CAVA (~$35M/restaurant) and Chipotle Mexican Grill (~$20M/restaurant) far outperform other industry comps for valuation per location. What's their secret? A recent conversation with investor Andy Giacone from Roark Capital summed it up brilliantly: "I've done due diligence on a LOT of public and private restaurants. One of the assets that consistently leads to the highest valuations is the robustness of a brand's loyalty program. For B2C businesses, a scale and high-performing loyalty program is almost as important as recurring revenue in B2B." Why? Performant loyalty programs offers predictability and therefore downside protection while also making it far easier to achieve robust future growth. McKinsey & Company concurs: "While growth is difficult to sustain, it is generously rewarded. In examining 15 major publicly traded restaurant companies... there was a more than 80 percent correlation between annualized same-store sales growth and annualized total shareholder returns.... Successful loyalty programs translate directly into financial results, often encouraging both larger order sizes and greater order frequency from program members. These programs can funnel customers into brands’ first-party delivery businesses, which offer the brand higher margins than it receives from orders conducted through third-party delivery services."

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When we asked CPG founders who they wanted at Founderland... Their answer was clear: People who can help them grow their business & achieve their goals. Specifically: - The top retailers - The most founder-friendly investors, and - Other founders they can learn from and share with This conversation that I'm hosting at Founderland is a perfect representation of this group, plus one BIG bonus. We're also including Joel Toledano and ChargeUp.ai which is one of my favorite tech companies that is supporting consumer brands today. They automate the retail deduction and chargeback process for brands, saving them an insane amount of time and money. Such a cool co. Excited to teach, share and connect...and get some deals done, while of course having lots of fun. Joel Toledano Jen Zeszut Kim Coffin Deb Conklin

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I really enjoyed recording this episode of The Digital Industrial Podcast with Ty Findley. We talked about common misconceptions for deep tech, the "Why Now" for the category, and differences between investor diligence for deep tech and traditional tech. https://lnkd.in/eKtwjauu

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Thanks Chinenye. I couldn't agree with you more. However while we work on this, we also have to be mindful of the fact that bias isn't just the problem in this data rather a combination of poor economy and bias. Of all these regions mentioned, Africa is the least performing market. therefore Davidson, naturally you would expect investors to do less there. They are not charity organisations but a venture set up for outsized returns.Therefore the major issue we should be discussing is, which sectors are receiving this funding in Africa? Are the investments coming to sectors that will lift the other sectors up fundamentally or to sectors that will window dress the issues? or Worst still the ones that will reap-off on the people and distort rather than disrupt the system. (eg Nigeria POS fintech and the real banking system. a discussion for another day). Until strong investments are made in the technology sectors powering manufacturing strong job growth in Africa be it REAL B2B eCommerce not repeating what is already being done, or B2C eCommerce that is truly efficient and cost effective. Equally important is the improvement in the purchasing power of the consumers via credit card system. in as much as Sub-Sahara Africa lacks good credit system that captures the average citizens and residents, B2C will continue to struggle. in as much as our logistics investments are predominantly in the last mile delivery rather than efficient crosborder logistics, both B2B abd B2C eCommerce will struggle to scale efficiently and profitability. So, it's time for the investors to do away with the low hanging fruits and start tackling the real issues that will empower and propel Africa economies. That's where the main bias lies.

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This should be discussed out louder usually when you want to raise your team performance you obtain this strategy as a way to cover the team requirements in order to give them a clear and focused mind , thanks for sharing 🙏

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NYC bars and restaurants are struggling and one of the reasons is legal cannab*s, according to this new report. Bars and restaurants should be able to sell weed, especially at events. These small business owners are relying on the OCM to expedite the events license so they can stop being harmed by legal cannab*s and start being apart of the market. https://lnkd.in/eSbFmtA6

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But Analisa, how do I find the right investors? This is a question I've coached hundreds of Founders on. Closing investors that align with your vision and values is key for building the company of your dreams so that you create the impact you were born to lead. In the Aligned Fundraising keynote, I break down the 3-part formula I've taught hundreds of CEOs to raise millions from investors. This is bullseye content if you are... 🎯 hosting a conference geared at startups 🎯 planning an event for your portfolio companies 🎯 designing the program for your next accelerator cohort 🎯 looking for an expert speaker Send a DM or comment below for more information and to set up a call

