Investor Connect Podcast

In this episode, Hall welcomes back Jake Ryan, founder and CIO of TRADECRAFT Capital and author of “Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy”.

“Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy is an indispensable handbook showing new and experienced investors how established financial strategies like valuation and asset allocation apply to these new markets. Equipped with this knowledge, any investor can prosper, taking advantage of one of the biggest financial paradigm shifts of our time.”

Jake’s fund is a macro/thesis-driven crypto fund. He brings 20 years of professional experience in software development to the world of crypto asset investing. Jake is also an advisor to several venture-backed startups, a venture advisor at Mucker Capital and a strategic advisor at Diversis Capital, a private equity firm. 

You can purchase Jake’s book at www.ageofautonomy.com/

Jake can be contacted on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tradecraftjake?lang=en.

Direct download: Jake_Ryan_Book_Review.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:14pm CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

There’s a quantitative side and a qualitative side to due diligence.

The quantitative side includes checking the list of documents in the data room to verify the accuracy of those documents.  

For example, do the entity filings match what the company said they have?

Do the intellectual property documents match what they claim they have?

Then there’s the qualitative side of diligence. 

This includes evaluating the team and the growth prospects in the market.

Sizing up the competition and the company’s ability to execute.

An analyst or assistant can help with the quantitative side as it requires basic research.

The qualitative work requires a higher degree of discovery and should be done by those with industry experience.

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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Music courtesy of Bensound.


In this episode, Hall welcomes Anil Ramineni, CEO of CQ Infotech.

CQ Infotech was founded in 2005 and is based out of Laguna Hills, California and India. It is an IT solution company that specializes in end-to-end managed IT, infrastructure, and global delivery services to their clients, ranging from small regional companies to Fortune 500 multinational corporations. They align technology to support and strategize business challenges. With them as your technology partner, expect unparalleled results that match the client’s requirements, and solve business challenges.

Anil is an entrepreneur, angel Investor, resourceful technical leader and solutions-driven strategist with a passion for leveraging emerging technologies to achieve key business objectives. He is experienced in leading technically complex solution delivery and operations management initiatives for multiple companies. Anil has more than 20 years’ success in client-centric, service-driven environments at various progressive management roles. He is also Executive Director of TiE SoCal, a non-profit, global community of entrepreneurs from all over the world.

Anil discusses the investment thesis of the company, some of the challenges in the space, and how he sees the industry evolving.

You can visit CQ Infotech at www.cqinfotech.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/cq-infotech/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/cqinfotech.

Anil can be contacted via email at anilr@cqinfotech.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/anil-ramineni/.

Direct download: Anil_Ramineni_of_CQ_Infotech.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:42am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Entrepreneurs are often concerned about the confidentiality of their information. 

During the initial engagement with the investor, it’s not common to sign NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) as the investor is still figuring out the basics of your business.

At the introductory stage, keep the discussion on the general level.

As you go further with the discussion and then into due diligence, the investor will ask for deeper information that you may consider confidential.

Confidential information includes customer names, intellectual property such as trade secrets, and more.

If you have highly sensitive information, then you can have the investor sign an NDA before reviewing the diligence. 

Another approach is to develop two diligence boxes. The first is non-confidential and contains basic financials, entity filings, patent filings, customer company names, and other information that is not sensitive.

The second diligence box contains detailed information such as specific customer contact details, trade secrets, etc. For this, the investor signs an NDA which can be used to control how it is handled.

For many investors, the first box will be sufficient and alleviates the NDA process.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Signing_NDAs_in_Due_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In startup investing, investors take in information from the startup about the product, team, financials, revenue, and more.

This information does change rapidly in the startup phase of the business. 

One method of assuring the investor the information provided is true and accurate is for the startup to sign a Reps and Warranties contract.

This is often tied to the diligence provided.  

A Reps and Warranties contract basically states that everything provided in the diligence is true and accurate and nothing material has been omitted.

If it later turns out that there’s a material difference between the business and the diligence, then the Reps and Warranties contract provides legal recourse to the investor for recovering any damages.

For example, if the financial statements indicate there’s no debt in the business, then the investor assumes the business is debt-free.

In this case, if the startup indeed has debt, then the investor can take legal action against the startup.

Some investors demand such a contract to be signed to ensure they have the full picture of the business.

A startup can strengthen their case if they sign a Reps and Warranties contract on the diligence provided.


