Due Diligence Checklist for Investing in a Business

Entrepreneurs with a startup often ask for my advice on how to seek funding from investors. I find they often fail to understand the due diligence process. To help entrepreneurs prepare for the due diligence process, I created a presentation, "Due Diligence Checklist for Investing in a Business," which is segmented into six parts: (1) General Corporate Compliance/Organizational Information, (2) Financial and Tax Information, (3) Employment and Labor Matters, (4) Business Contracts and Commitments, (5) Intellectual Property, and (6) Equipment and Personal Property.

Entrepreneur magazine, through its "Small Business Encyclopedia," defines 'due diligence' as "a reasonable investigation of a proposed investment deal and of the principals offering it before the transaction is finalized to check out an investment's worthiness; generally performed by the investor's attorney and accountant."

I hope this post will provide entrepreneurs with insights into the verification requirements investors may have when assessing the risks of investing in a business. What additional information do you recommend adding to the checklist? Do you have any recommendations or lessons learned on utilizing the due diligence process effectively?

Due Diligence Checklist for Investing in a Business from Aaron Rose

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

China's Emerging ODI Focus: Agriculture, Financial Services and Real Estate

Photo: EIU

In the previous post, I discussed a few key points from a webinar produced by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that focused on China's recent economic developments, regional opportunities and risks, overseas investment, and an overview of the EIU's Access China service. Some key points from EIU's report, China Going Global Investment Index or GGI, which was first published in 2013 and updated annually "to help Chinese investors to understand the evolving opportunities and risks ahead," are included in the webinar. The latest update to the index ranks the attractiveness of 67 major economies to Chinese firms and provides a framework to evaluate investment prospects on the country level based on 70 indicators. This post explores certain findings from the GGI for 2015, which the EIU makes available in English and Chinese through its website.

The report's introduction explains: "Since Chinese outbound direct investment (ODI) took off in 2005, annual outflows have grown at an average rate of 35% per year, reaching US$123bn in 2014" making China the world's third largest investor, only behind the United States and Japan. "China's share of global ODI stock remains small as it is still in early stage (China 2.3%, US 22% and Japan 4.5% in 2013)," according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). "Fast growth," however, "is expected in the coming years with strong government support, which should increase China's share rapidly."

The GGI notes that agriculture ODI grows rapidly despite being in a early stage. "As China becomes a major food importer, its food security strategy requires securing sources of import." This is exemplified through WH Group's acquisition of U.S.-based Smithfield Foods, Inc., the largest pork processor and hog producer in the world, for US$4.7 billion in 2013, which is the biggest agriculture ODI to date by a Chinese company.

Additionally, according to the report, "Agricultural ODI has been diverse, ranging from small demonstration rice fields in Africa, to massive soybean plantations, processing facilities, and ports in Brazil. Adding new indicators for agriculture has gained scores for countries with abundant agricultural resources and sophisticated farming production processes, such as US (corn), Australia (beef), Argentina (soybean), and New Zealand (dairy)."

 

The EIU webinar produced on Feb. 25, 2016 said China's emerging ODI focus include financial services and real estate. These sectors, according to the GGI, "have attracted new interests from Chinese investors." Moreover, "Chinese ODI in financial intermediations was five times as much as that in real estate in 2012, but the latter sees faster growth and closes the gap quickly," which is reflected in the chart to the right.

What is causing an increased interest in foreign property by Chinese investors? The slowdown in China's domestic real estate market. "A report by MSCI, a US-based finance company, shows that global property market delivered a return of 9.9% in 2014, and that in the US was 11.6%, when the return in Chinese property market was only 7.1%," the GGI explains. Furthermore, "Chinese investors usually avoid emerging markets in this field due to high currency risks, and their favorite objectives are office buildings, retail stores and hotels, according to a 2014 study by Cushman & Wakefield, a US real estate services company. US is one of the most popular destinations for property investments."

