Some Companies Succeed While Others Fail - Kris Jones, Founder of KBJ Capital Tells Us Why

As the Founder of KBJ Capital and a long-time investor in all types of companies, Kris Jones has learned a lot in his seventeen-year career that can serve as great lessons for entrepreneurs, especially those who are just starting out. Kris has considerable knowledge as to why certain businesses succeed, while others fail. I sat down with him recently to hear about his investment strategy, deal sources, and advice for startups – plus he allowed me to pick his brain about the investors he admires the most. What defines your investment strategy? I invest in people over ideas. That means I’m looking for those entrepreneurs who are destined for success, with or without my help, but who can, with my involvement, achieve a much greater outcome. I'm obsessed with teaching the companies I invest in everything I know about how to win in business and avoid failure. When I make an investment, I tend to get very involved at different stages -- so much so that I even take on significant roles without taking the title that typically goes along with that job. For instance, with several of my portfolio companies, I've had to step in at times as CEO or head of sales to save a client or close a deal.