Investor Connect Podcast

Evaluating the Startup’s Metrics

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

In reviewing a startup, ask the founder or CEO for the metrics they use to guide the business.

Check for these points in their metrics:

  1. Do they have a key set of metrics? Many startups aren’t tracking anything.
  2. Is the metric appropriate for their type and stage of business?  
  3. Do they have too many metrics? If there are too many, then it will be hard to gain traction on any one of them.
  4. Is the metric specific or general? The metrics should be specific.
  5. Are the metrics actionable? One should be able to make decisions on them.
  6. Are the metrics realistic? You should be able to implement programs and activities based on them.
  7. Do the metrics cover a specific timeframe? Metrics without a timeframe are meaningless.
  8. Do the metrics compare with industry standards or the competition? Performance will vary based on the sector and stage you are at.

Use the startup’s metrics as part of your investment decision.


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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Devin Miller, Founder of Miller IP Law and Host of The Inventive Journey Podcast.

Headquartered in Mountain Green, Utah, and founded in 2019, Miller IP Law is a law firm that assists startups and small businesses with patents and trademarks across the US and worldwide. Miller IP Law is changing the law firm model to make patents and trademarks approachable, affordable, and understandable by providing transparent flat-fee pricing, easy-to-reach attorneys, and easy processes.

Headquartered in Morgan, Utah, guests on The Inventive Journey Podcast share the journey that led up to the founding/co-founding of the startup or small business. The show focuses on the journey rather than a pitch for the services/products the startup/small business may offer. 

In addition to his law firm, Devin also founded his first startup while earning his Law & MBA degrees (for a total of 4 degrees). Since then, he has founded several 7 & 8-figure startups in wearables, product development, website design, and religious products.

Devin speaks about the role of intellectual property in the startup world, the driving trend in this space, and if he could start a company today, what it would be.

You can visit Miller IP Law at www.lawwithmiller.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/miller-ip-law, and set up a meeting with an attorney at www.strategicmeeting.com

You can listen to The Inventive Journey Podcast at https://milleripl.com/blogs/inventive-journey, and visit its LinkedIn page at www.linkedin.com/company/the-inventive-journey

You can contact Devin at devin@milleripl.com and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/millerip. _____________________________________________________________________

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

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

This is the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series. In this series, we discuss trends and topics in the startup world.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
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Thank you for joining us for the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series.

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

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Direct download: 2022-04-13_KiwiTech_AIP_Investment_Opportunities_in_Foodtech.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Beyond the Growth Story

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 demonstrate the growth story -- sales, team, product, and fundraise are in motion.

These are the core four things investors look for to judge the startup’s traction and momentum.

Here are additional proof points to highlight to the investor:

  1. Market size – show a market that is big and growing fast.
  2. Novel approach to the problem – show how your approach is unique and different.
  3. Execution capability – show how your team can execute beyond the standard.
  4. Customer demand – show a list of customers who are ready to buy your product.
  5. Strong unit economics – show how your business is profitable on a unit economic basis.
  6. Scalable – show how you have scalability built into the business.
  7. Current investors – showcase your current investor list.
  8. Stickiness – show how your product is sticky and yields a high lifetime value
  9. Network effects – show how you’ve built network effects into your business and will continue to generate value as you grow.
  10. Fast growth – show a high growth rate of 100% YoY or better.

If you have any of these points then bring them up in your fundraise to help make your case. 


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/  

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

Competitive Advantages

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

In the pitch, investors look for the startup’s competitive advantage.

"Me too" companies are more difficult to fund because they have few if any competitive advantages.

A true competitive advantage increases your revenue by 30% or reduces your cost by the same amount.

Here’s a short list of potential competitive advantages you can build into your startup:

  • Unique and compelling technology. This gives your product or service additional features and capabilities.
  • Intellectual property including patents, trade secrets, and trademarks. This provides legal protection for your product.
  • Network effects. This can come from a platform approach, data collection, or marketplace creation which both reduces costs and increases awareness.
  • Strong brand. This provides better name recognition resulting in a lower cost of customer acquisition.
  • Virality. This increases sales without an equivalent increase in costs.
  • Exclusive channel access. Access to customers that competitors do not have is also a competitive advantage.

Consider how you can incorporate one of these into your startup.


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

Drawbacks to Convertible Notes

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

Convertible notes are often used by startups in the early stages of fundraising as they are fairly simple to use and need little legal work compared to equity agreements.

There are drawbacks one should know. 

Here’s a short list to consider:

Convertible notes are not equity agreements and do not qualify for tax deductions such as Section 1202.

Most investors prefer equity over convertible notes and will be more willing to sign up for an equity deal structure.

The note is a form of debt that could be used to reclaim the funds in case of default.

The interest that accumulates from the note should be reported on the investor's tax return and taxes paid, even though the interest was never paid out.

Convertible notes without valuation caps can be a problem for investors down the road as the conversion will be set by the follow-on equity funding.

Finally, most convertible notes don’t define all the terms as a standard equity agreement which includes board seats, voting rights, and more. 

Convertible notes are often used as a placeholder for fundraising ‘til the lead investor is secured, at which point the convertible note for investors convert to equity.


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: Drawbacks_to_Convertible_Notes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Matt DeCoursey, Co-founder and CEO of Full Scale, the Host of the Startup Hustle podcast, top-selling author of "Million Dollar Bedroom" and "Balance Me", as well as the co-author of "The Realist’s Guide to a Successful Music Career".

Headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas, and founded in 2018, Full Scale is a tech services company that helps businesses build teams of software engineers. Their goal is to make finding and retaining highly experienced software engineers fast, easy and affordable.

With over 2.8 million downloads and counting, Startup Hustle is a podcast for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs. With the mission of telling the real story of startups and entrepreneurs, topics range from funding to failure and beyond. 

Matt discusses the “Great Resignation” and how it’s playing out in the startup world, common myths about his field of expertise, what online information source he finds most helpful, and what he attributes to the success of his podcast.

You can visit Full Scale at www.fullscale.io, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/fullscale-io, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fullscalekc.  

You can listen to the Startup Hustle podcast at www.startuphustle.xyz, visit its LinkedIn page at www.linkedin.com/company/startup-hustle-podcast, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/startupsxyz

Matt’s books "Million Dollar Bedroom", "Balance Me: A Realist's Guide to a Successful Life", and "The Realist’s Guide to a Successful Music Career" are available on www.Amazon.com and other major bookstores.

Matt can be contacted at deco@fullscale.io, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/matt-decoursey/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/decourseymatt.  

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

Build Your Community

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

In funding startups, it’s important to build out your startup ecosystem.

A stronger startup scene will bring better funding opportunities.

Here are some key points for building your startup ecosystem:

  • The startup world goes through cycles every 3-5 years with new technologies, companies, and programs, so it’s important to keep up to date.
  • Identify the new technologies and programs that startups need.
  • Foster the culture around startups and help others find their place in it, even if they are not starting up a company but rather providing services or support.
  • Follow your curiosity about new technologies and introduce experts and speakers in those niches to your startup community.
  • Encourage those who are working on startups to maintain the faith and keep up the good work.
  • Set a vision for the future of the startup community and rally others around it.
  • Foster connections within the community through networking platforms, meetings, and other activities that bring people together.
  • Take the lead in setting up programs and promoting the startup community to the outside 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/ 
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Direct download: Build_Your_Community.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Coss Marte, Founder, and CEO at CONBODY.

Headquartered in New York, NY, and founded in 2014, CONBODY is a prison-style boot camp that employs formerly incarcerated individuals as fitness instructors. 

CONBODY was founded by Coss Marte, a former drug kingpin who created the CONBODY method while serving time in prison. Now, CONBODY uses fitness to raise awareness for criminal justice reform and provide opportunities for this marginalized group. CONBODY has hired over 50 former inmates and has a 0% recidivism rate.

Its mission is to bridge a gap between two communities: young professionals and formerly incarcerated individuals and to normalize their reentry into society.

While serving prison time, Coss developed a unique and effective exercise program that doesn't rely on equipment. Having battled weight issues, he faced life-threatening complications associated with obesity. Coss is ardently committed to supporting people in making changes to their lifestyle that results in individuals reaching and maintaining their fitness goals.

Coss discusses how he sees the fitness industry evolving, and some of the challenges he has faced in running his company. He speaks about the benefits of hiring incarcerated individuals and his internship program.

You can visit CONBODY at www.conbody.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/conbody, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/conbodynyc.  

Coss can be contacted at cossmarte@conbody.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/cossmarte/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cossmarte

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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: Coss_Marte_of_CONBODY.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Testing the Serial Entrepreneur

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

Entrepreneurs who have failed are often strong leaders in their next venture.

To know if a serial entrepreneur is on track to success after their first failure, check these points:

  • Character -- if they don’t have character, then nothing else will matter.
  • Passion -- burnout cases won’t make it the second time around.
  • Risk-taking -- do they continue to step up to the risks?
  • Team building -- do they know how to recruit a team and organize them?
  • Tech -- are they up on the latest technology in their space?
  • Motivation -- are they still motivated to take on the challenge of a startup?
  • Experience -- did their first startup gain traction and grow, or did it blow up on the runway?  Those with several years of growth will have more experience to use in their second startup.
  • Teachable -- did they learn from their first startup, or do they seem to repeat the same mistakes?
  • Responsibility -- do they take responsibility for their first startup failure? If not, they won’t take responsibility for the next one.
  • Retrospective -- did they analyze their first startup failure and understand thoroughly what happened, both good and bad?

Failed entrepreneurs are experienced entrepreneurs. Look for the ones who captured the most from their first failure.


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/  

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

This is the TEN Capital AMA show. I'm Hall T. Martin, the host of the show in which we interview investors and founders on current topics. 

Our guest is:

Jeff Erickson of Forecastr

I hope you enjoy this episode.
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Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Roadmap Investing

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

In funding startups, it’s important to look at not just the current product, but the roadmap overall.

Some technology markets have a long, rich future ahead while other markets do not.

Look for the technologies that have a broad future with a clear trajectory.

Startups propose products to take to market. 

While that first product may be a winner, the succession of products will most likely be the bigger story.

Ask for the startup’s roadmap. Be careful not to take away their focus from the current product.

For example, many startups propose a service.

Some capture the data from their service and start building large datasets.

With a sufficient number of datasets, they can then sell the data.

By moving from a service company to a data company, their value goes up by 10X.

With sufficient experience with the data, the company can build artificial intelligence algorithms.

By moving from a data company to an AI company, their value goes up by another 10X.

Consider the roadmap of the market and the company in your investment decisions.


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   

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Jeff Erickson, Founder of The Startup Stack, Angel Investor, and Director of Partnerships at Forecastr.

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, and founded in 2020, The Startup Stack was created to help early-stage companies build a successful foundation by making the best operational tech offers available in one place. The Startup Stack scours the SaaS ecosystem to uncover the best tools to help founders scale and succeed. Each member of The Startup Stack is carefully vetted for both the quality of their product and the startup offering they provide.

The Startup Stack currently offers early-stage founders over $170,000 worth of perks on operational tech tools to help their businesses grow.

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and founded in 2018, Forecastr provides a software platform to help early-stage startups easily create, track and manage their financial projections in preparation for raising capital. Using Forecastr, founders are able to confidently forecast their cash flow, helping determine how much capital they should raise and when. Forecastr makes it easy to conduct, manage and modify financial forecasts all with the click of a button and gives founders confidence when talking with investors without having to incur the deep financial cost of a CFO.

Jeff currently serves on the advisory boards of several startup companies and is an active angel investor. Jeff is an experienced entrepreneur and was the founder and CEO of a successful consumer goods company that was ranked #138 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing companies. He is passionate about startups and enjoys working with founders and mentoring entrepreneurs.

Jeff speaks about the state of startup investing, how he sees the industry evolving from here, and the biggest change he thinks we will see. He also advises investors and entrepreneurs.

You can visit The Startup Stack at www.mystartupstack.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-stack.   

You can visit Forecastr at www.forecastr.co, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/forecastr, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/forecastr

Jeff can be contacted at jeff@forecastr.co, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-erickson

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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   

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

Best Practices for Startups Raising Funding

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

Raising funding is difficult. Here are some best practices for startups raising their next round:

Investors are busy, so organize your fundraise around their schedule, not yours.

Focus on investors who fund your stage and type of startup.