The report recommends that in order "for Chinese ODI to keep up its momentum, firms will need to approach investment in a more sophisticated manner. In the past, Chinese investment exhibited a strong pro-cyclical pattern—firms bought natural resources when its economy was growing fast and, as a result, they found themselves often paying peak prices for commodities. A counter-cyclical approach and long-term thinking will be the key to success for future ODI."

I also support the suggestion that "Chinese investors and authorities ought to be aware of challenges lying ahead. Although more markets are opening to Chinese investors, anti-China sentiment has also been observed. Poor labor conditions and a reliance on imported Chinese workers have caused tensions in some countries, while a less-than-stringent approach to environmental management has also caused problems for Chinese companies." In addition, the report accurately states that "a failure to mitigate national security concerns has thwarted Chinese investors in some markets."

The GGI's concluding paragraph says: "This means that investors should have a well-thought-out plan before making the ODI decisions and be sensitive to the contours of the market in which they are investing. The scope for an increase in market access is limited, with bilateral investment treaty negotiations with the US and EU yet to bear fruit, and an international debate still ongoing over whether China should be given market economy status."

Finally, the report correctly advises that "Chinese companies need to focus clearly on the opportunities and risks already available. A better investment promotion regime is needed, along with diplomatic efforts."

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

China's Emerging Cities, Outbound Investment and Macroeconomic Development

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research arm of The Economist Group for business executives, produced a webinar on Feb. 25, 2016 titled "Emerging cities, outbound investment and macroeconomic development in China," which provided an overview of recent developments in China, regional opportunities and risks, overseas investment, and an overview of the EIU's Access China service. While I recommend watching the one-hour webinar in its entirety (including downloading the PowerPoint presentation), there are a few points worth discussing in this post.

"Emerging cities, outbound
investment and macroeconomic
development in China" -- slide 5

The webinar started with explaining significant regional discrepancies in growth performance exist. For example, as represented in slide 5, the provinces of Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Jilin in China's northeast, along with the province of Shanxi, experienced an economic growth change of less than six percent in 2015. The northeast provinces contain a large number of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), primarily in heavy industries, which are feeling an adverse impact of China's transition from an export-driven to a consumer-driven economy, as well as weaker external demand for heavy industry products by Northeast Asian countries. Another factor hurting the economy of China's northeast provinces is high unemployment and minimal wage growth continues to drag on local consumption.

Conversely, central China's Chongqing, Guizhou, and western China's Tibet experienced economic growth of more than 10 percent last year. Manufacturing output growth is resilient in central China, which can attribute some of its growth on the relocation of industrial enterprises from China's coastal regions and a stronger presence of private sector manufacturers generally. This growth is lifting levels of productivity and has experienced an improved easiness of doing business. The webinar also noted growth held up better in consumption, private-sector oriented provinces located primarily in China's coastal region despite the departure of some industrial enterprises to the central region.

"Emerging cities, outbound
investment and macroeconomic
development in China" -- slide 17

Another point the webinar covered was outward direct investment (ODI) from China is catching up with foreign direct investment (FDI) as illustrated in slide 17. While China's ODI flows reached over US$160 billion in 2015, China's share of global ODI stock was only 2.3 percent. Chinese ODI interest is becoming more diverse with targets in the services and agriculture sectors.

Moreover, according to slide 21, China's investment flows vary on a sectoral basis. For example, the top three sectors for FDI are manufacturing, real estate, and leasing and commercial services. Whereas, leasing and commercial services, wholesale and retail trade, and mining are the top three sectors for China's ODI. Emerging ODI focus include financial services and real estate.

"Emerging cities, outbound
investment and macroeconomic
development in China" -- slide 21

Lastly, for those whom are interested in doing business in China, I recommend utilizing EIU's Access China service, which is described as a "unique service designed to help your business succeed in China. It is the only single source of data, analysis and forecasts for every province, prefecture and 287 of China's largest cities."

For those of you currently doing businesses in the world's second largest economy, what market intelligence services do you recommend?

