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Who Can Help With the Fundraise?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, you always start with your core network and increasingly expand the circle outward. The list includes the following: Family Friends Coworkers Your service providers such as attorneys, accountants, etc. Past coworkers As […]
How to Prepare for a Raise
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Before you launch your fundraise campaign, prepare your business, investor documents, and your investor network. For the business, check with your team, board, and investors to gain alignment. Your fundraise launch should not come as […]
Investor Connect – Vinod Jose of Konglo Ventures LLC
In this episode, Hall welcomes Vinod Jose, founder of Konglo Ventures LLP. Konglo Ventures is a seed funding firm based in Cochin, India, with partner offices in Dubai and New York. Since 2013, Konglo Ventures has invested in companies in India ranging from a healthcare platform utilizing acute disease management modules for early diagnosis, to […]
Do You Have a Venture Deal?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. For raising venture funding, first consider if you have a deal that’s in the game for venture funding by asking these questions: Is it a high-growth company? Is it scalable? Do you have an experienced […]
Investor Connect – Dana Myers of Myers EV
In this episode, Hall is joined by Dana Myers, founder of Myers EV. Myers EV builds and services electric vehicles, something that Dana states he has been obsessed with for decades. The mission of Myers EV is to “make electric vehicles affordable and practical to everyday people”. Dana provides facts, statistics and comparisons between gas […]
What’s the Game Plan for My Business?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In considering a fundraise, think about your ultimate goal with the business. Are you building a business that will be your lifestyle business for the next 20 years, or are you building a business that […]
Investor Connect – Joy Schoffler, Investor and Advisor
Hall is joined by investor and advisor Joy Schoffler. Joy has won numerous awards including Women Communicators “Outstanding communicator”, CEO Magazine “Entrepreneur of the Year” and Austin’s Under-40 award. She served as an officer in the Army Reserves & Texas State Guard. Joy founded, ran and sold Leverage PR, one of the fastest-growing PR firms […]
Do You Need Funding for Your Startup?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. How do you know if you need funding for your startup? First, consider the type of business you are going to build and what it will take to get it up and running. Are you […]
Investor Connect – Andrew Coors of Steelhead Composites
In this episode, Hall welcomes Andrew Coors, CEO and Founder of Steelhead Composites which was founded in 2012. During his career, Andrew has managed a multi-million dollar fund, held an executive position at a Fortune 500 Company and more. Steelhead Composites engineers, designs, manufactures and tests their products in-house in Colorado. They currently export fluid […]
Break the Raise Down Into Milestones
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding it’s best to break the raise into milestones rather than raising the entire amount of funding in one go. Milestones are typically broken out as follows: Raise $250K from family and friends […]
Investor Connect – Doug Doan of Hivers and Strivers
In this episode, Hall welcomes Military Veteran, Doug Doan of Hivers and Strivers. Hivers and Strivers is an Angel Investment Group focusing on early-stage investments to support startup companies founded and run by graduates of the U.S. Military Academies. This group of investors is industry and geography-agnostic and they invest exclusively in companies with great […]
Fundraise Geography
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I receive many a startup that tells me they’ve talked to everyone in their area to raise funding but they haven’t found all the funding they need. What can they do? When I started angel […]
How to Close a Funding Round
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After you’ve built your fundraise campaign and your list of interested investors, it comes time to close the funding round. Here are some pointers for closing: Sort and prioritize your list of target investors. […]
Investor Connect – Josh Rasmussen of Monday Motorbikes
In this episode, Hall welcomes Josh Rasmussen of Monday Motorbikes. Josh is the co-founder and CEO of Monday Motorbikes, an electric motorbike company which is based in California. The story of where Monday Motorbikes was founded is very similar to that of one of the Big Four technology companies in the world. Josh is driven […]
Focus on Your Core Audience
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. To launch your startup identify a large market then target a small segment of that market to attack first. Choose your first segment based on easy to access and a close fit to your initial […]
Exemptions
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Securities law allows for startups to take investments from family and friends. Here are the relevant exemptions. Rule 504 is The Seed Fund Exemption This allows you to raise up to $ 1 million within […]
Investor Connect – Gregory Bohlen of Union Grove Venture Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gregory Bohlen of Union Grove Venture Partners. Greg Bohlen co-founded Union Grove Venture Partners in 2014. Greg’s experience and relationships in the venture capital and investment banking communities have been developed over the past 30 years, and he has invested in over 50 venture-backed companies. Here they speak about Grove’s […]
Investor Connect – Maggie Sprenger of Green Cow Venture Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Maggie Sprenger of Green Cow Venture Capital. Green Cow Venture Capital is a venture capital firm that backs dynamic founding teams using greenfield technologies to solve big problems around scarcity and inefficiency. Green Cow is sector agnostic, and all of their startups are trying to solve big global market problems […]
How Much Equity to Give Up
How much equity should you give up to the investors? Friends & Family Round: Less than 10% most often in the 5-6% Angel Round: It’s 20-25% VC Series A Round: 25% to 30% It’s important to keep the founders motivated so if too much equity goes to investors, there’s little incentive for the founders to […]
Investor Connect – Pieter Dorsman of Angel Forum and E-Fund
In this episode, Hall welcomes Pieter Dorsman of Angel Forum and E-Fund. Angel Forum is one of the longest-serving angel networks in Canada. They are a non-profit organization and presenting companies have raised over $35 million directly through their forum. Angel Forum also offers workshops to both entrepreneurs and investors. E-Fund was founded to achieve […]
Are you Ready for a Series A Fundraise?
