Comments on: The best VC pitch tip that I stole http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/ Entrepreneur turned VC Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:25:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=5679 By: George Morrison http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-382 George Morrison Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:59:47 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-382 So true. VCgate database (<a href="http://www.vcgate.com" rel="nofollow">www.vcgate.com</a>) is a 4500 investors worldwide database that allows searching setting preferences as geographical location, stage industry preferences, all this plus instant emailing. This can save time for both investors and entrepreneurs and will certainly decrease the number of embarrassing refusals. So true. VCgate database (http://www.vcgate.com) is a 4500 investors worldwide database that allows searching setting preferences as geographical location, stage industry preferences, all this plus instant emailing. This can save time for both investors and entrepreneurs and will certainly decrease the number of embarrassing refusals.

]]> By: George Morrison http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-12148 George Morrison Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:59:47 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-12148 So true. VCgate database (<a href="http://www.vcgate.com" rel="nofollow">www.vcgate.com</a>) is a 4500 investors worldwide database that allows searching setting preferences as geographical location, stage industry preferences, all this plus instant emailing. This can save time for both investors and entrepreneurs and will certainly decrease the number of embarrassing refusals. So true. VCgate database (http://www.vcgate.com) is a 4500 investors worldwide database that allows searching setting preferences as geographical location, stage industry preferences, all this plus instant emailing. This can save time for both investors and entrepreneurs and will certainly decrease the number of embarrassing refusals.

]]> By: George Morrison http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-381 George Morrison Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:59:47 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-381 So true. VCgate database (<a href="http://www.vcgate.com" rel="nofollow">www.vcgate.com</a>) is a 4500 investors worldwide database that allows searching setting preferences as geographical location, stage industry preferences, all this plus instant emailing. This can save time for both investors and entrepreneurs and will certainly decrease the number of embarrassing refusals. So true. VCgate database (http://www.vcgate.com) is a 4500 investors worldwide database that allows searching setting preferences as geographical location, stage industry preferences, all this plus instant emailing. This can save time for both investors and entrepreneurs and will certainly decrease the number of embarrassing refusals.

]]> By: I met with an investor, what happens next? http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-380 I met with an investor, what happens next? Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:52:36 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-380 [...] 7. Accept “no” for an answer – I can’t emphasize this enough, if you do get a “no” then politely move on.  It’s OK to ask if they know a VC that might be a better fit and ask for a VC intro. [...] [...] 7. Accept “no” for an answer – I can’t emphasize this enough, if you do get a “no” then politely move on.  It’s OK to ask if they know a VC that might be a better fit and ask for a VC intro. [...]

]]> By: marksuster http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-379 marksuster Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:21:01 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-379 Thanks, Adam. Great post. I'm a big fan of the "no" actually, which is why I believe I likely tell people no more than most VCs. Soft "no's" (e.g. we love you but for reason a,b,c come see us later - and obviously only if you're doing really well) don't ultimately help the entrepreneur. In my "Pitching a VC" series I have a blog post reserved for the soft no, which I look forward to writing. Stay tuned and thank you for your comments. Thanks, Adam. Great post. I’m a big fan of the “no” actually, which is why I believe I likely tell people no more than most VCs. Soft “no’s” (e.g. we love you but for reason a,b,c come see us later – and obviously only if you’re doing really well) don’t ultimately help the entrepreneur. In my “Pitching a VC” series I have a blog post reserved for the soft no, which I look forward to writing. Stay tuned and thank you for your comments.

]]> By: Adam Rentschler http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-378 Adam Rentschler Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:03:11 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-378 Mark -- Been reading your blog with interest. Thanks for your posts. Per aproductguy's post above, I think the best advice out there is for folks to embrace "No," and learn from it. In fact, I think that one is taking a lazy approach if one doesn't understand the implications of "no" before charging ahead into another pitch meeting. Have a look if you'd like at what I wrote a while back about the importance of "No": http://www.adamrentschler.com/Tech_Strategy/Blog/Entries/2009/3/4_Getting_to_No.html Keep up the good work, Adam Mark — Been reading your blog with interest. Thanks for your posts.

Per aproductguy’s post above, I think the best advice out there is for folks to embrace “No,” and learn from it. In fact, I think that one is taking a lazy approach if one doesn’t understand the implications of “no” before charging ahead into another pitch meeting.

