437: Fulcrum Investing and the State of Logic: How to Stand Out, Get Noticed, Build the Right Team, and Make Great Decisions with Kevin Van Eekeren

Kevin Van Eekeren started his career as a logistic officer for a SWAT team, which gave him insight into the criminal justice world, and he soon found that through training SWAT teams better he could reduce the use of force while bettering the national security of our country. Fulcrum Tactical was born out of that idea, and within 18 months he expanded it from a charity to a for-profit company. He started investing in startups on the side but focused on Fulcrum Tactical and his new venture, Fulcrum Farms a sustainable farm producing high-quality meat and eggs for families and restaurants in the Chicagoland area. After six years Kevin sold Fulcrum Tactical and moved on to investing in startups full-time by starting Fulcrum Investing. Kevin spends his free time co-hosting The State of Logic Podcast and has also continued his passion for farming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0cLd_BraAo Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “While we never want to hurt anyone's feelings, it's also important to give people our honest assessment of the possible ability for success of an idea or a company.” – Kevin Van Eekeren “It is the investor's job to call an ugly baby an ugly baby when necessary, in order to be the best person you can be for that entrepreneur.” – Kevin Van Eekeren “The CEO cannot be working in the business. He has to be working on the business.” – Kevin Van Eekeren Takeaways: 03:12 Media and information sources often prioritize sensationalism over truth, making critical thinking and fact-checking essential. 06:33 Quick, honest feedback is more valuable to entrepreneurs than prolonged, sugar-coated responses. 09:18 Startup success depends more on the quality of the founding team than the specific industry or product. 09:49 Successful investing requires a rigorous, objective process that removes personal bias and focuses on the entrepreneur's potential. 15:00 Building a business means focusing on the big picture strategy while empowering a skilled team to handle execution details. Resources The State of Logic (Podcast) Fulcrum Investing (Website) Kevin Van Eekeren (LinkedIn)