The Entrepreneurial Strategy Series

In this episode of the Entrepreneur Strategy Series, two investors describe best pratices for entrepreneurs who approach investors for funding.

One excerpt from Abby:
What I will say is that it's like investors aren't investing in ideas. So just having a great idea is not enough. It's not something that anyone is going to invest in, unless it's like someone who knows you really well, but then they're not really investing in the idea, they're investing in you.

From Naomi:
I think I echo a lot of everything that Abby said and I think notably she touches on two really critical components that are helpful to just understand before you jump into it. One is kind of what is the typical pre seed evaluation framework which Abby touched on via we're making a bet on you. We're really thinking about the founder first, so I'll touch on that in a moment. The second one, it's actually a common pitfall, is really trying to pitch the business or why it's such a great idea versus pitching an investment opportunity.

Listen to the podcast for more tips and expert advice!

Are you looking for alternative ways to fund your business? This event will be your guide to understanding the dynamic world of crowdfunding and equity crowd financing. We’ll uncover how businesses can utilize platforms to secure capital by offering shares to a community of investors. We’ll cover the essentials, from building a compelling pitch to understanding the regulatory requirements, and offer practical advice on how to navigate this modern funding method. This session is perfect for entrepreneurs who want to learn how to raise funds, grow their community, and scale their business through equity crowdfunding.

Presented by the Entrepreneurial Strategy Series and Gearhart Law on December 19, 2024.

OUR SPEAKERS: Chris Rawley, founder of Harvest Returns: While serving as a career naval officer, Chris Rawley visited dozens of war-torn and poverty stricken countries and began to appreciate the importance of agriculture to every single person on earth. As a professional investor with this new found appreciation, he decided to invest in a farm, but quickly discovered that these types of assets were inaccessible to the average person. In 2016, this problem drove him to create Harvest Returns, the first online platform for investing in agriculture. Since then, the company has funded over $38 million for farms, ranches, and agriculture businesses around the world.

Rawley previously held management roles in several large public companies including JLL and EDS. He has been an early stage investor in numerous enterprises, including the Indian agriculture FinTech company Jai Kian and the African agriculture investment platform AgroFides. Retiring from the Navy Reserve as a Captain after 30 years, he served in a variety of leadership positions in naval, expeditionary, and joint special operations units. He deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Western Pacific. Rawley has a degree from Texas A&M University, earned an MBA at George Washington University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College. Read more at: https://www.harvestreturns.com/

Kevin Muno, Jr., Owner of Perennial Pastures: Kevin Muno Jr. grew up as an athlete with a dream of being a professional baseball player. As he explored ways he could nourish himself with the most nutrient-dense foods, that’s when he discovered “ancestral eating” and how vital grass-fed beef was for his performance. Although Kevin pivoted from his focus of baseball after facing injury, he became that much more invested in the path of regenerative agriculture after realizing how connected the healing of the earth was to the healing of humanity.

With the focus of bringing more healing to the community and to the grassroots of Southern California, Kevin founded Perennial Pastures Ranch in the midst of the pandemic in 2021. The Muno family, along with our team of passionate individuals who make up the Perennial family, work hard everyday to make our beef more accessible to you and educate our expanding community on the power of regeneration. Read more at: https://perennialpasturesranch.com/

Our event moderator is David D. Postolski, Esq. from Gearhart Law.

This event is sponsored by Gearhart Law, a full service Intellectual Property firm specializing in Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law domestically and globally. We serve inventors, entrepreneurs, and established businesses. We can help you strategize and build your IP portfolio based on your business needs. Call us for a free consultation at 908-273-0700 or contact us through: https://gearhartlaw.com/

Valuing a company is both an art and a science—an intricate blend of quantitative analysis, market intuition, and strategic insight. Whether you're a business owner, investor, or financial professional, understanding the methods behind accurate company valuation is essential for making informed decisions, maximizing value, and achieving business goals. This webinar will take you through the full spectrum of company valuation, from foundational principles to advanced techniques. You’ll learn the tools, methods, and strategies required to assess a company's worth in today’s dynamic business environment. Our expert speakers will break down the complexities of valuation, offering a detailed exploration of the theories, models, and real-world applications as well as explore the important intersection between Intellectual Property and Company valuation!

Presented by the Entrepreneurial Strategy Series and Gearhart Law on January 30, 2025.

OUR SPEAKERS:

Eric Korb has been known for his successes, leadership, and a keen eye for technology since 1983. A person who thrives on challenges is not afraid to try something that has not been done before. New Jersey-based companies founded by him ranging from $8MM to $1B in revenue include Accredtrust, a digital credential service provider; LawyerLinks, an online legal research service for in-house counsels of public companies; Webinars.com.Read more at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickorb/

Matt Moyers has had a 25-year career at the intersection of Finance and Intellectual Property (IP). Matt’s financial consulting firm, Peak Value IP, LLC (Peak Value), focuses on Business, IP, and patent valuation, pricing, monetization, and strategy services. He has provided financial advisory services for public and private clients in over ~20,000 projects during his career. Read more at: https://www.peakvalueip.com/

Olga Averin is a Partner in the Advisory Services Department of Prager Metis CPAs, LLC, a member of Prager Metis International Group. Her areas of concentration include business and intellectual property valuation, such as trademarks, music and literary copyrights, damage loss calculations, and forensic examinations. Read more at: https://pragermetis.com/

Our event moderator is David D. Postolski, Esq. from Gearhart Law.

