Middle Market Deals and how to buy, sell and raise capital from $5 to $500 million

Tim's post on LeaderNotes about the Invisible Children got me thinking.  Macy's guest post there reinforced the message.  I've spent several hours today reading about and watching the videos prepared by the Invisible Children, Inc.

I won't pretend this post is particularly topical, only that in a single day I've found myself convinced that this issue matters.  I hope you'll help spread the word.

Saturday, April 29, 2006 -- this Saturday -- the Night Commute (a reference to the nightly commute of thousands of children who walk miles each evening just to find a safe gathering place to sleep) will be held in every major city in the country, including three cities in Utah (many Utahns will be surprised to learn we have three major cities).

The location of Salt Lake's camp, Gallivan Plaza, will be 50 yards from my downtown condo.  I'll get some video to post tomorrow.

Below is a video posted on YouTube by Invisible Children, Inc.

Tim Stay posted about a remarkable phonemenon of youth leadership on LeaderNotes.  Both Seth Godin and Chartreuse thought enough of the post to reference it.  I think it is an incredible example of not-for-profit entrepreneurship.

Check it out.

Seth posted a thank you to Tim Stay of Know More Media today for running free ads for his book across the network.

Tim Stay explains the motivation behind the free plugs here.

I appreciate the opportunity to blog for KMM--great organization!

The Know More Media team (note that this is a Know More Media blog) provided me with a video of the team discussing their business, its challenges and successes to date.  The KMM founders are Hal Halladay (who authors LeaderNotes), Tim Stay and Rich Christiansen.

I love these videos of entrepreneurs.  Great entrepreneurs tend to want to share their thoughts and ideas, their vision for the future and their plans.  Other people are attracted naturally to their entrepreneurial spirit.

Take a look at this video and let me know what you think!

Today, Seth blogs about grapple and I noticed that Tim blogs about weird.

The idea occurs to me that Seth's concept of standing out from the crowd, being unique, special and different could be described as being weird.  They are talking about the same thing.

Tim talks about how Dell Schanze, founder of failed Totally Awesome Computers, was too weird.

Seth says that no matter how purple the grape+apple=grapple curiosity is, it is still "awful."

How purple is too purple?  How purple isn't purple enough? 

What do you think?

Tim Stay posted today at LeaderNotes (usually authored by Know More Media CEO Hal Halladay) on his recent interaction with David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue.  I hate to share the punch line, but Tim felt compelled to give millionaire CEO David Neeleman a five spot.

Please read the post to find out why.  What I love about Tim's story is that in Tim's classic, modest way he demonstrates a personal characteristic that makes me admire him as much as--or more--than his counterpart in the story.

To be clear, what I admire about Neeleman is his integrity.  What I admire about Tim, includes his integrity, but also includes his generosity of spirit that makes it so easy for him to praise others.  Tim would much rather find something you're doing right than wrong!  Who wouldn't want to work for him! 

Hal, and Rich Christiansen, too, exemplify the same values.

A discussion is raging on the web among bloggers who have an opinion about Advisory Capitalists.

First, let me tell you what I think is meant by this new term.  I believe it is intended to represent a group of people who have become powerful (my word) in the web 2.0 economy by being early adopters of new technologies, specifically by blogging and networking on-line.   They have developed genuine expertise and influence in an emerging industry--expertise and influence that previously was found primarily among venture capitalists whose money garnered them their power.  Advisory capitalists do not contribute capital, but provide that power and influence that venture capitalists traditionally do.

By extension, the label of "advisory capitalist" can be applied to any advisor, consultant, guru or guide who provides, under any basis of compensation, assistance or advice to early stage businesses.

I recognize that I showed up late to the Web 2.0 party.  I launched my blog only about 32 days ago.  That said, without understanding all that has been going on, I like to think my wait was somewhat strategic (see my post about choosing to blog for the Know More Media network).

I just read on Mark Evans's blog that Six Apart, the company that produces the Movable Type software that I'm using to post this blog, just raised $12 million at a pre-money valuation of $80 million. (See Tim Stay's post.)

Whether or not that it is a fair valuation, it marks a real maturing of the Web 2.0 economy.  The new Internet is changing radically and changing the way we do business.

This afternoon I had the privilege of leading a panel discussion on future trends in venture capital, as part of Brad Bertoch's Investors Choice Conference hosted by the Wayne Brown Institute (read Tim Stay's extensive coverage of the event on VCSmart).  We had hoped to get some clear vision into the future, but at least we came away with a fair image of the present and a good picture of the recent past.

The real question that we wanted answered is what is the next big thing?  Corley Phillips of American River Ventures responded jestingly, by quoting a notable VC, that "I wouldn't answer that if you were my mother."  Of course, every VC's hope is to find the next big thing--all alone--and to make that 100 fold return--just once (or twice).

We did discuss some arenas like VOIP, nanotechnology and web 2.0.  These are areas where lots of money has been made, begging the question are there any opportunities remaining?  The point was made in response that venture capitalists are unlikely to back another Skype or Vonage, but that doesn't mean that there aren't opportunities to develop VOIP related technologies that will move the migration of Internet telephony forward.  The key for entrepreneurs is to find a relevant spot on which to push.

On Thursday, I will be moderating a panel of venture experts on trends in venture capital for the Investors Choice Conference for the Wayne Brown Institute.  I'll post the key observations no later than Friday.  Just to get you ready, I'll post the names of the panelists with links to their bios.

I expect to come away from this discussion smarter than I walk in.  For me, this is an opportunity to gain some valuable insights.  I'll share what I learn.

Tim Stay will also be covering the event and will be posting to VCSmart elsewhere on the KnowMoreMedia network.