Susan Sarich

Boards of Directors – How Relevant To The Business Is The Board? In 2014, activist investor Starboard Value successfully replaced all 12 directors on the board of Darden Restaurants. The following shows the Darden incumbent board at the time of Starboard's proxy fight, Starboard’s value creation plan initiatives, the Starboard director nominees and the before and after performance (revenue, EBITDA, EBITDA margin and stock price). Note especially the direct relevance of each Starboard nominee to the industry or some aspect of the value creation plan. How often do you see this level of relevance on public company boards?

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Darden Restaurants recently reported its quarterly results, showcasing resilience amidst a challenging environment. While Olive Garden faced a decline in same-store sales for the second consecutive quarter, Darden's overall performance remained steady, with earnings per share surpassing expectations at $2.65 and revenue reaching $2.96 billion. Looking forward to fiscal 2025, Darden projects a promising outlook with expected earnings per share between $9.40 and $9.60 and anticipated net sales of $11.8 billion to $11.9 billion. The company's LongHorn Steakhouse segment notably reported a 4% increase in same-store sales, underscoring Darden's effective management and operational strength. With plans to invest $550 million to $600 million in capital expenditures, Darden is poised to enhance its offerings and maintain its competitive edge in the market. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/eFgDC97p #hospitality #restaurants #technology #innovation Branded Hospitality Ventures Angelo Fama Jr. John Espy Dave George Daryl L. Cunningham Lisa McDowell Robert Anderson Ali Charri

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Brian Horner, president emeritus of TCA Venture Group Los Angeles, provides insights into the investment approach of angel groups. He highlights the variability in check sizes, as individual angels make independent decisions. Horner shares when he was with TCA, the group would invest $12-15 million annually across 40-50 companies, with an average check size of $300,000. However, he notes significant deviation, with some deals attracting 30+ investors for multi-million dollar rounds, while others may only have one angel writing a $25,000 check. This flexibility allows angels to collectively support promising startups. #angelinvesting #startupfunding #startups #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #pegasusangelaccelerator

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Whiskey is emerging as a popular investment class among HNW investors according to a new report by KPMG: 27% said they plan to invest in whiskey within the next 3 years, making it the most popular form of "luxury" assets. Whiskey interest is followed by art (26%), jewelry (20%), wine (15%), and classic cars (14%). While increased capital moving into whiskey investments is likely to drive down returns in the long run, we believe the wholesale bourbon niche is still small enough to capture excess returns for investors who buy barrels in 2024. #bourboninvestments #alternativeassets #familyoffice #investmentideas https://lnkd.in/dgpdGCPd.

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Want to know the story behind those unique Asian-inspired sparkling water flavors you've been seeing? I sat down with Sandro Roco of Sanzo on the Consumer Rundown podcast. We talked #Asian representation and voices, building a #beverage empire, and the importance of being a "good ancestor"! Listen to the full conversation – link in comments! #entrepreneurship #cpgindustry #beveragebusiness

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Last Wednesday, Alex Davisson moderated a Foodtech VC Panel with Jenn Burka from FTW Ventures, Cam Crowder from Redstick Ventures, and Felicity Meyer from BoxOne Ventures. Throughout the hour, our startups were given a valuable glimpse into how VCs evaluate startups, foodtech trends, and more. Thanks again to our panelists for their valuable insights and advice to our startups on venture capital and sources of funding! #foodtech #VCfunding #VC

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🌱 Scaling Your Startup with Insight and Innovation 🌱 Attention startups and small business owners! 🚀 Are you keeping tabs on the pace of technology and innovation in your industry? If not, you might be missing out on transformative opportunities and growth strategies. A recent development in the plant-based food tech sector demonstrates how incorporating advanced technology can propel a business into new markets and opportunities. 📈 Case Study: Tender Food Inc. 📈 - Innovation: Using fiber-spinning techniques, similar to how cotton candy is made, to create realistic plant-based meats. - Growth: Secured a prominent contract and expanded into multiple venues, demonstrating practical market adoption. - Investment: Recently bolstered by an $11M funding round to increase product development and scale operations. 👁️ Why It Matters 👁️ This narrative isn’t just about a company growing; it's a playbook on how adapting new technologies can meet escalating market demands efficiently. Startups, especially in tech, can glean that: - Innovating processes can carve out significant competitive edges. - Early and strategic investments in technology can lead to rapid scale and adoption. - Diverse product applications can open multiple revenue streams. For deeper insights into how Tender Food Inc. is leveraging technological innovation to disrupt the food industry, their full journey is detailed at https://lnkd.in/eE2vPC9f. #TechInnovation #Startups #GrowthStrategy This post was generated by an AI. Please contact us for more information.

