Investor Connect

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Investor Connect – 485 – Juan Alonso-Villalobos of Startup Wiseguys

In this episode, Hall welcomes Juan Alonso-Villalobos, Fintech Program Director at Startup Wiseguys. Headquartered in Tallinn, Harjumaa, Startup Wiseguys is a mentorship-driven accelerator program for early-stage B2B SaaS, Fintech, Cyber, and…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Warning Signs That the Startup Is in Trouble

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. As an investor, you can often see warning signs of trouble in small ways before they become full-blown in the startup. Here are some…

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Investor Connect – 484 – Ben Mackay of Evolve Capital

In this episode, Hall welcomes Ben Mackay, Principal at Evolve Capital. Based in Dallas, Texas, Evolve Capital is a private equity firm focused exclusively on leveraged recapitalizations of entrepreneurial businesses. They provide entrepreneurs with…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Focus on the Must Dos

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a startup, it’s important to focus on the essentials of the business. In your strategy planning, identify the Must-Dos….

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Investor Connect – 483 – Mike Smerklo reviews his new book, “Mr. Monkey and Me”

In this episode, Hall welcomes back Mike Smerklo, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Next Coast Ventures and author of “Mr. Monkey and Me”. “In Mr. Monkey and Me, Smerklo draws on his broad range of experiences and mistakes as an entrepreneur…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Employee Assessment

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Running a startup is hard work. The team must work long hours and often at low pay. This can wear down the team. The CEO should…

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Startup Funding Espresso — The Sales Learning Curve

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups seek to grow as fast as possible. One of the key barriers to growth is the Sales Learning Curve. This learning curve is a…

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Investor Connect – 482 – Martin Saenz of Bequest Funds

In this episode, Hall welcomes Martin Saenz, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Bequest Funds. Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, Bequest Funds operates multiple residential mortgage funds designed to provide consistent income for qualified…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Choosing the Right Channel

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In launching your startup, you’ll need to determine which sales channel is best for your business. The sales channel is how you…

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Investor Connect – 481 – Tom Wallace of Florida Funders

In this episode, Hall welcomes Tom Wallace, Managing Partner at Florida Funders. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Florida Funders is a hybrid between a venture capital fund and an angel investor network that discovers, funds and builds early-stage…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Choosing a Co-Founder

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Choosing a co-founder is an important step in launching your startup. Consider these points before finalizing your decision: First,…

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Investor Connect – 480 – Jonathan Spangler of Ciari Guitars

In this episode, Hall welcomes Jonathan Spangler, CEO & Founder of Ciari Guitars. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Ciari Guitars is the creator of the Ascender, the world’s first pro-play, gig-ready guitar with foldable convenience. It is…

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Startup Funding Espresso — 10X Your Startup

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In planning your startup, consider the challenge you will have in converting users from their current solution to your solution….

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Startup Funding Espresso — Pricing Your Product

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Pricing the product or service is a key step in running a startup. There are four pricing strategies to choose from: Premium pricing…

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Investor Connect – 479 – Rick Grinnell of Glasswing Ventures

In this episode, Hall welcomes Rick Grinnell, Founder and Managing Partner at Glasswing Ventures. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Glasswing Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in the next generation of AI and frontier…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Customer First, Tech Second

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I often see founders begin work on their startup by building out their tech platform. Customers will come later they say. I recommend…

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Investor Connect – 478 – Akhilesh Pathipati of MVM Partners

In this episode, Hall welcomes Akhilesh Pathipati, Partner at MVM Partners. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, MVM Partners has been a life science investment fund for more than 20 years and invests broadly across the healthcare sector, including…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Sell It First, Build It Second

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most startups envision a product and then proceed to build out an MVP. After they polish it enough they may show it to a…

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Investor Perspectives: What Does the Startup Have to Do to COVID-19-Proof Their Business?

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the SaaS sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Venture Capital Method for Valuation

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Venture Capital method of valuation uses a discounted cash flow combined with a multiples-based valuation.  The valuation…

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Investor Connect – 477 – Annette Finsterbusch of EnPower, Inc.

