BUSINESS SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT THE FIVE “M”s:
1.Management 2. Market 3. Model (Business) 4. Money 5. Momentum
These are in no particular order (except that “management” always comes first)…
#1 Management
An “A grade” team with a “B grade” idea can make it work. They can take a good idea and make it great. How? Through having the right combination of skillsets, knowledge, drive, passion, and just plain, old fashioned hard work, grit, and determination.
However, a “B grade” team with an “A grade” idea just won’t work. An idea, no matter how great it is, just won’t become a viable and successful business venture without the right people behind it. The team is key.
The calibre of a team is usually dependent on what stage of growth a business is at. For example, a business looking to raise funding in a Proof of Concept (POC) round probably won’t have more than one person on their “team”, as it is one of the first stages of growth; in fact, at that stage, the business can even be considered pre-growth. However, a more established team, who have been operational for more than 2 years, will have built up a fantastic team: both internally and externally. All skillsets should be covered as quickly and effectively as possible.
As part of the work we do with entrepreneurs who come to list on the Garrards Coaching & Mentoring, we help them to understand the necessity of building a strong team. From highlighting potential gaps in skillsets and team members, to considering the most appropriate choices for board members and advisors.
As well as this, we ask how and when these gaps can be filled either with the budget the business has currently, or following a successful funding round. Investors want to know how the investment will be used in terms of building the best team possible. They want to know that their investment will be put towards giving the business the best chance of succeeding.
Looking at a team from your perspective, as a potential investor, how strong a sense of entrepreneurial spirit do you get? If that often indescribable “vision” or creative spark is missing, it may or may not be a warning sign that the entrepreneur doesn’t have the ability to execute the plan and make the business a success. You need to pick investment opportunities that give you confidence in the business owners’ ability and drive to succeed.
#2 Market
Before investing in a potential start up, early stage, or established business opportunity, you need to look at a number of things, including the sector they operate in and their competition. This should give you a better understanding of how the business could perform in current climates, as well as the market demand for such a business. If there is a large demand, then the business has more high-growth potential.
There are two types of investment strategy: Top-Down and Bottom-Up. Both approaches are ways of investigating the marketplace in order to determine where investments should be made. Which approach do you use?
Top-Down
This is where the investor looks at everything, including GDP(Gross Domestic Product), exchange and interest rates, and inflation. From this, sector, sales, and competitor analyses are carried out, which gives the investor a clearer understanding of which industries are likely to outperform others in the near future. After narrowing the field down to specific sectors, in this manner, the investor is then able to identify the most promising prospects and then look more closely into individual businesses.
Bottom-Up
As the name suggests, is the opposite approach to Top-Down. Whereas Top-Down starts with considering macroeconomic factors, Bottom-Up ignores these completely and focuses instead on the qualities of individual businesses. This approach relies on the personal choice of the investor, who often believes that an individual business can thrive, regardless of outside factors and the performance of similar businesses at that time.
Both approaches offer benefits in choosing where to invest, but since no one can accurately predict the future, there is no sure fire way to choose the “right” business. Investing in start up, early stage, and established businesses is high risk and as such, an investment portfolio should be diverse in order to mitigate the associated risk. Therefore, it is up to you as the investor, to decide which investment strategy you are most comfortable using. That way, you have more chance of becoming an “expert” at looking for warning signs, good or bad, as well as growing confidence in choosing businesses with high-growth potential for your investment portfolio.
Whichever approach you use, make sure you learn everything you can about the size of the relevant market, as well as the current market trend; is it growing, in a bubble, or the next big thing? A bubble refers to a “boom” period which is then followed by a “crash” or “bubble burst” and is therefore, usually only conclusively identified, retrospectively.
Let’s take a look at the Fintech sector; this is the sector that GrowthFunders operates in. Fintech is an exciting marketplace and currently has a lot of buzz going on around it. In an article written for Forbes, David Prosser writes that “fintech investment in UK venture is now growing more quickly that in any other market in the world”. The last few years (from 2008 until present) of growth in the Fintech sector would suggest that the market is possibly on its way towards being the “next big thing”.
#3 Model
A business model is the outline of how the start up, early stage, or established business intends to acquire, service, and retain customers. It is often condensed down from the company’s business plan and can give you, the investor, an indication of how the entrepreneur will establish and grow their business. Some examples of business models are: franchise, advertising, subscription, and direct sales.
The business model of the investee company needs to show that it is innovative or disruptive. If not, then it probably doesn’t have anything special to offer, no unique selling point (USP), setting them apart from existing competition. Although no one can predict the future, this would seem to indicate that there is no growth in the business; other people are already occupying the exact space, offering the same thing, and have history and gravitas behind them.
#4 Money
Although the majority of crowdfunded businesses are in the start up and early stages of growth, in the next few years, as online equity crowdfunding gains even more popularity, there will be an increase in the number of more established businesses using crowdfunding platforms to raise money.
How does the business/investment opportunity intend to monetise? Below is a list of some of the most popular revenue models. Obviously, businesses with recurring revenues are often the most attractive prospects because they show more potential for a steady turnover.
Retail and e-tail (off and online commerce)
Advertising
Subscription
Licensing
Auctions
Data
Transactions
Freemium
#5 Momentum
Momentum is where you check out the customer interest surrounding the investee company and sector. If it sounds like it’s linked quite closely to the research you will have undertaken in the market, that’s because it is. It’s worth asking yourself whether or not you believe that the business solves a genuine problem in the marketplace. If the answer is yes, then that’s a good start. Then you need to see how many people need that genuine problem solving; this will indicate either actual or potential customer interest. Look at the traction the investee company has in the marketplace. Does the business idea resonate with a lot of people? Does it resonate with you? Do you believe in the business model, the revenue model, the sector, the potential to succeed, the team?
…that’s right, we’re back to the start: the team. Are they that “A grade” team, and do they have the momentum to build their business and take it to the top of their sector? If all the evidence indicates that the answer is “yes”, as well as your due diligence, and your gut instinct, then you may just have found one investment opportunity for you.