Howard Helfant - Marketing Consultant

Operating a restaurant is a time-consuming job, and many restaurateurs don’t mind working long hours. When Howie Helfant opened his restaurant in Miami, Howie Helfant knew he would have to invest a lot to get it operational. In the first few months, it was not uncommon for him to be the first one in and the last one to leave. Many restaurateurs report to work in the late morning, at which point they have some tasks to accomplish before the busy lunch period. First, they have to go through reports from other managers on what happened the previous night. The owner has to stay updated on customer complaints, food items that need to be re-stocked, and any scheduling conflicts among staff. They also have to check the accounting records on a daily basis. When the restaurant opens its doors, it’s important the owner be ready and dressed to meet customers as they come in. It’s quite important for a restaurant owner to recognize names and faces; successful restaurants can attrac...

Boca Raton, Florida is one of the wealthiest communities in the United States, and as such was recognized by Howard Helfant as a vital part of his venture capital investment efforts. Boca Raton is the corporate headquarters of Office Depot, ADT and the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. The relationship between Boca Raton and IBM, which began in 1967 with the building of the main complex gave Boca Raton an early reputation as a center for technological development. It gave birth to the IBM PC and later produced VoiceType Dictation, the OS/2 system and ViaVoice voice recognition software. IBM continues in Boca Raton today in its software development laboratory at Beacon Square.  Howard Helfant also values Boca Raton as a center for public and private venture capitalists due to its value as a headquarters for a variety of corporations. The GEO Group, American Media, FriendFinder Networks, Luxury Resorts, Jarden, Vitacost and BMI Gaming are all based in Boca Raton. The...

Howard Helfant lifelong career in investing has taught him that venture capitalists may take on a great deal of risk with investments in unproven companies. But they may be motivated by the possibility of taking a controlling percentage over the company ownership and decisions, as well as their value. In this case, the venture capitalists in control provide not only financing but business model advice and marketing strategies to maximize the success of the endeavor. Howard Helfant’s career in marketing and venture capital investing has revealed to him the importance of the business networks which both public and private capital investing creates for new firms. These networks help new businesses grow. As the networks expand, new and struggling startups may be identified and approached with financing possibilities, which in turn provide mentoring, marketing and the technical expertise to succeed. Howard Helfant world of venture capitalists is far different than those that...