In this episode, Hall welcomes Annette Finsterbusch, President & CEO of EnPower, Inc. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, EnPower is focused on developing scalable, engineering-based innovations that unlock the full potential of lithium-ion, high energy…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Role of the CEO: Managing vs Leading

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The CEO must operate in two modes: managing and leading. As a manager, the CEO must define the strategy, recruit the team, and set…

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Investor Connect – 476 – Alex Suarez of Door Capital Partners/Suarez Law Group

In this episode, Hall welcomes Alex Suarez, Co-founder and Chief Legal Officer at Door Capital Partners, LLC and Managing Partner at Suarez Law Group.  Door Capital Partners is a private equity firm investing in hospitality assets to increase its…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Building the Company Culture – Part 2

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Companies with a strong culture do better with investors, customers, and employees. Building a company culture is the long game, not a…

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Investor Connect – 475 – Krista Morgan of Stage

In this episode, Hall welcomes Krista Morgan, General Partner at Stage and founding partner of the Stage Fund. With its headquarters in Denver, Colorado, Stage makes control-based investments in businesses that have proven market traction but need a…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Building the Company Culture Part 1

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Having a strong company culture helps the startup succeed. Customers and partners are attracted to companies with strong cultures. It…

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Investor Connect – 474 – Abby Levy of Primetime Partners

In this episode, Hall welcomes Abby Levy, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Primetime Partners. With its headquarters in New York, NY, Primetime Partners are an early-stage venture capital fund that invests in, and builds from the ground up,…

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Startup Funding Espresso — The Value of Confidence

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. An entrepreneur raising funding must demonstrate confidence.   Investors will look for someone who has confidence in their…

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Investor Connect – 473 – Jake Ryan of TRADECRAFT Capital, Book Review

In this episode, Hall welcomes back Jake Ryan, founder and CIO of TRADECRAFT Capital and author of “Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy”. “Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy is an indispensable handbook showing new and…

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Startup Funding Espresso — The Quantitative and Qualitative Side of Due Diligence

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There’s a quantitative side and a qualitative side to due diligence. The quantitative side includes checking the list of documents…

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Investor Connect – 472 – Anil Ramineni of CQ Infotech

In this episode, Hall welcomes Anil Ramineni, CEO of CQ Infotech. CQ Infotech was founded in 2005 and is based out of Laguna Hills, California and India. It is an IT solution company that specializes in end-to-end managed IT, infrastructure, and…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Signing NDAs in Due Diligence

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Entrepreneurs are often concerned about the confidentiality of their information.  During the initial engagement with the…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Reps and Warranties

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup investing, investors take in information from the startup about the product, team, financials, revenue, and more. This…

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Investor Connect – 471 – Ashu Garg of Foundation Capital

In this episode, Hall welcomes Ashu Garg, General Partner at Foundation Capital. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Foundation Capital was founded in 1995. As an early-stage venture capital firm, they have lived through the emergence of the World…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Diligence the Market

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In diligencing a startup, the size of the market is a key question. The larger the market, the greater the growth potential of the…

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Investor Connect – 470 – Kiyan Zandiyeh of Sturgeon Capital

In this episode, Hall welcomes Kiyan Zandiyeh, CIO at Sturgeon Capital. Headquartered in London, England, Sturgeon Capital is a leading frontier markets investment boutique. Since the establishment of Fund 1 in 2016, they have made nine investments….

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Startup Funding Espresso — Successful Deal Diligence

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. How can an investor group make the diligence process manageable?  Here are some steps: Standardize the diligence process Break…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Manage the Deal Process

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Tools are important for running a deal-flow process.   You’ll need tools for managing deal flow, running diligence, and…

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Investor Connect – 469 – Archie Cheishvili of GenesisAI

In this episode, Hall welcomes Archie Cheishvili, CEO of GenesisAI. With its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, GenesisAI is a Machine Learning protocol. On top of this protocol, they are building a marketplace for AI products and services -…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Lead a Deal

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In early-stage investing, someone needs to take the lead and screen the deals, diligence selected ones, and negotiate the valuation…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Follow-up Calls