Are you considering launching a Series A fundraise? For startups not requiring FDA, you will need the following: – A product with revenue, preferably above $500K/year – A growth plan to reach $10M annual revenue – A strong team with growth company experience – A credible funding plan to maintain growth with reasonable burn rates […]
Why am I Being Rejected for Funding Because I am a Startup?
Luis asks: Why am I being rejected for funding because I am a startup? Investors always ask that I have at least one year in business or more and that my company has revenue. Usually, when you start a business you start from scratch. That is when you need the support to launch and develop […]
Gratitude
In fundraising as in all business, one should always show a grateful attitude. This applies to both startups and investors. Begin your call or meeting with a thank you. Such as: -Thank you for taking time -Thank you for meeting with me It sets the proper tone for the discussion. Gratitude shows a thankfulness to […]
Investor Connect – Anurag Ahuja of TakeOut7
In this episode, Hall welcomes Anurag Ahuja of TakeOut7. Anurag is a serial entrepreneur, founder, and CEO with over 20 years in the SaaS platform, internet marketing, retail, eCommerce, and data & analytics. TakeOut7 is an AI-based platform that handles ordering and traditional/digital marketing for independent restaurants. By using TakeOut7’s solutions, restaurants get their online […]
Common Startup Mistakes
Startups make many of the mistakes. Here are two common ones to avoid: Thinking you must have the perfect product before you talk with anyone – including customers. Many startups go into development mode until they have their first product, and then launch it to the world. Often with a thud. Instead, involve customers at every step […]
Investor Connect – Samara Gordon of Hyperplane Venture Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Samara Gordon of Hyperplane Venture Capital. Hyperplane Venture Capital is an investment firm focused on exceptional founders building machine intelligence and data companies. They partner with exceptional founders who are leveraging machine intelligence, sensor technology, and cloud computing to solve the world’s hardest problems uncovering the underlying structure for each […]
Founder Vesting
I’ve talked with numerous startups who has a founder that no longer works with the company and has taken their equity with them. One solution to this problem is called Founder Vesting. Many startups choose to structure the founder shares as restricted stock. This reserves some shares which must be “earned back” by the founder […]
Investor Connect – Henry Yoshida of Rocket Dollar
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Henry Yoshida Founder and CEO of Rocket Dollar Inc. Rocket Dollar was founded in 2018 with the belief that retirement is changing. They believe that people should not be limited in their investment options as they work towards the retirement they envision for themselves. Rocket Dollar makes it safe, […]
Pari Passu
The terms sheet sets out terms such as Pari passu, Last Money in Rules, Exclusivity and confidentiality, and Conditions of Financing Pari passu is a Latin phrase meaning equal footing and without preference. This clause basically states that if the startup issues any new classes of stock then it shall have equal rights with prior […]
Investor Connect – Nick Iovacchini of KettleSpace Inc.
