“You’ve got to be willing to swing, which means, by definition, sometimes you’re going to miss,” Brendan says on this solo episode of Billion Dollar Tech, as he takes us step by step through the set of criteria he used to evaluate his first venture investment. Determining the risk versus reward ratio of a company is one important factor in any investment decision. Another major factor was that the company (which he won’t name, but you might certainly recognize) had an impressive network. As Brendan often reminds us, “Your network is your net worth.”
Don’t be afraid to ask why you are the one being given this opportunity. Decide what’s more important to you: valuation or potential. The idea is important but above all, look at the company’s ability to execute. Be sure to look at the whole team when deciding if these are people you want to work with.
With this advice, Brendan hopes you can find something useful for your own investments, and welcomes your feedback and reactions. Perhaps you have advice of your own to give!
Quotes:
“Why am I the one they want to get money from versus all of the opportunities and sources for capital out there?” ([3:03]-[3:09] | Brendan)
“The execution matters more than anything else. Yes, the idea is important, but I’ve seen a lot of great ideas that have just fizzled because people just can’t execute.” ([4:10]-[4:17] | Brendan)
“Can another big player just come in and do this? This is something that I hear a lot in businesses.” ([6:53]-[6:58] | Brendan)
“You have to look at these things and say, ‘Am I OK with this going to zero?’ ([9:20]-[9:24] | Brendan)
Connect with Brendan Dell:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendandell/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrendanDell
Instagram: @thebrendandell
TikTok: @brendandell39
Buy a copy of Brendan’s Book, The 12 Immutable Laws of High-Impact Messaging: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780578210926
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About the Author
Brendan Dell
Brendan Dell is an author and the founder of The Daily Creative. As a freelancer he's worked with clients like Expedia, Cvent, Panasonic, Brother, Windstream and 100+ more to build unignorable tech brands. At The Daily Creative, he shares advice and lessons to help freelancers level up.
