Tag: small business

How to tell an investing expert from a non-expert

by Joshua Rollins on September 23, 2020.

Investing can be complex. Building a smart investment strategy and risk management discipline takes work. But an investor is only deemed an expert based on one thing: track record; when someone can turn around and say, “Hey, look! It worked!”  This is the funny thing about tying “expertise” to the practice of risking capital into...

Social Capital – What is it and why should you care?

by John Crawford on September 15, 2020.

Around here, we often say Vicinity is where financial capital meets social capital. Well, if you say something often enough, you should probably stop and make sure people know what you mean. What is social capital anyway? Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone has pointed out that the term was actually “independently invented” at least...

An Adrenaline Junkie’s Guide To Analyzing Risk

by Malcolm McDonald on September 15, 2020.

Welcome to an adrenaline junkie’s guide to analyzing risk. I wouldn’t blame you if you closed your laptop immediately and walked away. But thanks to years of poor, risk-ignoring, endorphin-driven choices, I’ve learned valuable decision-making skills around separating thrill-seeking motivations from money-seeking endeavors. Thrill-seeking desires are great for a few afternoons of cliff diving. Not...

What do Angel investors look for in small businesses?

by Kasen Wysong on September 9, 2020.

Angel investor. Probably the coolest title in the investing world. This moniker belongs to high net worth individuals who financially back a business, usually in return for equity in the company. With the cool name comes a pretty high level of risk.  That’s why there have been laws allowing only individuals with large disposable income...

Nomads Can’t Grow Gardens

by John Crawford on September 8, 2020.

It’s no secret. Whether we’re talking attention spans or investing strategies, we live in an age of short-sightedne… oh look! Bitcoin! Everybody wants to make a quick buck. Over the years, priority in the markets has shifted from forward-looking innovation and production to short-term earnings and a ”we’ll get to you later” approach to research...

Crowdfunding with Covid [Regulatory Update]

by Malcolm McDonald on September 1, 2020.

The investment crowdfunding industry is not losing any steam even during…well, you know… the feverish elephant in the room with a dry cough. Though you never know what will happen when the world unexpectedly halts for a few months, there is some rationale to why this little brother of crowdfunding might be showing some extra...

The Who Economy

by Malcolm McDonald on August 11, 2020.

I’ll never forget pitching two angel investors with my first fully thought-out business plan. I’ve always been a dreamer, a creator, and an aspiring visionary known for the verbal tick, “What if…” But this was the first time I had put pen to paper (fingers to keyboard), pulled out my calculator (iPhone), and drawn up...

Reasons to Invest Local with Regulation Crowdfunding

by Joshua Rollins on July 22, 2020.

If you’ve read our stuff before, you know Regulation Crowdfunding provides a new-to-you business investment opportunity. An avenue to invest local that has been suppressed since before the Great Depression is now yours for the taking! Breathe in all the freedom that can be packed into a phrase beginning with “regulation”. But it’s important to...

How can I increase cash flow as a small business?

by Kasen Wysong on July 7, 2020.

Spreadsheets, bookkeeping, cash flows, balance sheets, financial statements…it’s tough to manage your finances as a small business. You may be a passionate owner with a tremendous product or service, but maybe your financial situation isn’t where you’d like it to be. That’s totally normal.  Did you know small business accounts for a mind-boggling 99.7% of...

5 Reasons To Invest In Your Community

by Kasen Wysong on June 23, 2020.

The first time I asked my wife out was at a coffee shop on a corner street. It was a significant moment for us, and by default, the shop became a significant place. A year and a half later we would get married, and it all started in that coffee shop on the corner. We...