I would have to agree. I get approached once every few months. The last two developments averaged about 50% return in 18 months and the other in almost two years. Those were both land development deals. I haven't yet found a business to invest in that would come close to that. Or maybe I just overlooked one. Hard to say. I find "The Profit" much more useful as a show depicting the things you get into investing in small business than Shark Tank. I like Shark Tank but the viewership skews the issues they face to scaling and not the normal issues one faces. Not that scaling is an impossible issue, just not the hardest one.
Anyway, I congratulate you on both finding Ecoflower and recognizing it. I am not sure that is one I would have jumped on in a big way. But then again, I don't like the retail environment, don't understand it, and can't make much sense of it or guess where its going. I seem to have plenty of stupid ideas of my own to throw money at these days anyway. On Tue, Oct 25, 2016 at 9:10 AM Travis Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > Hey... > > You are correct... there are much better, faster growing investments than > a fiber company or WISP. Even if you factor in businesses that don't make > it (I've had two of those in the last two years, costing me about > $120,000). However, with the Ecoflower company I am currently at a 100x ROI > in just two years (on paper)... but I have gotten 3x my cash investment > back already via dividends. > > Even Marcus on The Profit says the same thing... he makes enough on the > companies that do work out to cover the ones that are losers. His actual > success rate is something like 10% of his investments. > > The best way to play the WISP/Fiber game is cash flow... take as much out > of the business as you can, still providing enough to grow and install new > customers. :) > > > Travis > > > > On 10/24/2016 9:27 PM, Sterling Jacobson wrote: > > > > If this guy/company invests in WISPs, has anyone here actually received > any money/funds from them? > > Until that happens it’s just a load of crap. > > > > I’ve talked to a good number of investors for our fiber company this year. > > It boils down to the same few items every time: > > > > They can’t afford it. > > They can afford it, but are (supposedly) making tons more interest > flipping real estate in a lot less than the 3-5 years payback that I am > offering. > > And the last, they just plain don’t want to because they are investing in > 20-30 smaller companies, all of which will die and leave them with nothing > except that ONE that will gain them 40B. > > > > Every single person or group I have talked to about investing in Fiber has > been very very positive about what I am doing and my numbers and model. > > But it just isn’t attractive enough or pays out enough fast enough to make > them move in this economic climate. > > > > My top three hopefuls at the moment are three groups/companies that are > already doing fiber or fiber related industries. > > They ‘get’ it, and are comfortable with the slower rate of return and > partnership terms. > > > > Generally speaking, the ISP model is considered a utility now, and it’s > not as sexy as I like to think it is, lol! > > > > > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:[email protected] <[email protected]>] *On > Behalf Of *Mike Hammett > *Sent:* Monday, October 24, 2016 9:12 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT: Shark Tank > > > > Yup. > > > > ----- > Mike Hammett > Intelligent Computing Solutions <http://www.ics-il.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/ICSIL> > <https://plus.google.com/+IntelligentComputingSolutionsDeKalb> > <https://www.linkedin.com/company/intelligent-computing-solutions> > <https://twitter.com/ICSIL> > Midwest Internet Exchange <http://www.midwest-ix.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/mdwestix> > <https://www.linkedin.com/company/midwest-internet-exchange> > <https://twitter.com/mdwestix> > The Brothers WISP <http://www.thebrotherswisp.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/thebrotherswisp> > > > <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXSdfxQv7SpoRQYNyLwntZg> > ------------------------------ > > *From: *"Ken Hohhof" <[email protected]> > *To: *[email protected] > *Sent: *Monday, October 24, 2016 9:23:58 PM > *Subject: *Re: [AFMUG] OT: Shark Tank > > That Leonidas guy? > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:[email protected] <[email protected]>] *On > Behalf Of *Mike Hammett > *Sent:* Monday, October 24, 2016 9:06 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT: Shark Tank > > > > I've gotten several emails the past couple weeks from someone about > putting money in WISPs. I've been ignoring them so far, assuming they were > scams. > > > > ----- > Mike Hammett > Intelligent Computing Solutions <http://www.ics-il.