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The face you make when you realize that you have become pretty good at sourcing off-market opportunities and have private equity and family office investors ready to back you, but you don’t have enough talent to take advantage of those opportunities. With that said, if you know of anyone in the commercial bakery, dry cleaning, food distribution, or commercial laundry space who is looking for board and/or C-level opportunities, please let me know. #boardadvisor #clevel #executives #commercialbakery #commerciallaundry #drycleaning #fooddistribution #privateequity #investmentbanking

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🌟Innovative VC Firm Overcomes Exits Drought with Secondary Sales🌟 ⛵Navigating a challenging landscape where exits are scarce, Santa Barbara Venture Partners (SBVP) has pioneered a novel approach to sustain its growth and attract investors for its second fund: secondary sales. Instead of waiting for traditional exits like IPOs or acquisitions, SBVP opted to sell shares of its portfolio companies, demonstrating its ability to generate returns for investors and stand out in a competitive market. 🎤According to Dan Engel, founder and managing partner of SBVP, these secondary transactions have been a game-changer, sparking investor interest and bolstering the firm's credibility. By leveraging its recent successes, including a lucrative stake in sports-betting company DraftKings Inc.' acquisition of digital lottery app Jackpocket, SBVP seized the opportunity to return profits to its limited partners (LPs) and pave the way for its second fund. 💡Engel highlighted the challenges faced by young VC firms in raising subsequent funds, particularly amid a downturn in exit activity and heightened investor scrutiny. With traditional exit routes becoming increasingly elusive, the pressure is on for firms to demonstrate tangible returns and establish a track record of success. ✨"For us, secondary sales have been a game-changer. They've helped us return profits to our LPs and attract investors for our second fund," said Dan Engel. 💰For SBVP, the decision to pursue secondary sales was driven by the need to provide liquidity to LPs and validate its investment thesis in the eyes of prospective investors. By strategically offloading portions of its holdings in high-performing portfolio companies like Bark Technologies and Rad AI, SBVP not only generated substantial returns but also bolstered investor confidence in its ability to deliver results. ⚠Despite the complexities and potential stigma associated with early share sales, Engel emphasized the importance of prioritizing investor returns and seizing opportunities to unlock value for stakeholders. With a focus on profitability and transparency, SBVP remains committed to its mission of delivering sustainable growth and maximizing returns for its LPs. 🔍 "Returning profits to our investors is our top priority. By strategically selling shares, we're proving our commitment to delivering results and driving value for our stakeholders," added Engel. As SBVP continues to explore secondary transactions and expand its investor base, the firm stands as a testament to innovation and resilience in the face of market challenges. 🚀 ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #fund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VCInnovation #SecondarySalesSuccess #InvestorReturns #ValueCreation 

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When will the industry wake up to the fact that delivering high-margin ready-to-heat prepared meals that enable 14-18 drops per hour instead of the 1.4-1.6 drops per hour that is the limit for hot meals is a better solution ? Look at the growth and profitability of both Thistle and Feast & Fettle for evidence of this.

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A lot of you have heard me say "we aren't thematic investors EXCEPT when it comes to our consumer thesis and Vertikal Brands". So what does that mean exactly, and how did we choose to double down on outdoor specifically? I recently sat down with Matt Blevins who heads up the strategy for Clearview Capital, L.P. and we had the chance to talk about just that! Tune into our third episode of 'Coffee with Clearview' to learn more about how we got started in the space, and how we continue to partner with world-class outdoor consumer brands. #consumerprivateequity #consumerproducts #privateequity #outdoorenthusiast #outdoorbrands

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Over the last hundred years, countless fast-food chains have emerged that offer convenience, affordable fare and unique dining experiences. But as consumer preferences change over time, some franchises fail to keep up. Click Here To Read More: https://fxn.ws/43XZ0SC Big Chicken Josh Halpern Samuel Stanovich 🐔 Jason Mceachern Branded Hospitality Ventures #Restaurants #Hospitality #Technology #Business #Innovation #AI #investing #podcast #venturecapital FoxBusiness.com Max Bacall

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Ready to play big? Unlock the billionaire playbook: Start with an Aged Shelf Corporation and master the art of influence WITHOUT ownership. 🏦✨ If you want to learn more. Click here to sign up for my next free webinar ⬇️