Provide updates about your business and progress, and be proactive about it.

Highlight the success of the business and not your personal success.

Accept feedback and consider it carefully.

Never talk negatively about an investor as the community is small and word travels fast.

Focus on building a relationship with the investor first. 

Do not take rejection personally; it’s part of the game.

Treat people with respect at all times. 

Be clear with the investor about your expectations, as it will ultimately come out. 

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

How to Become an Accredited Investor

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

To invest in startups directly, one must be an accredited investor. 

The Securities and Exchange Commission sets the criteria for who is accredited.

Here’s a list of those who meet the criteria:

Individuals who have a net worth exceeding $1M.

Individuals who have earned income exceeding $200K per year for the last three years.

Individuals with a spouse who has earned income exceeding $300K per year for the last three years.

Also, there are Family Offices.

Entities that own $5M of investments

Individuals who have achieved a professional license such as a Series 65.  

Series 65 is a license for individuals to act as investment advisors.  

This certificate allows the individual to buy securities not registered with the SEC.

If you don’t meet the income or net worth requirement, you can study for an exam and use the Series 65 to gain access to accredited investor investments.


T
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   

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Regula Schegg, Managing Director, Asia, at Circulate Capital.

Headquartered in Singapore and founded in 2018, Circulate Capital is an investment management firm dedicated to the development of a circular economy to combat plastic pollution through investments in high-growth opportunities at the nexus of climate-tech and plastics recycling infrastructure. In 2019 Circulate Capital launched the Circulate Capital Ocean Fund (CCOF I), the world’s first investment fund dedicated to preventing ocean plastic waste in South and Southeast Asia through investments in catalytic opportunities in recycling and the circular economy that can generate competitive returns. Their new strategy, Circulate Capital Disrupt, is a companion venture and private equity fund to CCOF that invests in disruptive technologies. We were created in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy, and our founding investors include PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Dow, Danone, Chanel, Unilever, The Coca-Cola Company, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, and Mondelēz International.

Regula is an experienced global professional with over 20 years of leadership, business development, project management, finance, and social enterprise/start-up expertise. Throughout her corporate career, she held positions in corporate strategy, M&A, private equity, financial control, and business development.

She was further engaged in the microfinance industry, establishing a growth guarantee fund, and financing microfinancing institutions. She also established a social enterprise in the Philippines, developing sustainable housing technologies, and establishing the production and construction of affordable housing solutions in collaboration with urban poor communities and civil society organizations in Southeast Asia.

Regula discusses the huge environmental problem the world is facing with plastic waste and some of the startups that are addressing the issue. She speaks about the state of investing in the circular economy and some of the challenges entrepreneurs and investors face.

You can visit Circulate Capital and sign up for their newsletter at www.circulatecapital.com/, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/circulatecapital/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CirculateCap.    

Regula can be contacted at rschegg@circulatecapital.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/regula-m-schegg.  

_____________________________________________________________________

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   

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

How Investors Can Help Their Companies

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

In funding startups, it’s important to choose companies you can help. 

If you only write a check and nothing more, then the investing experience will be minimal.

It’s only a return and nothing more. 

It’s best to choose startups that you can help by adding value.

Here are some key ways you can add value to your startup investment:

  • Help the startup recruit team members by leveraging your network to find qualified candidates.
  • Help them raise additional funds from other investors through your network.
  • Help them find debt financing for the smaller needs, such as a line of credit, as many startups are not familiar with the available options.
  • Make introductions for the CEO to connect with prospects, partners, and others who can help in generating revenue.
  • Provide advice on the technology landscape as many investors have a broader view of the market and have a wider range of experiences.
  • Save the CEO’s time by pointing out the best options for handling payroll, office leasing, and other basic functions that must be done.
  • Help the CEO learn more by networking them with others who are running companies.  
  • Connect them with the right people to generate word of mouth about the company.
  • Finally, help the company with the exit by making introductions to potential acquirers and coaching through the 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 

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

After You Write the Check

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

After you write the check, it’s important to remain engaged.

Here are some key steps to follow:

Stay in touch with the CEO and keep up-to-date on their status.

Track the progress of the company to determine if it’s worth a follow-on investment.

Review the financials regularly to stay up on the company’s progress.

Open a communication channel with the board of directors as well as the CEO, so you can add value where possible.

Watch C-level compensation so it stays aligned with the investors' compensation which is an exit.

Investigate possible alternative exits from companies that don’t make it.  

For example, could it be sold to another company for the assets? Could a new team turn it around?

Open a dialog with other investors as they may have additional information that you do not.

Offer other investors information when you receive it to build an informed network.


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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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Asset Allocation

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

In angel investing, it’s important to set aside funds for startup investments.

In most cases, investors dedicate 5%-15% of their discretionary funds to angel investing.

There are several issues with asset allocation for angel investing compared to publicly-traded stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

Startup investments are illiquid as there’s no market for reselling.

Transferring stock is greatly limited due to SEC rules.

To achieve a gain, you must hold the stock for up to 7-10 years in most cases.

Many startups fail completely and are tax write-offs.

Determine upfront how much you want to invest based on 5%-15% of your portfolio.

Divide by ten to get the total number of startups you can invest in. 

Divide the investment amount by 2 to get the initial investment per startup, leaving the second half for a follow-on round. 

Here’s an example:

Let’s say I have a portfolio of $3.5M 

15% of $3.5M yields $525K to invest in startups

Dividing $525K by 10 gives me $52K per startup that I can invest in.

Dividing the $52,500 by 2 means I can invest $26K for each startup leaving another $26K for each follow on investment.

Start with 3 investments per year.   

It’s important to be selective.

After a few years and some gains, you can re-invest some of the profits into more startups.  

There are tax laws that make it attractive to roll your gains from one startup investment into another. 


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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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Pete Mohr, Founder of Simplifying Entrepreneurship and host of the Simplifying Entrepreneurship Podcast.

Headquartered in Elora, Ontario, Pete helps entrepreneurs transform their frustrations into freedoms by using a variety of frameworks that help them cut through the chaos of running a business. Being a business owner isn’t easy. That’s why he coaches entrepreneurs using tools and systems that he’s developed for Simplifying Entrepreneurship.

With over 27 years as a business owner, he's refined many of his tips, tools, and techniques in the trenches within his own businesses. 

Pete bought a bathroom remodeling franchise fresh out of university in 1994 and has been virtually unemployable since! He has owned and operated more than one business for almost his entire career. He’s bought businesses, built businesses, sold businesses, and closed businesses. He has owned service-based businesses as well as retail (and for the last dozen years has owned shoe stores in Ontario called Shoetopia).

Last year, Pete started the Simplifying Entrepreneurship Podcast. They’re short 20-minute episodes that help entrepreneurs tackle some of their worries and transform them into wins! There’s always a great takeaway to make their lives or businesses even better.

Pete discusses the 5 Ps of business, some of the most important lessons he has learned over the years, a common myth amongst some entrepreneurs, and more.

You can visit Simplifying Entrepreneurship at https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/simplifyingentrepreneurship.  

You can listen to the Simplifying Entrepreneurship podcast at https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/simplifying-entrepreneurship-podcast/  

Pete can be contacted at pete@mohr.coach, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/petermohr/

_________________________________________________________________________

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

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

State Tax Credits

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

Many states offer tax credits for startup investments.

Those states with a state income tax will reduce your capital gains tax burden.

The typical requirements are as follows:

  1. The business must be a C-Corp or an LLC entity.
  2. The entity was organized no more than 3 years before the investment.
  3. It must have less than $500K of revenue.
  4. You must hold some operations of the business within the state.
  5. The business must have at least two full-time employees, but less than 20 total employees.
  6. The business must be a growth startup that excludes restaurants, retail, and other lifestyle businesses.
  7. The business must be able to increase jobs in the area for some number of years after investment.
  8. You cannot have more than $10M in assets.

Each state has a unique set of rules but most follow these guidelines. 

Check your state’s website for applicable laws regarding tax breaks for startup investments.


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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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Stock Options

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

Stock options are a key part of the compensation of employees.

These are called Incentive Stock Options or ISOs.

If you exercise and sell the shares immediately, the proceeds will be taxed at the ordinary tax rates for the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value.

For ISOs, your options must qualify as an incentive option when it was granted and you must hold it long enough to be eligible for ISO tax treatment.

There are also non-qualified stock options for directors and stockholders. 

The holder also pays the exercise price when sold and then pays taxes on the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value.

If you have 1000 options at an exercise price of $1 and the fair market value is $10, then you will pay the company $1000 to exercise the options and pay tax on the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value.  

In this case $9 per share or $9,000 in total. 

If the shares continue to rise in value, then it may be prudent to sell the options sooner when the value is lower rather than later when the value has risen. You’ll pay less in taxes.

Also, remember that most options have an expiration date so you must keep track of 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/ 
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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Lawrence Chavez, CEO at EveryDay Contacts. 

EveryDay Contacts is a premium daily disposable contact lens, doctor-enabled, subscription-based, direct-to-consumer company designed for both patients and eye care professionals. Built around a unique technology that enhances the wettability of the silicone hydrogel daily disposable lenses, EveryDay Contacts is coming to market with a model that supports proper eye health by ensuring the eye care professional is part of the value chain.

Contact lens users receive the benefit of a premium daily disposable contact lens with all the advantages of a D2C model. The independent eye doctor benefits by reconnecting with their patient and recapturing the $500M of lost contact lens revenue that “walk” to other retail channels.

Lawrence has 20+ years of finance, operations management, and strategic marketing experience in a variety of entrepreneurial businesses. Lawrence has been involved with a number of startups as both an entrepreneur and investor. He serves on the Board of ABQid, a startup accelerator working at the intersection of entrepreneurship and economic development. In addition, he serves as Venture Partner at Flywheel Ventures and previously managed Flywheel’s New Mexico Gap Fund I, seed fund. Lawrence also advises Startup Teen, an organization created to promote entrepreneur education for mid and high school students. Past boards include the New Mexico Venture Capital Association, Coronado Ventures Forum, and Innovate El Paso. Lawrence has a Bachelor’s of Accounting from New Mexico State University and Master’s in Marketing from Texas A&M University.

Lawrence speaks about starting a business in the contact lens industry and some of the challenges startups face. He shares what information sources have helped him the most and discusses one thing his business did that he never expected.

You can visit EveryDay Contacts at www.everydaycontacts.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/everyday-contacts.

Lawrence can be contacted at lawrence.chavez@everydaycontacts.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencetchavez, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lawrencechavez, and via telephone at (505)459-8212. 

_____________________________________________________________________

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

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Gains and Losses

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

There’s an old saying, it’s not how much you make, it’s how much you keep that counts. 

Tax management is an important topic for angel investors. 

There are specific laws that give tax breaks to investors for startup investments.

The first is called Section 1244 which gives the investor the ability to take ordinary income deductions on losses rather than capital gains deductions.  

Since many startup investments result in a loss, Section 1244 helps offset those losses.

For successful exits, Section 1202 reduces or eliminates taxes on gains from an exit. 

For stock acquired after 9/28/2010, there is a 100% exclusion on the gains for tax purposes. 

Before that date, there is a 50%-75% exclusion depending on the date. 

You must hold the stock for 5 years.

Then there is the 1045 rollover which lets the investor rollover proceeds from the sale of stock from one startup to a new one without paying capital gains on the first one.  

You must do so within 60 days.

If you have restricted stock, then 83(b) election lets you pay the taxes when the options vest, rather than when you exercise them. 

This lets you pay taxes when the value is lower and exercise the options later when the value is higher.

These rules have been in place for a while now, so it’s important to check with your accountant about any changes.


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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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In this our 700th episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes David Narrow, CEO at Sonavex.

Sonavex is a venture-backed clinical stage Medtech company spun out from Johns Hopkins with two FDA clearances. The company’s technology uses deep learning to improve arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation times for patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite the fact that the superior method of AV access for the 4.9M patients projected to be on dialysis by 2025 is an AVF, they fail to mature in >30% of procedures and are rendered unsuitable for dialysis. Those that do mature take a median time of 6-9 months until they are used. This results in significant catheter-based dialysis and associated bloodstream infections, costly hospitalizations, and increased mortality. Every additional catheter day costs more than $160 per patient per day to CMS, or $30,000+ per patient. 

