This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 23, 2012

So much of this is gut feel with a thin later of strategy retrofitted to seem more than random. Try and figure out exactly what a startup had to show at the moment a VC chose to invest in them. The biggest problem is that what gets lauded as successful strategy isn't replicable--or at minimum should never be advocated.

advice 417

advice startup VC strategy 417

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

They have totally changed the way you run a VC firm, investing heavily in systems & events for their founders that are pushing the boundaries of the way our industry works. I have sat on a board with Howard and have known him a few years. It is clear that he is simply passionate about being a VC and participating in this industry.

capital 284

capital board VC pitching 284

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 5, 2014

But as I rose in my career (and post MBA) I moved into a role in which I was to advise board-level executives on topics where I was expected to rapidly become an expert. What is the right organizational strategy for a large UK conglomerate to operate more effectively? We are their sparring partners, their sounding boards.

peer-to-peer 337

peer-to-peer entrepreneurs consulting VC 337

This is going to be BIG.

JULY 23, 2018

I've seen this so many times over: A founder pitches a VC, or several of them, and then they come back from that process with all sorts of new strategy goals or worries that they need to be doing something differently. So why is this feedback seemingly all over the board? That's not helpful feedback.

VC 170

VC advice pitching strategy 170

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

People like Vinod Khosla, Keith Rabois, Brian Singerman, Marc Andreessen and others have all made head-scratching private comments to me that sounded so foreign to what I thought other people were doing in VC that they caused me to challenge and ultimately change some of my own views. In the End Go with Your Gut.

advice 407

advice frameworks startup mix-use 407

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 20, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series, “ Pitching a VC.&# Getting a meeting with a prominent angel or VC is difficult enough. Some advice on how to do that was covered in this link – Getting Access to a VC. If you haven’t read how to build VC relationships and demonstrate traction make sure to read it.

VC 277

VC pitching advice strategy 277

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 7, 2015

They now have a strong VC lead from Foundry Group and from experience when you get advice from Foundry it comes with authority, experience, empathy and the right amount of straight talk. Another founder … “When I pitched the idea to Adam, he was super on board,” Mr. Sloyan said. All of my partners at Upfront do.

startup 323

startup advice pitching VC 323

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Board Meetings. If you’re not taking this zone-out down time I’ll bet you’re not having enough strategic reflection on your job, your company, your strategy. I want to make sure that my sixth year as a VC doesn’t just become an automatic continuation of what I’ve done in my first 5 years.

creativity 400

creativity venture capital entrepreneurs board 400

This is going to be BIG.

DECEMBER 21, 2017

Board meetings at @amplehills are dangerous. Would we pitch Series A players? It's too easy to think that if you tilt the pitch just a little one way or the other, that's going to make the difference, but that's Monday morning quarterbacking. Did that seed make this round our Series A? Who cares what we called it?

pitching 255

pitching VC investment investing 255

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 5, 2011

Advisors, investors and board members come in all shapes and sizes. I'm a strong believer in having a board, even at a seed stage, to report to and set strategy with. The most successful companies have strong boards and so as a good housekeeping practice, why not start acting like a great company as early as possible.

board 278

board advice consulting angel investing 278

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

On Losing in VC. By Monday morning after their board meeting in NorCal I didn’t get a return phone call. I know I won’t win every deal I want to in VC. In the corporate world this strategy is flawed. I’m talking about the hard fought battle. The one that you thought you had. I knew what this meant.

consulting 333

consulting advice collaboration VC 333

TechCrunch

APRIL 25, 2023

But dealmaking is idiosyncratic: a few investors might be content to make a deal over coffee, but early-stage teams still need a sturdy pitch deck or memo they can leave behind. Similarly, one VC may encourage newly minted CEOs to eat ramen and ride the bus, while another might suggest a salary in the low six-figures, depending on geography.

pitching 98

pitching incubation board opportunity 98

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

On Losing in VC. By Monday morning after their board meeting in NorCal I didn’t get a return phone call. I know I won’t win every deal I want to in VC. In the corporate world this strategy is flawed. I’m talking about the hard fought battle. The one that you thought you had. I knew what this meant.

