Sachin Piplani

Why Buying Your First Business is the hardest & Financing The Fear is Being seen as too risky by lenders and investors. The Solution: Prepare a solid business plan with detailed financial projections. Work with a financial advisor to enhance your credibility. Consider alternative financing options like SBA loans or seller financing.

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Too many small and mid-sized businesses struggle with capital constraints out of fear and misunderstanding. Sourcing the capital required to remove those constraints is key to unlocking the value creation potential of these companies. https://lnkd.in/gRYTKEmN #smallbusiness #businesstransformation

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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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Ascend just released this new interview about why I love investing in Seattle/Pacific Northwest (PNW) startups at Ubiquity Ventures. Ascend is the most active pre-seed investor in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland, and more) and is run by Kirby Winfield. Thanks to Ascend's Nate Bek for the interview! Check it out the full interview: https://lnkd.in/giU2Wy3V A few snippets of what I said: ⭐️ On investing in Seattle (vs the Bay Area) "Companies like Auth0, Esper, Remitly, and others have demonstrated that they can start, grow, and thrive in Seattle. This is thanks to the continuous growth of hometown giants like Amazon and Microsoft, whose employees might outgrow the cultures at those companies." ⭐️ Why I fell in love with VC "First is about following new trends, nerding out on technologies, and getting inspired by new ideas .. resonates with the nerd engineer and the 5-year-old in me that used to love reading about new technologies ... [Next is] the innards of how companies are run, being in those pivotal meetings and discussions that change the direction of a company. These hard conversations about pivots, understanding metrics, and trying to separate the storytelling around startups from internal operations. That was the meat of building an exciting startup, which is quite different from just nerding out on cool new technologies. " And thank you to all the Pacific Northwest startups I've been privileged to invest in and work with: Eugenio P. and Jon Gelsey at Auth0 by Okta, Yadhu Gopalan at Esper, Fredrik Rydén at Olis Robotics, Claire Watts at ThruWave Inc., Adam Schoenfeld & Aviel Ginzburg at Simply Measured, Milkana Brace at Jargon, Yuriy Bulygin & Alex Bazhaniuk at Eclypsium, Inc. #seattle #seattletech #pacificnorthwest #pnwtech #portland

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In vertical SaaS, the very best companies landed with a product solving a specific, burning pain point that horizontal solutions solved badly and then became broad product suites over time (ServiceTitan, Veeva Systems, Doximity, etc). My partner Gordon Ritter calls this “layering the cake”. In vertical AI, the landing wedges are much more brittle. While the painpoints they solve are very real (and often unaddressable by SaaS alone), they’re also much more likely to commodotize in the near term as the tech advances. 👀 Therefore, the need to layer the cake in vertical AI is much more urgent than in vertical SaaS. 👀 The best vertical AI CEOs not only recognize the dynamic, but talk about it openly. Helps those around them keep up the speed of innovation and their eyes on the bigger prize.

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118 VCs (one hundred eighteen!) are gathering in San Diego next week - to meet with 30 SD startups. But it's so MUCH bigger than just those 30 co's. It brings VCs back - when they see quality companies. It helps those who are next-in-line and adjacent. It enables us to send deal flow all year 'round. It attracts talent and other companies. It inspires entrepreneurship. Connect is working for SD. Together, we're building the best damn innovation ecosystem on the planet. Year over year. Five.Ten.Thirty.

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Now is not the time for innovation to take a backseat. Where are the LPs willing to invest despite the dry IPO market? No guts, no glory as my Father used to say. He flew F4s and wrote about it in his book "Rolling Thunder." Now that takes courage, investing in 2024 does not. Do we really want other countries to pull ahead in AI and digital health solutions (especially mental health?!)? NextSense has technology that is literally sitting on a shelf due to the lack of courage from those on Sand Hill, which is because LPs aren't giving them dry powder. What is the technology that is landlocked? It's called Nesos, and you can read about how it helped 25 women achieve 74% therapeutic response to MDD (major depressive disorder) in the Journal of Affective Disorders, Nov 2022, which the FDA granted us a breakthrough designation given treatment (called Standard of Care) usually results in 55% response on the Hamilton D-17. So where might this technology go? Singapore. Why? Because the Sovereign Fund of Singapore is willing to invest in this amazing technology and I'm out of options in the US. If you know an LP (limited partner) who contributes to a VC fund, tell them America needs their investment. This country was built on the backs of ultra-wealthy and these are the times that need those who have the means to step up!

