Founders and Fundraising
What’s The Behavior You Can’t Have As A Founder?
“I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” “Serge”, the CEO of a struggling startup, said to me. “I think I’m going to give up.” “What?” I responded. Serge’s capitulation said didn’t register on me. It was foreign to my way of thinking. Worse yet, Serge’s company wasn’t doomed to fail. There was a…
Read MoreHow Do You Determine Which Investor To Contact?
Years ago,I decided I the way to achieve my career goals was working at a Venture Capital backed startup. The problem was I didn’t know any venture capitalists. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I went on the internet and built a spreadsheet of all the VC firms…
Read MoreYou’ll Fail If You’re In It Only For The Money
“I’m focusing on learning, not the grades,” Avery said to me the other day. She’s just starting her journey in college, so I couldn’t be happier to hear my daughter say that. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “You got it!” I exclaimed. “The knowledge will stay with…
Read MoreWhy Your Investors Don’t Need Control Of Your Board
“Brett, I need to have control of the board.” Who do you think said that to me? Was it a startup CEO, or was it an investor? Or was it both parties? Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. It seems logical, doesn’t it as a first time CEO.…
Read MoreWhat Are The Two Biggest Mistakes That You Can Avoid?
“Do you have a vesting schedule for your co-founders equity?” I asked the CEO I was talking to. “No, I don’t,” he answered. “And how much equity does your co-founder have again?” I asked. “Uh, fifty percent,” the CEO answered. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I sighed…
Read MoreWhy Should You Send Your Unsolicited Pitch Deck To Investors
“Do you know ‘George’ from Maxim (Integrated Products)?” Mike, the managing partner at Crosslink, the San Francisco based VC Fund where I was an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR), asked me. “Yes, I know George,” I said. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “He just sent his pitch deck…
Read MoreThe Real Reason Your Startup Will Fail
There’s a CB Insights study that you’ve likely seen about why startups fail. Their list is the classic, greatest hits, of why startups fail: Run out of cash No market need Got outcompeted Flawed business model Regulatory/legal challenges Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I could go on…
Read MoreHow Do You Prepare To Pitch Investors?
“You made things a lot easier for me,” Jim said to me, shaking my hand. My co-founder and VP Engineering, Jeroen, and I had flown to Boston to pitch Jim and his partners, and Jim’s reaction indicated the meeting went well. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “That’s…
Read MoreWhat Are The Characteristics Of A Great Investor?
“Oh, Great God of Venture Capital,” I said, “Can you help me find a good VC or two for my new venture? I won’t even ask for a great VC, just a good VC will do. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “Are you taking notes, oh Great…
Read MoreWhat Do You Do When An Investor Doesn’t Call You Back?
“God, do I hate radio silence,” I said to my friend and mentor, Dave. “Why don’t VCs just let me know they just don’t want to invest instead of leaving us hanging?” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Dave smiled and nodded his head in agreement. He had…
Read More