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Members warn against rushing into avoid making snap decisions about things
another investment and recommend wealth you don’t know much about, or have an
planning as early as possible as you are interest in. It will also help you politely
likely to be bombarded by friends, family, decline those who don’t meet your criteria,
contacts, and advisers. If you have a clear especially if it’s a friend asking for money.
plan, it’s easier to say no to anything
outside of it. Before deciding what kind of investor
you will be, what you want to invest in,
INVESTING AFTER AN EXIT and why, ask yourself if you can add real
Members really value The Supper Club Ask to be sent a value and influence the result. Would
for confidential advice from peers about monthly investor the business simply benefit from a cash
becoming an investor, because people update and consider injection at this stage or can you bring
are very open about what has worked, putting someone value in any other ways? Looking at
what hasn’t, and why. While everyone has on the board as a the business, is there a genuine market
had different experiences, there are some NED to oversee the opportunity? Do people want it and
common pitfalls to avoid and advice for operational elements can they meet an unmet need? Is there
anyone who wants to invest. so that you don’t evidence of demand for the product at the
want to be bogged
down in detail. price they are proposing? Can you make
Having investment criteria will help you a decent margin out of it; and is there

ADJUSTING TO NEW OWNERSHIP
ADJUSTING TO NEW OWNERSHIP The best outcome was that, having
The best outcome was that, having
Lara Morgan, Founder, Pacific Direct
Lara Morgan, Founder, Pacific Direct departed suddenly, I could immerse
departed suddenly, I could immerse
myself in a family adventure with a four-
myself in a family adventure with a four-
Lara Morgan built global leading
Lara Morgan built global leading year old, six-year old and an eight-year
year old, six-year old and an eight-year
old. We travelled with the children for
brand licensing business, Pacific Direct,
brand licensing business, Pacific Direct, old. We travelled with the children for
over seventeen years before selling
five months around Australasia, which
over seventeen years before selling five months around Australasia, which Lara Morgan
a majority shareholding for £20m in
a majority shareholding for £20m in was priceless. I also had this list of stuff
was priceless. I also had this list of stuff
2008. She now invests in great British to do, like getting my teeth checked, my
2008. She now invests in great British
to do, like getting my teeth checked, my
innovations that ‘genuinely improve the eyes checked; stuff everyone does but
innovations that ‘genuinely improve the
eyes checked; stuff everyone does but
I’d ignored for so long. And surprisingly,
lives of others’, shares her experiences
lives of others’, shares her experiences I’d ignored for so long. And surprisingly,
managing my new wealth was a
as a public speaker, and is a regular
as a public speaker, and is a regular managing my new wealth was a
commentator on current affairs and
commentator on current affairs and challenge in itself.
challenge in itself.
business issues with Sky and BBC News.
business issues with Sky and BBC News.
I then got involved in StartUp Britain at
She is also author of Amazon best I then got involved in StartUp Britain at
She is also author of Amazon best
a time when British enterprise was in a
seller ‘More balls than most’: a time when British enterprise was in a
seller ‘More balls than most’:
tumultuous, challenging period. This was
tumultuous, challenging period. This was
a good way of dipping my toe back in
We had a plan, which was to take the
We had a plan, which was to take the a good way of dipping my toe back in
business, deciding how far in I wanted to
children away, but I couldn’t leave
children away, but I couldn’t leave business, deciding how far in I wanted to
straightaway as they didn’t have a go, and which kind, mostly what stage of
straightaway as they didn’t have a
go, and which kind, mostly what stage of
replacement CEO. So I stayed on in my companies interested me.
replacement CEO. So I stayed on in my
companies interested me.
role, in my business, as the new less
role, in my business, as the new less
than 20% shareholder (when I had been I’ve been lucky enough to work with so
than 20% shareholder (when I had been
I’ve been lucky enough to work with so
many fantastic businesses and reflect
running the show) for nearly a year. It
running the show) for nearly a year. It many fantastic businesses and reflect
also on the value of not investing in
was pretty challenging because I was also on the value of not investing in
was pretty challenging because I was
very much at all (except poor digital
still putting my business first and, in very much at all (except poor digital
still putting my business first and, in
investments where, given my then near
fact, it wasn’t my business.
fact, it wasn’t my business. investments where, given my then near
total lack of knowledge, was stupid).
total lack of knowledge, was stupid).
I desperately wanted to stay on at
I desperately wanted to stay on at
Pacific as I had a great team of people
Pacific as I had a great team of people Follow your passion
Follow your passion
but, in the end, I was removed from the
but, in the end, I was removed from the Looking back, my dad had gone
Looking back, my dad had gone
board overnight. Apparently quite a bankrupt so my driver at Pacific was
bankrupt so my driver at Pacific was
board overnight. Apparently quite a
that fear of failure. The other fear was
classic outcome for an enterprise exit
classic outcome for an enterprise exit that fear of failure. The other fear was
competitors catching me up, so it was
of this type to venture capitalists. Not competitors catching me up, so it was
of this type to venture capitalists. Not
unexpected given my strong nature nor a race. The one thing I should have
unexpected given my strong nature nor
a race. The one thing I should have
realized sooner was just do what you’re
the realized sooner was just do what you’re
the stressful timing during the early part stressful timing during the early part
of 2009. I refused to resign because I
passionate about. Now I’m working
of 2009. I refused to resign because I passionate about. Now I’m working
did not want to be leaving under those harder than when I ran Pacific, but I
did not want to be leaving under those
harder than when I ran Pacific, but I
terms from the company I had built.
terms from the company I had built. love it.
love it.