RBFN Podcast

Today’s Guest

Today’s guest is Jacob Haar, one of the most active allocators funding alternative capital investors around the world. He is Co-founder and Managing Partner at Community Investment Management, a strategic debt provider to several fintech lending platforms.

In this episode, Jacob shares some really useful lessons and insights from his vantage point as a funding source for alternative capital and RBF investors. Learn how he evaluates the platforms he works with,  the cycles that new investors and lenders go through as they work to scale, and he even touches on the controversy between MCA and RBF providers.

Key Takeaways

[3:50] Jacob talks about his background (including his time living in the Middle East) and how he started CIM

[9:40] Funding the platforms that fund the entrepreneurs. 

[12:40] Jacob’s view on new entrants to the market.

[15:12] The key element to building a successful funding platform.

[16:12] The new wave of digital-first lenders.

[17:53] What allows a funding platform to grow sustainably? 

[25:20] The most important data points Jacob considers when choosing the next platform to work with. 

[28:35] Jacob breaks down how he makes decisions as a lender.

[32:50] Why is the term RBF being adopted by MCA providers? 

[35:32] What needs to be done for RBF market to really grow?

[37:22] What challenges Jacob foresees in the future. (Get ready to see a significant spike in losses).

[40:28] The alternative capital innovations coming in the next three to five years and how to compete as an investor. 

[42:30] The importance of having access to revenue data.

[43:53] What fintech platforms should know about working with Jacob and CIM.

Resources:
RBF Network

Novel Capital

Guest:

Jacob Haar

Follow Jacob on Twitter

CIM

Today’s Guest

Today, Melissa Bradley from 1863 Ventures joined me. Melissa is the managing partner of 1863 Ventures with more than 20 years of entrepreneurship, investment, and leadership experience. Melissa has served as a Presidential Appointee under Presidents Clinton and Obama. Under Clinton, she served as Financial Regulatory Affairs Fellow at the Department of Treasury, Office of Thrift Supervision, where she researched the impact of welfare reform and micro-enterprise lending on the financial industry.

Melissa is also a professor at Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, where she teaches impact investing, social entrepreneurship, and innovation.

Key Takeaways

Melissa’s why [2:18]

The pain of shutting down a company…and the joy of selling another [6:43]

Becoming a Presidential Fellow [9:01]

Three fundamental breaks in the entrepreneurial system [11:58]

How 1863 Ventures was born [14:51]

 1863 today [20:26]

 Why RBF? [22:09]

How to help a portfolio of growing companies [28:01]

What makes a good CEO? [30:01]

What is success for 1863? [32:15]

A former regulator’s view on the collapse of SVB [35:47]

The hardest thing about investing [44:41]

The biggest lesson from the RBF Journey [48:11]

What is next for 1863? [50:14]

Timeless Advice [54:22] 

"Be transparent about what is and isn’t working. Don’t be afraid to fail or to be wrong. Be rigorous and be honest."

Resources:
RBF Network

Novel Capital

Guest:

Melissa Bradley

1863 Ventures

Today’s Guest
I’m excited to welcome to our show Ben Lozano, CEO and Co-Founder of SMBX. I asked Ben to join The RBFN Podcast because we wanted to explore the landscape of innovative funders who are providing capital to traditional small businesses - what I often call Main Street businesses - which is a market that hasn't seen much innovation in recent years. Ben built SMBX to solve this problem and to help traditional small businesses get the capital they need to thrive and grow. We talk about his background, why he built SMBX and how, and what the future of small business funding looks like.

Key Takeaways
Ben’s Start in Finance [1:50]

Why Ben Launched SMBX and the Problems It Solves [3:39]

SMBX Customer Examples and Stories [7:38]

Happy Customers Lead to New Customers [12:44]

How the Small Business Bond Works [15:46]

How Ben Funded the SMBX at the Earliest Stages [32:57]

Raising Venture Capital [34:33]

What’s Next for SMBX [39:30]

Resources:
Revenue Based Financing Network
Novel Capital
SBA
Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator
Group 11 Venture Fund

Guest:
Ben Lozano
Email Ben at: [email protected]
TheSMBX.com
Of Synthetic Finance: Three Essays of Speculative Materialism, by Benjamin Lozano

Other Links
Emily Winston’s Boichik Bagels

Humphrey Slocombe Ice Cream

Vegetarian taco restaurant Chaia