What I Do: I serve as a strategic adviser and on boards of directors and advisory boards. I advise investors and CEOs and executive teams, sales teams and build advisory boards as business development engines. My expertise includes innovation, governance, succession planning, mergers & acquisitions, team building, strategic planning, turnarounds and reorganization.
I specialize in turnaround situations. My experience in building six for-profit companies and helping to launch two non-profit organizations allows me to help management overcome challenges that may seem daunting to them. My wide range of contacts allows me to tap into substantial pools of resources – including senior executives, highly effective professionals and sources of financial support.
An effective leader and innovator, I blend academic research with hands-on management expertise. I have a record of successful innovation in a variety of industries including technology transfer, film financing, property investment and management, team building and leadership, board design/population and management, management/team/board assessment and executive/leadership/team coaching. (Recent Engagements)
What Attracts My Interest: Two of my very favorite engagements are helping others build their business and building teams that accomplish great things. Some of my most rewarding experiences have been creating opportunities for highly motivated people and watching them enjoy successes that they never thought they might.
I work as a senior adviser to investors and CEOs because I believe that hard problems can be solved – it’s just a matter of finding the right approach, resources and team to solve them. When it comes to overcoming tough challenges, there is no substitute for experience and proven judgment. I have worked with investors and CEOs that were stuck – unable to find a way forward. Once the way is cleared, watching them succeed is a real ‘Rocky Mountain High’!
I build advisory boards as business development engines because I discovered that they are by far the best way to drive the gross revenue of a company. I built the first ones for my own companies. My book, Amazing Pace: Turbocharged Business Development describes these boards.
I have also published Dream Walk: Parables for the Living – Zen stories for the present.
Who I am: I am a proven entrepreneur, seasoned senior executive, political and social theorist, published author and speaker. A veteran of Wall Street, I have founded two non-profit and six for-profit companies.
My experience includes designing and organizing companies, business/technology management, team building, strategic alliances, negotiating complex arrangements, governance & compliance, resourcing & financing, mergers & acquisitions, management/team/board assessment, coaching and strategic and tactical planning and implementation.
I received a Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Texas and a Masters of Management Science from the Alfred P. Sloan School at MIT. In 1996 I was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy by the Department of Government and International Studies, Strathclyde University, Glasgow Scotland with a focus in political and social theory and comparative cultural analysis. Subsequently I taught advanced political and social theory as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Government, University of Birmingham in England.
I am available for radio and TV appearances, panels, seminars, speeches, key-note addresses, book signings and as a subject-matter expert. I am also a motivational speaker who combines humor with lots of content. Contact me with details on your event and needs.
Featured Articles
The Money Chase: What Does Investment Grade Mean? Part 1
Entrepreneurs frequently enter the money chase much too early in the game. They often start as soon as they have a business plan finished; if not before. Most presentations that investors see fall into this category. The results are beneficial to the investors because they get regular insights into developments within a space they find interesting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the first article in this series I offered a general definition of ‘investment grade’ and discussed the first issue that most investors look at. They generally start by asking are the entrepreneurs implementers or discussers? Most investors have had bad experiences with founders who are ‘all hat and no cattle’. The second screen that most investors use is a close evaluation of the value proposition that the company is based on. They are interested in sustainable margins and scalability. Investors want to see that the value proposition has been market tested and has resulted in a growing list of referencable customers. This helps the investors answer a series of fundamental questions such as:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Money Chase: Who They Do Not Invest In
The Money Chase is the graveyard of many a start-up. It can drain the energy and resources out of a new company and leave the founders frustrated and bitter. For many, seeking angel or venture capital investment is the most complex and subtle effort they have ever made. Most money chases fail because the founders do not have an investment quality company. The others fail because they either mismanaged the process or misunderstood how a successful money hunt should be managed. Yet others fail because they are simply not credible as entrepreneurs. This article is about that last group. Experienced angel investors and venture capitalist are always on the lookout for them and seldom take them seriously. Here are some types that they normally see and, for the most part, avoid:
Entries (RSS)