In this episode of Stride 2 Freedom, we had a chance to talk to Carey Ransom, President of OC4 Ventures, a venture studio based in Orange County. Think of a venture studio as a company that matches disruptive ideas with exceptional founding teams and then provides the capital and services needed to get the idea off the ground. Some will fly, some won’t, but venture studios are purpose-built to help increase the percentage of those that do.
An incredible entrepreneur and operator, Carey has seen the playing field from all perspectives which made this discussion so enlightening. He was also part of a 150-year family operated business which means he knows patience is key in building long term equity value.
If company building were a sport, it would be a team activity, and great teams are driven to learn according to Carey. Carey talks a lot about the importance of learning and taking a critical eye to the hypotheses that drive investments in the business.
And therein lies the gold of our conversation: How can entrepreneurs step back, challenge their own assumptions, and be willing to look critically at their company? In other words, whenever a business owner spends time with their business, they’re making an investment. Is it a smart investment? Maybe, maybe not. However, when owners are so deep in the thick of it that they can’t view their business as the owner, they lose perspective. And that’s a dangerous place to be.
Often, the danger occurs when business owners are so in love with their solution that they lose sight of the problem they’re solving. Carey made a point that first and foremost, you have to “love the problem” you are solving. There are many solutions but it’s the problem that drives business owners to seek clarity.
In this Freedom Speaker Series episode with Carey Ransom, you will learn:
- What it means to be passionate about the problem and not the solution
- Why knowing the questions to ask are more important than the answers
- Why business owners should outsource the necessary, but not the strategic (like bookkeeping)
- Why taking a more aggressive approach to innovation and investment right now might be a wise idea
If you want to learn more about Carey, OC4 Ventures, and the platform they’re building to stand the test of time, check out oc4v.com.
We are fortunate to have Carey available to spend time with us on this edition of Stride 2 Freedom and leaning into the topics on the minds of all of us. If there is a speaker you’d like us to interview, click here and let us know. Stay well. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
