2.8
2.7 
3.0 
2.8 
2.6 A Fantastic Partner
Fund: Oak Investment Partners
Posted by richarddemand on 2007-11-21
Over the past fifteen years I have worked with a number of private and public investors, primarily beginning with iMALL in 1994 (sold to Excite@Home in 1999), spanning across a number of other companies including Intermix/Myspace, and now with Demand Media.
Based on that experience, I wanted to be very selective in picking our investment partner. After speaking to luminaries in the investment community, I was referred two years ago to Fred Harman and Oak as an ideal partner. Over the past two years Oak has funded three rounds of Demand Media, two rounds of iCrossing (where I am chairman) and a number of other exciting technology driven companies I have had the pleasure of working with. In every company that Oak reviewed, Oak has been surprisingly humble and open minded, grasped the business model quickly and painlessly, parsed the important information and data from the irrelevant "noise," and has been straight forward in their interest and valuation expectations.
After funding Demand Media (and other related companies) Oak has been a helpful, supportive, and open minded partner. I am most impressed by the deep understanding Fred has of the data and analytics WHILE recognizing that data is directional but not definitive and you must rely on management's judgment in making key decisions.
As Board members (Fred on Demand and Ren on iCrossing), Oak continues to add value, make strategic and operational suggestions where warranted, and be supportive in good and challenged times.
