janine Firpo’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about Activate Your Money - Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better WorldClick here to learn more about Invest for BetterClick here to learn more about As you Sow - Invest Your ValuesClick here to learn more about the Rising Tide NetworkClick here to learn more about Next Wave ImpactClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week on The Angel Next Door we are talking all about NFT’s and cryptocurrency! Something that everyone is wanting more information about these days! Marcia Dawood interviews guest Jason Moralez, a serial entrepreneur who has been active in the cryptocurrency world since 2013. Jason is also a veteran, biochemist, and owner of Nova Jade Cosmetics, a skincare company that aims to provide the highest quality skincare to health conscious consumers. Jason explains to our listeners how blockchain technology works, why its information is of the highest integrity, the top 2 major blockchains where NFT's are sold today (Ethereum and Polygon MATIC), and the difference between the two. He also tells us how "mining" works, why the first NFT's were created and where we are headed with them in the next 5 years. Finally we learn about what "unlockable content" is and how that is adding major value to NFT's and the future of the marketplace. Jason offers tons of real life examples to really help paint the picture of what this new, complex and EXCITING marketplace looks like and all the ways you can make it profitable in your life and business. To hear the full episode and FINALLY understand how this new industry works listen here!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Jason Moralez’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about Polygon MATIC Click here to learn more about EtheriumClick here to learn more about Nova Jade CosmeticsClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

Marcia Dawood and “The Angel Next Door” are officially back with new episodes for the Spring Season! In our first episode of 2022 Marcia interviews Gina Tedesco, an active investor, serial entrepreneur, professor and mentor. With a background in engineering and coming from the pharmaceutical industry, Gina has experienced a lot of male dominated roles both in business and leadership and was determined to give more opportunities to women in these roles. She is currently a Managing Member of Amala Ventures, which invests in early-stage companies with diverse teams and innovative and disruptive technology in the USA and Brazil. She is also a Managing Director and NJ Chapter Lead of Golden Seeds, a national network of angel investors dedicated to investing in early-stage companies founded and led by women and a member and board trustee of Jumpstart NJ Angel Network, a private, member-lead, angel group that invests in early-stage technology companies in the Mid-Atlantic region.In this episode Marcia and Gina discuss the Angel Capital Association's upcoming Summit in May, what to expect for their first in person event since the pandemic, and why it will be an incredible place for innovation. Gina also shares her own journey of entrepreneurship and founding her first 2 companies as well as how she became an investor and started the accelerator program that helps businesses both in Brazil and the US refine their business model and pitch before taking it to investors.Since starting the program they have accelerated over 100 companies and invested in 80% of them. She also shares a couple of her favorite success stories including Love Monday's and its acquisition by GlassDoor, and an ecommerce logistics company that was bought out by a large Brazilian company currently in the stock exchange.Another great topic covered is Gina's role as the founder of the NJ chapter within Golden Seeds. Golden Seeds has provided capital support to over 220 women entrepreneurs and currently of the most active angel networks in the United States investing over $160 million. This episode is one you won’t want to miss and a great kickoff to our new spring season. Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Gina Tedesco's profile on LinkedInClick Here to learn more about the ACA 2022 Summit in Atlantic City NJClick here to learn more about Golden SeedsClick here to learn more about Jumpstart NJ Angel NetworkClick here to learn more about the acquisition of Love Mondays by Glass DoorClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week’s episode of “The Angel Next Door” features a long time investor and soon to be chairman of the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee, Christopher Mirabile. He and his partner Hambleton Lord are very involved with Launchpad Venture Group and they co-founded a successful portfolio management tool Seraf which investors love! Since Launchpad started, the group has put 140 million dollars to work, backed 130 companies, and currently has around 180 investors. Christopher joins Marcia to discuss how he became involved in the entrepreneur world. He also tells us about a few of his exit stories, including one company that delivered a 22.2x return on their investment despite mediocre circumstances which showed the power of practicing capital efficiency! And you’ll hear little about Crypto too!"The only way crypto really thrives is if we provide it with a regulatory framework that protects investors.”He also discusses his role with the SEC and his duty to represent and be an advocate for all investors. We will take a deeper dive into how their process works with choosing sub committees, gathering research, and writing up white papers to present to the SEC. And remember our last episode talked about crowdfunding - well Christopher will give us his thoughts on the pros & cons of Reg CF, it’s not for all businesses. Always do your homework before taking money from any type of investor! To find out more about what types of businesses that should not get involved with crowdfunding tune in to the full episode!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Christopher Mirabile’s profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Hambleton Lord’s profile on LinkedInClick here to learn more about LaunchpadClick here to learn more about the Investor Advisory CouncilClick here to learn more about SerafClick here to learn more about the Hans Severeins AwardsClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

