Investor Connect: Gady Nemirovsky of Inspiration Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gady Nemirovsky, Managing General Partner at Inspiration Ventures. Headquartered in Burlingame, California, Inspiration Ventures is an early-stage investment firm that structures its investments in a way that minimizes risk for their limited partners and benefits founders by better aligning the investors’ interests with the founders. Their interests are completely aligned […]
Elevator Pitch Template
The elevator pitch follows a simple format. Start with the people who have this problem so the listener has context. Show the cost in time or dollars to demonstrate the size of the problem. Demonstrate your competitive advantage over the other solutions. Quantify the benefit with numbers. Propose the next steps to discuss further. Close […]
Investor Connect: Karen Contet of AngelHub
In this episode, Hall welcomes Karen Contet, Co-Founder & CEO of AngelHub. AngelHub is Hong Kong’s only SFC-regulated tech investment platform enabling investors to co-invest on a deal-by-deal basis alongside their fund & institutional investors. AngelHub combines a highly selective due diligence process, diverse network of partners, and the WHub start-up ecosystem to empower tech […]
Intro for an Elevator Pitch
In crafting an elevator pitch, the intro is the most important part. You must grab their attention and make them want to hear more. Start with a problem and show how big and costly it is. Generate curiosity in the listener by telling them you have a solution to that problem. Demonstrate your solution to […]
Key Elements of an Elevator Pitch
To craft an elevator pitch, start with the end in mind. Do you want to pitch an investor? Do you want to sell a product? Start the pitch with the problem you solve and what your company does. There needs to be a hook at the beginning of the pitch to capture attention. Describe your […]
Investor Connect: James W. Day of EquityZen
In this episode, Hall welcomes James W. Day, Senior Corporate Counsel at EquityZen. EquityZen is a FinTech platform and online marketplace for investors and shareholders in alternative assets. If you are an accredited investor, EquityZen helps you access ordinarily hard-to-find alternative investments (such as secondary sales of pre-IPO equity). If you are an employee or […]
What Is an Elevator Pitch?
An elevator pitch is a short version of your fundraise pitch. Use it when you are engaging investors in situations where the slides are not available and the time is short. It’s useful for setting up a more formal presentation by giving the investor a reason to take the meeting. The elevator pitch demonstrates you […]
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Cannabis Problem: Changes Expected in the Cannabis Sector in the Coming 12 Months
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about changes expected in the coming 12 months and our guests’ final thoughts. As the COVID pandemic passes, we […]
Pros and Cons of Working With Corporate VCs
There are pros and cons to working with Corporate VCs. Here are the pros: They take a long-term point of view giving the startup time to grow and develop. They bring access to partners, customers, and other resources. They bring domain knowledge far beyond what most traditional VCs bring. They can fund major projects much […]
Investor Connect: Brandon C. White of Build a Business
In this episode, Hall welcomes Brandon C. White, Host and Editor of Build a Business Success Secrets podcast and playbook. Headquartered in Half Moon Bay, California, Build a Business Success Secrets is a monthly print playbook revealing the inner game about how to build a business. Readers get monthly articles on how to perfect their […]
Best Practices in Working With Corporate VCs
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In working with corporate VCs, follow these best practices: 1. Consider access to the R&D departments of the corporate VC and how much value that will add to your startup. 2. Document your work and […]
Investor Connect: John Dalton of Industrial Device Investments
In this episode, Hall welcomes John Dalton, Managing Partner at Industrial Device Investments (IDI). Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, IDI invests in manufacturers of industrial devices, sensors, machinery, and instruments. More specifically, they prefer specialty product companies that have $5 – $50 million in revenue, $1 – $6 million in earnings, strong technical features such that […]
How to Achieve Success Running a Corporate VC Fund
Corporate VCs can leverage their position in the industry to sign up good startups with an investment. The corporate VC brings a network of partners, distribution channels, a brand, an existing product line, and more. An investment can leverage their research dollars and achieve more than if they build it themselves. The pharmaceutical industry recognized […]
