Introducing the Twitter Business Angel

Successful Entrepreneur Simon Dolan offers a £5 Million Pound Business Angel Investment Pot to UK Entrepreneurs via Twitter.

Simon Dolan went from paperboy to "Accountancy Guru" after he created SJD Accountancy now a multi million pound business that he started with just ten pounds. Simon's firm currently employs around 150 people.

Simon is more than your average Entrepreneur, he runs a successful business and is now an active Business Angel investor. He has made the headlines recently offering a share of his £5 million investment fund to aspiring and experienced Entrepreneurs using Twitter.

When Simon was introduced to me I saw that he was not a high profile TV style Entrepreneur but something drew me to him and he kindly allowed me to run an interview. Read the Interview Here.

It was one of the most interesting interviews I have experienced. The reason I found it interesting was not because Simon is now a successful businessman but because he was listening to me and taking everything on board even though he had already gone through the adversity I spoke of. I could hear the cogs of thought, the calculation, the assessment of me and my business. It amazed me how quickly he grasped the concept of Million Impossible and took the time to ask about the business.

I was really inspired by the interview and have now had the pleasure of meeting Simon formally (I spilt coffee on his lovely reception floor at his offices) and I have met and interviewed his sister Lisa Keeble as well millionimpossible.com/entrepreneur-interviews.asp?iid=17".

When you start a business it can be very difficult to secure investment and there are so many hoops to jump through. Simon has taken that myth and smashed it out of the ball park.

Simon Has Announced That He is Here & He is Here to Play!

I interviewed Simon again yesterday while he was enjoying a short break in Monaco with his family. I apologised for catching him on holiday and he said "No problem let's talk", that is the kind of support and availability you will get from Simon Dolan once you have passed the Twitter Test!

So what is the Twitter test? Why is Simon offering an Angel Investment Service via Twitter and how could you get your hands on some of that lovely booty?

Why are you asking people who require investment to pitch you via Twitter?

It gives people real access to a real investor and breaks down all the red tape and barriers that you often find when looking for investment. It's quick, it's open and anyone can pitch me any time of day or night. I can then view the pitch, follow up and a deal can be struck very quickly. I can easily understand their pitch and move on if it's not appropriate.

Has any one investment stood out to date?

I invest in people in the first instance. You could have an amazing idea but you may not be the right person to take forward or you could have a middle of the road idea but the right man could make it a success. I believe its all about the person.

Is there a ceiling to the level of money you would invest?

Well I've put up a fund of £5 million and most businesses need nothing like that in terms of initial investment. I will look at each investment on its merit and look forward to seeing them moving forward and reaching success.

Does everybody pass the due diligence test?

No not everybody, about 50% fail due to not disclosing all the facts. It is important that I know all the facts from the outset as the due diligence process is expensive and we can save time and money if we get it right first time.

How do you feel when you shake hands with someone and invest?

I'm always excited when taking a stake in a new business which you can make money from and build a relationship with my new partners. It takes time to build a business and relationship too. Once you start working together and understanding each other you can start working on building the business.

How much of your time do you give to your new business partners?

The time that I give is relevant to the size of the investment, the greater the investment the greater the time that I put in. If there is a huge upside to the business then I will do all that I can to help increase that upside.

What do you think of failure?

Hum! Well it's a word given to a certain set of circumstances and one person's failure can also lead to their success.

How do you feel about the economy?

Fantastic – there are bargains to be had everywhere

Are there any specific sectors that you prefer to invest in?

I love businesses that can exploit the web. Not web based business but businesses that can use the web to get their offering out to lots of people. It's a very cheap way to build a business.

What do you look for in the people that you work with?

On business you need to like them and there has to be a mutual respect at some level. I look for "Spark of Life" in people. It is a combination of confidence, enthusiasm and excitement. I love people that have a "Can Do" attitude and get on with things.

How would you feel if you missed out on a real Cash Cow opportunity?

I don't know? I suppose I would have to say well done but actually I would be annoyed. I would analyse, re-evaluate the missed opportunity and understand why I missed it. I would learn from it so that it did not happen again.

What advice can you give to your prospective Twitter Pitchers trying to bag further talks with you having only 140 characters to do it in?

Whatever you think about how you are going to sell your product or service. Think about it in the back of your mind, specifically as to how you are going to get people to part with money.

I've been watching your racing team Jota Sport and you do not always qualify in pole position. In business you are successful – how do you deal with coming second in a race?

Well if I started at the back of the grid then of course I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We came second last week and our races last 6 hours with two drivers changing seats every one and a half hours. I hope to race at the Le Mans 24hr next year.

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To Pitch your Business Idea in 140 characters or less to
Simon Dolan now visit twitter.com/simondolan