The
Dr. PAUL GUENTHER, DBA CEO
WWW.PRIMEVIEW.CO
Knowledge Hub Media
EDITOR’S NOTE
Making a Difference with a New Outlook We usually picture a CEO as a formally dressed person seated behind the glass doors with limited access or a proficient leader who addresses the employees at conferences or public events. Well, not anymore. The definition of CEOs has surely changed over the years. CEOs today are interested in the growth and development of their employees. They know that the company will grow with the growth of its people. Perhaps, that is why these leaders are known as Inspiring CEOs. Prime View has put together a compilation on of the success of such awe-inspiring CEOs who believe in not only leading the genera on to success but empowering them to redefine success. The issue titled, “THE 10 BEST PERFORMING CEO’S TO WATCH IN 2020”; appreciates the hard work and dedication on of these eminent leaders. Featuring as our cover story is the success story of Dr. Paul Guenther, CEO of Knowledge Hub Media. Paul shares his impressive experience with us highlighting the highs and lows of the business world. The article also focuses on the success strategies and inspiring thoughts of Paul that helped him through the challenges. Paul is a successful CEO today and is living his dream every day, with contentment. We have also highlighted the professional success of renowned CEOs of varied industries who have climbed the ladder of success despite the challenges. Inclusive are the success stories of Christopher Carter, CEO of Approyo, Nancy Zeffman CEO of Cucumber, Nin Desai CEO of NIN Ventures, Marina Togentti CEO of mYngle. Prime View is privileged to provide a platform of recognition to all these great leaders who ignite a flame of passion in every emerging CEO. Thanks you! Prime View Magazine
The 10 Best Performing CEO’s to Watch in 2020
SONAL K
STEVE R DAVID S
PRATIK T. , JOHNSON J.
SAM K.
RICHARD D.
SAM D. , ALEN A.
Visit: https://primeview.co Email: editor@primeview.co
COVER STORY
Dr. Paul Guenther, DBA Knowledge Hub Media
CONTENTS
PROFILES Christopher Carter Approyo
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Nancy Zeffman Cucumber
22
content Marina Tognetti mYngle
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ARTICLES Nin Desai
NIN Ventures 34
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Dr. Paul Guenther, DBA CEO
EFFECTIVELY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE TECH SOLUTIONS TAILORED TO NEEDS
Knowledge Hub Media, an award-winning data processing and technology service platform found its genesis in 2009 as the brainchild of Dr. Paul Guenther, DBA. It has been a leader in delivering niche blog articles, expert analysis, and the newest and most relevant white papers, webinars, research reports and case studies across all industry verticals for more than ten years. Based in Pennsylvania, Knowledge Hub Media provides B2B demand generation (or lead generation) services via white paper and content syndication. White papers, webcasts, eBooks, and other assets to generate highly qualified sales leads; based on the specific software and/or service-based solution(s) offered by each of the clients. Each client’s internal salesforce then contacts the leads that the team has generated to (1) gauge their interest in the solution that they are offering/selling, (2) get them into the automation platform and/or sales pipeline, and (3) ultimately close the deal.
THE FLAG BEARER A visionary and outstanding leader, Dr. Paul Guenther is successfully spearheading the Knowledge Hub Media towards its mission of delivering tailor-made solutions. Paul graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in 2006 and went on to receive his MBA from Wilmington University in 2010. Eventually, Paul earned his Doctorate in Business Administration, also from Wilmington University, in 2019. Between 2006 and 2009, he had seven different jobs that some people might consider “careers.” At the end of the day, I didn’t like any of them too much… And being the entrepreneur that he is, he was always bouncing around to new opportunities, chasing a higher paycheck. Paul was never truly fulfilled career-wise until he started Knowledge Hub Media. And today, as the Founder & CEO of the company, the visionary leader is involved in essentially all internal processes. He is working around the clock most of the time to get things on time with perfection.
THE INCEPTION STORY Dr. Paul Guenther has been an entrepreneur since childhood. He started his first eCommerce website when he was 14. Before establishing Knowledge Hub media, Paul was working for a company that was in the B2B Advertising industry. He had successfully taken on and worked in several different roles within the company – more specifically, in sales, client services and client marketing –and he felt that he had a pretty good grip on most of the moving parts. So in 2009, he quit his job and started his own B2B Advertising Technology Company. “Combining what I had learned with what I already knew about web development and promoting content online, which I’d been doing it since I was fourteen, I figured it would be pretty easy. The way I saw it, all I really needed was to find one consistent client, then I could bide my time and build things up from there. And that’s what I did. From an employee standpoint, we have grown year over year ever since the company’s inception. We have also increased our revenue year over year, every year with the except one, where we saw a slight dip,” stated Paul.
