If you're serious about
building something -
I've been there.
35 years of building real companies across every environment imaginable. Early-stage founders with serious ambitions get my full attention - whatever the venture, however unconventional the path.
I work with early-stage
founders who are building
something real.
Not PowerPoint founders. Not idea-stage founders. Founders who are already in motion - building, selling, hiring, raising, or fighting through the moment where most companies fail. That's the moment I was made for.
I don't care how risky the venture is. The riskier it is, the more useful I probably am. Every company I've ever built or worked on was one the conventional world didn't fully understand or believe in. That's not a red flag - that's the best possible starting position.
I take an equity stake, a small position, or a structured arrangement that works for where you actually are - because I operate as a partner with skin in the game, not a consultant billing hours while you carry all the risk.
Structure & Entity Strategy
Cap table, operating agreement, equity split, founder protections - built right the first time so it doesn't blow up later.
Capital Strategy & Fundraising
When to raise, how much, from whom - and what you're actually giving away when you do. I've been on both sides of that table.
Deal Negotiation & Term Sheet Review
What it actually says, who it actually protects, and what you should push back on. Straight read, no agenda.
Crisis Navigation & Turnaround
When the company is fighting for its life - shrinking runway, bad partner, legal problem, whatever it is - I've been there and I know how to move.
Pattern Recognition You Haven't Earned Yet
35 years of what works, what blows up, and what everyone learns the hard way. Yours to borrow before you have to pay for it yourself.
The situations where
35 years of experience
actually matters.
You're building something your market doesn't fully understand yet and you need someone who can help you frame the story for investors.
You got a term sheet and something feels off. You want a straight read from someone who's been on both sides of that table.
Your entity structure made sense when you started. Now you're growing and you're not sure it still does.
You need capital but you don't want to give away more than you should or take it from the wrong person.
You're at a crossroads - a key hire, a pivot, a partnership - and you want someone with real pattern recognition before you commit.
You built something with real traction. Now you need to think about what comes next - scale, raise, or exit - and you want a peer, not a pitch.
You're moving fast in a regulated or unconventional space and you need someone who isn't scared of the territory.
Every advisor you've met charges $500 an hour and speaks in frameworks. You want someone who has actually built something and will tell you the truth.
If any of this resonates, reach out. I work with a select number of early-stage founders at a time and the conversation costs nothing.
No deck. No intake form. No hourly rate. Just a real conversation.
Everything else on the table
Early-Stage Company Building
This is the work I'm most passionate about. Founders in motion, ventures nobody else believes in yet, companies fighting for survival - this is exactly the environment where 35 years of hard experience actually matters.
Capital Formation & Investment Structure
From term sheets to closing documents, I architect investment structures that work for founders, investors, and operating entities. Equity, debt, hybrid, and creative instruments - built for the deal, not templated.
Strategic Advisory & Negotiations
High-stakes negotiations, critical pivots, and executive-level advisory for moments that define outcomes. Pattern recognition built from 35+ years across industries, courtrooms, and deal rooms.
Document & Agreement Engineering
Adversarial-grade contracts, operating agreements, and deal instruments that anticipate disputes before they arise. Precision and intentionality in every document.
Consumer Advocacy & Enforcement
Strategic advisory on rights and positioning under FDUTPA, ROSCA, and FTC Act. I advise on strategy and documentation; licensed counsel handles formal proceedings.
Special Situation Acquisitions
Active as a principal in acquiring properties held in estates and other special situations where complexity and legal process create opportunity. Selective and principals-only.
Built in the field,
not the classroom.
New River Advisors, LLC is the principal advisory practice of Andrew Deme - a serial entrepreneur, C-level executive, and strategic operator with 35+ years of experience across early-stage company building, capital formation, complex transactions, and operating in environments where the stakes are real and the margin for error is zero.
Andrew holds a BS in Finance from the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business. What followed was a career spent entirely in the fire - building companies from concept, running them through growth and crisis, raising capital, structuring deals, and operating at C-level across industries ranging from healthcare and clinical research to aviation, maritime, and early-stage technology.
