Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Nature of operations

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Nature of operations
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Nature of operations  
Nature of operations

Note 1 - Nature of operations

 

                History (1985 – 2008)

 

Mentor Capital, Inc. (“Mentor” or “the Company”) was founded as an investment partnership by the current CEO in 1985 and incorporated July 29, 1994, under the laws of the State of California. On September 12, 1996, the Company’s offering statement was qualified pursuant to Regulation A of the Securities Act, and the Company began to trade its shares publicly. On August 21, 1998, the Company filed voluntary reorganization with the bankruptcy court and, on January 11, 2000, the Company emerged from Chapter 11. The Company contracted to provide financial assistance and investment into small businesses following its reorganization.

 

                Current Business (2008 - 2013)

 

Since the August 2008, name change back to Mentor Capital, Inc., the Company’s common stock has traded publicly under the trading symbol OTC Markets: MNTR.

 

In 2009, the Company began focusing its investing activities in leading edge cancer companies. In 2012, in response to government limitations on reimbursement for highly technical and expensive cancer treatments and a resulting business decline in the cancer development sector, the Company decided to exit that space.  In the summer of 2013 the Company was asked to consider investing in a cancer related project with a medical marijuana focus.   On August 29, 2013, the Company made a decision to divest of its cancer assets and focus all future investments in the cannabis and medical marijuana sector.  

 

Effective January 1, 2014, Mentor purchased an additional 1% interest in Waste Consolidators, Inc. (“WCI”) for $25,000 which resulted in a 51% ownership in WCI.  At December 31, 2013, Mentor’s investment in WCI was recorded under the equity method.  In accordance with Accounting Standard Codification 810-10, Consolidation – Overall, on January 1, 2014 Mentor remeasured its previously held equity interest at the acquisition-date fair value and recognized the resulting gain on investment in subsidiary, see Note 17.  WCI was incorporated in Colorado in 1999 and operates in Arizona.  It is a legacy investment which was acquired prior to the Company’s current focus on the cannabis sector and is included in the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 and reported as an investment under the equity method at December 31, 2013.

 

On February 18, 2014, the Company signed an agreement to purchase a 51% interest in MicroCannaBiz, LLC (“MCB”), for $200,000, see Note 11.  MCB is a Limited Liability Company organized in Florida in January 2014 which began operations in June 2014.  MCB provides cannabis and marijuana related private companies, investors and microcap issuers with information resources including client company specific publications, directories, and continuing education courses.   MCB operations are included in the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014. 

 

On February 28, 2014, the Company acquired a 60% ownership in Bhang Chocolate Company, Inc. (“Bhang”), see Note 5 regarding the purchase and subsequent Mentor lawsuit seeking rescission of the agreement.  Amounts invested in Bhang are reported as Receivable from Bhang Chocolate Company shareholders in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2014.