Volumetric flow rate, diameter, and depth have been proven to determine AVF maturation status. However, the specialized skill set required to operate conventional ultrasound prevents its use in the dialysis clinic, and the additional travel needed to see a trained sonographer limits its use in this patient population. Due to a variety of factors including socioeconomic status, compliance with non-dialysis appointments is 12-33%. Sonavex’s technology enables staff at the dialysis clinic to rapidly collect volumetric flow rate, diameter, and depth in just seconds during existing visits via a bioresorbable implant (EchoMark) with >90% margins and an automated 3D ultrasound (EchoSure) to enable early decision-making and reduce catheter time.

Sonavex has secured a multimillion-dollar NIH grant to fund a large prospective randomized controlled clinical trial for EchoMark & EchoSure, and another NIH grant to advance its pipeline product EchoGuide to improve AVF cannulation. The company is currently raising a Series A-2 financing to support the non-dilutive funding. Comps in this space have exited for $225M - $1.1B in the last three years, ranging from clinical to early commercial stages. 

David previously worked with multinational medical device companies to commercialize their technologies and provide long-term business strategies as a healthcare consultant at Health Advances LLC. David earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with the highest distinction from the University of Rochester before receiving his Master’s from Johns Hopkins University. He was named “30 Under 30 in Healthcare” by Forbes in 2016 and “40 Under 40” by the Baltimore Business Journal in 2017.

David shares his background with Hall and discusses the differences between Sonavex and other companies in the industry. He advises entrepreneurs who are thinking about entering the space and mentions some of the challenges they may face.

You can visit Sonavex at www.sonavex.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sonavex, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Sonavex

David can be contacted at dnarrow@sonavex.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/david-narrow-a4454023, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/davidnarrow

______________________________________________________________________

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

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

When to Follow On

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

In most startup funding, there will be a need for additional rounds of funding.

Here are some questions to ask before making that follow-on investment:

  1. Does the team demonstrate integrity?
  2. Do they have traction in the market yet?
  3. Do they hit milestones and are they good to work with?
  4. Is the follow-on round part of a plan, or did they just run out of money?
  5. Does their original plan still hold, or is it now a whole new ballgame?
  6. Does the startup have a board that is driving the plan, or does the startup seem rudderless?
  7. Will the follow-on funding take them to the next level, or will they be back asking for more in six months regardless of this raise?
  8. Do you feel like you understand the business and what is going on, or do you feel puzzled and concerned about it?

Add up the responses to these questions to determine if you should follow on with more 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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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Apply Your Investment Thesis to a Startup

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

Before investing in a startup, apply your investment thesis to it to see if it makes sense.

Write out the company’s strategy and how it fits into the overall market.  

Review their position relative to the competition.

For the target company, look for a material event that recently occurred, such as a jump in sales or the hiring of a new CEO.

Write out what is significant about the change and why. Include any challenges the company may face.

Consider what factors may impact their performance -- the economy, a new competitor, etc.

Writing it out helps you think through the investment thesis and gives you a document to reference later to check your thinking. 

Reviewing your writeup in light of the outcome may update your investment thesis.


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_--_Apply_your_Investment_thesis_to_a_Startup.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Luis Rivera, Managing Director at HEXA Global Ventures.

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Richardson, Texas, HEXA Global Ventures is a seed capital investment firm that brings more than just capital. They have created an ecosystem consisting of resources, experience, talent, and specific service companies to help visionary entrepreneurs shape the best ideas into great companies. HEXA believes all companies are different and do not provide a standard program with a fixed end date. They work with the company and its founders on an ongoing basis to ensure that they stay focused, grow their companies, and anticipate any issues that might prevent them from achieving their dreams.

Luis is originally from Caracas, Venezuela, and came to the US at the age of 13 when he moved to New Hampshire to go to high school. Needless to say, he had a rude awakening his first winter there! Seeking warmer weather, he moved to California where he attended Claremont McKenna College. After graduating, he moved to the Bay Area and started his career in tech. 

Luis joined HEXA Ventures at the beginning of 2021, after more than 25 years of sales and operational experience in the world of tech. He has guided technology companies through major transitions, such as initial public offerings, acquisitions, and rapid global growth. Before HEXA, he was Chief Revenue Officer at Aptology Corp where he helped the company penetrate accounts such as ADP, Atlassian, Google Cloud, and others. Prior to Aptology, Luis was SVP of Strategy and Growth at TalentGuard Inc. He also served as Senior VP of Sales at Saba Software where he led the global go-to-market strategy for all HR sales-related products. Luis has held several global executive and sales leadership positions, including 10 years at Lyris, where he led the company from $4M to $55M dollars in revenue. During his tenure, Lyris acquired multiple companies and became public. 

Luis discusses his investment thesis and some of the companies HEXA has invested in. He also advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face.

You can visit HEXA Global Ventures at www.hexagv.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/hexavc/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hexagv

Luis can be contacted at lrivera@hexagv.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/luisrivera1

_____________________________________________________________________

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: Luis_Rivera_of_Hexa_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Building Your Investment Thesis -- View of the Future

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

For investing in a startup, consider the future and what will be needed then.

Don’t just look at the world as it is today.  

It takes several years to build a business and what you see now will inevitably change.

Map the trends and extrapolate out and consider what will be needed five years from now based on the direction of technology, the markets, and other factors.

With that view in mind, look for startups that fill what is missing.

The startup will need to shift or pivot as the trajectories of the market and technology progress. 

Stay in touch with those in the space about what is driving the market and why.

From this, you can build a view of the future and inform your investment thesis.


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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Invest Early-Stage or Late-Stage - What’s the Challenge?

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

Venture capital has two choices in funding startups. 

They can go for early-stage companies or late-stage companies.

So, which stage to focus on?

The risks are higher for early-stage companies, but the valuations are lower. Any meaningful acquisition typically leads to a successful investment outcome.

Later-stage companies come with less startup risk, but valuations are typically high. The company must sell for a substantial valuation to give the investors a return.

As the rule of 5 tells us, a good investment requires an exit of 5 times the post-money valuation.  Later-stage companies often come with $20M to $30M post-money valuations which means they would need to exit at $100M to $150M to be a successful investment.

Early-stage startups simply need to launch and grow reasonably well. 

Later-stage startups need to become the leader in their category as acquisitions usually focus on the leader and not the various followers.

In conclusion, the early-stage company comes with high risk for startup failure but an easier time to reach a successful investment exit.

The later stage startup has a lower risk for startup failure but a more challenging time to reach a successful investment exit.

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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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Gustaf Brandberg, General Partner at Gullspång Re:food. 

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Gullspång Re:food makes enduring investments in entrepreneurs solving the food system’s structural problems for generations to come. Portfolio companies such as Oatly, NICK’S, Planted, Motatos, and Stockeld Dreamery are all driving sustainability shifts in the food system, and Gullspång Re:food backs them with capital, contacts, and competence. By applying systems thinking, they invest in solutions addressing the underlying problems of the food system as opposed to its symptoms. Their investments seek to reverse the food system’s pressure on our planetary boundaries while ensuring an ethical foundation for everyone.

Gustaf is a tech guy turned food system investor on a mission to support the sustainable transformation of the most fundamental system for human civilization. In 1996, he co-founded and ran a software consulting firm helping companies scale from zero to becoming global leaders of the internet era. After 14 years, he joined his family office Gullspång Invest, as a tech investor (with Klarna being one of their investments). After attending a program at Stockholm Resilience Center, Gustaf realized the urgent need for a sustainable shift in the food system. The following year he invested in Oatly and NICK’s et al. In 2020, he co-founded Gullspång Re:food with a 100% focus on backing entrepreneurs developing sustainable food system solutions on a global scale.

Gustaf shares what excites him in the sustainable food industry, and discusses its evolution. He advises investors and entrepreneurs and speaks about some of the challenges they face.

You can visit Gullspång Re:food at www.refood.vc, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/gullspangrefoodinvest/.

Gustaf can be contacted at gustaf@refood.vc and gustaf.brandberg@gullspanginvest.se, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gustafbrandberg, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/gustafbrandberg

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Diligencing the Exit

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

In diligencing the startup’s exit strategy, check the following:

  • Do they have a list of potential buyers?
  • What companies are on the list?
  • What milestones must be met to qualify for a buyout?
  • What price is the going rate for buyouts in this sector?
  • Will the acquirer be buying the team?
  • Will they be buying the technology?
  • Will they be buying a specific product, or will they be buying the entire business?

The further down this list you go, the bigger the buyout factor.

It’s important to understand the exit upfront as it will inform the founders on decisions around funding, hiring, filing patents, and more.


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.
__________________________________

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Gregory Dewerpe, Founder at A/O Proptech.

Headquartered in London, England, A/O Proptech is Europe’s largest proptech VC firm. They are stage agnostic, investing permanent capital to support entrepreneurs and companies from Series A to later-stage growth and they enable founders to create, iterate and scale disruptive products and platforms by leveraging their unique access to large RE owners and managers, corporates, governments, and industry stakeholders. 

A/O Proptech’s mission is to transform real estate into a more digital, efficient, and accessible asset class by applying innovative technologies and business models.

Their vision is to improve the quality of life, accelerate sustainable living, and enable the decarbonization of the largest asset class in the world.

Greg is a long-standing prominent voice promoting the acceleration of positive transformation in the real estate industry. Having worked with and invested heavily in the sector (directly and indirectly), Greg founded A/O after running his own specialist real estate investment and advisory firm, AMD Capital, on the back of a deep understanding of the industry’s shortcomings as well as the realisation that the built world can be one of the most powerful vectors for change. 

Previously, Greg worked in investment banking at Credit Suisse and Citigroup, where he originated and structured over $30bn of new investments globally. Gregory holds an MSc in Business and Finance from HEC Lausanne, and has attended the London School of Economics and Harvard Business School’s executive education program.

Greg shares how he sees the real estate investing industry evolving and what he thinks will be the biggest change in the next 12-24 months. He discusses his investment thesis and some companies that fit the thesis.

You can visit A/O Proptech at www.aoproptech.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/aoproptech, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AOProptech

Greg can be contacted at gd@aoproptech.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-dewerpe-456b47/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/gdewerpe.  

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Diligencing the Use of Funds

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

In diligencing the startup’s use of funds, check the following points:

  • How much is spent on compensation?
  • Is it appropriate for an early-stage company?
  • How much is spent on sales, and does it align with the company’s sales strategies?
  • How much is spent on marketing, and what assurance is there that the funds will be well deployed?
  • How many new hires are being brought on, and when?
  • How does this affect the company’s cash position?
  • Does the plan miss any important requirements, such as filing full patents on the provisionals?
  • Does the spend match with the growth strategy, and are the investors and team aligned on that strategy?

It’s often the case the investors want one growth plan, and the startup wants to pursue a different one.

Gaining alignment upfront on these issues prevents problems in the future.


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.
___________________________________

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

Diligencing the Terms 

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

In diligencing the startup’s term sheet, check the following points:

Is the valuation or cap rate appropriate for the stage of the company? 

If it’s out of line, then other terms such as liquidation preferences may be needed.

What dilution will the investors go through, such as options pools and follow-on funding?

It’s important to understand who pays for the options pool -- the founders, the investors, or both.

What rights do the investors have over employee compensation, follow on funding, exits, and other major decisions?

The investors need a say in how the company is managed with regards to compensation and raising additional capital. 

What rights do the investors have for participating in future rounds of funding?

For the deals with big return potential, the investors need the right to participate in follow-on rounds.

Are there any redemption rights or dividends in the deal by other investors?

It’s important to know what rights other investors may have over the company’s cash.

Check these points and how they will impact the return.


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.
___________________________________

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Donna Harris, Founder and CEO at Builders + Backers. 

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Builders + Backers invests in exceptional entrepreneurs who are building global-scale ventures to power an entirely different future - one where technology creates value for many instead of capturing it for a few. Builders + Backers invests in and helps create a future of Buildership™, where technologies disrupt to democratize.

With three ways to invest, their goal is to put the power of technology in the hands of more people, build up communities and create things that lead to the kind of society where prosperity is widely shared. 

Donna is the General Partner at 1776 Ventures, and a Venture Partner at Praxis. She was formerly Managing Director of the Startup America Partnership and she is on the Board of the Global Entrepreneurship Network and the Policy Council of the Economic Innovation Group. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University, an MBA from The University Michigan, and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from American University.

Donna discusses the state of startup investing, her investment thesis, and some of the challenges startups and investors face.

