Words of Wisdom from Pat LaPointe

Pat is an angel and venture investor serving on numerous boards for early-stage and growth companies. He is the Director of Frontier Angels and holds a seat in several other organizations. Pat has a soft aura, strong demeanor, and a portfolio that exudes a giving spirit.

I was grateful for his presence at the 2018 Innovate Montana Symposium sponsored by Governor Steve Bullock. Each year we meet in Billings for a full day of in-depth advising from experts like Pat. Their wisdom stretches across industries and encompasses life lessons. Luckily, I was granted a few minutes with Pat to discuss angel and venture capital for startups, and concluded with his advice for entrepreneurs.

  1. Have humility
    “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less often.”
  2. Love, love, love your idea
    You’re going to be married to it for quite some time.
  3. Continually seek improvement
    You must be able to see the flaws in your idea.
  4. Give success to others
    Create value for your employees, customers, and stakeholders.
  5. Seek mentorship
    Find people who know what you don’t know.