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.
____________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Reps_and_Warranties.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In this episode, Hall welcomes Ashu Garg, General Partner at Foundation Capital.

Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Foundation Capital was founded in 1995. As an early-stage venture capital firm, they have lived through the emergence of the World Wide Web, the IT war of the 90s, the dot-com bubble, Web 2.0, the mobile revolution, the Great Recession, the rise of Big Data, software’s ascension to the cloud, and the birth of blockchain. The wisdom of those experiences remains with them, transmitted to each successive generation of partners. Foundation Capital is 25 years and nine funds strong, with over $3B in committed capital, 28 IPOs, and 80+ acquisitions to their name. Their fintech, enterprise, and consumer investments have reinvented industries and defined new markets, with companies that include Lending Club, Sunrun, TubeMogul, Chegg, and Netflix. For a quarter of a century—through boom and bust, prosperity or calamity—Foundation Capital has endured, evolved, and thrived. Building companies is in their bones.

The Rubik’s Cube has 43 quintillion combinations – but only one solution. At age 11, Ashu found that solution in 25 seconds flat. Although Ashu hasn’t picked up a Rubik’s Cube in quite a while, he still takes great pleasure in solving complex business challenges.

To give just one example, in 2010, an early stage Berkeley-based company that specialized in analytics wanted to get into the media-buying platform business. Ashu helped their small team reach the growing number of brands that were migrating their television advertising to the web. That company, TubeMogul, soon became the leading video-advertising platform for brand advertisers, went public in 2014, and was acquired by Adobe in 2016.

Ashu serves on the boards of Anvilogic, Arize, Coefficient, Cohesity, Conviva, Eightfold, Fortanix, Layer9, OpsMx, Stacklet, Skyflow, and Turing. In addition, Ashu was responsible for our investments in Aggregate Knowledge (acquired by Neustar), Custora (acquired by Amperity), FreeWheel (acquired by Comcast), TubeMogul (acquired by Adobe), and Tubi.tv (acquired by Fox). He has led seed investments in HipDot, Next Force Technology, Oliv.ai, Radiance Labs, Robin Systems, Testim, and has personally invested in Databricks, Falcon Computing, G2 Esports, and VPS.

Ashu is passionate about helping technical founders scale as CEOs. His podcast B2B a CEO has featured Eric Yuan, Jennifer Tejada, Aaron Levie, and Tien Tzuo.

Before joining Foundation Capital in 2008, Ashu was the general manager for Microsoft’s online-advertising business and led field marketing for the software businesses. Previously, Ashu worked at McKinsey & Company, helping technology companies scale their go-to-market efforts. Earlier in his career, Ashu founded TringTring.com, one of the first search engines in Asia, set up Unilever’s Nepal operations, and led the marketing and pre-sales teams at Cadence Design Systems.

Ashu has a bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in New Delhi and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Bangalore, where he received the President’s Gold Medal.

Ashu has lived in India, Nigeria and Sudan, and today makes his home in California with his wife, Pooja (an entrepreneur as well), and their two sons.

Ashu advises investors and entrepreneurs in the space. He also discusses how he sees the industry evolving and the investment thesis of Foundation Capital. 

You can visit  Foundation Capital at www.foundationcap.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/foundation-capital/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/foundationcap.  

Ashu can be contacted via email at agarg@foundationcap.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ashugargvc/, and via Twitter at www.witter.com/ashugarg.

Direct download: Ashu_Garg_of_Foundation_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:14pm CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In diligencing a startup, the size of the market is a key question. The larger the market, the greater the growth potential of the startup.

There’s rarely a need to pay for research as so much exists on the web.

In searching the web, you’ll find research reports giving market sizes, trends, analysis, and more.  

The key here is to analyze the market at three levels.  

The first is Total Available Market which is anyone the company could ever sell to.

The second is the Serviceable Market which is the target market the company wants to serve.

The third is the Beachhead Market, which is the first niche the company will pursue. Ideally, this is a small but well-defined group of companies that fit the startup’s current product.

It may not be the biggest or most lucrative market, but rather is the easiest to pursue.

The startup should have some interactions with the companies in the Beachhead market already.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_How_to_diligence_the_Market.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In this episode, Hall welcomes Kiyan Zandiyeh, CIO at Sturgeon Capital.

