Karen Rands, Compassionate Capitalist

Compassionate Capitalist episodes about Business Success Strategies have covered sales topics such as building a sales team; philosophy of selling; and integrating the sales model into the corporate culture. Today Karen Rands is joined by David Ledgewood - "Ledge" - to talk about the challenges Founders face when they must transition from 'Founder led sales" processes to sales strategy that will scale for unimpeded sales growth. It has become common place for businesses to outsource customer service, inbound sales management, customer support and application development.  Listen to hear how the team at ADD 1 Zero is pioneering the art and science behind outsourcing sales to help Founders face the challenge of implementing scalable sales teams and systems.  Ledge is the Managing Partner at Add1Zero where his team provides lead-to-close sales execution for B2B tech companies ready to leap from 6 to 7 digits of revenue.  From Corporate Services at PwC, Ledge moved into sales, working with corporate and startups

A business brand is more than a logo or slogan, it is the full corporate culture of how they conduct business with their customers and partners, and their role in the community.  Robert Manasier joins Karen Rands to discuss the difference and the dispel confusion over a business 'brand'.   Key take aways: Don't raise money until you have customers. Branding is internal and external....communication, engaging the community of stake holders and customers.  Building a brand involves creating and building strategies, business execution plans and teams that get your business goals DONE. Robert Manasier has decades of international commercialization leadership and now serves as the Entrepreneur in Residence to the regional ecosystem of the Capital District of NY to assist the maturing of the startup and entrepreneurial companies in the affiliate partners.   He works with Innovate 518,  NY's Innovation Hot Spot, and Ignite U as an accelerator and mentors at FasterCapital is a virtual incubator based in Dubai In

Cameron MacPherson has a Big Idea he is calling The Next Giant Leap.  MacPherson's publication of The Next Giant Leap offers open-source blueprints for communities to implement systems that can solve resource scarcity, reduce climate change and contribute to a growing thriving economy.  With every product, there is a by-product.  With every action, there is a reaction.  The Next Giant Leap systems interlink and interact so that those by-products and reactions are used to solve another problem or produce another resource for the betterment of the community and HumanKind.  Cameron and Karen explore these ideas and the concept of "collective capitalism" extensively on this episode of the Compassionate Capitalism Show, yet still only hit the highlights.   To learn more and get your own copy of The Next Giant Leap manifesto, visit: http://nextgiantleap.org We are seeking to shift a mindset from make, take, use, dispose TO make, take, use, reuse, recycle--- to minimize waste as we repurpose it to create abundance

Listen in as Karen Rands and Lauren Kane of VC Worthy Business discuss the changing landscape bringing more Female Founders and Investors to the table for wealth creation through successful entrepreneurship.  Women  traditionally have not had a seat at the proverbial table to attract angel and VC investment.  That is rapidly changing, which is also leading to women becoming active in the capital community investing in startups and early stage companies. In this episode Compassionate Capitalist Show you will hear how to approach raising capital and becoming VC ready from a place of power and   recommendation, best practices for preparing the pitch to make it your own. Lauren Kane, founded her firm VC Worthy Business specifically to work with Female Entrepreneurs across the country who are at a critical point in their business' growth and are seeking capital to accelerate momentum in their business and need help.  Prior to starting VC Worthy Business, Lauren worked with Golden Seeds, the renowned national fem

Karen Rands is joined by Scot Chrisman, former world class professional skier, #1 Sports Podcast host and now a top digital marketing expert, on this segment of the Compassionate Capitalist Podcast to talk about how entrepreneurs can use the Internet as a tool to explode SALES.  Using the Internet effectively in marketing to attract and convert customers is more than just SEO - Search Engine Optimization in a world of "Hey Google". With 4 Billion people (continuing growing) using the Internet for entertainment, commerce, and as a tool of convenience, the opportunity is big, but the noise and competition for attention is even greater than ever.   Listen and learn how to stand out, be found by your prospects, and convert them into customers.  This is critical insight that every entrepreneur, CEO, and investor needs to understand. You can learn more about the services Scot offers through his firm The Media House - https://themediahouse.co/ and pick up your free copy of the  5 DIGITAL MARKETING TOOLS THAT CREAT

