Luke Cooper, General Partner at Latimer Ventures, shares his inspiring story of resilience, entrepreneurship, and community impact.

In this episode of Good Revenue, host Neeta Bidwai and Luke cover:

• Luke's early life growing up in poverty in Bridgeport, Connecticut and the impact of his father's incarceration on his own journey

• How his experiences shaped his perspective on risk and long-term value creation

• Key decisions in building and selling his first cybersecurity company for a 27x return

• The importance of maintaining a focus on exit strategies early in the lifecycle of a startup

• His unique approach to fund management and M&A strategy

• Differences in traditional venture capital approaches and the importance of pragmatism

• The role of creativity, pragmatism, diverse perspectives, and culture in building high-performance companies

Luke's remarkable journey and insights provide valuable lessons for both entrepreneurs and investors. Tune in to gain inspiration from his story and learn practical strategies for success in the competitive landscape of tech entrepreneurship and investment.

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Where to find Luke:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukecooperbaltimore/

https://www.latimer.vc/ 

Where to find Neeta:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/neetabidwai/

Where to find Good Revenue:

https://goodrevenue.io/goodrevenue 

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Highlights:

00:44 Luke's Origin Story

03:21 The Journey to Entrepreneurship

11:49 Building and Selling a Cybersecurity Company

16:56 Insights on Risk and Growth

17:45 The Importance of Exit Strategy

23:33 The Challenges of Multi-Tasking in Startups

24:13 Focusing on Customer Needs

25:21 Transition to Investor Insights

25:43 Critique of Traditional Venture Capital

28:45 Innovative Fund Management Strategies

31:44 Navigating the LP Landscape

33:27 Realistic Investment Returns

37:16 Operationalizing M&A in Fund Management

40:45 Current Market Concerns and Future Outlook

43:39 The Importance of Culture in High-Performance Companies

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Referenced:

• Brené Brown on shame and emotions: https://brenebrown.com/ 

• CTS https://eship.georgetown.edu/luke-cooper/ 

• Fixt acquisition by Assurant: https://technical.ly/startups/luke-cooper-startup-fixt-acquired-by-fortune-500-insurer-assurant/ 

• Ta-Nehisi Coates: https://ta-nehisicoates.com/ 

• Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? by Reginald Lewis: https://www.amazon.com/Should-White-Guys-Have-Billion-Dollar/dp/1574780360/

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