Dan Richmond

It is a great privledge to be backing Stella Garber for a second time, as well as her sensational co-founders Brian Schmidt and Justin Gallagher. It’s also great to working with Index Ventures again, too. One thing I have learned in my venture career is that humans are lazy, and software that does simple things can feel like magic. Hoop uses AI to automatically harvest to do items from all of your communication channels. Today it’s single player, and in the future it will be your whole team. Read more about why we invested: https://lnkd.in/geTy-kyZ

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If anyone is in North County San Diego, on Thursday May 2nd, we will be hosting a tech entrepreneur and investor meet up at 5:30pm. We’ll have a couple speakers, one of which is a fin-tech start-up raising a round, followed up by a presentation on the state of the stock & crypto market. We host these events quarterly and usually get a lot of founders and investors to attend. If anyone is interested, please message me and I can send you the details. LaunchPad San Diego #startups #startupincubator #entrepreneur #investing #crypto #meetup

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🌟Innovative VC Firm Overcomes Exits Drought with Secondary Sales🌟 ⛵Navigating a challenging landscape where exits are scarce, Santa Barbara Venture Partners (SBVP) has pioneered a novel approach to sustain its growth and attract investors for its second fund: secondary sales. Instead of waiting for traditional exits like IPOs or acquisitions, SBVP opted to sell shares of its portfolio companies, demonstrating its ability to generate returns for investors and stand out in a competitive market. 🎤According to Dan Engel, founder and managing partner of SBVP, these secondary transactions have been a game-changer, sparking investor interest and bolstering the firm's credibility. By leveraging its recent successes, including a lucrative stake in sports-betting company DraftKings Inc.' acquisition of digital lottery app Jackpocket, SBVP seized the opportunity to return profits to its limited partners (LPs) and pave the way for its second fund. 💡Engel highlighted the challenges faced by young VC firms in raising subsequent funds, particularly amid a downturn in exit activity and heightened investor scrutiny. With traditional exit routes becoming increasingly elusive, the pressure is on for firms to demonstrate tangible returns and establish a track record of success. ✨"For us, secondary sales have been a game-changer. They've helped us return profits to our LPs and attract investors for our second fund," said Dan Engel. 💰For SBVP, the decision to pursue secondary sales was driven by the need to provide liquidity to LPs and validate its investment thesis in the eyes of prospective investors. By strategically offloading portions of its holdings in high-performing portfolio companies like Bark Technologies and Rad AI, SBVP not only generated substantial returns but also bolstered investor confidence in its ability to deliver results. ⚠Despite the complexities and potential stigma associated with early share sales, Engel emphasized the importance of prioritizing investor returns and seizing opportunities to unlock value for stakeholders. With a focus on profitability and transparency, SBVP remains committed to its mission of delivering sustainable growth and maximizing returns for its LPs. 🔍 "Returning profits to our investors is our top priority. By strategically selling shares, we're proving our commitment to delivering results and driving value for our stakeholders," added Engel. As SBVP continues to explore secondary transactions and expand its investor base, the firm stands as a testament to innovation and resilience in the face of market challenges. 🚀 ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #fund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VCInnovation #SecondarySalesSuccess #InvestorReturns #ValueCreation 

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🚀 It’s a big day at Hoop! We’re excited to share we’ve raised $5m led by Index Ventures with participation from Origin Ventures, Chingona Ventures, Divergent Capital, and an inspiring group of angel investors. Two years ago, Justin, Brian, and I got together and started brainstorming. We had worked together as early executives at Trello for 7.5 years! We wanted to recreate the magic of the early days of Trello and respond to the epidemic of distraction we were seeing in the workplace. When I left Atlassian, I was in back-to-back meetings most days. Slack was constantly buzzing. My whole day was spent going between apps and praying I wouldn’t miss something important. I would wake up in the middle of the night remembering that DM I forgot to respond to. In an age of AI, this kind of mental fatigue across tools drains humans of our energy to do the work that really matters: the focused and creative work that comes when we can feel secure that we’re on top of all important work. Hoop is the product I wish I had. It connects to Zoom, Google Meet, Slack and email and automatically captures tasks for me using AI. It then centralizes everything in one spot so I never miss a task. Our vision is to rethink task management with an AI first principles mindset. There’s so much we can do now that we couldn’t have imagined back when we were building Trello. It’s an exciting time to be building in the space, and we’ve got a world class team taking on this challenge. Now’s the time to try Hoop out and let us know what you think! We couldn’t be more grateful for all the amazing support from our community, investors, and friends. Let’s go team! 👏🏼 Special thanks to our investors for all their belief and support - Damir Becirovic Neil Rimer Katie Shea Samara Mejia Hernandez Jason Heltzer Andy Dunn Wade Foster Linda Lian Michael Pryor Kristen Habacht Elizabeth Hall Barry Clark Nikita Miller Mihika Kapoor Jiaona Zhang (JZ) Maggie Adhami-Boynton Sonia Sahney Nagar Sean Harper Darren Murph Mike Arauz Job van der Voort Annie Duke Jay Simons Maria Christopoulos Katris Ezra Galston Sheel Mohnot Ilya Fushman #futureofwork #ai #startups #fundraising

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It is OUR business to ensure the businesses we work with succeed. Our bottom line is simple.