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a diligence process it’s important to keep track of the progress of team members. Set up frequent follow-up calls to…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Financials, Team and Domain Diligence

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are three phases to diligence before funding a startup: Documentation diligence Team diligence Domain diligence For…

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Investor Connect – 468 – Braden Barr and Charles Reinert of PostitPlayit

In this episode, Hall welcomes Braden Barr, seed investor and Board Member at PostitPlayit, and Charles Reinert, Co-founder of PostitPlayit. Based in Dallas, Texas, PostitPlayit Inc. is a startup offering a first of its kind alternative to fantasy…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Managing the Deal Team

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running due diligence it’s important to build a team and bring others into the process.  A deal lead should take care of…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Moving to Close

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After the diligence is complete and the open questions answered, the team must decide whether or not to invest. It’s important to…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How the Startup Can Lead the Deal

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups can raise funding even without a lead investor. In this situation, the startup acts as the lead. Here are three steps to…

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Startup Funding Espresso — When to Stop Following up With an Investor

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups who find an investor expressing interest often stop their fundraise as they believe – or sometimes hope – this will be the…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Stages of the Deal Process

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A startup investment goes through a series of stages. It starts with the pitch presentation in which the startup introduces the deal…

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Investor Perspectives: Growth & the Primary Trend in the Functional Beverage Segment

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on COVID-19’s impact on the CPG sector. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the time of…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Signing NDAs With Investors (When and Why)

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I’ve had startups approach me and give me one or two lines about their startup. When I start to ask questions, they say they can’t…

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Investor Connect – 467 – Adam Smith of Big Sky Partners

In this episode, Hall welcomes R. Adam Smith, Founder & CEO of Big Sky Partners. Headquartered in New York City, New York, Big Sky Partners collaborates with companies and their brands to develop, grow, and maximize their potential. Through expert…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Diligence Report

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a deal follow-up process, you’ll need to create a diligence report. Here are some key points to consider: Start with a…

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Investor Connect – 466 – Alpesh Patel, Global Entrepreneur Program, Department for International Trade (UK)

In this episode, Hall welcomes Alpesh Patel, part of the Global Entrepreneur Program (GEP) at the Department for International Trade in the UK. The UK Government’s Department for International Trade has under it the Global Entrepreneur Programme…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Craft a Good Startup Story

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. To pitch an investor, you’ll need a carefully crafted startup story.  Just any old story won’t do.  Tell the story in…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Five Key Elements to a Startup Story: The Plot

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are five key elements to a startup story. Today we’ll talk about the Plot. After you establish the theme, hero, mission, and…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Five Key Elements to a Startup Story: The Mission

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are five key elements to a startup story.    The Mission is the job to be done.  It’s the goal of the hero…

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Investor Connect – 465 – Ford Smith of Ultranative

In this episode, Hall welcomes back Ford Smith, Founder & CEO of Ultranative. Ultranative is the ultra level of alternative medicine. Ultranative is a cannabis investment firm with over 5 years of industry-specific experience. They are a venture…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Five Key Elements to a Startup Story: The Hero

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are five key elements to a startup story. The hero is the character whose journey the audience cares about the most.  In a…

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Investor Connect – 464 – Harold Lavender of ABQid@CNM Ingenuity

In this episode, Hall welcomes Harold Lavender, Director of Finance & Business Development at ABQid@CNM Ingenuity. ABQid, powered by CNM Ingenuity, is devoted to helping high-growth startups access the knowledge, resources, and connections they…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Five Key Elements to a Startup Story: Purpose

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Your story is a critical part of your fundraise pitch. There are five key elements to a startup story.   The first is your…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Five Key Elements to a Startup Story: The Obstacle

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are five key elements to a startup story. Today we’ll talk about the obstacle. The obstacle stands between the hero and the…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Three Key Stories to Tell for Your Startup

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are three stories every startup should be able to tell to investors.  The first is your origin story which tells why you…

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Investor Connect – 463 – Ben Marans of Decko

In this episode, Hall welcomes Ben Marans, Partner at DECKO.  DECKO designs your presentation (s) to ensure investors and/or customers see the most important information upfront and remain engaged. DECKO works with you to tell your company’s…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How Does Due Diligence Differ Between Angels and VCs?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. How does due diligence vary between angels and venture capitalists? At a high level, the diligence is the same between angels and VCs….

