Exploring Shaun Gold’s Entrepreneurial Journey as Nightlife Ninja, Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author, and VC
I had the pleasure of interviewing Shaun Gold. Shaun’s the true definition of a polymath. He is a successful entrepreneur, VC, 2x best-selling author, speaker, super connector to startups and standouts, Jeopardy contestant, and screenwriter/executive producer. His latest venture, The Brain Wrx, revolutionizes the way founders approach and grasp growth by providing a straightforward and effective framework for success.
What motivated you to launch your startup?
As an entrepreneur for most of my life, I have experience in a variety of verticals. As I made the transition from successful club promoter (known as the nightlife ninja) into the world of startups and venture capital, I recognized that the vast majority of founders who reached out to me for help lacked many of the basic skills required for startup success. It all begins with an idea and where there is an idea, eventually there is a pitch deck. It is a common misconception that once you have a pitch deck, it is simply a matter of getting a few meetings and then the funding you’re seeking begins to come your way. Whether you’re seeking early-stage capital, seed, or series A funding, here’s the truth-to-tell fact that most startup founders fail to realize, the deck you are submitting sucks. Know your business idea but also know that active investors receive a never-ending stream of pitch decks and most are so bad that investors say “no”, never getting past the 3rd slide. This was further made evident to me during my time as the roastmaster general of the OpenVC pitch deck roasts and as a keynote speaker and mentor at Founder Institute, the world’s largest pre-seed accelerator, where I heard the same echoing question that I was uniquely qualified to answer, “How can I craft a deck to better attract investors’ interest and funding?” No easy task, creating pitch decks that keep investors engaged in the material being delivered was an experience and knowledge that as both a founder and investor myself, I can help founders with.
Despite the hype, if you think being an entrepreneur is a dream job, you are in for a rude awakening. It’s a time consuming crushing choice that rarely excuses mistakes and puts you in a position of being ignored. Failure is far more common than success and the current market offerings reflect this. LinkedIn and Twitter are full of people that offer themselves up as startup gurus, coaches, and specialists yet the vast majority of them have never worked in venture or founded a successful startup. This is the equivalent of me claiming to be a four-star general because of my high score in Call of Duty.
This is the impetus behind the formation of Brain Wrx, to help founders evaluate and present an idea, refine their strategy and better understand the process for success. We are a team of experienced VCs, entrepreneurs, and specialists who help founders avoid the inevitable pitfalls that await them by reviewing their pitch decks, business story, and preparing them for investor questions while providing valuable guidance. Collectively, we have worked with hundreds of early stage startups and this has given us a high level of visibility into markets, business models, and common mistakes.
What is it that excites you about what you’re building?
The fact that founders are already truly benefitting from our collective knowledge and experience. Our clients include everything from early stage startups to funds. The results have been fantastic. We have seen founders reduce their burn rate, take actionable steps with their future, and even refine their strategy and pivot into a different vertical which made far more sense. We tend to keep in touch with our clients and it pleases me that after our engagement, they are finding success in ways they never thought possible.
What has been your biggest challenge when growing your startup?
Facing the ineffectual mindset that many founders are infected with and affected by. It is sad to see that so many founders believe that they can’t take actionable steps to improve their chances of startup success because they lack funding. They believe that they need the capital they are seeking to take any action and until they have it, the startup stagnates. This mindset will end the majority of startups before they can even begin to operate. Founders should focus on their own resourcefulness rather than bemoan their lack of resources. Ultimately, they should realize that when they work with us, it doesn’t cost, but it pays.
What are your future plans for your startup?
Our objective is to be the established go-to resource for early-stage founders seeking guidance and the entrepreneurship essentials needed in crafting their narratives, defining their value propositions, and reviewing their pitch decks. Our aim is to bridge the existing divide between the creation of a pitch deck and the subsequent fundraising stage by offering comprehensive support that enables founders to steer clear of common pitfalls and position themselves for optimal success.
If you had to share, “words of wisdom,” with a Founder who’s about to start their own startup, what would they be?
Instead of embarking on a startup journey with the grandiose intention of changing the world, consider a different perspective. Begin your entrepreneurial endeavor with the goal of transforming yourself and your personal circumstances. Successful entrepreneurs aren’t born — they’re made. I’ve listened to many interesting business ideas from entrepreneurs that lack the skills or qualities to access the funding needed to get their project off the ground. Before even contemplating any form of funding, know that entrepreneurship happens internally. By flexing your behavior and taking action to seek help in focusing and validating your concept you will provide yourself with the capacity to refine your strategy and launch your idea.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
My newsletter, The YouTopian Journey, is read in 120 countries by founders, investors, and success seekers across the globe. I invite all to subscribe as the content is being embraced for its direction to help navigate your journey through business and life.
LinkedIn is the best way to reach me. Feel free to connect but include a message so I know you aren’t trying to sell me transformational coaching services, a new solution for lead generation, or a restaurant franchise.
This was very insightful. Thank you so much for joining us!
