Three things investors should never do during a founder meeting…

1. Don’t be late. Seems obvious, right? But you wouldn’t believe how many people get this wrong.
   
   Founder time is the scarcest resource in the world. Do not waste it.
   
   I like to show up a little early. Then, I know I won’t keep anyone waiting.
   
2. Don’t use your phone. Either give this founder your full attention or don’t meet with them at all.
   
   That means putting your phone down.
   
   I also don’t want to see you on e-mail, X, or anything else. Give the entrepreneur the respect he deserves.
   
3. Don’t have side conversations. I saw a particularly bad example of this at a pitch event this week.
   
   As the founder presented, the investors couldn’t stop talking among themselves. It got so bad that I could barely even hear the founder anymore.
   
   This is very rude behavior. When the founder is talking, be silent.
   
   When it’s time for questions, by all means ask some! But don’t chat with the person next to you while the entrepreneur is speaking.

Wrap-Up

These 3 don’ts come down to one easy rule: give the entrepreneur your attention and respect.

This pitch could be the most important moment of their professional life.

You don’t have to invest in their company. But you do need to take this meeting seriously and treat them right.

If you treat founders with respect, you can go to bed at night knowing you did the right thing. And as your reputation spreads, you might be surprised at the awesome deals that start coming to you. 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

More on tech: 

How to Get Into Hot Startups

3 Ridiculously Easy Things Every Investor Should Be Doing

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