Given your claimed background Cathy, you should understand how to 'pitch'. I wouldn't have responded at all to this thread but for the extraordinary and ill-placed hubris displayed by you. - You've come to a business forum; not a discussion board for new Mothers, not a hobby board nor indeed a religious platform. It's understood that your site will be at the 'prototype' stage - but what is there is completely unremarkable and in places exhibits ill-informed naivety.
There is no evidence of any burgeoning 'multimedia platform... no definition of target audience or USP. No indication of how ROI is to be generated. - Just this 'dreamy' notion of something based on what you call 'values' and a few buzzwords... 'mission driven', 'entrepreneurial ambitions' ...something about a 'product pipeline'.
In business/entrepreneurial terms; that's all just waffle.
Since my co-founder needs to be business savvy, I expect they will already be knowledgeable on how media platforms generally sustain themselves. So since you are asking this question, you are not the right candidate. Another important quality I'll be looking for is excellent communication skills, since it's a must have for a media company.
Not being a part of any sort of 'claque' here - but speaking objectively; 5-minutes 'deskwork' will tell you who Paul Kelly is and provide a checkable picture of his business background. - Trying to denigrate him on that basis is risible. You were asked entirely relevant (and fairly simple) questions by a highly experienced businessman because
you fail to provide that basic information elsewhere...
For the avoidance of doubt "the original post description" does not, as you suggest provide the necessary information; this is why you were pressed to fill in the blanks - which you seem wholly disinterested in doing. Your response is, in fact, really quite evasive; which no (credible) potential investor will either fail to recognise or tolerate.
Your response to Mark (again, an entirely checkable individual with a track record in business) does you no credit either... Roughly 'translated' it comes across as 'if you're not the sort of (mug?) punter I'm looking for so jog on'; the fact you framed this with
fausse politesse doesn't change that; and only serves to ring further alarm bells.
He asked an awkward but not unreasonable question...
If you don't share my values and if you don't know anyone who does, feel free to ignore this post and let the people who do respond.
If anyone is interested in investing in Smeaky.com they would have to share its core values as well.
That, madam, is blatant gaslighting rhetoric... deflection and projection ...and as such, insulting to the intelligence.
To fisicx you said:
If you'd like me to reconsider, please send your CV or LinkedIn profile at
[email protected] and I will review your profile. If your profile matches, we will have a call to review the monetisation plan of the business. It is quite well padded and it will be of course due for a prioritisation review with my chosen co-founder.
Can you
really be so lacking in self-awareness? Perhaps from your high horse you should have taken the time to 'review the profile' of the experienced business people you have so casually dismissed while enthusiastically 'batting away' entirely reasonable scrutiny. - Substance, not 'padding' is what credible business people require.
- You asked for input from people with "business acumen"; well you got it!
Personally, I get the impression from your responses that the last thing you want is someone with anyone with any real business experience. You're looking for an investor/founder. - Do you expect them to be any less diligent than a commercial lender? - Perhaps you do!
I have not found one media organisation in the UK that has that as a central mission and even if there was one, we could use one thousand of those around the world in order to support the remaining 8bn people to join this mission.
Aye... and there's the rub. Giving the benefit of the doubt ; this isn't a business but a 'mission'; apparently one quite personal to you.
"Excellent communication skills" are indeed an essential quality for anyone heading up a media company. Please do reflect on why you have failed
and/or refused to communicate fundamentals of the business concept you are attempting to find support for. Indeed, reflect on the fact that what
you do communicate is that you're looking for someone who won't ask - perhaps won't be astute enough to - the awkward questions.
As for my knowledge of media platforms? - 44 years in the (TV) production industry, including over 36 years running a production company. - And a dozen years lecturing (concurrently) in TV and Multimedia production at a
legitimate UK academic institution which provides
properly accredited (i.e by a national examining body) qualifications. - I've been making material
specifically for multimedia platforms since the mid-90s. ...So I don't think I'm being
too conceited in saying I've a decent understanding of the industry.
I’ve shown this thread to three people now all of who have similar values and none of them can see how this is a business.
Quite so... The proverbial barge-pole can remain safely stowed methinks... and I'll resist the temptation to publicly speculate as to what it might actually be.