DIFFERENTIATING FACTORS “Educating our userbase with the most up to date and relevant content, Knowledge Hub Media prides itself on enabling users to develop sound business strategies, conduct (their own) relevant research, handle project management, manage their daily workflow, and ultimately, make intelligent purchasing decisions with regards to software and technology solutions,” shared Paul. • The company has the ability to micro-target campaigns via very specific criteria, and the ability to always meet campaign deadlines.
• It delivers an excellent experience (not to mention excellent ROI) that differentiates Knowledge Hub in valuable ways. • It offers our demand generation campaigns - providing leads to clients that are made up of very specific job titles, company sizes, and industries and install bases. • These days, the vast majority of campaigns at Knowledge Hub are company targeted via ABM lists or buyer intent lists, as well • It can effectively target every country in the world to engage in lead generation (save Japan), and can promote each client’s offer(s) in the native language of their choice. Finally, they complete all of the campaigns on time! They don’t ever “over-promise and under-deliver,â€? and all leads are delivered within the campaign’s agreed upon flight dates!
Knowledge Hub Media
COMPANY’S FUTURE PERSPECTIVES The company is already spread across various countries. They have a large global audience (the people consuming our content) and have the ability to reach just over 39 million b2b contacts. In future, it will continue to add new team members, create new products, and innovate new technologies to offer clients a true edge over their competition. Build revenue year over year – every year – and reach $10 million in annual sales by the end of next year. The man behind the brand, Paul said, “I resist the pressure of approaching growth as a race; I like to let it come organically. Founders often think that they have to grow “this much,â€? or “this fast.â€? They don’t have to do either. They can - and oftentimes should - take the time to learn their industry and ramp things up the right way.â€? “I equate starting and growing my company to a stone building‌ The old stone building that has been standing for 500 years – not the cookie-cutter McMansion that’s already falling apart after 10 years. They are both impressive, sure. And having either is probably a hell of an achievement. But one stands the test of time – it weathers the storms (like this current recession), and when everything is all said and done, it’s still there,â€? he further added.
FEATHERS IN THE CAP
• The company hit $1 Million in Revenue for the first time in 2013 • The company hit $3 Million in Revenue for the first time in 2017 • Recognized as Top 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2016 by The Silicon Review • Honoured with Corporate Excellence Award for B2B Advertising & Research by CV Magazine • The company also has been featured in several podcast and business radio programs • Besides, Dr. Paul Guenther has been featured in a book called “Dynamic Founders of the 21st Century. • Knowledge Hub Media, an Inc. 5000 List honouree in three consecutive years – 2015, 2016 and 2017. • Named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Entrepreneur 360™ three years running (2017, 2018, 2019).
THE SECRET SAUCE Dr. Paul Guenther proudly shared, “We never overpromise and underdeliver, and thus, we never leave anyone hanging. That, and our ongoing customer service is second to none – we’re all about the customer experience. We are also among the best in the industry – if not THE best – at targeting niche job titles and specific countries and/or geographic regions outside of North America. From Latin America and Europe to India, the APAC region and even the Middle East.”
BALANCE IN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE Dr. Paul Guenther said, “It is really difficult. But I do it. I do take breaks and hang out with my family in between all of this, of course! But I NEVER work on the weekend. This is a promise that I made to my wife before we got married; a promise that I made to myself before I even started the company. I do not want to be tied to work 24/7, and being a fairly sociable person, I also like doing things with friends and family on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays. Pledging to never work on the weekend – ever has afforded me the ability to do all of this. And, most importantly to spend as much time as possible with my beautiful wife Allison and three-year-old son, Paul.”
