Tag: Online startup advisory

  • What Is a Startup Advisory Board and Why Your Startup Should Build One?

    When you’re a small business that’s just getting started, you’ll need all the aid you can get to succeed. If the company lacks innovative ideas and creative minds, then it is doomed to fail. Even if your team is full of enthusiastic individuals, you can always use some assistance from time to time. And that help can be provided by an advisory committee.

    An advisory board or committee can be of great use, as it provides all the necessary knowledge and tips important for the growth of a startup and keeps it one step ahead of its competitors in the market.

    With some experienced counsel and industry understanding, anyone can become a great leader and businessman. This is when the advisory committee comes into play. In this article, we will discuss the advisory committee, its importance to a startup.

    What is an Advisory Committee?
    Importance of Advisory Board in a Startup

    What is an Advisory Committee?

    Advisory Committee
    Advisory Committee

    An advisory group is made up of skilled and prominent specialists who offer legal guidance to the founders and assist them in making the best decisions for their company and employees. They also aid in the formation of contacts and networking, as well as a productive workflow.

    The committee also assists in providing the required resources and support for the company’s growth. The members of the advisory board provide candid and expert advice and also assist in anticipating the future or trend of the market and developing a plan for a company to work on due to their expertise and abilities.

    Importance of Advisory Board in a Startup

    It can be difficult for founders of startups to fully trust the opinions of an advisory board and run their business based on the guidance the committee provides, but one has to understand that the advisory board does not govern the company; their job is only to provide advice and guidance that they think can be important for the company.

    Not only startups; many major businesses have advisory baords that help them make proper decisions according to the market and the audience they are targeting.

    Some important aspects of an advisory board are as follows:

    1. Assists in Bringing New Perspectives to the Company

    An advisory board can rescue a business from failing to come up with unique ideas by providing new and fresh ideas for the company since they bring in the perspective of an outsider who knows the market and can create well-structured recommendations tailored to the company’s needs. Gucci, for example, formed a group of millennials in 2005 to assist in the development of new business concepts and inventive ideas. It was eye-opening for the organisation to see how disconnected they are from their customers. Gucci’s sales were boosted thanks to the advisory board’s assistance.

    2. Provides Honest and Candid Opinions

    As previously said, the advisory board’s goal is not to run the company; rather, its purpose is to provide appropriate and candid advice to decision-makers in order to assist them in making better business choices. They offer unbiased, straightforward opinions and can also assist in making difficult decisions by speaking up openly if they perceive anything that can be improved.

    3. Enhances the Brand’s Reputation

    If the members of an advisory board have a good reputation, it can help a company a lot. Because well-known members can lend credibility to the company and attract a large number of new clients. Many members of the advisory board also assist in creating high-profile relationships that can subsequently be useful to a startup in generating investments and other forms of corporate assistance.

    For example, Toyota hired then-former finance minister Dr Manmohan Singh as one of its advisory board members in 1996, and when he later became India’s prime minister, it aided the company by bringing a slew of customers from India because the company could say that the country’s prime minister was their advisor.

    4. Advisory Board Can Help the Business Save Money

    Members of an advisory board are usually paid less than members of the board of directors, so you can save money there. Furthermore, the committee’s expert assistance aids in making smarter financial decisions, which can save you money and time by preventing losses and unwise investments. And when you are running a startup there is no room for investments and money loss.

    5. It Is Easy to Set Up

    The advisory board is simple to form and operate, as they are only on the board for a brief time compared to other board members. They are recruited for a specific length of time, and because there is not much legal involvement in the firm, there are fewer hassles and the selection process is considerably simpler. Many significant corporations establish advisory boards for a very modest cost, yet their advice and abilities are extremely beneficial to the company.


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    Conclusion

    An advisory board can be extremely beneficial to a startup since they provide fresh perspectives and unbiased thoughts that can assist the company make better decisions.

    Members of the advisory board who are knowledgeable and experienced assist in gaining a better grasp of the market and identifying trends that can be advantageous to the organisation.

    Members with a good reputation also assist the startup get credibility and making contacts. They can be extremely cost-effective, as well as time and money-saving, and they are often simple to hire and deal with.

    FAQs

    What is the purpose of an advisory committee?

    An advisory committee guides the business and helps them make proper decisions according to the market trends.

    What is a startup advisor?

    A startup advisor is an expert that helps the company get new clients on board and create connections with other founders.

    How many advisors does a startup have?

    Usually, a startup advisory board consists of at least 3 members or 3 advisors that advise the company.

    What is the importance of advisory?

    Advisory board members have more experience and can offer better advice and suggestions to the company, as well as assist the founders in making sound business decisions.

    What is an advisory committee meeting?

    A meeting of the advisory committee is conducted to discuss the subjects and concerns that the company wants to resolve, as well as other ideas for improving the business.

  • How Avendus Capital becomes topmost Financial Advisor?

    The major learning one could take from Avendus Capital is the story of climbing out from early pitfalls. Now, the company has grown to have a part in every lucrative sector in the business circuit. Well, the story of Avendus Capital is more of learning for anyone who belongs to the startup circuit.

