How to Get More From Investor Events
Richard C. Wilson speaks at an investor club event, opening with advice for attendees on getting more from the gathering.
Richard C. Wilson shares ways to make investor events more useful for founders, capital raisers and investors. He discusses how attendees can approach relationships, communicate their value and choose whom to meet, alongside ways to learn from the sessions and conversations around them.
In this video: Richard C. Wilson (Investor club founder)
What they said
- Richard C. Wilson on building trust before a deal. Richard says attendees should aim to plant a seed and build a relationship, rather than close an investment on the day. He says a high IRR on paper cannot replace trust in the team, conviction and distinct value. (at 2:19)
- Richard C. Wilson on deal structures. Richard recommends asking whether collateral could protect an investment and learning structures such as multi-share class LLCs or gross revenue royalties. He says stronger deal structures can help investors protect their downside and help capital raisers offer terms that make investors more comfortable. (at 9:10)
- Richard C. Wilson on clear positioning. Richard recommends a clear one-liner, a founder video that runs 1 to 3 minutes, a distinct focus and a one-pager. He says these materials help people understand what you do and save them time. (at 12:50)
- Richard C. Wilson on adding value first. Richard suggests offering help before asking someone to invest. He gives examples such as introducing a client, helping structure a deal or connecting someone with a useful resource. (at 14:13)
- Richard C. Wilson on listening before approaching. Richard advises attendees to listen to the talks and panels before choosing whom to approach. He says hearing what people invest in and where they focus can make follow-up more specific. (at 17:21)
In their words
"Almost everybody you see on stage during this event could give a half day or full day workshop on what they're talking about."
"We have no speakers where we're paying them to come on stage."
Why it matters if you are building or preserving great wealth
Richard says other events put 20 to 30 speakers on stage over a day and a half or two days. His club usually puts 35 to 40 speakers on stage per day.
From Richard's exclusive Billionaires.com interviews
Lessons from Richard C. Wilson's one-on-one interviews, as published on each interview page.
- Anu Aga: Focus on one main cause. Her family found its giving more satisfying and impactful once it chose primary education for the underprivileged in India.
- Binod K. Chaudhary: Never chase a deal out of desperation. Stay cool and look at every part of the deal. Have your advisers and your finance team review it critically. Your counsel should review it too.
- Larry Connor: Learn from every mistake. Larry's team owns its failures and makes no excuses. They learn, change quickly, and keep getting better.
See the data
Frequently asked questions
How long are the event sessions?
Richard says standalone talks are 15 minutes, strategy sessions are usually 20 minutes, and discussion panels have five to six people.
Why does the event have no scheduled breaks?
Richard says attendees can use a session on a less relevant topic as a break by choosing when to step away.
Sources
Quotes are copied from the video captions and checked against the transcript. Timestamps link to the moment in the video. General information only, not legal, tax or investment advice.