SOURCE OF MOTIVATION “I am responsible for the lives of nine people. Their income and their livelihood depend on the company’s income and livelihood. When you are responsible for ensuring that your people have jobs to go to everyday… Well, there isn’t anything more motivating than that. Because of that motivation, I’ve never had to lay anybody off, and we’ve actually never had any kind of turnover... We have a 100% retention rate, and I’m really proud of that,” asserted Paul. Keeping the team motivated is even easier. Treat them the same way that you’d treat your family or good friends. When you want to educate somebody that you like, somebody you love…
How do you do it? Are you authoritative? Or conversely, are you more consultative? I try to treat everyone with the utmost respect. My rule of thumb is NOT to “treat everyone the same way you’d want to be treated,” but rather, to “treat everyone BETTER than you’d want to be treated.” That can go a long way. In 11 years, now, we’ve never lost a single employee. Nobody has ever been fired or laid off, and nobody has quit, either. I’d like to – and hope to – keep it that way,” he further added.
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The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. - Dr. Paul Guenther DBA.
Que: Please tell me your story? Or How did you get your start? Ans: I attended Georgia Tech back in my college days, where I found my love for technology. After graduating, I began working with SAP. Over the years, I got more and more involved and ended up owning my own business in the industry. I retired for a few years until an old friend of mine called me up to tell me about SAP’s latest release, SAP HANA, back in 2012. The opportunity arose, and I had to dive back in, thus came the creation of Approyo the very next year.
Que: How do you diversify your organization’s offerings to appeal to the target audience? Ans: We are a partner of SAP; therefore, we offer SAP solutions as a service to our customers and partners around the globe. Where we differentiate ourselves from other companies, is through our expertise. Many other Managed Services Providers likely provide multiple forms of ERP systems to expand their services portfolio. Approyo on the other hand, only deals with systems related to SAP directly. While we provide integrative services with other ERP service providers such as Microsoft Azure, AWS, etc., our main focus is still on SAP.
Que: Brief us about your company’s future perspectives. Ans: Utilizing long lasting experience in today’s core competence within the SAP industry, we strive to become one of the leading Managed Services Providers in the world. Continuous use of innovative technology to assist companies in transforming their business processes, helping them become more agile and organized. In the future, we would like to expand our service offerings even more so, as technology advances through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), etc. 17
Que: What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment? Ans: My greatest accomplishment bringing this company to the market in a manner that makes me proud. I am proud of the growth of our team, our customers, and our business in general. Outside of work, my greatest accomplishment is my family, who I look forward going home to every day.
Que: Being a CEO in this environment is very challenging and all consuming—are you prepared for the challenge? (How would you Control the Situation) Ans: I like to believe that I am always prepared. The COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing short of disaster-recovery. Approyo has continued on through these times, operating as usual.
Que: What is your “Secret Sauce?” i.e. what are the 3-5 Leadership Principles that you have discovered and executed that have contributed to your success? Ans: One- Don’t question things, just do them! Life is too short to question every little thing, if you have a gut feeling that something needs to be done, then go for it. Sometimes risks were meant to made. Two- Be passionate about your job. If you are truly passionate and care about the results, care about the work you put out there, then you will do much better in your career. Find the job role that fits your mind, whether it’s on the creative or logical side. Three- Be an equal, not a dictator. Work with your team to establish goals and do what you can to help them reach those goals. Whether its training, or giving them the tools necessary to succeed, you must make sure that they are set up to be successful, don’t just throw them in and hope they do great.
Que: What are your biggest failures professionally? What have you learned from them, and what would you do differently? Ans: My largest failure was with a company I started in the 1990’s… it ended up closing and sadly went into bankruptcy. It was devastating to my ego, my soul, and my heart as I had to close it and let everyone go find new work at other companies. I learned I never want to go down that path ever again, and today I work to do everything I can to make sure that history does not repeat itself. I’ve learned to spread your eggs into many baskets and not into just one.
Que:What does success look like for you? Ans: For me it is all about watching our staff grow and in-turn watch the clients grow and make them successful. Success looks like all around customer satisfaction. Having conversations with customers and partners, and receiving positive feedback is what drives me and the rest of the team to do our best. Our mission is “SAP Made Simple”, and when customers talk about how simple, quick, and organized their systems are because of the project/s we did for them, that’s what makes us truly successful in our industry.
Que: What are some of the new ideas you would implement in this position? Ans: As an influential leader, I think it’s important to think about more than just yourself. Know your responsibilities but take the initiative to go after things that aren’t necessarily “necessary”. You must have an all-encompassing Birdseye view of your entire organization. Use technology to your benefit.
