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Continue reading →: The Uncomfortable Truth About Venture Capital FundingFewer than 1% of U.S. startups ever raise institutional venture capital, and the money is more concentrated than at any point in history. Here is what the data shows, and what to do instead. I have invested in more than 50 startups as an angel and venture partner, and I…
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Continue reading →: What 8.3 Billion People Actually Looks Like (And Where America Fits In)More often than I’d like to admit, I’ll think about something involving big numbers and find myself down a rabbit hole trying to make sense of it. When you hear “millions” and “billions” constantly, we tend to get conditioned without truly appreciating the scale. For example, did you know there…
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Continue reading →: Fast Business Loans With Flexible Credit Requirements: How Fora Financial WorksFora Financial funds $5,000 to $1.5 million in as little as 24 hours after approval, and approvals are based on your revenue, not just your credit score. If you have 6 months in business, roughly $20,000 in monthly sales, and a 570+ FICO score, you can check your rate with…
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Continue reading →: Angel Investing Networks: Groups, Syndicates, and Platforms That Improve Your Odds in 2026Angel networks and syndicates will not repeal the power law, but they improve every input you actually control deal quality, diligence depth, diversification speed, and learning velocity. Here is how the three dominant models work and how to pick one in 2026. The largest academic study of angel returns, covering…
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Continue reading →: How to Source and Screen Acquisition Targets for ETAOnly 57% of searchers ever close a deal, and the gap between the buyers who acquire and the buyers who stall comes down to two disciplines: sourcing volume and ruthless screening. I screened hundreds of deals a year as a Partner at NCT Ventures and have evaluated thousands of business…
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Continue reading →: Illiquidity Risk in Angel Investing: What It CostsPrivate markets can pay you an extra 2 to 5 points a year, and the toll is capital you cannot touch for a decade. Here is how to size, structure, and survive the lock-up. Before we begin, it’s important to remember one thing… cash is king. I have written a…
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Continue reading →: 15 Red Flags in Startup Pitches Angel Investors MissMost bad angel investments announce themselves in the first meeting, if you know which patterns to look for. I’ve written more than 50 angel checks, and every one of my worst outcomes waved at least one of these red flags during the original pitch. I saw them, then talked myself…
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Continue reading →: How Big Is the U.S. Book Publishing Industry?The U.S. book publishing industry generated $32.5 billion in 2024, and the fastest-growing format is one you listen to instead of read. With four kids at home, I have personally financed a measurable share of Dav Pilkey’s print run. It turns out our overflowing bookshelf is a decent proxy for…
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Continue reading →: Business Failure Rates by Industry: The Riskiest and Safest Sectors for New Businesses in 2026Federal data shows 22.1% of new U.S. businesses fail within one year, but industry choice can more than quadruple your first-year risk, from 6.9% in agriculture to 30.8% in mining and oil and gas. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks every new employer business through its Business Employment Dynamics…
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Continue reading →: Financial Literacy for Business Owners: Why It Pays in 2026Business owners who know their numbers are nearly twice as likely to get financing approved, while the ones who don’t pay for the gap in six figures. Cash flow problems play a role in 82% of small business failures, according to a widely cited U.S. Bank study. The scarier number…
