The Nuances of Pitching

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

In pitching investors, there are key nuances that can make or break the pitch.

Here is a list of nuances to consider when pitching:

Use the pitch to build a collaboration.

Funding is a part of it, but not the only thing.

Start your pitch with your core value proposition.

State in plain language what your company does.

If you have revenue numbers, build the pitch around them.

Showcase the growth story with a graph showing a curve going up and to the right at 45 degrees.

If you don't have revenue, then build the pitch around the key insight you have into solving the problem.

Don't avoid the risk factors.

Instead, focus on how you are mitigating those factors.

Don't avoid the competition.

Instead, show how the competition validates the market.

Show how this raise will set up the business for the next round and is a part of an overall strategy.

Consider these nuances in building your pitch.

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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Key Skills for a Startup Founder To Have

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

Successful startup founders share several key skills.

Here are the key skills for a startup founder to have:

They have access to the networks that are vital to their startup success.

This includes investor networks for funding and customer networks for buying the product.

They are flexible.

They can pivot the business when the market changes or they discover a better one.

They are persistent.

They stick with it during the down times as well as the up times.

They take calculated risks.

They understand the downside cost as well as the potential upside reward.

They know their numbers.

They know their key numbers that are critical, such as cash runway.

They have focus.

They know what the must-dos are and focus on them.

They constantly learn.

They are always learning new things and find it a part of the startup life.

Consider these skills in a startup founder before investing.

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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Launching a Startup in a New Domain

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

Markets shift and change, creating new startup opportunities.

Founders seek new markets in which to launch a startup.

For those launching a startup in a new domain, here are some key steps:

Read several books describing the domain and how it works.

Talk to domain experts in the space to learn the details of the market.

Look for unmet needs that must be addressed.

Identify experts in the domain who can advise you.

Ask one or two to be a mentor.

Create several ideas for a business and test them out.

Try dressing up the solution as a ready-to-buy product and see what reaction you get.

When you find several people ready to pay for your solution, sign up three of them as anchor customers.

Use the revenue from these customers to fund the initial product.

Experiment with entering the market at different places in the value chain.

Look for the position that provides the most revenue and costs the least for the value offered.

New markets provide new opportunities to launch a business.

Consider these steps for launching a startup in a new domain.

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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Revenue Solves All Problems

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

In a startup, revenue solves all problems.

Funding can help, but only for so long.

As long as you have cash, you can run the startup.

When you run out of money, then it's over.

Revenue can fix any problem.

If you need more sales support, you can hire them.

If you need to fix a product, you can bring in a developer to do the job.

If you need more leads, you can hire a marketer.

Funding can solve many problems, but it's limited.

There's only so much funding a founder can raise.

Funding only goes so far before it runs out.

Funding jump-starts the business, but revenue carries it the distance.

Develop your long-term plans around revenue generation.

Use funding to fill the gaps.

Whatever you do, make sure you don't run out of cash.

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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Signs of a Good Founder

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

Anyone can be a founder of a startup.

Here are signs of a good one:

They have an innovative mindset.

They look for how to innovate on the product, the business model, and more.

They are self-aware.

They know their strengths and weaknesses.

They have a vision for their business.

They know where they want to go with it.

They have passion.

They exhibit this in their work, communication, and time spent.

They are resilient.

They can endure setbacks and carry on.

They can plan and forecast.

They know how to set plans for the company and forecast the numbers.

They have good communication skills.

They can communicate well both verbally and in writing.

They can make decisions.

They know how to decide and carry through.

Look for these attributes in a founder.

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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How To Find a Cofounder

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

A founding team includes someone who is building it and someone who is selling it.

It's important that the startup has two founders.

Here are some steps to find a cofounder for your startup.

Figure out which role the founder is taking and look for a cofounder to fill the other.

The key to finding and recruiting the co-founder is to show how the business will be successful.

This typically starts with a customer or market ready to pay for the product to be produced.

Show the key insight you have into the market and how you can use it to create a successful business.

Validate with customers who are ready to buy the product and place them on a waitlist.

Sign up customers who are ready to pay and provide the service manually till you have an automated solution.

Gain agreement on the goals of the company for the coming three years.

Negotiate compensation based on what each founder is bringing to the table.

Use the negotiation process to test out the other's skills.

Go on joint sales calls to see how each performs.

Work on the product development to see what progress can be made.

Consider these steps in finding a cofounder.

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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Key Attributes of a Good Angel Investor

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

Anyone with an accredited investor status can become an angel investor.

Here's a list of key attributes of a good one:

They know their industry well and how to invest in it.

They know people and can size up a founder to determine if they are a fit for a successful startup.

They have actually run a startup before and know what it takes to launch and build a successful one.

They take an active role in the startup and help the founders along the way.

They add value to the startup.

They also add value to other angel investors through coaching and mentoring.

They look for startups to fund and not to provide consulting.

They know how to screen through a volume of deals to find the viable ones quickly.

They provide quality feedback to the founder, raising funding.

They know how to perform diligence and where to focus the time spent on it.

They reserve funds for a follow-on round.

Look for these qualities in an angel 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/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
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How To Calculate Warrant Coverage

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

A warrant is the right to buy a company's stock at a specific price or range over a certain time period.

The warrant acts like an option, but it issues stock, which dilutes the cap table.

Founders raising funding offer warrants to incentivize investors to fund the company.

Warrant coverage is the number of warrants an investor receives based on the size of their investment.

It's typically stated as a percentage such as 5% or 10%.

Here's how to calculate warrant coverage:

Take the number of shares at a specific price per share as the initial investment.

Take the number of shares to be provided as warrants.

Divide the number of warrants by the number of shares of the initial investment to reach a warrant coverage amount.

Here's an example.

The founder offers 50,000 additional shares to those who invest in 500,000 shares at $3 per share.

The warrant coverage is 50,000 divided by 500,000 at $3 per share, generating a 10% warrant coverage.

Consider these calculations in offering warrants in your fundraiser.

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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