In this episode, Hall welcomes Nick Iovacchini of KettleSpace, a New York City-based drop-in coworking that partners with local businesses. A former college baseball player, Nick has been an entrepreneur since leaving college. He used his experience in the restaurant space to co-found KettleSpace as a way to provide affordable coworking spaces as well as […]
Drag-along Rights & Protective Provisions
The terms sheet sets out Drag along rights and Protective Provisions Drag along rights give the investor the right to force the shareholders (founders and others) to sell the startup. Drag along rights are common in VC deals. The primary reason for a drag along rights clause is that the lead investors want out and […]
Investor Connect – Manuk Hergnyan of Granatus Ventures
In this episode, Hall is joined by Manuk Hergnyan co-founder and managing partner of Granatus Ventures. Granatus Ventures is the first Venture Capital firm in Armenia to provide funding, expertise, and networks to promising technology-driven startups based in or having core value-add activities in Armenia. Granatus Ventures is backed by an experienced team of investment […]
Information Rights
The terms sheet sets out the Information Rights for the investors. The Information Rights section defines what information and reports are required and the reporting schedule, and sometimes which investors are entitled to receive the information. The standard set of financial reports that investors require include profit and loss (P& L) statements, balance sheets, and […]
Investor Connect – Brian Morin of Soteria Battery Innovation Group
In this episode, Hall is joined by Brian Morin of the Soteria Battery Innovation Group. Soteria Battery Innovation Group is dedicated to enabling portable electric power without the risk of fires, no matter the circumstances. Their material architecture eliminates the spark on the inside of a battery that can cause fires. Soteria’s goal is to […]
Board Rights
The terms sheet sets out the board composition. For an early stage company, the board is comprised of three (3) individuals with one (1) representative being the CEO of the Company, one (1) representative being the Lead Investors or his designee (the Series A Director), and one (1) representative being an individual mutually agreed upon […]
Investor Connect – Paul O’Brien of MediaTech Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Paul O’Brien of MediaTech Ventures. MedicaTech Ventures is an Austin-grown venture development group and holdings company that connects capital and people in the media and technology industries. An online technology and startup veteran, Paul is known as SEO’Brien for his extensive past in the search industry. Paul works in […]
Governance and Control Terms
The terms sheet contains several investor rights relating to Governance and Control. Here are three of them: Right of First Refusal The Right of First Refusal clause says that if a founder sells his or her shares, then the preferred share investor gets the right to buy those founder shares first. Doing so results in […]
Investor Connect – Mikael Krogh of Investigate VC
In this episode, Hall welcomes Mikael Krogh, Managing Partner and Founder of Investigate VC. Mikael has experience as both an entrepreneur and investor across four continents, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Investigate is a Singapore-based VC investing in startups with the Network Orchestration business model – companies facilitating information sharing and transactions within their […]
Warrants
You may come across the term warrants in a terms sheet. Warrants are a type of security that gives investors the option to buy more stock over a designated time frame, at a specific price. Three parameters define the details of a typical warrant clause: the term, the coverage, and the price. The term sets […]
Investor Connect – Jason Todd of Thinker Ventures
In this episode, Hall is joined by Jason Todd of Thinker Ventures, business development and consulting firm specializing in startups and small to mid-size growth companies. An entrepreneur with a background in sales/marketing, programming, and eCommerce, Jason uses his expertise to grow and develop small companies and startups. Jason gravitates to companies that have a […]
Pay to Play
Pay to play is often used in terms sheets. A pay to play clause is intended to create an incentive for existing preferred share investors to invest on a pro rata basis in future financing rounds. The clause spells out that, if the existing investors choose not to participate in future rounds, they will lose […]
Investor Connect – Daniel Hallawi of KapVista
In this episode, Hall welcomes Daniel Hallawi of KapVista, a global platform showcasing emerging companies across 15+ countries to over 15,000 high net worth, professional, and international investors. Through an investor-focused website and tailored matchmaking, private companies can present their company to potential investors, advisors and board members. As a natural by-product, KapVista also provides […]
Anti-Dilution
Terms sheets use anti-dilution clauses to protect the investors. Anti-dilution comes into play during down rounds in which the founders raise funding at a lower valuation than a previous round. There are three scenarios: No Anti-Dilution Protection – Investors and founders share in dilution from any follow on rounds funding. Full Ratchet Anti-Dilution – With […]
Investor Connect – Matt Johnson of Johnson Venture Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Matt Johnson of Johnson Venture Partners, a micro VC fund investing in high-growth startups in the Southeast. Matt’s curiosity about the founding stories of successful companies led to a passion for early-stage investing. While JVP is sector agnostic, Matt points to his particular interest in machine learning, cognitive computing technology, […]
Liquidation Preference
