The initial section covers what to do before you approach a
VC (or if you should even raise VC at all), the middle section is what the
presentation you send should look like and the final session covers what to do
after the meeting. If there a post
description but no link it means I have not written the post yet. If you need that covered urgently please
write a comment and I’ll prioritize it.
If you take the time to click on the the links and read
these, though, there is a lot of practical information on the fundraising
process.
Thank you!
Before a VC Meeting
·
Do you really even need VC? Most start-ups do
not. And most aren’t ready for the
rocket fuel. Video version here:
·
Angel Funding Advice – really long post but full
advice for anyone considering raising angel money
·
Angel Money Pricing – should you price the round
or raise convertible debt?
·
Should you raise seed money from a large VC?
·
Should you take money from a “strategic
investor” (e.g. a corporation that can help you vs. a VC)?
·
What are the best ways to get access to a VC?
·
The Cocktail Party Pitch – Text Version and the
Video Version from my Interview on Fox Business News
·
I sent an email to a VC and didn’t hear back –
What can I do about it? Should I move
on? (or if you want to watch a video covering the topic it’s here (scroll down
to video 4, start at 6:40))
·
What should you send a VC before your meeting?
·
NDAs (non disclosure agreements) and will a VC
steal my ideas for competitive reasons?
·
Who should attend your first VC meeting?
·
Whom should I talk with at the VC? – my guide to
“NINAs” and “Egg Breakers” – Also here is a link to my friend Peter Lee’s views
on dealing with associates vs. partners
·
How many VC’s should I contact?
·
A 6-step guide to building relationships with
VC’s
·
The best advice I stole from someone else for
your VC meetings – Ask for referrals
·
The best VC meetings are debates and not sales
meetings – 7 tips for making your meeting a debate. A tale of two pitches gives 2 real-world
meetings as a demonstration of this concept.
Things to do During
the Meeting
·
How do you deal with the “Elephant in the Room”
(those things which the VC will already know feel strange but may not mention
it)
·
How do you deal with your “Skeletons in the
Closet” (those things that wouldn’t sound good but which the VC could never
know up front unless you told him/her.)
·
How to present at big meetings without going
down a rat hole. Big meetings are hard
to manage. Unless you have a sponsor to
help you manage the process and know how to deal with detail merchants,
naysayers and silent partners you’ll find yourself in big trouble.
VC Meeting Slides
Do you really even need a PowerPoint deck? The short answer – “yes.” The Triple Play of Presenting.
·
Slide 1 – Team Bio
·
Slide 2 – 50k foot view of your company
·
Slide 3 – Problem Definition
·
Slide 4 – How do you solve the problem?
·
Demo Web Version and a Demo Video Example
·
Slide 5 – Market Sizing
·
Slide 5 warning: (Market Sizing Pitfalls)
·
Slide 6 – Competition
·
Slide 7 – Customer Adoption / Traction
·
Slide 8 – Team
·
Slide 9 – Financial projections
·
Slide 10 – Use of Proceeds
·
Slide 11 – Fund raising process / Next steps
·
Appendix – Back-up slides
·
How to deal with the dreaded question of
valuation?
What happens next?
·
I met a VC but haven’t heard back, what happens
next?
·
What if I write an email and don’t hear back?
·
Traction?
WTF is traction?
·
Creating momentum – The Jason Nazar effect
·
The “soft no” – how to flush out a VC and gauge
their real interest level
·
The “real no” and why I like to give it
·
The “yes” … getting invited to the partners’
meeting
·
But when do I actually get a term sheet?
·
The VC who put in the term sheet is pressuring
me to sign. Beware of Gym Salesman VC
·
How do you reference check a VC once you have a
term sheet?
·
First round terms & Founder Vesting – what
is “best practice” in the industry?
·
I have one term sheet and I’m waiting on others.
·
From term sheet to cash in bank
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