The Venture Edge

In 1985, brothers Arnie and Ron Koss started the country's first organic baby food manufacturer. The company they started -- Earth's Best Baby Food -- was eventually acquired by H.J. Heinz for $30 million, but not before Arnie was removed as president of the company by the same venture capitalists who provided the funds they needed to survive and grow. The brothers recently wrote a book about their experience: The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution (Chelsea Green Publishing, March 2010). The following guest post -- 8 Tips for Finding Angel Investors -- was written by Arnie Koss, a man who knows a thing or two (or three) about angel investors.

Today Stonyfield Farm -- a subsidiary of Groupe Danone -- is the leading producer of organic yogurt in the world, with more than $300 million in annual sales.However, the path the company traveled to get to this place was frought with uncertainty and near-disaster. Stonyfield Farm -- which originated with an organic farming school in New Hampshire -- opened for business in 1983 with CEO Gary Hirshberg's vision for the future and a $35,000 loan from the Institute for Community Economics. The business started with seven Jersey cows and by the end of the year was steadily producing 150 cases of yogurt a week.