Start Up Companies - How Do I Get In
 

I know this forum has a huge variety of experts involved in a huge range of work fields so I'm really interested in being pointed in the right direction or offered advice. Please don't take the following as bragging as I couldn't think of clearer way to describe everything.

I've been very lucky to have carved out a successful career over the last 20yrs in a very dynamic, advanced technology led, extremely competitive, high profile (maybe not in the USA but most parts of the world it is) sector of automotive design and engineering.

At the moment I'm in my mid 40's and probably at the peak of my earning potential having gained a broad range of design, engineering, manufacturing, materials, project management knowledge, skills and experience while working for a variety of well known world class companies.

I still enjoy my work and don't have any plans to change career direction or stop but I've started looking to the future. I'm trying to think of ways of capitalising on what could be considered quite an interesting track record which I think could be used to help new start up technology companies.

I know venture capitalists, business angels, investors, and entrepreneurs get involved in new companies. I assume most invest their way into these companies using cash to go with their experience as a way of gaining an equity stake within the company.

Can anyone suggest the best ways in which I can do something similar but by using my knowledge and experience as an alternative to cash to make me appeal enough to start ups for them to want to include me?

You don't say where you are. Check out https://www.tie.org/ Do they have a chapter near you? If so, go to the meetings and programs. Let people know who you are and what you do.

I took out an ad on Craigslist titled, "Entreprene​urial type looking for unique position with small company." I told a bit about myself and what I was looking for - growing company in need of a "jack of all trades" type. I've had lots of scam responses, but they're easy to spot. The "real" responses have been very interesting. I'm probably going to start up a service business in partnership with a woman who responded to that ad.

I have a friend that does a bunch and is part of a group. He got me involved in my first private placement. I just wrote a check, I'm not involved in any consulting or operations. Since then, I have gotten interested in doing more and have been looking how to get more active.

I'm in Pittsburgh and I found this "club". I think I found it my googling private equity investment or angle investor.
BlueTree Allied Angels - Home

I noticed it is part of this group, which you might find a club near you.

Angel Capital Association - North America's Professional Alliance of Angel Groups

I know you said you didn't want to invest, but if you click on the "Partners" tab you can see a lot of other organizations, and those might be the ones to contact.

Additionally, let any CPAs or attorneys you know what you are looking for. They might know of opportunities or who to contact.

where are you located?

A very fast way to lose your money. If you don;t know how to get into it you don't know how to survive it.

Frankly it's more about luck/timing than anything else. By the time the company really has something going, it's too late to have enough shares or a low enough strike price to generate meaningful wealth. So early on, it's an incredible cocktail of a great idea, great management, good investors and even then it's a 1:100 shot. Great ideas poorly executed die. Great execution of mediocre ideas die. Great ideas, well executed, but without sufficient investment die.

If you are in before professional money, you are probably working for little/no salary, just promise.

But for 1:100, if you were an early employee at eBay, Cisco, Netflix, et al, you could do very well. I have friends that were in those companies at very early stages and all did incredible.

In 1977, one of my friends from here in NJ moved to CA while I was in college. When I was getting ready to graduate in 78, he called me up and wanted to know if I'd be interested in moving to CA to join him in the mgt. training program of a young company he was working for. I said nyet since I'd be marrying my future ex-wife 8 mos. after graduation.

The company was called Federal Express. Oh well.... and the marriage to The Fair Godzilla lasted 1.5 yrs. Doubly screwed.

Thanks for the replies, I'm located in northern Italy so I think it would really only be feasible to get involved with companies based in Europe

Bill you maybe right on the money but when I started out I had a lot of people tell me it wouldn't be possible do what I'm doing now so hope you don't mind if I ignore your advice.

I have already identified a few small companies to approach, I guess it will be a numbers game, the more times I try the luckier I'll be.

I will check out the links people have mentioned as like this forum there must be forums out there for people with similar aims to meet up and discuss ideas.

When you finally retire from working for the Scuderia with the F1 team can you please write a book?

I would read it.

What you are looking at is not unlike looking for a job.

Network, network, network. Figure out who is starting up something that interests you and then approach them and sell yourself.

Or, perhaps, target the people you want to work with and put the group together yourself.

Never be shy about this. Everybody loves talent.

Wise words Dottore,

I'm an extrovert engineer (I don't look at my shoes when I talk to people) so networking outside of my industry is not something I do.

I've found a very small start up company just created by a very talented young guy who is making some exceptional high quality parts using the technology I am interested in using.

Trying to meet up next week to discuss how I think I can help him and how I think he can help me. Hopefully we have similar ideas and both want to head in the same direction.

If not I've found a few other small but established companies so I'll try them.

Very interesting thread... how did the meet went? ;)

Any Updates from 2013 thread?

Thanks for asking, sorry, i should have posted a follow up,

Sadly nothing came of the meeting so not long after I decided the best option was to create my own start up company and invest in myself.

I am in the process of starting my own company called 'Project Lightweight' ie just me to start off with. I hope to offer innovative design/engineering solutions, mainly in the advanced composites field both as a consultant and a contract designer to F1, Le Mans LMP1, WRC teams and high performance automotive companies.

To rewind a bit, last autumn I resigned from what is easily the best job, working with the best people and for the best company of my 23yr time in motorsport. Not my first time resigning but for sure my first time resigning without having the comfort of a new job signed and sealed before hand.

An exit strategy was quickly agreed and I am currently working my notice period with only 2 months to go. So far I am being trusted not to poke my nose into any super sensitive future developments which are going on all around me while I work as hard as I can on my own future project.

I'm finding my last days quite a refreshing way of ending a working relationship as the norm before was if there was a sniff of an employee leaving for a competitor they were either stuck in a cupboard to work on their own or sent off site.

After 7 very enjoyable years I'm sure on my last day I'll feel a mixture of sadness of leaving behind some good friends and excitement for where the future takes me.

I'll try to remember to update this after I have left.

Your new venture sounds intriguing. Best of luck! May I ask where you work now?

of course you can ask but I would rather not say while they still own me ;)

:d

Will you be offering your services to the organization you currently work for on a consulting basis? As that very well respected former and missed member, Dottore said, networking, networking, networking. Of course you'll still have positive contacts with those people you work with now.

Once a tifosi, always a tifosi.