The Right Time

Finding the perfect time to do anything is frequently a challenge.  I’m never quite sure when to buy a new cell phone.  I always want the latest and the greatest, but the early adopters always pay a premium.  Should you forgo the technological improvements in order to wait until your contract is due, or bite the bullet and pay full price for improved functionality?  It’s hard to undervalue improved productivity, but are these really features that make a difference?

The stock market is even more challenging.  The volatility in the recent months has made securities investing riskier and harder to swallow.  Countless people have watched portfolio values cut in half, when long proven technical wisdom suggests that securities values always increase in the long term.  It’s hard to self-justify that our economic downturn is just another bump in the road.  But obviously, there are some undervalued equities out there, and clear thinking opportunists will profit.

It’s the same with entrepreneurship.  There are always good reasons why this is not the right time to pursue a new opportunity or start your own venture.  At the same time, change always opens the door to new possibilities.  The wrong time for one person represents the sweet spot of golden opportunity for the next.

At OCTANe we try not to encourage people to take new risks, but rather, try to help those that are committed to finding new opportunities.  Unemployment rates and “under-employment” rates (referring to those that are working in situations that fail to utilize an employee’s full potential) are estimated at 15-20%.  At the same time, the pool of available technical talent is arguably at an all time high.  Investors are wary of unproven technologies and reluctant to fund companies that don’t have a clear pathway to exit or commercial success.  At the same time, there is a pool of un-invested capital sitting on the sidelines looking for the right opportunity.  Simultaneously, companies looking to maintain focus in their strategic directions are divesting valuable technologies at discount prices.  Universities, in the face of reduced public and private support, are still the epicenters of innovation, and are highly motivated to license new, inventive technologies.

So, while I am not sure if I should purchase the new iPhone 3GS, and while it’s hard to stomach the volatility of the S&P 500, I am convinced that innovation will be the catalyst of our nation’s economic recovery.  And while there are many good reasons not to start a new business in 2009, in many regards, the variables associated with success are highly supportive of entrepreneurship.

At OCTANe, we act as a networking hub to combine talented individuals, innovative technologies, and educated investors.  Our goal is to help new companies get started, assist young companies in achieving their desired success and profitability, encourage the creation of new jobs in Orange County, and ultimately aid in our economy’s return to stability, growth, and prosperity.  This is the right time for OCTANe.