SEAF Contact/Opportunity --> I need your feedback

[Sarah Clark]

Hi Team,

How has your week been going? And Michael, how did you interview go last week?? I've been thinking of you! I just returned yesterday from a raucous 5-day weekend in Mexico City (Sunday was Mexican independence day :).

Last week I had a great Skype call with Genta Arovas, COO at SEAF: http://seaf.com 

I've been in touch with several people at SEAF over the last few months about a potential Investment Officer position in Lima, Peru. I'm not moving forward with the investment officer opportunity (it ended up being below my skill level), but Genta would like to share my CV as well as a description of Catalyze Ventures with all of her managing directors so that they may contact me as a consultant if they need specific help with one of the agribusinesses in which they invest. This is a really great connection!

I'm planning to send to her two documents: (1) An updated version of my CV which lists my specific skill set and services as an independent consultant, and (2) Our description of Catalyze Ventures' approach/services, including our 3 bios. I'll re-iterate with Genta that the Catalyze Ventures team is available for any food safety and quality-specific projects, and that I am available independently for any OTHER agribusiness-specific projects such as developing investment exit strategies, market analysis and technical assistance regarding value chain development for their portfolio companies, etc. (because my individual skill set is broader than food safety and quality).  

Although I'm not going to mention the bill rates in the first introductory email that she'll forward to her managing directors, if one of the SEAF offices contacts me regarding our services, the bill rate ($125/hour) will be the same for both myself as an independent contractor as well as the Catalyze Ventures team, so that there is no bias for one service over the other. 

How does this all sound to you both? Are you both okay with me forwarding your bios within our Catalyze Ventures description?

Thanks!

Sarah

[Artavazd Hakobyan]

Hi Sarah,

 

Sounds good to me.  Good luck!!!

 

Cheers,

Art

[Sarah Clark]

Thanks Art! I'll keep you posted!

Cheers,

Sarah

[Michael Reading]

Hi team,

Sounds good Sarah! I'm continually impressed by your hustle. Depending on what shape Catalyze Ventures takes in the future, we might want to consider bringing more of these other services under its umbrella, to offer clients a broader scope, but as of now, I think your delineation makes perfect sense.

And thank you for thinking of me on Friday! I think it went pretty well. The presentation was a challenge b/c I essentially had to prepare recommendations and field question for an organization that I only know from the outside. And most of the audience was over video conference. But hopefully it went well. It's unclear when I'll hear back - estimates from HR and my final interviewers are next week or the following. Once again though, I really like everyone I met from the group.

Sarah, sounds like an awesome trip you took! I looked over some of the pics on FB.

-Michael

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Michael L. Reading
Master of International Business - The Fletcher School | Tufts University

Climate CoLab Fellow -  Center for Collective Intelligence | MIT

+1.612.860.3099 | Twitter | LinkedIn

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[Sarah Clark]

Thanks Michael! And Im sure your presentation went swimmingly!! I love these updates, thanks! 

I'm planning to send Genta our materials tomorrow or early next week once I update my CV, and I'll keep you posted on what I hear from her!

BTW, I'm still waiting to hear from Fernando Salas about setting up a conference call with SADE Group. I'll check in with him again next week if I don't hear from him.

All the best,

Sarah

[Michael Reading]

Thank you Sarah! I'll keep you posted!

-Michael

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Michael L. Reading
Master of International Business - The Fletcher School | Tufts University

Climate CoLab Fellow -  Center for Collective Intelligence | MIT

+1.612.860.3099 | Twitter | LinkedIn

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