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Startup Funding Espresso — Five Questions to Reach the Answer

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In talking with startups, I find the investor must always probe for the final answer. A single question rarely reveals the full…

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Investor Connect – 462 – Anne Glover of Amadeus Capital Partners

In this episode, Hall welcomes Anne Glover, Chief Executive and Co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners. Amadeus Capital Partners is a global technology investor. Since 1997, the firm has backed more than 130 companies and raised over $1bn for…

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Investor Connect – 461- Jane Zhang of Remmie

In this episode, Hall welcomes Jane Zhang Ph.D., Founder & CEO of Remmie. Remmie Health is a medical technology startup targeting the most common reason for a sick child visit – otitis media (ear infection), with 16 million episodes per year in…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Going Through Due Diligence

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After an investor expresses interest in funding your deal, the first question to ask is, “What is your diligence process?” While…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Own It

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding just as in running your business, investors look to see if you own it. Do you own the challenging problems, or do…

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Investor Connect – 460 – Bob Morse of Strattam Capital

In this episode, Hall welcomes Bob Morse, Founding Managing Partner at Strattam Capital. Strattam Capital invests in founder-led independent B2B software and technology companies outside of Silicon Valley. They believe in aligning with founders and…

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Startup Funding Espresso — What’s Your Trigger for Fundraising?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In launching your startup, look for a trigger that indicates when to start a fundraise campaign. Common triggers include: Closing a…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Pitch the Deal to the Investor

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching your deal to an investor, it helps to know your investor first. What type of investor are they — angel, family office,…

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Investor Connect – 459 – Bryan Hancock of RealStarter

In this episode, Hall welcomes Bryan Hancock, Founder of RealStarter. Founded in 2014, RealStarter is a real estate crowdfunding platform focused on Texas-based projects, but open to investors all over the U.S.  Bryan has participated in real…

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Startup Funding Espresso — The Challenge of Seed, Series A, and Series B Fundraising

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the challenge for each round of the raise is different.  At the seed round, the challenge is to convince the…

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Investor Perspectives: Impact of COVID-19 on the Healthcare Market & COVID-19-Proofing Your Business

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the healthcare market. This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. It’s the…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Climbing the Valuation Wall

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Negotiating the valuation of a startup between the CEO and the investors is a major step in funding. An equity terms sheet requires…

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Investor Connect – 458 – John B. Strong, angel investor

In this episode, Hall welcomes John B. Strong, an Albuquerque angel investor.   John B. Strong is known throughout the technology industry as a passionate leader, entrepreneur, and innovator and admired for his exacting tactical execution to…

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Startup Funding Espresso — The Role of Humility

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing.Humility plays an important role in your fundraise.Startups demonstrating arrogance and hubris are discounted quickly by investors….

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Investor Connect – 457 – Matthew Le Merle, co-author, “The Intelligent Investor: Silicon Valley”

In this episode, Hall welcomes back Matthew Le Merle, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Fifth Era and Keiretsu Capital to discuss early-stage investing and “The Intelligent Investor: Silicon Valley”,  a book Matthew and his wife Alison Davis…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Are You Fundable Yet?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I talk with entrepreneurs every day about their fundraise. The most common question from the early-stage startup is, “Am I…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Prepare to Meet With a Prospective Investor

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In meeting with a prospective investor, come prepared to discuss the following: Sales — ALWAYS have something to say about customer…

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Investor Connect – 456 – Bernard Vogel of Endeavour Vision

In this episode, Hall welcomes Bernard Vogel, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Endeavour Vision. Endeavour Vision is a leading private equity firm exclusively investing in medical technology. This singular focus requires deep sector knowledge and…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Smart Money