You can visit Builders + Backers at www.buildersandbackers.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/builders-backers, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/buildersbackers

Donna can be contacted at donna@buildersandbackers.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/dharrisindc, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dharrisindc

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Diligencing the Legal Issues

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

In diligencing the startup’s legal documents, ask the following questions:

For the intellectual property, ask what was filed and when?

Did they file a provisional patent or a utility patent?

It takes three years from the date of filing for the patent to be approved, so it most likely will not have been awarded yet. 

Have there been any office actions yet?

The Cap Table represents the result of the term sheet and other documents related to ownership.

Review the term sheet to see if there are any unusual clauses.

What third-party contracts have been signed?

What obligations do those agreements require?

Check the employment agreements. 

Has every employee signed a non-disclosure and non-compete agreement?

Are there any outstanding lawsuits against the company? 

If so, what is the dollar amount involved?

Most startups do not focus much time on the legal aspects, so it’s important to check.


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.
___________________________________

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

Diligencing the Team for Skills

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

In diligencing the team, here are some key areas to check:

Sales skills -- the CEO and others must be able to sell their product or service.  

In the early stages of a startup, there won’t be a dedicated sales force, and everyone on the team must be able to sell.

Technical skills -- the CEO and the team must be tech-savvy as they will be building products and selling customers around that technology.

Those who don’t understand their technology will have a hard time convincing others of its worth.

Customer awareness -- the CEO and the team must know their customers well, including their problems, their budgets, and their careabouts.

I find one of the biggest indicators of success is how well the team knows their customer. 

Market awareness -- the CEO and the team must know their market well.  

This goes beyond just the general size and growth rates of the market and includes knowledge of key players in the market.

Competition awareness -- the CEO and the team must know who their direct competitors are and have some idea of the competitors’ strengths and weaknesses.

Before investing in a startup, check on these points.

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 

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Alexander Borschow, Managing Partner at Semillero Partners.

Founded in 2015, and located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Semillero Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in purpose-driven sustainable food and food tech companies. Investing in these sectors will empower a new generation of entrepreneurs working to create the companies of our future while generating long-term value for society and stakeholders. Our current food system is neither sustainable, equitable, or healthy. Semillero Partners are committed to changing that. The team has been managing investments together for 6+ years, has $50MM+ in AUM, and is investing from its second fund.

Alex comes from a family of successful and visionary entrepreneurs, with his father, Jon, leading Puerto Rico’s largest healthcare logistics and distribution company for over 35 years and his brother, Jason, founding Abarca Health, the leading healthcare IT company on the island since 2008.

Alex started his career as an analyst on the equity derivatives institutional sales team at BNP Paribas in 2006, and in just five years, he rose to become the youngest Director in the history of the New York office and head of OTC sales for the US and Canada. Prior to co-founding Semillero Partners, Alex was the Director of Finance for Eataly USA.

Alex has been evaluating and investing in food and food tech ventures for the past 10+ years, investing in over 10 companies. 

A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Alex earned an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management along with a Certificate in Sustainability with a focus on Food Systems. He also holds a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from MIT with a Minor in Management. Alex serves on the Board of Directors of Seal the Seasons, Gfree Foods, Biomass Green Fuels, and the Board of Foundation for Puerto Rico, a non-profit dedicated to developing sustainable economic development strategies for Puerto Rico.

On a personal note, Alex is married to Mariella Danspeckgruber. They met when she was the manager at Cherry Grove Farm, an award-winning cheese farm in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. They are passionate foodies who love to cook, surf, travel, and ski together. They have two daughters and live together in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Alex shares what excites him now in the sustainable food industry, advises entrepreneurs and investors, and shares his investment thesis.

You can visit Semillero Partners at www.semilleropartners.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/semillero-partners-llc.

Alex can be contacted at alex@semilleropartners.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderborschow, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/alexborschow

________________________________________________________________

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

Diligencing the Financials

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

In diligencing the startup’s financials, ask the following questions:

What is the key assumption behind the financials?

Does it assume a product will reach the market at a specific time?

Does it assume we’ll have hired new team members by a certain date?

What funding does the plan assume?

What price and unit volume were used to set the sales forecast?

How do the margins compare to similar companies? Are they in the same ballpark?

What salaries are forecasted, and are they reasonable for this stage of business?

How will the funds be used?

How detailed are the numbers? Is everything rounded up to the nearest thousand dollars, or does it demonstrate specific knowledge of costs?

Big round numbers signal a swag.

What is the cash runway shown by the financials?  

What does the debt, credit card debt, and unpaid expenses add up to?

The financials tell you, the investor, what the startup knows and is thinking. 


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 

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes James Wagoner, CEO at Joule Case.

Joule Case is a portable power station that replaces gas generators and provides power wherever the power grid is unavailable or unreliable. Joule Case has developed a patented alternative energy technology solution that will make it the standard oil of the green revolution. 

Joule Case provides innovation in a largely stagnant battery market, replacing noxious generators with clean, safe, cost-efficient renewable power in the fast-growing event-power industry with music festival partners like Burning Man and Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC). 

James builds teams, manages resources, and aligns with the long-term vision. As a licensed professional engineer with years of developing technical projects and products, he comes from a technical background and understands the importance of people for any large technical project, product, or organization. James excels at building rapport and aligning incentives to unify diverse teams and organizations. Throughout his career, he drives for a better, greener world through technology development and implementation. He enjoys both professional and personal challenges, such as climbing Mt. Rainier and cycling from San Francisco to LA.

James discusses running a business in the energy industry and shares some of the challenges startups face. He speaks about potential rewards and mentions the differences between his company and competitors.

You can visit Joule Case at www.joulecase.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/joule-case/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/joulecase.  

James can be contacted at jamesw@joulecase.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jameswagoner3

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Diligencing the Customers in the Market

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

In diligencing the customers in the market, check for the following:

  1. Who is the target customer?  
  2. What is the ideal customer profile?
  3. What is the customer acquisition strategy and cost?
  4. Do they have a standard process for acquiring customers?
  5. For pre-revenue companies, what is their go-to-market strategy?
  6. Have they priced their product appropriately for the target market and channel?
  7. Check their Cost of Customer Acquisition vs. Lifetime Value number. Is it better than 1:3?
  8. How many new potential customers are coming into the market?
  9. Are there high switching costs that must be overcome for customers to engage the company’s product?
  10. Does the ideal customer already have a budget set aside for the product, or do they need to find a budget for it?
  11. Is there any virality built into the product or the business model?
  12. What is the channel through which the company contacts customers -- web, direct, partners, or other?

From these points, you can learn more about the customers for the target startup and how strong they are.


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 

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

Diligencing the Competition

In diligencing the competition, check to see how well the startup knows its competitors.  

Do they know what the competitors offer, how they price it, and what their advantage is over that competitor?

Even if the startup tells you there's no competition, rest assured there is.

Sometimes competition is for the customer to do nothing or do it themselves.

The company's product must be compelling enough to cause the customer to switch.

Research the competitors for size of company, position in the market, as well as the price they offer.

Check to see how fast competitors bring new technologies and products to the market.  

Check to see if the intellectual property of the startup provides a true competitive advantage.

I define competitive advantage as it gives the company 30% more revenue or 30% reduced cost over the competition.

Check to see how easy it is to move from the startup's product to a competitor's product.  

For startups who claim a "first-mover advantage", ask what prevents the customer from switching later.

In talking with customers of the company's product, you can learn what feature caused them to buy the company's product which tells you the company's positioning.

Competitors are a good indicator of the market, and much can be learned from them.



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 

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

This is the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series. In this series, we discuss trends and topics in the startup world.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
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Thank you for joining us for the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series.

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

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Diligencing the Demand

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

In diligencing the demand for a startup’s product, here are some key points to check:

Is the product a nice to have or a must-have?

For customers buying the product, assess their budgets. Do they have deep pockets, or do they have average pockets?

Assess their place on the technology curve. Do they lead the way, or do they follow the masses?

Ask similar companies what they think about the product and if they would buy it. If no, ask why?

From this information, you gain an understanding of how well the product works and how customers view it for their business. 

You can then estimate the serviceable market size for the product. 

Contact existing customers and ask about their need for the product and how well it works for them.

This is particularly important for freemium products in which the user is not a paying customer. 


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

Diligencing the Technology

Diligencing the Technology

In diligencing the technology in a startup, here are some key questions to ask:

How many of the tech modules have been completed and how many more must be completed before going to market?

Does the technology provide a substantial advantage over the competition?

One way to check this is to see if it provides a 10X improvement over the current technologies.

Does the technology architecture scale?

Is there a roadmap for the technology and how to grow it?

Who on the team owns the technology and the roadmap? 

Do they work in the company, or is that outsourced?

What other platforms does the startup's technology rely on? Does it rely on Google, Facebook, or other platforms that can change?

How does the startup protect their technology -- trade secrets, patents, or others?

A new technology wave comes out every 3 to 5 years. How long before this technology is obsolete?


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.
___________________________________

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Olivia Kim, Principal at GingerBread Capital.

GingerBread Capital invests in the next generation of female founders leading high-growth businesses and aims to encourage and support other women in doing the same.

They invest across a variety of industries and business models and are generally stage-agnostic, typically investing at the Series A-C stages, but also looking to selectively and opportunistically make earlier bets as well. They seek to co-invest and participate in deals alongside a lead investor and will typically continue to follow on in subsequent rounds. Additionally, GingerBread Capital has also invested in a number of funds that are led by a female and/or diverse GP, as the team firmly believes that increasing the diversity of both the founder and funder communities is necessary for creating a more equitable, efficient, and successful venture ecosystem. 

Olivia joined the GingerBread Capital team in 2019. She strongly believes that increasing diversity in both the founder and funder communities is vital to fostering ideas and businesses that can help solve the evolving challenges facing consumers and businesses today.

Previously, Olivia served on the investment team at Luminate Capital Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm focused on enterprise software investing. She began her career in the Technology, Media, and Telecom Investment Banking group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York City. Outside of work, Olivia previously served as the Chair of the Vetting Committee of Spark SF, a non-profit organization committed to advancing gender equality by engaging its members in accessible forms of philanthropy. Spark SF awarded small grants to grassroots women’s organizations globally, before being acquired by Global Fund for Women.

Olivia is a San Francisco native and graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University with a BA in Economics and a minor in Political Science.

Olivia delves into what excites her now and discusses the state of startup investing. She speaks about some of the startups that fit her investment thesis and some of the challenges they face. 

You can visit GingerBread Capital at www.gingerbreadcap.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/gingerbreadcapital, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GingerBreadCap

Olivia can be contacted at olivia@gingerbreadcap.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-kim

____________________________________________________________________

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

Diligencing the Team

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

In diligencing a startup for investment, the team is one of the most critical factors and the one that is most often overlooked by investors.

I see investors focus on the product, the market, and the competition and ignore the team assuming every skill is at the ready.

The first and most important characteristic to look for in the team is integrity.

If the team doesn’t have integrity, then nothing else will matter.

The next is tenacity. Most startups fail because the team got bored with the project and found some other shiny new thing to work on.

Next, assess their knowledge of the market. I see many CEOs pursue startups in a “hot” space in which they know very little.

The ones who succeed know the market well and in particular, know the customer very well. 

This is important because it accelerates the path to product-market fit. 

Finally, look for a CEO who can inspire confidence and has more than just confidence in himself.

Startups require confidence such that they can recruit employees and convert customers.


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.
___________________________________

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Gerald Gallagher, Venture Capital Manager at Healthworx.

Healthworx is a $100M healthcare fund that operates at the intersection of healthcare and innovation by creating, co-creating, and investing in Series A and B startups to improve healthcare quality, accessibility, and affordability. As the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst of Maryland, Inc., Healthworx envisions a healthier future for all people by changing the way health works.  

Gerald is a venture capital investor and attorney and has been on all three sides of the venture ecosystem: startup, investor, LP. He invests in fintech, insurtech, and digital health and is Interested in helping brilliant people solve big, complicated problems. Gerald is experienced in managing teams, projects, and accounts in client-facing roles. 

Gerald advises investors and entrepreneurs and shares some of the challenges they face. He discusses his investment thesis and the state of startup investing.

You can visit Healthworx at www.healthworx.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/hwx.

Gerald can be contacted at gallaghgsc@gmail.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gerald-gallagher, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thatgerald

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

Sizing the Market

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

In diligencing the market, look for a market that is large and has strong growth potential.

