It's actually a pretty basic concept: when businesses feel secure and confident, they are more likely to grow, hire, and invest. Conversely, when the economy is unstable, businesses often become much more risk averse, and in many cases, they're forced to make undesirable cuts that affect their bottom line.

Alan Patricof

Categorized in : Feel Grow Confident Risk

I got my first job the old-fashioned way: I took an elevator to the top floor of many buildings and walked down floor by floor on the stairs going into every firm and asking the receptionist if she knew of any jobs available.

Alan Patricof

asking jobs way

The secret now is to be disciplined. It's so easy to get carried away with things valued on the hereafter.

Alan Patricof

hereafter secret easy

Every venture capitalist says at some point, 'I wish I could run this company myself' -- to be the entrepreneur instead of the investor.

Alan Patricof

entrepreneur wish running

I love art, I collect mostly modern art.

Alan Patricof

modern-art modern art

Our national debt poses a threat to all Americans and is particularly troublesome both for well-established businesses and for those seeking to enter into the marketplace.

Alan Patricof

those both our debt

I think CSR, corporate social responsibility, is something that is becoming front and center.

Alan Patricof

something think social responsibility

My philosophy, in a nutshell, is to wipe out the greatest amount of risk with the least amount of money.

Alan Patricof

greatest risk money philosophy

All American consumers have the same needs - to buy great consumer products, with savings and value, and with the convenience of easy delivery.

Alan Patricof

value american great easy

Your initial instincts about investments and people are usually correct. We do a lot of due diligence in this business and most of the time it comes out where we started.

Alan Patricof

your business time people

As someone who understands what's needed for entrepreneurs and start-up companies to succeed, I can tell you there is nothing more integral to their success than operating in a stable financial system.

Alan Patricof

nothing someone you success

The Enterprise Value Tax is unprecedented, punitive, and has no justification in the tax code.

Alan Patricof

value tax code justification

It's tough, no matter how good your technology is, to police every single comment coming up.

Alan Patricof

good police technology matter

I got my first job at a firm called Naess & Thomas.

Alan Patricof

got first job firm

Like many of my friends and associates, I am a life-long Democrat. We have a rock-solid commitment to supporting the political party that we so strongly believe offers the most promising vision of America: one that recognizes the proper role of government, the importance of compassion, and the value of diversity.

Alan Patricof

i-am vision government believe

As a venture capitalist, I invest in people and ideas that are fresh, vibrant, and willing to disrupt the market. As a political donor, I like to see the same energy in the people I support.

Alan Patricof

support political people ideas

In my 40-plus years as a venture capitalist, I have come to appreciate the certainty a healthy economy provides for businesses both large and small.

Alan Patricof

small appreciate healthy years

In times of huge fiscal deficits, no new revenues can be ignored, and renouncing any becomes well nigh politically impossible.

Alan Patricof

well any new impossible

Google is addictive.

Alan Patricof

addictive google

Cloud computing eliminates capital expenditure, so you can go global very quickly - you don't have to have extensive servers in every country.

Alan Patricof

cloud go you country

It's hard to make small investments when you're a billion-dollar fund.

Alan Patricof

make small you hard