Evolving, LA to NYC.
I have been angel investing now for over 12 years, more if you include the one off’s prior to making it a full time job. There have been ups and downs just like a start-up. I have learned a ridiculous amount and met so many incredible people.
My friend sent me this article on Techcrunch about the high valuations and frenzy around the YCombinator’s Winter 2019 class graduates building their companies with huge capital on SAFE documents. A few days later I talked to someone who is angel investing in Salt Lake City bringing capital to the community where start-ups with sometimes a lot more traction than the ones out of SF are valued in reality.
I have come to realize that I do truly love angel investing although I just can’t invest at the pace I did. There are so many factors on why I have rethought my thesis but it is a work of progress that will continue to be fine-tuned. I still want to own 1% but I have a better understanding of what I am looking for. Scrappy founders who might only need to raise one round or founders who have solid institutional investors with deeper pockets at the table. At the end of the day, the capital is key.
I have reinvented myself multiple times. I am deep in the throes of the design of our construction projects. I am absolutely loving it. I am thinking about things I care about that I might want to dig into such as the homeless problem and incarceration. Even thinking about a film that has been rattling around my brothers head for 25 plus years. I have given myself permission to not be all business and it is a new me which I have to say I am liking the way it looks.
Angel investing will never stop. I love having my finger on the pulse and my head is a library of knowledge on this. Founders always excite me and the podcasts are my favorite way to talk, engage and get those stories out there.
Next week I will be back in my beloved NYC inhaling that concrete jungle like a fragrant flower. I am really excited about my next evolution.
Comments (Archived):
Can you share more about your thoughts on slowing down angel pace? What pace do you think you’ll get to as a resting state?
It’s all in flux. Just did a deal a month ago. It’s about focusing on what I have and not jumping in to anything quickly. More time to breath
Is it more about the environment & noise or more about focusing on new projects?
It’s both
How are you Semil dear…?! Happy weekend buddy! Do you like my music? It’s electronic ?www.ricardojp.bandcamp.comwww.drooble.com/ricardo.jp
It’s been a privilege to follow along with this evolution, Joanne. Wishing you all the best and look forward to following along on for these next chapters. Thank you for sharing such valuable learnings.
Loving this authenticity, vulnerablity, transparency and positivity…
Thanks Alison.
.Developing commercial real estate is fun, isn’t it? It is one of the most intellectually challenging and creative endeavors one can undertake.While I did it for a quarter of a century and built some great buildings, I still have the urge.I recently saw a picture of a property you are developing using CLT. Very interesting. Be very careful as to waterproofing on CLT. Water and CLT is a bad combo.You can deploy gobs of capital in real estate and the returns can be much better than almost any other business if you learn how to leverage it.Good luck with your real estate endeavors. It is slightly more difficult to develop 50-story buildings, but it is also very similar to 3-story projects. As you get commercial projects under your belt, it is easy to build progressively larger projects.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
So, will we see a small boutique hotel spring up?
Ha. I’ve wanted to do it forever but not sure I can convince my other half
Tell him he can be the bartender.
That would be awesome.On the startup front, boutique hotels / alternative lodging (Lyric, Stay Alfred, Domicile, Sonder) is a super interesting sector.
What do you like and dislike when it comes to living in LA (part time)? I moved to SF 3 years ago after 15 years in NYC and I’m considering LA as a possible next stop.
Welcome back.Such a beautiful Spring day in NY today.
New places to find alpha – tech businesses are now just businesses.
However you evolve, we will be inspired by it. I am deeply grateful for you as a role model – as an angel investor, as a woman who actively champions others, who built a platform to do it well and does it thoughtfully, and as an outspoken and big, interesting woman about town. I have done about 40 angel deals at this point, and I don’t believe I would have jumped in so wholeheartedly without your modeling or without your generosity – of spirit, and time. Deeply grateful.