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I recently saw this metric from Carta’s 1Q24 VC Fund Report, which is very concerning. DPI... is nowhere to be found in earlier vintages that probably should start showing DPI. Funding early-stage projects is great, but ultimately, these venture dollars need to exit their investments and pay back their limited partners. That’s where the metric Distributed to Paid-In Capital (DPI) comes in. While managing a fund, we get interim measures during the life of the fund (e.g. IRR, MOIC), but ultimately, “you can’t eat IRR.” If you want to build a lasting venture capital organization, you need to start showing DPI for your fund. Keep in mind that this is traditional VC data from Carta, and is not strictly crypto venture. Crypto venture tends to get liquidity earlier (tokens) and things tend to go parabolic sooner (faster, more unicorns) - but I’d wager that the data here is somewhat similar for Crypto VCs… Not as much DPI as there should be from these earlier vintages. Read the full article, as well as a recap of all the crypto fundraising rounds for August, here: https://lnkd.in/g3eVJ-iF

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What a day at the inaugural Alpaca VC Capital Cup! 🏌️‍♂️☀️ Yesterday, we brought together 20 of South Florida's most incredible VCs, founders, and allocators at The Park in West Palm Beach for an afternoon that was about more than just golf. It was about starting the New Year by getting outside, connecting in-person and continuing to build the South Florida tech ecosystem. And for our team’s David Goldberg, it was about getting out of the sand in a pretty spectacular way – at least ESPN thought so (see ~45 seconds into the clip below, and you’ll get it!).   Since making South Florida my home, I've become increasingly convinced that the future of our tech ecosystem is made stronger when we step away from our screens and spend time together in person. The golf course isn't just about the green or the game – it's about the conversations, collaborations and unexpected outcomes that happen along the way. Huge thanks to our partners Escalon Services, LLC (thank you Zack Mellin) and First Circle Law (thank you Drew Morris) for supporting this vision of ecosystem building. And an even bigger thanks to everyone who showed up, swung a club and helped be a part of what’s happening here in the region: Jonathan Beda of Connexa Capital, Eric Helitzer, LEED AP of SubBase, Patrick Miller and Rob Cousin of J.P. Morgan, Steven Himmel of HighPost Capital, Harry Hurst of Protagonist, Jacob Slevin of FuseProp, Chris Wallace of Dunbar Capital, Paget S. of Gemini, Henri Pierre-Jacques of Harlem Capital, Blake Hatten of CEAS Investments, Howie Diamond of Pure Ventures, Luba Lesiva of Palumni VC, Nicki Berlyn Katz of Related Ross, Rob Hayden of Renew. These are the moments that make our South Florida tech landscape one I’m glad to be a part of. Who's ready for the next gathering? 🤝 #SouthFloridaTech #VentureCapital https://lnkd.in/eZWkqChP

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NY friends! Please come see me at Tech Day on my panel discussing the future of the NY tech ecosystem and what I hope to bring to it!

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What I’ve learned after 12 seasons and 152 episodes of The Pitch Show: Every great founder pitch has a delicate balance of what I call “sizzle vs. steak”. Let me explain… At the pre-seed, everything is sizzle. The product is not yet fully built out, there are hundreds of new customers to be won, and the job of the founder is to sell the vision of what the company could become in the future. That’s sizzle. Steak, on the other hand, is the tangible. It’s the talent on the team. It’s the physical product and its IP. It’s the earned revenue and signed contracts. Steak represents what can be scrutinized, measured, and priced. Too much sizzle and not enough substance makes for a pitch that’s all flash. If a founder mistakes sizzle for steak, the investors will become skeptical and will challenge the underlying assumptions. Too much steak without any sizzle, and investors may not see the greater vision for the company and the problem being solved. Sizzle is potential. Steak is the likely outcome. The best pitch, like the best meal, has a delicate balance of both. Thanks to Ben Taft for inspiring this post!

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Hey Fundraising-Startups and Investors, VC on the rise again! Very exciting insights and takeaways about the VC/Startup-Fundraising-Market. Massive shoutout to Rohit Yadav for sharing and putting it together for free! 💰 MORE: 53% of VC Managers expect to allocate more capital and invest in more startups than last year, with only 6% expecting fewer. 📊 SEED SIZE: According to an analysis, the sweet spot at Seed stage seems to be USD 2-2.5 million for maximising chances of follow-on fundraising. 📉 MINIMUM TRESHOLD: Don't Go Below $1m: Companies securing less than $1m in seed funding were less than half as likely to reach Series-A. ⏱️ SPEED IS KEY! Act fast. Raising seed funding within a year of launching your startup doubles your chances of reaching Series-A compared to those waiting 3+ years. 🛠 TOOLS: More tools (getpantom, OpenVC, shipshape.vc, Signal from NFX) are coming up to support founders in their fundraising (also watch out for +Azava 🤘)...

