Angeles Investors

Thank you to Bank of America & Angeles Investors for inviting me to speak about using proper diligence to find early-stage unicorns. It was an honor to share the stage with Rina Arline and David Olivencia. The 3 key takeaways: 1. In diligence, understanding the “heart” and deep motivation of an entrepreneur is critical to assessing their potential success. Many investors naturally flock to a CV/resume when learning about an entrepreneur's background, but what's most important is to spend time on big decisions that the founder has made in the past, as well as the motivations behind those decisions. Most often, these big decisions appear in significant life transitions not inside jobs, but between them. Focus on those blank spaces of the resume to understand their decision-making skills in a more authentic context. 2. As early-stage founders, starting in a laser-focused market with an ability to evolve to conquer a larger leverageable market is key. Like in the case of bowling (i.e.?The Bowling Pin Strategy), make sure founders can describe how that initial market/pin will naturally lead to knocking down the other pins/markets (like how Bezos started Amazon just by selling books, or how Zuckerberg launched Facebook for the Harvard ecosystem, but with a plan to leverage their products' strengths to eventually expand to broader markets). Focus on the founder’s ability to articulate the product and vision for long term roadmaps without consuming precious limited resources. Startups win on speed and focus. 3. Uncommon thinkers will deliver uncommon results in surprising places. Test their backgrounds to assess their history as contrarian and orthogonal (or intuitive) thinkers. We focus on the times in the founder’s life where they needed to make unpopular decisions that turned out to be right. Their judgment under duress is a key skill they will need to possess. As I review their background, I often stop and dig deeper in situations where I sense there were major decisions they needed to make, and ask about that specific decision process. Ultimately, it is critical to deeply?understand how the relevant life experiences of a founder can translate effectively to the skills needed to build the next billion-dollar company. Thanks again for a great discussion!

Outstanding convening last week of the Angeles Investors Summit in NYC at Pitchbook and Bank of America. The organization's purpose is to find and nurture promising Latino-led businesses. Putting actual money to work and leveraging influential networks to help businesses grow is critical to closing the investment and equity gaps in America. Bravo Angeles for growing this ecosystem globally. David Olivencia Adela Cepeda Eduardo Tobon Alejandro Badia, MD Patricia Pacheco Hernan Celis

Thank you to Angeles Investors, especially David Olivencia and Adela Cepeda, for a wonderful meeting discussing angel investing, wealth building, finding joy in our work and investing in UNICORNS ??????!

Andrew Almeida, CFA, CFP?, Managing Partner at Rise & Shine and an Angeles member, recently took the stage to discuss the transformative power of scaling trust through blockchain technology. We’re inspired by Andrew’s forward-thinking vision and commitment to innovation and his insights into leveraging blockchain to build scalable, trustworthy networks. View the full video here: https://lnkd.in/e3DjF3bw Join our community that shapes the future. As an Angeles member, you'll be able to collaborate with leaders like Andrew, gain access to high-impact opportunities, and help drive change in industries worldwide. https://lnkd.in/gy3rcrFW #angelesmembers

Tune in live on December 4th! ??

Our portfolio company, Storybook App, has just been featured as "App of the Day" in the App Store! A huge congratulations to the Storybook App team for making such an impact on parents and kids everywhere! ?? Don’t miss out—check out Storybook App today in the App Store and experience the magic for yourself! https://lnkd.in/gccbS7sx Francisco Cornejo #AppOfTheDay #StorybookApp #angelesportco

We are thrilled to announce that our esteemed member, Mikal Haddad, CFP?, ChFC?, CPWA?, CLU?, has been honored as a 2024 Queens Power List honoree by Schneps Media. This prestigious recognition celebrates the most influential movers and shakers in Queens. Honorees are recognized for their continued commitment, impact, and influence over the past year. ?? We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mikal on this well-deserved honor and look forward to his continued contributions to the Queens community and Angeles Investors. #ToTheFuture Join Angeles Investors and become part of a dynamic network dedicated to empowering Hispanic and Latino ventures. As a member, you'll have the opportunity to connect with accomplished individuals like Mikal Haddad! https://lnkd.in/gy3rcrFW #angelesmembers

We were honored to host an inspiring fireside chat on?Catalyst Capital: Innovation and Investment, featuring a powerhouse panel at our Q4 Summit and Awards Event! ? Anyori Hernandez? ??Silvia Garcia Codony? ??Samer Yousif The conversation sparked meaningful dialogue about the future of innovation and how startups can effectively position themselves in today’s competitive landscape. A huge thanks to our incredible speakers for sharing their expertise and to our attendees for making this session so engaging. Together, we’re shaping the next wave of game-changing startups! Don't miss our next Summit! Become a member here: https://lnkd.in/gy3rcrFW #angelesmembers #Innovation #Startups #Investments

?? The photos are pouring in! Thank you,?Luis Gasca,?for sharing! Our Q4 Summit and Awards Event provided ample networking opportunities, fostering connections among investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts. As we reflect on the success of our Summit, we are energized to continue our work in empowering Hispanic and Latino ventures. Stay tuned for more photos and updates from the event. We invite you to share your favorite moments and experiences from the summit in the comments below. View our membership options here: https://lnkd.in/gy3rcrFW Aaron Erickson David Olivencia Sergio Monsalve Rina Arline Anyori Hernandez Silvia Garcia Codony Samer Yousif #angelesmember

Thank you, Andres Lombana, for sharing your photos from our Q4 Summit and Awards event in New York City! The event was a resounding success, featuring insightful sessions from distinguished speakers, dynamic pitches, and invaluable networking opportunities. #ToTheFuture Join Angeles Investors today to connect with top investors, access high-potential startups, and elevate your investment strategies: https://lnkd.in/gy3rcrFW #angelesmembers