In this week's episode we are talking all about crowdfunding! Marcia Dawood sits down with CEO of PittMoss, Brian Scott as he tells us the ins and outs of this newer way of raising capital. "Angel investing for me was that chance to hit a homerun, to find the next Google, Amazon or Tesla." - Brian ScottBrian Scott got his start as an investor through the Blue Tree Allied Angels, founded by Catherine Mott, Venture Capitalist and former chair of the ACA board. Brian fell in love with the process of screening and working with entrepreneurs. One day he saw the founder of PittMoss, Mont Handley, pitch and immediately connected with their mission. He soon went from angel investor to CEO of PittMoss. PittMoss manufactures soilless potting mixes from organic, recycled paper and is currently disrupting the soil economy as a much safer potting soil for the environment. You may have seen them featured on SharkTank as they received an investment from Mark Cuban.Since taking over as the CEO Brian has raised 4 million in funding for the company through Angel groups and equity crowdfunding platforms. Everything changed in 2016 when the SEC allowed for Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF), this is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising smaller amounts of money from a large number of people. Platforms such as Republic, allowed Brian and his team to go out to their biggest fans and provide them an outlet to invest in their company. Listen to the full episode as Brian shares the process of crowdfunding for PittMoss, the type of transparency it takes to be on such platforms, and how crowdfunding is currently disrupting the angel investor world. Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Brian’s profile on LinkedinClick Here to learn more about PittMossLearn more about investing through RepublicLearn more about SEC Regulation CrowdfundingClick Here to read Beth Zimmer’s profile on LinkedinClick Here to read Catherine Mott’s profile on LinkedinClick Here to read Mont Handley’s profile on LinkedinEmail Brian Scott - [email protected] PittMoss on TwitterFollow PittMoss on InstagramFollow PittMoss on FacebookClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week on ‘The Angel Next Door’ we are talking all about SPV’s (Special Purpose Vehicle) and fund of funds! Marcia Dawood sits down with the Co-founder and CEO of Assure, Jeremy Neilson. Assure is the industry leader in structuring SPV’s and the most experienced end-to-end administrator of what many Angels and deal organizers call the fast, affordable SPV. What makes them so special is that their work has decreased the cost of SPVs by 90%, making it possible for more investors to invest in more companies at one time. Jeremy and Marcia discuss secondary markets. Angels are always interested in hearing ways to either get into a deal through buying secondary shares or getting some liquidity by selling shares on the secondary market. It is a hot topic!!He also talks about how the future has become much more digital due to covid which is why it’s important to streamline these processes so that anyone from anywhere can raise money. See below for our list of definitions from the episode. SPV: Special Purpose Vehicle - “Vehicle" refers to the legal entity, or structure, created for raising money in order to invest. The “Special Purpose” is the investment. This investment could be into a startup, a private company, a real estate project, or other assets like art or films.Fund of Funds: A "fund of funds" is an investment strategy of holding a portfolio of other investment funds rather than investing directly into one venture fund.This episode is great if you are interested in becoming an investor or learning about how the process works! Tune in to learn more!