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Machine Learning is revolutionizing Venture Capital in ways that may not be widely recognized yet. In the past, building billion-dollar companies required hefty investments upwards of $200M, typically at a late-stage growth round. However, today, small teams of 4-6 individuals with a few contractors are achieving multi-billion dollar valuations right now. Today. The ability to leverage Machine Learning for tasks such as source code development, architecture building, lead generation, marketing content creation, and customer support is enabling these lean teams to operate capitaly efficient. This trend is expected to keep company sizes small throughout their growth trajectory. As AI and ML technologies continue to empower entrepreneurs, the barriers to entry in the startup space are significantly decreasing. This shift is likely to drive a surge in the number of startups, with projections indicating that 90% of companies in the near future will emerge from the startup ecosystem. Exciting times lie ahead for the startup landscape as technology reshapes the entrepreneurial journey.

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Earlier this year, we surveyed our fellow Los Angeles-based GPs to get a pulse check on the LA venture ecosystem. Here’s what we found: 💗 Deal flow is healthy, and most LA venture investors (68%) are seeing the same or more deal flow YoY. ✈ LA investors are spending time in a variety of markets, with NYC, Austin, and SF following closely on LA’s heels. 🔍 Innovation is concentrated in AI and machine learning, space, and commerce. 💸 Funding is happening, but it’s barbell-shaped, with deals concentrated at the early and late stages. Funding post-Series A has been challenging. 🚩 LA is differentiated, but not without its challenges. Key difficulties include not attracting enough AI talent (despite having the largest number of engineers graduating from our region over any other in the United States); talent relocated to more tax-friendly or less expensive locations; and the great SoCal / NoCal divide 🙏 Thank you to all our many respondents! I’m so glad to be part of a venture ecosystem that includes great minds like Anna Barber, Brent Murri, W. Christine Choi, Sarah Tomolonius, Rob Smith, Win Chevapravatdumrong, John Tabis, Jill Royster, Jesse Draper, Ashley Balla, Britt Danneman, Tram Lai, Carmen Palafox, Elaine Russell, Deborah Benton Amanda Schutzbank, Brian Lee, Petra Griffith, Minnie Ingersoll, Shamin Walsh, Gabe Greenbaum...wow, this list could go on forever...plus too many other exceptional humans to name. You know who you are! Explore our findings more deeply with our survey dashboard: https://bit.ly/3JsaLaB

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Once upon a time a lunchtime favorite, now gone thanks to the "business climate." When I see mass closures like this, I always wonder, did executive management truly consider all possible alternatives, whether it be change, pivot, or divestiture? Something tells me often not, they just take the lazy way out. If you are not part of a corporate infrastructure where failure just becomes disclosure on an annual report, you do need to explore every option as an entrepreneur. You owe it to all your stakeholders. We can help. Stony Hill Advisors, Inc.

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🌟 Looking to secure first-round funding? Check out these essential tips to perfect your pitch from the team at Ascend Venture Capital. From finding the right investor to crafting a compelling story and nailing down financial details, these insights will help you stand out and succeed in your fundraising efforts 🚀 #StartupFunding #InvestorPitch #VentureCapital

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@HouseGOP: Since Joe Biden took office, #Bidenflation has caused the price for fast food favorites to skyrocket: 📈McDonald's Medium French Fries is UP 167.6% 📈McDonald's Big Mac Meal is UP 103.5% 📈McDonald's 10 Piece McNuggets Meal is UP 95.5% 📈McDonald's Hamburger Happy Meal is UP 140.6% 📈McDonald's 4 Piece McNuggets Happy Meal is UP 97.3% 📈Taco Bell’s Cheesy Gordita Crunch is UP 111.5% 📈Taco Bell’s Nachos Bellgrande Combo is UP 77.0% 📈Taco Bell’s Beefy 5-Layer Burrito is UP 153.8% 📈Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Sandwich Combo is UP 94.8% 📈Chick-fil-A’s 8 Piece Nuggets is UP 98.2%

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Super excited to be joining this amazing group of panelists at TechCon SoCal, the largest gathering of investors, innovators, and entrepreneurs in Southern California! With just 13 days to go, I can't wait to share insights and connect with fellow industry leaders. Looking forward to discussing investment strategies and entrepreneurial growth. See you there! #TechconSoCal2024 #InnovationSummit #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #InvestmentStrategies

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