|
One bitter cold Minnesota winter morning I was running late for school. I had just gotten out of the shower and grabbed my stuff as I ran to the car. Once inside my frozen car, it wouldn’t start. As I was working to resolve this problem, I discovered my hair was frozen solid. Standing outside in the frigid temperatures wearing an ice helmet I came to a defining moment. It was time to leave Minnesota and find my future somewhere warmer. Soon I packed up my 1977 Pontiac Firebird and headed to Texas to take a chance on a start-up business.
Fourteen years later… We paced the hotel suite, waiting… Would the call come? Would this really happen? The phone rang, I picked it up. It was our banker in Texas. “John I just checked your account.” “Yes?” I held my breath. “Congratulations! Your wire transfer came through. The deal is closed”. We made it! We had successfully grown and sold our first start-up business. |
What began as two guys with not much money, a simple brochure and a few motorcycle parts, grew into Chrome Specialties an international company distributing 13,000 products to 4000 retailers in 48 countries.
Many opportunities emerged as I applied the lessons learned from operating, financing and investing. As an entrepreneur, partner and investor I have been involved in a variety of businesses including a bank, ski resort, consumer power tools, solar lighting, energy water treatment, online games and movies.
Most recently Funimation was sold to Sony Entertainment. My partners and I grew Funimation to over $100 million in annual sales with 450 titles, 10,000 hours of content and over 4 billion views across all platforms.
Along the way I have been fortunate to have worked with amazing management teams and great partners including two self-made billionaires each whom have founded Fortune 500 companies. I’ve learned many lessons from them. The most important was how to work on a company not in a company. I’m inspired by entrepreneurs, attracted to their ambition, drive, and sense of adventure.
Life and business are a journey and in the end all you get to take with you are the memories of the people you meet and the experiences you share with them.
Today I prefer to co-invest alongside other successful entrepreneurs, CEO friends and family offices. We can bring strategic partners and patient capital without the limitation of a private equity firm. I am actively seeking investments in privately held companies. Let me know if you have something interesting you would like me to consider.
Many opportunities emerged as I applied the lessons learned from operating, financing and investing. As an entrepreneur, partner and investor I have been involved in a variety of businesses including a bank, ski resort, consumer power tools, solar lighting, energy water treatment, online games and movies.
Most recently Funimation was sold to Sony Entertainment. My partners and I grew Funimation to over $100 million in annual sales with 450 titles, 10,000 hours of content and over 4 billion views across all platforms.
Along the way I have been fortunate to have worked with amazing management teams and great partners including two self-made billionaires each whom have founded Fortune 500 companies. I’ve learned many lessons from them. The most important was how to work on a company not in a company. I’m inspired by entrepreneurs, attracted to their ambition, drive, and sense of adventure.
Life and business are a journey and in the end all you get to take with you are the memories of the people you meet and the experiences you share with them.
Today I prefer to co-invest alongside other successful entrepreneurs, CEO friends and family offices. We can bring strategic partners and patient capital without the limitation of a private equity firm. I am actively seeking investments in privately held companies. Let me know if you have something interesting you would like me to consider.