Leesa S.’s Post

Over 90% of people lack critical thinking skills. They're becoming more rare and valuable every day. But what exactly is critical thinking? In simple terms, it means: — Closely analyzing information to form a judgment — Questioning what you see, hear, and read — Not just accepting things at face value Why is this important? Because it helps you: — Make better decisions — Solve problems more effectively — Avoid being misled by false information In a world full of noise and distractions, critical thinking helps you cut through the clutter. How can you improve your critical thinking? ➟ Start by asking the right questions. It takes practice. But it pays off in every aspect of life. So, the next time you encounter information, don't just accept it. Question it. Analyze it. Think critically about it. The quality of your thinking determines the quality of your life. Find this useful? Repost to share with others ♻️. And follow Justin Wright for more. P.S. Want high-res PDFs of my 50 best infographics? Get them here for free: brilliancebrief.com

VC secondary transactions, how they compare to traditional PE secondaries? Here's a peek into some more well known 📈 examples! • Airbnb: From $30B (2016) to $100B+ at IPO (2020). 230% return in 4 years • SpaceX: $33B (2019) to $150B (2023). 350% return in 4 years • Uber: $48B (2018) to $75B at IPO (2019). 56% return in 1 year. • Robinhood: $11.7B (2020) to $32B at IPO (2021). 173% return in about a year • Snowflake: $3.5B (2018) to $70.4B at IPO (2020). Whopping 1900% return in 2 years! • Coinbase: $8B (2018) to $85.8B at IPO (2021). 970% return in 3 years. • Palantir: $6B (2016) to $16.5B at IPO (2020). 175% return in 4 years. • OpenAI: $29B to $86B in 2023. Nearly 200% return in mere months These examples show the potential for significant returns, but professional selection, diversification and active management is key ☝️☝️☝️ You need to work as hard on Exit as you work on Entry. The good old waiting and praying for exit doesn’t work. #SecondaryMarket #PrivateEquity #Investments #TechStartups

I’ve interviewed more millionaires than I can count. I always ask them to share their lessons on creating a world-class company culture. Here's what they told me: 1. Your Values = Your Compass Your values are your organization's DNA. They guide decision-making, shape behavior, and create a shared sense of purpose. Communicate them clearly and consistently. Embrace your values. Eliminate decision fatigue. 2. Build Bulletproof Relationships • Encourage collaboration and teamwork • Foster a sense of community and belonging • Create opportunities for social connection and fun The strength of the team is each member. The strength of each member is the team. 3. Demonstrate. Don’t Dictate. As a founder or leader, your actions set the tone. • Embody integrity, empathy, and a strong work ethic • Model the behaviors and attitudes you want to see in your team As the leader goes, so goes the team. 4. Tap Into the Diverse Talents Within Your Team Build teams with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This drives out-of-the-box thinking. Create a culture where everyone feels they can contribute. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. 5. Employee Wellbeing Matters Invest in: • A healthy workplace • Work-life balance • Mental health support When you take care of your people, they take care of your business. 6. Engage Your Team on A Deep Level • Listen actively • Foster open communication • Create space for honest feedback • Give them challenging, meaningful work  • Provide opportunities for growth and development Culture is what motivates and retains talented employees. 7. Rinse. Refine. Repeat Adapt your culture as your company grows and evolves. Stay agile and responsive to your team's needs. Regularly assess employee engagement and satisfaction. Seek feedback and ideas for improvement. What gets measured, gets done. 8. Invest In Your Culture. It Will Pay Dividends A strong, positive culture attracts top talent and boosts performance. It's your competitive advantage in a world where skilled workers have countless options. To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace. Building a great culture isn't rocket science, but it does require intention. It takes time and effort, but it's worth it. Start by defining your values, focusing on engagement, and leading by example. Culture-building is an ongoing process, not a one-time initiative. — Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want to Learn 3 Proven Systems to Automate Your Growth & Build a Life of Freedom? Join my live (FREE) Workshop on July 17th (5 days away): https://lnkd.in/eM7kshnK 

I’ve had the privilege of witnessing various board meetings at startup companies. It’s quite clear what differentiates the bad and great investor involvement. Founders should look out for these: ❌Bad: They don’t express a view to move forward ✅Great: They offer good advice, clear action and even take ownership of them. Work with other investors to resolve differences and land on consensus ❌Bad: Prioritising ‘winners’ in their portfolio ✅Great: Showing up for portfolio companies without favoritism ❌Bad: Showing up but distracted or not involved in discussion ✅Great: Committed and highly engaged even digitally ❌Bad: Blaming founders if they miss numbers ✅Great: Understands startups don’t grow in a straight line and co-create with founders to find creative solutions. ❌Bad: Demanding onerous reporting that is ever changing ✅Great: Setting clear reporting ask upfront and focusing on key metrics suitable for their stage of growth. ❌Bad: Pushing strategy that changes with hype. Flipping from growth-at-all-costs > profitability  ✅Great: Sticking to one core strategy for a long period and working with founders to achieve outcomes. Some may say that time is scarce when funds are larger. Yet the great examples were consistent even in much larger funds with much bigger portfolios. It’s all about taking a stand for founders and it’s clear founders want investors who are engaged in their board roles. What do you think?

