My Failed Attempt as an Angel Investor
I love watching Shark Tank. It’s a reality show where entrepreneurs pitch their business to 5 investors to try to get an investment.
In 2018, I found a company in Malaysia that organizes something similar. So, I went through the checklist and applied to be an investor.
A few days later, my application was approved. I immediately registered for the next pitching session.
On that day, I got nervous. A lot of questions went through my mind: how should I dress, how should I behave, will I be the youngest one there, etc.?
But I reminded myself: Ivan, you’re an investor. You’ve worked hard and you deserve to be there. That made me a little bit calmer.
When I arrived at the place, I had a conversation with a very friendly entrepreneur. Halfway, he asked, “Are you an investor or an entrepreneur?” I felt very offended by the question and ignored it. I thought: do you think I’m too young to be an investor? His partner overheard the conversation and whispered to him, “Investor, investor.”
When the pitching session began, I tried thinking of challenging questions to ask. But, as time went by, my heart became heavier and heavier.
Before the session ended, I couldn’t take it anymore. I ran to my car and wept.
Prior to 2016, my identity was as a high flyer at work. This caused me to almost fall into depression. But, God reached out His hand, saved me, and gave me a new identity as His child. And in one day, I abandoned the identity He gave me and took on a new one as an investor. How stupid can I be?
I begged God for forgiveness and vowed never to attend any more pitching sessions.
The big idea: my identity is not as an investor or as a high flyer. My identity is as a child of God.
That is the only identity that matters.
I welcome your comments and questions