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Advisory boards have been pivotal throughout my career, and this new report from the Boardstream team is a must-read. It’s packed with actionable insights on how to build and leverage an advisory board that truly drives impact and growth. Well done, Evan Kraut and Marina Ilishaev! 👉 https://lnkd.in/dPTAS4-Y #AdvisoryBoards #CAB #Leadership #Boardstream #WhitePaper

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Last week, we shared the first part (1/2) of our perspectives on vertical SaaS (vSaaS), more specifically on which metrics define the performance of vSaaS businesses and outlining the benchmarks for each of these metrics. If you have not yet read the piece, give it a read here - https://lnkd.in/d94n2bgN This week we published the second part (2/2) where we call out certain strategies deployed by successful vSaaS companies like Procore Technologies Toast ServiceNow Zenoti and others that can be used to improve the metrics that matter. Read on to layer the numbers with the strats- https://lnkd.in/dPkmWFax Do reach out if you are building in the space or want to exchange notes / feedback on the perspectives. #fintech #verticaSaaS #embeddedfinance #investments

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💡Benchmarks in the investment industry serve as a standard for measuring the performance of securities, mutual funds, or investment managers. They provide a reference point for analyzing allocation, risk, and return of a portfolio, enabling investors to make informed decisions. Thanks Peter Walker for keeping us all informed!! Can’t wait for this!! Follow and get on the waitlist for this one! #benchmarks #fundraising #Capitalraise #founders #womenshealth #femhealth #medtech #wellness

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If you enjoyed our first blog on the metrics that matter for Verticalized SaaS then don't miss on the Part II of the series where my colleagues Devraj Hom Roy and Matt Schaar discuss the strategic and operational choices to improve these operational indicators. https://lnkd.in/g5QkCrcH

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One of the best podcasts that you will hear. Eric Weinstein, an accomplished business / hedge fund manager and just amazing thinker holds a master class in how to reason through a set of complex conversations. Some context here: Terrence Howard (yes the actor) came on Joe Rogan a little while ago, and did some very elaborate 'matching'. He very much comes across as a visionary, self-taught, self-reasoned through many complex ideas, bringing it all together with a vast web of historic scientific knowledge. Terrance launches into a set of core assumptions within the sciences, mathematics, physics and related topics. He tumbles through multitude of ideas from frequency, to energy, to wave theory, all very difficult to follow... but extremely compelling. Encyclopaedic knowledge, but a flow that is so rapid, and often superficial. For many casual 'scientists' and social media followers, it was like a red flag to a bull: and confirmed a narrative that 'they' (the scientific, trusted community) is lying to us, that they are not telling us something. That 'their' assumptions are wrong, but that there is a cartel of universities and institutions that is protecting it, and protecting their dominion over the sciences. This fed into Joe's common narrative that the modern scientific understanding of the world is incomplete and lacking: but more importantly that the institutions who guard this knowledge are themselves filled with political bias, making them fallible, and ultimate not trusted as much as they should be. (A lot of 'they' say this, or that.. not sure who 'they' are, except that they only have bad characteristics.) Enter Eric Weinstein, an accomplished thinker and just a superb communicator, takes Terrance through his own maze of ideas, and links between ideas, one at a time, carefully dissection the arguments. He leads this 'visionary' through his errors and discoveries,'What Terrance is doing here is... ' and sometimes he points out errors in reasoning, sometimes provides clarification, sometimes asks for clarification, but is always respectful, always careful, always thoughtful. He gives Terrance a lot of credit for his thinking, but also shapes and moulds it carefully. "You have a lot of desire to understand what it means. But before you think about it, you have to ask what it is" He delivers a masterclass in how to handle this kind of back-of-the-envelope science, that is so prominent in social media now. Terrance is in awe of him, as was I. This is where you see just an amazing capability of the human mind to reason through multiple avenues (often strange manifestation, with partial truths, and incomplete relationships), to question, to reason, to give room for each other in a very humane way. One of the best displays of human capability: both academic and the best humane characteristics, I have ever seen. #joerogan #podcasts #reasoning #human #conversation #rogan #weinstein #terrancehoward Eric Weinstein Joe Rogan

