In this episode of Venture Declassified, hosts Mike Kelly and Ben Pidgeon explore the complexities of managing angel syndicate groups and the art of curating investment opportunities.

Both Mike and Ben run angel syndicates, creating SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles) for investments, and they highlight the challenge of recommending numerous deals each year without overwhelming their investors.

Ben elaborates on his group's approach of working on multiple deals simultaneously, often over a two to three-month window. He stresses the importance of maintaining investor interest through a strategic marketing campaign—using compelling headlines and consistent updates. Mike, on the other hand, details his group's shorter, two-week window for deals and contemplates adopting more aggressive marketing tactics.

The hosts emphasize the significance of transparency and thorough due diligence in maintaining investor trust. They also discuss the benefits for individual investors of joining an angel group, which helps filter out less favorable opportunities and ensures more efficient use of their time.

Towards the end, Mike and Ben talk about the delicate balancing act in angel investing, such as assessing the idea's potential, valuation, and the founder's quality. They agree that perfection across all dimensions is rare, making trade-offs inevitable.

Listeners gain valuable insights into the behind-the-scenes efforts of managing angel syndicates and the strategies involved in balancing deal flow with investor engagement.

Key Topics

• Challenges in Angel Groups
• Balancing Attracting Attention and Managing Multiple Deals
• The Role of Marketing in Angel Investment
• Building Trust and Conviction in Deals
• The Competitive Nature of Deal Filtering
• Benefits of Joining Angel Groups
• Evaluating ‘Best Opportunities’
• Handling Interest Levels and Commitments

Connect

Mike Kelly
LinkedIn - Website - Developer Town

Ben Pidgeon
LinkedIn - VisionTech

Jacob Schpok
LinkedIn - Elevate Ventures

Hear more interviews and stories like this one at www.VentureDeclassified.com

The information provided on the show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the businesses or topics presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. If they start up pitched as a part of this episode, it is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell, subscribe for or buy any securities.

Episode Summary

Welcome back to Venture Declassified. In this episode, we continue our conversation into the nuances of creating an influential pitch. Jacob and Ben share their insights on the significance of active listening to evaluate a team effectively. We then pivot to tackle the challenging topic of setting valuations and discuss vital metrics including revenue, customer acquisition costs, and churn rates.

Expect to hear candid conversations about founders' narratives, why presentation skills can trump slide content, and our biggest pet peeves in investment pitches. Plus, we suggest how founders enhance their narrative, run experiments, and adapt based on market feedback – all crucial for capturing investor interest.

Later, we unpack the art of negotiating investment terms and the nuances of valuations, term sheets, and understanding current market conditions. But it's not all terms and numbers; we also explore traction indicators before revenue, stressing the importance of a committed founding team and setting realistic milestones.

Stay with us as we declassify the fine print of startup investment, question conventional wisdom, and strive to empower founders and investors alike with actionable insights. Let's get started.

Key Topics

• Techniques for quickly evaluating teams
• Importance of Team Dynamics
• Avoiding unrelated metrics
• Mike's Experience Raising Funds
• Runway evaluation and financial management
• Investor Intuition vs. Presented Information
• Viability of ambitious plans with limited resources
• Key figures in generating investor confidence

Connect

Mike Kelly
LinkedIn - Website - Developer Town

Ben Pidgeon
LinkedIn - VisionTech

Jacob Schpok
LinkedIn - Elevate Ventures

Hear more interviews and stories like this one at www.VentureDeclassified.com

The information provided on the show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the businesses or topics presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. If they start up pitched as a part of this episode, it is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell, subscribe for or buy any securities.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Venture Declassified, hosts Mike Kelly, Jacob Schpok, and Ben Pidgeon come together to talk about the fundamentals of an influential pitch. This episode promises to strip away the misconceptions and focus on what truly matters during investor presentations.

As the hosts delve into the narrative aspect of pitch decks, they emphasize clarity and accuracy in communicating the startup's vision and potential. The episode also explores the strategic presentation of competition, underscoring that a well-researched landscape can significantly bolster a pitch.

Venture Declassified's episode is not just about the content—it's a masterclass in fine-tuning the pitch to align with the investor mindset. Listeners can expect to gain valuable insights on constructing a pitch that not only resonates with investors but also positions their startup as a beacon of focus and potential.

Key Topics

• The Art of Crafting the Perfect Pitch Deck
• Understanding the Pitch Process
• Prioritizing technical aspects and demos for due diligence
• Highlighting the need to present benefits over features
• How UX reflects the company's professionalism and competency
• Expectations from companies concerning utilization of funds and delivering results
• Leveraging Competitive Advantages

Connect

Mike Kelly
LinkedIn - Website - Developer Town

Ben Pidgeon
LinkedIn - VisionTech

Jacob Schpok
LinkedIn - Elevate Ventures

Hear more interviews and stories like this one at www.VentureDeclassified.com

The information provided on the show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the businesses or topics presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. If they start up pitched as a part of this episode, it is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell, subscribe for or buy any securities.