Sports, Media, Gaming and Consumer Investor Mandate: Joseph
Video Game, eGaming, Entertainment and Consumer Investor Mandate Interview
Founders in sports, media, entertainment, consumer, esports or gaming who want to understand what a specialist venture and micro PE investor looks for.
In their words
"we saw the average age of traditional sports fans increasing and of esports fans and gamers decreasing as it became a larger and larger part of mainstream society."
"we don't want to chase valuations like you see on the west coast."
"First-time console buyers, first-time Twitch viewers, first-time mobile gamers, and not just young people anymore, but people of all demographics, of all generations."
The short version
Joseph runs a venture capital and micro PE firm set up as a holding company. It invests in sports, media, entertainment and consumer, with a strong recent focus on esports and gaming. He says every deal must pass three tests. The team must believe in the founder and product, it must be able to add tangible value, and the deal must be fundamentally sound.
He explains why the firm takes board seats in early-stage deals and also looks at controlling stakes or full buyouts. He describes why younger audiences drive the esports thesis and how stay-at-home viewers boosted the sector. He also criticizes the spray approach to fund management. Richard C. Wilson closes by offering member introductions through the Family Office Club.
Key facts
- Joseph's firm is structured as a holding company that invests across sports, media, entertainment and consumer.
- Joseph cites a $20 million pre-seed round with only a deck as the kind of valuation the firm does not chase.
- Joseph says the firm rejects investing in a hundred deals over two years while paying attention to only 10.
Sources
From Richard C. Wilson's Centimillionaire Strategies YouTube channel: Video Game, eGaming, Entertainment and Consumer Investor Mandate Interview. Quotes come from the video captions, lightly edited for readability. Figures are the speakers' own estimates and experience.
General education only. Not legal, tax or investment advice.
Talk to a securities attorney to explore options around holding company structures, board seat terms and control buyout documents. Do not use AI to write your own legal agreements.
5 key takeaways
- Three tests for every deal. Joseph looks for a thesis, founder or product the team believes in, a clear way to add tangible value, and a fundamentally sound deal. If all three boxes are checked, the firm moves forward.
- Two sides to the firm. Early-stage venture deals let the firm take a material piece of the cap table and one or more board seats. The micro PE side covers controlling interest positions and, in some cases, full buyouts.
- Avoiding inflated valuations. Joseph does not want to chase West Coast valuations, such as a $20 million pre-seed round backed by little more than a deck. He says value investing principles still apply to early-stage and higher growth businesses.
- Younger audiences shape the thesis. The founding team has an average age in its 20s and prefers companies aimed at emerging generations. Joseph says the team understands how those groups consume content and has distribution channels to reach them.
- Small portfolio, patient selection. Joseph rejects the model of investing in a hundred deals and hoping one returns the fund. His firm keeps a small portfolio and speaks with senior industry figures and prospective acquirers before deploying capital.
Related questions
- How do I close a funding round?I close a funding round by focusing on investors who fit the opportunity and moving each interested prospect through clear, consistent follow-up.
- What documents do investors request during due diligence?Prepare a clear, organized package covering your operations, investments, compensation, team, and track record.
- How do I raise capital for my business?I raise capital by building a repeatable system for attracting the right investors, establishing credibility, and developing relationships before asking for money.
Questions about this video
What does Joseph's firm invest in?
The firm invests in sports, media, entertainment and consumer. Over the past few years it has focused heavily on esports and gaming.
What does micro PE mean in this interview?
Joseph uses it for the side of the firm that takes controlling interest positions or full buyouts in some cases. The firm plugs in operators from its network to optimize those businesses.
How does the firm try to add value?
It draws on pro athletes, influencers, senior executives and family offices in its investor base and advisory board. In early-stage deals it takes board seats and works closely with lean teams.
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