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.
Closing the Equity Gap by Mitch Kapor
I had a chance to read “Closing the Gap”, by someone I've always considered a mentor, Mitch Kapor. As a former entrepreneur, I've always been passionate about bridging the equity gap in our society.
5 steps to fundraise without losing your mind_Pt 1
Figuring how much you need to raise is crucial, because you may need less capital than you think. You will have a Plan A (how much you need) and Plan B (the bare minimum).
Look at life in decades not years
Today I turn 42. Feel blessed.🙏🏽
At age 12, I was selling guavas in my barrio in Santo Domingo. I immigrated to the U.S., but my parents were struggling financially, and we were on welfare, so I got a job at C-town packing groceries
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Excited to share some of the valuable entrepreneurship lessons that I've learned from The Alchemist. At its core, this book is all about following your dreams and pursuing your personal legend.
Without a doubt bu Surbhi Sarna
I had a chance to read the book "Without a Doubt," by my YC colleague Surbhi Sarna, and I was really blown away by the depth, vulnerability and authenticity in the book.
Why you need to burn bridges
May 2005, years before my dreams of entrepreneurship took off, I put in my notice at JFK airport. Two weeks later, I packed up my tools and walked out of the cockpit for the last time—after all this time, I was ready to officially break into Wall Street.
You should treat fundraising like a sport
During my tenure at our previous startup, we engaged with a whopping 144 investors prior to securing our series A funding. While I initially believed our journey was unique, I've since discovered that our experience aligns more closely with the norm.
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
The movie Air, the Nike story, is coming out next week. I just finished reading Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, the Nike founder, and it was an incredibly inspiring story.
Always Dreaming Bigger with Elias Torres
In this guest post, Elias Torres—serial entrepreneur, community activist, and CTO and co-founder of Drift—shares one of the most important lessons he’s learned since immigrating to the United States: Be a curious learning machine.
Why I'm Joining Y-Combinator as a Visiting Partner
Growing, building, and selling a startup can be a tumultuous, traumatic odyssey. If you can help another fellow founder get through that journey, it’s worth it. Helping others brings a feeling of gratification that is very hard to match, which is why I’m joining Y-Combinator as a Visiting Partner!
Why Startup Founders Struggle with Mental Health
Being a startup founder is incredibly stressful. In fact, according to a study by Michael Freeman, entrepreneurs are 50% more likely to report having a mental health condition than people with traditional careers, and twice as likely to suffer from depression.
How To Build a Founding Team and—More Importantly—How Not To
The last thing you want for your founding team is a collection of skills and abilities that don't complement each other.