Bubba Page watched a $50K investment grow to $200K on paper — then passed on the chance to cash out. A year later, that company went bankrupt. His position went to zero.

That one decision — and the hard-won wisdom that followed — reshaped how he approaches every deal today. He calls it the cookie jar rule: when someone passes the jar, you take a cookie.

Bubba Page is a 5x INC5000 serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and founder of Influence.vc — a venture capital syndicate on AngelList built around consumer tech and consumer product companies with high influencer growth potential. After going through Techstars, raising venture capital across multiple companies, and exiting a business in 2020 (the same week COVID shutdowns began), Bubba now reviews nearly 200 deals a month and has built a portfolio that includes four unicorn-stage companies across 25 angel investments and six funds. In this episode, he gets brutally honest about when to sell, how ego-driven angel investors quietly destroy their own wealth, why pattern recognition is the only real edge in early-stage investing, and what it actually takes to get a check from someone who sees 200 deals every month. He also shares the story behind Josh's Pickles — an investment that proves betting on the founder is always the real bet, no matter how unexpected the category.

This week, Bubba returned capital to his investors with a 46% net return in just two and a half years — and explains exactly why he took that base hit instead of waiting for the home run. His answer is more strategic — and more honest — than most VCs will ever say out loud.

🎯 What We Cover:

• Why most angel investors lose money — and the minimum deal volume required to build pattern recognition
• How a venture capital syndicate (SPV) works vs. a traditional fund — fees, carry, and structure explained
• The cookie jar rule: what happens when you don't take liquidity when it's offered
• The 1-in-20 vs. 2-in-20 fee model — what syndicates cost vs. what funds cost over a 10-year window
• How to get to the top of an active investor's deal list: warm introductions, traction, and "lines not dots"
• Why Influence.vc follows lead investors and never leads a round
• Secondary market basics: buying out early investors at a discount and when it makes sense to act
• AI's disruption of the SaaS-dominated VC world — and what smart investors are repositioning toward
• From tech exits to pickle investments: why the founder always matters more than the product
• Bubba's Father Operating System: applying entrepreneurial systems and one-on-ones to family leadership

🤝 Connect with Bubba Page: 🌐 https://influence.vc 🌐 https://thebusinessbootcamp.com 🌐 https://fatherhoodmovement.com 💼 Search "Bubba Page" on LinkedIn

💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/

🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast: 🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuadwilson/ ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast

DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.