Karen Rands is joined by Angela Lee, Founder of 37 Angels to talk about learning to be an angel investor and growing the community of women angel investors.   Angela shares her journey to becoming an angel investor, the passion and purpose behind starting 37 Angels 8 years ago, and the 4 Ps of evaluating a startup investment deal.     37 Angels has been successful with 75 portfolio companies in part because of their focus on educating investors with their BootCamp to give the the knowledge and tools to feel comfortable with making angle investments -  To "Shine a light into the black box of Angel investing". Learn More at http://www.37angels.com/ Angela Lee is currently the Professor of Practice - VC/Leadership & Strategy at Columbia Business School, having previously served as Chief Innovation Officer in executive roles.  Within that expertise, since 2010 she has been a called upon speaker and trainer on the topics of innovation, inclusion and investing at NASA, Amazon, BMW, NYSE and even the Whitehou

What if there was a way to do what many have unsuccessfully tried and many think impossible: to invest in low- economic neighborhoods, benefit the community and actually make money at the same time?  We are on the threshold, if we do this right, that history will look back on this time as the turning point for an urban renaissance.  Terrence Gallman, of Gallman Investments joins Karen Rands to discuss the dystopia that exists in many urban communities due to decades of limited investment in resources and virtually no access to capital for real estate development and redevelopment, and commercial businesses.  During their conversation you will hear about the factors that have led to this situation across America and the public / private partnerships being formed with Investors, Foundations, Family Offices, and Economic Development entities to turn the tide, because all can rise when the tide of capital rises to uplift those that have been forsaken and left behind.  Terrence Gallman is the esteemed author of

In this segment of the Compassionate Capitalist Podcast/Video Series, Karen Rands talks with John Klymshyn, the Business Generator, about the challenge of building effective and consistent performing sales machine in a company. They explore the difference in Sales Leadership vs Sales Management, and the concept of hiring right, executive delegation, and the importance of retention in your sales force.  You'll also learn why so may Startup founders get stuck because of the mindset they are the only ones that can sell and not delegate to Sales Management, and how to over come it. John Klymshyn is the author of several industry leading books and audio books, A international Speaker, and Navy Veteran. Mindful Leadership Coach. whose motto is "Your Path to The C Suite is All About The Language!" His company is The Business Generator, Inc where for 21 years he has been providing inspirational management training and coaching for C Suite and Sales teams. Learn more at http://Klymshyn.com -- digital courses and reso

One of the biggest challenges the canna industry faces is getting access to traditional commercial financial services.   In this video/podcast you will learn that as with any new industry that is rapidly growing, even one fraught with regulatory hurdles, there are innovators that figure out how to overcome the challenges so that business can move forward.  Peter Su, VP of BNB Bank, joins Karen Rands to talk about the current state of affairs when providing banking services to business operating from seed to sale in the canna industry.  Karen & Peter talk about the clever work arounds for offering non-cash sales transactions and the regulatory bureaucracy banks must deal with when servicing canna business customers.   You won't believe it.   With the MORE Act pending in congress to decriminalize cannabis (Marijuana) at a Federal level, it is interesting to consider not only what problems it will solve, but also the problems it could create. Peter Su is the Vice President of BNB, a Private Banking firm pro

Karen Rands is joined by Dr. Laquita Blockson, Founding Faculty Director of Social Innovation Graduate Program, Masters in Social Innovation, at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, GA to discuss how Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship works to solve society challenges with business solutions.   Through this Master of Arts program in Social Innovation, students learn to take business principles and adapt them to solve complex, real-world challenges to create a more socially just world. Students attain the knowledge and skills to become leading social innovators and change-makers within various industries and fields and learn to make informed decisions, influence policy, and affect positive change. Upon graduation, students are prepared to launch a social venture or to secure a management position within for-profit, government, and nonprofit sectors.   As our world is plagued by real problems of poverty, environmental destruction, access to health care, hunger, racial conflict, affordable housing and on, it i

