Takes time to find the right people to invest with. It took me 15 years. I found the right people but even then not everything turns to gold. It also as you say takes time to build up a nugget to invest with. I tend to look at things in $50K buckets, especially starting out and there are still things in the acredited investor world you can get into at $50K. I dont want to loose $50K but no one has to go to jail if i loose it. If I lose $200K I am going to be wearing orange!