If a new technology has spurred the growth of the market, then this may be a good time to invest.

Markets that are behind on the latest technology are ripe for growth.

The Total Available Market for venture-funded deals needs to be at least $1B in size.

This is referred to as the TAM, which is everyone who could ever buy your product.

The Service Available Market or SAM is the target market within your geographical area. 

The Beachhead Market is the first 20 customers you are targeting.

The TAM and SAM are top-down numbers you find through research.

The Beachhead Market is a bottoms-up number you find through your sales and marketing efforts.

The presence of competition verifies the market. If there are no competitors, then there’s most likely not a market there. 

The presence of acquirers is another key verifier of the market. If no one is buying companies in that market, then there’s no reason to build a business to be sold.


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.
___________________________________

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

The A Team With the B Plan

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

In funding startups, look for the A team working on the B plan.

In this situation, the team can clearly accomplish the task at hand because they’ve done it before and the task is not that hard.

The opposite of this is the team that has little experience and is now taking on a major new challenge.  

The A team makes for a better startup investment.

They know the market well and can see small changes coming up that will impact their business.

They know the industry players well and can contact them easily to form partnerships, recruit team members, and sell the product.

They work well together and have probably done for so many years.

The B project is very well-defined.

In diligencing startups, check to see how close the deal is to the A team working on a B project.


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 

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Nasir Ali, Managing Partner at StartFast Ventures.

StartFast is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in recurring revenue software businesses outside the major start-up hubs. StartFast Fund II invests at the Seed/A Round stages in B2B SaaS companies. Their geographic focus enables them to invest at attractive valuations; their companies can scale cost-effectively, and their exits command high return multiples. StartFast likes to invest in diverse teams with first-hand experience of the problems they are solving.

Nasir has been building a high-growth entrepreneurial ecosystem across Upstate New York for the past 18 years and investing as an early-stage VC since 2007. Nasir launched The Syracuse Technology Garden incubator in 2004, followed in 2007 by the Seed Capital Fund of CNY, Upstate NY’s first angel investor fund. In 2010, Nasir joined with TriNet founder Martin Babinec to form Upstate Venture Connect, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that has helped organize six angel funds in Upstate New York; built an online communications platform that reaches more than 15,000 startup community members; created the UNY50 Entrepreneur Leadership group; and established the Upstate Venture Ecosystem Awards.

Nasir also co-founded and is the Managing Director of StartFast Fund I, Upstate NY’s only private capital-backed startup accelerator program. Nasir’s 60 portfolio companies have raised over $300MM. He is a board member and highly sought out advisor to numerous entities including the NYS Innovation Venture Capital Fund, Next Gen Venture Partners, Fitzgate Ventures, and multiple portfolio companies. Nasir received his undergraduate degree in Physics from Princeton University. He also holds an MBA from Yale University and resides in Rochester, NY.

Nasir discusses the state of startup investing and his investment thesis. He advises investors and entrepreneurs and shares some of the challenges they face.

You can visit StartFast Ventures at www.startfastventures.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/startfast/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Start_Fast.  

Nasir can be contacted at nasir@startfastventures.com and nasir@uvc.org, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/snasirali/.

_____________________________________________________________________

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

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

Financial Analysis

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

In diligencing a startup, analyze the financial statements to understand the business better.

Here are key items to check:

  • Where does the revenue come from?
  • What could stop or halt the revenue?
  • How far is the company from profitability?
  • How much cash is on hand and, given the burn rate, how much runway is available?
  • What costs can be variablized down in case of a drop in business?
  • Check the accounts receivables to see how fast customers are paying their bills.
  • How much debt is on the balance sheet and what does it cost or when will it come due?
  • In each category, start with the big numbers and then work your way down.
  • For items that look out of the norm, ask the founder or CEO.
  • See how much the team knows about their numbers and if they have a strategy for improving them.


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 

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

Business Model Analysis

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

The business model shows where the company incurs costs in order to generate revenue. 

In diligencing a startup, spend some time analyzing the business model to determine how robust and profitable it is.

Check the revenue to see how much is recurring, repeating, or one-off.

The more revenue that is recurring based on contracts, the stronger the cash flow. 

Check the costs for customer acquisition and lifetime value of customers, even if it’s not a recurring revenue business. 

There needs to be a healthy delta between the cost of acquisition and the total revenue from the customer. 

Revenue per customer should be at least 3X the cost of acquiring that customer. 

Map out the gross margins and profit margins of the current business and near-term projections.

The healthier the margins, the less funding the company will need to raise and the faster the company can reach profitability.

Check the overhead costs and any other regular expenditure to determine the capital efficiency of the business.

Finally, look for unusually high general and administrative expenses.


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 

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

This is the Investor Connect Crowdfunding Launch Program. I'm Hall T Martin, the host of the show, in which we take questions from startups and investors on crowdfunding topics. 

I hope you enjoy this episode.
_______________________________

Thank you for joining us for the Investor Connect Crowdfunding Launch Program where we help startups prepare for a fundraise. 

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

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Direct download: PODCAST_2022-02-23_TEN_Capital_Future_of_Funding_Series.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Due Diligence Mistakes

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

There are several mistakes one can make in the due diligence process.

Here are a few points to check:

Focusing on every potential risk in the deal and not the primary risks.

In this case, diligence turns into a never-ending slog with no endpoint.

Many CEOs are successful entrepreneurs who did well elsewhere and are now working in a new area. 

The CEO must be experienced in the domain of the startup.  

Does the company have real traction in the market?

It’s often the case they have a few key customers who jump-started sales, but there’s no real momentum.

Will customers buy the product in sufficient numbers?

The market demand must be great enough to grow the business. 

Does the team have a focus on the exit strategy?

Make sure the team knows their exit and has a strong sense of 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 

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Michael G. Hiles, Founder, and CEO at 10XTS.

10XTS helps capital markets participants leverage the emerging global decentralized capital market infrastructure. Their solutions are built upon XDEX, an institutional-grade asset tokenization platform and network that puts the power of holistic data ownership back into the hands of asset owners, securities issuers, and their investors.

Michael began his career in the early 1990s as a software developer for government information systems platforms. In 2000, Michael’s team won a Smithsonian Laureate Award for being the first to ever connect a judicial system to the worldwide web. He is regarded as an expert in information governance, risk, and compliance.

Michael discusses security token offerings, how to set up a fund, common mistakes people make, and more.

You can visit 10XTS at www.10xts.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/10xts/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/go10xts/

Michael can be contacted at michael@10xts.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhiles/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/michaelhiles

______________________________________________________________________

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

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Direct download: Michael_G._Hiles_of_10XTS.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

The Risks in the Deal

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

In diligencing a startup, focus on the key risks. Here’s a short list to review:

The team -- do they have the skills and will they remain committed to the company?

The market -- will the market continue to grow?

The competition -- will there be new competitors that come on the scene we did not count on?

The technology -- will the technology landscape change, obsoleting the company’s tech?

The funding -- will the company be able to continue to raise funding?

The intellectual property -- will your IP adequately protect your position in the market?

The regulatory environment -- will new regulations come up that negatively impact the company?

This often comes up in the life sciences space in which FDA regulations must be achieved.

Consider each of these risks in a potential investment.


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 

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

Risks and Assumptions

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

In diligencing a startup, it’s important to articulate the risks and the assumptions you have about the startup.

Start by identifying the risks in the deal.

The team, product, market, technology, and competition are key sources of risk. 

List out each one and what risks the company faces. Prioritize the most important at the top and list in descending order.

Write out the assumptions you are making about the deal. 

I find new information often comes to light through the due diligence process, so it’s important to track what you believe to be true about the deal.

Articulate the investment thesis for how this will become a successful investment and not just a successful company.

Writing out the investment thesis forces you to think it through more carefully.

Seeing it written out gives you a sanity check.

For the investment thesis, estimate the potential size of the company, the probability of success, and the return that can be achieved.

Will this become a billion-dollar company or just a few million dollars?

Are there a handful of competitors in the market or thousands?

Are the buyouts in the space in 9-figure exits, 8-figure exits, or less?

Writing out the risks and assumptions will help you gain a better understanding of 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 

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Stefano Gurciullo, Partner at Redstone VC.

Redstone is a Berlin-based venture capital firm managing multiple VC funds and working with corporate venture funds. They reinvented corporate venture capital through their VC-as-a-Service model, which connects industry leaders with ambitious founders.

Together with their industry partners, they activate corporate capital, knowledge, and network to support their entrepreneurs in growing their businesses. In addition to their investment service, they provide tailored intelligence that empowers partners to make better-informed strategic decisions and stay informed about future digital trends.

Redstone is run by experienced entrepreneurs and investors with deep roots in the German and European technology ecosystem. Their founding partners have built and advised some of Europe's largest technology companies over the last two decades.

Stefano leads the Future Industry Ventures, the firm’s industrial technology and sustainability fund. He invests in European entrepreneurs building solutions making manufacturing more energy-efficient, more secure, and decarbonised. Prior to Redstone, Stefano held various positions as a data scientist and investor in sustainable finance. He has also consulted public institutions such as the European Commission, UNDP, and EU Climate KIC at the intersection of technology and climate. Stefano holds a Ph.D. in Financial Computing from University College London, where, as a complex systems scientist, he worked on the use of data to understand and prevent financial and climate-related economic shocks. 

Stefano shares with Hall what excites him now and advises startups and investors. He discusses the state of startup investing and the biggest change he thinks we will see in the next 12-24 months.

You can visit Redstone VC at https://redstone.vc/, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/redstone-venture-capital/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/redstonevc.

Stefano can be contacted at stefano@redstone.vc, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/etste/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/etste

_____________________________________________________________________

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

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

Key Factors in Diligence

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

There are several factors to achieve success in running a due diligence process.

First, dedicate at least 20 hours to due diligence.  

Many investors dedicate less than 20 minutes.

Share your diligence findings with other investor groups in return for their findings.

Apply your skills and network to the process where possible.

Due diligence can be an endless game, so you need to prioritize your efforts.

Focus on the key risks in the deal.

Spend the majority of your time on the management team.  

This is the critical success factor in most startups.

Check the deal structure to make sure you understand it and how it works for you.

Make sure you talk with the users of the product.

Write out your findings and assumptions to refer back to later.  

Consider having the startup sign a Reps and Warranties contract for the diligence they provided.

This can give you recourse in the event key information was left out.


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

Form C Disclosures for Crowdfunding

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

Equity crowdfunding is a regulated fundraise by FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

A company can raise up to $5M on equity crowdfunding.

Anyone can invest. Those who are not accredited investors are limited to $2,200 per year per company.

Those raising funding must file a Form C with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company raising funding must be based in the US.

The Form C requires the following information:

  • The biographies of officers and directors and anyone owning more than 20% of the company.
  • A description of the business and what it does.
  • How the raised funds will be used.
  • The method for calculating the price of the security.
  • The target fundraise amount and the deadline for raising it.
  • A description of the company’s financial condition.
  • Financial statements of the company.

In preparing for an equity crowdfunding raise, you’ll need to provide this information for compliance purposes.


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

This is the TEN Capital AMA show. I'm Hall T. Martin, the host of the show in which we interview investors and founders on current topics. 

Our guest is:

Jeff Eversmann of Long View Technology Ventures

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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What Is Reg CF Crowdfunding?

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

Reg CF refers to the SEC regulation for equity crowdfunding.

This form of crowdfunding offers the investor an equity stake in the company.

By contrast, rewards platforms provide the product to those who provide funding.

In equity crowdfunding, the investor must hold the stock for at least twelve months.

Anyone eighteen years of age or older can invest.

By contrast, angel and venture capital fundraises use Reg D which is only for accredited investors.

Equity crowdfunding offers access to shares in companies for a relatively small investment amount.

This gives the investor the ability to invest in more companies.

You must complete a Form C for regulatory purposes before launching a campaign.

Most Reg CF campaigns cost anywhere between $10K and $50K for marketing.

It requires a budget for social media ad spend which is typically around 10%-15% of the fundraise.

You can run the raise on a licensed equity crowdfunding portal or on your own website. 

You can raise up to $5M.

Consider equity crowdfunding for your fundraise as it gives you access to a new investor base.


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: What_is_Reg_CF_crowdfunding.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Bill Flynn, CEO, and Chief Catalyst at Catalyst Growth Advisors.