Headquartered in London, England, Sturgeon Capital is a leading frontier markets investment boutique. Since the establishment of Fund 1 in 2016, they have made nine investments. Sturgeon Capital focuses on technology-enabled businesses that offer a product or service which solves an unserved, acute pain point for a large addressable market. They seek to be meaningful equity partners alongside entrepreneurs, helping businesses reach their full potential.

Kiyan has over 10 years of investment experience and has worked intimately with early-stage frontier businesses. He has successfully led numerous seed round investments, working with management to develop the companies such that each today are the leaders in their respective verticals.

Kiyan shares with Hall what excites him the most in the space. He advises entrepreneurs and investors and discusses how he sees the industry evolving.

You can visit Sturgeon Capital at www.sturgeoncapital.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sturgeon-capital/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sturgeoncapital?lang=e.   

Kiyan can be contacted via email at kz@sturgeoncapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kiyan-z-6a0b6629/.    

Direct download: Kiyan_Zandiyeh_of_Sturgeon_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:34pm CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

How can an investor group make the diligence process manageable? 

Here are some steps:

  • Standardize the diligence process
  • Break it down into subtasks and define the process for each task
  • Assign the tasks to team members
  • Set target dates for completion and have periodic check-ins with each team member 
  • Focus on the key risks and not every aspect of the deal
  • Make clear to the startup how the diligence process works
  • Keep the startup apprised of the progress and status of their deal

In most cases, the startup will find the process manageable if they understand how it works and if they see consistent progress to the goal.

A good diligence process often provides new information and insight to the startup.

Reducing time, making it efficient, and helping the startup, are the signs of a good diligence process.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group  

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Successful_deal_diligence.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Tools are important for running a deal-flow process.  

You’ll need tools for managing deal flow, running diligence, and tracking the portfolio.  

For deal flow, there needs to be an application process for capturing the essential information and pitch deck. Examples include Proseeder, Gust, and there are others.

For diligence, you need checklists to share with the fundraising company and a set of instructions for the investors performing diligence.  

For the diligence report format, you should set up a standardized template for the final report and a way to combine the work of several investors. Google docs can be helpful in sharing documents and compiling the final report.

Finally, you’ll need a way to track your portfolio for performance and generate reports to the investors.  Seraf is one tool for portfolio tracking.

Also, you’ll need a conference call and online webinar accounts for running the meetings. Zoom, FreeConferenceCall, and Hopin are examples.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_How_to_Manage_the_Deal_Process.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In this episode, Hall welcomes Archie Cheishvili, CEO of GenesisAI.

With its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, GenesisAI is a Machine Learning protocol. On top of this protocol, they are building a marketplace for AI products and services - Amazon for AI. The marketplace connects companies in need of AI services, data, and models with companies interested to monetize their AI tech.

By linking AI services with each other and increasing the supply of AI services, GenesisAI provides a web platform that offers low-cost AI services. This makes AI technology more efficient and affordable for businesses.

Their platform enables different AIs to communicate with each other, exchange data, and trade services. Anyone can develop and purchase AI services.

Archie is a serial entrepreneur who graduated from Harvard University. He worked at Bridgewater Associates and went on to co-found The Bears, which he later sold and made a 6x return on. He went on to become the VP of Artificial Intelligence at venture capital firm IDFEC and is now the CEO of GenesisAI. He is recognized by media outlets including the New York Post, Forbes, and Yahoo Finance.

Archie advises entrepreneurs in the AI sector. He shares how he sees the industry evolving and discusses the biggest challenge they face.

You can visit GenesisAI at www.genesisai.io, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/genesisai.

Archie can be contacted via email at archil@genesisai.io, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/archie-archil-cheishvili-854aa792/.

Direct download: Archie_Cheishvili_of_GenesisAI.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:26pm CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In early-stage investing, someone needs to take the lead and screen the deals, diligence selected ones, and negotiate the valuation with the chosen ones.

In most cases, the lead investor doesn’t want to be the only one in the deal and promotes other investors to join. 

This promotion process is called syndication.

Most investors are looking for someone else to take the lead and actively follow the deal as it progresses.

As a deal lead, make sure you do the following:

  • Setup a strong process for diligence and bring legal, accounting, and other resources that can help in the process.
  • Know the deal economics such as valuation, investor rights, control terms, and the path to an exit. 
  • Keep other investors informed to attract them to the deal.
  • Invest enough of your own funds to show commitment to the startup.
  • Coach the startup on fundraising especially for first-time founders.
  • Move the funding process forward consistently without stalling out.
  • Set aside time to join the board of directors.
  • Finally, add value to the startup where you can.

