If you send me your company, what should you expect from me? Here’s how my investment process works…

Qualification

I focus on meeting companies with these characteristics:

• Software business
• Couple of paying customers
• Team of multiple builder founders
• Proper incorporation. (A Delaware C Corp is the right move — more on why here.)

I qualify startups like this because I don’t want to waste anyone’s time. If the business is something I know nothing about (biotech, for example) or is incorporated in a way that is a dealbreaker for me, it doesn’t make sense to meet.

When I see something interesting that meets those qualifications, I schedule a meeting, usually within a few days.

Meeting

When I meet with a founder, I like to do a Q&A. I’ve already reviewed the deck and any other materials before the meeting.

My meetings are typically around 20 minutes, although we can go longer if need be. I want to get a basic idea of the vision for the company, the team, and the product.

I never ask founders to meet multiple times. I’m a small check, and I don’t want to take up too much of their time.

However, some founders ask me to meet with them more than once. They want to go over product updates, etc. I’ll often take that meeting.

Decision Time

My sweet spot is usually around $200-500k ARR, growing fast. I also like to see you closing enough funding to give you a minimum of 12 months runway.

If you’re in that sweet spot, I can usually get you a decision within 24 hours after the meeting.

If you’re not in that sweet spot yet, I will probably give you a “not yet.” It’s crucial to note that this is NOT a no.

I met a great founder in mid-2023 whose company was just getting started. He really impressed me, but the startup was just too early stage for me.

I kept in touch and at the end of 2024, I invested. He had grown the company a great deal, and it was time to place a bet.

Check Size

My first check is $5,000. I reserve $25,000 plus to go into the best companies, typically at Series A.

That’s not a lot of money. But I am committed to giving you value beyond the cash.

A while back, I met with a great SaaS founder. I introduced him to a VC firm that gave him an $800,000 term sheet.

I’m not even an investor in that startup. I go even further for companies I have actually placed a bet on.

Wrap-Up

I want my process to be clear and transparent to every founder. Founders’ time is an incredibly scarce resource.

If we’re a match, awesome! If not, we can keep in touch and we might be a great match later.

Either way, you’ll know where you stand.

More on tech:

What To Do When a Company Fails

Why It’s Easier to Raise $3 Million Than $300,000

What Investors Ask Founders

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