Started in 2016, Catalyst Growth Advisors is based in Boston, MA, and serves leaders worldwide by predicting the future through deliberately creating it, leveraging, and teaching a growth framework largely influenced by the greatest thought leaders in management science - Drucker, Deming, Schein, Benis, Moesta, Edmondson, among many others.

Bill has collaborated with Alan Mulally, pitched Steve Jobs, accomplished much, failed often, and learned many useful lessons from thirty years of studying the science of success. He is best described as a pragmatic Simon Sinek; an optimist and an operator.

Bill embodies his core purpose - simplified servanthood - by spending each working moment to help create a compassionately productive society by enabling enlightened leaders to focus on the few things that truly matter to their teams and key stakeholders. For having a great business is one way of making a better world.

He has worked for and advised hundreds of companies, including startups, where he has a long track record of success spanning multiple industries. Bill has been a VP of Sales eight times, twice a CMO, and once a GM of a division of a $100MM IT services company before he pivoted to becoming a business growth coach in 2015. Prior to that, he had five successful outcomes, two IPOs, and seven acquisitions, including a turnaround during the 2008 financial crisis.

As a coach, in addition to being connected with MG 100, Women’s Business Collaborative, MassMEP, Small Giants, and EforAll, Bill has earned certifications from ScalingUp, Gravitas Impact, Metronome United, Predictive Index, and The Neuroleadership Institute. Bill was also nominated for the 2021 Thinkers50 Radar Award.

Bill’s best-selling book, “Further, Faster - The Vital Few Steps that Take the Guesswork out of Growth”, continues to garner a nearly 5-star rating generating demand for virtual and in-person national and international speaking opportunities.

Away from his coaching, Bill is a father, learner, cultivator, entrepreneur, speaker, writer, athlete, brother, etiologist, iconoclast, Stoic, upstream thinker, builder, giver, "musician", and friend. When he is not cheering on his collegiate-champion, musically-gifted daughter, Bill lives and works in greater Boston.

Bill discusses why companies survive or flourish and why leaders fire themselves from the day-to-day running of their businesses. He speaks about a chapter in his book, “Create a Culture of Psychological Safety”, and which leader has inspired him the most in his journey.

You can visit Catalyst Growth Advisors at www.catalystgrowthadvisors.com.

Bill can be contacted at bill@catalystgrowthadvisors.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/billflynnpublic/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/whfjr.  

____________________________________________________________________

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: Bill_Flynn_of_Catalyst_Growth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

How Equity Crowdfunding Is Different From Traditional Fundraises

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

Equity crowdfunding is different from traditional fundraises.

Here is a list of differences to consider:

Traditional fundraises expose your company to accredited investors which is a much smaller group.

Equity crowdfunding exposes your company to the general public which brings greater branding and awareness.

This helps promote and sell your product or services.

This gives access to many more potential investors including customers, partners, and developers.

It helps build your community and network.

Equity crowdfunding also differs from traditional fundraises in that it exposes you to unsophisticated investors.

The general public investor is often not aware of the risks in early-stage funding and often have many questions about the startup.

It also exposes your financials, team, and other details of your business to a broad range of people.

In traditional crowdfunding, the founder spends their time pitching and closing investors.

In equity crowdfunding, the founder spends money to advertise on social media and seeks additional investor networks to tap.

Equity crowdfunding also comes with fees to meet the compliance requirements.

Traditional fundraises typically do not require platform fees.

Keep these differences in mind in running an equity crowdfunding campaign.


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: How_equity_crowdfunding_is_different_from_traditional_fund_raises.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Legal Issues in Equity Crowdfunding

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

There are specific legal issues regarding equity crowdfunding campaigns.

Here’s a list to keep in mind:

The regulations for fundraising are as follows:

Reg CF -- SEC designation for an equity crowdfunding raise that lets anyone invest in a startup for equity up to $5M.

Reg A+ -- SEC designation for an equity crowdfunding raise that lets anyone invest in a startup for equity up to $75M.

Reg D -- SEC designation for a fundraise that requires the investors to be accredited such as an angel investor or venture capitalist.

The funds raised on a Reg CF or Reg A+ will be placed in a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which takes one line on the cap table of the company.

You can promote your fundraise to your family and friends, but the content must be factual and you cannot include terms. 

The terms of the fundraise must be kept on the fundraise platform to ensure all investors receive the same information.

All investments must be made on the fundraise platform.

You can use SAFE notes, convertible notes, as well as equity for the type of security.

You must file a Form C along with two years of GAAP financials.

You’ll need to file one annual report one year from the date of closing the raise.

Keep these legal issues in mind in preparing your fundraise campaign.


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: Legal_issues_in_equity_crowdfunding.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

This is the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series. In this series, we discuss trends and topics in the startup world.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
________________________________

Thank you for joining us for the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series.

For more episodes, 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

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How Long Does It Take to Run an Equity Crowdfunding Campaign?

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

In running an equity crowdfunding campaign you’ll need to budget time to prepare for the campaign as well as run it.

Preparations include applying to launch a fundraise campaign.

This requires completing a Form C and setting up your campaign on a crowdfunding portal or your own website.

You’ll need to prepare the campaign documents which include a pitch deck, key points about the fundraise, digital media assets such as ads and banners, and a campaign plan.

Then you’ll need to run the campaign launching to your network first.

Afterward, you’ll draw the circle wider to include investors who are interested in your sector.

For investors expressing interest, you’ll need to follow up to answer their questions.

In closing a campaign you’ll need to work through the fund's transfer process.

It typically takes two months to apply to launch a campaign, followed by three months to prepare the campaign documents and digital assets.

Then you’ll need to run several sub-campaigns to various investor groups taking one to two months each.

Closing typically takes one to two months to complete the fund transfers due to paperwork issues.

For a $1M fundraise, it will take one calendar year to raise 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/ 
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Direct download: How_long_does_it_take_to_run_an_equity_crowdfunding_campaign.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Equity Crowdfunding Checklist

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

There are several key elements to running a successful equity crowdfunding campaign.

Here’s a checklist to consider:

Create a campaign plan -- list of what you will promote and when. 

This includes updates, events, and other activities to promote your fundraise.

Build the campaign documents -- the pitch deck, video, and talking points.

The content should be compelling and high-quality.

Identify your target audience -- know who will most likely fund your campaign.

It’s important to understand the careabouts of your audience to know how to promote your fundraise.

Assemble a team -- build a group to support the preparation, launch, and ongoing campaign.

The fundraise takes many skills, so it’s important to build a team to run the campaign.

Map your investor network -- segment your investors by type, interest, and group.

Consider what stage in the campaign to engage each of them.

Find additional investor groups -- consider social media and fundraising networks.

It’s important to have additional investor groups to contact during the campaign, as your network will eventually run out.

Warm up your crowd -- prepare your network before the campaign begins.

Pre-campaign mailers prepare your network for the upcoming fundraise.


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: Equity_crowdfunding_checklist.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Jeremy Miller, Chairman, and Founder of Health-E Commerce.

Health-E Commerce is the parent brand of a portfolio of brands that consists of its brand FSA Store, HSA Store, WellDeserved Health, and Caring Mill. Health-E Commerce’s mission is to make it simple and convenient for the 35 million U.S. consumers with pre-tax accounts to use them confidently.

FSAstore.com and HSAstore.com help everyday consumers and partners benefit better from their tax-free health benefits. With the largest selection of guaranteed flexible spending account (FSA) and health savings account (HSA) eligible products, intuitive educational resources, and more, the two e-commerce platforms are streamlining the intersection of healthcare accounts, technology, and personal finance.

Jeremy recognized the need for FSAstore.com after a successful career managing and growing small businesses, where his responsibilities included managing HR and the FSA account process for employees, most recently as Manager of Operations at Gehry Technologies, the technological division of Frank Gehry's architectural practice. He found the confusion and inconvenience surrounding FSAs resulted in participant frustration and ultimately the forfeiture of employees' tax-free income. In response to this market need, FSAstore.com was launched in the spring of 2010, after winning Columbia Business School's Odyssey Global MBA Award for Best Entrepreneurial Business Idea. Initial funding came from the Columbia Business School's Lang Fund and other angels. Since its inception, the company has closed 4 successful rounds of financing, amassed a customer base in excess of 200k, and has exceeded site and revenue expectations every quarter. Jeremy is a 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

Under Miller’s leadership, Health-E commerce has been honored three consecutive years as a Crain's Best Places to Work NYC in 2016, 2017, and 2018 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Awards for one of the fastest-growing companies in North America in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Jeremy graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from U.C. Berkeley and received his MBA from Columbia Business School. He lives in NYC with his wife and two children.

Jeremy discusses the state of investing in the FSA and HSA sectors, its evolution, and growth rate. He speaks about regulations in the industry and advises investors and startups.

You can visit Health-E Commerce at www.health-ecommerce.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/healthecommerce, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FSAstore and www.twitter.com/HSAstore.   

Jeremy can be contacted on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jeremymillercbs2010, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/miller_ceo

_____________________________________________________________________

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: Jeremy_Miller_of_Health-E_Commerce.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

How to Find More Investors for Crowdfunding Campaigns

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

In running a crowdfunding campaign, you may need to find additional investor groups for your fundraise.

These investors include those who are interested in your industry category, or have a passion for the cause, or share the same affinity for the product or service you are promoting.

Here’s a list of sources to consider:

Use content such as blog posts and videos that educate the investor about your space.

Run a webinar series to attract investors to your offering.

Reach out on social media to find more investors through sector searches.

Advertise on financial trading and investor sites.

Join online events that include investors, such as pitch sessions.

Research angel networks and reach out to angel groups in your sector.

Run an event and capture the contact information of those who attend.

Recruit crowdfunding marketing firms to help promote your fundraise.

There are many ways to find more investors for your crowdfunding campaign.

It’s important to have additional investors lined up and ready for 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/ 
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Direct download: How_to_find_more_investors_for_crowdfunding_campaigns.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Benjamin Grubbs, Founder of Next 10 Ventures.

Next 10 Ventures is an operating and investment company focused on incubating and accelerating new businesses, content, products, and services within the global creator economy. Its mission is to enrich, inspire, and entertain kids and young adults via the investments and partnerships they establish with creators who thrive as artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and opinion leaders.

Next 10 Ventures operates from offices in Los Angeles and Singapore. The company was incorporated in March 2018 and has secured significant funding to enable its long-term development.

Benjamin has a 20+ year history in online video and the creator economy as an operating executive, founder, and investor. He joined Yahoo! in 2001 to lead its online video business unit Yahoo! Broadcast in Southeast Asia, which was created as a result of the company's $5.7 billion acquisition of Broadcast.com. Benjamin joined eBay in 2004 to grow its domestic and cross-border business in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong and found success in acquiring young entrepreneurs to the Internet's leading e-commerce company at the time, to build a brand, buyer community, and scaleable business.

While at Turner Broadcasting in 2008, he guided the company's investments into young creators who were developing original IP on the Internet and evolving storytelling and franchise development via immersive and multi-player mobile and web video games.

Benjamin joined Google in 2012 to lead creator marketing for its YouTube unit in Asia Pacific, and later as a founding member of the YouTube Kids unit. He executive produced over a dozen original series and content programs with creators that have generated 2.4 billion views to date. In 2015, Benjamin relocated to the US to take on a global role at YouTube, managing a team that oversaw the company's relationships and investments into its top creators.

Benjamin is co-founding startups in the creator economy with talented entrepreneurs. Kollyde was formed in 2020. Creator+ was formed in 2021.

Benjamin discusses his investment thesis and advises startups and investors. He also shares some of the challenges they face.

You can visit Next 10 Ventures at www.next10ventures.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/next10ventures, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/next10ventures.  

Benjamin can be contacted at partner@next10ventures.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/benjamingrubbs, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bjgrubbs  

_____________________________________________________________________

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: Benjamin_Grubbs_of_Next_10_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:14am CDT

What to Do for a Successful Crowdfunding Launch

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

Before launching your crowdfunding campaign, make sure you do the following:

Create high-quality images and videos for the campaign page. 

Poor visuals reflect poorly on the company.

Create a well-organized and compelling story about your fundraise.

Focusing solely on the product and nothing else will leave the investor uninspired.

Create a captivating title for your crowdfunding campaign.

Listing your company or product name only will receive minimal engagement.