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Que:What do others say about your leadership style, Give us some examples of your leadership skills. Ans: While I overlook the entire company, I trust my team to make their own decisions. Our team of SAP experts are certified and trained to know what is needed of them. I work hands on with partners and customers to check in, but it is my service delivery team that keeps our customers’ systems up and running on a daily basis. The office environment is casual for a tech company, but we all get our work done at the end of the day. Problem-solving and Integrity are two of our main values here at Approyo. With me personally, I work to solve other business’ problems, using SAP as the solution. Sometimes a company might not know exactly what they want, but by determining their business needs and where they wish to improve, I am able to map out the exact solution to solve their problem. Our integrity is what keeps Approyo in the minds of prospective clients. Honesty is always the best policy, and I believe standing by your word will lead you to better business relationships. Dependability is another big one. I believe to be an influential leader; you must be willing to not only do your best in your own role but willing to help your team as well.
Que: What is your “vision” in life, e.g. what drives you for a Successful Journey? Ans: My vision is simple, “life is too short”. While business is important to my journey to success, there is more to life than just work. In work and life, you have to take risks to get where you want to be. The entire reason that Approyo exists today is because I took the risk of investing in a business within the SAP industry. When you’re outside of work, you’ve got to have fun which is why I also live by the saying, “Work hard, play hard.”
Que: What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess? Ans: Every leader should take the initiative to keep their business agile and innovative. Leaders shouldn’t be okay with staying stagnant; they should always strive for more. As a leader, you should always want to better your company in any way possible, which means staying on top of your own business practices and industry insights to drive profit.
Que: What’s the best advice you’ve recently received? Ans: HOARD FOR THE FUTURE. During this pandemic, it has been all about hoarding every resource you can. No matter if it is staff, clients, or cash, we are in a pandemic, so we want to help customers success and we want to help grow in and out of it.
Que: What question do you think we need to be asking that we haven't asked already? Ans: Why do I do what I do? I do what I do, Get up at 5 a.m. start calls in Asia with staff, have meetings with European clients & staff, start the coffee pots at the office, meet the team via Microsoft Teams and in person if they want to come in say “hello” and really dig into the day. I want to support them and love working with them all. 19
CUCUMBER
 My background is in advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi; Eileen, my Co-Founder, has a background in fashion working for Nicole Fahri. We have been firm friends for a long time, having met at the school gate when our children where little. We felt that our complementary backgrounds, skill sets and characters were perfect to start a business together. We launched Cucumber Clothing almost three years ago, in September 2017 and it has been a roller coaster ride ever since! Sometimes, you can get so bogged down in the day to day that you forget to pat yourself on the back and acknowledge what you have actually achieved. We hope that Cucumber will go from strength to strength, but either way, we have launched a label that is a recognised brand and has customers all over the world. I think that to launch a brand takes three main characteristics; determination – if you want to go for something, you have to give it your all and see it through; organisation – there is always so much to do and not all of it can be done at once; which leads me on to‌prioritising – and this means in a personal capacity too. You have to learn to prioritise yourself sometimes so that the business can be supported by two mentally and physically fit happy co-founders. 23
The foundation of Cucumber happened organically. I love to work out, as does my co-founder Eileen. We also love to wear our gym kits and found ourselves hardly changing out of them as the materials used are so comfortable, crease-free and easy to care for. They keep us cool and dry as we go about our busy lives, whether that’s trail running, downward dogging in hot yoga, jumping for the ball in basketball, walking the dog or popping to the local shops. Our light bulb moment came when we realised there must be a way to reproduce this, but with a material that looked as gorgeous as it felt. We wanted to replicate all the qualities of anti-crush, cooling, stay fresh and comfortable clothing, but in more stylish, everyday luxury pieces that we would want to reach for time and time again. We are both mums who have seen our children flee the nest; we had some more time on our hands and thought that Cucumber could fit neatly into our lives. Looking back, we were so naïve. We both gave up our other work commitments and it has been full steam ahead with Cucumber taking up every waking hour – an action packed journey of shifting priorities, meeting some incredible people and a huge learning curve; but mostly it has been lots of hard work and fun. We launched with a very small collection of just six pieces of nightwear in two colours. We were truly overwhelmed by the response we had to our products and quickly realised that there was a real gap in the market for performance, luxury fabrics that work with your body. This led us to develop ourselves into a fabric-led fashion brand, for use 24/7 not just for sleeping in. We provide women with solutions for their super busy lives, whether day or night, at home, at work, or globetrotting. 24
