By Nash Roberts The road to starting a company often takes many turns. It took Coletta Dorado, founder of AZZLY, Inc., an addiction treatment and behavioral healthcare software company, two careers, the loss of one relative, and the persistence of Job to settle on her mission. Here is the story of a founder, mother, employer, and pioneer. But, first, some background on the world of...
Flying High, Commercial Aircraft Parts Distributor Nails Safe Landing for Investment Returns Despite Turbulence
Carofin and CFS Announce Successful Redemption of Commercial Airplane Parts Investment Brevard, NC – February 27, 2023 -- Carofin and Carolina Financial Securities are pleased to announce that DSC Trading, LLC has redeemed in full their investors’ capital and coupon in 11% Senior Secured Notes. Based in Branson, MO, DSC Trading has been a leading supplier of expendable and consumable...
Getting the ‘Why’ When Making a Private Investment
Many years ago, I was asked to finance a start-up company that wanted to create a cigar vending machine business for sports arenas. I quickly passed. Didn’t get it. Couldn’t see why the world needed it. I’ve yet to see one at a ball game, so maybe I called that one right. I wish I did every time. Getting It Should be Easy When an entrepreneur says to me, “You get it,” it always strikes me...
Carofin’s Due Diligence Checklist
When conducting Carofin’s and its affiliate's due diligence on a prospective issuer (and consequent private offering), Carofin’s investment bankers and analysts follow a process that has been codified over the last 25 years. The following Due Diligence Checklist is our template that we’re delighted to share....
Liars Aren’t Trustworthy — Surprise!
Our parent company has decades of experience structuring private credit for investors, so we sourced a few suggestions for those looking to capture high returns by lending money to companies. Several years ago, a small import/export consumer goods company approached us to raise capital to build inventory. In the course of conducting our due diligence, we discovered that the owner of the...
Lessons from a Pro Player Turned Entrepreneur
Would you expect a pro football player to become the CEO of a successful cosmetics company? We didn't. But, then, we listened to his story. And it made sense. This is an interview by Bruce Smith, Carofin’s Vice President of Investor Development, with Chris Kolodziejski, CEO and Founder of Mosaic Distributors, a developer and distributor of fine eye and brow makeup that does business under the...
Identify a Market Opportunity (1st principles of investing)
Consistency is critical in our business. When it comes to investment analysis, this “First Principle” – “What primary market opportunity is the issuer pursuing?” – is the first question successful investors apply in their consistent approach to company analyses. Identifying the fundamental rationale for an enterprise is central to helping retain your focus on the ball. It’s what we consider...
Overcome a Challenge (1st Principles of Investing)
We all have challenges to overcome. But, when it comes to private investments, understanding the challenges a business must overcome in order to capture a market opportunity is fundamental when considering an investment in that company. In our series of articles on First Principles, we show you how to easily define the basic elements of a business’s inherent value proposition. What is the market...
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INVESTMENT TERMS
In the interest of accessibility, here are some terms that any investor should be familiary with.