Podcasts about hall t

How Angels Are Different From VCs Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Both angels and venture capitalists invest in early-stage companies. Here are the key differences between the two: Angels invest their own money while VCs invest other people's money. This makes the angel investor more risk-averse, while the VC often takes bigger risks. Most angels hold down a day job while most VCs are full-time in that role. Angels don't get paid to invest while VCs charge a management fee on the funds they deploy. Angels typically invest small amounts on their own unless they gather into groups and make a joint investment. VCs employ larger sums of money because they collected funds from many Limited Partners during their own fundraise. Most VCs lead the round if there isn't one, while most angel investors join party rounds rather than lead the deal, as it takes a great amount of time. Angel groups can bring some of the angel investors closer to some of the benefits of the venture capitalist. In pitching angels and VCs, keep these points in mind. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Gaining Sales Traction for Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, revenue traction is a key driver in attracting investors. Here are some key steps to gain sales traction for your fundraise. Early-stage companies don't have a large number of users, as that will take time. Instead, start with a small but dedicated set of users. Engagement with the product comes before revenue. Bring a strong story of initial users engaging with the product. Show how they are daily, weekly, and monthly active users. Calculate a customer ROI for the initial cohort of users and share that number with the investors. Large numbers of users who rarely use the product will fail to convince investors. A small group of users who can't live without the product will attract investors. Show how customer acquisition is a repeatable and predictable process. This shows the investor that you can increase sales as needed. Consider these steps in gaining sales traction for fundraising. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Maintain Presence With a Prospective Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it takes several touches to close an investor. It's best to create additional interactions with the investor beyond asking, 'are you ready to invest yet?' Here are some key steps to maintain presence with a prospective investor: Offer to provide a special discount on your product or service to the investor's portfolio companies. This expands the relationship beyond the fundraise and provides value to the investor. Engaging with the investor's portfolio company generates many new interactions. As you encounter the portfolio companies, new conversations with the investor will arise. Ask for advice in a different way that goes beyond the startup. This adds a new dimension to the relationship and brings another set of touch points. Interact with mutual contacts who may then mention you in their own conversations with the investor. The unbiased third-party source of information is the most valuable. It shows others trust and believe in you. Look for ways to generate additional interactions with the prospective investor. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

When the Investor Says No Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder hears the response 'no' many times. Here's what to do when the investor says 'no'. Show gratitude. Thank them for their time and attention. Ask for feedback. Find out more about what they like about your deal and what they don't. Connect on social media. Use the interaction to make a connection. Add the investor to the future prospective investor list.Some investors are risk-averse and want to see the outcome of the current round. If the founder does well, the investor may come in on the next round. Ask for other investors to contact. Investors know many other investors and may know someone that is a better fit. It's often the case that the investor will fund a founder's second venture because they are now more familiar with him. The objective is to use the short-term interaction to build a long-term relationship. Consider these steps for when the investor says no. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Fundraising Is Project Management Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising is project management. In launching a fundraise, treat it like a series of projects. Here are the key steps: Start with investor documentation and build out the materials needed. Build a list of potential investors. Gain introductions to those investors. Set up meetings with each one. Follow up on the investor meetings for next steps. Negotiate the terms of the deal when working with a lead investor. Finally, close the investor. As with all project management, it's best to plan out each step. Communicate the plan to others on the team. Use project management tools to keep track of each stage, such as a CRM and a scheduler. Each project takes time and focus to build. Apply project management skills such as delegation and prioritization of tasks. Consider these project management steps and tools for your fundraise. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Starting a Relationship With an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding from an early-stage investor, the founder must build a relationship with that investor. Here are some key steps to starting a relationship with an investor. Learn their background and experiences from online sources. It's important to know their education and work experience. Research the investor by talking to their portfolio companies. Talk with mutual connections to learn more. Broach the discussion about the level of support the investor can provide. Adjust the expectations you have for the investor. Check their interest in joining an advisory board. In the early stages, this is often an informal board that meets from time to time to discuss key issues. Actively solicit feedback from the investor and make clear it's always invited. Set up a time to meet on a regular basis in person. Finally, find a mutual interest outside of work so the discussion can focus on other things from time to time. