A Guide to the Principles, Skills and Concepts Every Angel Investor Needs to Succeed
Written by two of Boston's most active and experienced angel investors, Angel Fundamentals is a handbook and desk reference for both new and experienced angels. Easy to read with a fast-moving conversational Q&A format, this comprehensive guide will help any early stage investor gain the skills and insights needed to make smarter investments.
Overview of Contents: Part I - A Primer for Angel Investors - is designed to review the fundamental concepts of angel investing, including:: -The basics of building an angel portfolio -Expectations for return on investment -The theory and practice of asset allocation -Expectations for timing exits -The importance of due diligence -The risks inherent in early stage companies -The importance of investing both financial and human capital
Part II - The 4 Critical Skills Every Angel Investor Should Master - helps angel investors develop key skills needed to make great investments in early stage companies, including: -How to evaluate a startup's management team -How to evaluate products and market opportunities -How to stage financial capital and make sure a company is properly financed -How to plan, optimize and manage an angel portfolio in a tax-efficient and organized manner
Part III - Understanding Early-Stage Deal Terms - helps investors understand the concept behind key deal terms and how they can affect risk and returns. The section allows investors to navigate these sometimes very complicated deals by focusing on: -The fundamentals of equity deal terms -Mapping key deal terms to investor concerns -Deal term economics -Understanding Investor Rights/Protection provisions -Understanding Governance, Management & Control Issues -How deal terms affect exits and liquidity -Navigating angel investing documents
Based on a wealth of practical experience, this guide boils down this sometimes tricky subject matter into a very clear, concise handbook investors of all experience levels will want to keep as a regular reference.
Hambleton Lord is Co-Founder of Seraf and the Co-Managing Director of Launchpad Venture Group, an angel investment group focused on seed and early-stage investments in technology-oriented companies. Ham has built a personal portfolio of more than 35 early stage investments and is a board member, advisor and mentor to numerous start-ups.
Seraf Co-Founder Christopher Mirabile is the Chair of the Angel Capital Association and also Co-Managing Director of Launchpad Venture Group. He has personally invested in over 50 start-up companies and is a limited partner in four specialized angel funds. Christopher is a frequent panelist and speaker on entrepreneurship and angel-related topics and serves as an adjunct lecturer in Entrepreneurship in the MBA program at Babson.
Due to their combination of roles as investors, advisors and angel group leaders, Ham and Christopher were named among Xconomy's "Top Angel Investors in New England."
