In this episode, Hall welcomes Vickie Zisman, Owner at Bastet Communication. Vickie is a skilled corporate communications professional. She has led corporate activity in marketing, marcomm, events, as well as investor/partner/international relations. She has worked in corporate PR, digital media & social networks as well as the cross-cultural business environment in the private and non-profit sectors. Her background in marketing and communications has put her in contact with entrepreneurs and eventually led to her making introductions and connections between startups and investors.

Vickie speaks about her experiences with startups and investors and their contrasting points of view. She emphasizes that, for most investors, technology needs to be market-ready, and able to be translated into a solid business. She also highlights the importance of personal chemistry and shared vision between startup and investor, and a healthy partner relationship. Vicki also talks about the characteristics of the Israeli startup market and provides advice for investors looking into that space. Finally, Vickie explains how she achieves the best deals possible between both startups and investors, as well as what she sees as the biggest hurdles affecting today's startups.

The first vision of a business may seem grand and clear.  Upon launching the business you’ll find it doesn’t exactly fit with the market so you pivot. 

It takes 3 pivots to get to the growth phase of your startup.  

The first is the Target Market pivot-- you take this when you find the right market.

You then have to change your business model to fit the economics of that new market.  I call this the business model pivot in which you find the right way to structure your business.

Next comes the Team pivot-- finding the right people to grow and run that new business model.

The originally envisioned business almost never is the one that takes you all the way to a growth stage. 

You’re three pivots away from it.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today!