He is also a man who has lived every chapter - not just the wins. His career has taken him through the full range of what business and life can throw at a person: extraordinary highs, significant setbacks, and a complete rebuild more than once. His neighbor, who watched it all unfold over many years, called him "The Resonance Man." The name stuck.
That full arc - the boardrooms, the courtrooms, the deals, the setbacks, and the rebuilds - is the curriculum he brings to every founder, every engagement, and every conversation.
- ▸$500M Bahamian Government Airport RFP - As Managing Director of Bahamas Aviation Services, assembled a world-class consortium including Merrill Lynch, Royal Bank of Canada, SNC Lavalin, SERCO Ltd, Kimley Horn, and HOK Architects. Led a 24-month pursuit exceeding $750K in costs. Finished 2nd among 12 international submissions; proposal recognized as "world class" by the Bahamian Government.
- ▸$15M Equity Raise - Kohlberg & Company - As Financial Consultant for Primary Care Medical Centers of America, secured a $15M equity investment from Kohlberg & Company, orchestrated a joint venture with Monsanto Health Solutions, and identified and negotiated the company's first acquisition valued at $8M.
- ▸400% Growth & Highest-Multiple Exit - NYSE - At MediTek Health Corporation, a HECIA subsidiary and NYSE-listed company, contributed to 400% company growth over three years, scaling to 20 facilities nationwide, culminating in a sale to US Diagnostics at the highest historical earnings multiple in the diagnostic imaging sector.
- ▸Clinical Trials - International Network - As President & COO/Founder of Immunity Care & Research LLC, built and led a multi-site clinical trial organization across Florida and the Caribbean with pharmaceutical partnerships including GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and DuPont.
- ▸AMEX-Listed Company Financial Operations - Director of Financial Operations at HPI, an American Stock Exchange-listed healthcare management company. Oversaw revenue cycle, corporate banking, investor relations, credit facility management, and capital raising.
- ▸Federal Civil Jury Trial Victory - Pro Se, 3 Days, 35-Minute Verdict- WatersClub investors sued Andrew in federal civil court in the Southern District of Florida. He defended himself pro se through a 3-day jury trial. The jury deliberated 35 minutes. Final Judgment: "Judgment is hereby entered in favor of Defendant Andrew Deme and against Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs shall recover nothing from Deme in this matter." - U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn, December 18, 2019. Afterward, Judge Cohn said two things: "You're one slick dude" - and - "You should have gone to law school."
- ▸WatersClub Holdings, Inc. - CEO, President & CFO- Built and led the first luxury mega-yacht sharing economy company in the sector - an "Airbnb for superyachts" model before anyone was calling it that. 100+ charters, $5M+ in revenues over 3+ years, exclusive contracts with high-end private luxury travel clubs, operations across the NE US, Bahamas, and Virgin Islands. The full story is on the Hear My Truth page.
I operate best when
the stakes are real
and the clock is running.
I've been a C-level executive for 35+ years. I've worn every hat there is in a business - CEO, COO, deal maker, operator, strategist, negotiator, capital raiser, and when necessary, the person who figures out how to keep the lights on when everyone else has stopped trying.
But here's what I've learned about myself that most executives won't admit: I am at my absolute best when a company is in duress. When the pressure is real, the options are shrinking, and most people in the room are starting to panic - that's when 35+ years of hard-won pattern recognition actually matters. Put me in a cash-rich company with no existential pressure and I'd be lost. I don't understand that environment because I've never lived in it.
My career has not been a straight line. I've built companies, lost companies, and navigated situations that would have finished most people. I've faced institutional adversity at a level that very few operators ever experience - and I came out the other side with more clarity, more directness, and more useful experience than I had going in. The full story is on the Hear My Truth page, for those who want it. What matters here is what I learned from it.
When everything fell apart - and I mean everything - my first move wasn't to hide or lay low. It was to go on offense. I immediately pursued and won a settlement against the attorneys who had served as SEC counsel for Waters Club - a 7-party agreement executed August 6, 2021. That instinct - to identify where the real accountability lies and move toward it, not away from it - is the same one I bring to every engagement and every founder I work with.
