06.06.14

When Valuation Does Not Matter
Chris Arndt

We enjoyed this article written by Mark MacLeod and wanted to share.  The article highlights that we must find our own growth engine:  “As soon as you find a repeatable and scalable growth engine, you can raise pretty much as much as you want on the terms that you want to mine that engine.” Read […]

05.17.14

Spring-Cleaning Tips for Every Entrepreneur
Chris Arndt

Since we are the Entrepreneur’s CFO, we know that you are busy and want to keep you informed on what’s going on in the industry. Now that there has been some time for things to settle down from tax season, maybe it’s time to reassess your own accounting. Maybe you can call it an entrepreneur’s […]

01.06.14

Why Everything I Thought I Know About Churn is Wrong
Chris Arndt

Here’s a nice short article by Tomasz Tunguz about the intricacies of calculating customer churn rate and the related lifetime value. I like this article as Tomasz does not go too deep on the math behind this and instead focuses on high level scenarios where churn rate can vary dramatically. He then links to other […]

01.03.14

Three Problems With Your Business’ Financial Model
Chris Arndt

Does this sound familiar? “So tell me, how exactly does your business make money?” asks the inquisitive VC. “Um….what do you mean?” you ask, “Can’t you see our hockey stick growth projections on page 2? That’s how we make money, and boat loads of it!” The VC looks at the chart unimpressed and suddenly has […]

11.10.13

Looking Backward to Help Your Business Move Forward
Chris Arndt

Do you think it’s important to look in the rearview mirror of your car before merging onto the expressway at 65 M.P.H. (or faster)? Isn’t it smart to know who’s approaching quickly from behind and isn’t planning on changing lanes to accommodate you? It’s probably also a good idea to know how much fuel you have left before realizing the next gas station is 50 miles away. I think the obvious answer to these questions is “Yes.” But if paying attention to your gauges and what’s behind you is important in driving, then why do so many entrepreneurs choose not to pay attention to the same things as they relate to their business?

10.06.13

Tab: Startup to Shutdown – 10 Lessons Learned
Chris Arndt

I highly recommend reading the article that I’ve linked to below.  I wish more people would write about their lessons learned after their start-up goes belly up. Failure in the start-up space is inevitable, but we may be able to help others avoid our mistakes if we take the time to write about them. Additionally, […]

03.03.12

Trends in Exits for Start Ups
Chris Arndt

The article below is written by Jeff Carter, co-founder of Hyde Park Angels, which is one of the most active angel groups in the US. He specifically does a great job at identifying how family offices approach angel investing differently than other investors. Jeff  states that family offices are sometimes more interested in receiving on-going […]

02.05.12

How to Pitch Angel Investors
Chris Arndt

Chris Arndt is a partner in Red Granite, a Chicago-based firm that advises high-net-worth individuals and families—a roster of clients that includes several angel investors. From his unique advisory position, Arndt says he knows what entrepreneurs should be thinking about as they go about trying to get an angel on their side. What follows, then, are his tips to do just that.

01.06.12

Heavyweights Including Pritzker, Mansueto Launch Tech Investment Fund
Chris Arndt

We get excited whenever we see more tech investing in Chicago. This fund’s investment in a start-up will serve as an immediate credibility booster for that startup. Family offices and other potential investors would be wise to make follow-on investments in the start-ups that are backed by this fund of experts. Read article: “Heavyweights Including […]

06.24.11

Three Signs Your Family Office Should Ditch QuickBooks
Chris Arndt

Just about every family office starts out with QuickBooks as its accounting system. And why not? QuickBooks is extremely easy to learn, and you can be up and running in minutes. Not to mention it’s dirt-cheap at only a couple hundred bucks.