What if your most passionate customers could also be your investors?
That question sparked an entire movement—and helped reshape the future of early-stage finance. In this episode of The Compassionate Capitalist Show, I sit down with one of the original architects of the investment crowdfunding revolution, Sherwood “Woodie” Neiss.
Woodie is the Principal at Crowdfund Capital Advisors and the co-founder of the regulated investment crowdfunding movement. He literally walked the halls of Congress to help pass the JOBS Act, giving everyday people the right to invest in startups and private companies—an asset class that had been historically restricted to the wealthy.
He’s also behind a suite of groundbreaking platforms:
- • CrowdfundCapitalAdvisors.com
- • D3VC.ai – Diversified data-driven VC
- • CClear.ai – Data & insights on the crowdfunding market
- • GUARDD.com – Governance & compliance tools for digital assets
- • 📘 Get the book “Investomers”
Now, Woodie is back with a powerful new book: Investomers: How Customers-Turned-Investors Are Shaping the Future of Early-Stage Finance. In this fast-moving conversation, we dig into how this shift is transforming fundraising, why data is driving the future of private investing, and how startups can build resilient communities of investor-supporters.
This is a deep dive into the history, impact, and next wave of economic democratization; you don’t want to miss it
🎯 Key Takeaways:
- • The surprising story behind the creation of the JOBS Act
- • How turning customers into investors increases loyalty and long-term value
- • What data reveals about the companies succeeding in crowdfunding
- • Why VCs may be losing relevance in the wake of investor-backed communities
- • How platforms like D3VC.ai, CClear.ai, and GUARDD.com are shaping the next phase of the crowdfunding ecosystem
- • The rise of "Investomers" and the critical importance of trust and transparency in modern fundraising
🎬 Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Crowdfunding and Economic Democratization
06:37 Woody Neiss: A Pioneer in Crowdfunding
11:53 The Journey of FlavorX and Its Impact
18:46 Advocating for Change: The Crowdfunding Legislation
24:34 The Importance of Data in Crowdfunding
29:37 Building a Comprehensive Crowdfunding Database
30:45 Navigating Secondary Trading and Compliance
33:03 Building a Technology Platform for Secondary Trading
34:47 Insights and Reports: Understanding the Crowdfunding Landscape
36:59 Offering Insight Reports: Valuation and Industry Comparisons
38:15 Capital Pulse: Analyzing Investment Signals
40:27 Launching a Venture Fund: Investing in Early Stage Companies
44:14 The Future of Investment Crowdfunding
49:10 The State of Venture Capital and Crowdfunding Awareness
54:33 The Rise of Influencers in Investment Crowdfunding
🎧 Listen Now:
Listen now and find out how to turn your customers to investors.
📌 Learn more about Karen Rands' work with entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurial Services📌See the businesses Karen has helped: Customer Projects📌Book a consultation with Karen: Schedule a Quick Call
🚀 Like this episode? Follow, share, and drop a comment—let’s spread the word on converting customers to investors.
💬 Got a question for Karen or Woodie? Email: karen@kugarandholdings.comor sherwood@theccagroup.com
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