Vicinity Views
News, education and insights on investing in public offerings through the Vicinity platform and private early-stage offerings with VentureSouth.
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Turning Passion into Profit
We’re not saying this blog will cure your post-Olympic blues, but we do have something golden for you. This week we chatted with Alek…
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You’re Special… Sort of.
“You’re special, just like everyone else.” Unfortunately, this is as true in business as anywhere. Specialize or die – in a world of investing…
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A Twist on Buffett’s Advice
Today we’re taking a new look at one of Warren Buffett’s most quoted lines: “Never invest in a business you cannot understand.” While we…
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Is Real Estate Really “Location, Location, Location”?
At the end of 2020 Chapel ran a successful campaign on Vicinity’s portal to fund a multi-tenant facility in the Poe Mill area. For…
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What Robinhood got wrong (& right) in their Super Bowl commercial
I was about ready to let the whole Robinhood/Gamestop wildness go… and then I saw the commercial. You’ve probably seen it by now –…
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Doubling-down on Democratization
While trust in the gamified giant has become as volatile as a short squeeze on an outdated retail chain, now might be a good…
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What’s the difference between microinvesting and crowdfunding?
While crowdfunding serves a purpose, there are some glaring differences between it and investment crowdfunding, also known as microinvesting.
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An Alternative to Fighting Manipulation with Manipulation
There’s a good chance you’ll come across a BFF or “soul sister” at some point in life, but you’ll have better luck finding good…
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What have you assumed?
Assumptions are all those little (and BIG) things we expect to be true in the future around our business, its market, or the customers…
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5 Questions for the Capital Seeker
There comes a point in nearly every business’s life when getting funding is a necessity. At this fateful moment, there may also be a…
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4 Investor Insights from 4 Years of Reg CF
Four years old… this is the age you can expect recognition of shapes and colors, and a love for rhyming words. Also for some…
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Double Duty Diversified Income
It’s trivia time at Vicinity! Which of the following headlines from the past year are real? Aliens in hiding until mankind is ready, says…
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VentureSouth’s regional and national profile
At VentureSouth, we aspire to be one of the leading early stage investment firms in the US. From humble beginnings, we now manage over…
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Back to Basics: why across the southeast?
Why “across the southeast”? This balances two offsetting requirements. 1) Diversification. We make many investments in North and South Carolina because of where most…
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Back to Basics: types of angel groups recap
Over the last month we’ve outlined the thinking behind why VentureSouth is organized the way they it is. Starting here we outlined the basic…
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Back to Basics: why “early stage”?
Why “early stage” (not “seed” or “growth” stages)? We use “early stage” to mean companies that are beyond just an idea, have a team…
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Back to Basics: why private capital?
Why individual private capital (not public or institutional funding)? 1) No strings. Grants or other public funding for early stage investment, if it even…
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Back to Basics: why in-person groups?
Why in person (not virtual or online)? There are a few reasons why we prefer in-person angel group meetings over virtual or online-only platforms.…
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Back to Basics: why a professional team?
Why a professional team? Angel groups can be led effectively by unpaid volunteers, often members of the group itself. But a professional team brings…
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Back to Basics: why a group?
Why a membership group (not a fund)? Our lives might be easier if we had committed capital funds waiting for us to invest them.…
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Back to Basics: why a network?
Types of angel groups In our last post, we outlined the different kinds of angel investing structures. Next, we wanted to explain why we…
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Back to Basics: types of angel groups
Angel investment groups come in many flavors. Does it matter to know the different types? Potentially, yes: Here is our outline of the different…
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VentureSouth announces investment in KWIPPED
We were very pleased to announce yesterday that VentureSouth members have invested in KWIPPED. KWIPPED is an online platform that helps businesses and organizations…
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VentureSouth announces record year in 2016
In 2016, VentureSouth’s members invested over $4 million in 15 companies – a record year. Here is some news coverage and below is our…