Being a tiny start-up on a shoe-string budget, we have learnt to look at things differently and find innovative ways to achieve our goals. Unconventionality is what we stand for, both in terms of how we get things done and in what we are doing. We see ourselves as educators – teaching women that technical fabrics that keep you cool and fresh can also be sustainable and fabulous to wear. So many women initially feel that human-made fibres by their very nature cannot be sustainable and cannot feel luxurious. We are here to bust that myth! We are not the scratchy nylons of the 70s; we are beautiful, luxuriously soft fabrics with all the added benefits of modern technology. Of course, our latest challenge is the challenge that now faces the whole world. We have some amazingly loyal customers and we hope that the world can get back to normal soon. These are uncertain and difficult times for everyone. We have had to learn some hard lessons along the way. For example, quite early on, we decided to try and outsource our fulfilment (picking, packing and shipping to the customer). We pride ourselves on brilliant customer service – we personally answer every email and actively encourage feedback. Fielding out this part of our business was nerve-wracking as this was the first time we had no control over part of our customer’s experience with us. We were horrified when we began to receive complaints of wrong garments received, double orders sent out and boxes marked ‘shoes’ (we only do clothing)! It was a month-long, very expensive experiment with endless firefighting, but it underlined to us the value we place on customer service. The ‘team’ is just the two of us (although we are excited to be hiring our first extra pair of part time hands soon) and we try to make our work mantra ‘kindness’. Everything we have created with Cucumber has been helped along with large doses of kindness from others and our interest in sustainability and circularity stems from trying to ensure that we leave the world a better place. From the very start, we wanted to be mindful of the world around us. We realise that producing anything leaves a carbon footprint, but we are trying to make ours as light as possible, whilst supporting the local economy. We are not perfect, but with every new collection, we are getting that little bit better – no small feat for a tiny start-up fashion brand.
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‚   � € ���� �  The United States Financial market is the largest and represents 7.3% (or $1.4 trillion) of U.S. gross domestic product. In 2015, the United States exported $119.6 billion in financial services and insurance and had a $46.7 billion surplus in financial services and insurance trade (excluding re-insurance, the financial services and insurance sectors had a surplus of $88.4 billion). The financial services and insurance sectors employed 6.2 million people in 2016. The securities subsector of the industry shows great potential for employment growth, with a 12% increase expected by 2018. At the end of 2016, 933,700 people were employed in the securities and investment sector. Investment in the U.S. financial services industry offers significant advantage for financial firms. In 2015, at least 130 of Fortune's Global 500 companies have chosen to locate their headquarters in the United States to take advantage of its creative, competitive, and comprehensive financial services sector. The industry offers the greatest array of financial instruments and products to allow consumer to manage risk, create wealth, and meet financial needs. The five major subsectors in this industry are: banking, asset management, insurance, venture capital, and private equity. Banking: As of the end of 2016, the U.S. banking system had $16.8 trillion in assets. It supports the world’s largest economy with the greatest diversity in banking institutions and concentration of private credit. In 2016, its net income was up 5.0% to $169.3 billion. Asset Management: The U.S. asset management subsector is unrivaled in its depth and diversity. U.S. asset managers are currently meeting the pension management needs of over 60% of the global retirement market. Total U.S. retirement assets were approximately $26 trillion at the end of 2016. Moreover, if insurance assets and mutual funds are included, U.S. asset managers held nearly $51 trillion of long-term conventional assets under management in 2016, or over 47% of the global total for these funds. Insurance: In 2015, the insurance industry’s net premiums totaled approximately $1.2 trillion. According to NAIC data, premiums recorded by life and health insurers accounted for 45%, and premiums by