My neighbor watched all of it - the rises, the falls, and the rebuilds - over many years. He called me "The Resonance Man." I think he meant that I keep finding my frequency no matter what tries to knock me off it. I'll take that. The full story, unfiltered, is on the Hear My Truth page.
think about
the work.
Peer-Level Engagement
I engage as a strategic peer, not service providers. Every engagement starts with full understanding of what you're trying to achieve and what's actually at stake.
Precision Over Volume
I work on fewer things, better. Selective intake, deep engagement, and accountability for outcomes - not hours billed on the way to an uncertain result.
Cross-Domain Advantage
Most advisors specialize narrowly. I've operated across capital markets, law, early-stage companies, and select niche markets - the connections between them create edge.
Results-First Orientation
Speed, directness, and outcomes. I'm built for situations where the conventional approach isn't working and the clock is ticking.
The kinds of engagements
I'm built for.
I operate across a deliberately broad range of transaction types and advisory mandates. What follows isn't a comprehensive list - it's a representative picture of where I add the most value.
Founder & Early-Stage Company Advisory
This is the core of what I do. Operational and strategic advisory for founders at critical inflection points - structure decisions, capital strategy, key document negotiation, and executive-level problem solving across every stage of the build. I've built and operated companies myself across multiple industries. I engage as a peer with skin in the game, not a consultant billing hours.
01Investment Structuring & Deal Execution
From initial term sheet through closing documentation, I design investment structures that work - for founders, investors, and operating entities. Multi-party equity deals, preferred return mechanics, security interest packages (UCC-1), operating agreements, and shareholder agreements. Always deal-specific, never templated.
02Litigation Strategy & Dispute Advisory
Strategic business advisory for parties navigating civil disputes - general positioning strategy, negotiation approach, and connecting clients with the right licensed legal counsel. I am not an attorney and do not provide legal advice or legal representation. All legal strategy, document preparation, and representation must be handled by a licensed attorney.
03Contract & Agreement Drafting
Business document consulting for high-stakes situations - construction agreements, operating agreements, subcontractor packages, and settlement instruments. All documents should be reviewed by licensed counsel before execution.
04Consumer Enforcement & Recovery
General strategic guidance on consumer protection matters under Florida and federal law - including FDUTPA, ROSCA, and FTC Act frameworks. I provide business-level context and refer clients to licensed counsel for all legal action, filings, and formal legal proceedings. I am not an attorney and do not provide legal advice.
05Estate & Special Situation Acquisitions
Active as principals in a narrow niche - acquiring properties held in estates and other special situations where complexity, legal process, and motivated circumstances create opportunity. Selective and deal-by-deal.
06A partial list of industries I've worked across:
Tell me what
happened.
If you're working through something real - a deal, a dispute, a situation that needs someone who can actually move it - reach out directly. I don't do intake forms or 48-hour response windows.
Message received.
Thanks for reaching out. Andrew reviews every inquiry personally and will be in touch directly if there's a fit.
35 years of hard lessons.
Yours to borrow.
I've built companies, closed deals nobody thought would close, won in federal court without an attorney, and made every mistake in the book - sometimes twice. I'm at a point in my life where I want to give that back to founders who are serious about building something real. And I'm not interested in doing it from the sideline.
"Put me in a cash-rich company with no existential pressure and I'd be lost. But when the stakes are real, the options are shrinking, and most people in the room are starting to panic - that's when 35 years of hard experience actually matters."- Andrew Deme, Founder & Principal
Most advisors learned
from books. I learned
from losing - and winning.
My first pro se courtroom victory was in 1999 - opposing counsel wouldn't even look at me. That was a formative experience in understanding how legal systems work - one that informs how I advise founders on navigating disputes strategically. Any formal legal representation requires a licensed attorney; what I bring is the strategic and operational context that surrounds those decisions.
I've been CEO of a public yachting company. I've built and structured deals across cannabis, construction, maritime, and early-stage tech. I've handled admiralty litigation against Lloyd's of London. I've navigated SEC compliance, consumer protection matters, and complex multi-party transactions - always as a principal, not a spectator.
