Home | First Avenue Ventures

A Private Business Incubator in Birmingham, Alabama

We Need to Save Birmingham’s Entrepreneurial Scene

by Mike Goodrich | May 29, 2020 | 2020, Birmingham, COVID-19, Entrepreneurialism, Financing, Start-Ups | 0 Comments

I am still not sure how COVID-19 will ultimately effect start-up funding, but I do believe that we can safely assume that there will be less of it in the coming years. How exactly will this play out? I don’t know. But the question I have now is whether institutional...

Why Now Is Not the Time for SAFES and Convertible Notes

by Mike Goodrich | May 1, 2020 | 2020, Business Lessons, COVID-19, Entrepreneurialism, Financing, Start-Ups | 0 Comments

Pre-COVID-19, I told someone that I did not like SAFEs and convertible notes. I wish I could find that person now; I would assume a little more credence. Regardless, for what it’s worth, I didn’t like convertible debt or SAFEs before COVID-19. Now, I really...

A Better Framework

by Mike Goodrich | April 24, 2020 | 2020, Birmingham, Business Lessons, COVID-19, Entrepreneurialism, Start-Ups | 0 Comments

Originally posted on Mike Goodrich's LinkedIn page First, I hope everyone is still safe and well. And by safe and well, I’m not just talking about the physical ills of COVID-19. I mean mental health as well. I’m noticing in myself the challenges of...

Looking Ahead by Looking Back

by Mike Goodrich | April 17, 2020 | 2020, Entrepreneurialism, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Start-Ups | 0 Comments

Originally posted on Mike Goodrich's LinkedIn page Since we are still in a humanitarian crisis, pontificating on the financial crisis remains conjecture and speculation. Of course, however, as we work from home, readjusting our near-term schedules and work...

Brief Update on Current Situation

by Mike Goodrich | April 2, 2020 | 2020, Birmingham | 0 Comments

Originally posted on Mike Goodrich's LinkedIn page First and foremost, we hope you are personally safe and secure. We’re living in extraordinary times, and we pray that the humanitarian cost is much lower than the dire predictions for this outbreak. Second, this...

2019 Business Books: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

by Mike Goodrich | March 9, 2020 | 2020, Books and Resources, Entrepreneurialism | 0 Comments

Originally posted on Mike Goodrich's LinkedIn page Ever since reading James B. Stewart’s Den of Thieves, I have enjoyed books with good business narratives. Arguably, reading about real-life greed, boardroom antics, corporate in-fighting, executive arrogance and...

Marathons and Start-Ups

by Mike Goodrich | February 20, 2020 | 2020, Birmingham, Business Lessons, Entrepreneurialism, Start-Ups | 0 Comments

Originally posted on Mike Goodrich's LinkedIn page The Mercedes Marathon was this weekend. Patrick Koech won with a time of 2:25:40 or 5:34 a per mile. Running slightly over five-and-a-half minutes per mile for one mile is phenomenal, much less 26. Those of you who...

Bootstrapping a Board

by Mike Goodrich | January 31, 2020 | 2020, Birmingham, Board Membership, Business Lessons, Entrepreneurialism, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses | 0 Comments

You may be a construction worker working on a homeYou may be living in a mansion or you might live in a domeYou might own guns and you might even own tanksYou might be somebody's landlord, you might even own banksBut you're gonna have to serve somebody, yesYou're...

Building An Outdoor Fire

by Mike Goodrich | January 23, 2020 | 2020 | 0 Comments

With the new season, now is the time I love to make an outdoor fire. Nothing beats watching the glow of a fire with a nice drink in hand, basking in the warmth of one (or both). No one checks their phone around an outdoor fire. They sit and talk quietly: a...

Is Social Capital Doing Good?

by Mike Goodrich | December 17, 2019 | 2019, Social Capital and Social Entrepreneurialism, Social Capital Series | 0 Comments

You know who’s not good at fighting fires? Arsonists. - Anand Giridharadas In the late nineteenth century, New York City had a huge pollution problem: horses. Specifically, horse poop, which littered the streets. The average...

First Avenue Ventures is passionate about Birmingham’s entrepreneurs. We are building a private business incubator dedicated to serving entrepreneurial companies. We help with strategy, accountability, marketing, and financing and we can leverage our network and expertise to accelerate your company.

We work to become your trusted partner towards meeting and exceeding your organization’s expectations and accelerating your growth. Our ultimate goal is to see Birmingham businesses thrive in the city we love.

Brands in our current portfolio include Alabama Outdoors, Select My Space, Market Table and Lobby Display by Spruce.

The principal of First Avenue Ventures is T Michael Goodrich, II.