#Fit4Start is back 🚀 🚀 🚀 Since its inception in 2015, #Luxembourg’s renowned startup accelerator programme Fit 4 Start has attracted around 3,000 applications from various budding enterprises around the world ready to take their #innovations to the next level. 📢 The 15th edition is now open for applications from high-potential projects or young startups worldwide specialising in: ➡️ #health technologies ➡️ #digital innovations ➡️ #space-related sectors. Successful candidates will benefit from 6 months of #coaching and #mentoring by #startup experts and up to €150,000 of equity-free #funding. Are you ready to launch your business venture and scale it in the European market? ⏳️ Applications will close at noon on 12 August 2024. Apply now to Fit 4 Start #15 👇️ https://lnkd.in/g6r_e4_m

The Empowomen program has arrived at an important milestone! ⭐️ Eleven phenomenal startups led by inspiring women have made it to Progress Day! They pitched their innovative ideas to mentors and partners, engaged with the audience, and received valuable feedback. 👏 From supporting pregnant women 🤰 and tackling climate change 🌍 to innovating in hydrogen consumption ⚡ and developing earthquake solutions 🏢, removing phosphorus from wastewater streams and more, these startups are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. ⭐️ The teams: HUGUP, Astroteq.ai, The Newsroom, GMZ Enerji Sistemleri, GOTECH Antimicrobial, P-Agro Minerals, IPLEXMED, Pinky CyberSafe, Heilo, INNOSENSUS, IQ Biozoom. 🦸♀️ Amazing funders: Noemi Zabari Gamze KARANFİL KAÇMAZ Patrícia C. Henriques, Slawa Madelska,Prakseda Mineikiene,Neide Vieira, PhD,Dorota Dardzinska,Annija Emersone,Aliona Levca,Jenny Romano,Małgorzata Walichiewicz! 🙌 Huge thanks to incredible mentors: Brianna Quintero, Mariia Tintul, Alexandra Balkova, Diana Karyan, Fabienne Hakim, Faten Matmati, Karina Lapina, Zane Bojāre and our Acceleration program lead Timi Ilze, amazing job on guiding the way! ⚡️ EmpoWomen Program, powered by the EU’s Horizon Europe, is all about elevating women-led startups in the deep-tech industry. We are proud to be part of their journey together with Business Angels Europe! 💪 Here’s to the incredible journey so far and to the many successes ahead! 🚀✨ #ProgressDay #EmpoWomen #Startups #Mentorship #womenled

The New Innovantage Episode with Leesa S. is Out Now! Сheck out the Innovantage episode with Leesa S. to gain a deeper understanding of how AI technologies are being implemented in the investment sector, offering new opportunities for innovation and efficiency in financial strategies. 👉 Watch the full Innovantage episode with Leesa S. by following the link: https://lnkd.in/gFs2NtzW #Innovantage #AIPodcast #AIInvestment

💡 "Snapshot of Generative AI Adoption" We are all eager to see how Generative AI is being adopted in practice as we transition from the hype cycle to the value cycle. Tracking snapshots of adoption helps us monitor progress across different sectors. According to McKinsey research, Generative AI is primarily used in marketing, product/service development, and IT functions, with notable applications in content support, personalized marketing, and IT help desk chatbots. This trend underscores AI's increasing role in boosting strategic and operational efficiency across various industries. Mike Edmonds Jeff Winter Sanjay Basu PhD Sanjay Mazumder Vikas Wali Raymond L. Kunik Jr. 🌅 Sumeet Chabria Leesa S.. Thanks Alex Singla for publishing it. Source - McKinsey Research. #GenerativeAI #Adoption #MarketingStrategy #ProductDevelopment #ITInnovation #AIApplications #TechTrends

The new Innovantage episode featuring Leesa S., Managing General Partner at R3i Capital, airs on July 11th! Leesa S. is not only a pioneer in AI investments but also an applied AI investor who champions responsible AI, climate change adaptation, and value-based healthcare. She has successfully steered deep-tech companies to significant valuations and supported substantial investments from early-stage to Series C. 👉 While you wait for the new episode, follow the Innovantage YouTube channel so you won't miss any new ones: https://lnkd.in/e4XhCeCX