Latest news with #JoeSohm
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How To Create An Investment Offering To Raise Real Estate Capital
Aerial view of Willamet River running through downtown Portland Skyline, Oregon. (Photo by: Joe ... More Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)Once you've acquired a property and are generating consistent cash flow, you may begin thinking about how to scale. Whether you want to expand into larger deals or simply bring on new investors, building a strong investment offering is one of the most important tools you can have. It serves as a professional introduction in this world. It communicates who you are, what your deal is, and why others should join you. An effective investment offering is set up like a pitch and includes your business plan along with details showing your credibility. It shows that you can identify opportunities, execute a project, and deliver results. I've seen successful investors use these to build long-term relationships with investors and partners who buy in to the vision and opportunity. Start with the Story Every good pitch begins with a compelling story. What problem are you solving? Is there an underserved neighborhood that needs more retail or modern office space? Have you identified a mismanaged multifamily property in a prime location? Investors want to understand both the deal and why it matters. Explain to them why now may be the best time to act. Your story sets the tone, as it will lay out the opportunity and show that you've done your homework. Make sure to highlight your connection to the location, market insights, or anything unique that gives you an Insider's Edge. The more specific and grounded your story is, the more believable and compelling it will be. Introduce the Team Next, introduce who's behind the deal. If you're preparing a first investment offering, it can be a good idea to have a great partner and third party professionals. You'll be able to leverage their success to bring in capital. Even if you're newer to investing, lean into your strengths. Perhaps you've underwritten dozens of deals, walked countless properties, or have mentors guiding you through the process. These things can build confidence. Investors want to know that you take this seriously and have the support needed to succeed. Break Down the Deal Once the story and team are in place, you'll need to clearly explain the deal itself. This includes: Keep the numbers honest and conservative, as it will show you are transparent and realistic, which investors will appreciate. Provide context for your assumptions and back them up with market comps, construction estimates, or demographic trends. Define key financial terms as needed, especially if your investors aren't industry professionals. You should also clearly explain your exit strategy. Are you planning to hold long-term and refinance, or sell in five years? What's the projected timeline for investors to receive distributions, and what returns should they expect? Include a summary table or visual that clearly lays this out. Use a Professional Design Include easy-to-read fonts, consistent branding, and easy-to-read layouts so that it is easy for investors to review. Add visual elements like property photos, location maps, and financial charts. Tools like PowerPoint, Canva, or even a graphic designer can help you make it look professional. Finally, be ready to include additional materials in an appendix or data room. This might include detailed financial models, site plans, or sales comps. Some investors may want to look more closely at details before making a decision. Your investment offering is an important tool to have as you invest in commercial real estate. It can help you communicate clearly and build trust. If it's done well, it could attract plenty of investors to your deal. You'll be well positioned to attract the capital and partners needed to grow your real estate business.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Social Media Platforms Shouldn't Own Your Identity
Utah State Capitol Building overlooks Salt Lake City skyline. Credit - Joe Sohm—Visions of America/UniversalAccess to online services is as fundamental to modern life as electricity or water. And just as we expect our electricity to be reliable and our water to be clean, we should have high expectations for the internet. Today, our data represents our personhood; it encompasses our relationships, our thoughts, our interests, and the memories we create each day. That information should be controlled by us—not by Big Tech. Utah's groundbreaking new Digital Choice Act will help make that goal possible by finally giving people agency over their data on social media platforms. When the law takes effect on July 1, 2026, it will mark a bold step toward giving people—not social media platforms—control of their personal information. Under the Digital Choice Act, individuals will be able to use open-source protocols to seamlessly move their content and relationships to new apps if they are unhappy with the experience on a social media site. This portability and interoperability will give people the freedom to manage their digital lives without losing years of personal history. The law also gives people the power to delete all of their data when they decide to leave a platform. For years, it has been common wisdom that social media is not the product—we are. Indeed, users do not pay for access to social media platforms, social media platforms sell our attention to advertisers. The Digital Choice Act flips that relationship around to put users back in control. Today's social media giants use addictive algorithms to hook users, harvest data, and manipulate behavior for profit. Research has exposed how these practices harm society, especially young people. Americans are demanding action. Laws like the Digital Choice Act put people first. They lower barriers to competition and open the door for new social media platforms. History shows that interoperability works: the Telecommunications Act of 1996 spurred innovation in mobile services and broadband, driving over $2 trillion in private investment into the telecom sector. The UK's open banking reforms of 2018 unlocked a wave of fintech startups. As it stands today, people's livelihoods and digital personhood are continually at risk because companies control their data. We see this lesson playing out far too often. On January 19, when TikTok temporarily shut down, millions of Americans lost access to the relationships and content they had created over many years. The Digital Choice Act would have allowed users to take their data, content, and communities from TikTok and move these valuable assets to the alternative platform of their choice. Many others fall victim to arbitrary decisions by platforms that have no meaningful oversight and provide little recourse, appeal, or ability to leave. Laws like the Digital Choice Act allow creators and everyday people on social media to migrate their content and communities to other platforms that are better positioned to meet their needs. The law also enables people to share posts across other platforms in real time in order to reach their friends and communities wherever they are. The underlying problem of platforms effectively holding our data captive—and using it against us—is emerging as a defining challenge of our time. It is at the root of a business model that is harming our children, polarizing our neighborhoods, and undermining our national security. The Digital Choice Act starts by addressing these issues with social media where the harms are arguably most acute. However, the recent bankruptcy of 23andme, which put the DNA of the company's 15 million customers at risk, is a reminder that these questions have far broader implications. The consequences will only become more extreme as artificial intelligence drives larger portions of the economy and the internet. It is urgent that we fix this before it's too late. Utah has long been a leader in digital privacy. In 2024, Utah passed two laws (S.B. 194 and H.B. 464) to safeguard minors, enhance parental controls, and hold social media companies accountable for mental health harms. As policymakers and parents, we have a duty to go further. We urge other states, other countries, and the federal government to follow Utah's lead. Data rights are human rights. They should be protected by law. If people have the power to move their information across platforms, it will permanently change a broken system that is hurting our kids, communities, and country. Data interoperability is possible: social media platforms already have access to open-source protocols that make our information portable. Millions of people are set to benefit as better laws and better tech facilitate data portability and app interoperability. We can no longer accept a status quo where corporations hold the keys to our online lives. It's time to build a future where individuals own and control their digital identities. Shouldn't you own you? Spencer Cox is the Governor of Utah and outgoing chair of the National Governors Association. Frank H. McCourt Jr. is the executive chairman of McCourt Global, founder of Project Liberty, and author of "Our Biggest Fight.' Contact us at letters@
