Kishore Ganji’s Post

It’s highly unlikely that what worked for someone might work for you too, says Kishore Ganji, angel investor and mentor at Astir Ventures. This is especially true for founders, he says. Thus, it is better to focus on general points, rather than specifics when receiving advice, Ganji adds. What career advice has helped you? Share in the comments section.

I’m often asked by founders if their idea is good. I don’t judge ideas. I’m the author of a book on pitching for investment, I’m not the oracle of good and bad ideas! So I judge business cases. Because it’s not about if I think it’s a good idea. It’s about whether the market does. So here’s what I tell founders: Your idea sounds good. However what is most important is that you to try and “disprove” your idea. Do your best to kill it. That way you’ll not subconsciously find bias data to support and protect your idea. Be brutal about it - because the market (and investors) will be. Find all the reasons why it’s a bad idea and won’t work. If it evolves as a concept and survives that test - then you’re on to a winner! Focus on 4 areas: 1. Is it a highly valuable problem to solve for your audience? 2. Is the solution you propose the one people are most likely to use and pay for? 3. How much is it worth to the audience to solve this problem? How will they pay, and will they pay regularly (ie annually or monthly) to solve that problem? 4. How many people are out their with this problem who are able/willing to pay to solve it. What else should they focus on to decide if they have a good idea?

With their experience and big-picture view, advisors are a major asset when it comes to providing investors with information or, when there's too much, sorting through it all. Even for market-savvy people, they can act as a coach, channelling their aspirations towards rational, productive goals.

With their experience and big-picture view, advisors are a major asset when it comes to providing investors with information or, when there's too much, sorting through it all. Even for market-savvy people, they can act as a coach, channelling their aspirations towards rational, productive goals.

With their experience and big-picture view, advisors are a major asset when it comes to providing investors with information or, when there's too much, sorting through it all. Even for market-savvy people, they can act as a coach, channelling their aspirations towards rational, productive goals.

Planning your future can seem overwhelming and confusing, but you don't have to do it alone! We are here to offer you honest and thoughtful guidance to help you pursue your goals with confidence and clarity. Book a Q&A call with us to get started.

Planning your future can seem overwhelming and confusing, but you don't have to do it alone! We are here to offer you honest and thoughtful guidance to help you pursue your goals with confidence and clarity. Book a Q&A call with us to get started.

🎈Investing 101🎈 "Don't make decisions based on emotions." 🤷This is something we have all been taught, and many advisors teach their clients, but why? We've all seen the data on selling positions when markets get volatile and how that "Timing" will burn 99% of people. Or prospects/clients deciding to choose a specific Financial Advisor because, "He/she's really nice and kind". 👁Does "nice" and "kind" meet the qualifications for someone who is just an absolute savant in the Advisor space? I don't think so. 🫠This all makes sense right? soo... when are emotions ok to lean into? Here are some things I tell my prospective clients when we have our intial meeting. 👉"Mr. & Mrs. Jones, I think we should address the elephant in the room here. You already have a Financial Advisor (or already chatted with many) and that's OK, in fact it's encouraged. You are going to hear everyone tell you their strategies are the best thing since sliced bread. They are going to tell you why their fee is worth it and the benefits you get as being better dollar for dollar than others. They are going to tell you how they can put together a plan that will meet all your hopes, wants, and dreams. But here's the secret, majority of the time, they have access to the same investments as the next guy. Everyone has a different philosophy and sometimes we get caught up trying to find the "Best". The best changes often. The best investment strategy 10 years ago is not the same today. Something I am going to encourage is to allign in these 5 areas: - Risk Philosophy - Proper Emotional Decision Making - Personality Compatibility - Expertise Alignment - Cost to Service Breakdown If there are set expectations day 1, then this relationship will work. Not flawlessly, but to the best capacity we can as non perfect humans. This way we avoid the feeling of wanting to fire you or you firing us. So , with that being said, this conversation is going to be purely educational to see if we allign in all these key areas."👈 💪We then move on to discuss a lot about our philosophy on a financial and emotional level because they are both very important. 👨🎓Try it out. 👩🎓

Ever felt stuck in analysis paralysis when it comes to real estate deals? 🤔 You're not alone! From endlessly crunching numbers to second-guessing every decision, it's easy to get caught up in overthinking and miss out on great opportunities. But fear not! Here are some tips to help you break free from the analysis paralysis trap: ➡️Set clear criteria: Define your investment goals and criteria upfront to narrow down your options and focus your analysis on properties that align with your objectives. ➡️Establish deadlines: Give yourself a timeline to make decisions and stick to it. Setting deadlines can help prevent endless procrastination and force you to take action. ➡️Trust your instincts: While thorough analysis is important, sometimes your gut feeling can be a valuable guide. If all signs point to a good deal, don't let fear hold you back. ➡️Seek advice: Don't be afraid to reach out to mentors, advisors, or fellow investors for advice and perspective. Sometimes an outside opinion can provide the clarity you need to move forward. ➡️Start small: If the fear of making a big mistake is holding you back, consider starting with smaller investments to gain confidence and experience. Share your funny stories of analysis paralysis below and let's laugh together! 😄

Should friends be your customers too? It's normal for an investment manager like me to get questions about money from friends and families at parties, gatherings and functions. A lot of them used to ask why I don’t manage my money and I used to politely refuse. I always used to think that one wrong decision could spoil the relationship and the situation could become awkward. Didn’t want one. That’s when one of my uncles said if you are confident about creating value for your customers it shouldn’t matter if the person is known or unknown to you. Thanks to that advice and LinkedIn, I have my many grad, post-grad and circle friends as customers. What’s your view on this approach?