Investing can be difficult when you don’t know what to look for. It gets even tougher when the price drop after you make an investment. Should you buy more, hold, or sell?
In this post, I’ll go over what my criteria are to invest in a growth company. This is by no means the only way to think about investing, but hopefully, it gives you a starting point.
Disclaimer: None of what I’m talking about should be considered as financial advice. It is only for entertainment and educational purpose only.
Does the Company Fit Into the Future Trend?
Although there is no way to tell what will happen in the future, you can make a good guess on what are some upcoming trends based on what is happening currently. So, assuming those trends will slowly happen over time, the question to ask is would the company fit along with those trends or not. If the company doesn’t then that company will warrant another look. No matter how good a company may look if you can’t see them around with future trend(s) it is a very risky investment.
On the other hand, if the company fits nicely with the future trend(s) or is a leader in some of those trends, then there is a high chance the company will do well in the future. So, a company like such is great, but they are usually also priced very rich. It is priced is so rich that you just can’t bring yourself to start investing in the company unless the price goes down. Well, here is an important less, high can always go higher. Don’t let a high price deter you from starting an investment position in a company when the fundamentals check out.
The Impact of the Company
There is a relation between the valuation (price) of a company and the value they bring to the world. The greater the impact, the higher the market capitalization. Think about some of the world’s largest companies. They are worth trillions because they provide a massive amount of value. So, if the company you’re thinking of would bring massive value in the future even if the price seems high today, you know it will be able to go much higher.
Proof of Concept
Once you understand the mission of the company you’re interested in and find it a fit with the future trend(s) it is time to check their execution. After all, a company can talk big and sell a dream, but cannot fulfill them. You want to make sure that is not the case so you’ll need to make sure they have a proof of concept out. If they don’t, it is best to keep a close eye on the company and wait until they do. There is no guarantee that the company will deliver or not when they don’t even have a proof of concept.
If the company does have a proof of concept, then it is time to do some research. Find out what early adopters of the product(s) are saying. As crazy as it may sound, the more cult-like the community around the company’s product(s) seem the better it is. This likely means the company has a powerful brand and that is worth an incredibly high value. Can you imagine a company that is known by just about everyone yet they haven’t put a single dollar in an advertisement?
Ability to Scale
Assuming everything else checks out for the company the last criterion to check is the company’s ability to scale. Being able to meet demand in low volume vs high volume are two completely different things. The reason why is because automation comes into play. A company can meet low demand will little to no automation, but for mass volume production automation is a necessity. Being able to meet mass volume production will demonstrate that the company can turn its process into an efficient automated one. It also will indicate whether the company will be able to rapidly expand or not.
The mass production phase of a company comes after a well-received proof of concept phase. So, depending on the company they might be in one of the four phases.
- In the proof of concept phase
- In the ramp-up for the mass production phase
- After a successful mass production phase
- In the failure to mass-produce phase
When a company is in the proof of concept phase, it is risky for your investment. There is no telling whether the company will have a product that will do well. During this phase, you can lose all your money if the company fails, so only invest as much as your willing to lose. This should be standard among any investments, but it is more important than ever to consider if the company is in this phase.
The ramp-up phase of a company is a crucial point. This is when the mass consumer market wants the product and it is up to the company to meet the demand. If they succeed then the valuation of the company will explode from the revenue they’ll generate from the mass market. Should they fail then it will put a cap on the earning potential of the company until they can scale.
I hope this post was helpful to you. If you found this post helpful, share it with others so they can benefit too.
Do you need more help in evaluating a company? I have two posts that can help you out. One is about general things to consider when picking a company and the other is about what to look for in disruptive companies.
If you’re new to investing and need a guideline to help you start your investment journey you can check out my post on setting yourself up for financial success.
To get in touch, follow me on Twitter, leave a comment, or send me an email at steven@brightdevelopers.com.