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin opens the new TEN Capital Connect event focused on applying AI to investing, bringing investors together to share tools, get feedback, and hear pitches while highlighting TEN Capital's work since 2009 connecting startups and investors, supporting fundraising strategy, and running multiple monthly events (https://tencapital.group/events) alongside expansion into the MENA region and the launch of the "TEN Capital Connect" Substack newsletter on AI in startup investing and funding. Hall then introduces investors in the room including entrepreneur Andy Fogarasi, Incisive Ventures managing partner Martin Tobias (a B2B software pre-seed investor and early DocuSign backer), and other early-stage investors and operators. The first company pitch features Pete Ferrari of Healthy For Life presenting Joka (Allulose) as a sugar alternative with claimed metabolic benefits, early traction including repeat purchase and subscription growth, a distribution network, AI-driven demand capture, and a pending patent for cleaner manufacturing, while raising $5M in equity at a $20M pre-money valuation, followed by investor Q&A on defensibility, clinical trials, and go-to-market execution. ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Overcoming Sales Call Anxiety Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups raising funding need to show a growth story. Investors look for traction and momentum in businesses to fund. The ability to sell the product is a key skill for early-stage founders. Some founders are not good at selling and have sales call anxiety. Here are some key steps to overcome it: Know the product very well. Mastery of the product and how it works brings confidence. Know the customer's application. Research how customers are using the product to share with new customers. Create a sales script. Know what to say at each point in the sales process. Define a sales process for the product. Create a repeatable process to take customers through to a close. Generate warm leads. By investing in marketing, a founder can generate warmer prospects to pursue. Make sales a priority in the company. Turn the sales team into heroes, and others will aspire to pursue sales as part of their career. For founders, consider these steps in overcoming sales call anxiety. For investors, look at the sales skills of the founders and their sales process. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Building a Moat Into a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups in the early days have little to protect the business beyond intellectual property. As the company grows, the startup can build a stronger moat. Here are some key steps for building a moat into a startup: Network effects -- grow the network within your customer base to strengthen the business. Design the product and the marketing to connect others to the customer base. Platforms -- design a platform into the solution offered. A platform brings reduced cost and greater capabilities versus one-off products. Integrate with partners -- use APIs and other technical connections to create a seamless solution for customers. Integrations add value and are difficult to compete against. Bundle products -- package several services into a single product. Through bundling, one creates a better solution that appeals to a broader audience. Long-term sales contracts -- signing long-term contracts provides a moat. Customers who want to switch will find it costly, and competitors will get tired of waiting for the customer to come back to the table. Proprietary data -- data that is unique to the business adds value. Unique data can be mined for additional products and services. Brand -- build a brand that provides a unique promise to the customer. Brands take time to build but can provide an additional moat for the company. Consider these steps in building a moat into your startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Build a Capital-Efficient Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors look for capital-efficient businesses to invest in. Founders looking to raise funding should first consider building a capital-efficient startup. Here are some key steps to building a startup that is capital-efficient: Look for a business opportunity that generates good revenue from the customer. The customer will pay a high price for the product. This often comes from a good product-to-market fit. The business runs efficiently and doesn't need a great deal of money to provide the product or service. Businesses in this category are considered frugal and spend carefully. Salaries are kept low, which raises the value of the equity of the business. The startup is in a high-growth market segment generating organic growth. The startup is highly scalable and doesn't need a great deal of capital to grow. Capital-efficient businesses in the long run should do better because they don't have to raise capital as often. Investors should look for these drivers in potential startup investments. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Key Sales Metrics To Look For Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In reviewing startups, here are the key metrics investors should look for: Annual contract value -- the value the customer spends on the product in one year. This needs to be a meaningful amount of money in order to grow a startup. Customer lifetime value -- the total amount of money the customer spends on the product. This indicates how well the product meets the customer's needs. Sales pipeline -- the number and revenue value of sales prospects. This shows ongoing demand for the product from new customers. Conversion rate -- this shows how many leads turn into sales. This needs to be a known figure so as to calculate how many leads to generate to meet a sales goal. Sales team turnover -- this shows how long sales reps stay with a company. This shows how many salespeople need to be recruited and trained. Referrals -- shows how many leads come from partner channels. This shows how many partners need to be recruited and trained. Customer retention -- this shows how long customers use the product. This determines how many new customers need to be recruited. The goal of metrics is to define the current business model so it can be tuned to operate efficiently. Look to see how well defined these metrics are for a potential startup investment. