When you're looking to fund innovation, understanding the difference between venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) is more than a financial decision—it’s a strategy call that defines how much risk you're willing to take, what stage of business you're targeting, and how much control you're prepared to exercise. These two investment types support companies at different growth phases and operate with distinct return models. In this article, you’ll get a clear view of how VC and PE differ, where each one fits into the startup-to-scaled-company journey, and what you need to consider before backing either approach.
Jay Holstine is the Managing Director of Jay Holstine & Associates. Jay Holstine & Associates provides CEO executive coaching services.
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Venture Capital vs Private Equity: Innovation Investing
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Listening to Lead: Enhancing Active Listening and Emotional Intelligence
Show You’re Fully Present
You’ve probably sat through conversations where you could tell the other person was just waiting for their turn to speak. Don’t be that leader. When someone’s talking to you—whether it’s a direct report or a stakeholder—your job is to be present. That means no checking your phone, no multitasking, and no pretending. Give them your full attention. Even if it’s a two-minute conversation, your focus signals that their input matters. Nod. React when appropriate. Keep your body open. You’re not just listening for words; you’re catching tone, pace, and hesitation too.
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Building Potential: Proven Strategies for Employee Learning and Development
Align Learning with Business Objectives
You can’t train effectively without a purpose. If you don’t tie learning directly to business goals, you’ll end up with programs that look good on paper but don’t move the needle. That’s why every learning initiative should start with the question: “What specific outcomes are we trying to improve?”
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Funding the Dream: The A to Z of Capital Raising for Entrepreneur
Know Exactly What You Need (And Why)
The first step isn’t writing a pitch deck—it’s knowing your numbers. If you don’t understand how much you need, how long it will last, and what it’s supposed to achieve, you’re not ready to ask for anything. You want to anchor your ask to key business milestones: product development, customer acquisition, hiring, or scaling operations. Be precise. Whether it’s $100,000 or $10 million, your ask should be tied to real use cases that drive growth and valuation. Investors aren’t funding your passion; they’re funding a calculated plan that can deliver returns.
Monday, June 9, 2025
Guiding Principles: Effective Governance in Today’s Corporate World
Strengthening Accountability in Leadership
Leadership accountability isn’t just about setting the right policies; it’s about creating an environment where executives take ownership of decisions. I’ve worked with companies where unclear expectations led to internal conflicts, slow decision-making, and missed opportunities. When executives establish transparent performance metrics, they eliminate ambiguity.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Perfecting the Process: A Comprehensive Guide to Process Improvement
Understanding the Importance of Process Improvement
Every business, no matter the size, faces inefficiencies that hold back potential. I’ve worked with companies that believed they had airtight workflows, only to discover that outdated procedures were costing them time and money. Process improvement isn’t just about making small tweaks; it’s about reevaluating how things are done to ensure they align with current goals, technologies, and industry standards.
Maximizing Performance: New Approaches to Improvement and Efficiency
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