Investor Connect: Patricia Costello of Portfolia
In this episode, Hall welcomes Patricia (Trish) Costello, CEO & Founder of Portfolia. Trish is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in preparing venture capital investment partners through the prestigious Kauffman Fellows Program, which she launched in 1994 with the Kauffman Foundation, and continues as CEO Emeritus. At Kauffman Fellows, she created the first training […]
Mistakes Companies Make With Corporate VCs
Companies setting up a corporate VC arm often make the following mistakes: Treating the corporate VC arm as purely an acquisition pipeline. There are several other ways to gain value from a corporate VC structure than just recruiting target acquisitions. Not taking enough risk in selecting startups to pursue. The startup world has a higher […]
Investor Connect: Greg Shepard of BOSS Capital Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Greg Shepard, Founder of BOSS Capital Partners. Headquartered in San Diego, California, BOSS Capital Partners is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to working with technology businesses that need operational expertise and guidance to achieve capital-efficient and rewarding outcomes. By utilizing the BOSS – Business Operating Support System – the BCP […]
How to Set Up a Corporate VC Fund
In setting up a corporate VC fund in your organization, consider the following: Start with the legal structure. You can either create an LLC legal entity for the fund or move the fund inside the corporate structure. Next, establish your investment thesis in alignment with your corporate strategic objectives. Build an investment structure with a […]
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Cannabis Problem: Participation in the Cannabis Segment and What Investors Look for
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about participation in the cannabis sector and what investors look for. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into […]
How to Make the Corporate VC Fund Model Work
While traditional venture funds increase their fund size over time, corporate VCs should keep their fund size low. Traditional VCs seek higher compensation and can do so by increasing the size of the fund which increases their management fee. Corporate VCs are often compensated as employees of the company with some upside on successful outcomes […]
Investor Connect: Adam Hull of Redbud Advisors
In this episode, Hall welcomes Adam Hull, Partner at Redbud Advisors. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Redbud Advisors is the fulcrum to your wealth. They serve as wealth strategists and focus on winning relationships in all forms. Their ideal client makes a multitude of financial decisions in a day, week, and throughout the year. Redbud brings […]
How Corporate VCs Approach Venturing
There are several approaches corporate VCs can take in setting up their venture program: For finding innovations for current challenges the corporate VC can use collaborative innovation tools such as coding sprints, hackathons, or Xprize competitions. For generating new business concepts, utilize accelerators by either bringing in an existing program or creating your own. For […]
Investor Connect: Hubert Vaz-Nayak of Chicago Booth Angels Network of Texas
In this episode, Hall welcomes Hubert Vaz-Nayak, Co-Founder and President of the Chicago Booth Angels Network of Texas. The Chicago Booth Angels Network (CBAN) of Texas was formed by Booth alumni in Texas who came together to identify and invest smartly in startups. They focus on early-stage companies that are looking for a diverse, high […]
Types of Corporate VC Funding
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Corporate VC funding continues to grow as companies look for innovation and startups look for funding opportunities. There are several types of corporate VC funds. Here are three: 1. Traditional investment fund – This fund […]
Investor Connect: David Meltzer of David Meltzer Enterprises
In this episode, Hall welcomes David Meltzer, CEO of David Meltzer Enterprises. David is the Co-Founder of Sports 1 Marketing and formerly served as CEO of the renowned Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agency, which was the inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. Considered one of the top esports entrepreneurs and investors, David is also […]
Tools for Running a Corporate VC Program
There are several tools for the corporate VC to use in a venturing program. Here’s a list to consider: – Hackathon – invite those in the industry or area to participate in a coding challenge to solve a particular problem. – Shared resources – provide the community with a set of tools and data sets […]