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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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The trajectory of today’s Internet is leading to personalized interfaces, created on-demand, in context, by generative AI. As AI intelligence pushes out from data centers towards smart devices ( aka edge AI ), our physical and digital worlds are personalized in ways only for us - with the right content in the right context. Mass personalization becomes the post internet interface and user experience. This is the promise of a metaverse that integrates the digital and physical worlds. This is what Jamie Burke posits as the post web. Other thought leaders continue to point to this trajectory - From Ben Thompson of Stratechery: “This, I think, is the future: the exact UI you need — and nothing more — exactly when you need it, and at no time else. This specific example was, of course, programmed deterministically, but you can imagine a future where the glasses are smart enough to generate UI on the fly based on the context of not just your request, but also your broader surroundings and state. This is where you start to see the bridge: what I am describing is an application of generative AI, specifically to on-demand UI interfaces. It’s also an application that you can imagine being useful on devices that already exist. A watch application, for example, would be much more usable if, instead of trying to navigate by touch like a small iPhone, it could simply show you the exact choices you need to make at a specific moment in time. Again, we get hints of that today through deterministic programming, but the ultimate application will be on-demand via generative AI.”

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ex Google CEO Eric Schmidt spoke at Stanford this week. Lots of nuggets here, but most interesting for the near term, Schmidt believes in the next year AI is set to make a big leap forward. He predicts AI will combine three important features: 1. Vast knowledge retention (1 million token models) 2. Text-to-action capability 3. Personal AI agent fleets While the full impact is unknown, everyone may soon command their own AI teams. Here's an example: Imagine you're developing new quantum computing algorithms. Your AI assistants could: - Continuously scan and synthesize global quantum research papers - Generate novel algorithm ideas based on this knowledge - Simulate and test these algorithms across various quantum architectures - Automatically document findings and prepare draft papers - Identify potential collaborators and draft outreach emails All initiated by a command like "Advance our quantum algorithm research." This could dramatically accelerate R&D cycles and scientific breakthroughs.. https://lnkd.in/eJbg6cnD #frontiertech #AI #futurefrontier

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VC platform teams rarely add meaningful value to portfolio companies. They’re mostly a tool for GPs to justify raising larger funds and collecting higher management fees.

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VC Market Update: Riding Out the Post-Boom Bumps. 2021's high-flying valuations and growth have given way to a more complex reality. With longer private timelines, tough exit markets, and capital tightness, startups face unique challenges—but also fresh opportunities. For those navigating today’s VC landscape, strategic planning is key. Whether it's balancing growth with capital efficiency or exploring secondaries smartly, there’s a path forward. And with boosts from AI and future rate cuts, brighter days could be ahead!

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Instacart is a market leader when it comes to leveraging AI tools to boost productivity at work. I had an amazing conversation with JJ Zhuang, Instacart’s Chief Architect, who has shepherded over 50 AI-driven initiatives to market across the org. We explored what catapulted Instacart to the forefront of AI integration, supporting radically diverse use cases across various functional areas. One striking insight (echoed by Ethan Mollick and others elsewhere) is that you often don't need specialized tools for specialized work. Frontier models like GPT-4 can seamlessly adapt to a wide range of functions and use cases. They're not just for engineers; they're incredibly versatile tools used by marketing, comms, and legal teams. From generating code to proofreading and ideation, GPT-4 empowers every department to leverage AI for enhanced productivity and innovation. By integrating LLM’s like GPT-4 into their workflows, teams can streamline processes, automate repetitive tasks, and unlock bandwidth for new creative possibilities. How can you harness the power of AI in your own work to boost productivity? Share your thoughts below 👇 Want to hear more insights from JJ? Check out the full podcast episode by clicking the link in the comments.

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