Marjorie Radlo-Zandi
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Overcast
Support the Show. Get the NEW AudioBook!
AudioBook: Audible| Kobo| Authors Direct | Google Play | Apple
Summary
Hey everyone. Stay tuned to the end of the interview where I’ll give you some actionable insights that I learned from my guest. These insights are also in the show notes. As always, thanks for listening.
Now on to my guest for today, angel investor and business consultant Marjorie Radlo-Zandi.
Marjorie shares that entrepreneurship “is in her blood,” with great-grandparents who ran brokerages in Russia and Manhattan. Her first project was establishing a sailing program at 19 in her home town of Burlington, Vermont. She saw a white space, where there was a need and she had an idea to fill it. This is the foundation for her attitude toward building businesses, which she’s made her life’s work.
Marjorie earned an MBA from Northeastern University then moved to Silicon Valley, where she helped businesses grow globally. She then took on the challenge of helping a food diagnostic company to grow and scale and moved back to the Boston area. She’s taken what she’s learned from these experiences to become an investor, consultant, and a mentor. She’s part of both the Launchpad Investor Group and the Branch Investor Group, which focuses on investing in food companies.
Marjorie sees a lot of growth in food and food safety, especially anything that helps us live healthier lives, which she calls “better for you,’ as well as in online learning and health diagnostic testing at home for both people and pets.
Marjorie believes that successful entrepreneurs need to have a lot of grit and passion, as success rarely happens overnight, and a high tolerance for ambiguity, so you’re ready for anything that gets thrown your way.
Now, let’s get better together.
Actionable Insights
If you’re at the stage of seeking investors, Radlo-Zandi offers some tips:
- Under-promise and over-deliver. Establishing credibility by meeting or exceeding expectations in initial rounds so the subsequent funding rounds are easier.
- Prepare projections for five years, and, if applicable, budget in time for FDA approval.
- Have an exit strategy that shows that investors will get a return.
- Be open to advice and input, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