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to reach Jeremy’s profile on LinkedinLearn more about AssureTo learn more about the AngelList - click hereClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week Marcia Dawood flies solo and tells us all about portfolio construction for investing. Marcia goes over the different types of business industries, stages of a company, and how that affects “de-risking” a company. She also shares a few personal stories about the different companies she has invested in over the years and the lessons that were learned along the way. Marcia will also go over the 3 things she tells every board member:1. Talk about an exit at every board meeting2. Make sure you have the right management team in place3. Don't ever let the company run out of moneySome of the great companies talked about in this episode that are making a big impact in today’s world are Cognition Therapeutics and their work on treating central nervous system disorders, The Rising Tide Network made up of 99 women investors, funds such as Portfolia and Next Wave Impact Fund, PittMoss a revolutionary substitute for peat-moss, PickUp Now a group of ‘Good Guys’ making a breakthrough in the auto tech industry, Markid a platform for buying and selling consignment items for children, as well as Misfits Bakehouse a gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo and Keto friendly bakery. These businesses are all proof that industry does not always matter when it comes to investing as much as impact and change does. Tune in to hear the full episode and what Marcia learned from investing in these companies!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInLearn more about Cognition TherapeuticsLearn more about the Rising Tide NetworkLearn more about PortfoliaLearn more about Next Wave ImpactLearn more about PittMossLearn more about Pick Up NowLearn more about MarkidLearn more about Misfits BakehouseClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week on ‘The Angel Next Door’ we talk with a female investor who is making a huge impact on other female entrepreneurs and investors. Marcia Dawood interviews Dr. Silvia Mah, PhD, MBA who is an accelerator, fellow Angel Investor, and advocate for diverse founders. Join us as these two female leaders in business discuss why we need more female angel investors today and how women investors invest 2x as much in female entrepreneurs than men do.Silvia tells us what an accelerator is, how the process works and how an Angel investor can be a mentor/advisor to these accelerator programs as a way to get experience with entrepreneurs before deciding to make your first investment. We discuss how Stella Labs was born to help build women's confidence in investing through education. She also tells us about a recent big exit story she had from one of her investments that turned into a big financial return and how it is important to be patient in these types of ventures. Silvia also shares some great insight from another fellow angel investor Lorine Pendleton, Esq, which are the 3 C’s for Capital: Financial Capital, Relational Capital, and Expertise Capital. Use your network, use your expertise and your funding as the 3 sources of capital that an investor can serve to an entrepreneur. This episode is one you won’t want to miss and truly shows why it is so important to back the companies that we want to see change in the world!Tune in to hear the full episode!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Dr. Silvia Mah’s profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Dr. Alicia Robb’s profile on Linkedin, author of Angel Investing BooksClick Here to read Lorine Pendleton, Esq. profile on LInkedInLearn More about 37 AngelsLearn More about Stella LabsLearn More about Stella AngelsFind out more about TCA (Tech Coast Angels)Click here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

