I was born and raised in Vermont, Brandon area :)Waterbury is a great town for both Pizza and Ice Cream!!

I currently run a business called Twistee Treat (ice cream shop) and have 3 locations here in Houston.

For me, choosing between the two is like trying to choose between chocolate and strawberry ice cream.

The problem with the youtubers is that they tell you there are ice cream venders out there, but they don't tell you some ice cream has listeria.

If I were buying I would pick a dog near the T over a cream puff where I had to catch a bus to the T in February. 

The platforms do a great job with investor education and you have a chance to dig into each deal (even if you don't invest) to see how they evaluate the various investments.Only the cream of the crop (experienced sponsor, reserves, background checks, etc) make it onto the platform so you benefit from their due diligence in addition to your own.Regarding accredited only - it's not that they don't want your money, trust me.

Don't write a check Wal-Mart with shaving cream and deordant in the basket.

Use it to build traffic since you need to fill the funnel at the top with lots of prospects to be able to select the cream of the crop.

There may be competition, but the cream ALWAYS rises to the top.

Columbus Real Estate and Money, CREAM, is also a great group.