 

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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group  

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_How_to_Lead_a_Deal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on COVID-19’s impact on the CPG sector.

This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

It’s the time of COVID-19. The consumer product goods space is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution.  Retail is undergoing transformation as consumer products move online and the market shifts to functional benefits prioritizing wellness. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the consumer product goods market.

Our guests are:

I hope you enjoy this episode.
_______________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org      

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/   

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Direct download: CPG_Investor_Perspectives_-_Show_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:44am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In running a diligence process it’s important to keep track of the progress of team members.

Set up frequent follow-up calls to check progress and resolve issues.

Follow-up calls should be scheduled and led by the deal lead.

A check-in call should take no more than 30 minutes.

In the follow-up calls, make sure the team members share their information in the Google doc format so the lead can start compiling the information into the final diligence report. 

Take notes directly into the report including outstanding issues and questions for the startup. 

In most cases, new information about a startup will come to light that may give the team pause about continuing with the investment.

If the new information is a major change, then the deal lead should gather feedback from the group and follow up with the startup to get clarification.

Plan on two follow-up calls in your month-long diligence process.


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


Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_Followup_Calls.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

There are three phases to diligence before funding a startup:

  1. Documentation diligence
  2. Team diligence
  3. Domain diligence

For documentation diligence, ask the startup for a list of key documents for diligence.

The key documents include: 

  • Entity filings and articles of incorporation
  • Patent filings
  • Income statement
  • Balance sheet statement
  • 3-5 year financial projections
  • Cap table

These are the documents you will review. Other documents related to the business such as lawsuits, by-product breakdowns, by-customer breakdowns should be requested if appropriate. 

Read each document and check to see if it matches what you understood about the deal. Note any differences and ask for clarification.

It’s important you review the diligence documents so you understand the business. You may need to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) for sensitive information. It’s standard practice to do so in due diligence as the information should be kept confidential even without an NDA in place.   

Team diligence is the most critical part of the process. Meet with the team and assess their skills. In almost every startup failure, the investor can trace it back to the team not being up to the task. It may be the task was underestimated by all upfront, but with the right team, the company can succeed.

In most cases, you’ve heard the CEO pitch, but it’s important to understand the CEO’s skills set including what is there and what is not.  

The rest of the team needs to bring the necessary skills to succeed.

For domain diligence, check the positioning of the company in the marketplace.

Identify the value proposition and how well it resonates with customers. 

Look at their pricing compared to the competition.

Check the industry to see the conditions in which it will grow or decline.

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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group 

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_Financials_Team_and_Domain_diligence.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In this episode, Hall welcomes Braden Barr, seed investor and Board Member at PostitPlayit, and Charles Reinert, Co-founder of PostitPlayit.

Based in Dallas, Texas, PostitPlayit Inc. is a startup offering a first of its kind alternative to fantasy sports and peer-to-peer gaming. With PostitPlayit, users are able to research and pick their favorite teams, set their own spread, and easily invite friends to compete in user-created competitions. As a user, not only can you create your own contests and face off against friends and family but you're also able to open up competitions and compete with all other users. PostItPlayIt takes the thrill of competition to a whole new level of skill, fun, and transparency. 

Braden has over 15 years of experience scaling capital-raising efforts in private equity and venture capital organizations. Most recently, he raised over $200 million in private real estate transactions.

Charles has more than twenty-five years of small business ownership and management experience. As a technology entrepreneur, he is the founding partner of DingMonkey, a nationwide warranty company (2004 - present), EAi Reinsurance, a reinsurance company (2017-present), and Elite Administration & Investment, a real estate and oil and gas investment company (2012-present). Charles has been a leader in five startups, responsible for innovative marketing strategies, business development, and execution of daily operations.

Braden and Charles discuss how they see the industry evolving, some of the challenges in the sector and how PostItPlayIt fits in the landscape.

You can visit PostitPlayit at www.postitplayit.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/postitplayit-inc

Braden can be contacted via email at braden@postitplayit.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/braden-barr-166ab6a/.   

Charles can be contacted via email at charles@postitplayit.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/charlesreinert/. 

