How to Pattern Replicate Rakuten’s Ability to Get Deal Flow to Buy Companies : WhatTheyDontTeachYouAtStanfordBusinessSchool

Unedited by Larry Chiang

Hey Larry —

Great speaking with you earlier with our crew … Here’s what we captured from the call:

Host an event with an iBank (“we want to buy your company”); use the iBank folks to help with deal flow and demonstrate
Press campaign to get public credit that we are out looking for a company. We bought xyz through so-and-so business plan competition
Speaking at conferences on taking businesses global, or whatever…
Anchor event as SXSW (which is mostly flagship) then do a series of satellite events (put maybe $250k against a series of events)
Business plan competition winner— we will pick-up the tab for your student loans. Be a debt free ivy engineer
Faux acquisition from a really good school; internship program, incubator program within the company
Just buy a team of engineers (undergrads, sophomore/juniors). Ideally female team of 3-5 engineers

I’ll keep ‘ya posted on how things come together! Holler should any other inspiration strike.

American Express’ Under-Promoted Credit Truths at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week (MBFW)”

My Stanford Engineering video boils down 20,000 hours and moves you to the right on the entrepreneur bell curve