Aaron Rose serves as President and CEO of ROI3, Inc., a Seattle, Wash.-based company that empowers people in emerging economies through innovative, technology-based solutions. He is also the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Verified Credential Management for the Professional World

The previous post discussed my experience of attending the 9Mile Labs Demo Day or "Milestone9" where participating companies (cohort) present their idea to an audience of investors, mentors, executives, community partners, and the greater entrepreneurial community. 9Mile Labs is an Seattle, Wash.-based accelerator focused on enterprise or business-to-business (B2B) software and cloud technologies. In writing the previous post, I found the notes from my attendance of Milestone9 on May 14th, 2015.

The nine companies participating in Cohort IV include:

1. Camp Native -- Marketplace to list, discover, and reserve campsites;
2. Fasterbids -- Remodel pricing in seconds, saving time, saving money;
3. Kodu Care -- Kodu Care brings patient success management to mental health;
4. Mowdo -- On-demand app and pricing engine for the 74B lawn care industry;
5. Pingle -- Verified credential management for the professional world;
6. Qalendra -- Mine, fuse and structure data from multiple sources to generate predictions and insights for the travel industry;
7. SalesPrepper -- A salesperson's personal research analyst;
8. Unoceros -- We turn mobile phones into datacenter-like-instances; and
9. Variat -- Quality control solution optimized for medium-sized manufacturers with global aspirations.

While each company presented a unique solution to a particular problem, I enjoyed the presentation made by Pingle, Inc. Founded by Kristian Alcaide and RedWolf Pope, Pingle "uses a patent-pending machine learning verification engine to instantly provide credentials for professionals in maritime, construction, medical and other industries," according to an GeekWire article that includes an interview with Mr. Pope.

In his interview, Mr. Pope, who also serves as the company's chief executive officer, explained that "Pingle verifies peoples credentials, lets employers check compliance, and offers renewal options when they expire. So we facilitate communication with workers, employers and schools, but we also verify everyone and each credential, so that trust is added to the equation."

One of Pingle's value proposition is saving time as the current system of verifying credentials is a painstaking manual- and telephone-based process that may take weeks. Saving money is another value of Pingle's service as the "costs of a bad hire or expired credentials can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars," according to the company's website. Moreover, "Current tracking solutions are overly complex, costly and add more work to the HR department."

Given the challenges HR departments may have in maintaining compliance in managing and verifying the credentials of their current or prospective employees, or professionals needing to manage their credentials, there is certainly a market opportunity for a service like Pingle's.

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

A Cloud-Based Storm Water Monitoring Platform Among the Innovative Solutions from the 9Mile Labs Startup Accelerator

9Mile Labs is a Seattle, Wash.-based accelerator focused on enterprise or business-to-business (B2B) software and cloud technologies. The startups accepted into the program receive a $35,000-$105,000 investment in exchange for 7-10% of the startup's equity, a diverse network of mentors who can help provide counsel and connections to the companies, workspace for the company, and networking and social events run by 9Mile Labs during the program. At the end of the 14-week program, the participating companies (cohort) attend a graduation ceremony, 9Mile Labs Demo Day or "Milestone9," where each company is provided with the opportunity to present their idea to an audience of investors, mentors, executives, community partners, and the greater entrepreneurial community. I had the pleasure of attending Milestone9 on March 3, 2016 in Seattle.

The 11 companies participating in Cohort V at MileStone9 include:

1. ClientLinkt -- Custom App for Realtors®, helping them add value & stay connected;
2. CPE Suite -- Continuing Professional Education (CPE) marketplace for licensed professionals;
3. Globatom -- Cloud-based platform that automates International trade;
4. IoTfy -- Enabling IoT in Enterprises;
5. Jodone -- Robotic/Human hybrid solution for Solid waste and Recycling, the mechanical Turk for robotics;
6. minima -- SaaS solution that helps Enterprise IT control data sprawl;
7. Muze -- Helping small businesses grow through entertainment and advertisements;
8. Namastream -- Namastream is a comprehensive, on-demand virtual wellness studio platform;
9. StormSensor -- StormSensor is the only cloud-based storm water monitoring platform;
10. trenzi -- Trenzi enables everyday influencers to promote products for brands;
11. Viato -- World's First Deal Escrow: Providing protection against channel conflict to indirect sales partners who register the deals early.