consulting 328

consulting advice collaboration VC 328

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2013

bang on the windows of a board meeting recently and stick his tongue out at all of us. They pitched on a Wednesday. She debates manufacturing strategies. Unsurprisingly for Kara is was the VC connections. Heck, I even had Robert Downey, Jr. And Tasha never screamed before? We’re in LA. They’re only people.

startup 398

startup creativity advice entrepreneurs 398

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2009

This is part of my ongoing Raising Venture Capital (VC) series. OK, I know this is true with VC also, but to a lesser extent. One was the hardest working guy on our board and the biggest mensch. I will be on your board but don’t ask me for anything.&# He literally said it that bluntly. I saw this directly.

advice 279

advice venture capital frameworks VC 279

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2010

It’s a shame because the ability to nail these presentations at key conferences can be once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to influence journalists, business partners, potential employees, customers and VCs. This was evident at the Twiistup pre-event company pitch last week at UCLA. One strategy I often employ.

advice 362

advice VC entrepreneurs education 362

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

But should you actually write one if you’re a startup, an industry figure (lawyer, banker) or VC? Within 2 years I was getting 400,000 views / month and had been voted the 2nd most respected VC in the country by an independent survey of entrepreneurs, The Funded and sentiment analysis. They’re mine because I’m a VC.

startup 373

startup advice communities VC 373

This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 1, 2013

For years, VCs have been pitching and getting funded by the most conservative investors on the face of the earth--pension funds and endowments. When you have to defend deals you did to a pension board, you inevitably take less risk.

angel investing 289

angel investing financing finance entrepreneurs 289

Entrepreneurs' Organization

MARCH 3, 2021

Monthly sessions share best practices, resources and cover everything from marketing, presentations, ghostwriting, publishing tips, pitching–any and everything related to promoting authors and speakers. Past speakers include Alfred Lin , former chairman of Zappos, Airbnb board member, and an investor at Sequoia.

education 236

education VC pitching support 236

This is going to be BIG.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

I have figured out the ultimate VC fund strategy. I know, because those people all used to pitch me as an institutional LP back in the day. I think I'm terrific at helping early stage teams by rolling up my sleeves and doing what's necessary--getting them hires, PR, product strategy help to find that market fit.

strategy 247

strategy VC ventures financing 247

Dream It

APRIL 12, 2020

During our recent Dreamit Kickoff week, Bullpen Capital Founder and General Partner Paul Martino ( @ahpah ) spoke with our Spring 2020 cohort about the state of the VC ecosystem in the current economic crisis. I think you’ll start seeing pushback on complete board control by the founding team,” stated Martino. “I

ventures 334

ventures startup capital board 334

TechCrunch

MARCH 21, 2023

The relatively recent shift to cloud computing promised to lower costs and boost productivity, but “ cloud-first strategies may be hitting the limits of their efficacy , and in many cases, ROIs are diminishing,” writes Thomas Robinson, COO of Domino Data Lab. Full TechCrunch+ articles are only available to members.

pitching 86

pitching SaaS startup venture capital 86

David Teten VC

AUGUST 21, 2019

Most founders who are raising capital look first to traditional equity VCs. Revenue-Based Investing (“RBI”) is a new form of VC financing, distinct from the preferred equity structure most VCs use. Who are the major Revenue-Based Investing VCs? Should your new VC fund use Revenue-Based Investing? Optionality.

VC 69

VC investment investing venture capital 69

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

“You have to wonder if every VC worth a damn in the future will have their own raft of SPAC offerings,” says Alex. From dorm rooms to board rooms: How universities are promoting entrepreneurship. ” From dorm rooms to board rooms: How universities are promoting entrepreneurship. I, II and III. Fifteen U.S.-based

SaaS 73

SaaS VC transportation pitching 73

Entrepreneur's Handbook

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

With many of the traditional barriers to fundraising becoming less daunting, early-stage VCs need to find ways to break through the static and reach the LPs that will get their funds up and running. But does it make sense to cast a wide net and contact as many LPs as possible?

peer-to-peer 114

peer-to-peer pitching VC strategy 114

TechCrunch

JANUARY 21, 2022

I’ve worked at early-stage startups where we relied on our best guesses to shape product pipelines and develop marketing strategies. In this seven-step guide, you’ll find strategies and tactics for identifying key members and influencers, streamlining the communication process, and creating “a little FOMO.”