Investor Connect: Ben Rifkin of Ten Eighty Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ben Rifkin, CEO at Ten Eighty Capital. Ten Eighty is a single-family office and diversified private investment firm with three primary focus areas. Ten Eighty Trading develops proprietary technical trading strategies for the public markets. Ten Eighty Capital invests time, capital, and expertise into operating companies ranging from concepts incubated […]
Mistakes Founders Make With Corporate VCs
Founders looking to raise funding from corporate VCs should avoid the following mistakes: 1. Not matching the corporate VC to the needs of the startup – corporate VCs bring not only money but strategic value. 2. Not understanding the corporate VC investment strategy – some corporate VCs invest for a financial return, while others invest […]
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Cannabis Problem: Primary Trends and What Makes for a Successful Company
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about primary trends and what makes for a successful company in the segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we […]
Corporate VC Requirements of Founders
Startups looking to take corporate VC funding should be aware of the requirements put on founders. Here’s a list to consider: – Corporate VCs may seek consent rights on contracts the startup enters with competitors. – They may seek higher levels of compliance on the part of the startup. – They may require additional rights […]
Investor Connect: Chris Fronda of Logictry
In this episode, Hall welcomes Chris Fronda, CEO of Logictry. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Logictry, the first-ever Logic Management system, is a no-code, low-code application platform that allows anyone to build business Logic Apps that combine learning and productivity for instant expertise. Logictry helps businesses systematize their processes and institutional knowledge into interactive, actionable content. […]
Core Functions of the Corporate VC
The corporate VC must set up and run a program. Here’s a list of core functions the corporate VC must cover: Planning out the portfolio – this includes estimating the size of each investment as well as the type of company to invest in. There needs to be a target valuation and percentage ownership for […]
Investor Connect: Jim Stallings of PS27 Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jim Stallings, CEO of PS27 Ventures. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, PS27 Ventures is a veteran-owned venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies that are driving dramatic changes in high-growth markets. Their investments focus on healthtech, e-commerce, fintech, SaaS, and sustainability companies. They work with a diverse group of founders […]
Positioning Your Corporate VC Fund
With the growing number of startups seeking funding, it’s easy to increase your corporate VC fund to capture more deals. Fund sizes in many corporate VCs increase almost every year. For many startups, too much funding can bring unexpected problems. It’s best to start small and grow the fund organically. The corporate VC also needs […]
Investor Connect: JC Otero of Change4Change
In this episode, Hall welcomes JC Otero, COO & Co-Founder of Change4Change. Headquartered in Austin, TX, Change4Change’s mission is to democratize the political fundraising process by broadening the donor base, making fundraising more accessible to all, while combating the influence of big money in politics. It is this monumental challenge that compelled JC to join […]
Purpose of Corporate Venture Capital
Corporate venture capital is venture funding from a company, rather than a fund raised from limited partners. Most corporate venture capital invests for strategic reasons rather than financial ones. Reasons for corporations to invest in startups include the following: – Gain market insight through their startup portfolio companies – many companies want a front-row seat […]
Investor Connect: Caroline Lewis of Rogue Venture Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Caroline Lewis, Partner at Rogue Venture Partners and Managing Partner of Rogue’s Women’s Fund. Rogue Venture Partners is a venture capital firm specializing in investments in startups. It seeks to invest in new and growing businesses in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. The company invests in entrepreneurs that reject the […]
How to Set Up a Corporate VC
Corporate VCs follow the startup cycle with many launching their programs at the peak of the cycle. Most Corporate VCs last about 4 to 6 years, at which point the economic cycle creates a challenging environment for the company. To be successful at running a corporate VC, you’ll need to do the following: Set goals […]
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Cannabis Problem: Growth in the Cannabis Segment
This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Cannabis Problem”, you’ll hear about growth in the cannabis segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The cannabis […]
