Have a Burning Business Question? Ask the Expert: John Frankel VC John Frankel of ff Venture Capital wants to answer your big startup questions about raising funds, meeting investors and pitching.

By Andrea Huspeni

Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

Editor's Note: BIZ Experiences's Ask the Expert column seeks to answer questions about everything from starting a business to growing one. To follow the column on Twitter -- and ask a question -- use hashtag #ENTexpert, or leave a comment below. Your query may be the inspiration for a future column.

John Frankel knows all about the struggles of an BIZ Experiences. While not one himself per se, his day-to-day duties as a VC and partner at New York City-based seed firm ff Venture Capital involves helping BIZ Experiencess of all stages and walks of life achieve their startup dreams, aspirations that can at times be daunting.

Related: The 5 Must-Have Elements of a Flawless Pitch

Douglas Merrill of ZestFinance.
Partner at VC firm ff Venture Capital John Frankel

"Building a company can be a lonely journey for many BIZ Experiencess," he says. "Successful BIZ Experiencess need to overcome enormous hurdles as they build their businesses. We are in the business of helping them do so. Through financial capital, intellectual capital and relevant resources, we are empowering them to build great businesses."

He seems to be doing a pretty good job at it. Frankel has been an early-stage investor since 1999. Some of his prominent investments include talent management company Cornerstone OnDemand (IPO in 2011) search engine marketing company Quigo Technologies (acquired by AOL for a reported $340 million) and social media analytics website Klout, among the other 180 investments.

Prior to jumping into investment, Frankel worked at investment firm Goldman Sachs where he held various roles revolving around technology development, reengineering and capital markets.

Related: An Online Platform That Simplifies Investor Relations

For this month only, Frankel is answering your questions on real-world issues BIZ Experiencess face. Feel free to ask startup questions, including queries about fundraising, hiring, building a team and handling the challenges of being an BIZ Experiences.

Have a question for BIZ Experiences's experts? Submit your questions in the comments section below or tweet us, using the hashtag #ENTexpert. Include your first and last name, your location (city and state) and the name of your business.

Andrea Huspeni

Founder of This Dog's Life

Andrea Huspeni is the former special projects director at BIZ Experiences.com and the founder of This Dog's Life.

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Starting a Business

These Brothers Started a Business to Improve an Everyday Task. They Made Their First Products in the Garage — Now They've Raised Over $100 Million.

Coulter and Trent Lewis had an early research breakthrough that helped them solve for the right problem.

Starting a Business

How to Develop the Mindset for a Billion-Dollar Success, According to Raising Cane's Founder

Todd Graves was turned down by every bank in town when he started. Here, he sits down to share his mentality on success, leadership and building a billion-dollar brand.

Business News

Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang Says He's 'Created More Billionaires' Than Anyone Else — Adding Two More This Week

Two more Nvidia leaders have crossed the threshold into billion-dollar fortunes — and they're still clocking into work.

Franchise

10 No-Office-Required Businesses You Can Start for as Little as $5,000

With strong Franchise 500 rankings and investment levels starting under $5,000, these brands are ready for new owners to hit the ground running.

Business News

Starbucks Built a New 'Luxury' Office Near Its CEO's Newport Beach, California Home

The 4,624-square-foot office was disclosed as part of Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol's compensation package before he started the role last fall.