Hydroponic and Vertical Farming is a technoligical advancement in agriculture that shows great promise in creating sustainable farming, reducing environmental impact, and improving access to produce in densely populated communities.   Eddy Badrina is CEO of Eden Green Technology, a vertical farming technology company dedicated to changing the way we farm our food and feed our communities with their regenerative business model.  Eddy joins Karen Rands on this episode of the Compassionate Capitalist Podcast to talk about the advancement of this Agro-Tech for economies of scale for making this an affordable and effective method for urban farming.  In one year, a 1.5 acre greenhouse built with Eden Green’s technology (on a roof top or in repurposed empty office and retail locations) can grow 2.7 million heads of leafy greens and harvest 11-13x more times than a traditional farm, while using exponentially less energy and water than a typical greenhouse. Visit https://www.edengreen.com/ to learn more about the te

Linda Goetze, the President/CEO of the Blockchain Chamber of Commerce, joins Karen Rands on the Compassionate Capitalist broadcast to talk about the current state of the industry for Blockchain.   Blockchain is the framework for the secure transmission and verification of data, documents and application elements.   Digital Coins and Cryptocurrency is most often associated with Blockchain but as you will hear from Linda and Karen, that is just one of many use cases for Blockchain.   Watch/Listen to learn the basics of what makes Blockchain a technology disruption for data and commercial transactions and management.  Linda & Karen also discuss the challenges and opportunities for commercial adoption of this technology platform.  Linda Geotze began her journey with Blockchain with the buying and selling of cryptocurrency in 2012.  She realized the underlying technology had potential to fundamentally change business transactions and make our personal and commercial digital entities more secure.  She got inv

Karen Rands is joined by Ryan Rafols, the founder of the hot new startup cohort in Austin, TX:  Newchip Accelerator where they offer Silicon Valley moxie to Startups from around the world with amazing results.  Just since 2019, Newchip's 200 graduates have represented 30+ Countries and 150+ Cities.   On average they have raised 17.5x more funding than average startups for a total of more than $150M in funding raised.   Ryan and Karen will discuss the vision behind NewChip and the secret of their success.  Part of their success can be attributed to their rigourous application process on the front end and their connection of graduates to their investment community from around the world on their quarterly demo days.  It is what happens in between that leads to the true success of their program and what squarely puts Ryan and Newchip in the Compassionate Capitalist Movement. Ryan Rafols is the Founder and CEO of Newchip. After multiple startup exits, he launched Newchip to bridge Silicon Valley level mentorship

In this episode of the Compassionate Capitalist Podcast, Karen will explore which methods are best for the specific companies and when should strategies be integrated. You know you need to raise capital, but how? Do you go the traditional Angel Investor to VC that most tech companies follow or is one of the 5 ways to solicit for investment from the public (Crowd Funding) the best route for your company? Listen to learn what works for you. Karen has worked with entrepreneurs and investors for over 15 years, educating them on the best practices to succeed in business and get the funding necessary to reach their goals... for the company seeking capital and the investor seeking to get a good return on their investment. Since the JOBS Act of 2012, 5 methods for raising capital from a crowd found have been added to the traditional pipeline of Friends & Family, to Angel Groups, to VCs. They are Reward Based CrowdFunding, Equity Based CrowdFunding (REG CF), Intrastate Crowdfunding, REG D 506c and Reg A+. Ka

Angel Investing is strong in places like San Francisco, New York City, and Boston. Popular opinion is that 'secondary markets' in the Midwest and the South don't have much in the way of innovation and committed capital. That is changing. Places like Louisiana are stepping up and building entrepreneur and investor ecosystems to help their economies thrive. The Bayou will never be a 'Silicon Valley' but they are making great strides in creating their own 'movement' to fund innovation and create wealth through successful entrepreneurism in Louisiana.  Karen's Guest on this Compassionate Capitalist show, Skip Boudreaux shares his commitment to growing the Louisiana entrepreneur ecosystem and explains how ACR helps entrepreneurs and innovation get to market, create jobs, grow the economy and create wealth for all those involved...he is a true Compassionate Capitalist. Kyle "Skip" Boudreaux spent many years in the entrepreneur trenches before becoming an investment advisor and catching the angel investor bug. From

