September 14, 2022 - Portland News

Byron Johnson: 5 Ways to Improve Investor Communication as an Entrepreneur

Portland News Staff on September 14, 2022

As Byron Johnson shares his experience as an entrepreneur, he says that it can be hard to keep investors up-to-date on your business. They’re busy people, and you’re busy raising money for your company. But investor communication is one of the most important parts of fundraising—for both sides—which means that it has to be done right in order to be effective. Here are five best practices given by Byron Johnson for improving communication with investor:

Build a Strong Relationship

When you build a strong relationship with your investors, they’ll be more likely to listen to and take your advice. Byron Johnson emphasizes the importance of keeping in touch with investors and making sure they are on the same page as you. You need to know what their goals are, what their concerns are, what their expectations are and what timeline they have set for themselves when it comes down to investing in an entrepreneurial venture like yours. The better you understand each other’s needs before anything else comes into play, the easier it will be for everyone involved at the end of the day when things start falling apart around us all too quickly for comfort.

Be Honest and Clear

Byron Johnson sheds light on how to be honest and clear through his personal experience:

Be transparent about everything.
Don’t sugarcoat bad news.
Don’t try to hide bad news.
Don’t be afraid of bad news.
Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes or ask for help when you need it (or both!).

Don’t Hesitate to Share Bad News

Bad news is unavoidable, and there’s no point trying to hide it. In fact, Byron Johnson recommends being the one to share it first if you can be sure of what the issue is and what you’re doing about it.

Don’t try to hide bad news. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but hear me out: if a key member of your team leaves or there’s an issue with your product development, don’t try to keep that information under wraps until everything has been resolved. You may think that will help things go smoothly or give you time to figure things out, but these are usually wrongheaded approaches that end up hurting investor relations in the long run.

Don’t get defensive when someone asks questions about something they see as negative—even if they don’t mean anything by it or aren’t trying to criticize your company or ideas at all! If an investor asks why sales were down last quarter—or whether there was a problem with inventory management—respond with honesty rather than defensiveness, and yes…you should probably ask yourself why those numbers were lower than expected.

“Someone who wants nothing more than positive answers from people who have nothing but positive intentions shouldn’t be given any reason not to trust them!” – Byron Johnson

Share Good News, too

Share good news, too. If you’re getting recognized for your work, or if you’ve made a major accomplishment, it’s important to share that good news with your investors. “It’s not just about building trust—it’s also about building relationships, reputations and even brands. And all these benefits will help you build your company!” – Byron Johnson

Remember there’s a Human being on the other Side of that Email/Phone Call/Conference Room Door/Etc

You may not remember it, but your investor does. Byron Johnson stresses on the point that they are not just an investor, they are your partner and want to help you succeed. Make sure that in all of your communications with them, you treat them with respect and as a peer—not just another number on your spreadsheet.

Keep an Open Line of Communication with your Investors

Communication is one of the most important aspects of running a business. It doesn’t matter if you run a multi-million dollar company or you have just started your first business, communication is crucial in any situation. Byron Johnson spotlights that you need to communicate with your customers and employees, but equally important is communicating with investors.

In the end, great investor communication is one of the keys to a successful venture. It’s not just good manners—it’s good business.

About Byron Johnson:

Byron Johnson is a founder, entrepreneur, and CEO known for founding several businesses, including an insurance agency, construction and remodeling company, and commercial real estate investment firm. Byron Johnson is an owner of 150+ units of commercial property located in the up-and-coming Seminole Heights area close to downtown Tampa. Additionally, Byron is a recognized WSOP Poker Player who won 1st place in the WSOP Poker series in Tampa, FL in 2020.

For more information on Byron Johnson, visit ByronJohnson.com or visit his Cheap Car Insurance Guru YouTube Channel where he gives back by sharing free car insurance tips and valuable insurance info daily.

Learn More About Byron Johnson:

Byron Johnson on Youtube

Byron Johnson on Facebook

Byron Johnson on Twitter

Byron Johnson on Instagram

Byron Johnson on Linkedin

Byron Johnson on Crunchbase

Byron Johnson on INC

Markquese Bell Story: From Local Star To National Figure

Portland News Staff on September 14, 2022

Markquese Bell is on the rise to becoming one of the best players to come out of Division II football, and he just completed his first year at North Greenville University in South Carolina. Although it’s only been one year, Bell has received plenty of attention and recognition, including being selected as his conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference selection. Here’s a closer look at Markquese Bell’s journey to becoming an NCAA football star…

Age and Family of Markquese Bell

Markquese Bell is a 23-year-old actor and writer from Detroit, Michigan. His father died when he was 13 years old, leaving him and his sister orphans. To escape the harsh realities of poverty, drugs, and gangs in his neighborhood, he turned to poetry. Now as a poet and performer who’s shared stages with Lauryn Hill and Saul Williams, he aims to motivate youth like himself through self-expression while combating stereotypes that plague black males.

