Part 2 of many…
Listen… I am not a sexy entrepreneur. I didn’t go to an elite college. I didn’t grow up as a genius. I don’t have rich friends or family or friend’s families. I don’t have an overly ambitious co-founder w/ connections to angel networks and VCs.
I’m a regular entrepreneur. Nothing sexy about it. I barely graduated high school. Dropped out of college 3 weeks in. Couldn’t hold a job but managed to get many of them (sales baby). I was lost and broke until I was blessed to get a job as a dishwasher at a coffee shop. Something special was happening there - more on that later.
Fast forward to now. I’m 38 years old. Married with 2 kids. We have a house, 2 cars, college funds, retirement savings… by all measures, we are safe and sound.
Just like I was so many years ago right after high school, I’m still a little lost but not as broke as I was then.
ALL IS NOT LOST
When I say LOST - I don’t mean that I have zero clue where I am at or that I am afraid or that I am unhappy. LOST as a wandering entrepreneur. LOST in the idea and concepts and network and learning.
I'm not chasing mansions, I'm running from the trailer park.
What drives me is not the promise of future success in life but the fear of going back to my past life.
Have you ever been fearful and had the physical ability to run away? Did you ever stop?
Growing up in poverty has made me fearless and fearful at the same time. It’s healthy!
I believe that we all have our own unique formula in life and I am on the verge of figuring out mine.
Keep chasing or keep running... whichever is fueling you, I hope you have peace.
Now to the good stuff…
I’ve been looking at several deals. I’m doing my best not to get overly excited about them but it’s the same feeling I had when I would finally get someone to walk in the door at 7am for their daily drip.
The strategy is starting to work, although much slower than I want, it’s still moving in a forward motion.
I’m looking at deals from HY.Q, Smearcase, Perfy - these are the brands I am most excited about.
Here is why:
HY.Q offers an incredibly unique advantage. They have a mix of operational expertise that is far beyond most first time founders. The category they are tackling has major legacy players like Gatorade and Powerade but also some new players vying for their opportunity to take down the giants but those are more like ‘flashes’ in a pan… PRIME anyone??
Their packaging is sexy. The product tastes amazing. I’ve tested it with my athletic son and he gave me a thumbs up, plus the founder is honestly just a really good dude. He has been super transparent and accessible, I truly appreciate that.
Next is SMEARCASE and honestly, I am so excited to taste this and I hope it doesn’t disappoint… I’ll update here if that happens but I can’t imagine it will.
One of their founders, Joe, is a guy you want to take a bet on. Extremely hard working. Saw a problem, saw the problem, then created the product. Not everyone has the “stones” to do that.
This is also a CATEGORY CREATOR, which is part of my investment thesis. Does anyone else know of a frozen cottage cheese ice-cream brand?? I didn’t think so.
The market opportunity is much smaller than hydration and there is some seasonality considerations, but I am still excited about it.
Lastly is Perfy - they are taking on an epidemic not only in their marketing but in their formula. Rising Diabetes and Blood Sugar related health issues are ravaging our society. Perfy wants to not only combat the problems but make it taste good and boost your mood.
Their blend of L-Theanine and Ashwagandha really shines through.
I’ve had the pleasure of trying all of their current flavors and if you haven’t had a Fruit Punch Perfy yet, you are truly missing out.
So that’s it. This is where I stand today. These are the top brands I am considering at this time and I’m gathering the support of our investors right now.
If you’re an accredited investor and are curious about how our syndicate works, let’s chat! This is not a solicitation to invest but to learn how our group operates.
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