Direct download: Braden_Barr__Charles_Reinert_of_PostItPlayIt.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:54am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In running due diligence it’s important to build a team and bring others into the process. 

A deal lead should take care of gathering the initial documents so the team doesn’t stall out waiting on the startup.

Assign each team member a task and include the instructions for the task.

Make clear that the goal is building a due diligence report.

Set up a timeline for completing the diligence including referrals, document analysis, etc.

Use online tools such as Google docs for sharing the information as the team members will be working remotely in most cases. 

It takes 4 to 8 hours to complete a task.

The overall diligence process takes from 20 to 40 hours of work. 

Set four weeks as a timeframe for completing the diligence. 

Keep the startup apprised of the progress and if there are any open questions. 


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group 

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_Managing_the_Deal_Team.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the SaaS sector.

This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

It’s the time of COVID-19. Software as a Service is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted many industries such as travel, hospitality, restaurants, and more. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the SaaS market.

Our guests are:

  1. Matt Oguz, Chief Investment Officer, Iris Family Office and Founding Partner at Venture Science, 00:39
  2. George Spencer, Managing Partner, Seyen Capital, 02:00
  3. Chris Hall, Principal, Escalate Capital Partners, 02:57
  4. Nick Adams, Managing Partner, Differential Ventures,  04:14
  5. Jason Kraus, Partner, EQx Fund, 05:50
  6. Karey Barker, Founding Managing Director, Cross Creek, 09:32
  7. John Gu, Principal-Growth Equity Group, Spring Mountain Capital, 12:59
  8. JD Weinstein, Head, Global VC Practice, Oracle, 14:21
  9. Stuart Kime, Co-Founder, Chief Future Officer, hOp, 15:11

I hope you enjoy this episode.
_______________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org      

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Show_4_--_The_Impact_of_COVID-19_on_the_SaaS_sector.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:32am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

After the diligence is complete and the open questions answered, the team must decide whether or not to invest.

It’s important to identify the risks and write them out in the report.

The team should articulate an investment thesis that includes the opportunity in the deal such as how big it could become.  

The team should include the potential exit value and how long it will take to reach it. 

The team should also clarify their assumptions around the deal and write it out as well.

To decide to go forward, take the temperature of the team. It’s either heating up or cooling off.

Monitor the company’s progress to see if it continues to demonstrate a growth story.

If enough investors want to move forward, then the investors should pursue it.

If not enough investors want to move forward, then it’s a pass.

It’s important to make a timely decision as the entrepreneur needs to know the group’s position.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group 

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_Moving_to_Close.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Startups can raise funding even without a lead investor.

In this situation, the startup acts as the lead. Here are three steps to take:

First, the startup must present investor-friendly terms and conditions. There should be no push back on the terms.

Second, the startup must supply a due diligence package already completed. Consider adding a Reps and Warranties contract to the diligence report to show the startup stands behind it.

A Reps and Warranties contract states that the founder stands behind the due diligence provided and there is nothing omitted. It is a legally binding contract.

Third, standardize the investment amount, such as “each investment unit is $25K”.

Removing the various decision points - terms, investment amount, and diligence compiled - takes care of the lead investor’s role.

The drawback to this approach is that there is no one investor who “owns” the fundraise.

The startup most likely won’t get meaningful investor engagement after the check signing, and there will be little support from investors for helping raise the next round of funding. 

If you don’t need those things, then this method is a good way to raise your funding.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
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Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_How_the_Startup_can_lead_the_deal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Startups who find an investor expressing interest often stop their fundraise as they believe - or sometimes hope - this will be the one who completes the rest of their raise.

I tell entrepreneurs to continue the fundraise effort until the funds are in the bank account.

I’ve seen deals blow up on the 1-yard line. 

Even if you have an investor committing to the raise, don’t stop your updates to the other investor prospects.

Maintain your fundraise efforts at some level as it takes additional effort to restart your campaign. 

It’s not over ‘til the money is in your bank account.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_When_to_stop_following_up_with_an_investor.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

A startup investment goes through a series of stages.

It starts with the pitch presentation in which the startup introduces the deal to the investors.

Then there’s the first follow-up meeting in which the investors dig into the deal to learn the details.

Investors want to think about it and also want to see the startup continue to make progress.

Then comes the Due Diligence phase in which the investors perform a more rigid review of the startup’s documents, team, and market.

If the terms sheet has been established by other investors, then the investors review those documents. If not, the investor must negotiate the terms including valuation.