Photo of StormSensor's
Erin Rothman: GeekWire

Among the companies listed above, I am particularly impressed by StormSensor. During her presentation, Erin Rothman, StormSensor's co-founder and chief executive officer said, “We built StormSensor, the only solution that automates the entire data collection, monitoring, and reporting process for storm water data at test sites.” Ms. Rothman continued to say that "StormSensor notifies our users of rainfall at their sites so they know exactly when to sample…so they can focus on solving problems instead of wondering [if] they have one."

I appreciate the way Ms. Rothman presented the problem her company is solving and the solution she and her colleagues are creating. Specifically, I see value in the real-time analytics, data availability, and workflow notifications StormSensor is providing to their customers, which include government agencies and companies from the private sector. (For additional information about the company, I recommend reading this interview of StormSensor's co-founder, Anya Stettler, by Taylor Soper of GeekWire.)

This was the second Milestone9 event that I attended (the first being Cohort IV on May 14, 2015) and I enjoyed seeing the variety of creative ingenuity in the area of B2B software or cloud technology.

Aaron Rose serves as President and CEO of ROI3, Inc., a Seattle, Wash.-based company that empowers people in emerging economies through innovative, technology-based solutions. He is also the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

5G Is a New Wave of Mobile Technology That Will Bring Drastic Change

Photo: http://ow.ly/YQbWb

On the topic of 5G, The Economist published an article that claims the "new wave of mobile technology is on its way, and will bring drastic change." The article notes that "although the previous batch, collectively called 'fourth generation,' or 4G, is still being rolled out in many countries, the telecoms industry has already started working on the next, 5G."

"The advent of 5G is likely to bring another splurge of investment, just as orders for 4G equipment are peaking," the Feb. 20, 2016 article says. "The goal is to be able to offer users no less than the 'perception of infinite capacity,' says Rahim Tafazolli, director of the 5G Innovation Centre at the University of Surrey. Rare will be the device that is not wirelessly connected, from self-driving cars and drones to the sensors, industrial machines and household appliances that together constitute the 'internet of things' (IoT)."

The article correctly explains that the "path to a 5G wireless paradise will not be smooth. It is not only the usual telecoms suspects who will want a say in this mother of all networks. Media companies will want priority to be given to generous bandwidth, so they can stream films with ever higher resolution."

What is more, "Most IoT firms will not need much bandwidth, but will want their sensors to run on one set of batteries for years—so they will want the 5G standard to put a premium on low power consumption. Online-gaming firms will worry about latency: players will complain if it is too high."

It is important to point out that a lot of hype exists in this next generation of mobile technology. The article says that "when it comes to 5G, much is still up in the air: not only which band of radio spectrum and which wireless technologies will be used, but what standards makers of network gear and handsets will have to comply with." Furthermore, "Telecoms firms have reached consensus only on a set of rough 'requirements.' The most important are connection speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second and response times ('latency') of below 1 millisecond (see chart)."

Despite the hype corporate executives and political leaders worldwide are making, often prematurely or ignorantly, the article accurately notes "the momentum is real. South Korea and Japan are front-runners in wired broadband, and Olympic games are an opportunity to show the world that they intend also to stay ahead in wireless, even if that may mean having to upgrade their 5G networks to comply with a global standard once it is agreed."

China and India, the world's largest and fastest growing mobile markets, respectively, will provide significant opportunities in the deployment and subsequent commercialization of 5G. With respect to the U.S. market, "AT&T and Verizon both invested early in 4G, and would like to lead again with 5G."

