Attracting Investors: Creative Ways to Fund and Build Your “A Team”

Meeting Overview

Putting the right team together, and creating synergy in the team you have, can make the difference between success and failure of a company and/or the launch of a great product. Typically, start-up companies are short on cash and face challenges recruiting and blending the requisite talent. Tonight's panel will discuss techniques and strategies for dealing with these issues.

They will explain why having and managing the right team is important to investors, and how you can do that. They will suggest strategies for attracting the right people for the job, and keeping them motivated. Our panel includes a CEO who has managed a team that developed his company into one named as "one of the ten best companies to work for in NH", and an accountant who has years of experience setting up companies and working with investors and venture capitalists. Each will bring their special expertise and experience to the talk.

Our moderator is an experienced company owner and entrepreneur. Join our meeting to share their unique talents and insights. Topics include creative and tax friendly compensation arrangements, strategies that attract investors, talent search options, and conflict anticipation and resolution.

Panel:

Travis Drouin, CPA, MBA, Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico, LLP, http://www.mfa-cpa.com

Leveraging years of experience in public accounting and venture capital, Mr. Drouin provides assurance and financial consulting services to clients across a wide spectrum of industries, particularly angel and venture-backed emerging technology companies. At MFA, Travis is able to execute on the firm's promise of superior service and expertise by surrounding himself with some of the best and brightest professionals in New England. MFA's clients rely on Travis and his team for assistance with their complex financial reporting needs, domestic and international tax issues, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, internal control audits and private company valuation matters.

Travis is a certified public accountant and a certified internal auditor, and applies his expertise in the oversight of financial audit engagements in accordance with generally accepted audit standards. While he has been in public accounting for almost twenty years, Travis also has first-hand experience with the venture capital community, having spent over three years as Vice President of Information Systems at Bessemer Venture Partners.

Derek Ohly, co-founder and CEO of Zyrra Inc

Derek Ohly is the co-founder and CEO of Zyrra Inc, a custom bra company with a revolutionary solution to widespread problems related to bra fit and bra shopping. He developed CAD software to enable mass-customization of bras that are guaranteed to fit each woman perfectly, and leads a party-plan business that makes bra shopping fast, fun and easy. Prior to Zyrra, Derek spent five years in operations management and database and web development at Comstock Images, a $15 Million company since acquired by Jupiter Images. He is a mentor and ambassador with Mass Challenge, a start-up competition and incubator. Derek earned a BA from Williams College and an MBA from Babson College.

Val Zanchuk, Owner, Graphicast, Inc.http://www.graphicast.com/ [email protected]

Val Zanchuk is the owner of Graphicast, Inc., a Jaffrey, NH manufacturer of precision machined zinc alloy castings. Val bought Graphicast in the midst of the 2001 telecomm crash and just before 9-11. He saw revenue decline 35% in his first year of ownership. Working to rebuild the company and create a new corporate culture among Graphicast’s employees, the company has since been an Inc 5000 company, a recipient of Managing Automation Media’s Progressive Manufacturing Award, and named one of the top ten small companies to work for in New Hampshire for the past six years.

Prior to Graphicast, Val was president of TAFA, Inc., a Concord, NH manufacturer of thermal spray equipment and materials. During Val’s tenure at TAFA, he and his team grew the company into a global leader in the industry and eventually sold TAFA to Praxair, a $10 billion Fortune 250 company.

Val had previously been with Air Products and Chemicals, New Jersey Zinc Company, and Phelps Dodge. He is a graduate of Lehigh University, with degrees in metallurgy. He holds several patents and is the author of many technical and business articles.

Moderator:

Melissa Mellen, CEO Wild Angel Cozy Co., www.wildangelcozy.com, Founder eWeighIn.com

Melissa started her career as Marketing Manager at The Mellen Company, a high temperature furnace manufacturing company she co-owned. For nine yearsshe chaired a regional chapter of theAmerican Society of Materials(ASM), and also chaired theASMNational Chapter Council, where she was recognized for outstanding leadership. She then foundeda start up company called the Wild Angel Cozy Company, LLC which produces insulation for agricultural watering devices,specializing in equine applicationsand insulation solutions for shipping companies. She has personally designed and brought to production several popular products which are sold world-wide. She is currently in the process of launching a second business for online weight loss support, eWeighIn.com, which currently has two patents pending.