Many in the world are waking up to the huge importance of entrepreneurs – who create high quality jobs and innovations that change people’s quality of life.  Entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, universities, and a wide variety of community leaders have known about this for a long time, but now the public and elected officials are also seeing it.

They’re also celebrating entrepreneurs and now angel investors in a series of events, proclamations, articles and other programs:

• Global Entrepreneurship Week – “GEW,” which is all this week, is the world’s largest celebration of entrepreneurship and is the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.  During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. These activities, from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings, connect participants to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors—introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities.

• Global Business Angels Day – The first ever “GBAD” (I’m still thinking on that acronym) is a part of GEW, aimed at highlighting the role that business angels play in helping new firms start and scale – driving innovation, jobs, and economic growth around the world.  ACA and our colleague angel associations all over the world are part of the celebration – including Canada, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

By: Christopher Mirabile, ACA Board and Launchpad Venture Group

This post originally appeared on Inc.com

If you can’t describe what a great mentor does, you’ve probably never had one.  A great mentor relationship is actually a pretty rare and special thing.  It doesn’t come about all that often, and it’s not something that can be forced.  But it is worth trying to find one or more if you can, because having great mentors can be so powerfully helpful. 

By: Marianne Hudson, ACA Executive Director

This post originally appeared on Forbes.com

Dave Berkus is one of the most successful angels I know.  He has made 108 investments in early-stage companies and has an IRR of 97 percent.  Dave is a special case – he is a top speaker, expert in corporate governance, and has a valuation methodology named after him – even so, are there insights smart angels can pick up from this Los Angeles-based investor?

What is it about Dave that makes him that good? More to the point--are there traits we can emulate from successful angels like him?

By: Elizabeth Usovicz, General Manager of Transaction Commons, as part of a series she writes for ACA aimed at entrepreneurs, "Your Pitch is Just the Beginning."

Call it high optimism.  Every entrepreneur puts a positive spin on his or her situation occasionally. Maybe you’ve done it yourself: your deal with a big customer is only days away from closing; the next version of your product will be released in less than a month. Marketing is, after all, presenting a product, service or brand in the best possible light, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s crossing the line from positive spin into wishful thinking that leads to trouble.

When startups cross the line, it’s often in an effort to get to “yes” prematurely with an investor or business partner. Unfortunately, the results can be far-reaching.

By: Robert Fisher, CEO of Fisher Tanner Associates. He is a member of Ohio Tech Angels, X-Squared Angels, and the Angel Capital Association.

Editor’s Note:  The opinions in this post are from the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Angel Capital Association.

Funding small companies through the issuance of private securities has proven to be among the most productive and efficient means of spurring innovation and job creation. A new recommendation from an advisory committee seeking to redefine who is qualified to invest in small companies puts undue focus on predicting levels of theoretical risk to unprotected investors. Such a redefinition is apt to constrain capital and damage the large and flourishing market for small company funding in place today. This blog reviews the issue and proposes a more balanced risk/benefit approach with the objective of increasing the capital available for new private investment while minimally affecting risk levels for investors or adding friction to today’s funding process.