Jonathan Hakakian
Senior Consultant – Managing Partner
“Perhaps then someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.” – RM Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
About Jonathan:
Growing up in a family business, Jonathan was exposed to the inner workings of building a company, instilling in him the owner mentality that encouraged his entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. With this strong foundation and a deep curiosity, he has built several businesses in industries in tech, SMB consulting, and real estate/construction.
Jonathan joined Sound Board in 2010 to focus on helping early stage entrepreneurs address their challenges head on as they move from concept to pilot to growth. And in 2012 Jonathan co-founded Sound Board Angel Fund to build a community of experienced entrepreneurs to formally invest in early-stage companies outside the major city centers. He has raised capital for the fund, directed the diligence process into a growing portfolio of 30 companies, and coached many of the portfolio’s entrepreneurs on their journeys.
He continues to work with mature companies to provide a startup perspective on the business model in order to establish clarity and provide alternative perspectives.
In Jonathan’s Words:
Having supported and analyzed over two thousand different businesses over 10 years, the teams’ execution and ability is more important than having “a good idea.” Leadership wins every time.
Understanding the inner workings of a business and the owner mentality have given me an empathetic perspective while staying true to driving towards results to support. I crave working with business owners to critically look at their marketplace, review the business from today’s competitive perspective, and create a plan to execute on key goals to drive growth.
I am truly passionate about guiding others through a process by stretching conversations, asking thought-provoking questions, serious analysis and unwavering faith that the benefits will outweigh the risks.
Our Soundboard team is comprised of highly motivated and excited individuals who push each other to, as the cliché has it, make today better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today! And I consider myself very fortunate to have found myself among such an inspiring, driven and successful group.
Jonathan Recommends Reading:
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levvit and Stephen J. Dubner
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Short Cuts by Raymond Carver