This event is sponsored by Gearhart Law, a full service Intellectual Property firm specializing in Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law domestically and globally. We serve inventors, entrepreneurs, and established businesses. We can help you strategize and build your IP portfolio based on your business needs. Call us for a free consultation at 908-273-0700 or contact us through: https://gearhartlaw.com/

Every entrepreneur has a back story. Your personal narrative helps people connect with you, and therefore your company, on a deeper, more meaningful level. Simply put, your audiences care less about what you do -- your product or service. What they really want to know is why you do it. In this episode, we'll cover the fundamentals of storytelling: What's your WHY?; Who are you talking to?; What are you telling them?; and, How are you saying it? We'll also share the best practices of thought leaders and help you think about the ways you can share your story in a noisy, ever-changing information ecosystem. And if yours is a later-stage company, you will also benefit from learning how to bring your audiences along on your founder's journey through effective storytelling. Just ask legends like Richard Branson (Virgin), Phil Knight (Nike) or Howard Schultz (Starbucks) who never stopped using the power of stories to fuel their success. Presented by the Entrepreneurial Strategy Series and Gearhart Law. OUR SPEAKERS: David D. Postolski, Esq. is our event moderator. David is a senior partner at Gearhart Law, LLC, is a registered patent attorney and Intellectual Property (IP) attorney for close to 20 years. David specializes in assisting inventors, creators, artists, start-ups, entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and emerging companies with their U.S and international IP strategy, protection, enforcement, and monetization. Read more at: https://gearhartlaw.com/ Julie Campbell MFA, Founder of U Gotta Hear This! LLC, dba Center Stage Connections, a New Jersey based Certified WBE and professional development company specializing in public speaking and storytelling training, for what you say, how you say it, and why it matters to your audience. Read more at: https://www.centerstageconnections.com/ Rosemary Ostmann is the driving force behind RoseComm®, a boutique strategic communications firm that specializes in helping clients tell their stories in ways that truly resonate. RoseComm gives its clients a voice in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving media landscape. Read more at: https://www.rosecomm.com/ Seth Goldstein the co-founder of Goldstein Media LLC and a former newspaper journalist turned digital marketer and podcaster. Seth also hosts a popular podcast called Entrepreneur's Enigma where he talks about his experiences and to other entrepreneurs about their journeys. Read more at: https://goldsteinmedia.com/ and https://sethgoldstein.me/ This event is sponsored by Gearhart Law, a full service Intellectual Property firm specializing in Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law domestically and globally. We serve inventors, entrepreneurs, and established businesses. We can help you strategize and build your IP portfolio based on your business needs. Call us for a free consultation at 908-273-0700 or contact us through: https://gearhartlaw.com/

In today’s globalized economy, protecting your intellectual property (IP) is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge, especially in rapidly evolving markets like China, Korea, and India. Each of these countries has distinct legal frameworks, regulatory landscapes, and enforcement mechanisms that require tailored strategies for effective IP protection.

Join our expert panel as we explore the unique IP challenges and opportunities in China, Korea, and India, and provide actionable insights to help businesses safeguard their innovations across these key Asian markets.

In this presentation, you will learn:

• The fundamentals of IP protection in China, Korea, and India, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.
• Key differences in IP laws and enforcement practices across these countries. Strategies for registering, monitoring, and defending your IP in each jurisdiction.
• Best practices for navigating local regulations, preventing infringement, and managing disputes.
• How to incorporate IP protection into your broader business strategy for growth and sustainability in these regions.

Presented by the Entrepreneurial Strategy Series and Gearhart Law on March 27, 2025

OUR SPEAKERS:

David D. Postolski, Esq. is our event moderator. David is a senior partner at Gearhart Law, LLC, is a registered patent attorney and Intellectual Property (IP) attorney for close to 20 years. David specializes in assisting inventors, creators, artists, start-ups, entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and emerging companies with their U.S and international IP strategy, protection, enforcement, and monetization. Read more at: https://gearhartlaw.com/

Mooyun Shin is a Managing Partner and Patent Attorney at Kiyul IP Law Firm (2016 – Present). His expertise spans electrical and electronic engineering, communication, business models, semiconductors, and power plant technology, with experience in prosecution and litigation on behalf of major global clients such as Qualcomm, SEL, Airbus Helicopters, Samsung Electronics, and DSME. Read more at: https://kiyul.co.kr/

Sidhant Goel heads the dispute resolution team at SIM AND SAN, Attorneys at Law. Apart from being a qualified lawyer in India, Sidhant spearheads several intellectual property litigations for corporates and business conglomerates in India, and represents Public Sector Undertakings, both Indian and foreign, for arbitration matters. Read more at: https://www.simandsan.com/

Zhang Zilong (Kahn ZHANG), Esq., is a highly experienced and accomplished senior attorney as well as a proficient manager in the International Business Development Department at Beijing Gaowo (IP) Law Firm, which is widely recognized as one of the leading and premier IP law firms in China. Read more at: http://www.gaowolawfirm.com/en/

This event is sponsored by Gearhart Law, a full service Intellectual Property firm specializing in Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law domestically and globally. We serve inventors, entrepreneurs, and established businesses. We can help you strategize and build your IP portfolio based on your business needs. Call us for a free consultation at 908-273-0700 or contact us through: https://gearhartlaw.com/