How a Corporate VC Compares to a Traditional VC
Overall, corporate VCs invest more than traditional VCs by about 2%. Corporate VCs operate the same as traditional VCs with some exceptions: – Corporate VCs seek a strategic advantage rather than a financial return – Many don’t lead funding rounds but only follow them – They bring strategic support to the startup such as sales […]
Investor Connect: Jim Denholm of IronBridge Private Wealth
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jim Denholm, Founder & CEO at IronBridge Private Wealth. IronBridge Private Wealth was founded in Austin, Texas, to combine the strength and resources of a large financial firm with the independence of a local company. They are true fiduciaries of their client’s wealth. Having real risk management strategies that adapt […]
How a Corporate VC Works
Corporate venture capital is an existing business utilizing venture funding to further the company’s strategic objectives. The firm takes an equity stake in startups either through an internal fund or off the corporate balance sheet. Unlike traditional venture capital, corporate VCs look to gain a competitive advantage for the company and not a financial return. […]
Investor Connect: Gopi Rangan of Sure Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gopi Rangan, Founding Partner at Sure Ventures. Sure Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm investing with a mission to enable peace of mind. The main areas of focus are pre-seed and seed-stage startups in the insurance, aging, care, mental health, wealth management, and related sectors. Gopi created Sure […]
What Is Corporate Venture Capital?
Corporate venture capital is an existing business utilizing venture funding to further the company’s strategic objectives. The firm takes an equity stake in startups either through an internal fund, or off the corporate balance sheet. Unlike traditional venture capital, corporate VCs look to gain a competitive advantage for the company and not a financial return. […]
Investor Connect: Ganesh Padmanabhan of BeyondMinds
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ganesh Padmanabhan, VP, Global Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at BeyondMinds, technologist, entrepreneur, and early-stage investor. Founded in 2018, BeyondMinds has built the first enterprise AI solution that is universally applicable and easily adaptable. They deliver hyper-customized, production-ready AI systems that enable sophisticated companies to overcome the massive failure rate […]
Papering an Advisory Agreement
To ensure an advisor engagement is successful, make sure you set up an advisor agreement. This is a contract between the advisor and the company and defines the work to be done. Here are some key points to consider: Make clear what the advisor will do — bring experience, contacts, domain knowledge, or other. Include […]
Investor Connect: Jeffrey Cherry of Conscious Venture Partners, LLC
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jeffrey Cherry, Founder and Managing Partner at Conscious Venture Partners, LLC, and Founder/Executive Director of Conscious Venture Lab. Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, the Conscious Venture Fund II (the “Fund” or “CVFUND 2”) is an early-stage venture capital fund by Conscious Venture Partners. The fund partners with their business accelerator the […]
Promissory Notes
For family and friends funding, sometimes a promissory note is used to set up a loan. Here are some key points to consider in reading a promissory note: 1. The note summary section establishes the relationship between the borrower and the lender, the date of the note, the total loan amount, and the agreed-upon interest […]
Investor Connect: Connor Davidson of Atlanta Seed Company
In this episode, Hall welcomes Connor Davidson, Partner at Atlanta Seed Company. Established in December of 2019, the Atlanta Seed Fund I aims to expand upon their mission of bringing access to high-quality, early-stage investments to their clients. The Fund’s primary purpose is to purchase minority interests in Seed and Series A technology companies across […]
Waterfalls
In negotiating the valuation, it’s important to understand the impact of that valuation on follow-on rounds and the exit. A waterfall analysis maps out the cap table with subsequent rounds of funding. To run a waterfall analysis, create a spreadsheet with the cap table owners and the current fundraise round. Include the owners, the pre, […]
Investor Connect: Jim Thomas of Kirenaga Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jim Thomas, Partner at Kirenaga Partners. Kirenaga is a Japanese term used to describe a knife or sword blade. It literally translates to the duration of sharpness or amount of edge retention. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Kirenaga Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on building great businesses from […]