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property and casualty insurers accounted for 55%. Additionally, about one-third of all reinsurance sold worldwide is bought by U.S. firms. International insurance companies are actively seeking business partnerships and collaborations with U.S. insurance companies. Venture Capital: The venture capital industry was created in the United States and our venture capital ecosystem continues to support many of our most innovative companies. In 2016, 253 venture capital funds raised $41.6 billion, a ten-year high, to deploy into promising startups. Venture Capital backed companies employ 38% of the U.S. workforce within public U.S. companies and account for 82% of private sector research and development since 1979. Annually, VC backed companies have historically generated revenue equal to 21% of U.S. GDP. (Source: Stanford University and NVCA) Private Equity: U.S. private equity firms invested more than $644 billion in U.S.-based companies in 2016. The private equity industry in the United States comprises nearly 4,500 investment firms, operating U.S. based businesses in all 50 states. Companies backed by U.S. private equity firms employ 11.3 million people in the United States and 19.6 million people worldwide. In 2016, business services and consumer-related businesses attracted the majority of U.S. private equity investment. Source: The International Trade Administration (ITA), U.S. Department of Commerce Over the years technology has changed the Financial Services industry and now FinTech has transformed into digital banks and banking software, payments and remittances, robo advisors and personal finance, block chain and digital currencies, and personal finance both business and consumer. While the total size of the US Fintech market is difficult to reconcile, it is likely between 0.5% and 1.5% of total financial services revenue as reported by the US Census. The 2008 Financial Meltdown led to a liquidity crises for entrepreneurs, companies, LPs, & VCs. Fewer IPOs in the market means no exits for VCs, no returns for LPs, and as a result venture funds were on a decline. No new funds means less startup funding, low employment, and slow economic growth. Thus on April 5, 2012, The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) was introduced, which enables crowdfunding for all Americans. Crowdfunding is a practice of funding a project or venture by raising contributions from a large number of people, typically via the Internet. The market is flooded with various types of crowdfunding options like donation, reward, lending, equity, royalty, and even hybrid versions. Since 2014 the crowdfunding industry has grown from $16 billion to an estimated $34 billion in 2015 and is doubling or more every year, and according to the World Bank estimates, crowdfunding will have a global market of $96 billion by 2025 - 1.8 times today’s global Venture Capital industry. The two most popular types of Crowdfunding methods are Reward and Equity. For rewards based Crowdfunding, entrepreneurs pre-sell a product or service to launch a business, and some times even in return for gifts or thank you notes. For equity Crowdfunding, the backer receives share of a company, usually in exchange of the money pledged. For NIN Ventures (or NIN.VC), it would be limited partner interest in the NIN Ventures Technology (QP) Fund. However, there is a major flaw with Crowdfunding in general; and that is what NIN.VC is solving. "I come from an Entrepreneurial family so I can speak on their behalf. Entrepreneurs are brave and courageous bunch that are determined to change the way an existing industry functions. On that journey they need lot more than just financing. They need guidance or domain expertise, help with PR/marketing, recruiting, viable exit strategy, more often follow up financing, etc., which Crowdfunding portals are not able to support. On the other hand Crowdfunding exposed investors to a whole new asset class, which the normal population never had the knowledge or expertise to invest in. About 99% of startups fail, on top of that low minimum investments like $1,000 does not give them a say or a board seat, putting investors at high degree of risk. 30
At NIN.VC we solved all of those issues. NIN.VC provides diversification, we take board seat on all our investments and lend the necessary support that an Entrepreneur needs to build a business, like they would get at a traditional Venture Capital fund. And are also in a position to gauge and be a part of the valuation process when it comes to addressing dilution and follow up financing rounds. However, the most IMPORTANT part that investors cares about is the ability to direct invest and enjoy direct returns, which is not the case with a traditional venture capital fund." NIN.VC is a Crowdfunded Technology Venture Capital firm offering membership interests under the JOBS Act & Regulation D of the US Securities Act of 1933. NIN.VC is a unique and first of its kind attempt to bring Venture Capital retail and give people the freedom to directly invest in a fund with an amount of their choice, which also leads to a better financial reward system. This offering is being made via general solicitation and general advertising, which is permitted by Rule 506(c) as contemplated by Title II of the JOBS Act. This rule came into effect Sep 23, 2013 and we were the first ones to go live with a website and videos about our fund. NIN Ventures also became the first venture fund to be seen on a billboard, which was followed by in taxi ads and other social media facilitated marketing. Learn more about us on https://nin.vc/ etc. NIN.VC invests in series A & B rounds of 3D printing, the 4th industrial revolution, ad tech, financial services, education software, and other disruptive technology companies. During the postwar period, recessions and recoveries, were mostly matters of business cycles. When demand recovered, GDP growth resumed, and employers hired again. But for the past two decades, this pattern has been broken. Innovation and investing in new technologies and startups is the solution to job creation – but are we creating jobs at the cost of the consumer and in return damaging our economy?
