18. Navigating Venture Capital: Insights from John Garry on Funding Challenges and Social Impact

Welcome to the DO GOOD X podcast. We are excited to have John Garry from Garry Elevator, a provider of early-stage capital for companies focusing on community well-being, as our guest. John defines venture capital and outlines three crucial considerations for integrating it into your business plan. He explores how venture capitalists evaluate businesses and discusses the readiness threshold for seeking investment. John offers advice to entrepreneurs needing access to investment channels, suggests various resources for different forms of capital, and highlights red flags to watch for when seeking a venture capitalist. The episode concludes with Kimberly and Stephen discussing strategies for managing stress and avoiding burnout.

THIS EPISODE:

• [1:27] Kimberly introduces John Garry and discusses how difficult it is for Black entrepreneurs to secure funding
• [5:43] John defines venture capital, discussing three critical things regarding accepting capital in your business
• [11:36] John answers how a venture capitalist evaluates a business to invest in and whether there is a threshold of readiness to seek a venture capitalist
• [17:18] John shares how he prioritizes social impact and risk-taking and his advice to entrepreneurs who lack access to investment channels and discussion of social goodwill
• [30:59] John suggests resources for different forms of capital - See Resources
• [34:06] John warns of red flags when looking for a venture capitalist, and he discusses making a pitch for capital 
• [49:05] Kimberly and Stephen conclude this episode discussing how to manage stress and avoid burnout

TAKEAWAYS: 

• The percentage and total amount of venture capital raised are declining, highlighting a need to explore the reasons for this and potential solutions to increase funding availability for under-resourced communities
• Before you begin raising money, you must develop a business strategy and ensure that your capital provider shares your vision
• If financial return is the only thing you prioritize there, as opposed to some deeper conviction about how the world ought to be, you'll hit the eject button. So, you need to expect some downturn to be realistic and look at the long-term throughout the journey

RESOURCES: 

DO GOOD X - Podcast
DO GOOD X - LinkedIn
DO GOOD X - YouTube
John Garry - LinkedIn
Garry Elevator - Website
Venture Deals by Brad Feld - Book
Bryce Roberts - Website
Nathan Schneider - Website
Brian Stevenson - YouTube
Marshall Ganz - Website

BIO: 

John Garry has spent much of his early life exploring community and capital. His paternal grandfather operated a grain elevator for the better part of the 20th century, and Garry Elevator seeks to continue a legacy of sophisticated, hyperlocal financial services. John’s endowment management and venture capital work have shaped an investment philosophy emphasizing resilience and relationships over other factors. He led the Investment Office’s research into crypto assets at the University of Notre Dame. At High Alpha, he helped invest in early-stage companies and scale the firm’s corporate venture studio arm.