Mr. Bell’s story is compelling because it illustrates how the universal human experience of grief can lead to the creation of positive social change if allowed room for expression. It wasn’t until I started writing about my life, about my pain and struggles that I realized the importance of me being an example. The way our society deals with death needs to be examined; mourning is not an event but a process that must be allowed to play out fully. You’re not gonna heal if you don’t feel your pain.

Sports Background

In 2014, Markquese Bell went from being a relatively unknown basketball player at Temple University to the leading scorer on the team. Throughout his high school and college careers, he averaged better than 30 points per game and set a record with 22 three-pointers in one game in 2017. His success has led him to be feature in Nike commercials and on the cover of The Athletic in January 2019.

Bell was born in Fairmont, West Virginia on December 10th, 1997. He moved with his family to Uniondale, New York when he was 8 years old after his father died due to lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Uniondale is located right outside of NYC which is near where most NBA players live so it seemed like a perfect fit for an aspiring young athlete.

Early Life

Markquese Bell was born and raised in New Jersey, just minutes from NYC. Growing up in the Garden State, Markquese attended Newark Academy where he competed in wrestling, football, and track. Always the jokester, Markquese was a highly regard prankster among his friends and peers. Whether it was dressing up as Santa Claus for random holiday photos or snapping frog sounds on a friend’s phone to make them jump out of their seat, there was never a shortage of laughs with this guy around.

It wasn’t until his early twenties that life got more serious for Bell. The 26-year-old athlete was recently draft in December by The Cleveland Browns as a cornerback. After he was move from cornerback to wide receiver in April, Markquese receive news that his baby boy was born. The early life of Markquese Bell is unique, but perhaps what’s most surprising about him is his impressive work ethic and continuous motivation toward a better future.

High School

Born and raised in the southside of Chicago, Markquese Bell has been a constant on both the big and small screens as well as in front of the camera. As a child actor, he appeared in movies such as Glory (1989) starring Denzel Washington, Juice (1992) starring Tupac Shakur, Menace II Society (1993) starring Larenz Tate, and Thurgood (1999). His resume also includes numerous television appearances on shows such as Law & Order SVU, NCIS, and NYPD Blue among others. Recently he has been seen all over television with brands like McDonald’s, Pepsi, and Budweiser.

College Career

Markquese Bell has quickly made a name for himself in the football community. He started his college career at Iowa Western Community College before transferring to El Camino Community College, where he was a first-team All-League selection. In addition, he led the team in tackles and sacks during his two seasons with the Warriors. The linebacker then transferred for his senior year of eligibility at Temple University where he spent most of his time on special teams but contributed 18 tackles as well. He hopes that these accomplishments will lead him into an NFL roster spot in 2020 when he’ll be draft eligible after completing his degree.

NFL Career

At the University of Pittsburgh, Markquese Bell became a standout linebacker. In 2009, he finished fifth in the ACC with 77 tackles and also tallied two sacks, three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries. As a junior in 2008, he was name second-team All-ACC after leading the team with 114 tackles including 10 for loss and four sacks. He was also credit with five pass breakups and four quarterback hurries on defense and added 397 yards on 52 rushes including six touchdowns on offense.

He chose to leave Pitt following his junior season for professional reasons despite leading them in tackles for three straight seasons. Bell said that while he enjoyed playing at Pitt, I’m looking forward to the next level. When asked about what his goal is as an NFL player, Bell respond My main goal is just making it to the league.

The signing of Markquese Bell by the New York Jets provides depth at the linebacker position. The selection in this year’s draft proved interesting. As it is rare for linebackers or cornerbacks not taken earlier. In the first round draft early into the second round. It was really humbling, Bell said.

Bell plans on going back home during the off-season and will work hard during workouts which could provide him the opportunity to make a good impression before camp starts up again.

Career Stats and Awards

Markquese Bell is an American track and field athlete who specializes in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash. In 2008, he was a collegiate champion in the 55-meter high hurdles. In 2010, he won two bronze medals at the Summer Youth Olympics, set two national high school records, and then achieved national success with a gold medal at the NACAC Under-23 Championships and a silver medal at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships. He also won gold for his native Jamaica in the 4×100 meters relay event as part of its Youth Olympic squad, setting a Jamaican junior record in the process. And he was an IAAF World Youth Champion in 2013 after capturing gold medals in both 100m dash and 200m dash events.