Problem Signs in a Cap Table
The Cap Table is an important part of any diligence process. In reviewing a startup’s Cap Table, look for these signs of a problem: – The current team has little equity and thus little incentive to see it through to an exit. – The Cap Table is complicated with multiple share classes. – The early […]
Investor Connect: Eric Levine of Eric Levine Global
In this episode, Hall welcomes Eric Levine, Fitness Expert, Investor, and Founder and CEO of Eric Levine Global. Eric started in the fitness industry in 1979, when he was the first franchisee for Golds Gym, and opened up a chain of six clubs. These six clubs were the most profitable in the entire Gold’s chain […]
What Investors Want to See in a Cap Table
Investors review the cap table as part of their diligence process. They look for the following in the cap table: The founders have a large enough stake that keeps them motivated. Those who have very little ownership will most likely not stay with it for the long haul. The right people need to have enough […]
Investor Connect: Phil Pelucha of Billionaires in Boxers
In this episode, Hall welcomes Phil Pelucha, Chief Empowerment Officer at Billionaires in Boxers. Billionaires in Boxers currently provides podcast publicity for circa 100 current and future industry leaders, produces over 50 business podcasts, and manages award-winning podcasts, TV, and movie business content for 15+ satellite TV networks globally. Ranked as one of the Top […]
How to Handle Convertible Notes in a Cap Table
A fully-diluted cap table shows the impact of the conversion of convertible notes. A convertible note has a date of issue, an interest rate, a discount rate, a valuation cap, and a maturity date. Upon maturity, the debt typically converts to equity. The conversion is based on the principal amount, accrued interest, and the discount […]
Investor Connect: Filipe R. Portela of COREangels Impact
In this episode, Hall welcomes Filipe R. Portela, Managing Partner at COREangels Impact. COREangels Impact makes angel investing professional and global, improving outcomes while contributing and enjoying the journey. They are a pre-seed impact investment fund focused on European social & environmental impact projects. COREangels is a network of people who are passionate about helping […]
How to Manage the Cap Table
It’s important to manage your cap table as you go. Fixing it later will cost you time and money. Here are some key points for managing your cap table: Consider setting up your cap table with a provider that keeps track of all transactions in one place. Founders should take ownership of the cap table […]
Investor Connect: Tom Byrnes of ThreatSTOP
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tom Byrnes, Founder and CEO of ThreatSTOP. Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, ThreatSTOP uses real-time curated threat intelligence to block threats at firewalls, routers and DNS servers, which isn’t new, but until now has required large security teams, expensive threat intel feeds, and significant manual effort. ThreatSTOP’s cloud platform uses security […]
The Fully Diluted Cap Table
It’s important for investors to see your cap table in its fully diluted form. The total number of shares issued or outstanding will determine the value of each share from which the shareholder can determine their percent ownership. For startups, issued shares and outstanding shares are the same thing. Authorized shares do not apply. In […]
Investor Connect: Jeremy Carter of Soterra Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jeremy Carter, Managing Partner at Soterra Capital. With offices in Austin, Texas, and Louisville, Kentucky, Soterra Capital invests in small to mid-size private companies with capable management teams and fundamentally strong operations. They are seeking businesses with enterprise values from $5 to $30 million with the capacity to underwrite larger […]
How to Clean up the Cap Table
If you have too many former founders with stock who no longer work at the startup, then you may need to clean up your cap table. Due to a lack of a vesting schedule, those founders took substantial tranches of stock without staying long enough to build meaningful value. If this stock amount is significant, […]
Investor Connect: Francisco Jardim of SP Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Francisco Jardim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at SP Ventures. Founded in 2007, SP Ventures is one of the most traditional Venture Capital managers in Brazil. They temporarily acquire equity interests in small or medium-sized companies with innovative technologies and a high potential for non-mid-term growth. They are an early-stage fund […]
Who Gets Access to the Cap Table?