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup fundraising, there’s money and then there’s smart money. Smart money is an investor that can help your business beyond…

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Investor Connect – 455 – Brandon Knicely of Xcite

In this episode, Hall welcomes Brandon Knicely, CEO of Xcite.  Recently headquartered in Austin, Texas, Xcite is a gamified engagement platform in pro sports and conferences that engages and monetizes online events. They are the only…

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Startup Funding Espresso — The Godfather’s Advice for Fundraising

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the movie The Godfather, Marlon Brando plays Don Corleon, the leader of the Corleon family. At one point someone asks him why he…

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Investor Connect – 454 – Greg Spillane of Fancy

In this episode, Hall welcomes Greg Spillane, CEO of Fancy. Fancy is inspiration made shoppable. They are a highly-curated, discovery-based, social marketplace consisting only of verified sellers. Users come to Fancy to discover, share, and shop the…

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Startup Funding Espresso — What Investor Docs Are Needed for Due Diligence?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In closing an investor, you’ll need to provide basic documents about the business to prospective investors for their due…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Pitch a Complex Idea

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Pitching a startup with complex technology or product can be challenging. This is especially important for those in the healthcare…

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Investor Connect – 453 – Larry Uhl of Pasadena Angels

In this episode, Hall welcomes Larry Uhl, a Vice Chairman of the Pasadena Angels. The Pasadena Angels were founded in 2000 and are one of the longest-running angel investing groups in Southern California. Their mission is to create a unique investment…

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Startup Funding Espresso — It’s Show, Not Tell

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There’s an old saying: If you tell me, it’s an essay. If you show me, it’s a story. In raising funding you have to show, not…

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Investor Connect – 452 – Trey Addison of Nascent Group Holdings

In this episode, Hall welcomes Trey Addison, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Nascent Group Holdings (NGH).  Nascent Group Holdings is a Columbus, Ohio-based, hybrid, private equity and venture capital firm that invests in the Midwest’s…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How Long Will It Take to Raise Funding?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I’m often asked how long it will take to raise a round of funding.  It will take you one calendar year for every million…

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Investor Connect – 451- Behind the Science of Optios featuring David Bach, M.D. & Paul Sajda, Ph.D.

In a follow-up to our recent episode featuring Optios’ CEO David Bach, M.D., today Hall welcomes both David and Paul Sajda, Ph.D. professor at Columbia University to discuss the science behind Optios. Optios is a leader in the rapidly-emerging…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Raising Funding Is Hard

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Raising a fund is hard.  Aside from sales, this is one of the hardest things to do in a startup. Here are a few points to…

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Startup Funding Espresso — How to Pitch to Family and Friends

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. If you are pitching to a close friend or family member, you can use an informal approach to ask them for money. Explain what your…

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Investor Connect – 450 – Kevin Keck of J.J. Pfister Distilling Company

In this episode, Hall welcomes Kevin Keck, President of J.J. Pfister Distilling Company. With its headquarters in Sacramento, California, J. J. Pfister is a fast-growing premium craft spirit producer in Sacramento that produces top-quality spirits….

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Investor Connect – 449 – David Bach, MD, of Optios

In this episode, Hall welcomes David Bach, MD, CEO and Founder of Optios. Optios is a leader in the rapidly-emerging neuro-­performance industry. Based on more than a decade of work at DARPA, hundreds-of-millions of dollars of proprietary research,…

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Startup Funding Espresso — The CEO Should Pitch the Investor

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I often see CFOs and board members give the investor pitch instead of the CEO. In an emergency this is okay, but by and large, the CEO…

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Investor Connect: 448 – Reagan Rodriguez of WORTHYdomes

In this episode, Hall welcomes Reagan Rodriguez, Founder & Chief Volunteer Officer at WORTHYdomes. WORTHYdomes designs and manufactures sustainable long-term dome structures providing near-immediate housing relief in hard-hit areas. The domes are…

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Startup Funding Espresso — Who Should Come to the Pitch and Meet Investors?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching an investor, the key presenter is the CEO.   While board members, CFOs, and others can make the pitch, that’s…

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