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About Scott F. Gelbard
An entrepreneur, financial services executive, and management consultant with more than a decade of experience in his field, Scott F. Gelbard prepared for his career as an undergraduate at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida. After one year at that institution, Scott F. Gelbard transferred to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where he narrowed his academic interests to consumer science, business, and finance. During this time, Scott F. Gelbard gained real-world experience through entry-level positions at a Colorado-based investor relations firm.
Upon receipt of his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado State University in May 1999, Scott F. Gelbard embarked upon a career in finance and investment banking, commencing with the launch of Regency Financial. From 1999 through 2002, he provided stewardship for Regency Financial, establishing several business partnerships and investments in the process. At the end of this period, Gelbard further diversified his interests to co-create the Regency Group, through which he focused primarily on Investor Relations and venture capital.
In October 2008, Scott F. Gelbard co-founded Apis Ventures, which combined his professional acumen and interests. At the firm, he invested in and provided management restructuring for a range of private and public companies in several areas of technology: biological, green, and high. He also worked with mining companies.
Departing from Apis Ventures in 2010 to pursue new endeavors, Scott F. Gelbard refocused his energies on independent consulting for international clients. Working closely with European and Hong Kong-based clients, Gelbard advises on attracting U.S. companies abroad and establishing foreign-based businesses in the United States. He has also funded several new businesses and assists in running their daily operations.
Scott F. Gelbard's Schools
Scott F. Gelbard's Companies
Scott F. Gelbard's Publications
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Disabled American Veterans: Ensuring U.S. Veterans Receive Care By Scott Gelbard, Scott F. Gelbard's Blog on Bigsight
March, 2011
As a longtime Denver entrepreneur and financial investment consultant, I give back to the community by supporting nonprofit organizations such as the Food Bank of the Rockies, the Men for the Cure Foundation, and Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
Founded in 1920, DAV operates nearly 90 offices throughout the U.S., serving disabled veterans, as well as their dependents and survivors. In particular, some 260 national service officers (NSOs) represent veterans and their families in submitting benefits claims through government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Acting as attorneys-in-fact, NSOs file health care, insurance, disability compensation, and pension claims for disabled veterans. They also ensure that veterans receive the education funding, home loan guaranties, and vocational training they are due. NSOs complete these tasks at no cost to disabled veterans and their families.
DAV also offers numerous outreach programs through mobile service offices that effectively reduce the necessity for long trips to permanent NSO locations. Through informational seminars, NSOs seek out veterans, educating them on their claims rights and privileges with the VA and other agencies. In cases where valid claims are identified, NSOs actively pursue them to successful conclusion.
One of the aspects of DAV I find admirable remains its work on behalf of those veterans who have not successfully navigated the transition to civilian life and find themselves without homes or family support networks. Often, these veterans have experienced unimaginable horrors defending their country, and suffer from acute traumas that are not physically evident. DAV remains dedicated to providing assistance to every veteran who has served his or her country honorably. In particular, the DAV Homeless Veterans Initiative maintains a commitment to assisting these veterans without homes as they gain access to services such as supportive housing and vocational training. The Initiative’s ultimate goal involves helping them become productive and self-sufficient members of society.
DAV also provides disaster relief services for veterans and their families that effectively cut through red tape and government bureaucracy in times of need. Following the events of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Iowa floods of 2010, DAV provided immediate relief to hundreds of veteran families. For more information, visit the Disabled American Veterans website at dav.org.
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The Importance of Managing Investor Relations by Scott F. Gelbard, Scott F. Gelbard's Blog on Bigsight
April, 2011
For a young company, the need for seed or venture capital can lead to hasty decisions that can come back to haunt the entrepreneur later on. Although the concept of someone giving your start-up money sounds liberating (and it should be), this capital always comes with strings attached. Any emerging firm whose leaders want to succeed needs a team who can adeptly manage investor relations, choosing sources of capital with strings that help the business grow in the right direction.
The first step in this process involves a clear understanding of the priorities of different classes of investors. Many first-time entrepreneurs will start a business by borrowing from family or friends. There is nothing inherently wrong with this approach, but not everyone feels comfortable mixing business with their personal lives. In addition, loving parents tend not to be the most objective critics of your business plan, increasing the chances of taking the fledgling company in the wrong direction. Also, unless your parents and friends are wealthy, you may face certain regulatory complications should you ever plan to take the company public.
Angel investors and venture capital firms also require careful treatment. Angels tend to be the less predictable of the two, because they act as individuals. Experienced angels may help to guide your start-up through areas in which you have no expertise, which may be a valuable proposition. As an entrepreneur, however, you need to keep in mind the angel’s priorities may not be the same as those of your business. Almost all start-ups find themselves strapped for cash at some point, which often necessitates an emergency phone call to an angel investor. Yet companies whose leaders have rushed into arrangements with angels for the wrong reasons may find that these rescue funds come with some undesirable stipulations.
This is not to say that angels and VC firms should be avoided. On the contrary, they play a vital role in the development of a new business. Relations with investors of any kind, however, need to be weighed, so that all parties come away with a net gain, having built a business that fulfills their objectives and generates a healthy return on investment.
Scott F. Gelbard began his career in finance working for an investor relations firm. Since that time, he has launched several successful venture capital businesses.
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