About Scott Hinkle

Hello,

Who is Scott Hinkle? Let me tell you a little about myself…

I’m a blue-collar, IT worker in the Sacramento, California area.  I’ve been in IT since 1996 and computers and networking is something I’ve always enjoyed since I got my first Apple Macintosh back in 1984.  My hobbies include SCUBA diving, sailing, travel, drones (droning?), skiing, aviation, and now, crowdfunding/angel investing.

I got into the crowdfunding/angel investing ring in 2019 after seeing a well-placed ad, from another Angel Investing membership platform, that let me know the little guy can finally play the game.

I joined that platform but quickly realized that they were more about getting signups and promoting their other offerings vs. providing reasonably vetted opportunities and real guidance to their membership. They were also very controlling, having to moderate every step of the communication process, which really made it difficult to network and build relationships.

That’s when I created this platform (Angel Powwow), to facilitate the sharing of information and help build relationships (aka your network). 

My investment experience has been limited to investing in stocks and mutual funds, my company’s 401k offering, and, recently, angel investing.  Although I’m doing OK with my other investment platforms, angel investing has really captured my attention and has gotten me genuinely excited about investing.  Before, it was just a necessity for my future, but now it has become an intriguing world for me to explore and learn about.

I never cared for stocks, bonds, and traditional investing platforms.  I simply invested my monies and moved on, letting it grow (hopefully), using a “set it and forget it approach.”

Angel investing has me wanting to be involved beyond simply handing over money.  Yes, I make investments that look good on paper. Still, I really get excited when I find one that also relates to something I’m passionate about like renewable energy, cleaning up the environment, electric vehicles, drones, and so on.

Then there’s that feeling of satisfaction I get from knowing that my contribution has helped a company get on its feet and grow.  What’s truly exciting though is, if I have a skill set or knowledge base that aligns with that company’s focus and direction, I can offer my experience and services to them, providing a real “hands-on” contribution.  You just can’t do that via other investing platforms.

Maybe that’s silly, but I really like being able to help others in general (something I didn’t discover until recently).  By being involved, I found I had a knack and desire to help out.  That’s another reason I built this site.  I’m hoping that others like me, who are passionate for or, at the very least, curious about angel investing, can congregate and share their knowledge and experiences with each other.

I hope that by sharing information, insights, opinions, and experiences, we can all make better informed investing decisions.

I find angel investing to be very promising and exciting, and I hope you do too.

A summary about me:

  • Name: Scott Hinkle
  • Investor and Founder of Angel Powwow
  • Region: West Coast
  • Investments: 43 (as of July 2020)
  • Background/Expertise: IT – I started way back in the ’90s with an ISP (Internet Service Provider), moved onto an MSP (Managed Services Provider), and am now in compliance (HIPAA, NIST, etc.). Photography – I’ve also had a 10-year stint of traveling the country and selling my photography at various art shows, a passion of mine since high school.
  • What I like to do in my free time:
    • Sail – My general rule-of-thumb is to take at least one major vacation each year if not two. Many times this results in me renting a monohull or catamaran for a week or two and hitting a tropical destination.
    • SCUBA Diving – I love the water and being underwater for long periods is both relaxing and invigorating. This is also why I usually go to some tropical destination.
    • Drones – Drones are just loads of fun. I love them so much that I created a website just to share my enthusiasm. I currently have three, and I don’t think I have enough, LOL.
    • Crowdfunding/Angel Investing – Sure, we’re here to make money, but I actually find all of this fun and exciting. Just as I did with my drone hobby, I created a website for angel investors and even became the Virtual Chapter Coordinator for one of the more well-known Angel Investing membership platforms.
    • Skiing – Snow, down-hill (although it’s been a few years since I’ve hit the slopes).
    • Aviation – I’ve been working on my private pilot cert on and off for several years. It’s either time or money, but I never seem to have both simultaneously.

The funny thing is, most of these like-to-do’s fit into my ideal vacation: Aviation (to fly myself to my destination), sailing (anchoring somewhere tropical), diving (jumping off the back of that boat into the warm waters), droning (flying to capture part of the experience), and catching up with the angel investing community to see what’s new (I’m attached to my gadgets.  I can’t stay disconnected for long periods).

Sorry for droning on (no pun intended).  Enjoy this site, and feel free to contact me at any time.

Thank you,

Scott Hinkle