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Serving Entrepreneurs & Investors since 2004
Karen Rands

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Business Summary for Karen Rands
Objective:  To be a Value Added Service Provider for Emerging Growth Companies seeking to develop growth strategies for their business and to identify the appropriate amount and type of capital for their stage and type of business.   To successfully help over 500 companies become thriving businesses by the year 2013.


 

Background:          

·          Economics Degree from Emory University, 1985

·         Masters of Business Administration in Marketing from University of Florida, 1987

·         Thirteen years of varying marketing and management positions with IBM

·         Seven Years as a Venture Catalyst, during which time Karen launched Kugarand Holdings, LLC (2001) to provide access to resources and capital for early stage and growing businesses.  This led to the founding of Launch Funding Network in 2004,  which provides business development and operational strategies for companies to move through the funding cycles as they grow. Recognizing that angel investors are the heartbeat of economic development and a critical source of capital for early stage companies, Karen authored the “Learn to Be an Angel Investor©” series of e-Books educating over 2000 prospective investors, and  acquired the Network of Business Angels and Investors (NBAI) in 2005.  NBAI was founded in 1994 and is currently the most active angel investor organization in the Southeast, with members investing in over 59 transactions valued at over $36M. 
 

Acquired Skills and Experience:

Business Acumen:    Specific strengths include negotiation, establishing marketing strategy, conduct marketing research and analysis, bringing products and services to market, developing distribution channels, project management

•   Negotiated international procurement contracts on behalf of IBM Global Services to resell and integrate key mobile and wireless OEM’s products. Ultimately responsible for the market analysis, strategic alliance, break-even analysis, the delivery infrastructure system to produce a return on investment for IBM’s Mobile and Wireless Services business unit.   Achieved broke-even status in 9 months and built a $20M pipeline in second year of operation.

•   Developed the marketing strategy for multiple products while at IBM and was instrumental in building the strategy for the launch of IBM strategic partner products including printers and new emerging technologies. Established and developed the appropriate distribution channels for those offerings.

•   Consulted over 30 companies with strategic advice and securing needed resources and capital for them to grow though the resources available from the Kugarand Holdings family of companies.

•    Launched new products and services through her family of companies which doubled revenues from 2006 to 2007.   Launched an  initiative with KYRMedia as a portal to purchase original e-books, available to the public for the first time, and select information products for investors and entrepreneurs.

Deal Structuring:       Specific strengths in understanding high-growth business models including: R&D, Information Management, Product Lifecycle, Marketing Strategy and Distribution Strategy.

·    Assisted IBM customers who were emerging growth businesses to develop marketing and I.S. strategies for business launch, 12 month outlook, and long-term planning.  Industries included healthcare, hospitality, professional business services, wireless application and services, mixed media, consumer goods, transportation, life sciences, supply chain management, and CRM.

·    Developed business cases for IBM to invest in specific emerging technologies and markets relating to wireless, delivery of internet service to hotel rooms, and handwriting recognition.

·    Coached entrepreneurs in the development of their business plan, executive summaries, and single page prospectus to present their business as capital friendly for investors and lenders.

·    Established a structured review process for entrepreneurs to determine their “investor readiness” and establish a proper funding strategy appropriate for their company’s stage of operation.   Over 20 companies have received capital directly through these efforts and many more have learned to grow organically or through creative alternative financing.

·    Developed funding strategies for companies including acquisition, convertible notes, direct private offerings, small business loans, working capital lines of credit, advance capital against client leases, asset based lending, and traditional private equity investing from venture capitalists and accredited investors.

·    Hosts 7-9 Private Equity Investor Events each year bringing together qualified early stage companies and active angel investors in a private setting.

Community Programs:   Applying business acumen to community development initiatives to help minority and disadvantaged businesses grow and attract capital.

·     Acted as Co-Chair for Business Plan Review and Development Committee of mITE (Minority Internet Technology Entrepreneurs),

·       Plan Review Committee for EVN (Emerging Venture Network),

·      Community Development Fund task force with Business LINC as part of MED (Minority Enterprise Development) Week 2003,2004,

·     Committee for Bridging the Capital Divide with the Minority Business Development Center and Business LINC,

·      Sponsor and Chair for the Progressive Investor Network (PIN) as part of the initiative with Atlanta Urban League and the Minority Business Development Center at GA Tech,

·      Chair for capital events and Run it By the Pros on behalf of the MIT Enterprise Forum.

·      Speaking engagements covering Access to Business Capital (The Money Hunt©) include:

Educational forums for mITE,                   Rudison’s Business Plan Seminars,
BusinessLinc Seminars,                           GMEN conference,
SCORE classes,                                     SBA sponsored seminars,
Women Business groups,                         Dekalb County Small Business Expo,
Inventors Association of GA,                    GA State Entrepreneur Network,
Kennesaw State Entrepreneurs Program

·     Launched a free e-course on “How to Be an Angel Investor©” to educate a new generation of Angel Investors on the dynamics of private equity investing and how to be productive investors in private companies, generating over 1000 subscribers in less than 90 days.  This e-course became the full ebook, “Learn to Be an Angel Investor©”.

·     Host Podcasts for entrepreneurs and investors on how to create wealth through growing companies.  Acted as guest speaker on 7 internet radio broadcasts.

·     “Entrepreneur In Residence” for the University of Florida’s Executive MBA, MBA and Entrepreneur programs for the spring of 2008.

To learn more about Karen Rands, please visit the following websites:

Business Domains:

kugarandholdings.com               launchfn.com        

nbai.net                                 kyrmedia.com       

Blog sites:

entrepreneurblogspace.com       myvirtualangelworld.com

Podcast sites:

kugarand.podomatic.com

Videos and Testimonials:

http://www.launchfn.com/id282.html

http://www.atlanta-ves.com/videos/r/rands-karen.htm

References available on request