Liquidation preference is a right commonly found in terms sheet. It provides the investor the right to receive their investment back and then the remaining profits are distributed pro rata to other stakeholders. It’s often expressed in multiples such as 1X, 2X, or 3X. This means the investors with those rights will receive 1X their […]
Investor Connect – Rob Wray of BlueStar SeniorTech
In this episode, Hall welcomes Rob Wray, CEO of BlueStar SeniorTech. BlueStar provides aging-in-place technologies to seniors, particularly those in families with veterans. Multi-faceted businessman/admiral: fluent in technology, people, processes, energy, defense, and general P&L business Rob is a Mechanical Engineer from the Naval Academy, Admiral Wray. He spent seven years of active duty as […]
Key Terms in the Terms Sheet
Here are some Financial Parameters to look for in a terms sheet: Type of Security: Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, or Series Seed Preferred Stock. Investment Amount: How much is being raised. Pre-Money Valuation: What the business is worth before the investment. The pre-money valuation can also appear in the “Price Per […]
Investor Connect – Brett Commaille of Hlayisani Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Brett Commaille of Hlayisani Capital. Hlayisani’s investment philosophy is focussed on the acquisition of either significant minority or majority ownership stakes in market leading organizations that are high-growth and high-impact revenue generating private equity businesses. With over 20 years of investment and management experience and 12 years Venture Capital, Brett […]
Investor Connect – Jon Trauben of Altitude Investment Management
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jon Trauben of Altitude Investment Management. Altitude Investment Management, LLC is a U.S.-based global venture capital fund manager investing in the legal cannabis industry. The manager’s strategy is to invest in a range of early-stage to growth companies that support this rapidly-growing industry, both in the United States and globally. […]
VC Quick Valuation Method
In raising funding, valuation is a key number the CEO and investor must come to agree with. As a startup you must determine your target valuation. There are several methods. One method is the VC Quick Valuation Method This method starts with the exit of the startup. You assume the exit value your startup is […]
Investor Connect – Paul Rosen of GlobalGo
In this episode, Hall is joined by Paul Rosen, Executive Chairman for Global Go, a consulting firm specializing in the U.S. and international cannabis/hemp market. Paul began as an attorney in Canada, before turning to a career as an entrepreneur in a number of sectors. In 2010, Paul entered the cannabis industry in Canada, which […]
Valuation: Risk Mitigation Valuation Method
In raising funding, valuation is a key number the CEO and investor must come to agree with. As a startup you must determine your target valuation. There are several methods. One method is the Risk Mitigation Valuation Method. The Risk Mitigation method assigns dollar values to the startup’s accomplishments in each of four categories: Technology, […]
Investor Connect – Eva Yazhari of Beyond Capital Fund
In this episode, Hall welcomes Eva Yazhari, Co-Founder and CEO of Beyond Capital Fund. Beyond Capital Funds is a social impact fund that invests in for-profit social enterprises throughout India and East Africa. They invest in businesses within the health care, waste/water/sanitation, and alternative energy/clean technology sectors. Beyond Capital focuses on improving the quality of […]
Valuation: Step up Valuation Method
In raising funding, valuation is a key number the CEO and investor must come to agree with. As a startup you must determine your target valuation. There are several methods. One method is called Step up Valuation It uses ten factors. Each factor adds $250K to the valuation To calculate your total pre-money valuation add […]
Investor Connect – Vik Sasi of Dreamers VC
In this episode, Hall welcomes Vik Sasi of Dreamers VC. Dreamers VC, founded by Will Smith and Keisuke Honda is a venture capital fund bridging established Japanese corporate investors with early-stage, US-based companies. The company was conceived from their shared passion to improve the world. They invest in innovative companies, alongside top-tier lead investors, to […]
Market Comp Valuation
In raising funding, valuation is a key number the CEO and investor must come to agree on. As a startup you must determine your target valuation. There are several methods. The first method is called Market Comp. In short, you look at other companies of a similar sector, stage and revenue and determine how you compare. […]
Investor Connect – Amrit Robbins of Axiom Exergy
In this episode, Hall welcomes Amrit Robbins of Axiom Exergy. Axiom Exergy’s cloud-based platform provides active power management services for buildings with large thermal loads. Today, 60-70% of a typical building’s electricity bill is driven by w it consumes power, and 28% of all electricity consumed by US commercial and industrial buildings is used for […]
How to Write a Compelling Pitch Deck
The startup pitch is a key step in raising funding. You must be able to talk about your company in a compelling, coherent, and comprehensive manner in a short amount of time. Your pitch should contain the following: The Attention Getter: Lead with the most compelling reason why you have a great business. State the […]
Investor Connect – Vinay Singh of Fireside Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Vinay Singh of Fireside Ventures. Fireside Ventures is an early-stage investment platform focused on consumer brands. From prototyping and consumer testing to a longer initial gestation period, and a greater need for mentorship, they understand the highly specific needs of a consumer startup. Vinay spent his early career at Hindustan […]
Why Do So Many Startups Fail?
