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Entrepreneurs can get better at story-telling. But frankly, fundraising is so formal that it makes it really hard to try. You get a 30m (maybe 60 if you're luc

Entrepreneurs can get better at story-telling. But frankly, fundraising is so formal that it makes it really hard to try. You get a 30m (maybe 60 if you're lucky) slot with an investor and a pitch deck. The investor may decide to lead the meeting themselves and just ask any question that comes to mind (most questions are objections disguised as questions... Sometimes not really disguised at all) or they may just stay quiet and let you do the old pitch monolog. In any case, it's really stressful especially for first time entrepreneurs and especially if you're introverted and not the witty think-on-your-feet type. The good news is with time and practice you can get better at it. But generally it is soul-crushing work, at least until you find one investor who "gets" it.. And usually you only need one!

vlovich123 5y ago
As an entrepreneur, what would you like from your investor in that initial pitch meeting?
- solumos 5y ago
  A check
- jacobr1 5y ago
  Ideally you want to know what boxes you need to tick to get the check. Do they already like the product, and just want to vet the founders. Do they not understand the problem? Do they get the product, but question its ability to scale? Basically what is the current set of things they require more depth of understanding in order to make their investment decision.
jimbokun 5y ago
> In any case, it's really stressful especially for first time entrepreneurs and especially if you're introverted and not the witty think-on-your-feet type. Yes, but maybe it's still a good predictor of which founders will succeed and which won't? If you can't spontaneously answer probing, challenging questions from customers, employees, vendors, and yes investors, will you do a good job running and growing a successful company?
- lazide 5y ago
  Many do, by eventually finding and hiring the right person. There are a lot of confounding variables and luck involved. I’ve met some frankly terribly antisocial founders that happened to get the perfect niche, I’ve met some that worked their asses off and were doing everything right but still failed due to terrible timing and a market crash, and everything in between.

vlovich123 5y ago

As an entrepreneur, what would you like from your investor in that initial pitch meeting?

solumos 5y ago
A check
jacobr1 5y ago
Ideally you want to know what boxes you need to tick to get the check. Do they already like the product, and just want to vet the founders. Do they not understand the problem? Do they get the product, but question its ability to scale? Basically what is the current set of things they require more depth of understanding in order to make their investment decision.

jimbokun 5y ago

> In any case, it's really stressful especially for first time entrepreneurs and especially if you're introverted and not the witty think-on-your-feet type. Yes, but maybe it's still a good predictor of which founders will succeed and which won't? If you can't spontaneously answer probing, challenging questions from customers, employees, vendors, and yes investors, will you do a good job running and growing a successful company?

lazide 5y ago
Many do, by eventually finding and hiring the right person. There are a lot of confounding variables and luck involved. I’ve met some frankly terribly antisocial founders that happened to get the perfect niche, I’ve met some that worked their asses off and were doing everything right but still failed due to terrible timing and a market crash, and everything in between.