What do you look for in the people you invest in?
Someone who understands their subject matter and has a strong passion to succeed. I need to see big drive and stamina to know they are in it for the long haul and won’t give up when there are hurdles, disappointments and difficulties. They need to be practical and have common sense about business.
What do you look for in businesses?
I like to invest in businesses that scale easily. In other words, that for every new customer there doesn’t need to be an incremental increase in staff and overheads.
What turns you off an investment?
Entrepreneurs who see their idea as the be-all and end-all. Ideas are necessary but business is all about execution. Typically, these are the same people who want ridiculously high valuations for investors to put money into their ‘idea’. Most ideas don’t become real businesses, and investors need to weigh the risks and rewards for investing in early stage concepts.