Category: Business
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Here are 3 mistakes I hate seeing in founder meetings… 1. Don’t Be Late. Whenever somebody is late to a meeting they asked for, I shake my head. It really detracts from your message. Instead of paying attention to your pitch, the investor is thinking about the fact that you…
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I’ve done over 1000 founder meetings. I use 4 techniques in every call. Try them in your own meetings, and watch your results improve… 1. Be well prepared. “So, remind me how we got connected?” Whenever someone starts a meeting this way, all the energy goes out of the conversation.…
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When is it okay for an investor to add zero value? When the expectations are clear upfront. Setting Expectations At the First Meeting We investors love to crow about our value add. But not every investor needs to help startups. Just be clear from the first meeting what kind of…
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Ridiculous growth. 3x ARR. I keep seeing this combo in today’s market. Here’s why… Why High Growth Companies Can Be Dirt Cheap It comes down to AI driving incredible growth. A hot startup goes out to raise. They sign a term sheet at 10-20x ARR. But funding rounds take months…
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Here are 3 things I hate seeing in startup pitches… Letters of Intent Also known as Letters of Nothing! Whenever I hear a founder talking about letters of intent, it’s hard not to roll my eyes. These letters are not enforceable. Odds are you’ll never see the millions they promise.…
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Here are 3 startup ideas that need to die… 1. An app to find your friends and hang out. This is everyone’s first startup idea. It’s been tried a million times. Nobody wants it. When I want to see my friends, I just send them a text. That’s what most…
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“Our team of 12 just reached $10K ARR.” This is a huge red flag. Here’s why… Before you hit product-market fit, your company should be just the founders. That’s typically 2 to 4 people, all of whom own at least 10% of the company. You want this team to be…
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I looked at 21 deals this week. Just one got a check. Here’s a look inside my dealflow… Competition for Funding Is Fierce In the last week, I’ve looked at 21 companies. I made one new investment, a follow-on into one of my most successful startups. Normally, it takes me…
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Ken Griffin says we’re “almost certainly” in an AI bubble. Meanwhile, Micron is trading at 12 times earnings. Google is at 16. Is Big Tech dirt cheap? Of the 50 largest tech companies in the world by market cap, 15 are trading at a PE ratio of 25 or less.…
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A jet interceptor knocks a drone out of the sky. A robot mechanic fixes your car in minutes. These are just a few of the amazing startups in YC F26. Last month, I covered 3 awesome companies that were among the first F26 startups to launch. Since then, 89 more…
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