Why you need to understand Investor herd dynamics?
Most founders don't succeed in fundraising because they don't understand the investor herd dynamics. Investors are social animals; they feel more comfortable being part of a group than being the lone wolf.
Most founders don't know how to build relationships, here’s why
🏦Relationships are like bank accounts. The more you deposit, the more you can withdraw.
🤝I define “relationship” as a two or more people, relating and getting to know each other organically over time.
The best-misguided advice I ever got from Jack Dorsey
In the fall of 2013, I was a freshly minted YC alum. Having been the first Hispanic to ever complete Silicon Valley’s top accelerator, I felt equal parts pride and impostor syndrome. I talked about this to one of my investors, he kindly suggested chatting with a ‘friend CEO’, who also felt like an imposter at the beginning of his career. Who was that CEO? None other than Jack Doresy.
Looking for a startup idea? Stop doing market research, do this instead
Figure out what problems you’ve had a lot of experience with, professionally or personally, and try to fix that.
Getting more by Stuart Diamond
As a founder, I did 100+ deals. I learned the most about negotiations from this one book…
I read ‘Getting More’ by Stuart Diamond while taking his class at The Wharton School.
How to sell your company for hundreds of millions, in 4 easy steps
STEP 1: Have a great team. At an early stage, investors are taking a chance on how great the team is, not the market, not the product, or even your traction
The ONE thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan
After I read ‘The ONE thing’, it completely changed how I think about goals…
Are accelerators really worth it?
Startup accelerator programs have experienced remarkable growth, popularity, and influence within the venture ecosystem over the past two decades.
What I learned about entrepreneurship from the Air Force
What I learned about entrepreneurship from the Air Force.
In 1999, I joined the U.S. Air Force ROTC, a college program that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. military. My dream was to become a fighter pilot. ✈️ 🧑✈
Diversity is all about economic impact, not social impact
Shifting the Discourse: From Social Impact to Economic Influence
It's high time we reframe the dialogue around investing in underrepresented founders, transitioning from focusing solely on its social impact to highlighting its exceptional economic potential.
5 steps to fundraise without losing your mind_Pt 5
Step 5: Be formidable
So by now, you know how much money you need, you have your 60-second pitch locked, you have your deck on point, and you have your investor process game plan.
5 steps to fundraise without losing your mind_Pt 4
Step 4: Prepare a process
In fundraising, time is your enemy. This is because your startups’ attractiveness to investors has an expiration date. The longer you’re out fundraising, the lower your chances.
5 steps to fundraise without losing your mind_Pt 3
Step 3: Build a killer deck
Once you’ve nailed your 60-second pitch, building a deck is easy. That's because the deck should reflect your 60-second pitch. Let's go slide by slide:
5 steps to fundraise without losing your mind_Pt 2
Step 2: Nail your 60 second pitch
The constraint of having to pitch your company in 60 seconds, is a forcing function for actually defining what you actually do.