Investors then check with their network to see who else may want to invest or put it out to other investors for syndication.

Finally, there’s the closing of the round with the signing of documents.

Not every startup makes it all the way through the process.

Here are some key challenges:

  • When the investors come together to dig into the deal, it must have enough traction and value propositions to maintain the investors’ interest before the investors commit significant time to it. 
  • Some deals stall because the diligence process didn’t continue because the investors were distracted.
  • Some deals stall because the startup and the investors cannot agree on valuation.
  • Finally, some deals stall out or come up with a lower investment amount because investors fell out at the closing stage. 

It’s important to keep the momentum going throughout the process both on the investor side and the startup side.

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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Stages_of_the_Deal_Process.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on COVID-19’s impact on the CPG sector.

This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

It’s the time of COVID-19. The consumer product goods space is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution.  Retail is undergoing a transformation as consumer products move online and the market shifts to functional benefits prioritizing wellness. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the consumer product goods market.

Our guests are:

Ronan McGovern, Founder, Point 5 Brewing, 00:45
Paul Janowitz, CEO & Founder, MANTRA Labs, 04:15
Sarah Foley, Partner, SWAT Equity Partners, 06:40
Richard G Riccardi, CEO, Riccardi Ventures, 10:51 
Cisco Sacasa, Operating Partner, Bee Cave Capital, 16:43

I hope you enjoy this episode.
________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org      

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Direct download: CPG_Investor_Perspectives_-_Show_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:58am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

I’ve had startups approach me and give me one or two lines about their startup.

When I start to ask questions, they say they can’t tell me anything more without signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement or NDA.

I often find this puzzling, as investors don’t sign NDAs to find out what the startup business is.  

They only sign when they understand the startup business and want to find out more about the proprietary details.

These details include specific clients, their contact information, details behind the intellectual property, in particular trade secrets, and more.

It’s best to have non-confidential information available to share with the investor to educate them about the business at a high level.

It’s best to ask for an NDA when the investor is going into diligence.

Startups should examine their business and tease apart what is general information and what is proprietary.

If the information is already on your website or could be obtained by a customer using your product, then it’s not proprietary.

It’s best to sign NDAs on information that is truly proprietary and only when the investor is interested in pursuing diligence. 


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.
___________________________________
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:
http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Signing_NDAs_with_investors.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT

In this episode, Hall welcomes R. Adam Smith, Founder & CEO of Big Sky Partners.

Headquartered in New York City, New York, Big Sky Partners collaborates with companies and their brands to develop, grow, and maximize their potential. Through expert advice and extensive networks, Big Sky Partners helps clients to build brands and businesses that are respected, unique, global, profitable, and leave a legacy in today's crowded marketplace.

Big Sky Partners assists clients through brand positioning, executive and board resources, product distribution opportunities, corporate development, strategic partnerships, and capital and M&A affairs. Selective in its collaborations, Big Sky Partners takes a meritocratic approach to client relationships, utilizing traditional client/advisor engagements as well as revenue-sharing and equity upside arrangements.

Adam is an experienced investor, advisor, and builder of tens of startup, venture and private equity-backed companies in the U.S., and abroad, since the mid-1990s. Through private equity partnerships, he has led and/or sponsored since 2002, Adam has invested in over a dozen privately-held companies (including seven acquisitions) with a combined $600 million in sales and over $250 million of contributed equity invested capital, while also forming and serving on the Board of Directors, or Advisory Boards, of each company. 

Adam is the founder and manager of alternative investing holding company, RAS Capital Partners LLC. In 2002, Adam founded Circle Peak Capital LLC, a private investment merchant banking partnership based in NYC which he still manages today and which has served tens of limited partners with over $50 million of invested capital over time. 

To read Adam’s full bio, please click here.

Adam shares with Hall how he sees the industry evolving, what excites him as an investor, and discusses his investment thesis.

You can visit Big Sky Partners at www.bigskypartners.net, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/big-sky-partners-llc/.

Adam can be contacted via email at adam@bigskypartners.net, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/radamsmith/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/rasvintage.  

Direct download: Adam_Smith_of_Big_Sky_Partners_LLC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:33am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In running a deal follow-up process, you’ll need to create a diligence report.

