Perhaps this seems quaint in the current era of COVID, but I’m guessing there have been multiple times in the not so distant past when you were at dinner with friends, or a cocktail party, or out on a boat, or some sort of gathering where someone brought up a deal he or she got into. A deal. A really good deal. A really, really good deal. A great, can’t miss kind of deal.
 
A lot of those times, that great deal was for a car, a house, a stock. Something that anyone could find and get into, if they looked hard enough. Yeah, we’ve all heard millions of those stories and perhaps even told a few thousand ourselves. I have found it to be pretty much a run of the mill, ho hum kind of situation. It’s in one ear and out the other, never to be recalled again.
 
I have found it to be decidedly different when the conversation turns to a private company deals though. People pay attention. They ask questions. They process. They remember. They long to have their own similar story to tell. All of the sudden, the conversation becomes much less innocuous and much more interesting.
 
Why is that? Why is that conversation more interesting? Why do people like to talk and hear about private company investments? There are many possible reasons. Private companies are often sexy. Take startups…what’s not to like about the prospect of getting early into what could be the next Google, Apple or Amazon? Private companies are often exclusive…unlike a publicly traded stock, it’s not as easy as having an online account or a stockbroker to buy. Private companies can be dramatic…it is often a roller coaster ride as an investor. A ride that can take a long time to end.
 
It is those very attributes of private company investing that explain a large part of the allure — It makes for an interesting story. Sex appeal, exclusivity, drama…it’s like your own personal Netflix show. Every episode is different. Different plots, characters, scenes, events, outcomes. Some glorious. Some heartbreaking. Many with both. 
 
So yes, the allure of private company investing can often be found in the story. But investing is, of course, ultimately about making money. That is always an interesting story. Grab a cocktail and I’ll be back soon to talk about that.


About Merrette Moore: Merrette Moore is the Managing Partner of Tidewater Investment Company, overseeing the operations of the firm. Merrette has over 25 years experience working in finance, company management and innovation. He has been involved in over 50 private investments, serving as the lead investment representative for many of these deals. Merrette has participated on the boards of several privately held companies either as the executive chairman, director or an observer.
 
 
About Tidewater Investment Company: Tidewater Investment Co. is a North Carolina investment firm focusing on small company direct investment as well as healthcare venture capital. Tidewater provides unique access to subordinated debt, small company private equity, growth capital, and venture capital investments for high net worth individuals, family offices, and small institutional investors. The firm’s investment platform allows investors the flexibility to invest on a deal-by-deal basis without any upfront commitment of long-term obligation.
 
For More Information, please visit our website: www.tidewaterinvestco.com.
 
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