Mark McConville

Oct – Dec 2011

As I started to go down the path of learning all about raising capital it quickly became evident that there was a lot I had to learn about financial structuring and ROI (Return on Investment), not to mention exit strategies and so on and so forth. Luckily though there are numerous ways in which you can learn all about this kind of stuff as well as a lot of people who are willing to help, if you’re willing to ask.

The end of 2011 was a very busy time, end of year Christmas functions, lots of comedy club gigs, working part-time at Dreamworld, building the business and networking at every given opportunity.

• Started framework for curriculum for Childrens Services programs
• Meetings with prospective investors (great advice given in regards to next steps to take)
• Contacted BeyondBlue Re corporate partnership
• LIVING WITH LAUGHTER Charter finalised
• Company Overview document finalised
• Emailed introduction letter and company overview to QUT
• Sales Monkey Re: ASSOB (Australian Small Scale Offerings Board)
• Labrador Football Club meeting to confirm 17 dec show.
• Silicon Beach meetup. (Capital Raising Lecture)
• Facebook pages set up
• Labrador Football Club gig 17^th dec
• First deposit into LWL account
• QUT response positive.
• Meetings with:

Greg Knox                                                          (IT Support)

Sales Monkey                                                     (Investment Strategies)

Greg Sullivan                                                      (Comedian)

Andrew Nason                                                    (Comedian)

Fiona McGary                                                     (Comedian)

Paul Brasch                                                        (Comedian)

Lindsay Webb                                                    (Comedian)

Joel Bryant                                                         (Comedian)

Craig Wallace                                                     (True North Learning)

Ross Ledger                                                       (Financial Planning)

Dr Asha Khan                                                     (Psychiatrist re LWL)

Dr Tanya Nitins                                                  QUT Creative Industries

 

Having received a very positive email response from QUT we then began communication with view to an industry partnership with their Entertainment Industries Degree. In its initial stages the communication was aimed at me being a guest lecturer within the university as well as having students work on projects for the business as part of their assessment. This was without a doubt a very encouraging development for the business as prospective investors indicated that being affiliated with the university would go a long way in helping us secure some major investment.

 While the few prospective investors we have as yet have not committed financially to the company they have been very giving of their time and advice, which in fact is of great worth.

 They say that synchronicity occurs when things are just meant to be and I firmly subscribe to this theory. The fact that the university is offering this new degree right at a time when the Australian government is conducting the ‘Convergence Review’, all point to the fact that we are definitely on the right track with this business. It was at this time that I was thinking of a way in which we could, in conjunction with the university, tap into the government’s possible willingness to help fund Australian online content production. 

 All of this would in fact fall into place in due course. The importance of networking and building relationships for the business is something that I've really been focusing on. With every new contact comes a new opportunity and funnily enough, the right people just keep seeming to present themselves.

 Synchronicity, you’ve gotta love it…..

 

Mark McConville