Ann Johnston is the founder and CEO of Local-Ventures, an online company that helps small businesses discover top local B2B vendors and reviews, and access multiple custom quotes. She has written about startups and startup events for ExitEvent, WRAL TechWire, and the Raleigh News & Observer.
This is one of my favorite phrases. It can bring a succinct wisdom in a host of situations. For example:
“Drinking that much Diet Mountain Dew can't be good for you.” …. “Maybe. But it's all relative.”
“Given the effects of recent events on global dynamics, do you think the U.S. can play a successful role negotiating peace talks in the Middle East?” …. “Well. I think it's all relative.”
Nice, right?
I find it most useful, though, when used to actually analyze something. So when I started to write about Triangle angel investing, I approached it from a perspective of relativity.
The obvious transition here is to compare the Triangle's angel activity to that of, say, Silicon Valley. I'll get to that later.
But first, I want to compare our region with itself. Angel Craig Stone (pictured above, on bottom) and I recently sat down and talked about how Triangle angel activity has changed substantially in a pretty short period of time. Here's his perspective:
Triangle Angel Flashback
It's 2005 in the Triangle. Stone has for years invested in the Durham angel investment group Atlantis Group (a now-closed early ChannelAdvisor investor), and wants to continue investing in early-stage Triangle startups. But there are no local angel funds raising. So instead, Stone puts his money in the later-stage Southern Capitol Ventures Fund II.
Fast forward to 2008. Stone still wants to do angel investing but continues to see no outlet to do so. He talks to a friend about starting a new angel fund; his friend is in; and the pair finds a few other founding members.
The problem is that it's 2008. The market plunges. Stone's wife has a baby. The fund is put on pause. --Read On
In January 2012, Blackstone came to the Triangle to set up the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network (BEN). Until now, the group has maintained a relatively low profile in the Triangle. But I think we can expect that to change, as evidenced by a couple of recent announcements.
Earlier this month, BEN announced that 2014 will bring a Blackstone suite to HQ Raleigh.
Blackstone actually had a suite at HQ Raleigh last year and several Blackstone startups -- Sanitation Creations, Novocor Medical Systems, GemaTouch and Offline Media, to name a few -- have been HQ Raleigh members for a while. The difference this year is in the publicity of the announcement.
It was also announced this month that Blackstone will be funding space for 10 NC State spinouts at HQ Raleigh. This is entirely new.
So the group is building out their Triangle presence. But what does that mean? What does Blackstone want to accomplish in the Triangle? --Read On
Yesterday, I took time to think about what happened last year in the Triangle startup community. Honestly, though, it was a short-lived look back, because as an entrepreneur invested in our region, I do this type of reflection a lot. Then I dump out my thoughts on the ExitEvent website. And then, for everyone's sake, I edit them.
So after about ten minutes, my 2013 reflection became a replay of thoughts I've already had and was replaced by the question, “What's next?”
What happened last year largely matters because of how it will influence what happens this year. And, conversely, what this year will bring is largely based on what last year brought. So I wound up thinking about last year and then this year and then last year and then this year…I could have gone on for days.
But then I ran out of Diet Mountain Dew.
So here are the developments I'm expecting and questions I'll be asking as 2014 rolls out in the Triangle.
Will We Take Advantage of New Fundraising Strategies?
This is the first full year in which we have a host of online fundraising platforms -- AngelList syndicates, and the SEC's allowance of general solicitation (here's a great article on this from Bill Bing). --Read On
“It's all relative.”
In January 2012, Blackstone came to the Triangle to set up the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network (BEN). Until now, the group has maintained a relatively low profile in the Triangle. But I think we can expect that to change, as evidenced by a couple of recent announcements. 
Yesterday, I took time to think about what happened last year in the Triangle startup community. Honestly, though, it was a short-lived look back, because as an entrepreneur invested in our region, I do this type of reflection a lot. Then I dump out my thoughts on the ExitEvent website. And then, for everyone's sake, I edit them.