Discussion Topics

Key Elements of a Seed Pitch Deck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The goal of the pitch is to bring the investor up to speed on the deal in a short amount of time….

How To Make a Persuasive Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The goal of the pitch is to persuade investors to support your startup. Here are some key techniques to…

Personalizing Investor Email Outreach Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Email outreach is a key component of fundraising. It’s an efficient way to reach out to…

Sharing Your Pitchdeck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The pitch deck is the initial document investors want to see. It’s important to have your pitch deck ready to…

Signs an Investor Is Not Interested in Your Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching for funding, look for signs of interest from the investor. Here’s a…

Common Mistakes in Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Successful fundraising comes from preparation, focus, and experience. Here are some common mistakes…

Key Elements of a Successful Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising takes time, effort, and attention. The startup founder faces many demands from the…

Key Duties of the CFO Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The CFO plays a key role in the early stages of the startup. Here are the key duties of the CFO: The CFO…

Feedback From VCs Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors hear many pitches and often give feedback to the startup. Some investors avoid giving feedback for the…

Negotiating Valuation With an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The valuation is a negotiation, not a formula. Startup founders negotiating valuation should…

Founder Experience and Traction Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, there are two key drivers to how much a startup can ask for funding. The first is…

Customize the Pitch for the Investor Type Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are many types of investors. Founders should customize the pitch for the investor…

Build a Relationship With the Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it’s important to build a relationship with the investor. Upfront, the…

Make Sure the Convertible Note Has a Conversion Point Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Convertible notes are useful tools for fundraising. They are easy to set up and…

Talk to Investors As if They Were Already Partners Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. First-time founders often spend their pitch time selling their product. This fails…

Key Steps to FDA Approval for a Therapeutic Drug Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. FDA approval is a lengthy and involved process with therapeutic drugs that startups…

Preparing for a Crowdfunding Raise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Crowdfunding is a viable method for raising funding for a startup. Here are some key considerations…

Key Metrics by Stage Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors use metrics to understand the performance of the startup. Here’s a list of key metrics by stage:…

How To Make Your Pitch Deck Look Professional Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There’s a big difference between an average pitch deck and a great one. The great…

The Key Component to Investor Updates Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Updates to investors throughout the fundraise campaign are a must. Investors want to know you…

How To Get Your Investor To Help With Sales Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors can help their funded startup in many ways. In addition to making introductions…

How To Position Your Bridge Raise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, bridge rounds fill the gap between the stage raises. Startups use bridge raises…

How To Start Angel Investing Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. First-time investors often wonder where to begin in angel investing. Some join angel groups or syndicate…

Win, Expand, Extend in Vertical SaaS Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In a vertical SaaS business model, there’s a strategy for growth called Win, Expand, and…

More Control Points in Vertical SaaS Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Vertical SaaS is a great business model for startups to use. It focuses the product on one…

Control Points in Vertical SaaS Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Vertical SaaS is a great business model for startups to use. It focuses the product on one specific…

Why Invest in Vertical SaaS Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Vertical SaaS is a venture sector in the tech space. It narrows the scope of the startup to a single…

Raising an Inside Round Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most startup fundraisers seek capital from outside investors who are new to the round. This brings new…

Using Rule 701 To Issue Equity to Employees Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In a startup, it’s helpful to compensate employees with company stock. Most companies…

Create a Sense of Urgency Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a fundraiser, it’s important to build a sense of urgency into the campaign. Here are some key…

The Role of AI and Data in Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup fundraising begins with family and friends and then expands to the founders’ network….

Bring Three Stats for Your Startup Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it’s important to showcase the key numbers behind your business….

Bring Three Stats for Your LP Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Raising funds from Limited Partners requires a track record, an investment thesis, and a…

Raising Funding in Downtimes Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising goes through the same cycles as the stock market, When the stock market is going up it’s…

Show How Your Valuation Is Already Achieved Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Valuation is a key factor in a startup’s fundraising. Most startups show an aspirational…

The Four Phases of a Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The successful startup pitch goes through four phases. Start by capturing their imagination. This could be…

Researching Investors for Your Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Before launching your fundraiser campaign, make sure to research your investor prospects….

