ON THE OTHER SIDE
Just as VCs and investors evaluate opportunities to fund businesses, so do the businesses themselves; no one wants to be bound to unnecessary obligations. GuavaPass co-founders, Mr. Jeffrey Liu and Mr. Rob Pachter ( From right) offer their view from the other side of the equation. Launched in Singapore in 2015, GuavaPass is today the largest ‘healthy living community’ in Asia and the Middle East with presence in 12 cities across the region. GuavaPass is also the world’s only fitness app to offer unlimited class packages to members. The app has also been instrumental in supporting the growth of numerous boutique studios, helping small-scale studios grow by up to eight times by facilitating expansion and new studio builds through marketing events. Each class and studio offered on the platform has been carefully selected, and is regularly tested by the GuavaPass team, ensuring the highest quality
experience for members. When screening potential investors, Mr. Liu and Mr. Pachter always assume they are going to build a long-term relationship with their investors; thus, they find building a strong rapport and getting comfortable with potential partners to be extremely important. Investors who are generous with their time, willing to sit down to brainstorm strategic ideas, and are willing to challenge ideas make up a valuable partner, they claim. “We understand investors come from different backgrounds and industries, and we do not expect them to be experts in our field. But we do love experienced former or current entrepreneurs and savvy investors who are able to guide us through complex situations.” To keep the workflow smooth and the entire experience positive for all parties involved, they make it a point to communicate to their investors as often as possible, even if not required, “The last thing we want to do is to surprise our investors.” GuavaPass finds regular touch points to be beneficial as these are opportunities to brainstorm and gather feedback from investors. On occasion, a positive outcome results from an investor update, such as a relevant introduction to a strategic partner.