I finished the biography of John Boyd yesterday. A few random selections I noted as I read. Highly recommended. The book is slow in parts for someone like me without a military or aviation background, but at the end it all gets pulled together. Increasingly to me the sign of a good book is how Read more about Thoughts on John Boyd[…]
Back in February we launched our book club. Back at the end of June I updated you all that we hit 50 members. I said then I wanted to hit 100 by Thanksgiving. Thanks for reading. Got suggestions for books for the 2020 version of book club?
So the other night, Jessica and I are bingeing on The Outlander: Season 1. We’re behind the times. We’ll watch Stranger Things in like 2023. Anyway, in Episode 11 the lead characters, Jamie Fraser and his wife, Claire, head back to his home, Lallybroch. For those that don’t follow the show, it is set in Read more about Feudal Laird = Small Business Owner[…]
Recently I went down a Google search rabbit trail and discovered the works of Saras D. Sarasvathy. She researches and writes on entrepreneurship, cognitive science, and behavioral economics. I’ve found myself referring several times since then to one paper in particular that compares her effectuation framework for decision making and firm strategy to several others. Read more about Prediction v. Control[…]
On Friday I attended the 6th Annual Booth-Kellogg Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Conference. A few thoughts from the conference and the community. My favorite part of this conference is the misfit nature of it. Most of the conversations that I got into started off with each of us doing some sort of awkward explanation how Read more about ETA Conference[…]
Many investment ideas are promoted with great conviction but lack intellect. In other cases the intellect struggles to build conviction. This Saturday afternoon I finished writing a thesis for an investment idea. As I put away my laptop and went to shower, I got to thinking, ‘do I think first and then gain conviction? Or Read more about Conviction v. Intellect[…]
Prior to purchasing controlling interests in a small business a buyer normally drafts a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) and sends it to the seller. This document outlines the key terms of the verbal agreement and next steps. I try to craft the LOI document to match our verbal agreement and follow the structure of our Read more about Awaiting Response[…]
There is a chair in my house which commands a view from front to back. It sits next to a brick fireplace which I can adjust without standing if needed. To my left is a small table and lamp. My wife and I received the lamp as a wedding gift. Beyond the table is a Read more about Reclining[…]
On May 9, 2019 the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) awarded Little Engine Ventures (LEV) the Impact award for the Hoosier Heartland region. Monty Henderson, Regional Director, nominated the investment partnership for their role in preserving and growing small businesses in the region. LEV utilized the ISBDC to conduct market research on various industries Read more about Indiana Small Business Development Center Recognizes Little Engine Ventures for Impact[…]
I spoke with the matriarch of a family business yesterday. She received numerous mailers from Little Engine Ventures over the last couple of years. Eventually, she decided to explore further. She started by holding on to one as a reminder. She then surveyed her husband: “Dear, how would you rank your job satisfaction?” To which Read more about Uncertainty and Profit[…]