Some wonder what causes the failure rate for startups to be so high. Is it because they are doing new, unproven things? Was it because the market changed or the customer preferences shift? Or was it because they didn’t have funding or access to key accounts. The cause of startup failure comes back to one […]
Investor Connect – Sergio Paluch of Beta Boom
n this episode, Hall welcomes Sergio Paluch of Beta Boom. Beta Boom is a pre-seed fund focusing on startups in emerging tech hubs around the world. They believe that tech innovation has no boundaries and that founders from underserved groups present one of the biggest opportunities of this era for both investors and society. Beta […]
Why Founders Equity Requires Vesting
I had a startup the other day approach me about investing. In the discussion it came up that one of the founders recently left and took half the equity with him. It appears there was no vesting on the founders equity. Vesting means one has to earn the equity by continuing to work in the […]
Investor Connect – Yigit Ihlamur of Vela Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Yigit Ihlamur of Vela Partners. Vela Partners is an investment firm, composed of five partners supported by technology, commercial and legal advisors. Their main focus is software companies, with investments spanning from angel to VC stages. Before Vela, Yigit Ihlamur worked in Google’s Cloud division, at the company’s headquarters in […]
Who Should Have Access to the Cap Table and Down Rounds
Who should have access to the cap table in a startup? The Cap Table which shows the ownership of each investor and those from the company is reserved for investors, board members, the CFO, and the corporate attorneys. For employees, you want to create a culture of openness. Employees and other shareholders get visibility into […]
Investor Connect – Greg Baker of Alumni Ventures Group
In this episode, Hall welcomes Greg Baker of Alumni Ventures Group. Alumni Ventures Group (AVG) is a different type of venture capital firm. Designed for individual investors, AVG makes this key asset class available to millions of individuals who previously haven’t had access to a high-quality, diversified venture portfolio. Greg started his career with an […]
Some Common Misconceptions about Fundraising
One common misconception about fundraising is that you must know an investor before you can approach for funding. It’s best to have some validation from your own group before approaching those outside of your core. Start with your current network and work out from there. Identify the right type of investor for your deal based […]
Investor Connect – Geraldo Melzer of A.B.Seed Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Geraldo Melzer of A.B.Seed Ventures. A.B.Seed Ventures focuses on investing in startups that seek seed investment, with a SaaS B2B business model. Their proposal goes beyond capital and network. They support entrepreneurs with the best SaaS marketing and sales practices in areas such as inbound marketing, inside sales, channels and […]
Red Flags in the Cap Table
In looking at cap tables, there are several red flags to watch out for. Look for shares that are actually issued and not just verbally promised. Is the cap table up to date with cancellations and repurchases? Many startups consider their cap table to be a work in progress so don’t be surprised if it […]
Investor Connect – Atin Batra of Twenty Seven Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Atin Batra of Twenty Seven Ventures, a VC firm focusing on education and the future of work technology. Atin is a serial entrepreneur and began his investing career with a corporate accelerator before starting his firm. Atin explains how he came to focus on the Education Technology and Future of […]
Calculating Equity Ownership
I was approached by a listener the other day who was contemplating investing in a friend’s business. He was the first money in and was trying to figure out how much equity his investment bought. There’s an equation for determining equity ownership. There are three terms in the equation. Pre-money valuation – how much the […]
Investor Connect – Brian Phillips of The Pearl Fund
In this episode, Hall is joined by Brian Phillips of The Pearl Fund, an early-stage VC fund specializing in Opportunity Zone (OZ) investments. Brian’s background in computer science led to numerous jobs with tech startups. Through these experiences, he developed an interest in entrepreneurship non-profits. Ultimately, he ended up starting a fund to take advantage […]
Traction vs. Momentum