The capstone: while facing a federal criminal case, WatersClub investors simultaneously sued me in federal civil court. I defended myself pro se through a 3-day jury trial. The jury returned a complete verdict in my favor in 35 minutes. Judge James I. Cohn entered final judgment: "Plaintiffs shall recover nothing from Deme in this matter." Afterward, Judge Cohn said two things: "You're one slick dude" - and - "You should have gone to law school."
That's what I bring to founders. Not theory. Not a framework. A lifetime of operating at the edge of what most people think is possible - and the scars to prove I've been there.
- ->Is your structure actually right for what you're building - or is it a future lawsuit waiting to happen?
- ->That term sheet - what does it actually say, and who does it protect?
- ->When to raise, when not to, and what giving up equity really costs long-term
- ->How to negotiate from strength even when you don't have it yet
- ->What your operating agreement actually needs to say before your co-founder becomes your enemy
- ->The moment you need a lawyer - and the moment you're just paying for someone's hourly rate
- ->Reading a room, reading a deal, reading people - the skills no MBA teaches
- ->How to protect yourself when a partner, investor, or vendor goes sideways
- ->What "We Want the Truth" actually means when your back is against the wall
- ->What winning looks like - and what it costs before you get there
This is a value exchange,
not a charity.
Early-stage companies rarely have capital to pay advisory fees at market rates - I understand that better than most. But I also don't give away my time, experience, or judgment for free. If there's a fit, I structure something that works for where you actually are: equity, a small stake, a revenue-share, or a defined engagement when the deal closes. The form follows the situation. What doesn't change is that I operate as a genuine partner with skin in the game - not a consultant sending invoices while you carry all the risk.
Federal Civil Jury Trial - Pro Se. 3 Days. 35-Minute Verdict.
While facing a federal criminal case, WatersClub investors simultaneously sued me in federal civil court. I defended myself pro se through a 3-day trial. The jury deliberated 35 minutes and returned a complete defense verdict. Judge Cohn said two things afterward: "You're one slick dude" and "You should have gone to law school." What that built - in preparation, narrative, and composure under pressure - no law school teaches.
Deals Across Five Industries
Cannabis licensing, maritime litigation, construction contracts, early-stage tech - I've structured, negotiated, and closed deals across all of them as a principal. I know what makes a deal work and what makes it blow up, usually before it happens.
Adversity Is the Real MBA
Bad partners, attorney malpractice, consumer fraud, complex multi-party disputes - I've been in every one of those rooms. What I learned coming out the other side is worth more than any course, cohort, or accelerator program you could pay for.
The Maverick Method™™
Before AI, before platforms, before anyone called it "legal tech" - I was prevailing in my own disputes and closing deals most people said couldn't be closed. The mindset came first. The tools came later. That combination is what I bring to every founder I work with.
Serious builders only.
I've spent 35+ years operating in companies under pressure - fighting for survival, closing deals that had no business closing, and finding a way through situations that looked unwinnable. That's the environment I understand. That's where I'm most useful.
If your company is cash-rich, well-staffed, and humming along without any existential pressure - I'm genuinely not the right fit. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. But if you're early-stage, under-resourced, facing something that feels impossible, or standing at a crossroads that will define what comes next - that's exactly the environment I've spent my entire career learning to navigate.
Tell me what you're building and where you're stuck. That's enough to know if there's a conversation worth having.
- You're early-stage, under-resourced, and in the fire
- Your company is fighting for survival and you need someone who's been there
- You've got a deal, a term sheet, or a problem that needs a straight read
- You want honest feedback - even when it's not what you want to hear
- You have hustle and a real idea, but you need pattern recognition you haven't earned yet
- You can't afford full advisory rates but you have something worth betting on
- Your company is well-funded, stable, and not facing any real pressure
- You're looking for someone to validate a bad idea
- You want someone to do the work while you collect the upside
- You won't move when you get a clear answer
Tell me what happened.
No deck required. No formality. Tell me what you're building, where you're stuck, and what you've tried. That's enough to know if there's a conversation worth having.