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1.0 Great, Supportive Investor
Fund: Carlyle Venture Partners
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-09-29
If you're pitching to the standard set of Sandhill Road VCs, and you haven't thought of Carlyle, you should. I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but I am really glad we met with this firm and eventually closed a round with them. Working with Allan Thygesen, the partner who funded us, has been the key factor.
Here is why you want to work with him: he has a pragmatic approach from having been on the operating side before, and he's made a real effort to have a deep understanding of our business. As a result, he is someone who I frequently call to solicit advice; he's a good sounding board on tough issues. He does not lecture, or force a McKinsey/ MBA "strategic framework" on top of every decision, and he does not always have to be right. This is refreshing after having had to deal with my share of blowhards. He also does more than just lob in ideas about what we should do, he is willing to help to make things happen. Allan identified an important early acquisition for us; we definitely would not have been able to complete the transaction without his assistance, and without the support from an associate who spent weeks working on the deal.
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