Trust Your Instincts, Boldly Defy the Crowd
Take all the guidance and insights with a grain of salt. Only YOU know what is right for your business. Often times the boldness to do your own thing and not listen to the crowd is where the real magic happens. ✨
Every Rejection Brings You Closer to Funding
Don’t be discouraged by rejections. Every 'no' brings you closer to a 'yes'. Learn from feedback and refine your pitch, using each interaction as a stepping stone toward securing the right investment.
Engineering‑constrained Startups: Sales Outpace Product Build Speed
Wise words i heard recently at a portco board meeting: being engineering constrained is always where you want to be as a startup, which means the sales team is selling, and new product can't be built fast enough to satisfy...
20% Seed Dilution Now Standard, Up From
Most founders will sell 20-25% in a seed round right now, up from 15-20% a few years ago. Selling 20% is reasonable 99% of the time.
Transparent LP Communication Builds Trust for Sustainable Funds
Transparency and communication with LPs are crucial for building trust and long-term relationships. Keep them informed and engaged, sharing both successes and challenges. Trust is the cornerstone of sustainable fund management. ✨
Turn Loyal Customers Into Powerful Word‑of‑Mouth Advocates
Loyal customers are your best advocates. Encourage word-of-mouth referrals by consistently delivering exceptional value and experiences - a reward program can't hurt either.
VC Funding to Halve, Concentrate in Top Funds
My prediction: institutional LP $ going to VCs will decline by half in the next 5 yrs. They will reallocate to safer asset classes. The largest VC funds will get 99% of what’s left, and these large funds will do...
Self‑belief Unlocks Tomorrow, Doubt Holds It Back
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today." – Franklin D. Roosevelt Believe in your potential. Founders always hold the key to success - and it is grounded in their foundational belief in themselves and the business.
Authentic Brand Values Drive Loyalty and Emotional Connection
Building a strong brand can enhance customer loyalty. Strengthen your brand identity by authentically communicating your values and mission, creating an emotional connection that resonates with your audience.
No Numbers in Founder Updates Signal Trouble
From one of my advisors who is a long-time angel: "I’ve been writing down my portfolio each month with 'spidey sense' assessments of founders whose updates have been getting fluffy. No numbers in the update = not a good sign."
Create Valuable, Engaging Content to Retain Customers
Engaging content can attract and retain customers. Create and share content that either: - resonates with your audience - provides value - entertain - educate to keep them coming back for more.
Small Funds Gain Edge Through Tech-Driven Agility
Small funds often embrace technology to streamline fund operations and improve decision-making processes. Leveraging data and tools can provide a competitive edge, making a fund more agile and responsive to market changes. 📊📈
Rehearse with Friendly Investors to Sharpen Your Pitch
Do you practice your pitch with friendlies first? Practice your pitch rigorously, rehearsing it multiple times in early meetings with friendly investors. This not only boosts your confidence but also allows you to fine-tune your delivery for maximum impact.
Track Joy and Frustration Daily to Boost Founder Insight
Founders: For 1 week, keep a notebook by your desk with two columns: -things I love -things I don't like When you feel really happy/excited about something, jot it in the first column. When you feel dread or frustration, second column. Regardless of...
Founders Must Sync Product Building and Sales to Accelerate PMF
The best founders excel at the productsales dance ✨build product to fix customer pain ✨sell to customer ✨learn more about what customer needs during the sales process ✨iterate product ✨repeat Founders lose precious time if they don't learn + iterate fast in the hunt for PMF