Thank goodness for both!

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed over the last few days and I have seen a simple yet “catchy” ad for an investment crowdfunding platform. Now for the record, as you know, I despise this model, as it goes against every bone in my body for what my firm was based on; due diligence and oversight. This has to be done before, during, and after. You cannot put $100 into an idea and expect a decent shot at a successful company or return.

With that being said, the advertisements were catchy.

The ads had floating hoverboards like “Back to the future” and said “Invest in Crazy Ideas”. It had rocket ships flying up on a chart, with the copy saying, “Become an Angel Investor”. So again, Ill use my disclaimer that I hate crowdfunding platforms, small investors putting $100 into an idea is NOT an Angel Investor, and, in my humble opinion, 99.9% of these are probably ideas without solid business plans or CEO’s with the skill sets to drive them to the “promised land”.

Just a quick note on the aforementioned movie; Look at some of the products featured in this movie that were non-existent or unthinkable at the time. They have the flat-screen TV, the self-tying trainers, the 3-D movie, and yes…even my beloved Chicago Cubs won the world series 25 years year before it actually happened. That’s some forward-thinking stuff in 1985! If you want some investment ideas, go watch a movie sometime.

Throughout history, some of the most incredible products and companies were thought to be crazy. Facebook, Tesla, and Google to name a few, were considered ridiculous. Hell, they even laughed Henry Ford off the stage for the “horseless carriage”. He fought them every step of the way. I’m pretty sure the naysayers were the railroads, saddle makers and carriage makers.

Back to the advertisement… what struck me also were many of the comments by naysayers. ” I have an idea…fund my unemployment and I’ll give you weekly progress reports” or “you’d be better off just burning your $100” or of course the good old “they are all scams”.

So what’s the answer, or am I contradicting myself?

Thank goodness for the crazies. Thinking outside the box, imagining the unimaginable, looking to do things better, faster, smarter.

Thank goodness for the naysayers. Its ok to poke holes in the boat of ideas, but you have to check it after you poke; if it still floats! If you don’t, then thank goodness you leave the opportunity on the table for people, like me, who do keep an open mind.

In the middle is the open minded investor who is always on the look-out for the next big idea, who will think beyond todays parameters and have the courage to pull the trigger. These are the people that will seize the day. These are the real Angel investors

And at the end… are the crowdfunding platforms. I think they stink no matter what!