Many investors look for traction in a startup to gauge their progress. Traction stated as a single number on a pitch deck can be hard to judge as sufficient for an investment. Many investors tell the startup “nice traction, but we’d like to see more.” Instead of traction look for momentum. Momentum demonstrates things are […]
Investor Connect – Laura Baldwin of Golden Seeds
In this episode, Hall welcomes Laura Baldwin, Managing Director of Golden Seeds. Golden Seeds is an investment firm dedicated to pursuing market returns through the empowerment of women entrepreneurs and the people who invest in them. The group was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in New York City, with active chapters in Atlanta, Boston, […]
Contractor Funding
Many enterprise software programs come from service businesses solving a problem for their clients. In searching for a solution on the market, they find none, so they build their own. Later, other clients come ready to buy it. I call this contractor funding, and it’s one of the most overlooked forms of funding in the […]
Investor Connect – Jyri Engestrom of Yes VC
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jyri Engestrom of Yes VC, a small seed-stage fund focusing on community-driven startups. Jyri started out as an entrepreneur and uses his experiences with successful startup exits to inform his investing philosophy. Jyri advises investors to look for startups that are part of a larger social movement. Startups that can […]
Treat Each Other Nicely in the Startup Community – People Talk
It’s best to play nice with others in the startup community. While it may seem diverse and diffused, I’ve found word travels fast. The startup world is transparent and highly viral. So much of what happens regarding deal-flow and investing is based on reputation and trust. It takes a long time to build but can be […]
Investor Connect – Larry Cynkin of GreenBar
In this episode, Hall welcomes GreenBar founder Larry Cynkin. Larry is a serial entrepreneur who has been CTO or VP Engineering at five startups, with experience in industries ranging from health care to personalized e-commerce to ed-tech. Larry started his career as a software developer, with a degree in Computer Science from Brown University. He […]
Spend Time with them First
Before the fundraise, startups should spend time with the investor first. It’s less about the amount of face time and more about the number of interactions over the phone, via email, in person, and otherwise. It’s best to connect with investors before you start your fundraise so you have a basic relationship established. You can […]
Investor Connect – Sid Mookerji of Silicon Road
In this episode, Hall is joined by Sid Mookerji of Silicon Road, an early-stage fund, accelerator, and advisory group focused on retail and eCommerce. After founding a custom application development firm for eCommerce and retail, Sid saw the opportunity for a good exit and entered the world of venture capital. Sid talks about what excites […]
It’s About Execution
Some startups think their business will succeed based on the idea, the technology, the market or something else. They think their technology will win the day, or that their idea is so great, or the market is growing so fast that they will succeed based on that alone. For the investor, all of these are […]
Investor Connect – Pierre Rogers of PuroTrader
In this episode, Hall is joined by Pierre Rogers of PuroTrader, an online cigar-trading platform. PuroTrader was created by two aficionados to bring more transparency and access to the global cigar market. The site aims to educate connoisseurs, stimulate conversation and more importantly monitor market trends within the industry. In this episode, Pierre shares exciting […]
Importance of Historical Numbers
Most startup pitches focus on their future. It’s bright. The numbers are growing fast and will be big. The sky’s the limit. Just how much do investors put behind those startup forecasts? The answer: It depends on the historical numbers the forecast is based on. If there’s a consistent track record of historical growth, then […]
Investor Connect – Orrin Ailloni-Charas of RedCrow
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dr. Orrin Ailloni-Charas of RedCrow, a healthcare-focused, early-stage startup investing network. Orrin’s background in medicine led to consulting roles with various healthcare startups. He received his MBA from Columbia, and now has a career straddling both the business world and medial and clinical world. Orrin explains how RedCrow incorporates crown-based […]
When Should You Raise Funding?
