4 ms·

How I (try to) add value as an investor

53 points by phsr 16y ago

andreshb 16y ago
This is great. Very honest and straightforward. The points were he can add a lot of value, are very strong, and the points where he can't, are ok, because the ability to help you close a seed round: "made sure it all closed quickly, fairly and without incident" Once you can get someone to literally be a leader on the round (there's plenty of me-too investors, that rarely take the plunge first) everything should pretty much fall into place. The techcrunch nut is not too hard to crack and it's not a dealbreaker. I wish all investors had a list like this posted somewhere in their linkedin/blog.
- gatsby 16y ago
  "I wish all investors had a list like this posted somewhere in their linkedin/blog." Agreed. I think it could also be interesting to have a platform where the founders rate each angel/VC on a 1-5 scale on 20 or so categories: technical knowledge, introductions to additional funding sources, access to lawyers, PR experience, management expertise, etc. This type of feedback happens to some extent on sites like The Funded, but it's not broken down as accurately as it should be.
  - epi0Bauqu 16y ago
    Like http://www.honestly.com/profile?id=466217 http://www.honestly.com/profile?id=466217 ?
jonathanjaeger 16y ago
I think what he put in the "what I can do" category is exactly what a startup should be looking for to fill in the gaps. What he can't do doesn't seem to be the key roles of an investor (like getting your startup PR or managing the people in your company). Here's an interview with him on This Week in Startups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWJAkjF9qnY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWJAkjF9qnY
sahillavingia 16y ago
I'm one of those "me too" investors andreshb mentions in another comment, at least until I'm in the game long enough to have the confidence to lead. Can you contact me? I'd love to get involved in the game.
- epi0Bauqu 16y ago
  Not sure who you want to contact you, but if it is me, my email is yegg@alum.mit.edu

53 points by phsr 16y ago

This is great. Very honest and straightforward. The points were he can add a lot of value, are very strong, and the points where he can't, are ok, because the ability to help you close a seed round: "made sure it all closed quickly, fairly and without incident" Once you can get someone to literally be a leader on the round (there's plenty of me-too investors, that rarely take the plunge first) everything should pretty much fall into place. The techcrunch nut is not too hard to crack and it's not a dealbreaker. I wish all investors had a list like this posted somewhere in their linkedin/blog.

gatsby 16y ago
"I wish all investors had a list like this posted somewhere in their linkedin/blog." Agreed. I think it could also be interesting to have a platform where the founders rate each angel/VC on a 1-5 scale on 20 or so categories: technical knowledge, introductions to additional funding sources, access to lawyers, PR experience, management expertise, etc. This type of feedback happens to some extent on sites like The Funded, but it's not broken down as accurately as it should be.
- epi0Bauqu 16y ago
  Like http://www.honestly.com/profile?id=466217 http://www.honestly.com/profile?id=466217 ?

jonathanjaeger 16y ago

I think what he put in the "what I can do" category is exactly what a startup should be looking for to fill in the gaps. What he can't do doesn't seem to be the key roles of an investor (like getting your startup PR or managing the people in your company). Here's an interview with him on This Week in Startups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWJAkjF9qnY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWJAkjF9qnY

sahillavingia 16y ago

I'm one of those "me too" investors andreshb mentions in another comment, at least until I'm in the game long enough to have the confidence to lead. Can you contact me? I'd love to get involved in the game.

epi0Bauqu 16y ago
Not sure who you want to contact you, but if it is me, my email is yegg@alum.mit.edu