Dan Fleyshman

So surprisingly, Starbucks is not a franchise. That's right. That's mind-blowing how big they would be if it was, but they weren't. It's a very fascinating business model. In-N-Out is not a franchise. A lot of people think it is. There are certain brands that are not a franchise. And then you go to Chick-fil-A, and you've got to have millions of dollars. You have to work there for a year.

It's very fascinating. But they go do $8 million a year on average if you own one. And then you have to own one before you get your second one. And it's like a very...

It's very fascinating. But they go do $8 million a year on average if you own one. And then you have to own one before you get your second one. And it's like a very...

Oh, interesting. Yeah. 2006, I won something called the CEO Poker Championship. And the guy that got second place was the head of Outback Steakhouse. Oh, wow. There you go. I haven't heard the name in so long. But it was funny because just seven years before that, I was applying to work at Outback Steakhouse. Wow.

Oh, interesting. Yeah. 2006, I won something called the CEO Poker Championship. And the guy that got second place was the head of Outback Steakhouse. Oh, wow. There you go. I haven't heard the name in so long. But it was funny because just seven years before that, I was applying to work at Outback Steakhouse. Wow.

I was working at Ruby's Diner, and I was hoping to get the job at Outback Steakhouse. That's awesome. I was 17 years old, and I ended up starting my clothing company. Then you beat him in the World Series of Poker. Okay. On the investing side. So you're building your business. It's 2008, 2009. You go the franchise model. Now you've got 30, 40, 50 franchises.

I was working at Ruby's Diner, and I was hoping to get the job at Outback Steakhouse. That's awesome. I was 17 years old, and I ended up starting my clothing company. Then you beat him in the World Series of Poker. Okay. On the investing side. So you're building your business. It's 2008, 2009. You go the franchise model. Now you've got 30, 40, 50 franchises.

Now you start making some serious revenue, some serious money. When you decide, okay, I'm going to invest into these other, you mentioned three or four brands you've invested into or maybe advising for. When you decide, okay, I've invested a lot of capital into my core business. I can take some money and throw in 25K, 100K, a million, whatever the number is, into something else.

Now you start making some serious revenue, some serious money. When you decide, okay, I'm going to invest into these other, you mentioned three or four brands you've invested into or maybe advising for. When you decide, okay, I've invested a lot of capital into my core business. I can take some money and throw in 25K, 100K, a million, whatever the number is, into something else.

So there's a famous theory that 90% of startups fail, which is true. The reason for it is they have lack of capital, lack of experience, lack of knowledge. And so what I do is I focus on companies that are doing at least $2 million in revenue up to $20 million. The reason I like that $2 million and $20 million is they got past the hardest part. Going from $0 to $1 million, super hard.

So there's a famous theory that 90% of startups fail, which is true. The reason for it is they have lack of capital, lack of experience, lack of knowledge. And so what I do is I focus on companies that are doing at least $2 million in revenue up to $20 million. The reason I like that $2 million and $20 million is they got past the hardest part. Going from $0 to $1 million, super hard.

Major failure rate. Most people don't want to do it. $1 million to $2 million is where you're like, OK, I'm getting some operations. I'm finally making some hires. I'm getting a better lawyer and a better accountant, a better executive. That $1 million, $2 million is where you start to really kind of like, you can hear like you're figuring it out.

Major failure rate. Most people don't want to do it. $1 million to $2 million is where you're like, OK, I'm getting some operations. I'm finally making some hires. I'm getting a better lawyer and a better accountant, a better executive. That $1 million, $2 million is where you start to really kind of like, you can hear like you're figuring it out.

We start to get to $3 million, $5 million, $7 million. Okay, now we're getting a swing of things here. And so I raised $56 million the last three years, all $3 to $6 million at a time in a company that's doing $2 to $20 million. So Elevator Syndicate, our concept is find businesses that are already doing $5 million, $12 million, $8 million, $15 million in that range.

We start to get to $3 million, $5 million, $7 million. Okay, now we're getting a swing of things here. And so I raised $56 million the last three years, all $3 to $6 million at a time in a company that's doing $2 to $20 million. So Elevator Syndicate, our concept is find businesses that are already doing $5 million, $12 million, $8 million, $15 million in that range.

and we pour gasoline on the fire. There's amazing startups that are out there, even with amazing founders, and we don't do it for a couple of reasons. One is, it typically takes five to seven years on average to have an exit or liquidity vent. And so if I come in on year two, three, or four, I've shortened my time span as an investor. The first couple of years,

and we pour gasoline on the fire. There's amazing startups that are out there, even with amazing founders, and we don't do it for a couple of reasons. One is, it typically takes five to seven years on average to have an exit or liquidity vent. And so if I come in on year two, three, or four, I've shortened my time span as an investor. The first couple of years,

I can help too much from like scaling, but at the first couple of years, I can't help too much because you're just getting their systems and operations and making your first relationships at conventions and trade shows. Like you're still figuring things out. I'm gonna help you way more if you're doing 6 million revenue to get to 6 million, going to 13 million, not hard at all.

I can help too much from like scaling, but at the first couple of years, I can't help too much because you're just getting their systems and operations and making your first relationships at conventions and trade shows. Like you're still figuring things out. I'm gonna help you way more if you're doing 6 million revenue to get to 6 million, going to 13 million, not hard at all.

Zero to one million, super hard. And so Elevator Syndicate, our concept is get guys like us, right? I've got 960 investors. So guys like Nick, hey, you throw in 25K, 100K, 500K, whatever the number is, we'll all pitch in together. But this company's already doing nine million revenue. How can Nick help? How can Dan help? How can the other 32 investors?