SGI has developed a uniquely potent environment for building successful businesses from the ground up. In fact, to our knowledge, nothing quite like SGI exists. We are not an incubator nor an investment group. Neither are we simply a corporation building subsidiaries. Our companies remain entrepreneurial in their management and stance. Each company SGI creates retains the optimism, energy, and market-disrupting potential of a startup, but operates with a significantly lower risk of failure through the development of an innovate business model which features:

SGI’s core position in the marketplace is defined by this asymmetry: We are creating an expanding investment portfolio which offers the upsides of entrepreneurship without the typical, and often catastrophic risk. On the surface this may seem similar to a venture fund, but unlike a venture fund which seeks to create its return by averaging the success of its companies at predetermined exits, SGI seeks to ensure the ongoing success of its entire portfolio through shared operational excellence, mutual support, and executive mentoring.

In addition to its risk-limiting model, SGI’s vision is rooted in its belief in human potential. We feel businesses should serve the interests of the people who build them, the communities they exist in, and the world at large. The goal of an SGI company is not by default an IPO or sale, rather it’s achieving profitability, growing its leaders and employees, and impacting the world in a positive way.

From a brand development perspective SGI’s most important target audience is the investors we wish to attract for our current round of funding. We are primarily competing against independent entrepreneurial businesses for the same investors. In order to reach and be memorable to our target audience, we need to emphasize the similarities and differences we share with the other investments our audience is considering. In doing so, we need to be sure that we don’t talk poorly of an investment in an independent business — rather, we need to emphasize our strengths as solutions to general problems investors face when evaluating a growing business.

SGI’s value proposition rests on several elements:

1. Our Focus On Operational Excellence. Investors want to know that they are making a sound investment. SGI’s limited but exceptional track record and innovative processes and business model are evidence of this. We need to make this a key piece of our marketing messaging, and the way we visually represent ourselves needs to subtly reinforce this (cleanly designed, well-organized documents, etc.)

2. Our Resource Rich “Ecosystem”. Not only do our companies share accounting, office space, HR, and legal resources, they also have access to a cadre of world-class advisors and access to the expertise of in-group companies, including sales, software development, marketing, and consulting. Having all these elements within the SGI portfolio creates a uniquely valuable investment. We should probably not sell this as a “complete solution” though — that may make some investors skeptical. Instead, we have a growing, resource-rich entrepreneurial ecosystem that provides a solid foundation and ongoing support for each of our businesses.

3. Investment Diversification. It’s important that we emphasize this in order to further substantiate our claim of reducing risk. I think it would be valuable to specifically highlight the companies, and entrepreneurs leading them, by name whenever appropriate and possible. Specific examples will always leave a stronger impression than a list of industries.

4. Our Vision and Management Team. This is clearly a strong selling point. John and Jared’s background in social entrepreneurship is a valuable differentiator and an interesting story. We need to craft our messaging to often include this and underscore our unique vision of the value that good businesses can have in making people’s lives better. Some of the investors and fans of the brand we attract will like SGI for this element alone. We are looking for “vision-aligned” investors.

Above all else, SGI is a brand that believes in human potential. This is not typical in corporate America or in the world of entrepreneurship. In both environments people are seen as resources, not the creative, world-changing individuals they could become. SGI is a mentoring brand that seeks to bring out the best in others. We also cultivate optimism and excellence in all that we do. We know there will always be challenges in business and life, but we are certain that there is always a solution and a way to improve.