Larry Augustin (fmr CEO VA Linux, SugarCRM) and the magical secrets of IRS Form 990 - D.F.A. #12:

Ever wondered how to transition from being a 'typical investor' to a board member? This week's issue features an in-depth interview with a tech veteran who shares his insights, and more!

I first became familiar with SugarCRM when realtor/developer and all-around cool tech guy Fred Schoeneman told me about it in 2006. We were standing at Elmwood Realty, the real estate office co-owned by Fred’s older sister Sarah, and he told me, “Adam, there’s a CRM that’s so good, and it’s actually free!” This was only a few years after Salesforce had come out, so I could barely believe it. Today, SugarCRM has 2M+ users across 120 countries.

Nearly 20 years later, I’m friends with former CEO Larry Augustin and also co-founder Clint Oram. They’re two of the smartest guys I’ve ever met in CRM, and CRM is absolutely my favorite area. As I’ve broken into venture capital as an investor, Larry has given me much wise advice, not just on startups, and who to work with, but on the lens with which I evaluate companies. It’s one thing to have an area of specialisation. I’ve always been good at CRM, I’ve written a bunch of books about it. But, wow, working with Larry has really helped me see comp…