Have a look if you’d like at what I wrote a while back about the importance of “No”:

http://www.adamrentschler.com/Tech_Strategy/Blog/Entries/2009/3/4_Getting_to_No.html

Keep up the good work,
Adam

]]> By: marksuster http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-377 marksuster Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:01:51 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-377 ha. I had friends like that in my 20's also. They said it was just a quantity game and getting to "no" faster was better than wasting your time ;-) ha. I had friends like that in my 20′s also. They said it was just a quantity game and getting to “no” faster was better than wasting your time ;-)

]]> By: aproductguy http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-372 aproductguy Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:49:43 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-372 Great tip. Worst case is you get another "no" and you're back where you were. I think my friend's philosophy when it comes to approaching women at bars applies to pitching VCs - the sooner you can get over your fear of possible rejection and learn to embrace the "no", you'll likely start to get more yeses. :) Great tip. Worst case is you get another “no” and you’re back where you were. I think my friend’s philosophy when it comes to approaching women at bars applies to pitching VCs – the sooner you can get over your fear of possible rejection and learn to embrace the “no”, you’ll likely start to get more yeses. :)

]]> By: Twitted by tonyadam http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Twitted by tonyadam Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:38:42 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-371 [...] This post was Twitted by tonyadam [...] [...] This post was Twitted by tonyadam [...]

]]> By: marksuster http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/07/09/the-best-vc-pitch-tip-that-i-stole/comment-page-1/#comment-376 marksuster Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:52:19 +0000 http://bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=329#comment-376 My content gets syndicated over at www.cloudave.com and a user wrote a great comment there so I wanted to post it here, too, with my response. It's worth being aware of this issue. ___________________________________________ Mark, First of all, let me say great blog! Really enjoy your posts and look forward to future ones. I would put a different spin on Jason's suggestion. In general, it is very difficult for a VC to introduce a company to another VC because the first question usually is "why aren't you investing?" Stage can be a good answer, but it's not always believable (i.e., most firms opportunistically do early or late stage investments) and I'm skeptical that these intros lead to anything. But introductions to a VC's portfolio companies is usually a much easier ask, even if the VC isn't a good fit from an investment partner perspective. just my quick two cents. st _________________________________________ My response: I understand the comment and I know some people feel that way. It hasn't been my experience. When I get calls from other VCs who I like and respect I always ask why they're not investing but I know sometimes geography, topic, stage or whatever precludes people. I often get called by seed stage funds saying, "valuation too high for me, maybe OK for your fund." When I refer a deal it is often, "I really liked the entrepreneurs but this isn't going to be a big enough business for us. For your $20 million this might be the perfect fit". Smaller funds like companies that require less cash and may exit at smaller valuations than we would typically look for. Also, I often refer deals and say, "we may end up looking at this company but if we do we'd want a co-investor. right now we're waiting 3 months to see how their user adoption goes but we like them." There are many ways to make an intro work. I also intro NorCal people to my VC friends there. If it is too early stage and it SF it might make more sense for somebody else to seed. Thanks again for your thoughts. They are valid and something entrepreneurs should be aware of. My content gets syndicated over at http://www.cloudave.com and a user wrote a great comment there so I wanted to post it here, too, with my response. It’s worth being aware of this issue.
___________________________________________
Mark,

First of all, let me say great blog! Really enjoy your posts and look forward to future ones.

I would put a different spin on Jason’s suggestion. In general, it is very difficult for a VC to introduce a company to another VC because the first question usually is “why aren’t you investing?” Stage can be a good answer, but it’s not always believable (i.e., most firms opportunistically do early or late stage investments) and I’m skeptical that these intros lead to anything. But introductions to a VC’s portfolio companies is usually a much easier ask, even if the VC isn’t a good fit from an investment partner perspective.

just my quick two cents.

st
_________________________________________

My response:

I understand the comment and I know some people feel that way. It hasn’t been my experience. When I get calls from other VCs who I like and respect I always ask why they’re not investing but I know sometimes geography, topic, stage or whatever precludes people. I often get called by seed stage funds saying, “valuation too high for me, maybe OK for your fund.”

When I refer a deal it is often, “I really liked the entrepreneurs but this isn’t going to be a big enough business for us. For your $20 million this might be the perfect fit”. Smaller funds like companies that require less cash and may exit at smaller valuations than we would typically look for.

Also, I often refer deals and say, “we may end up looking at this company but if we do we’d want a co-investor. right now we’re waiting 3 months to see how their user adoption goes but we like them.” There are many ways to make an intro work.

I also intro NorCal people to my VC friends there. If it is too early stage and it SF it might make more sense for somebody else to seed.

Thanks again for your thoughts. They are valid and something entrepreneurs should be aware of.

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