This is the second post in a series on “raising VC money.” For the list of topics we are covering, click here. This post will cover “how to get the VC meeting.” So, after doing all of your homework (more on that here), you now have a short list of VCs with whom you’d like
Category: Entrepreneurship
Raising VC money: which VCs to target?
This is the first post in a Friday series on “raising VC money”. For the list of topics we are covering, click here. In this post, we’ll focus on the first topic: which VCs to target? I think it’s a critical step in the fundraising process. You have a new business idea, you’ve spent a
Raising VC money: topics
Raising venture capital money sounds like something from the Dark Arts, but it really isn’t all that complicated. Different approaches and different styles work, but there are some rules of thumb that seem to work well over and over. I thought I’d write a Friday series on raising money from VCs. I am thinking of
Traits of successful founders (and what would you do with $5 million?)
I recently connected with one of the founders in our portfolio. A company where he worked two start-ups ago was sold. He got his check last year. His personal take, which he humbly whispered to me, was $5 million. I asked him what he did with the money. I expected to hear about a new
A Harvard B School lesson for start-ups
I don’t think there’s a lot that business school can teach start-up founders. But, there is one particular lesson I think is valuable: managing culture and conflict. Here’s what I mean. When I arrived at Harvard Business School, my classmates and I were automatically assigned to one of nine “Sections” (I was in Section F).
Single and homeless mothers: true entrepreneurs
I recently was reading email in my parked car. A car pulled up near me. A young and pretty woman got out. Pale and thin, she looked tense. An older woman had driven her. She looked very sad. They started unloading a few plastic bags of clothing and children’s toys. It wasn’t much. The young