Ask me anything

· May 5, 2020

AMA: Brandon Andrews — Tech, entertainment, philanthropy, government

Hey, I’m Brandon Andrews, and I look forward to engaging with you during this week’s AMA.

I’m an entrepreneur and investor with professional experience that spans government, tech, entertainment, and philanthropy. At Values Partnerships, I develop engaging marketing and impact campaigns for film and TV projects from studios like Paramount, MGM, NBCUniversal, and A+E Networks. This includes leading a nationwide casting tour for ABC’s Shark Tank focused on finding diverse ideas and voices for the show.

I enjoy meeting thousands of entrepreneurs every year at Shark Tank casting calls that I host around the country, and at pitch competitions and other global events, often in collaboration with the State Department.

I co-founded Gauge, a mobile market research platform connecting brands with consumers to make better decisions and avoid mistakes. We help brands from startups to the Fortune 100 understand consumer behavior and take insight-driven action.

Before I became an entrepreneur, I spent 5 years as a staffer in the U.S. Senate. My portfolio included defense, foreign affairs, and economic policy. I stay connected to policymakers and recently joined several Republic issuers in offering comments on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Capital Formation and Accredited Investor Proposals, both of which directly impact crowdinvesting.

I’m a former D-1 triple jumper who still enjoys a good workout, and I use crowdinvesting along with more traditional ways to support and work with startups.

Of course you can pitch me for Shark Tank! I also welcome questions about consumer behavior and market research as a startup, marketing campaigns, understanding the regulatory environment (no legal advice), pitching your business, or how to triple jump. *hint it’s NOT three long jumps*

Let’s get started!

Republic Venture Partner AMA (Ask Me Anything) is a weekly series. Feel free to ask questions in the discussion section below.* He will be answering questions Wednesday 5/6 through Friday 5/8 so submit your questions now!

*must sign into Republic account to ask questions — register here first!

This educational article is provided by Republic to help its users understand this area of the market, it should not be construed as investment advice as it is impersonal, disinterested and was produced by Republic for Republic’s users, without remuneration received or expected.

6 comments

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6 years ago

Question #6 submitted via @joinrepublic by @tandeepsingh_:
I have an idea ; but lack of resources and guidance! How to overcome it

0 Like Reply

@clare-lee-1 reach out to someone with expertise in the sector your business will operate in. Get feedback and put together a plan to build your mvp, test, and build the product.

6 years ago

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6 years ago

Question #5 submitted via @joinrepublic by @ab.hustle:
Your thoughts on Edtech product targeted for primary education to strengthen Math

0 Like Reply

@clare-lee-1 everyone needs help with math. Sounds like a great problem to ideate on. The edtech sales cycle can be tough, so keep that in mind as you consider starting the business.

6 years ago

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6 years ago

Question #4 submitted via @joinrepublic by @subvartis:
How can we use crowdfunding to solve core issues like infrastructure?

1 like Reply

@clare-lee-1 Great question! Crowdfunding has the power to give people a key role in building the communities they live in; from funding small businesses, to co-owning real estate, to infrastructure. If you think about it, most local infrastructure is already crowdfunded - through taxes - so the concept is already in practice.

In the US, a forward thinking community could identify real estate to purchase through ereit crowdfunding, use Reg CF to fund startup capital, and graduate to Reg A+ for larger raises.

The cashflow from investments in infrastructure like a toll roll or bridge could provide more immediate monetary benefit for investors than other crowdfunding options that are- by their nature illiquid.

Currently Reg A+ is limited to raises of $50M or less. This is inadequate to fully fund many larger infrastructure projects, but - if coupled with public/private partnership and government funding could be a way to speed up some local infrastructure projects.

Using Reg CF / A+ to fund companies that build infrastructure like roads, pipes, or solar panels is also an option.

A crowdfunding option with a much higher offering limit would be needed to fully fund infrastructure projects in a single raise.

6 years ago

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6 years ago

Thank you @brandon-andrews!

6 years ago

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6 years ago

Question #3 submitted via @joinrepublic by @duerto_:
What is the best way to connect and build relationships with angels and VCs

0 Like Reply

@clare-lee-1 Well, there are a lot of angles and VCs investing on Republic to start with. Take a look at who has invested in companies like yours and reach out. Warm intros are always valuable here, but the most important thing is researching the investor; make sure you know what they invest in, what stage, what check size, and how hands-on they like to be. All of these things will help separate you from everything else in their inbox and ensure your relationship is solid if you do business together. Outside of Republic use groups like AngelList, Signal, and even LinkedIn to search for investors.

6 years ago

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6 years ago

Question #2 submitted via @joinrepublic by @vikas_singh_68:
Hey I started a startup idea regarding less lethal weapon how to get started (Indian)

0 Like Reply

@clare-lee-1 Build the MVP, research and build a customer profile, test with your target audience, and refine the product and business as needed.

6 years ago

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6 years ago

Question #1 submitted via @joinrepublic by @k.param:
How to conduct market research for a product that's new to the industry and market

0 Like Reply

@clare-lee-1 Market research is essential for launching new products or new companies. Big firms like Qualtrics are very expensive and don't make sense for many startups - even those that are funded. Here are a couple free/low-cost options:

To begin building your customer profile use Google Trends (trends.google.com) to see who is searching for a solution like yours and where they reside.
Once you have an idea of the customer profile, use groups on platforms like Facebook or Reddit get feedback on your concept or product. You can also use Twitter and Facebook polls with a #hashtag commonly used by potential customers to broaden the reach.
When you're ready to do a survey, go back to the groups and hashtags you tapped previously to get responses. For competitive analysis use a tool like SEM market explorer (semrush.com/market-explorer/overview).
If you want a lower post paid solution, services like PeopleFish or my app Gauge offer solutions.
Once you have a fairly refined customer profile, use low-cost Facebook ads to test with the audience. Use the results to further refine your product and marketing approach.

https://www.semrush.com/market-explorer/overview

6 years ago

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6 years ago

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