Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Have a Burning Business Question? Ask the Expert: John Frankel VC John Frankel of ff Venture Capital wants to answer your big startup questions about raising funds, meeting investors and pitching.

By Andrea Huspeni

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

Editor's Note: Entrepreneur's Ask the Expert column seeks to answer questions about everything from starting a business to growing one. To follow the column on Twitter -- and ask a question -- use hashtag #ENTexpert, or leave a comment below. Your query may be the inspiration for a future column.

John Frankel knows all about the struggles of an entrepreneur. While not one himself per se, his day-to-day duties as a VC and partner at New York City-based seed firm ff Venture Capital involves helping entrepreneurs of all stages and walks of life achieve their startup dreams, aspirations that can at times be daunting.

Related: The 5 Must-Have Elements of a Flawless Pitch

Douglas Merrill of ZestFinance.
Partner at VC firm ff Venture Capital John Frankel

"Building a company can be a lonely journey for many entrepreneurs," he says. "Successful entrepreneurs need to overcome enormous hurdles as they build their businesses. We are in the business of helping them do so. Through financial capital, intellectual capital and relevant resources, we are empowering them to build great businesses."

He seems to be doing a pretty good job at it. Frankel has been an early-stage investor since 1999. Some of his prominent investments include talent management company Cornerstone OnDemand (IPO in 2011) search engine marketing company Quigo Technologies (acquired by AOL for a reported $340 million) and social media analytics website Klout, among the other 180 investments.

Prior to jumping into investment, Frankel worked at investment firm Goldman Sachs where he held various roles revolving around technology development, reengineering and capital markets.

Related: An Online Platform That Simplifies Investor Relations

For this month only, Frankel is answering your questions on real-world issues entrepreneurs face. Feel free to ask startup questions, including queries about fundraising, hiring, building a team and handling the challenges of being an entrepreneur.

Have a question for Entrepreneur's experts? Submit your questions in the comments section below or tweet us, using the hashtag #ENTexpert. Include your first and last name, your location (city and state) and the name of your business.

Andrea Huspeni

Founder of This Dog's Life

Andrea Huspeni is the former special projects director at Entrepreneur.com and the founder of This Dog's Life.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Career

Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path for 2024? Here's the Verdict

Consumer services is a broad field with a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Here's what you should consider before choosing it as a career path.

Business News

'Creators Left So Much Money on the Table': Kickstarter's CEO Reveals the Story Behind the Company's Biggest Changes in 15 Years

In an interview with Entrepreneur, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor explains the decision-making behind the changes, how he approaches leading Kickstarter, and his advice for future CEOs.

Business Ideas

87 Service Business Ideas to Start Today

Get started in this growing industry, with options that range from IT consulting to childcare.