As I approached brother Eric's place, I reflected on the essential travel secrets of penniless entrepreneurs I had learned so far:
- Rest Areas
- YMCA's
- Good Coffee Shops
- Friends
Without these I never would have survived so well. And unhurried travel. Time to reflect and sort things out. While good news kept pouring in from Ben in Wichita on business plan success, I rounded my own corner.
For the next couple days, visiting Eric, Roxann and Hannah (my father's widow), as well as seeing niece Emily and her friend Oliver, was just the best therapy. Their home outside Santa Fe, which Eric has built on as an addition to Hannah's compact adobe house, was familiarly restful, utilitarian, homy, and uniquely theirs in character. We talked a lot, and worked some (moving three yards of gravel by shovelfuls for the drive). We toured the historical museum and ate out with plenty of lively conversation. And in the end, they were, as if the last piece of the jigsaw got jiggled into place, ultimately able to unknot the rope that had so worried and harrassed me, and I drove home the next night freed up considerable.
*****************
(Ben)
Another Day another dollar. Back at the grind of the banks.
Commerce Bank = The officer wasn't there. Spoke to a nice teller manager and got some forms to fill out. Will follow up soon.
Fidelity Bank = Initially felt like I received a cold reaction. The lending floor was the 5th floor, but they didnt even get me up there. I spoke to someone who gave me lots of forms to fill out thinking that would keep away for a while. Wasn't too impressed, but will return with the paperwork to show them I'm not a pushover.
Emprise Bank = Wonderful meeting. Met with a top business banker, and was in the office for over an hour I believe. A very detailed, positive meeting. She is going to review the plan in great detail before contacting me next week for a possible follow up appointment. Arguably my most positive bank thus far.
Southwest National Bank = I new this conservative bank likely wouldnt lend to a tech startup, but wanted to go in anyway. The lender was very nice, politely told me his bank didn't do tech lending, but gave me the card of a technology based business advisor he thought I should meet with.
Well, it was nearly 4 oclock, but on whim called up this new contact and he was free for the afternoon so I drove to his office, was warmly welcomed by his receptionist (who doubled as a business colleague I believe) and went to a nice conference room. The man came in and we talked for nearly an hour about the project. Since I was thinking this guy was an advisor I wasn't in full "pitch" mode, but it was a professional environment and I think everything went well. He then asked me if I knew what he did, I said yeah - you're a business advisor for tech companies.
Haha. He told me he was in fact an Angel Investor.
???? What????
Yeah, an Angel Investor for tech companies exactly like myself. He seemed quite enthusiastic about the plan, and steered me onto the next stage of funding, which is form submission etc.
How exciting is that? An Angel Investor, unlike a bank, doesnt require you to pay them back for their initial investment, but in return expect to own a significant part of the stock and have a multi million dollar per year return.
I will continue paddling down this particular river while continuing my spree of bank visits. A trip to Kansas City is on the horizon, a trip to Denver is on the horizon - strictly business of course. Wichita doesnt have as many banks as those other places!
So an entirely positive day, I am super pumped up, and don't get in my way....I'm on a mission. To save the world, of course. Maybe from myself.
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