Who We Are
We focus on companies with $2mm to $30mm of run-rate revenue, with year over year growth of 20% to 50%+ depending on size. We value founders that are cash efficient, scrappy, and pragmatic. We can invest anywhere in the US and abroad. We prefer leading, but can also follow. We like plain-vanilla preferred stock in traditional growth rounds but can also do ‘special situations’ like inside rounds, rushed rounds, bridges, recaps, and restructurings.
We’re currently investing out of our 8th fund and our check is $1mm to $2mm. We can commit to a deal in as little as 4 weeks. Our portfolio is diverse and includes software, marketplaces, and e-commerce. We welcome cold emails so reach out any time to sammy@blossomstreetventures.com.
Our Team
Sammy Abdullah
Co-Founder, Chair, and Managing Partner
Sammy chairs the board of Blossom Street Ventures and manages the day to day operations. Along with Kevin, he co-founded the firm. His primary responsibilities are to source and diligence new opportunities, oversee the portfolio, and handle investor relations.
Kevin Vela
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Kevin Vela is a founding partner at Vela Wood Law. He focuses his practice in the areas of technology transactions, venture financings, M&A and corporate law. Throughout his career, he has represented both startups and investors in over $500M in venture financings. Kevin teaches Venture Law at SMU’s Dedman School of Law. He was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, a Super Lawyer in 2021, received Best Lawyer in Dallas designation by D Magazine in 2016, 2020, and 2021 and is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow.
Robert Johnson
Managing Partner
Shortly after graduating Colgate University in 1994, Robert joined software startup Sundance Digital where he became CEO and majority shareholder. The company grew to become one of the world’s largest providers of software to automate television stations. In 2006 the company was sold to Avid Technology. After leaving Avid, Robert became involved in the oil & gas industry where he consolidated production assets which he ultimately sold. In 2008 Robert founded TeamSupport which provides enterprise-class B2B customer service software. TeamSupport was acquired by a NYC based private equity fund in 2018 and Robert stepped away from the day to day CEO role in late 2020 but remains on the board. Robert is active in the Dallas entrepreneur community and serves on the Mayor’s Task Force on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and is also a Trustee at Colgate University.
Craig Peus
Managing Partner
Craig has served as CEO, COO, and CFO of technology and energy companies. He has significant experience in M&A, private placements, and private equity.
Pepe
The boss of all bosses
The real power broker at BSV, no deal gets done without Pepe’s blessing. Any success we’ve had is 100% attributable to his invaluable contributions. Pepe is also Head of Naps and Minister of Treats at headquarters, and he’s always ahead of quota on both.
Mark Clark
Board Member
Mark is a Senior Partner at O2Works, a premier Oracle E-Business Suite services provider, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Mark started his career with Oracle Corporation as one of their first Applications Consultants, and later founded two globally focused consulting firms concentrating on Oracle Applications. He has worked with enterprise customers across a wide variety of industries and geographies since 1990. He has served on the board of directors for the Oracle Applications User Group for several terms and recently completed a two year term as their president.
Davis Deadman
Board Member
Davis has been a Partner with Advantage Storage since 2012. In this role, he is responsible for sourcing and executing on new acquisitions and development activity. Davis also currently serves on the board of directors for both Triumph Savings Bank, SSB and Triumph Business Capital. From 2004 to 2011, he served as CEO and President of NexBank. Before NexBank, he served as a Senior Portfolio Manager, and ultimately as a partner, with Highland Capital Management L.P. He oversaw various real estate investments for the firm, including the notable $200+ million Chase Tower (Dallas CBD Office) acquisition.
Thomas Gaunt
Board Member
Tom has been an executive in the software business for over 25 years. He has managed exponential growth at early stage companies, such as Macromedia. More recently Tom was SVP of Worldwide Sales at Rogue Wave Software, a leading provider of enterprise-class software tools and components. Tom also serves on the board of directors for Executive Networks and Readers 2 Leaders, a non-profit organization based in Dallas, Texas.
Tim Hamick
Board Member Emeritus & Advisor
Tim is a board member emeritus and advisor to BSV. Previously, Tim was the COO and a consultant for BubbleLife Media, a digital media and content publishing startup. Prior to that, he was co-owner and managing principal of 2ndLAW Media, an interactive ad agency, which he sold in May of 2013. Tim has run divisions of financial services firms for Merill Lynch, where he was a managing director, and Southwest Securities, where he held the title of executive vice president.
Bruce MacFadyen, CFA
Board Member
Bruce is COO and Managing Director of Recurring Capital, an investment firm that specializes in debt and equity financing for Software as a Service and other recurring revenue model technology-driven companies. His background spans from executive roles with early stage technology companies (recently Armor Cloud Security and Door) to private equity (Recurring Capital and Blossom Street Ventures) to public equity (Atlas Capital and HOLT/Credit Suisse).
Stephanie Alsbrooks Hanson
Board Member
Stephanie is the CEO and co-founder of Clean Layer. Prior to Clean Layer, Stephanie was the CEO and founder of defi SOLUTIONS which served the need for origination systems to the meet the speed and flexibility needs of new and fast-growing auto lenders. She is a leader in the Auto Finance industry with 20 years experience creating risk based technology solutions for auto and emergency cash lenders. defi had a significant exit in 2019, leading Stephanie to start Clean Layer in early 2020.
The Numbers
24
Companies Funded
26
Invested
2
Check Size
2-4
Decision Process