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🚀 Exciting News! 🚀 We’re thrilled to announce new investment partnerships with Prospero Capital Ventures, BrightSol LLC, and S30Build, LLC  that will power NOTICENINJA’s next phase of growth and market expansion! This investment from Prospero and partners, with their deep expertise in the staffing industry, is a major boost for our mission to revolutionize tax automation and compliance management. Together, we’re set to transform notice management for companies, making compliance simpler, smarter, and more efficient. Read our latest press release for all the details! #NoticeNinja #Investment #Growth #TaxAutomation #FounderStories #ComplianceSolutions #ProsperoCapitalVentures

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🎙️ Excited to share my recent appearance on the meez podcast! Had a fantastic time with Joshua Sharkey discussing how Starfish is helping small businesses understand and reduce their costs, and ultimately boost their profits. Check it out to learn more about our journey and tons of insights! #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #CostManagement #Podcast

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Reflecting on another fantastic StartupAZ retreat in Flagstaff last month! I’m grateful to be a part of this incredible community that continually supports technology founders in Arizona. StartupAZ is more than just a network; it’s a powerful ecosystem of founders, mentors, and seasoned entrepreneurs who come together to uplift and propel each other forward. The monthly cohort meetings provide the kind of support and mentorship that makes all the difference in launching and scaling a technology company. This organization has been a game-changer for me personally, connecting me with like-minded leaders and providing the resources needed to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship. Being surrounded by other founders who are as passionate about innovation and growth as I am has been truly inspiring. Below is a video from our retreat, showcasing the spirit and energy of this incredible group of people dedicated to pushing the limits of what’s possible. Seeing how much we’ve grown and the impact we’ve had on Arizona’s tech landscape is both humbling and motivating. If you're a founder in Arizona or someone passionate about the startup ecosystem, I highly encourage you to get involved with StartupAZ. Let’s keep building, growing, and supporting the next wave of innovators right here in Arizona! #StartupAZ #FoundersSupportingFounders #ArizonaTech #Entrepreneurship #StartupCommunity #Innovation

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In a recent episode of The Expertise Economy podcast, I sat down with Johnny Page, CEO, and Matt Verlaque, COO, of SaaS Academy. Johnny shared a crucial insight for SaaS founders that challenges conventional wisdom 👇 "Many founders aim to delegate sales once they reach $15-20K MRR. This is often a critical mistake. We advocate for founders to remain deeply involved in sales for as long as possible." Why? According to Johnny, "No one can articulate the problem and solution more compellingly than the founder." Key takeaways from our discussion: > Founder-led sales drive stronger growth > Focus on consistent wins rather than quick handoffs > Clarify your customer acquisition strategy > Define your ideal customer profile precisely > Optimize your sales channel and offer > Maintain this focused approach for at least 12 months This strategy is the catalyst for transforming steady growth into exponential scale. For a deep dive into scaling strategies for your SaaS business, watch the full interview now: https://lnkd.in/dju-Be2u SaaS founders, what has been your experience with sales leadership? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. #sales #SaaS #SaaSAcademy #Scale #Startups #Podcast #Leadership

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Personalization is key to building AI that can effectively represent you in different conversations. It works well now and will get better in the future. Check out how it feels like to have AI speak on your behalf today.

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1. What is the market size? 2. What are the growth rates? 3. Who are the key players in the market? I have a compelling case study to share here. My partner Russell Razhko runs a business in the USA that provides services directly to telecom operators (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc.). When the industry was growing, everything was going well. However, operators significantly cut expenses on equipment replacement and upgrades (with much of 5G already deployed and talks of a recession), causing the industry to decline by 65%. The team wanted to venture into adjacent industries (such as solar panel installation, electric vehicle charging stations, fiber optic installation, data centers, etc.), but deciding on the right path was unclear. Making decisions based on intuition or following competitors can be very costly in terms of money and time. Our business consulting agency team conducted an analysis of potential markets, and recently, we delivered a comprehensive 128-page report to Russell Razhko. It took our team only 2 weeks of work, and now the founders have all the information they need to make decisions about their future strategy. p.s. I've attached the final part of the analysis to this post so you can better understand how it looks 👆

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Having a Cars and Capital event tomorrow in Southern California with Oren Klaff. If you want to join message me. https://lnkd.in/gDQ4D39u Oren Klaff Bridger Pennington #InvestorEvent #FamilyOffice #InvestmentOpportunity #CarlsbadEvent #PrivateEquity #WealthManagement #InvestmentConference #CapitalRaising #NetworkingEvent #IndustryLeaders #FinancialGrowth #InvestorsMeetup #WealthBuilding #BusinessGrowth #InvestmentForum

