[Fundraising for Startups] Lesson 15: How do you find investors for your company?

Most of you are starting from a blank slate.

You don't hang around investors. You don't know investors. You don't know how to find investors.

I get it. I was there once too. And so was almost everyone else I know.

The good news is that it's easier than ever to find them. But first, let me say something awkward: skip the local investors first.

It's not because your town sucks or that your local investors are bad. It's simply because no one's a big deal in their hometown. And, perhaps more importantly, you need to be crafting your pitch at the national level -- not the local level.

To say it another way: I want you to focus on creating something that attracts the attention of investors 500 miles away. If you can do that, you'll automatically get the attention of your local investors. (The doing this in the opposite order rarely works well.)

The best way to find investors is to make friends with funded entrepreneurs. And then asking them for an intro to their investors. Warm introductions are always the best way to start a conversation.

If you're like most people, you don't know funded entrepreneurs. That's where you're going to start using AngelList, Facebook and LinkedIn.

You're already on AngelList and tracking your markets (since we talked about that in a lesson a week ago). If you've been reading the AngelList summary emails, I bet you're already starting to see companies getting funded and recognizing some of the investors -- both angels and VCs -- backing them. It's time to start finding those people on Facebook and LinkedIn to see if you have any 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree connections to them.

I know. You thought this would be easier. You thought I'd make that intro for you. You thought investors would come running after you.

Welcome to the real world. The struggle for interestingness is real. But access to investors is easier than ever. If you're willing to put in the work.

-P



Unsubscribe | Update your profile | 113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205

Older messages

[Fundraising for Startups] Lesson 14: Shark Tank is not real life.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Say it with me y'all... 👏🏼SHARK.👏🏼TANK.👏🏼IS.👏🏼NOT.👏🏼REAL.👏🏼LIFE. It kills me when the conversation is going so well... and then the entrepreneur drops this little gem into the mix. "Yeah, so

The difference between angels and VCs.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Whoa. A shit-ton (that's a real number) of you replied to that last email and called me out for not explaining myself better. Sorry. POP QUIZ: what's the difference between an angel and a VC? .

[Fundraising for Startups] Lesson 13: If you make it, they will do absolutely nothing.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

This applies to products. This applies to pitch decks. This applies to everything you do in your personal and professional life. You have to actively pursue your first customers, investors and

It’s not about influencers or lucky breaks, it’s about the process

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Fun fact: I *hate* Shark Tank. HATE IT. And for primarily one reason: Shark Tank perpetuates this myth that investors are somehow the gatekeepers and, worse, that what investors think actually matters.

[Fundraising for Startups] What do you think so far?

Monday, March 28, 2022

I've been hitting you up with fundraising tips for almost two weeks now... sorry, not sorry. If you're in the fundraising process right now, what else are you struggling with? If you're

You Might Also Like

⏰ Final day to join MicroConf Connect (Applications close at midnight)

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

MicroConf Hey Rob! Don't let another year go by figuring things out alone. Today is your final chance to join hundreds of SaaS founders who are already working together to make 2025 their

How I give high-quality feedback quickly

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

If you're not regularly giving feedback, you're missing a chance to scale your judgment. Here's how to give high-quality feedback in as little as 1-2 hours per week. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

💥 Being Vague is Costing You Money - CreatorBoom

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

The Best ChatGPT Prompt I've Ever Created, Get More People to Buy Your Course, Using AI Generated Videos on Social Media, Make Super Realistic AI Images of Yourself, Build an in-email streak

Enter: A new unicorn

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

+ French AI startup investment doubles; Klarna partners with Stripe; Bavaria overtakes Berlin View in browser Leonard_Flagship Good morning there, France is strengthening its position as one of the

Meta just flipped the switch that prevents misinformation from spreading in the United States

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

The company built effective systems to reduce the reach of fake news. Last week, it shut them down Platformer Platformer Meta just flipped the switch that prevents misinformation from spreading in the

Ok... we're now REALLY live Friend !

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Join Jackie Damelian to learn how to validate your product and make your first sales. Hi Friend , Apologies, we experienced some technical difficulties but now We're LIVE for Day 3 of the Make Your

Building GTM for AI : Office Hours with Maggie Hott

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Tomasz Tunguz Venture Capitalist If you were forwarded this newsletter, and you'd like to receive it in the future, subscribe here.​ ​Building GTM for AI : Office Hours with Maggie Hott ​ On

ICYMI: Musk's TikTok, AI's future, films for founders

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

A recap of the last week ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

🚨 [LIVE IN 1 HOUR] Day 3 of the Challenge with Jackie Damelian

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Join Jackie Damelian to learn how to validate your product and make your first sales. Hi Friend , Day 3 of the Make Your First Shopify Sale 5-Day Challenge is just ONE HOUR away! ⌛ Here's the link

The Broken Ladder & The Missing Manager 🪜

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

And rolling through work on a coaster͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