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♥️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 One of the most meaningful aspects of my work at Garlic Equity Capital is meeting business owners and listening to their stories. These stories often go beyond the numbers, revealing the deep emotions tied to their businesses. 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺: • Owners facing health challenges or stepping into their silver years, deeply concerned about the future of their team. • Owners experiencing personal transitions, like relocating to be with a partner or navigating custody arrangements in a divorce. • Owners who feel they’ve reached the limits of their capabilities, striving to ensure their employees have opportunities for growth. • Owners who took over their family business out of a sense of responsibility, but now want to pursue their own career paths. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀—𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. It’s about protecting legacies, nurturing teams, and honoring the sacrifices that built these businesses. 👉 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳-𝘢-𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭. Let’s work together to ensure these businesses endure for generations to come. 💡

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Summary: Trucks Venture Capital has announced a new $70 million fund to support early-stage startups in the transportation industry. Led by co-founder Reilly Brennan, the firm plans to invest in a diverse range of companies, including those working on autonomous vehicle tech, electric air taxis, and mobility data platforms. This is the firm's largest fund to date and its investment strategy has evolved to focus on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas. Key takeaways: Trucks VC has a new $70 million fund to invest in early-stage transportation startups. The firm's investment strategy has shifted to focus on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas. Previous investments from the new fund include charger installation-as-a-service startup Treehouse and zero-emissions jet aircraft company JetZero. Counter arguments: Some may argue that focusing on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas may limit the firm's potential for success. The transportation industry is constantly changing and evolving, making it a risky investment for any venture capital firm. #startups #venturecapital #transportation

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We've smashed through 2 million listeners of The Exit Podcast - brought to you by Flippa.com and the stories we are sharing are beautiful and brilliant. This is the story of Luke Cooper, Founder at Latimer Ventures From humble beginnings to selling his tech firm Fixt for 11x its revenue, Luke's journey is nothing short of inspirational. 🎙️✨ 🌟 About Luke Cooper: Founder & Managing Partner at Latimer Ventures: A venture capital firm dedicated to empowering Black and Hispanic tech entrepreneurs. Serial Entrepreneur: Successfully exited multiple tech startups, including Fixt and Caldwell Technology Solutions. Investor & Mentor: Committed to raising $50 million to support minority-founded enterprise SaaS startups. Notable investments include Pienso, AI Squared, Meter Feeder, and CyDeploy. 🌍 Impactful Mission: Luke founded Latimer Ventures to bridge the gap in venture capital for Black founders, inspired by the innovative spirit of Lewis Latimer. He believes in creating wealth through tech entrepreneurship and demonstrating the power of diverse perspectives in building cutting-edge products. 🎧 Tune In: Discover Luke's insights on navigating the challenges of the venture capital world, his vision for Latimer Ventures, and his commitment to uplifting underrepresented founders. Don't miss this episode filled with wisdom and motivation! 🔗 Listen now on The Exit Podcast. #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #TechInnovation #LatimerVentures #TheExitPodcast #Inspiration #DiversityInTech #BlackExcellence

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If a basketball player drop kicks a ball during play, people wouldn't blame basketball for not allowing kicking...they'd question the players understanding. Founders (Players) can hate the VC fundraising (Game). Blaming Opaque processes or Nepo style allocation, but quite often these are excuses not the reason. The misspent energy of founding teams chasing the same Midas list everyone else has or simply not having a business appropriate for Venture rails; means they are setting themselves up for failure. There are well over 10,000 funds out there, with many interested at the early stage. And yes we do need a better way to raise relevance which is a core mission of OpenRound; but even if you could click a button and have a termsheet pop up to you (be nice wouldn't it?)...would you know the demands that cash is coming with? VC's are playing a version of the same game founders are, they have investors (LP's) who make up the fund, a VC needs to pick winners to return that fund with a multiple attached. So Founders need to think before signing a termsheet, not just the terms in front of them, what will they need to achieve to return the whole fund as a value back to that VC. Because thats the unspoken pressure that adds noise to all decisions as you scale. Founders need a better experience - that is without doubt. But founders need to know what they are signing up for before spending weeks kicking balls in the wrong sport. and now...this (IFYKYK) #Tuesdaytake #fundraising #investorrelations

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The scenario... You're a young sports industry startup that has stalled growth and although you may be ready for institutional capital, you need to show more proof that you can execute and push through this plateau. This is where hiring a professional growth management firm like Champion Management Company comes into play. They will come in and help push through those hurdles and prop you up to get ready for institutional investors like Champion Venture Partners to come in heavy with a pile of new cash to fuel that next level of growth. Hit them up if this sounds like a solution that you need!

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How three PearX S19 alums raised series A this quarter! We talked to three alums from our 2019 PearX cohort to hear how they raised capital this year! Read below! Pear VC https://lnkd.in/gavbeubj

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