    The co-founders Kaushal Aggarwal, Ranu Vohra, and Gaurav Deepak have worked efficiently to establish an image of Avendus as one of the most important companies in the circuit. Well, how did the company rise after falling into potholes multiple times? Let’s check it out!

    Quick Facts – Avendus Capital

    Company Name Avendus Capital
    Headquarter Mumbai, India
    Industry Financial Services
    Founder Kaushal Aggarwal, Ranu Vohra, and Gaurav Deepak
    Founded 1999
    Parent Organization Avendus Capital Pvt. Ltd.

    How Avendus Capital Launched?

    It was a typical September morning in 2004 when Ranu Vohra, took a flight from San Francisco to Mumbai. He broke into a cold sweat as a call from Neeraj Gupta, the CEO of Cymbal Corporation left him shocked. Vohra parked himself at Cymbal’s headquarters at California for the previous weeks and was firming up the final contours of the brand’s sale to Patni Computer Systems in India. Well, by the time he completed work the previous evening, all the creases had been ironed out and it was a matter of time that the deal was completed and Avendus Capital, an investment bank was launched.

    However, the joy was short-lived as on that call, Gupta told Vohra how the dynamics had changed and Patni wished to take over 90 percent of Cymbal’s workforce after the acquisition. As Vohra recalls, instead of taking a very enjoyable flight home, he traveled with a big question mark in his mind. This deal with Patni was very important for the future of Avendus.

    Story of Avendus Capital
    Avendus Capital Launching

    During the 1990s, internet startups in the United States have triggered a sense of gold rush amongst the venture capital firms. In this phase, the Dotcom bubble was growing day by day and in India, companies like MakeMyTrip, Contests2win, Indianplaza, and Firstandsecond had shown promise in the circuit. Hence, the trio of Vohra, Aggarwal, and Gaurav, who were investment bankers with Communications Equity Associates and ICICI Bank were very much convinced that the startup circuit would hit the Indian circuit very soon.

    Next, the trio launched Cool Startups, which was an online startup advisory firm that modeled on Garage.com in the United States. In January 2000, it started operating in a small office in Mumbai after collecting around INR 2 crore in funding which was headed by Infinity Ventures.

    Avendus Capital Funding

    Taking about how they were successful in collecting funds, Vohra admits that as three of them were from IITs, the most prestigious institutes of the country, the investors believed in them. The main idea of the trio was to take the company to a certain stable level and then sell it to Garage.com or someone else who might be interested in the venture.

    Unfortunately, the only thing they could not anticipate was the quick incoming of the dot-com bust. As soon as it occurred, it left Cool Startups with no choice but to change tracks. In September, the team morphed Cool Startups into Avendus Capital, which was an investment bank to advise software exporters and business process outsourcing companies.

    Story of Avendus Capital
    Avendus Capital Funding

    Now, the concept of pivot helped the firm and it was barely a blip on India’s investment banking radar. This investment banking radar of the company was dominated by people like Uday Kotak and Hemendra Kothari. Apart from that, there were global heavyweights like Citi, Morgan Stanley, and Deutsche Bank.

    Till 2004, Avendus could only collect eight deals. Amongst these, the largest deal was $4 million but the Cymbal deal at $8 million would shine a light on the firm’s ability to perform on the bigger stage, and hence, the firm could bring a financial breather in the circuit.

    Hence, to bring things back on track, Vohra coerced Cymbal and Patani to make agreements and for his company, it was light at the end of the tunnel. On October 12, when the deal was announced, the team at Avendus capital treated themselves with bottles of champagne. Well, it was the first taste of success and the company took giant strides since then!

    Post Initial Success of Avendus Capital

    In the upcoming years, Avendus Capital straddles sectors as diverse as digital, enterprise, technology and services, consumer, financial services, health care, infrastructure and has evolved into a prolific investment bank. Presently, the count stands at 138 merges and acquisitions, with a deal value of $7.7 billion and 164 private equity deals to the tune of $5.7 billion. Avendus Capital now has offices in New York and London runs global mandates in IT and BPO.

    As per Vohra, the team found a big white space in the circuit. They observed that the mid-market companies of today have the potential to become the big names of the circuit and hence, the entrepreneurs needed advice.

    As there were very few people who offered these services, the situation presented an opportunity where the company could deal with multiple clients rather than be dependent on industries where there were few participants.

    Story of Avendus Capital
    No. of Deals Done by Avendus Capital in Last 4 Years

    So, when the Venture Capital firms started queuing up for Indian startups at the turn of the decade, Vohra, Aggarwal, and Gaurav were among the first who started working off. The team started doing their work in the digital sphere when it was not glamourous. The team built relationships when everyone found that it was nearly impossible to have partners in the circuit.

    Hence, Avendus Capital as a company grew stronger and stronger day-by-day. Post-2011, the firm’s digital, media, and technology vertical has cracked 59 fund raises and 11 mergers and acquisitions. The company is also credited with introducing investors like Stripes Group, Valant, Adveq, TPG, and many more to name.

    Avendus Capital as an Inspiration

    Avendus as a company has seen the highs and lows that are very important for the growth of an organization. Now, as the venture capital firm has the experience and the team knows how to guide the aspiring entrepreneurs, it has a very important role in the future of the Indian startup circuit.