So, who gets access to the cap table? In general, the CEO, CFO, the board of directors, and investors with information rights get access on an ongoing basis. Attorneys, auditors, and other financial professionals may get access to the cap table for specific projects. Employees generally don’t get access to the full cap table. Employees […]
Investor Connect: George Ferris of Bilgola Capital LLC
In this episode, Hall welcomes George Ferris, Founder and Managing Member at Bilgola Capital LLC. Bilgola Capital invests in small dynamic companies with fundamentally strong business models that are led by ambitious and professional management teams. Bilgola provides long-term patient capital and seeks to build companies with sustainable enterprise value. Bilgola Capital invests in two […]
Reading Cap Tables
The cap table stands for capitalization table and tracks the equity ownership in a company. It’s important to be able to read a cap table and understand what it says. The key terms to know include the following: – Pre-money – the value of the shares before the investment. – Post-money – the value of […]
Founder-Friendly Term Sheet
Term sheets tend to favor the founder over the investor or the other way around. Here is how to tell if you have a founder-friendly term sheet: – Valuation skews to the higher end of the market in favor of the founders. – There’s no liquidation preference for the investors. – The option pool shares […]
Investor Connect: David Hornik of Lobby Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes David Hornik, Founder and General Partner at Lobby Capital. Lobby Capital is a venture capital firm headquartered in San Francisco, California. They join forces to collectively fund, advise, support, and mentor the next great innovators. Seven colleagues, confidants and friends have been building, advising, and funding startups for a collective […]
Common Mistakes With Cap Tables
The cap table tracks the ownership in the company. In applying the company’s equity to the business there are several mistakes to avoid: One – Not vesting the equity over time. It’s important to set up a vesting schedule for the equity to vest over the duration of the project. If the employee or contractor […]
Investor Connect: Harlan T. Beverly of Disruptive Labs
In this episode, Hall welcomes Harlan T. Beverly, Ph.D., Ambassador and Advisor at Disruptive Labs, and author of “Lean Startings: A novel about creating a lean startup and life’s interruptions” and “Navigating Your Way to Startup Success”. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Disruptive Labs is a new startup studio making investments in startups by building […]
Cap Table Advanced
As the startup grows it will add new entries to the cap table including new hires, option pools, advisors, as well as new investors. Here’s a list of potential changes to the cap table to watch for: New hires and options pools must be added. Employees who leave before all options are vested will have […]
Investor Connect: Isidoros Sideridis of Pobuca
In this episode, Hall welcomes Isidoros Sideridis, CEO and co-Founder at Pobuca. Pobuca offers a go-to-market platform for brands and retailers that helps them boost their customer experiences. With Pobuca you can engage your customers and empower your people in sales, marketing, and customer service. Pobuca offers a state of the art AI-based software and […]
Cap Table Basics
Cap Table stands for Capitalization Table and tracks the equity ownership in the company. This includes the number of shares each one owns and what percentage of the company it represents. It also lists the total number of shares issued as well as the number of authorized shares by the board. Your number of shares […]
Investor Connect: Bradford Shepherd of Sugarhouse Investments
In this episode, Hall welcomes Bradford Shepherd, Managing Partner at Sugarhouse Investments. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Sugarhouse Investments is a real estate private equity firm that provides investors with passive investment opportunities in institutional-quality commercial real estate and they help fund cash-flowing commercial real estate projects to move them forward. Together they build long-term wealth […]
Purpose of an Advisory Board
An advisory board is a group of three to five people who provide advice on how to grow your startup. They bring experience, contacts, and domain expertise. Advisory boards help the company grow and succeed. In recruiting for your advisory board, consider the following: Recruit diverse skills, networks, and experiences so they don’t overlap. Use […]
Investor Connect: Donna Hamlin & Nola Masterson of Boardwise
In this episode, Hall welcomes Donna Hamlin, CEO, & Nola Masterson, Partner at Boardwise. Boardwise provides companies and executives with the highest quality solutions, tools, education, independent evaluations, research, breaking news, and advisory support in corporate governance and management available for governance needs around the globe. They work with all forms of companies and organizations, […]
How to Pay Advisors
Once you’ve found an advisor you want to bring on board, consider the compensation. It’s important to pay the advisor something for their time and experience. Real work requires real pay. Not all advisors bring the same level of support to the startup. Also, consider that equity increases in value as the company grows. Later-stage […]
Investor Connect: Don Rainey of Grotech Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Don Rainey, General Partner at Grotech Ventures. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Grotech Ventures is a team committed to helping creative and driven entrepreneurs build technology companies that last. Their strategy is simple: early investors in high-potential technology companies. They initially invest from $500,000 to $5 million and look to continue […]
Does Your Advisor Have What It Takes?