The article concludes with a discussion about the evolution versus revolution development of 5G. While you can read the entire discussion in the article, as a member ITU's focus group to identify the network standardization requirements for the 5G development of International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) for 2020 and beyond, I have listened to much discussion about the evolution versus revolution development of 5G. Regardless of the rhetoric among the technical engineers devoted to the development of 5G, many sectors will benefit from this new wave of mobile technology including cloud computing, IoT, virtual reality, and 3D content accessible through a mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet, or smart watch.

What are your thoughts about The Economist's article?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

Companies Are Preparing to Monetize Their Data, Says EIU Report

The Economist Intelligence Unit published a report, The Business of Data, on Jan. 12, 2016 that claims companies are actively preparing to monetize their data. Sponsored by NTT Communications, a Tokyo, Japan-based telecommunication services company, "The EIU report examines how companies are positioning themselves to benefit directly from the wave of opportunities offered by fast-evolving data technologies. It is based on a cross-industry survey of 476 executives based largely in North America, Europe and Asia on their companies' data plans and practices, as well as insights from the leaders of organizations at the forefront of the emerging data industry."

The report's Executive Summary presents the following key findings:

• More companies want to profit from their data. While many companies have been gathering data for a long time, a greater proportion of them are now preparing to monetize it. Regardless of geography, sector or annual revenues, our survey makes it clear that most companies now perceive data as a strategic resource. Almost 60% of survey respondents say their organisations are already generating revenue from the data they own and will continue to do so, with the rate slightly higher in Asia (63%) than in North America and Europe (58% and 56%, respectively);
• Investment in new technologies will grow. The survey shows that big data has had a major impact on the operational structure of businesses, with 43% of survey respondents saying it has prompted them to use new technologies. This finding is consistent with other research, which shows companies significantly boosting investment in big data solutions and services such as cloud storage, data centers, and security. IDC, a technology research firm, estimates that this market will grow at a compound annual rate of 23% through 2019 to reach almost US$50bn;
• Data is becoming vital to decision-making. A large majority (83%) of those polled say that their firms have used data to make existing products or services more profitable, and over two-thirds (69%) feel that there is a case for starting a new business unit dedicated to developing data-related products or services. Data is increasingly being seen as the raw material that supports and informs a company’s efforts to meet key performance indicators and the expectations of its customers; and
• Consumer privacy and data security remain concerns. Safeguarding customer privacy remains a key concern as companies seek to profit more from their data. On the positive side, 86% of survey respondents say that their customers trust them with their personal data, and 82% insist their firms are selective in gathering, storing and analyzing customer data. However, only 34% of executives say that their firms are "very effective" at being transparent with customers about how they use their data and 9% admit to being "somewhat" or "totally ineffective," indicating regulators will remain vigilant in this area.

Naka Kondo, the editor of the report, said in EIU's press release:

Differences have emerged in the way companies, regulators and individuals are preparing for a world where data are increasingly seen as a commodity in their own right. The data literacy of individuals and of regulators will be crucial in defining the value, risk and benefits of data. Data considerations should be of prime strategic importance in the next three years, especially for companies looking to capture future opportunities in an expanding and changing market.

I agree with the report's conclusion that "the brave new world of big data is here to stay" and "many companies are poised to gather, analyze, use and trade in a larger and more diverse array of data in the years ahead regardless of regulatory or security complexities."

What are the strategies that allow companies to navigate this rapidly changing landscape and succeed at the business of data?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

App Store Consumer Spend to Exceed $100 Billion in 2020, Says App Annie

"Apps have become the primary way we engage with media, brands and ultimately with each other. They are the digital interface through which we live, work and play," App Annie explains in a new report that looks into the future of the mobile app economy.

According to the San Francisco, Calif.-based business intelligence company and analyst firm, "the strategic importance of the app market spans well beyond gaming and media industries. Now all companies need to view themselves as app publishers irrespective of their mobile strategy. Apps drive engagement and brand loyalty and can be monetized directly through app stores, advertising, commerce or any combination of the above."