Here are some key points to consider:

  • Start with a template that lists the required information.
  • Include instructions in the original template for the team members to follow.
  • You may be cycling through many members so you should write out the expectations for each task.
  • Keep the report short and to the point.
  • Build the report as you go and capture information in one place. 
  • The deal lead should edit the final report for readability and consistency. Everyone on the deal team has access to the report so the status is clear and what’s not yet done is obvious. 
  • Capture not only the data but also the deal team’s thoughts and impressions.
  • Store the diligence report in the folder or box account along with the supporting information.
  • Keep a list of all diligence reports for future review.
  • Finally, share the report with the investors interested in joining the deal.

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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:
http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Diligence_Report.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In this episode, Hall welcomes Alpesh Patel, part of the Global Entrepreneur Program (GEP) at the Department for International Trade in the UK.

The UK Government’s Department for International Trade has under it the Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP). In it, Dealmakers are business people who make deals with overseas outstanding tech scale-up companies to land their global HQ in the UK. They help companies with VCs, angels, potential customers, etc. 

Alpesh Patel OBE has represented the United Kingdom since 1999 when the then Prime Minister appointed Alpesh to advise on closer UK/India ties. Thereafter the Department for International Trade made Alpesh their Dealmaker since 2004 to bring outstanding tech companies to the UK, which solve the world’s biggest problems and create jobs here. (www.theeinsteinchallenge.com). Alpesh believes that trade underpins liberty.

An Oxford University Fellow in Business & Industry back in 2001, Alpesh won a competition in Financial Times against fund managers, journalists, analysts, using the investment software he created to forecast UK company performance. The ambition is to publicly list that fintech/edtech company as a disruptor to the global multi-trillion dollar fund management industry, so regular people can benefit from making better stock investments themselves.

Alpesh is a Financial Times author who being a Barrister to pursue investing and educating people on financial literacy for social mobility. As a firm believer in the power of mentoring, Alpesh co-founded the UK chapter of the world's largest entrepreneur mentoring organisation (Tie.org). As a founder of a hedge fund/private equity firm (the hardest easy money to make) – his focus is on cleantech, sustainability, and social impact, not self-enrichment.

Committed to public service, Alpesh uses his Barrister's training and TV presenter skills to raise funds for widows, orphans, under-fed school-children, victims of slavery. Alpesh has served as a Governor of Luton University and Council Member of Chatham House including on their Investment Committee.

Before all that, Alpesh worked in US Congress for Eliot Engel on anti-terrorism and nuclear proliferation. Degrees in Law and Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Oxon). 18 FT, Macmillan published books on global markets and online trading.

Alpesh’s BBC paper review for 10+ years to 300m shows his direct to the point, no nonsense analysis on issues such as technology for social change, and his principal cause, the unfair treatment by fund managers of pensioners and financial literacy: www.alpeshpatel.com/tv

TV presenter with a dedicated show on Bloomberg formerly, then Sky gave Alpesh his own  tech/politics show and CNBC asked him to co-host; and 5 years columnist for Financial Times. Born & raised in Leeds (no silver spoon). Co-Chair Loomba Trust which supports widows and orphans.

Alpesh gives advice to both investors and entrepreneurs. He shares with Hall some of the startups that fit his investment thesis and what excites him. 

For more information on the Global Entrepreneur Program (GEP), please visit https://www.great.gov.uk/international/content/invest/how-to-setup-in-the-uk/global-entrepreneur-program/.   

Alpesh can be contacted by visiting www.tech2great.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/alpeshbpatel/, and via email at alpesh.patel@tradermind.com.

Direct download: Alpesh_Patel_of_Department_for_International_Trade.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:56am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

To pitch an investor, you’ll need a carefully crafted startup story. 

Just any old story won’t do. 

Tell the story in your own words as if you’re talking with a friend at a bar.

Show how the story is relevant to those in the audience, something everyone can relate to.

Keep the story simple. 

It needs to be tight and keep the audience engaged.

Instead of starting at the beginning, start from the first big event whether it be a disaster or a success.  

Show the mistakes you made that others can learn from. 

Talk about your values and those of the company.

Demonstrate authenticity along the way.

Finally, have a message about your company’s brand that you want to communicate and use the story to build up to 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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_How_to_craft_a_good_startup_story.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am CDT

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the SaaS sector.

This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

It’s the time of COVID-19. Software as a Service is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted many industries such as travel, hospitality, restaurants, and more. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the SaaS market.

