Boost your career with startup investing
How to really maximize the returns on your investments
There seems to be one straightforward goal when investing in startups: financial returns. No brain surgery here…but what if there is more than meets the eye? What if you could gain significant career benefits from your investments, in addition of financial returns?
One of the questions people ask me the most is: how does one get on boards? For multiple reasons, being on boards is the Grail for most business professionals. As a startup investor, you might have found a way to do just that!
Most early-stage companies are looking for competent, helpful, connected board members. Even with a small check, if you are very knowledgeable in the space the startup operates in, you could become one of these competent, helpful, connected board members! The key is to bring value to the founding team; at this stage this usually means, helping to attract clients, funding and employees.
Never be shy to ask the founders if they would consider you as a board member. And if this is not possible at this point, offer to join (or start, if they don’t have one) their advisory board.
This is one of the most straightforward way to join a company board.
You will be able to bring great value, while learning more about board specificities, such as governance. A win for you and a win for the company. And obviously being on the board will allow you to enable the company to eventually maximize your financial return on investment😊
Depending on your career goals and stage, this opportunity to join boards might be even more valuable than the potential financial returns.
Another great advantage of being a startup investor is to be more integrated in the ecosystem, increasing your knowledge and network in the industry. This becomes very valuable from a career perspective, first as a differentiator on the marketplace, and in your day-to-day job. New career doors might open.
You could use this new expertise and influence to; 1) reposition yourself in your current organization, 2) join a startup, 3) become an advisor, 4) publish content, 5) speak at industry events.
Of course, your level of seniority, the industry and geography you are in and other factors will impact the career opportunities that open up. However, these openings are definitely real.
It becomes your own personal flywheel: invest in the industry you are an expert at => build network and knowledge => join a board => be recognized as an expert in the space => attract more boards and investment opportunities=> increase your value and visibility in the industry=> more opportunities open up 🚀
And as with everything else in life you get what you give!
There is nothing bad with “just” enjoying the diversification brought by investing in private companies, as well as the financial returns.
However if you wish to boost your career, startup investing can definitely do that for you…as long as you put the energy and time into it.
I hope this edition will inspire you to dig deeper in startup investing!!
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