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/ICSIL> > <https://plus.google.com/+IntelligentComputingSolutionsDeKalb> > <https://www.linkedin.com/company/intelligent-computing-solutions> > <https://twitter.com/ICSIL> > Midwest Internet Exchange <http://www.midwest-ix.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/mdwestix> > <https://www.linkedin.com/company/midwest-internet-exchange> > <https://twitter.com/mdwestix> > The Brothers WISP <http://www.thebrotherswisp.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/thebrotherswisp> > > > <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXSdfxQv7SpoRQYNyLwntZg> > ------------------------------ > > *From: *"Jeff Broadwick - Lists" <[email protected]> > *To: *[email protected] > *Sent: *Monday, October 24, 2016 6:17:16 PM > *Subject: *Re: [AFMUG] OT: Shark Tank > > I know of an investment group looking specifically to invest in WISPs. > > Jeff Broadwick > > ConVergence Technologies, Inc. > > 312-205-2519 <(312)%20205-2519> Office > > 574-220-7826 <(574)%20220-7826> Cell > > [email protected] > > > On Oct 24, 2016, at 6:51 PM, Paul Stewart <[email protected]> wrote: > > I’ve heard that… hence my opinion that there are much better ways to get > money if that’s the only motive for doing it…. > > > > I participated a couple of times in some nearby “angel investor” groups a > few years back …. was looking for new ideas/investments - it was quite > simple for those pitching ideas… no strings attached and if someone liked > your idea then you went aside in private and discussed more details. if > not, then at least some of the folks had a chance to pitch ideas…. > > > > > > On Oct 24, 2016, at 6:48 PM, Travis Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > It was one of her personal goals to get on Shark Tank, even before I got > involved in the business. > > I can tell you now, after just getting the actual "deal" paperwork today > (she filmed months ago), this is the absolute worst deal I have ever seen > for a small business owner. Royalties, commissions, options to buy equity > up to 3 years into the future, etc. :( > > Travis > > On 10/24/2016 2:02 PM, Lewis Bergman wrote: > > So it doesn't sound like she needs money since she has you. Going in for > the publicity? > > > > On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 2:15 PM Jaime Solorza <[email protected]> > wrote: > > ha funny guy > > > Jaime Solorza > > Wireless Systems Architect > > 915-861-1390 <%28915%29%20861-1390> > > > > On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 12:56 PM, Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote: > > But I gotta new old motorhome! > > > > *From:* Jaime Solorza > > *Sent:* Monday, October 24, 2016 11:40 AM > > *To:* Animal Farm > > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT: Shark Tank > > > > Crystal meth show has been done Chuck... Next!!!! > > > > On Oct 24, 2016 11:37 AM, "Chuck McCown" <[email protected]> wrote: > > I have something on the cooker. > > > > *From:* Gino Villarini > > *Sent:* Monday, October 24, 2016 11:17 AM > > *To:* Animal Farm > > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT: Shark Tank > > > > nice... when are we going to have a WISP venture there? > > > > On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 1:16 PM, Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote: > > Pretty cool. One of my favorite shows. > -----Original Message----- From: Travis Johnson Sent: Monday, October 24, > 2016 10:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [AFMUG] OT: Shark Tank > > Well... after four tryouts for Shark Tank, one of my investments made two > years ago, Ecoflower, will be on the November 4th episode of Shark Tank. :) > > It has been an amazing two years... watching her grow this company from > nothing to a multi-million dollar business (even before Shark Tank). When > we first met her, she was building these flower bouquets in her apartment > and selling them at farmer's markets. Now she has 60+ employees and she is > in a 26,000sqft warehouse/office. Her passion and drive is sometimes > overwhelming, but she makes things happen. :) > > http://sharktankblog.com/business/ecoflower/ > > Travis > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