VC 80

VC incubation angel investing investment 80

StartupNation

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

With so many entrepreneurs and startup ventures seeking investment opportunities, it’s crucial that venture capitalists (VCs) create a list of criteria they want their potential investments to meet. As such, VCs have to consider a number of factors when choosing which companies or entrepreneurs in whom to invest.

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ventures investment investing startup 114

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 9, 2013

Most board meetings are “update meetings” where management downloads its status to a group of investors. These outside board members spend most of the board meeting trying to reacquaint themselves with the company’s business and critical issues. So most board meetings become bored meetings.

board 337

board advice pitching VC 337

TechCrunch

MAY 28, 2021

VC is the flashy gold medal, but the rapid growth of emerging fund managers means that a first check can be piecemealed together from a variety of different sources. It’s nice to see some other cities put points on the board. Dear Sophie: Any unique immigration strategies for quick hiring? Image Credits: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch.

startup 95

startup SaaS pitching mix-use 95

TechCrunch

JULY 19, 2022

Julie Gionfriddo, director of advisory services at Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina LLP, wrote an overview for TC+ that weighs the benefits and drawbacks of fundraising with convertible notes , along with some strategies for getting started. Record VC fundraising isn’t necessarily good news for first-time fund managers.

pitching 94

pitching venture capital VC finance 94

TechCrunch

NOVEMBER 29, 2022

As of September 2022, investors have amassed almost $300 billion in dry powder, and VC funds are still raising money by the boxcar. That’s because even during recessionary times, VC funds tend to outperform public markets. At the same time, they are submitting 30% more pitch decks, but VC engagement has fallen 23%.

pitching 76

pitching VC board founder 76

David Teten VC

FEBRUARY 9, 2015

I’m surprised at how many funding pitches I get which lack some of the basic information which investors require before funding. 50% of these meetings led to pitches to individual partners. About 30% of partner pitches led to full partnership pitches. I suggest use the Founder Institute Mad Libs elevator pitch.

pitching 53

pitching ventures VC capital 53

TechCrunch

OCTOBER 16, 2020

It’s certainly not salary, as when a company has nothing beyond a great idea and maybe a lead to a VC on Sand Hill Road, there’s no fat paycheck or benefits package to offer. Our board — which is packed with studs from the Bay Area — is expecting that to soar within two years! This is the pitch, at least if you’re a promising male.

culture 116

culture board consulting leadership 116

David Teten VC

APRIL 1, 2021

I’ve recently advised a number of emerging private equity and VC funds who are wrestling with the question: What are the highest impact steps they can take to support their portfolio companies? . VC Platform community has grown approximately 120% in the last 3 years. Alpaca VC shares their Master Agency List.

venture capital 81

venture capital accelerator capital ventures 81

TechCrunch

MAY 17, 2022

TechCrunch is excited to announce the six companies pitching in person and onstage at TC Sessions Mobility 2022. Hailing from around the United States and the globe, founders will pitch on the main stage, for four minutes, followed by an intense Q&A with our expert panel of judges. Startups pitching on the main stage.

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pitching energy startup consulting 76

TechCrunch

AUGUST 20, 2021

If you’re a founder who finds yourself in a meeting with a VC, try to remember two things: You’re the smartest person in the room. A VC shares 5 things no one told you about pitching VCs. How to establish a health tech startup advisory board. How to establish a health tech startup advisory board.

startup 103

startup health board VC 103

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 20, 2018

In the case of the investment they are often also not only committing personal risk of looking bad at their partnership if things don’t go well but also countless hours of board meetings, financial reviews, legal documents across what is often 7–10 years or more. So it should be no surprise that “yes” doesn’t come easily.

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peer-to-peer entrepreneurs VC investment 189