For Compassionate Capitalists committed to investing in entrepreneurs to bring innovation to market, create jobs, and create wealth, deciding which investments are most likely to succeed is a challenge.  The market operates on an assumption that only one out of 10 will produce enough of a return to offset the losses and small gains generated by the other 9.   For the most part, the approach to investing in entrepreneurs is an inexact science. Joe Milam, Founder at AngelSpan/The Legacy Funds, joins Karen Rands on this episode of the Compassionate Capitalist Podcast show to discuss how they are bringing WallStreet caliber analytics and fresh perspective on portfolio management to Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors. Karen and Joe discuss the past, present and potential future of making better investments in startups -- mitigating risks and making money by using analytics and risk management tools long employed by successful wallstreet fund managers.Learn more about AngelSpan Charts from How to Deploy Mor

When it comes to Compassionate Capitalism, as with any investment Due Diligence is a critical part of the investment decision process.  What is it exactly?  What do investors look for?  What should entrepreneurs have ready?  What are the best practices for the Due Diligence records?   Listen to this episode of the Compassionate Capitalist Radio Podcast for the Answers.   Karen Rands, as the author of the bestselling investor primer: Inside Secrets to Angel Investor, emphasizes Due Diligence throughout the book and provides templates and tools for investors in the investor portal that comes with the purchase of the book:  Learn More and get a free ebook of 12 of the 46 Inside Secrets.   Her firm, Kugarand Capital Holdings, assists company founders and C-level executives to understand what their funding options are and the strategy to attract the capital.   As Managing Director for the National Network of Angel Investors, Karen assists Angel Investors and Groups with Due Diligence best practices.  Learn More K

Colin McIntosh, Founder and CEO of Sheets & Giggles, joins Karen Rands on the Compassionate Capitalist Podcast show to share his journey to identify a way to address a cause he was passionate about with a clear material need in the market, make a profit each step of the way as the company scaled and have some fun doing it.   S&G is a luxury brand in the $12B US Bedding space that offers a sustainable alternative with eucalyptus bedding.  Softer and more breathable for body temperature fluctuations, eucalyptus derived bedding uses up to 96% less water to make than cotton, and requires no insecticides or pesticides to grow and harvest.  S&G validated their market with a successful Indiegogo reward crowdfunding campaign raising $284,000 in 2018 and went on to raise nearly $2M in venture capital, leading to a record $1M in revenue in its first 12 months of sales.  This is a case study in an entrepreneur journey to use crowd funding to validate a market, get to market, attract venture capital, and sc

The wealth gap between white and black communities because of systemic racism and the resulting obstacle for building equity and wealth  is astounding  This is part 2 of Karen Rands' series on Black Economic Empowerment and Prosperity.  This episode addresses the 10X prosperity gap, as reported by the Brookings Institute (AVG Black Household net worth is just $17,150 in 2016, while the average white household is $171,000) and suggests causes for that vast divide that compounded over time and builds upon the research and insights provided in Episode 1. Here, Karen discusses the cycles of prosperity for Blacks in a segregated America, often followed by violence and out right biased legislative and financial practices intended to help enrich White while prohibiting Blacks from participating in those same economic and educational opportunities. Karen touches on the challenges with public education, higher education, societal beliefs that infect the black identity in America and the historic lack of capital. which

True equality comes with economic prosperity. The Compassionate Capitalist Podcast will explore the history of black enterprise, and government policies intended to aid in economic prosperity, and the racist practices that created barriers and obstacles to African American prosperity so that wealth and education gap which exists today has its roots dating back to the late 1800.  History shows time and time again how naive, well intentioned white people, in the spirit of compromise, released authority and control to other white people that had a sole intent to harm and hinder black people from achieving equality - socially and economically.  There are many examples of progress being made and initiatives seeking to grow black entrepreneurship, wealth creation, and reinvestment into the communities that have been neglected and abandoned.   As we look forward with these new sources of funding and entrepreneur development, we must also look back to see how to fix the fissure that over a 100 years of systemic rac