Letter from the CEO

When it comes to working with – and investing in – early stage companies, management is key.

After all, it doesn’t matter how exciting the vision is – or how large the projected gains are – if management can’t execute, it’s all just hot air.

Sadly, in this emerging world of Private Capital – and really, the entire Crowdfunding space in general – there are plenty of questionable opportunities floating around out there that are being managed (and promoted) by questionable people.

That’s why I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to one of the key members of the Equifund team: Jake Hoffberg. 

If you don’t know Jake, he has a special gift for explaining the usually complex world of finance into simple, easy-to-read content that’s accessible to everyday investors.

Thanks to this skill, he’s worked with some of the top brands in financial publishing, and helped grow readership for people like

• David Stockman, the former Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan;
  

• Jim Rickards, “CIA insider” and former investment banker, famous for structuring the Long Term Capital Management bailout;
  

• James Altucher, former hedge fund manager, author, speaker, and entrepreneur; and…
  

• Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad – the #1 bestselling book on personal finance.

During my 20-year career in investor relations, I’ve worked with a lot of people who claim they know how to communicate with retail investors.

I can confidently say I’ve never worked with anyone who is not only a wizard with words… but has a deep understanding of macroeconomics, banking, capital markets, personal finance, and compliance.

If you’ve read through any of our offering pages – or the hundreds of hours of investor education on our website – you’ve got Jake to thank for helping put all of that well-researched content together.

And now with the re-launch of our editorial program – the Private Capital Insider – you’ll see his name in your inbox 2-3 times per week with fresh, insightful, and original editorial.

Without further ado, here’s Jake.

Yours for investing equality,

Jordan Gillissie - CEO
Equifund

What is Private Capital?

For more than 50 years, there’s been a startling trend that’s impacted the way everyday investors create wealth…

Once upon a time, retail investors had a chance to invest in high-profile tech companies like Ebay, Amazon, Salesforce, and Google when they were still startups.

All four of these companies raised < $100 million in total VC funding prior to IPO, which happened 6-7 years after founding...

And their largest Pre-IPO valuations were all sub $400 million.

As a result, a majority of the value capture happened after the company went public… and the opportunity to participate was open to anyone with a brokerage account.

However, since the dot com bust in 2000, trillions of dollars have flooded out of the Public Capital Markets, accessible by all, and into the Private Capital Markets accessible by industry insiders.

Today, there’s more than $3.7 TRILLION of “Dry Powder” in the Private Capital Markets waiting to be deployed.

That’s why more companies have been staying private for longer…

And it’s why retail investors have been locked out of some of the most exciting growth companies they’d normally have had access to a few decades ago; Today, there are more than 30,000 private companies with between $50 million and $500 million in revenue that may not be large enough to meet the liquidity requirements of the public equity markets.

This is great news if you’re one of the .01% who has access to these exclusive investment opportunities; some companies can remain in the private markets nearly indefinitely, with some growing large enough to exceed the GDPs of all but the top sector of the world’s national economies.

But for the average retail investor, it means being locked out of a market that has historically outperformed.

But here’s the story you probably haven’t heard about this transformational shift in today’s markets…

Pretty much everyone has heard of publicly traded companies like Apple, founder/CEOs like Elon Musk, and investors like Warren Buffet.

But with more capital being raised in private markets every year than public markets, every year for the past decade…

Investors, policymakers, and the public know relatively little about the “name brands” of Private Capital and the influence it has on our economy.

That’s why we decided to launch Private Capital Insider – to provide everyday investors with an inside look at the major trends and opportunities we’re seeing unfold in Private Capital Markets…

The moves being made by the players in Private Capital…

And a look at the new wave of “alternative” investment products being launched, specifically for retail investors like us.

Think of This Newsletter as Your “Passport” Into The World of Private Capital…

And think of me (and the rest of the Equifund Staff) as your guide through this important financial ecosystem.

While I can’t provide any individualized investment advice, recommendations, or “stock picks”...

The goal of this newsletter is to help you increase your knowledge and confidence when investing in private offerings.

We hope this letter will be a way for us to build a relationship with you and help you build your confidence in private market opportunities…

And of course, we hope that teaching you how to “see” the same way we do at Equifund, will build your confidence in doing business with us.

As a way to get things started, and get to learn a little bit more about you and your goals, would you mind answering a question?

Sincerely,

Jake Hoffberg - Publisher
Equifund

Have a question? Hit reply and let us know what’s on your mind.

While we cannot legally provide any individualized investment advice or recommendations, we do our best to publish answers to the most common questions we get from our members.

If you’d like to check out our library of existing content, you can do so by going here.

Interested in opening an investment account on Equifund? If so, you’ll find all of our walkthroughs, guides, and tutorials for getting your accounts set up properly right here.

Want to check out the offerings we have listed on Equifund? Go here to see our current opportunities.