Alternatives for Fundraising and Investing

There is a new world of online platforms to serve alternative investors, which may be the result of Congress passing a 2012 bill called "Jump Start Our Business Start-ups," or JOBS.  The intention of this law is to encourage the funding of small businesses by easing various securities regulations. 

Thomas FoleyPresident, VenovateSource: linkedin.com

Thomas Foley

President, Venovate

Source: linkedin.com

Thomas Foley, President of Venovate, says the business of alternative online platform business is evolving rapidly.  When they go to their investor base, Foley says they're not interested in going to a site for just one thing, which is what they expect when they go to Venovate's site.  They get to see the whole range of investment opportunities out there, Foley adds.

Troy VanderburgCEO, The Alternative Investment StoreSource: linkedin.com

Troy Vanderburg

CEO, The Alternative Investment Store

Source: linkedin.com

Some of these platforms are individual businesses, such as Venovate, while others are specialized divisions of more traditional brokerage firms.  Troy Vanderburg, CEO of the Alternative Investment Store, part of brokerage firm Benjamin and Jerold, has forecasted the bullish growth of alternative investments in the near term based on a well-respected study of large endowments done in 2013 by NACUBO, the National Association of College and University Business Officers.  They have found that stock ownership is at an all-time low, bond ownership is at a record low and the remaining 50% is in alternative investments, says Vanderburg, indicating a lot of room for growth with the RIA community. 

Todd RydenCEO, FNEXSource: hedgethink.com

Todd Ryden

CEO, FNEX

Source: hedgethink.com

Todd Ryden, CEO of FNEX, says that they're the only online platform that does not list their own product.  A lot of investment banks are listing their own product on an online platform but FNEX is trying to "democratize the entire industry," making themselves a centralized marketplace for investment banks to list their deals, Ryden explains.  They are also transactional and integrate with custodians' self-directed IRA platforms and the like that manage over $40 billion, allowing them to find a deal, pay for the transaction and direct the flow of funds all from a centralized platform.  Ryden spoke with Alternative Investment News earlier and for that full interview, click here. 

Alternative Investing News, provides online alternative investing video news content.  Alternative Investing News is a featured network of Sequence Media Group.  This video was brought to you by Vantage Self-Directed Retirement Plans. 


J.P. Dahdah

After graduating from The University of Arizona where he earned dual degrees in Finance and Marketing, Mr. J.P. Dahdah began his professional career in 1997 as a financial advisor with American Express Financial Advisors. In 1999, he founded Dahdah Global Wealth Management, LLC, a comprehensive wealth management company which specialized in working with business owners. In June 2004, Mr. Dahdah founded his second company, Entrust Arizona, LLC. Entrust Arizona provided self-directed retirement plan administration and custodial services to individuals and small business owners who desired to include non-traditional assets, such as real estate, as part of their tax-deferred and tax-free portfolios. Mr. Dahdah earned the Certified IRA Services Professional (CISP) designation by The Institute of Certified Bankers in 2007, and in 2009, he began hosting a weekly “Wealth Wednesdays” radio show on KFNN 1510AM. In that same year, the Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA) presented Entrust Arizona with “Arizona’s Companies to Watch” Award, an honor celebrating second-stage entrepreneurs. Experiencing an annualized revenue growth of 28%, Entrust Arizona’s client base grew to over 6,500 clients and $600M in retirement assets in less than seven years. A testament to the Company’s size, strength, and growth, Entrust Arizona re-branded and changed its business name to Vantage Retirement Plans, LLC, on January 3rd, 2012. Mr. Dahdah has been happily married since 2008 to his wife Erin and is the proud father of his daughter, Liliana Sofia and son, Juan Pablo II.