I have been dealing with investors for 20 years now and I see how frustrated they can get when they are constantly presented with opportunities which are not thoroughly researched, without due diligence, or a proper business plan. On the other hand there are countless owners of businesses or real estate who wish to attract capital, yet they do not seem to be able to find the investors. The problem is that people are trying to sell real estate, not investment products.
My idea is that a third group of people, namely job-seeking professionals, can act as a catalyst between the investors and the sellers. There are so many experts who are looking to earn some money, so I developed the concept of the DealWorkshop.
The DealWorkshop is a place where deals are created out of mere opportunities, according to a predefined, yet flexible process. Some data is uploaded by the owner, then teams of experts get busy and perform a list of jobs so the opportunity rises on what I call the “investability scale” and becomes a deal in which investors are interested, because it has investment markers, for example yield, capital appreciation, risk analysis, exit strategy. Experts lend their expertise to the owner in exchange for a future share or commission, which is higher than their regular hourly wage, guaranteed by contract.
The result will be that investors and their agents will be able to professionally compare opportunities, owners of opportunities will be able to tap into the investor market, and professionals will finally get contracts, jobs. The system encourages entrepreneurship and foreign direct investment in underdeveloped regions, creating jobs and alleviating local governments of economic burden. One of the remarkable benefits is the mobilization of the experienced “over-skilled” 50+ workforce as well as the paradigm shift of job seekers from an employee mentality to a business partner mentality, as they become future shareholders and emphasize the B2B aspect of their participation, instead of the traditional 9-5 employee relationship.
Andras Patkai