Anyone who has experienced a real estate transaction agrees that the experience can be improved considerably. This is especially the case for someone who dabbles in commercial real estate. I’ve dealing with a small transaction at the moment and it’s bewildering to say the least!
I have been fortunate to serve as an advisor to several startups, including AltoIRA, which offers individuals the ability to use tax-deferred IRA dollars to invest in alternative assets like startups, private equity, real estate funds and cryptocurrency and Percent, which offers short-term, high-yield investments. Both have grown their businesses substantially and have successfully raised funds from prominent venture firms. Recently, Blake Janover invited me to be a member of Janover Ventures’ advisory board. I was delighted to be approached and accepted the offer.
Janover Ventures is a marketplace that brings together commercial property borrowers and lenders. Many borrowers seek funds occasionally, so they find the process challenging. Potential lenders include credit unions and community banks, who ideally seek to deploy lending funds in a diversified footprint beyond their own market. Janover Ventures uses technology and years of expertise to demystify the process and bring lenders and borrowers together.
I learn so much from advising each of these companies. AltoIRA introduced me to crowdfunded investment platforms and showed me how to invest in these types of assets. Percent provides me a view into how cash flows in all kinds of businesses – retailing, medical products, phone app development, shipping and so many others. AltoIRA’s CEO Eric Satz and Percent’s CEO Nelson Chu inspire me and my ongoing dialogue with them and their teams help me to stay current – not only with their areas of focus, but on topics like technology, the startup ecosystem and leadership. I am certain my relationship with Blake will follow a similar path.
Kyle Okimoto is the founder of Market Junctions, which helps businesses and leaders harness the power of disruption to generate positive change. Kyle is a consultant, advisor and investor in startups ranging from Eargo (direct to consumer hearing aids — IPO October 2020), AltoIRA (self-directed retirement accounts for alternative investments — Series A, $17m raised), Percent Technologies (high yield short term alternative investments — Series A, $12.5m raised), Janover Ventures (commercial real estate financing marketplace), Trade Exchange (connecting top stock pickers to top stock pickers) and ARIS Technology (robotic quality control laser scanning).