In recruiting an advisor, check to see if they have what it takes to be a good one: Have they been through the wringer? Those who have been tested, such as nearing bankruptcy or going bankrupt will have a deeper understanding of the challenges in running a startup. Will their work with you put them […]
Investor Connect: Christian Czernich of Round2 Capital Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Christian Czernich, CEO/Founder/Managing Partner at Round2 Capital Partners. Round2 Capital Partners is a financing partner for European scale-ups with digital and sustainable business models. In the scale-up phase, outstanding entrepreneurs manage to transform their business from a successful venture into a real company. Round2 offers the innovative funding instruments and […]
Avoiding the Wrong Advisors
Here are some warning signs you may be talking to the wrong advisor: Their primary business-building experience came two tech generations ago. They have business experience but only in one area such as sales or marketing. They can relate their experience but have difficulty understanding your situation. They have a strong ego and center most […]
Investor Connect: Elio Assuncao of Venture Capital World Summit
In this episode, Hall welcomes Elio Assuncao, Founder and Director at Venture Capital World Summit. Venture Capital World Summit is a global community for investors and investees where they help businesses get more capital and expertise as they need to scale up and grow internationally with the support, if required, from their trusted network. Their […]
How to Select an Advisor
Once you decide you need an advisor, you’ll need to find and select one. Here are some key points to consider: Start with your network and expand out from there. Hold several conversations with the candidate advisor before making a decision. If you need to raise awareness for your startup, consider a thought leader in […]
Investor Connect: John-Mark Collins of Electric Playhouse
In this episode, Hall welcomes John-Mark Collins, Co-Founder, Owner, and Operator of Electric Playhouse. Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Electric Playhouse is an experiential platform company building easily replicable distributable content and operational facilities for families and adults to enjoy. Electric Playhouse has one open location in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and two more in the […]
Characteristics of a Good Advisor
In working with an advisor for your startup, look for these characteristics: – The advisor has first-hand experience in the industry, running a business, closing sales, and more. – They listen and can relate your problems to actionable solutions. – They have been through the same challenges and experiences as you are going through. – […]
Investor Connect: Matthew Sullivan of QuantmRE
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Matthew Sullivan, CEO and Founder of QuantmRE. Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, QuantmRE is a real estate finance platform that originates and funds Home Equity Agreements. This new financial tool enables qualifying homeowners to get a cash lump sum from their home equity with no monthly payments, no interest […]
How to Be a Good Advisor
In choosing a startup to advise, it’s important to find the right fit. Here are some key points to make sure you are a good advisor to the startup. Spend time with the startup to really understand if you can add value and if they are ready for an advisor. Make sure you communicate well […]
Investor Connect: Igor Khmel of Brik.exchange
In this episode, Hall welcomes Igor Khmel, Founder and CEO of Brik.exchange. Brik.exchange is a platform where you can trade stablecoins. BRIK is liquidity protocol for real estate that they are working on. They want to implement the power of the DeFi market and stable coins to automate the biggest asset class in the world […]
Advisor Roles
Advisors take many roles in their work with startups. You can use advisors to fill gaps in the early stage of the startup. Some advisors provide support as informal advisors. There’s no set goals, meetings, or formal advisor agreement. This is the most common way startups work with advisors. Those advisors signed up with an […]
Investor Perspectives – COVID’s Impact on Cybersecurity: Changes Expected in the Coming 12 Months
