Business is a game. Kind of like Mario Kart.
In the game, you pick what you will drive. In business, you pick what will drive you. Same difference. In any case, there are always some tradeoffs…
Luigi’s kart has high acceleration but low speed.
Donkey Kong has speed but horrible traction.
And Mario, well, he’s the most well-rounded. Although he has the best kart, he doesn’t excel in any particular field.
We need you to be more like Mario.
You see, in life, we’re told to choose a field. You know, devote time to master something so one day we may stand above our peers.
Sure, it sounds good—But I disagree. I believe that to have a true competitive advantage, you must be a generalist.
In other words, if you want to succeed in business, you have to be interested in a bunch of things.
Luckily, you’re on the right path. You’re already a footballer. And now you’re a footballer interested in business—two strings to your bow. Let’s see where that can take you.
A.S. Roma’s Chris Smalling is more than a footballer too
Smalling is one of the most active investors in football— his main focus (and cash) is on backing alternative protein and climate tech.
Why? First, Chris became vegan. Then he grew a passion for animal welfare and environmental issues. It wasn’t long until he found companies that cared about these issues too.
But how did he start?
Easy, by just messaging. Smalling saw a pair of trainers made from pineapple leaf created by a start-up named Ananas Anam. So, he DM’ed the founder on Twitter.
From there, Chris grew his network in the Vegan/plant-based space. He soon became known as the investing vegan footballer. And with that, the deals started to flow.
In June, he launched ForGood; a Venture Capital firm focused on climate change and plant-based products. The VC firm will invest £50K to £1M in pre-seed to Series A companies.
But the question remains, where do you start? Here are the most common ways to get involved.
Direct investing
You may have heard the saying; your network is your net worth. At the Ball Business, we say Amen to that.
The best way to find fantastic investment opportunities is by meeting business creators and the others investing in them.
“What if I don’t know anyone like that?” you ask.
Not to worry, you’ve come to the right place. We can help. Simply reach out to us, and we’ll get you connected.
Sites like LinkedIn and Twitter are also great platforms to get yourself out. Seriously, especially LinkedIn. This is where businesses, entrepreneurs and investors all have a strong presence.
Remember our generalist, Mario. Well, everyone knows Mario. And when they think of kart racing video games, they think of him. The more people that know you in business, the better placed you are.
As a footballer, you will stand out against the millions of professionals. Just like Chris Smalling did when he messaged Ananas Anam.
Let’s face it we all know they replied because he’s Chris Smalling. Remember, this approach isn’t just for “big” players.
There are also websites where you can find deals and present yourself as an investor. Some of the best include AngelList, WeFunder, FundersClub and Lets Venture.
You’ll likely be involved in the Angel, Seed and Series A stages. Take a look at the other week’s post to find out what that means.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is a less traditional but popular way to get funding. This is how Eric Dier launched his app.
Websites like Seedrs and CrowdCube, allow small businesses to sell shares in their company. This way, lots of smaller investors can buy tiny chunks of a business. Your interests and experiences will help you to assess which companies will win.
Investment fund (indirect investment)
This is where you give your money to a professionally managed fund. For private investors in the UK, these are usually SEIS, EIS funds or VCTs.
Investing in these is an excellent way to diversify your portfolio.
It’s less active than direct investing, but it can still involve your areas of interest.
Take Mario Gotze, a player for Eintracht Frankfurt. He joined several angels — including the founder of Trivago — in investing in the Berlin-based World Fund.
Fun fact: Gotze loves tech just as much as football.
Venture Capital
Venture funds are more ‘start-up’ focused than your typical investment. They’re looking for a home run in a pile of duds. This means they can offer a much higher potential return than an individual company.
In the end, all that matters here is your network. You have a better chance of creating a strong one than 99.9% of the world.
Do it while you can. Your clout will run out.
