Brett Commaille, Author at Memeburn

Brett is the former CEO of Invenfin Venture Capital, an early or seed stage venture capital fund, owned by Remgro Ltd, and focused on differentiated intellectual property with global potential. Brett now runs MyTrueSpark -- a consultancy. As a CA, Brett has worked in audit, merchant banking and consulting both in South Africa and abroad. His work with one man businesses through to large multi-nationals, in most sectors, has given him exposure to the inner workings of a vast array of businesses. Brett is an entrepreneur and has also personally invested into several start-ups over the years. Having moved into venture capital, Brett’s passion is to work with entrepreneurs as they create and grow their own businesses. Brett is involved with and serves on the boards of several start-up ventures as well as being an active member of and commentator in matters related to the start-up community in South Africa.

Website: http://www.invenfin.com/

Here’s why execution is the most important commodity for your startup’s success
By Brett Commaille on 19 January, 2016
Wikipedia, that wealth of internet answers, defines execution as “the act or mode or result of performance”. It also has the bits about chopping off heads and ending existence but we’ll leave that for journalists to discuss. Execution is a word I’ve grown to appreciate and use more and more frequently. Not the premature cause of death for bad guys, but the satisfaction of getting things done and seeing them finished. It expresses decisiveness and achievement. In the world of startups and young businesses, that’s so much harder than it seems and thus so satisfying when accomplished. Read more on...
Entrepreneurship — some people just don’t get it
By Brett Commaille on 27 August, 2012
I heard a story this week that raised my blood pressure and left me fuming at another great injustice. Unfortunately there is very little I can do about it. Kicking the dog would not be PC (and after all, it’s not her fault); stamping my foot makes me feel like a child and waving my fist in the air while shouting at the universe... well, it didn’t do anything the last few times so that’s out too. So instead, I’m venting through my keyboard. Read more on Ventureburn. var vglnk={key:"cc324b6567a9637aa0ff15bc9564b2a5"};!function(e,a){var t=e.createElement(a);t.type="text/javascript",t.async=!0,t.src="//cdn.viglink.com/api/vglnk.js";var n=e.getElementsByTagName(a);n.parentNode.insertBefore(t,n)}(document,"script");
Why most startups fail … and here’s how not to
By Brett Commaille on June 13, 2011
It’s easy to think of the latest startup like a pimple in the middle of your forehead: you wake up one morning and it’s all you can see. And then, one day, for no specific reason, it’s gone. “Anyone know what happened to Whatchamacallit?” After some enquiry, all you’ve got is a handful of rumours and a bucket of spin. All we know for sure is that it’s over. Truth is,...
Startups: What VCs look for
By Brett Commaille on 15 April, 2010
Venture capitalists and entrepreneurs often don't see eye-to-eye, and in South Africa in particular, there seems to be a very real gap in meeting the needs and expectations of both parties. While we know the path of the entrepreneur can be a frightfully fun but rocky one, at some stage venture capital becomes a real option to consider, and when you get to that stage, make sure you know exactly what we are looking for. As funders, we really look for four basic things and your pitch must answer the following: 1. What is the burning need you are taking away?...

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