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Currently, the US Asset Management market is $51 trillion, and the global alternative asset market is approximately $8 trillion and expected to be $14 trillion by 2020, according to PwC. Crowdfunding is estimated to have a global market of $96 billion by 2025. While there a huge potential for growth in this space, currently majority of crowdfunding investors are pouring their money investing in companies exposing themselves and the American Economy to a high degree of risk, with a 90% start up failure rate. Recently, the SEC approved Title III JOBS Act, Equity Crowdfunding for non-accredited investors, which allows any U.S. citizen, regardless of income, to make direct investments via a Crowdfunding portal. However, investment in a fund like ours is still limited to accredited investors. Given funds are a less riskier asset class compared to Crowdfunding in companies, perhaps it’s time to revisit their investor eligibility, alter the definition of an accredited investor, and make Crowdfunding available for everyone. With NIN.VC, we would like to truly democratize venture capital. E.g. Yale is currently the best performing endowment fund in the United States. From 2008 to 2019, Yale has increased its asset allocation in Private Equity / Venture Capital from 20.2% to 37%, out of which 21.1% is venture capital, compared to 13.7% in 2014 and just 10% in 2013. In general, most people have a three dimensional portfolio (i.e. stocks, bonds, and money market), but if you look at Harvard and Yale’s portfolio, they a take a long-term approach and invest in alternatives like venture capital. NIN Ventures Technology (QP) Fund is an opportunity for "accredited" individuals / firms to invest in venture capital for a minimum amount of $100,000 using multiple investment options like self-directed IRAs, defined benefit plan, digital currencies (E.g. Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin), or a regular checking / savings account. An accredited investor is an individual with an income of more than $200,000 per year, or a joint income of $300,000, in each of the last two years and expect to reasonably maintain the same level of income OR have a net worth exceeding $1 million, either individually or jointly with his or her spouse, excluding the primary residence, qualifies as an accredited investor. For an Entity, any trust, with total assets in excess of $5 million qualifies. Log on to www.nin.vc and explore the world of investments with us!
About Ms. Nin Desai: Ms. Desai heads NIN.VC, a Crowdfunded Technology Venture Capital firm. Her experience spans all facets of mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance including public offerings and private placements from private equity to investment banking and investment management. Her corporate finance transactions include RACK, LOOP, LQDT, DBTK, AMIS, SLRY, VOCS, OWW and others. Her M&A deal sheet includes the sale of Financial Profiles to EISI, Buyseasons to Liberty Media, sale of Sircon to Vertafore, and others. She is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and has a technical diploma in E-commerce by IBM, holds Series 7 and 63 licenses from NASD. She holds an B.B.A and M.B.A in Finance / International Business from Loyola University of Chicago, and most recently attended leadership program in Private Equity and Venture Capital at Harvard Business School. Ms. Desai has been awarded 2015 CEO Of The Year – Illinois, for innovation and contribution to the Venture Capital & Private Equity industry by Acquisition International magazine and Private Equity Fund Manager to Watch for 2017 by Corporate America. NIN.VC has been the recipient of several awards including Wealth and Finance International Magazine's "Best Technology Venture Capital Fund Illinois" for the Alternative Investment Awards, the "Best Crowdfunded Technology Venture Capital Fund - US" for the Fund Awards, and “Leaders in Private Equity – Illinois” by Corporate Vision magazine to name a few. NIN.VC has been featured in VentureBeat, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Forbes, Inc, WGN's After Hours with Rick Kogan, NBC Weekend Web with Charlie Wojciechowski, Bloomberg's Taking Stock, Crowdfund Insider, and CIO Review to name a few.
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Â? Â? Â? Â? Â Â mYngle is a globally established, unique platform offering online language education with personalized
course plans. It is focused on innovating the traditional world of education by delivering a truly customer oriented solution. mYngle, under the leadership of Marina Tognetti- founder, has been offering Effective learning process incorporating industry topics & building employees' skills since inception. When mYngle was started, it was a pioneer in live online language education, amongst the first to provide one-to-one teaching of all languages over the internet. The platform offers customized language training programs through video conferencing in 45 different languages anytime, anywhere. Here, lessons are one-on-one, with highly qualified native coaches and related to the job-position of the learner. The virtual classrooms enable learners to take classes 24/7.
mYngle is the perfect solution for busy professionals who need language training to be successful in their international business, and for Companies that want great learning results and a transparent and controllable learning process to make their investment a success.