Fundraising Tips Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most founders are raising funding for the first time. They often miss the nuances that come from experience. For the…

Conversion of a Convertible Note Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are three ways a Convertible Note converts to equity. The note matures and converts to equity…

How a VC Fund May Shut Down Early Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture Capital funds typically run on ten-year cycles. There are some conditions in which the VC…

Lifecycle of the VC Fund Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture Capital funds typically run on ten-year cycles. At a high level, the VC fund takes in capital from…

How To Answer “What’s Your Timeline?” Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors often ask startups raising funding, “What’s your timeline?” They want to…

How To Optimize for Efficiency Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup fundraising, capital efficiency is a key criteria for investors. They look to see how…

Choosing an AI Model for Your Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Artificial intelligence, or AI, is becoming a standard part of every startup’s business. It can…

The Burn Multiple Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The burn rate is a key metric for high-growth startups. This is the amount of cash being spent over and above the…

The Benefit of Investing in Tranches Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Tranching the investment means breaking it down into tranches or rounds.  Tranche comes from…

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In flying an aircraft, there’s a saying regarding priorities: “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.”…

Sell Your Business Instead of Shutting It Down Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many startups fail to achieve product-market fit or breakout growth. Founders who…

State the Purpose Behind the Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching, start with the Why of the business. Why does this business exist? It’s important…

The Downside of SAFE Notes Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. SAFE Notes were designed to simplify the investment process. By removing many of the terms found in equity…

How To Raise a First-Time VC Fund Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Raising a first-time venture capital fund is hard work. Here are some key steps in raising a VC fund…

Fundraising Hones the Founder’s Skills Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising brings not only capital to the startup, but it also hones the founder’s skills….

Negotiating the Valuation Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Negotiating the valuation is a key step in the fundraising process.  Here are some helpful strategies…

Put the Why Before the How Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching, it’s important to start with the why before diving into the how. The founder often dives…

How To Build a Relationship With a VC Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it’s important to make contact and build a relationship with a venture…

Use Angels for the Initial Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the earliest stages of the fundraise, angels are often a better fit than venture capitalists….

Key Series A Metrics Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Series A fundraises focus on growth. The goal of the fundraising pitch is not to show that you can sell the…

Uncapped SAFE Notes Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. SAFE notes are commonly used in startup fundraises. They most often come with a valuation cap. This means the…

Fundraising Requires a Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising is a complex problem that requires ongoing focus and effort over a period of time. It is…

Investor Introductions – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investor introductions can be helpful in connecting with new investors….

Showing Traction at the Seed Level Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. At the seed stage, the product is just going into the market. The customer engagement is beginning….

The MicroVC Pitchdeck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. MicroVCs need to raise funding to invest in startups, just as startups need to raise funding for their own…

Investor Access to Customers Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the diligence process, investors may want to talk with the startups’ customers. Their goal is to…

The CEO Leads the Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In a fundraiser, the CEO should lead it by setting the strategy and engaging investors. This doesn’t…

Non-Dilutive Funding Options Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup funding comes in two forms: dilutive and non-dilutive. Equity funding is dilutive in that the…

When To Consider Venture Debt Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup funding, there is venture capital and venture debt. Venture capital takes an equity stake in…

How To Stand Out From the Crowd Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it helps to stand out from the crowd of other startups pitching. Most founders…

Show the Business Model Unit Economics Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Early-stage companies pitching investors often have little revenue traction. In place of…

Raising Funding in a Down Market Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The best time to start a new business is during a down market. Labor is plentiful. The competition is…

What Angels Look For Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Angel investors are not professional investors in the same way as venture capitalists. Angel investors are…

First Meeting With an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After a number of calls with a prospective investor, there comes the first meeting in person. Here are…