Category My Work
My SF learning: Your Seed fund will (probably) miss the next breakout startup. Deep convos on the ground with founders and VCs in San Francisco, and the signal is crystal clear: If your fund doesn’t have a dedicated pre-seed strategy,… Continue Reading →
Of all the things I thought I’d do in San Francisco, I never thought I’d become an intern. And yet, here we are! You know I’m not new to the startup hustle; with my three startups (with two exits) and… Continue Reading →
How entrepreneurs think of B2B marketplaces has come a long way since when I last ran Buildkar. Here are two optimisations: – Demonstrate direct OEM/brand relationships to ensure higher margins and consistency in inventory availability Aside: Even brands/OEMs want to… Continue Reading →
Does the idea of managing fundraising conversations feel like juggling? I used to dread keeping track of investor interactions and always thought a CRM (tried multiple) was needed. But a simple Excel tracker soon became my secret weapon. If you… Continue Reading →
Today, I would like to elaborate on the farce of Vanity Metrics. These are shiny, seductive numbers that look great on paper but mean absolutely nothing when it comes to real progress or value for your startup. They might make… Continue Reading →
As a founder, would you ever send a deck with the first slide “I want to raise ?____ funding”? I mean, we know the desired outcome is fundraising, but that’s not how you’d start. So why would your Linkedin connect… Continue Reading →
During fundraising, often the first thing a potential investor sees is your Linkedin profile. Usually even before they open your pitch deck. So, this needs to make a strong impression. Investors are often inundated with inbound messages, so make it… Continue Reading →
Early stage VC funds prefer generalists.You need to quickly upskill across sectors thesis, SHA negotiations, MIS analysis, networking for deal flow, and more. Late stage VC/PE funds prefer specialists.There are more dedicated resources for each function, so you don’t need… Continue Reading →
During fundraising, how can we as founders come across as insightful, vs trying to justify your existence (sounding defensive)? One way is to focus on articulating a clear value prop of “why you will grow”, independent of others existing or… Continue Reading →
Do you treat fundraising as a one-off? Then you probably get disheartened by every rejection email from an investor. Today, I want to help you shift your perspective and embrace fundraising as a process, instead of a one-off. Today, I… Continue Reading →