More About the Leading Lady Marina Tognetti is a tech entrepreneur, founder of mYngle.com. She like challenges, in everything she does. She also believes that entrepreneurship, especially in tech, allows us to look far ahead, innovate, change traditional business models, and disrupt industries. “Be the change you wish to see in the world. This probably best summarizes my vision of leadership as well as of my outlook in life. That is also why I choose entrepreneurship, even if later in my career, as it allows me to really make a difference,� asserted Marina. 35
mYngle brings effective and flexible learning process to convert your investment into success The passion for entrepreneurship came later on in Marina’s career. She built first a successful career by large multinationals, Procter & Gamble, Philips, Sara Lee, The Boston Consulting Group, and eBay; living and working in different countries, and got an MBA from INSEAD. It was when working as a consultant on a project on internet strategy that she first saw the potential of the internet to disrupt entire industries and change forever the way people buy/sell/interact. She had to be part of that! That was the driver to start an innovative company as mYngle.
Hurdles On The Way Marina said, “The main challenges were not at the beginning, but were when we had to ‘pivot’ from the initial business model to a completely different one. We had launched mYngle as a marketplace, something I knew very well from my previous eBay experience. We thought we got it all: funding, lots of Awards and PR, a very motivated team. But something in the business model was not functioning as we expected. We listened to our customers and they gave us the new direction, and they gave us the new direction, from an open marketplace to a quality global online school, from B2C to B2B. That is the mYngle that you see now.” 36
Marina’s biggest lesson here was that “Change is an essential part of being an entrepreneur.” That was the key to the success of mYngle. Success as an entrepreneur in fact is not a straight line. The truth is that in most cases, what you start out to do will not be what you’re doing when you are ultimately successful. You’ll discover that things you expected to work well don’t work at all. You’ll stumble into things that you didn’t expect to work that will. You’ll have to be able to adapt. It is how you deal with uncertainty and change that sets you apart.
“Entrepreneurship is jumping from a cliff and learning how to fly at the same time.” Achievements and Rewards Building a business from scratch is always challenging, building a tech start-up disrupting an industry as traditional as that of education, is exponentially more challenging. There are all sorts of resistances of an immature market you have to bypass: from the stereotypes consumers have in their minds to the (conservative) opinions of people. Now, online language education is setting the standards in terms of quality and flexibility. And mYngle has been part of that. For these reasons, mYngle has also won numerous awards as recognition for its contributions to online education. Immediately at the start (2008): Accenture Innovation Award, European Ventures Summit Award, Benelux Venture Summit Award, and more later on. Besides, Marina Tognetti received numerous awards as founder and CEO of Myngle, such as 50 most inspiring women tech leaders in Europe, 50 most inspiring women in the Dutch technology sector, Iconic Women Creating a Better World for All, and many others.
Leadership and Innovation This is an era of fast and drastic changes- technology, the volatility of the market, talent development. This affects the role of a modern leader, which must be able not only to adapt but also to anticipate and ride the positive trends. The characteristics of a good leader nowadays are therefore similar to that of an innovative entrepreneur. A leader must have a strong Vision, to set the direction and anticipate and navigate challenges. This also means being able to ‘Think out of the box’, adapt and change to keep the business successful. A leader must not be afraid of taking (calculated) risks in order to anticipate trends and steer the company also in turbulent waters. Last, but not least, must be able to build an organization that is also agile. That requires developing people that think and not only do ‘’jobs’’, employees that are entrepreneurs, fostering a culture of experimentation.
The future ahead, professionally and personally “It is in my nature to want to constantly improve, and it is in the nature of an entrepreneur to always seek new opportunities or areas of development. The future for mYngle will surely hold new challenges, as we keep on innovating and being ahead of the market,” Marina proudly shared. “I also have a strong idealistic part. I believe each of us can make a difference. So, for me personally, it will also be time to let the idealistic voice inside speak. I walked this path and learned a lot. That brought me in a privileged position, where I can implement new ideas that can make a difference. I can now use my skills to make the world just a little bit better,” she further added.
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