Add social proof to the description.

Show customers enjoy the product, and others are supporting you.

Set realistic fundraising goals.

Asking for too much in one go can leave the investor questioning if the campaign will be successful.

Identify and close initial investors for the fundraise. 

Investors want to know others are supporting your campaign.

Before launching your fundraise, make sure you add these elements to your campaign.


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

Telling Your Story in a Crowdfunding Campaign 

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

Storytelling is an effective tool in a fundraise.

Here are some key points on how to tell your story in a crowdfunding campaign:

Start with your overall cause, such as helping students graduate or improving people’s wellness.

Call out your value proposition upfront -- for example, “we help students graduate.”

State the problem -- for example, “50% of students drop out before graduation.”

Show your solution -- “we provide state of the art curriculum and teaching tools.”

Prove your solution works -- “our curriculum improves graduation rates by 75%.”

Fill out the story with why now is the right time to deploy this solution.

Remind the investor why the solution is important.

Show how your solution is a key step in achieving the goal of the overall cause.

Demonstrate the product works, and people will pay for it.

Finally, ask the investor to join you in solving the overall problem. 

Use your entrepreneurial journey to frame the story, so it demonstrates your passion.

Stories are effective tools for communicating your fundraise message.


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: Telling_your_story_in_a_crowdfunding_campaign.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

How to Spot the Best MedTech & Healthcare Deals in a Changing World

This is the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series. In this series, we discuss trends and topics in the startup world.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
________________________________

Thank you for joining us for the Investor Connect KiwiTech 2022 podcast series. 

For more episodes, 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


Testing Your Deal for a Crowdfunding Raise

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

Crowdfunding works well with certain types of products and businesses.

Consider these points in determining if crowdfunding is a good fit for your campaign:

  1. Is the value proposition immediately clear when someone sees it?
  2. Does it solve a specific need rather than a general tool?
  3. Can you describe its main use case in five words or less?
  4. Is it unique, and does it stand out from the competition?
  5. Does the product provide significant value?
  6. Have you tested the idea on a non-family member?
  7. Would you ask your family and friends to fund it?
  8. Can you show social proof to validate the market and the product?
  9. Have you raised some funding already on it?

Consider these questions in determining whether or not you should pursue crowdfunding as part of your fundraise. 


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

How to Choose a Crowdfunding Platform

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

There are many platforms available for crowdfunding.

Consider these points in choosing one for your fundraise:

Set your fundraising goals so you know how much money you need to raise.

Do you want a general platform with broad coverage or a niche platform with deeper relationships?

In addition to funding, do you want product or brand exposure?

Determine any other requirements, such as finding mentors or partners.

Are you raising for a non-profit or a for-profit organization?

What is your budget for platform fees and marketing?

What level of marketing support do you want from the platform?

How much support do you need for building your campaign?

There are online tools that rate the platforms and provide performance data.

Check out these tools and determine your requirements before choosing a crowdfunding platform.


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.
___________________________________

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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Patrick Polak, Managing Partner at Newion Partners.

Founded in December 2000, Newion Partners is an Amsterdam-based venture capital firm investing in B2B cloud, SaaS, and software companies. Newion is a highly dedicated and involved investor that is actively engaged with its portfolio companies and keeps in close contact with them, particularly in the field of strategy and finance. The fund’s track record comes from a strong belief in lean startup methodology, chasm theory, and leadership models, as well as deep industry knowledge in B2B SaaS companies. Its present portfolio consists of 25 companies. 

After completing his studies in Aerospace Engineering in Delft, Patrick jointly founded an IT company. He sold his interest in this company at the end of 1996, started working at N.V. NOM in Groningen at the beginning of 1997, and was mainly responsible for investments in IT-related businesses. Patrick has led over 50 investments in B2B software companies and financed various other types of companies. Patrick has also occupied positions on various non-executive boards. He is married with two children and is an animal lover.

Patrick discusses how he sees the VC industry evolving and details his investment thesis. He shares with Hall what excites him now and advises startups and investors.

You can visit Newion Partners at www.newion.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/newion/, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/newionpartners.  

Patrick can be contacted at patrick@newion.com, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/papolak/.

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Direct download: Patrick_Polak_of_Newion_Partners_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

More Mistakes in Crowdfunding Campaigns 

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

Fundraising requires preparation and execution. 

Avoid these additional mistakes in running your crowdfunding campaign:

Not building your crowd before launching your campaign.

It’s important to identify your crowd and raise awareness about your upcoming campaign.

Not developing relationships with influencers and networkers who can extend the reach of your campaign.

It’s important to set up several connectors who can give you access to new investors throughout the campaign.

Selecting the wrong platform.

It’s important to choose a platform that helps you connect to your target audience.

Not demonstrating a growth story throughout the campaign.

It’s important to show progress through updates to investors as they look to fund startups with momentum and traction.

Not setting a realistic fundraising goal.

It’s important to break the fundraise into stages and sprints.

Not following up with your investors to address questions and concerns.

It’s important to follow up with investors in a timely manner to close them. 

Avoid these mistakes in building and running your campaign.


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: More_mistakes_in_crowdfunding_campaigns.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Jessica Karr, Founding General Partner at Coyote Ventures.

Coyote Ventures is a venture capital fund investing in early-stage startups that are innovating in women’s health and wellness, founded by Jessica Karr and Dr. Brittany Barreto, who are scientists turned entrepreneurs turned investors. Women’s health is a $1T+ industry and is an emerging industry due to the historic marginalization of women’s health. Coyote Ventures has completed its first four investments in companies working in sexual wellness, menopause, menstruation, and endometriosis and is actively investing. 

Jessica was a biochemist at Impossible Foods and has direct hands-on experience building and launching novel products. Jessica is passionate about innovation that drives positive change in human health, equality, and our relationship to the earth. She helped build a pilot impact-focused VC fund with a conscious celebrity; she has developed product strategies as a consultant and advisor to startups internationally; she is an angel investor, venture partner at Republic.co, and an active investor in Portfolia’s FemTech fund. She can often be found swimming in the SF Bay and walking her Pom rescue.

Jessica discusses the state of investing in fintech and how she sees the industry evolving. She speaks about her investment thesis and some of the challenges startups and investors face.

You can visit Coyote Ventures at www.coyote.ventures, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/coyoteventures/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/Coyote_Ventures

Jessica can be contacted via email at jessica@coyote.ventures, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jessicarkarr/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/JessicaRKarr

_____________________________________________________________________

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

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

Mistakes in Crowdfunding Campaigns 

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

Fundraising requires preparation and execution. 

Avoid these mistakes in running your crowdfunding campaign:

Not understanding the rules and regulations around crowdfunding, including what you can and cannot do.

Launching without market validation or product validation.  

You must prove to the investor that customers will pay for the product, and it works.

Failing to position your deal for the investor type you are engaging.

Each type of investor looks for different aspects of the deal around traction, product type, monetization model, and expected return.

Running a campaign without quality campaign materials such as digital advertising, landing pages that convert, and a quality pitch deck.

Not setting short and long-term goals for the campaign.

You need to know where you should be in the campaign each week.

Not providing updates about the progress of the company, including sales, team, product, and funds raised.

Not having any funding at the launch of the campaign.

No investor wants to go first. You must have some funding already in place.

Avoid these mistakes in building and running your campaign.


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: Mistakes_in_crowdfunding_campaigns.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Benefits of Crowdfunding

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

Crowdfunding brings many benefits to the startup raising funding.

Here are some key points to note:

It gives the startup a whole new network of potential investors to pursue.

Instead of raising only from accredited investors, crowdfunding raises from everyone.

It gives the startup a way to raise money for reasons beyond the financial return.

Instead of raising funding solely on the potential financial gain, a startup can raise funding on other factors such as the social impact.

It gives the startup more branding and awareness.

By using crowdfunding, a company can generate broader exposure for its brand and products.

This is particularly helpful for consumer product goods startups.

It also gives the startup a greater range of tools for reaching out to investors.

Social media and other means can be used to run a crowdfunding campaign.

There are many benefits to crowdfunding for both the startup and the investor.


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: Benefits_of_crowdfunding.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Edward Ismawan Chamdani, Managing Partner at Ideosource VC, Gayo Capital, and StarCamp.

Ideosource Venture Capital started in 2011 investing in more than 30+ tech startups with a combined valuation of multiples of billions of US dollars in 2021.

Ideosource VC was set up as a two GP partnership with Andi S. Boediman who is now heading the Ideosource Entertainment, and Edward leads the impact and green investment in Gayo Capital, both set up around 2018 until now. A venture builder StarCamp Asia was set up in early 2021 to ride on Web 3.0 potential and initiatives.

Edward serves as a board member of Amvesindo.org (Indonesian Venture Capital and Startup Association), and ALUDI.id (Security Crowdfunding Association). He has a personal purpose to unlock the ultimate potential of Indonesia sustainably from various aspects mainly in leveraging human capital surplus and abundant natural resources via technology disruption and implementation. He contributes to various startup events, fintech/other sectors, and government policy as a contributor, advisor, mentor, and speaker.

Edward discusses his investment thesis, advises investors and startups, and shares what excites him in the industry. 

You can visit Ideosource VC at www.ideosource.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ideosource.com/, and via Twitter at www.mobile.twitter.com/ideosource, Gayo Capital at www.gayo.capital and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/gayo-capital/mycompany/, and StarCamp at www.starcamp.asia.  

Edward can be contacted via email at edward.chamdani@ideosource.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/eichamdani/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/ismawanVC.  

_____________________________________________________

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: Edward_Ismawan_Chamdani_of_Ideosource_VC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Best Practices for Crowdfunding Campaigns

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

In running an equity crowdfunding campaign, include these best practices:

  1. Tell a story -- show how you came up with the idea for the product and how customers and partners validate it.
  2. Prepare your investor network -- build a list of potential investors who you can pursue.
  3. Demonstrate support -- start with your family and friends and use their investment to demonstrate investor support.
  4. Use multiple channels -- use several communication channels such as email, social media, and events to showcase your campaign.
  5. Provide updates -- keep the investors informed about progress with your campaign and company including information on sales, team, product, and fundraise.
  6. Generate press coverage -- find a writer for a publication and work with them to capture your campaign into their bigger story.
  7. Include visuals -- use imagery, including photos and videos. Images convey a great deal more information than words alone.
  8. Understand your investor -- test your campaign with investors you know to gauge what interests them and what they find compelling.
  9. Plan the campaign -- prepare your campaign from start to finish. You may need to add more steps as you go, but start the fundraise with a complete plan.



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: Best_practices_for_crowdfunding_campaigns.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Key Components of a Crowdfunding Campaign

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

There are several key components of a crowdfunding campaign.

Consider how to include these in your fundraise:

Goals -- set goals for the campaign including mailers sent, investors contacted, and funds raised.

Draw from the experience of other crowdfunders to set realistic goals.

Platforms -- research the various platforms and choose the one that best meets your fundraise needs.

There are many platforms and campaign services available.

Networks -- catalog potential investors from your network and then look for additional networks to engage.

There are many investor types, so you’ll need to customize the presentation for each group.

Investor closing -- many investors will express interest, but it takes a dedicated follow-up to close those investors - budget time for investor follow-up.

Campaign -- spend time developing quality campaign materials that exude professionalism and showcase your product in the best light possible.

There are many ways to position a product, so think broadly about how to position the campaign.

Investment offering -- consider well the terms you offer, as investors see many deals and will compare yours to others in the market.

Outreach -- develop a plan on how best to engage your network with your campaign materials.

Spend time on each of these components in building your campaign plan.


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: Key_components_of_a_crowdfunding_campaign.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

This is the Investor Connect Crowdfunding Launch Program. I'm Hall T Martin, the host of the show, in which we take questions from startups and investors on crowdfunding topics.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
________________________________

Thank you for joining us for the Investor Connect Crowdfunding Launch Program where we help startups prepare for a fundraise.

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

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/  
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How to Set Your Crowdfunding Goal

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

In setting your crowdfunding goal, create a list of needs for growing your business.

From this list, create an overall fundraise goal. 

Break the goal into three stages.

Set the first stage relatively low, as the initial funding is the most difficult.

Focus on family and friends to fund this stage.

Set the second stage target to reach your minimum fundraising goal.

This is the amount you need to implement your core growth plan.

Set the third stage target to reach your maximum fundraising goal.