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🚀 Excited to share how Reprise is revolutionizing enterprise sales and marketing! With CEO Samuel Clemens at the helm, Reprise is empowering enterprise-level teams to create interactive product demos effortlessly. Key Benefits: 1. Customizable Demos: Tailor demos to fit any prospect's needs in minutes. 2. Increase Conversion Rates: Show, don't just tell – engage prospects with interactive demos. 3. Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with your existing tools and workflows. 4. Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable insights into how prospects interact with your product. Reprise is the ultimate tool for any sales and marketing team looking to streamline their demo process and close deals faster. Don't miss out on this game-changer! #Sales #Marketing #EnterpriseSolutions #SaaS #ProductDemos #SalesTech #MarketingTech #Innovation #Reprise #SamuelClemens #TechRevolution 💼✨ 🔗 Check out more at reprise.com

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Great time on the Embracing Erosion podcast w/Devon O'Rourke! We talked about: 🚀 How to scale a company from concept to 9-figure exit 🔄 How to break away from the traditional consulting model and apply product approaches ⏩ Why it’s important to iterate quickly and often with messaging 💸📈What signals are important to pay attention to when investing in startups and much more!

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Hiring alert! One of our newest MKT1 portfolio companies is hiring a founding marketer. nodaFi is vertical SaaS that understands a wedge-in strategy. The team is scrappy and values marketing--and really understands their ICP - facilities managers. If you're based in the Bay Area and interested in helping bring a tech-first approach to an industry that operates with pen & paper, take a look. The founders are awesome (cc Jacob Pandl & Michael Loyda) JD link in the comments.

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🔥 I love how the new category of "Network Management" software has been emerging this year, helping people make and receive better introductions through the strength of their networks. Last year we launched a new product called GetroConnect - Getro's niche-focused network management solution for VC/PE - and now have ~80 customers using the product. Here are a few of my favorite recent examples of how customers are saving time and driving more network-value with GetroConnect: 🕵‍♂️ Talent Searches A VC Portfolio Manager at an early stage fund used GetroConnect to filter their network for senior software engineers with early-stage experience and located in Vietnam, identifying 8 top candidates with Seed to Series A experience for the portco to interview. 🛫 Cultivating Fund Relationships A GP at an early stage SaaS focused fund used GetroConnect to filter the contacts of the entire fund to identify high potential targets for an upcoming business trip to Miami. 🔍 Activating Networks for Portco Self-Service An early-stage fund created a pre-vetted network of 20,000+ contacts using GetroConnect to share with all of their portcos, enabling them to ask for targeted talent, sales, and advisor intros on-demand. 📈 Tracking Outcomes A Head of Talent at an early stage fund focused on DEI uses the GetroConnect Hires report to showcase the value they’ve driven to their portcos via the introductions they’ve facilitated - including 20 hires last year! We'll be continuing to innovate in this space and have a few huge features planned and coming soon. Stay tuned...

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How Could AI Transform the Digital Marketing Strategy for Your Business? In today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way businesses approach marketing. At Kemet Digital Media, we are proud to be the first across Central Valley California to harness the power of AI, delivering game-changing digital marketing strategies for our clients. Here’s how AI is transforming marketing and boosting ROI: - Hyper-Personalized Content: AI analyzes customer behavior, helping you craft content that resonates with your target audience, driving deeper engagement. - Smarter Ad Campaigns: AI optimizes ad spending in real-time, ensuring that your budget is used efficiently while reaching the right people. - Predictive Analytics: With AI, we forecast trends, audience behavior, and future campaign performance, allowing you to stay ahead of the competition. - Improved Customer Segmentation: AI-powered insights enable more effective segmentation and precise targeting, delivering the right message at the right time. - Enhanced User Experience: From chatbots to predictive product recommendations, AI enhances customer interaction, making their journey seamless. At Kemet Digital Media, we're committed to taking your marketing to the next level with AI-driven strategies that increase your ROI and keep you ahead of the curve. 🔥 Ready to leverage the future of marketing? Let’s transform your digital strategy together! #AI #DigitalMarketing #MarketingStrategy #KemetDigitalMedia #MarketingInnovation #CentralValley #ROI #AIinMarketing

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https://lnkd.in/gtYauz4g the power of working together.... Great read! This article highlights the incredible impact of teamwork on organizational success. As the founder of PixelMixer, I can attest to the transformative power of collaborative efforts. Our most innovative solutions often emerge from the synergy of diverse talents working together. Emphasizing a culture of teamwork not only drives productivity but also fosters a sense of community and shared purpose. How do you cultivate teamwork in your organization? # teamwork

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Very impressed with the Wevo Energy story and I share those feelings. It is never easy facing all challenges and complexities. #Podcast #StartupJourney #SolarEnergy #Entrepreneurship #WEVO #SolarEdge #Acquisition

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