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “COVID’s Impact on Cybersecurity”, you’ll hear about changes expected in the coming 12 months and our guests’ final thoughts. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into […]
Types of Advisors
There are several types of advisors you can choose to help your startup. Here’s a list to consider: The Brand Name – This type of advisor offers their name to your company. This can be helpful to attract investors, employees, and customers. They typically bring some value in the form of advice, but it’s primarily […]
Investor Connect: Berthold Baurek-Karlic of Venionaire Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Berthold Baurek-Karlic, Founder and Managing Partner at Venionaire Capital. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, Venionaire Capital is an independent private equity and venture capital firm that offers a wide range of services in a variety of tech-related sectors and industries. Since its foundation in 2012, the company successfully advised more than […]
How to Recruit an Advisor
Good advisors bring good value to your startup. Great advisors bring great value. Spend time identifying the right advisor. In recruiting an advisor, pose specific questions and gauge the response. How does it rank compared to feedback from other sources? It should be the best or near the best of responses. If they advise other […]
Investor Connect: Jonathan DeYoe of Mindful Money
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jonathan DeYoe, President & CEO at Mindful Money and author of the Amazon Bestseller, “Mindful Money: Simple Practices for Reaching Your Financial Goals and Increasing Your Happiness Dividend”. Mindful Money is a comprehensive financial education and wealth management firm that brings mindfulness to personal finance. Mindful Money practices a behavioral […]
How to Find the Right Startup to Advise
As an investor in a startup, you may want to provide additional value and sign up as an advisor. Here are some key points to consider: – Choose startups that you can help. – Make clear the work you plan to do such as introductions, networking, advising on the domain, or just sharing business experience. […]
Investor Connect: Donatas Keras of Practica Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Donatas Keras, Founding Partner at Practica Capital. Founded in 2011, Practica Capital is a dedicated Baltic VC focusing on investments in the Baltic (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and Baltic-origin ventures in Europe. Selectively, they also invest in neighboring Europe (Nordics, Germany, Poland). They invest from €200k to €2m+ in seed and […]
Achieving a Good Advisor Fit With the Startup
Advisors can be very helpful to startup founders. Here are steps to consider in selecting an advisor: 1. Check your company needs for the coming two years and determine what is missing. 2. Look for advisors who add value to the team by bringing the necessary skills and experience the team doesn’t already have. 3. […]
Investor Connect: Robert Davidson of CURE Pharmaceutical
In this episode, Hall welcomes Robert Davidson, CEO of CURE Pharmaceutical. CURE Pharmaceutical is an innovative drug delivery and development company committed to improving drug efficacy, safety, and the patient experience through its proprietary drug dosage forms and delivery systems. CURE has an industry-leading full-service cGMP manufacturing facility and is a preeminent developer and manufacturer […]
Ideal Advisors
Just as you have an ideal customer profile, so you should have an ideal advisor profile. Start with your industry and growth strategy and look for founders who have experience in the same. Look for someone who has already gone through what you are going through now. Start with those who are local and reach […]
Investor Perspectives – COVID’s Impact on Cybersecurity: Participation in the Cybersecurity Segment and What Investors Look for
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “COVID’s Impact on Cybersecurity”, you’ll hear about participation in the cybersecurity segment and what investors look for. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new […]
Finding the Right Advisor
Advisors can help startups achieve higher growth, avoid problems along the way, and give the founder confidence. Here are some key points in choosing an advisor for your startup: – Avoid the “dabbler”. These advisors want to dabble with startups but don’t have any substantial experience to share. – Avoid “Yes” men. These advisors confirm […]