This is the amount you need to fully install everything on your growth plan.

Stick to the fundraise plan and avoid overfunding as it causes dilution.

Keep your list of needs in mind, so you fund the most important elements of your growth plan first. 

Remain flexible in deploying your growth strategy as funding comes in fits and spurts and is rarely a smooth and steady flow. 


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

Key Elements of a Crowdfunding Campaign

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

Successful crowdfunding campaigns share several key elements.

Here are some key points to include in your fundraise campaign:

Clear value proposition -- make clear what your product does and the value it brings.

Story -- tell what problem it solves and the background on how the product came to be.

Key numbers -- use numbers in your story to validate that the product works and customers will pay for it.  Stories tell, numbers sell.

Growth story -- show how sales, team, product, and fundraise are continually making progress.

Cause -- show how your product is part of a greater cause.  

If your product reduces  carbon emissions then use the tagline “help save the planet.”

Social proof -- show customers using the product and include testimonials.

Visuals -- show a picture of the product in the campaign so the investor can see what exactly it is.

You can also use video to show the product in action.

Supporters -- show the supporters you have including customers, partners, suppliers, and others who also believe in the product.

Include these elements in your crowdfunding campaign.


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

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Joe Raczka, Co-founder, COO, and Managing Partner at York IE.

Headquartered in New Hampshire, USA, York IE is a vertically integrated strategic growth and investment firm helping reshape the way companies are built, scaled, and monetized. Through Fuel™, its SaaS platform, hands-on advisory services, and selective early-stage B2B SaaS investments, York IE supports ambitious entrepreneurs, operators, and investors on their quest to scale startups and disrupt markets.

Joe is an avid angel investor and startup advisor focused primarily on the SaaS and IaaS markets, bringing with him a stellar Rolodex across the investment banking, market analyst, venture capital, and private equity landscape. Previously, Joe was the Vice President of Strategic Development at Oracle where he oversaw all of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure’s Market Intelligence, Product Strategy, and M&As, including leading the acquisition of Zenedge, a cloud-based, artificial intelligence-driven cybersecurity business. Joe joined Oracle through the Dyn acquisition. At Dyn, Joe was first Vice President of Finance, Dyn’s first formal finance hire, and then Vice President of Corporate Development where he raised $100 million of growth capital, participated and led diligence in eight acquisitions, and led the strategic process and diligence that resulted in the strategic acquisition by Oracle.

Before joining Dyn, Joe spent the first part of his career in New York City and Boston as a financial analyst at Bloomberg, Pali Capital, and Fidelity, starting out in the family office division. In addition to his work at York IE, Joe is active in the community. He serves on the board of directors for several non-profits including Catholic Charities New Hampshire, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and Bishop Guertin High School. Joe has also become a respected angel investor, mentor, and growth advisor to many innovative startups. Joe has a BS in finance from Providence College.

Joe advises startups and investors, discusses the state of startup investing, and shares his investment thesis and some of the startups which fit that thesis. 

You can visit York IE at https://york.ie/, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/york-ie, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/yorkgrowth.   

Joe can be contacted via email at joe@york.ie, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/joe-raczka/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/JMRaczka

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Direct download: Joe_Raczka_of_York_IE.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

What Is Crowdfunding?

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

Crowdfunding refers to fundraising in which you can raise funding from anyone and not just accredited investors.

Typically, these investors fund early-stage companies in various ways.

Here’s a list of the different types of crowdfunding:

  1. Equity-based crowdfunding -- the investor receives an ownership stake in the company.
  2. Reward-based crowdfunding -- the investor receives a product or a reward in exchange for their funding.
  3. Peer-to-peer lending -- the investor receives a debt stake in a company for their funding.
  4. Inventory funding -- the investor funds the build of a product and places it on consignment with the producer. When sold, the investor receives a portion of the revenue.  

A startup can use crowdfunding to find investors for all of these types of crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding allows startups to raise capital from the broader market and structures the raise so it fits the needs of the company.

It is often called community funding, as the startup reaches out to its own community to find funding.

Investors often invest in smaller amounts.

Given the large number of potential investors in crowdfunding, a startup can raise substantial amounts of funding.

Crowdfunding gives more startups the opportunity to raise funding and more investors the ability to participate.


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: What_is_crowdfunding.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Mistakes to Avoid in Financial Modeling

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

Your financial model can be used not only for fundraising, but also for running your startup.

Avoid these mistakes in setting up your financial model:

Tying your revenue to a factor that doesn’t actually drive revenue.

Figure out what actually drives sales and build your model around that.

Trying to identify exact numbers for factors such as conversion rate.

Instead, use a range of numbers to account for variations.

Skipping the research into companies in your sector.

Instead, spend time looking at similar companies to find out what drives their business.

Trying to include too many drivers in your business model.

Instead, focus on the top drivers that account for the majority of your sales.

Setting up the financial model for generating financial statements only.

Instead, set up the model, so it also calculates key performance indicators.

Design the spreadsheet for running the business in addition to raising 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: Mistakes_to_avoid_in_financial_modeling.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

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

In our final Investor Perspectives episode entitled “Faith-Based Investing in a Post-COVID World”, you’ll hear about changes expected in the coming 12 months and our guests’ final thoughts.

As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new era. The faith-based investing space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a post-COVID world. Faith-based investing takes precedence with many investors in the financial industry. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up.

Our guests are:

Tony Long, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, CLX Ventures LLC [01:12]
David Simms, Managing Partner and Founder, Talanton [03:59]
Andrew Stoner, Chief Investment Officer, Paradiem LLC [06:07]
Wes Lyons, General Partner, Eagle Venture Fund [07:56]
Michael Arrieta, Founder and CEO, Garden City Companies [11:23]
Josh Wilson, Principal Broker and Owner, Kingdom Syndicate [14:04]
Bill Wichterman, Angel Investor [16:29]

We hope you enjoy the show.
_______________________________
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: IP_Faith_Based_-_Show_8.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Back of the Envelope Financial Model

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

In setting up a fundraising plan at a high level, you set a revenue target five years out. 

You then draw a line from today to that five-year mark. 

Your fundraise and hiring plan will come from that.

To calculate this quick and dirty version of the financial model, follow these steps:

  1. Start with current revenue.
  2. Apply your organic growth rate and map out your top-line revenue for five years.
  3. Calculate your revenue per person metric.
  4. Apply your expenses for five years using that revenue per person metric.
  5. Identify the negative profit line. 
  6. Set your fundraise to cover the negative working capital.

If the amount is greater than one million dollars, then break the fundraise into two rounds.

This will give you a rough idea of how much you need to raise and how many people you will need to hire. 


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/ 
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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Glib Buriak, Managing Partner at HIFE VC.

HIFE is a venture arm of the Ukrainian investment company Adamant Capital, with 12 years in the market. HIFE searches for local talents or teams to build or develop businesses in areas of MedTech, FinTech, AgroTech, EdTech, and digital transformation. The focus of the investment is guided by the expertise of investors who can facilitate or boost a business through their existing enterprises or business liaison. HIFE’s existing pipeline has over 7 projects assembled over 6 months from the launch and is looking for tickets between $200-500K.

Glib is a university professor, counselor to the Committee of Economic Development, contributor to Forbes Ukraine, business consultant, and former and future startupper. Glib was born into a family of university professors in Kyiv and lived in that city his whole life. He graduated from Kyiv National University where he majored in International Economic Relations. After graduation in 2005, Glib spent a month full of happiness as an intern in Irvine, California. However, choosing between IB in California and returning to Ukraine, he chose the latter.

Glib pursued a career in public office, became a counselor to the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine at the age of 25, but gave up the work and dived into academic work and wrote his Ph.D. thesis on "International Corruption".

Since the age of 28, he has combined academic work, business and PR consulting, started a couple of businesses in the areas of data analytics and social research, taught over 2,000 students from around the globe while teaching in 3 different universities, and published 3 diverse books — an academic monograph, a book for children, and a history of Ukrainian IT.

Glib advises startups and investors, shares what he thinks will be the biggest change we will see in the world of startup investing in Ukraine, and discusses his investment thesis. 

You can visit HIFE VC at www.hife.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/hifevc.

Glib can be contacted via email at glib@hife.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/glib-buriak

______________________________________________________________________

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: Glib_Buriak_of_HIFE_VC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

How to Show Financials in a Pitch Deck

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

The financial projection is a key element in the presentation to investors.

Many founders cut and paste cells from the financial model spreadsheet into a slide.

This renders the information unreadable as the spreadsheet doesn’t fit with the presentation format.

To show your financial projections, consider the following:

Don’t cut and paste from the spreadsheet.

Investors cannot take in a detailed spreadsheet on a slide in such a small font.  

They can only take in the high-level information.

Choose specific numbers from your financial model and place them into the slide using the same font and format as the rest of the deck.

Choose three sets of numbers: revenue, costs, and profits.

Show last year, this year, and the next three years in your presentation.

This yields a five-year window into the company.

Create a line graph showing each one.

The revenue shows what growth rate you are projecting. 

Avoid hockey sticks as investors will discount those numbers as unrealistic.

Show the costs and then the profit line.

Include 1-3 key metrics as well. 

Also include additional fundraises proposed in the model.

Investors will look for the growth rate you are projecting.  

They will look to see when you go cash flow positive.

Investors will look at the burn rate on the profit line and then check the fundraise to see how much cash runway you are proposing.

The key to presenting the financial projections is to call out three key numbers such as the growth rate, months to cash flow positive, and the number of months of cash runway.


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: How_to_show_financials_in_a_pitchdeck.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Assumptions and Drivers in the Financial Model

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

In building out your financial model, make explicit the assumptions you are using and identify the drivers in your business.

Create a tab on the spreadsheet for assumptions and drivers for the investor to review.

As you build out the revenue forecast, capture the assumptions behind the growth rate.

For the costs, make clear which are fixed and which are variable costs. 

Identify the drivers within the business.

Typically this is the number of products sold or the number of customers signed up.

This drives the revenue line as well as the variable costs.

For example, the more customers targeted for revenue, the higher the cost of sales and sales commission.

Investors look to see if the costs align with the revenue forecast.

Understanding what drives your revenue and costs will help you build out your financial model and create more accurate projections.


T
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/ 
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Direct download: Assumptions_and_Drivers_in_the_financial_model.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Thank you for joining us today for our TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program.

In this program, we help startups prepare for a fundraise. 

We provide templates, tools, eGuides, and advice to founders who are working towards raising funding.

We’ll kick off the session with a short overview on a fundraising topic, then we’ll answer questions from the founders.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
________________________________

Thank you for joining us for the TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program where we help startups prepare for a fundraise. 

For more episodes, 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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Direct download: 2022_02_08_TENFL_Your_Timeline_for_Raising_Funding__QA.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

How Investors Use the Financial Model

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

Investors use the financial model to understand not only the business but also to learn about the founder and their skills. 

Here are some key points investors look for:

  1. Salaries -- investors look to see how well the team is compensated and if it fits the stage of the business.
  2. Customer acquisition and retention -- investors look to see you have built a system for acquiring customers and retaining them.  
  3. Traction -- investors look to see what traction you have going so far.
  4. Knowledge of the business -- investors look at the numbers to see how well you know the costs of running the business and what factors drive revenue.
  5. Scale factors -- investors look at the costs and customer acquisition model to see how well the business can scale.
  6. Use of funds -- investors look to see how you are going to spend the funds raised and if it makes sense for the stage of the business.
  7. Potential outcome -- investors look to see if this is a venture business or a lifestyle business.

Consider how the investor will view your deal in building out your financial projections.


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/ 

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

Characteristics of a Good Financial Model

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

The purpose of the financial model is not to predict the future with great accuracy but rather to understand the business and how it works.

Here are some characteristics of a good financial model:

The model shows what drives the business, such as leads generated, products launched, or sales reps on the team.

The customer acquisition and retention model is defined so it’s clear what must be done to reach a sales target or performance metric.

The financial model shows what actions must be taken by the team such as website traffic and conversion rates, sales closure rates, and more.  

The model has clear logic to it so investors can follow it easily.

It should be flexible and allow for changes in assumptions.

It should be accurate, which means you applied a bottoms-up approach and not a top-down.

It contains instructions on how to read it if it’s not readily apparent.

It should be visually appealing with a clean design that exudes professionalism.

Finally, it should be printable so that it comes out neatly on a page.


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