Entrepreneur, Explorer, Angel.
Sometimes all at Once.
Search by tag: vaux-les-ventures
25TH July 2019
Family and Friends - Good Story - Legends and tales - Timeless - Uncategorized - Vision
Squaring the Curve – A Quality Life Right Through the Finish…
My father sold life insurance. Actually, people said they bought life insurance from Big Art. He didn’t so much sell it. He did this by asking questions and listening empathetically. How old are you today? Where do you work? Tell me about your family. Does your spouse work? How many kids? Where are they in school. What sports do they play? Do you play with them? What other activities interest you? How much does it cost you to live here? What do you want to be doing later in life? Do you want to retire someday? Where and how? What do you really love about life? And so on and so on. He insisted on doing it at the kitchen table, with life going on all around. That was the […]
19TH July 2019
Angel Investor - Entrepreneur - Incredulous - Uncategorized
Incredulous #6; Mom fired for Kid’s Insta Antics
Influencers seem to be on the downslide, and this edge case got my attention. The kid was obnoxious. She shouldn’t be on Insta. I’m sorry her Mom got fired, but she’ll have more time for parenting… Hey! If you liked that, you may like the next one: A long time ago, someone saved up for their kids college… by investing in a no-lose asset class of the 90’s… we check in because, well, now maybe Beanie Babies Empire won’t pay for college If you like what you see, add your thoughts for an Incredulous episode here;
12TH July 2019
culture - Good Story - Timeless - Uncategorized
You can take the boy out of the neighborhood, but never the neighborhood out of the boy…
My boyhood home recently came up for sale. That would be 113 Windy Ghoul Drive in Beaver, PA. Flipping through the pics- which show a house virtually untouched (!) since we sold it in 1974- I was reminded of how much an impact my neighborhood had on me. I could see my bedroom, and the front yard where I played endless baseball. I could see the pool where we swam until our fingers looked like raisins. The wall where my Mom’s lilacs framed the garden that provided us with so many fresh vegetables. The terraced lawns my dad loved and I despised, because half my allowance was dependent on mowing the eastern quarter. The roof where we climbed and played tag. The piano room where my sisters practiced endlessly (and […]
20TH June 2019
Entrepreneur - Leftovers - MoneyHunt - Social - Uncategorized
Is Shark Tank “Real” Enough
It’s been 20 years since I was in the studio for MoneyHunt; not a week passes without the same question… “is that like Shark Tank (previously, Dragon’s Den). I explain the similarities, and the differences, and conclude… all that is worth, like, one Chai Latte at Starbucks, give or take. On MoneyHunt, we were nuts enough to write the check on the air. No broken deals, no weaseling out of agreements on arcane terms. We considered it a cost of business, and didn’t expect much from the outcomes (our expectations were met!). But we did a whale of a job marketing our little VC fund, a seminal outperformer in the dot.com rush. So what people ask me about SharkTank is this: Do they really do what they say they do? […]
04TH June 2019
Angel Investor - Entrepreneur - Incredulous - Uncategorized
Incredulous #5; White House no longer “that important”
Mr. President; We respectfully decline your kind invitation because… it’s just no longer *that* important we show up at the White House now that we have social media to reach our fanbase. So said LeBron and Steph last year, or something like that… Any bets for this time around? Hey! If you liked that, you may like the next one: Some snotty little kid made poor choices on social media… and got Mom Fired For her Instagram Antics Or, check out all the Incredulous episodes here… For Boomers, the party never ends! Jimmy Buffett opening a Retirement Home Erasing History at Washington & Lee. Is that really what we want to do? Sign of the Times; Giuliani Gets Booed at Yankee Stadium Duh! English Teacher Corrects White House Letter […]
24TH May 2019
Angel Investor - Entrepreneur - Incredulous - Uncategorized