The report presents five key findings:

1. Global mobile app store gross revenue will grow to $51 billion in 2016 and exceed $101 billion in 2020. Growth will be largely driven by two factors: strong app adoption in developing economies across the globe and mobile apps' ability to capture greater wallet share in mature economies;
2. Global mobile app store downloads will reach 284 billion in 2020, as the global installed base more than doubles between 2015 and 2020. Much of the growth will be driven by smartphone adoption in emerging markets;
3. Mature markets like the United States are in the midst of a shift from a download growth phase to one that is characterized by strong growth in app usage and resulting revenue expansion;
4. The iOS App Store will retain gross revenue leadership until 2017, at which point the combination of Google Play and third-party Android store revenue will surpass it due to the wider proliferation of Android devices; and
5. While games revenue will dominate through the forecast period, revenue for apps excluding games will exceed 2015 levels more than 4x by 2020, accounting for over 25% of all app store spend. Time spent in apps from categories like Social, Shopping and Transportation strongly suggests that advertising and commerce will form a significant proportion of economic activity in the app ecosystem beyond the $101 billion we are projecting in store sales.

Elaborating on the first key finding above, the report says:

As apps deliver more value to users and device penetration rises, we forecast consumer spend on app stores (gross app revenue) to grow by 24% to $50.9 billion in 2016 and reach $101.1 billion in 2020. And even beyond the store revenue for mobile apps included in this report, there will be explosive growth in mobile commerce and advertising revenue. There will also be a growing contribution from apps as they expand into new platforms, namely wearables, TVs, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), home Internet of Things (IoT) and automotive.

Emerging markets will produce significant revenue from apps. For example, according to an App Annie blog post regarding its report, "China will surpass the U.S. in terms of total revenue from app stores by the first half of 2016, having surpassed it in downloads in early 2015."

Furthermore, "Revenue in the Americas and EMEA will nearly double over the next five years from 2016 levels, but both will be outpaced by the growth in APAC. We forecast that APAC will grow to $57.5 billion in 2020 with China driving more than half the revenue in the region by the end of the forecast period."

A final point worth mentioning from the report: "Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, China and especially India are poised for some of the strongest growth over the next five years. In the years ahead, billions of new smartphone owners in these emerging markets will join the app ecosystem. This opens up a huge opportunity for developers to target unmet needs and create whole new markets."

Aaron Rose serves as President and CEO of ROI3, Inc., a Seattle, Wash.-based company that empowers people in emerging economies through innovative, technology-based solutions. He is also the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Focus on the Long-Term and Resist Short-Termism Afflicting Corporate Behavior

Photo of Larry Fink: BlackRock

Laurence (Larry) Fink, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock, a New York, N.Y.-based investment firm, sent his annual Corporate Governance Letter to chief executives at S&P 500 companies and large European corporations. Mr. Fink's letter encourages corporate leaders to focus on creating long-term strategies and resist "the powerful forces of short-termism afflicting corporate behavior." While you can read the letter in its entirety, there are a few points worth discussing in this post.

The lack of transparency and openness on Wall Street has long been a concern of mine during my professional career. I am pleased to read Mr. Fink's message "that companies have an obligation to be open and transparent about their growth plans so that shareholders can evaluate them and companies' progress in executing on those plans." Mr. Fink continues to say: "We are asking that every CEO lay out for shareholders each year a strategic framework for long-term value creation. Additionally, because boards have a critical role to play in strategic planning, we believe CEOs should explicitly affirm that their boards have reviewed those plans."

I spend a significant amount of my time reading reports issued by publicly-traded companies as required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and I am routinely disappointed these companies do not address management's vision and future plans. Therefore, I find encouragement in Mr. Fink's words:

Annual shareholder letters and other communications to shareholders are too often backwards-looking and don’t do enough to articulate management’s vision and plans for the future. This perspective on the future, however, is what investors and all stakeholders truly need, including, for example, how the company is navigating the competitive landscape, how it is innovating, how it is adapting to technological disruption or geopolitical events, where it is investing and how it is developing its talent. As part of this effort, companies should work to develop financial metrics, suitable for each company and industry, that support a framework for long-term growth. Components of long-term compensation should be linked to these metrics. 