Our guests are:

  1. Matt Oguz, Chief Investment Officer, Iris Family Office and Founding Partner at Venture Science, 0:39
  2. George Spencer, Managing Partner, Seyen Capital, 2:55
  3. Chris Hall, Principal, Escalate Capital Partners, 4:17
  4. Nick Adams, Managing Partner, Differential Ventures, 7:29
  5. Jason Kraus, Partner, EQx Fund, 11:10
  6. Karey Barker, Founding Managing Director, Cross Creek, 14:29
  7. John Gu, Principal-Growth Equity Group, Spring Mountain Capital, 18:05
  8. JD Weinstein, Head, Global VC Practice, Oracle, 20:03
  9. Stuart Kime, Co-Founder, Chief Future Officer, hOp, 20:43

I hope you enjoy this episode.
________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org     

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

Direct download: Show_3_-_What_New_Applications_Within_the_Sector_Will_We_See_Come_Up.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:53am CDT

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

There are five key elements to a startup story. Today we’ll talk about the Plot.

After you establish the theme, hero, mission, and obstacle you can start work on your plot.

The plot is a series of events that leads to achieving the mission.

Plots can be set up in several ways and choosing the right model will help make the story more engaging.

You could play the David fighting Goliath, the small startup taking on the big corporation.

You could tell a Rags to Riches story - how a small startup hit upon a big idea.

You can also position it as a quest. Show the entrepreneur’s journey and the lessons learned.

From the story, the investor should see how you, the CEO had an idea that changed the world. 


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group


Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

There are five key elements to a startup story.   

The Mission is the job to be done. 

It’s the goal of the hero both now and beyond the story.

For your startup story focus on what the CEO is trying to accomplish and how he plans to solve it.

Outline how hard the problem is for the customer and how it can be made easier.

Show how the proposed solution will save time and money for the customer. 

Talk about the steps to accomplish the mission. What must be done to bring the solution to the market. 

Finally, show how the product achieves the customer’s desired outcome. 

In telling the startup story, use the mission to set the direction.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group


In this episode, Hall welcomes back Ford Smith, Founder & CEO of Ultranative.

Ultranative is the ultra level of alternative medicine. Ultranative is a cannabis investment firm with over 5 years of industry-specific experience. They are a venture studio focused on transformative healthcare and empower healers and entrepreneurs to innovate, disrupt, and scale in their mission to build a better world.

With over 5 years of cannabis investment experience, Ford has raised and deployed $10M+ into the emerging market. As an early partner to the Eaze delivery platform, Ford has participated in structuring and deploying one of the most robust delivery systems in the California cannabis market. Ford lives in Los Angeles and sits as an advisor to Eaze, Chroma Exchange, Telos, and Ag-Tech. 

Ford shares with Hall how he sees the industry evolving and some of the challenges startups face. He also advises investors and entrepreneurs.

You can visit Ultranative at www.ultranative.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ultranative/about/.  

Ford can be contacted via email at ford@ultranative.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ford-smith-6b4ba6132/.    

Direct download: Ford_Smith_of_Ultranative.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on the COVID-19 impact on the SaaS sector.

This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

It’s the time of COVID-19. Software as a Service is currently undergoing tremendous change across the U.S. The lockdown has disrupted many industries such as travel, hospitality, restaurants, and more. We have investors and startup founders describe the impact of COVID-19 on the SaaS market.

Our guests are:

  1. Matt Oguz, Chief Investment Officer, Iris Family Office and Founding Partner at Venture Science, 00:39
  2. Nick Adams, Managing Partner, Differential Ventures, 04:13
  3. Karey Barker, Founding Managing Director, Cross Creek, 06:56
  4. John Gu, Principal-Growth Equity Group, Spring Mountain Capital, 09:49
  5. JD Weinstein, Head, Global VC Practice, Oracle, 11:15

I hope you enjoy this episode.
________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org   

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/    

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group


Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

There are five key elements to a startup story.

The hero is the character whose journey the audience cares about the most. 

In a startup fundraise story, this is the CEO.

Most heroes are trusty and likable.  

The audience empathizes with them in some way.

Your story should focus on the hero and not just the product. 

Investors seek to build a relationship with people.

The company takes on the persona of the CEO.  

If the CEO is trustworthy then the company will be considered trustworthy.

In your startup fundraise story, consider how the CEO fills the role of the hero.


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.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group


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