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From Pitch to Close
In the illuminating and pragmatic From Pitch to Close: A Guide on How to Prepare for and What to Expect from an Investor Meeting, Chris Folayan adeptly guides readers on the journey of making a lasting impression with investors. Folayan demonstrates a keen understanding of the multifaceted world of investing, focusing specifically on the entrepreneurial journey from obscurity to empire-building. His book emerges as a precious trove of wisdom, made all the more relatable by the author’s empathetic connection with his audience. The topics are presented with eloquent clarity, and Folayan’s engaging style of writing captivates the reader from the outset.
The book addresses a critical question: Why do many startups and businesses falter? Folayan identifies one of the primary errors entrepreneurs often make – a lack of understanding of the types of investors their venture requires. Many entrepreneurs venture into the business arena with minimal knowledge or misaligned understanding, which may not be beneficial for their startups. Folayan shares insightful tips on how to identify and engage with suitable investors, as well as highlighting potential pitfalls to avoid in the quest to establish a flourishing enterprise.
As a seasoned entrepreneur, Folayan generously shares his wealth of experience in the business industry. He candidly divulges the steps he took, as well as the missteps he made, which proved costly during his entrepreneurial journey. The reader can readily sense Folayan’s breadth of experience, and his authentic, genuine narrative style is inclusive, even sharing his moments of vulnerability.
The book is divided into three parts, each focusing on a specific aspect of investment. In the first part, Folayan addresses the preparation process for founders, owners, and CEOs when engaging with investors. He presents valuable questions and insightful answers that create a dialogue focusing on investor expectations in a business venture. The second part concentrates on how to comprehensively prepare your company for investor engagement. The final section emphasizes preparing your vocabulary for investors, a segment I found particularly enlightening. It reinforces the importance of language and diction when pitching to potential investors and highlights the need to understand business terminologies and the art of presenting ideas elegantly.
From Pitch to Close: A Guide on How to Prepare for and What to Expect from an Investor Meeting is a standout read, primarily due to Folayan’s relaxed yet authoritative tone. From his personal anecdotes, the ambient mood of the text, and the professional advice imparted, the reader feels a sense of comfort and reassurance, even while navigating some of the more technical terms.
Pages: 179 | ASIN : B0BVKH6WL6
The Value Equation
In The Value Equation: A Business Guide to Creating Wealth for Entrepreneurs, Christopher Volk takes the reader through different stages of entrepreneurship, giving lessons on how to invest and run a company. The author uses straightforward language that is both intriguing and appealing. Given he did not initially set out to be in entrepreneurship, Chris Volk shares the inspiration that can move even the uninterested. The author introduces the reader to the book by sharing strategies for acquiring wealth and running a business and offers realistic solutions.
Chris Volk starts the first chapter by discussing wealth creation and free enterprise. The author, with statistics, shares the key factors that determine the success of a business. I like that the author stated that a business starts with an idea, usually a solution to a problem. He uses a perfect example, that of Sergey Bin and Larry Page, to illustrate his models. The discussion about the two great men, how they met, and how they created Google is rousing. I like how the author is articulate and how he lays down his points when discussing a particular topic.
The second chapter is about Daymond John and the creation of FUBU clothing and hip-hop apparel. Like the first chapter, Chris Volk writes in-depth, talking about the steps John and other moguls took to succeed. The text teaches that hard work is not enough as resilience; patience and humility are all elements of success. Apart from the informative text, the author also includes images of known thriving businesses when discussing topics they relate to. The images add aesthetic value and are an excellent reference point for the text.
Chris Volk moves from simple topics to complex subjects with every new chapter. This enables the reader to first understand the basics before getting a deeper insight into how the corporate world works. The author writes about areas like the cost of capital vs. cost of equity, public stock equity returns, the circles of business, life, the formula to use and using other people’s money, among other topics. What makes Chris Volk stand out is that he tackles unique topics and starts discussions that authors from this genre do not tackle.
Certain features stand out from Volk’s writing, the author’s ability to translate business-speak to everyday lingo, the use of illustrations and tables, and the brevity of paragraphs that are detailed. I appreciate the excel sheets and sample corporate financial models for better perception.
The Value Equation is your ultimate guide to running a booming business. Everything from the author’s tales in entrepreneurship and investment, the pointers he gives, and the choice of topics in every chapter are worthwhile.
Pages: 256 | ASIN : B09ZKDGC69
LITERARY TITAN 