Mr. Fink also addresses how environmental and social factors are impacting corporate long-term plans:

These issues offer both risks and opportunities, but for too long, companies have not considered them core to their business – even when the world’s political leaders are increasingly focused on them, as demonstrated by the Paris Climate Accord. Over the long-term, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues – ranging from climate change to diversity to board effectiveness – have real and quantifiable financial impacts.

"At companies where ESG issues are handled well, they are often a signal of operational excellence."

It is too easy to blame companies for being too focused on the short-term; "investors, the media, and public officials have a role to play," according to Mr. Fink. "In Washington (and other capitals), long-term is often defined as simply the next election cycle, an attitude that is eroding the economic foundations of our country" and "public officials must adopt policies that will support long-term value creation."

Lastly, "Companies, for their part, must recognize that while advocating for more infrastructure or comprehensive tax reform may not bear fruit in the next quarter or two, the absence of effective long-term policies in these areas undermines the economic ecosystem in which companies function – and with it, their chances for long-term growth."

What are your thoughts about Mr. Fink's letter?

Aaron Rose serves as President and CEO of ROI3, Inc., a Seattle, Wash.-based company that empowers people in emerging economies through innovative, technology-based solutions. He is also the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

CES 2016: How to Get From Seed to Series A

Photo: Techstars

During my visit to CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Nev., I had the opportunity to attend a panel discussion hosted by Techstars titled "How to Get From Seed to Series A." Moderated by Techstars' Ari Newman, the panelists included Anjula Acharia-Bath of Trinity Ventures, Adam D'Augelli of True Ventures, Jenny Fielding of Techstars, and Nihal Mehta of ENIAC Ventures. While you can listen to a recording of the full panel via SoundCloud, there are a few items worth discussing in this post.

In his blog post summarizing the event, Mr. Newman notes: "One of the themes that came out of the panel was that Series A is still about the overall story. Metrics do play a part, but the investors have to share the vision and the long term potential about a huge return at this stage."

While I agree with the importance for early-stage companies telling their story to potential investors since metrics may not be plentiful given the short market traction of the company, the company's founders must still present key performance indicators (KPIs) for the short- and long-term future. In my experience, while investors understand that metrics may play a small role when evaluating the worthiness of making an investment in an early-stage startup, they also want to know the founders are thinking about the future through measured results.

Photo: Techstars

The panelists collectively agreed that seed-funded companies are seeing a more competitive environment in attracting investments from early-stage investors. This, in my opinion, may be the result of a volatile investment climate, a growing number of startups looking for funding, or a combination of the two. Regardless, founders must do their homework and understand the investment behavior and interests of prospective investors. "Do your VC research deeply and make sure they are a fit on paper so you don't waste time," Mr. Newman wrote.

Ms. Fielding provided a very important piece of advice for entrepreneurs: Develop your relationships with potential investors prior to requesting money. It may take a year or two of develop a business before the point outside funding is necessary. Entrepreneurs should take this time to develop relationships with advisors and potential investors.

The previous sentence leads to another point, which was addressed by Ms. Acharia-Bath: "Don't ever tell someone that you are raising money because the moment you tell them you are raising money, [the investor] thinks you are selling to them. And that always works against you." Rather, Ms. Acharia-Bath continued, "if you ask for money, you get advice. And if you ask for advice, you get money." I completely agree (with both points)!!

Lastly, a panelist noted, if a business does not have enough cash to sustain its operations for more than six months, then the owner(s) need to focus on raising funds from investors.

What advice would you give to an entrepreneur seeking funding for their enterprise?


Aaron Rose serves as President and CEO of ROI3, Inc., a Seattle, Wash.-based company that empowers people in emerging economies through innovative, technology-based solutions. He is also the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.