Snoop Dogg - Venture Investor

With the latest investment in Reddit, rapper and unsurpassed grasshopper Snoop Dogg actually got the status of a venture investor, and this is only the tip of the iceberg of his business.

Nick Adler , a development specialist at Cashmere , who manages Snoop's investments, claims that over the next year they will make more than 20 investments of various sizes. And that's not counting Snoop Dogg’s time, which he will spend on consultations.

Already, the rapper has invested in about 15 companies, most of the transactions are still not disclosed. However, it is precisely known about such companies as: Ustream (video hosting), Secret (anonymous messenger), Robinhood (a network of budget supermarkets in northern Europe), Philz Coffee (coffee company).

Ashton Kutcher, who is currently Lenovo's face, introduced such a fashion for investment among show business stars. But if Ashton has a background in biochemical engineering, Snoop Dogg has a reputation as a gangster, which is why it’s wild to see him in a Ralph Lauren sweater along with Google’s founder, Larry Page.

In late October, representatives of the Fast Company agreed to hold a conversation with Nick Adler to determine Snoop's potential as a successful investor.



When was Snoop Dogg first interested in investing in startups?

At first he began to invest in projects at an early stage. We did not have a specific strategy, just a few interesting offers at hand. I think it all started about 5-6 years ago with Ustreams. And it was really funny. Snoop organized a conference in Palo Alto with the developers of the project and greatly inspired the guys to create a valuable product. Of course, this was not something extra important for the company itself, but it meant a lot to its individual employees.

And we came to serious investments a year ago. We didn’t just sit down on the same day, thought it over and decided to start investing, but approached this issue smoothly. It was a great difficulty to convince companies to believe in our intentions, and not just to present themselves as a “shocking star” with a bag of money.

How did you decide to introduce Snoop as an investor?

We began to systematically attend The Bay (a party for investors and startups). We began to meet people, and it was fun. You can find a photo of Snoop, Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker on the Internet. We went to San Francisco and visited Square (https://squareup.com/), and also met with Jack Dorsey. We also met with a business angel who offered us his 8 cases. It was extremely informative.



Have you had any problems in the investment rounds?

Of course, many times, we could not agree on investments. At the moment, the situation is such that having made a bit of hype, companies in the field of it receive investments quickly. This is not a problem for them. Fortunately, our advantage is that we provide them with money and promotion.

And what exactly is promotion?

You benefit from working with Snoop Dogg and his solid team. At present, there are more than 30 people, ranging from media and advertising specialists to competent economists. You also get access to the international name Snoop Doga, and this is more than 60 million fans and connoisseurs of his work. And this opens up incredible opportunities for promoting a brand.
How do you make decisions about investing in something?

It sounds pretty corny, but we put on a mutual understanding. If we meet people and have a dialogue with them for a while, we begin to like them. We want to meet people who understand Snoop's image, who understand Cashmere. However, this is, although the most important, but not the last detail.

We focus on product compliance with the brand Snoop and Cashmere. To promote a product, it must organically fit into the framework of our image, this is reasonable.

There is also always a fraction of the case and perseverance. Show your interest in us, and we will definitely consider you.

How are you looking for companies to invest in?

We have good relations with venture funds, hedge funds and business angels. They often turn to us with suggestions.
Does Snoop contact you personally with suggestions?

Of course. From time to time, he brings up some ideas that he wants to deal with.
What does Snoop do when making a decision?

He is very methodical, calm and reasonable. I think he calculates his expectations from investments. Usually this is loneliness and light hip-hop in the background, about the way it is presented in the media. After that, he opens up for communication and discussion.

What does Snoop seek to get in addition to the return on its investment?

Our goal is a business with elements of innovation. We want to connect ourselves with things that change the rules of the game. You can observe the depreciation of music, this industry is enslaved by technology (hello series of the South Park - link ). We want to be at the forefront, we want to make innovative and advanced products.

With all his calm, Snoop likes to do out of the ordinary things that no one would have expected of him. This is part of his charm.

- From Terras : Honestly, it seemed that Snoop just wants to look fashionable, so he invests in fashionable cool things ... no more.

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