I’m often asked when you should raise funding. There are funding requirements to consider. Calculate your cash burn and estimate the need for new cash. There are also preparation and timing issues. Start your preparation six months in front of the launch Launch your fundraise six months before you need the funding. Use the six […]
Investor Connect – Tracy Deforge of The Players’ Impact
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tracy DeForge of The Players’ Impact, a group that connects professional athletes with the world of startups and investing. Tracy has worked in the sports industry for her entire career. At The Players’ Impact, she is focused not just on involving athletes as brand ambassadors, but also in bringing startups […]
The Only Startup without Glitches is the One that is Dead
There are truisms in the startup world you can always count on. A few that come to mind are: – All software has bugs. – All startups take longer than expected (to generate revenue, finish the product, fill in your favorite one here). And my newest one is: The only startup without glitches is the […]
Investor Connect – Karthee Madasamy of MFV Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Karthee Madasamy of MFV Partners. MFV Partners’ approach is to back visionary entrepreneurs developing deep technologies and solutions that disrupt traditional verticals and ecosystems across automotive, manufacturing, retail, agriculture and knowledge services. Karthee has been a VC investor for 15 years, following a career as an entrepreneur with an electrical […]
I’m Not Raising Funding Now, But…
While unforeseen events can overtake a startup, many CEOs simply don’t plan ahead when it comes to fundraising. For every $1M you want to raise, it will take you one calendar year to raise it. Most of the time, an entrepreneur who approaches me is raising funding today and is looking for a check now. […]
Investor Connect – Amy Salzhauer of Good Growth Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Amy Salzhauer of Good Growth Capital. Good Growth Capital is a venture capital platform focused on early-stage technology companies. Good Growth Capital’s General Fund focuses on the east coast, filling the gap with early-stage technology investing, with partners located in Charleston SC, Boston and NY. The fund leverages proximity to […]
Tomorrow’s Valuation for Today’s Fundraise
I recently saw a pitch deck from a seed stage startup which had a small amount of revenue. The deck claimed a valuation of $50M because a similar company exited at that valuation. I asked about his valuation, and he said he claimed $50M because “that’s what my company will be worth.” I reminded him […]
Investor Connect – Joe Jesuele of HomeJab
In this episode, Hall welcomes Joe Jesuele of HomeJab, a nationwide real estate media production company. HomeJab applies innovative technology and user-friendly customer experience to make on-demand, professional-quality media services available to the real estate market. HomeJab’s professional videos, HDR photography, aerials, and immersive 3D virtual tour services are the most comprehensive offering of immersive […]
The Growth Story: You Must Have One
Many entrepreneurs approach me for funding. I find the biggest misconception is that you must first raise funding before you can launch and grow your business. In reality, the ones who raise funding have a growth story and can communicate it effectively to investors. Investors funding startups look for market validation and product validation – […]
Investor Connect – Wenyi Cai of Polymath Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Wenyi Cai of Polymath Ventures. Polymath is a company builder focused on emerging markets, with offices in Mexico City and Bogota. They are specifically interested in sectors experiencing global disruption enabled by technology in an emerging market setting. Wenyi’s background gave him experience with emerging markets, and he applies this […]
Impact Investing
Today, we’ll talk about Impact Investing. There’s an old saying about angel investors: “They want to make a little money, have a little fun, and do a little good.” The ‘do a little good’ talks about how investors want to make a contribution to the community with their investment. Some do it through Impact Investing, […]
Investor Connect – Gil Hernandez of GXH Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gil Hernandez of GXH Capital. GXH Capital is a minority-owned venture capital firm to alter the diversity landscape in tech. They invest in startups with missions that will help the world. Their goal is to invest in diverse founders and founders that are committed to helping the underrepresented. Hall and […]
Should you Raise a Seed+ Round?
Today, we’ll talk about whether you should be raising a Seed+ round. In startup funding, you raise funding in stages. There’s the seed stage, when you have developed the product to some level and potentially have some users. Startups typically raise $500K to $750K for this round. You don’t want to raise more at this […]
Investor Connect – Bá Minuzzi of UMANA
In this episode, Hall welcomes Bá Minuzzi of San Francisco-based UMANA. After starting as an entrepreneur at an early age in Brazil, Bá became interested in capital and joined an investment firm, before starting her own investment boutique focused on real estate. She later moved to the U.S., diversifying her portfolio and expanding into the […]
Focus on your Ideal Customer
To launch your startup, identify a large market then target a small segment of that market to attack first. Choose your first segment based on ease of access and a close fit to your initial product. In other words, focus on your most ideal customer, and then grow your business from there. Most startups want […]
Investor Connect – Martin Mulvihill of Safer Made
In this episode, Hall welcomes Martin Mulvihill of Safer Made, a VC firm specializing in early-stage companies that bring safer products and technologies to market and protect our health and the natural world. With a background in chemistry, Martin has brought his passion for sustainable, environment-friendly chemistry to investing. For prospective investors in the health […]
409A Valuations
As soon as your startup establishes a stock incentive plan and issues stock options to employees or other stakeholders, it’s time to work on a 409A valuation. This is a valuation of your startup for assigning a cost basis to the stock options. The U.S. tax code in section 409A requires private companies to show […]