Investing for Good Deeds – and Returns
Local author champions angel investing
By Pam Glass | Photo courtesy of Marcia Dawood
Marcia Dawood, South Charlotte resident, podcaster, TEDx speaker, documentary co-producer and published author, believes anyone can effect positive change while earning a financial reward.
Dawood’s mission is “Do Good While Doing Well.” It’s also the title of her debut book, a step-by-step investing guide that comes out this September. In it, she reveals how to invest in early-stage businesses whose product development — such as with a new medicine — can be life-changing.
Angel investing, often via online platforms such as crowdfunding sites, helps entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground and to the marketplace. Dawood’s angel investing focuses on specific types of companies. Below,
she further explains.
What is angel investing?
Angel investing is using your own money to invest in a private company, usually an early-stage company, also known as a startup.
Does this differ from what a venture capitalist does?
Venture capitalists use other people’s money; angels use their own.
Can anyone do this?
There is a perception that early-stage investing is for the wealthy. Through recent regulatory shifts by the Securities and Exchange Commission, investors can now invest small dollar amounts via equity crowdfunding. I detail how to do this in my book.
Why write a book on this?
I wrote the book for people who want to make a difference in the world but don’t know as individuals how they can do so. Most people think the way to produce change is through charity, (but) charity alone can’t solve the world’s problems.
You’re a practiced angel investor and communicator. What led you down this path?
After attending a meeting in 2012 on angel investing, I was hooked. I had no idea how many entrepreneurs with innovative ideas were trying to get funding. I jumped in and learned all I could. Eventually, I was asked to sit on the board of the Angel Capital Association. I became chair of that board, which led to a seat on an advisory board to the SEC.
You experienced the traumatic loss of your mother due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. How did this affect your investments?
I realized we need to support for-profit companies that are developing products for the greater good. One I invest in is working on new pathways to deliver medication to the brain specifically for neurological diseases.
What do you hope to achieve?
Awareness. I want to get the word out that through angel investing, we can create societal and environmental improvements. We can do good while doing well!