Incredulous #4; White House letter graded by Elementary Teacher: F-
Dear Mr. President; does sloppy spelling lead to sloppy leadership? Maybe. Maybe not. But I got a kick out of one teacher who, after receiving a response from Pennsylvania Avenue, took her red marker out and cut the letter to shreds. She was pretty funny about it. It doesn’t take that much to get it right. ( I hope this post is spell checked!) Hey! If you liked that, you may like the next one: Note; I’m not picking on the President today but here’s an example of Social Media being more powerful than a White House visit. Or, check out all the Incredulous episodes here… For Boomers, the party never ends! Jimmy Buffett opening a Retirement Home Erasing History at Washington & Lee. Is that really what we […]
16TH May 2019
Angel Investor - Entrepreneur - Incredulous - Uncategorized
Incredulous #3; America’s Mayor Booed in his own Hometown
Rudy! Rudy! Mayor Giuliani was a hero of 9/11 for just being there, for the country, answering question, and getting things done. He was adored at Yankee stadium then. But lately, working for a new boss on assignments that seem, well, a little out of touch, Rudy got a very different welcome: the dreaded Bronx Cheer. What changed? Hey! If you liked that, you may like the next one: Where an elementary teacher corrects a White House letter. Basically, an F. Or, check em all out here. For Boomers, the party never ends! Jimmy Buffett opening a Retirement Home Erasing History at Washington & Lee. Is that really what we want to do? Sign of the Times; Giuliani Gets Booed at Yankee Stadium Duh! English Teacher Corrects White House […]
12TH May 2019
Angel Investor - Entrepreneur - Incredulous - Uncategorized
Incredulous #2; On General Lee
Erasing History at Washington & Lee is about a West Point graduate, Lincoln’s first pick for the Union Army, and a soldier who refused to fire upon his neighbors. One of the great military leaders of our country, but he actually led the Confederate Army; General Robert E. Lee. Is erasing that history really what we want to do? Hey! If you liked that, you may like the next one: Sign of the Times; I will never forget Rudy, having walked all the way to City Hall on 9/11 to take questions and assure everyone that, while disaster had struck, he was on duty and ready to pull us back together. America’s Mayor. So how do times change such that he Gets Booed at Yankee Stadium? Have a look… […]
10TH May 2019
Angel Investor - culture - Entrepreneur - Entrepreneurs - Family Office - Incredulous - Leadership - Uncategorized
Introducing Incredulous… a little show about cultural shifts, discomfort and opportunity.
Over the past few months, I’ve worked with the best PR firm in the nation, Gregory FCA, to develop something we talk about at the dinner table each night. Incredulous is about culture, emerging trends, generational conflict… and some damn silly stuff we get upset about. Sometimes it’s an opportunity. Other times, it’s just something to laugh about. In this flight… For Boomers, the party never ends! Jimmy Buffett opening a Retirement Home Erasing History at Washington & Lee. Is that really what we want to do? Sign of the Times; Giuliani Gets Booed at Yankee Stadium Duh! English Teacher Corrects White House Letter Trumped; Social Media more powerful than White House visit. Teach your parents well. Mom Fired For Kid’s Instagram Antics FOMO built this. Beanie Babies Empire won’t […]
09TH May 2019
Angel Investor - culture - Incredulous - Timely - Uncategorized
Incredulous #1; The Boomers next party
For Boomers, the party never ends! And why should it… we did Woodstock, Wall Street, Dot.Com, and the Wall came down! Can we keep it going forever? Well, Jimmy Buffett’s opening a Retirement Home… Hey! If you liked that, you may like the next one: Erasing History at Washington & Lee. Is wiping out a military hero and leadership icon what we want to do? And if you really like what we’re doing, add something that made you Incredulous. We’ll put it to good use on the show soon!
- 10 Things to ask before Investing with someone
- May 08, 2014
- Angel investing for Family Offices: What if you knew ‘Zuck… back then.
- July 10, 2013
- Now I really want to be like Peter Thiel
- June 11, 2016