The Silicon Valley Podcast

Ep 241 Unlocking The Secrets of Family Offices with David Hamilton Nichols

Guest: David Hamilton Nichols

Bio: David Hamilton Nichols is an American speaker, author, investor, and producer. Hailing from a prominent California farming family, David is best known as a global investor with a diverse portfolio spanning industrial and retail real estate, fast-growing startups, and impact investments across North America, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa. His focus sectors include climate change, renewable energy, blockchain, AI, EdTech, and healthcare in Africa.

David has served as a board member and advisor for various startups and has been featured in media outlets such as Entrepreneur, The Jerusalem Post, and Yahoo Finance. He was awarded the Global Impact Champion 2020-2021 by India Needs You (INY) and was listed among the “Top 10 Investors and Investment Companies to Follow in 2022” by the International Business Times.

An accomplished speaker, David has delivered keynotes and participated in panels at prestigious venues including the Nobel Peace Center, the United Nations Association, and various family office summits. He has also been a transformational speaker in the personal development field across the United States.

David is a published poet and article writer, currently working on a book titled “Mastering the Madness: Live Your Best Life, and Create a Better World.” Additionally, he is a producer and executive producer on multiple entertainment and media projects.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, joining illustrious individuals such as Charles Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, and Stephen Hawking. David is also an Eagle Scout from his youth in the Boy Scouts of America.

Areas covered:

  • What exactly is a family office and what are the different types of family offices?
  • What is the typical profile of a family that might consider establishing a family office, and how has the family office landscape evolved in recent years?
  • What are some of the emerging trends in the family office space, such as direct investing and co-investments?
  • How does a family office typically structure its investment strategy?
  • Why might a startup seek investment from a family office?
  • How important are warm introductions when approaching a family office, and how can startups cultivate those?
  • What are the key differences between getting funding from a family office versus a traditional venture capital firm?
  • Do venture capital firms like to work with family offices?
  • How can startups effectively connect with and pitch to family offices?
  • What are some common mistakes startups make when approaching family offices?

Closing: We want to thank David, for sharing your insights with us today. It has been a pleasure having him on the show. For our listeners who want to keep up with David’s work, be sure to connect with him on LinkedIn.

Links:

  • Connect with David Hamilton Nichols on LinkedIn

Stay tuned for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

UPCOMING EVENT