In this week’s short but sweet episode your host Marcia Dawood talks all about diversification and its importance to investors and entrepreneurs. She discusses different ways to invest in order to gain exposure to more companies and increase your chances of success, and tells us why she is such a big fan of funds. Marcia shares some statistics taken from the ACA’s Angel Funders Report showing why a diverse portfolio is important. She also talks about her experiences in Angel groups and how two people in the same angel group can have very different experiences. This episode is filled with great information on how to keep a diverse portfolio and things to consider as an investor and entrepreneur. Tune in to hear more!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInRead the full Angel Funders ReportRead more about PortfoliaClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

This week on ‘The Angel Next Door,’ Marcia Dawood sits down with Rachel ten Brink. Rachel co-founded her company Scentbird and raised $29 million first from angels and then venture funds including Y Combinator. She has now started her own venture capital company, Red Bike Capital. In this episode Rachel gives us her best advice on how entrepreneurs can get their first customers and their first investment. She also talks all about direct to consumer businesses vs retail and how “85% of transactions are still happening in retail, which means even with all the growth over the past year, only 15% of e-commerce businesses are direct to consumer only.” Rachel also shares how secondhand shopping is forecasted to grow 11 times faster than regular retail and tells us all about the “3:1 gold standard.” There is so much to unpack in this episode! Marcia and Rachel also go over commonly misused acronyms like D2C, DNVB, CPG, CAQ, and LTV. See their definitions below: D2C: Direct to ConsumerDNVB: Digitally Native BrandsCPG: Consumer Packaged GoodsCAC: Cost of Customer AcquisitionLTV: Lifetime ValueIf you are a business owner in the e-commerce or retail space or are looking to become an investor to one, this is an episode you are going to want to take notes on! Rachel also gives tips for pitching to investors, how to speak in their terms and advice to anyone that would like to try angel investing for the first time. Tune in to learn more!Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Rachel’s profile on LinkedInClick here to find out more about Red Bike CapitalFind out more about Y CombinatorClick here to find out more about ScentbirdClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

When one small pebble is dropped into a lake, many much bigger ripples form carrying the energy to the shore - the same thing happens when a community comes together to back the changes they want to see in the world. The energy and contributions from the originator create lasting impact felt by many. Angels are this energy source! This phenomenon was measured in a recent economic study conducted by Desert Angels, an ACA member group, that found “...for every $100,000 of investment, portfolio companies produce 5.8 direct jobs, $458,000 in wages and $2.1 million in economic output.”This week on ‘The Angel Next Door,’ Marcia Dawood sits down with Pat Gouhin, the CEO of the Angel Capital Association (ACA) to talk about the “ripple impact” angel investing can have on a community. In this episode, Pat joins us to talk all about the public policy work the ACA is doing and how it is a piece that is commonly overlooked and not understood. The ACA’s Public Policy committee works tirelessly to educate legislators on the importance of ‘angels', entrepreneurs, and their collaborative efforts in local communities and in job creation.In addition Marcia and Pat discuss why angel investors are critically important to ecosystem development and explain how capital contributions are amplified through angel mentoring and networking that contributes to entrepreneurs maximizing their potential on the journey to change the world.Tune in to hear more! SHOW NOTES: Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Pat's profile on LinkedInFind out more about the work the ACA Public Policy committee is doingFind out more about Section 1202 initiative Learn more about QSBS (Qualified Small Business Stock)Click here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

In this week’s episode Marcia Dawood interviews guest Denise Dunlap, a long time Angel Investor and Managing Partner of Sage Growth Capital. Denise and her company are one of the first to offer Revenue Based Financing as an additional option of funding for businesses.Revenue Based Financing can be a great solution for entrepreneurs to keep more ownership in their companies as they go on their fundraising journey and provides a different type of funding mechanism for local founders and entrepreneurs. Tune in to find out what Revenue Based Financing is and if it is right for you as an entrepreneur or a company that you know and love as an investor. Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick Here to read Denise's profile on LinkedInSage Growth Capital: Case Study in Revenue Based Capital Killer Creameryhttps://www.sagegrowthcapital.comClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

In this short but sweet episode, we dive into the how and why people do angel investing. You will hear about not just the financial rewards but also all of the other reasons for participating in this asset class. Happy listening! Click Here to read Marcia's profile on LinkedInClick here to find out more about the Angel Capital AssociationTake courses to learn how to be an angel investor at Angel University - click here for info!Want to reach the Angel Capital Association? CLICK HEREHave ideas for the show? Email us at [email protected]

The Angel Next Door podcast is a show about how people got started investing in startup companies. Hosted by Marcia Dawood, current chair of the board of the Angel Capital Association, the professional organization of angel investors across the US and globally. If you want to see change in the world you have to create it, invest in it or be it! Tune in to hear stories of what angel investing is, who does it and why!