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Get the Most out of a Pitch Session Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. For those setting up a pitch session, here are the key steps so the presenter and investor get the most out of it. Decide the goal of the pitch session. This could be providing practice for the presenter, or giving feedback on the pitch, or making an investment decision. Determine the criteria for selecting the presenters. Recruit startup presenters who meet the criteria. Set up an agenda for who will pitch and how long. Provide documentation upfront about the pitches, including the deck or executive summaries. Set aside time for general questions after each pitch. Set expectations about what will be covered in the pitches and what will not. Encourage questions that drive to the goal of the pitch session. Discourage questions and feedback that distract from the goal. Set aside time for one-on-one discussions between the investors and the presenters. Make available the presenters' contact information. Encourage follow-up by the investors. Consider these steps in how to get the most out of a pitch session. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Fundraising Is a Sales Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising is a sales process. Consider these steps in setting up your fundraiser: First, build the investor documents, including pitch deck, terms sheet, and data room. In fundraising, you are selling equity in your company. This is the same as a brochure or data sheet for your product. Second, build a list of prospective investors to pursue. Just as you have an ideal customer profile for selling your product, so you also have an ideal investor profile. Search for investors that fit your ideal profile. Third, research your investor prospects to learn more about them. Fourth, make initial contact with the investor. Update them on your fundraiser. Fifth, and most importantly, follow up to check interest Answer their questions and update them on your progress. Sixth, identify your best investor prospects and move to close. It takes seven touches to close a sale so it takes seven touches to close an investor. Seventh, review the characteristics of the investors who came in to learn more about how you found them, where they hang out, and what they wanted. This will inform your process on how to find more investors. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Product Launch Strategy Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso—your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders often mistake their pitch deck for their product launch strategy. But the two serve different goals. The pitch is meant to raise capital — the launch is meant to earn trust. A strong product launch strategy doesn't just announce features. It builds a narrative: who it's for, what it solves, and why it matters now. The best launches create momentum by aligning messaging, channel, and timing. Savvy founders build launch strategies in layers: — First, define the minimum viable message. — Next, build social proof and use cases. — Then, plan waves of release — from insider demos to public unveilings. Launch isn't a moment. It's a sequence. The most common mistake? Using the investor pitch template for customer activation. Investors want vision and scale. Customers want relevance and clarity. Don't confuse one for the other. Plan your product launch with intent. Make every stage of rollout a proof point — not just of what you built, but of how well you understand the market. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Finding an Investor Is Like Finding a Date Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders looking for investors face the same challenge as those looking for a date. Just as in the dating world, both the investor and the startup exaggerate their strengths. Some don't know exactly what they want from the other. Just as there are marriage contracts, the startup world has term sheets. A substantial number of startups don't succeed, just as many marriages do not. Drawing from the world of dating, one becomes more successful the more they know what they want. Founders should figure out what they want from the investor. This includes not only funding, but also follow-on funding, mentorship, and networking. Next, look for where to find investors that meet the criteria. Specialize in how to talk to these particular investors. Finally, figure out what they are looking for and how to present your startup. Just as it takes time to find the right date, so it will take time to find the right investor. Consider the dating game as a model to find your investor. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

An independent validation of a clinical prediction rule for the diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy with radicular pain Grondin F, Cook C, Hall T, et al. Braz J Phys Ther. 2026;30(3):101581. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2026.101581 Due to copyright laws, unless the article is open source we cannot legally post the PDF on the website for the world to download at will. Brought to you by our sponsors at: CSMi – https://www.humacnorm.com/ptinquest VALD MoveHealth - https://movehealth.me/ Learn more about/purchase our courses: The Science PT | Dungeons & Dynamometers Support us on the Patreons! Music for PT Inquest: "The Science of Selling Yourself Short" by Less Than Jake Used by Permission Other Music by Kevin MacLeod – incompetech.com: MidRoll Promo – Mining by Moonlight Koal Challenge – Sam Roux  

What Investors Want To Know About Your Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding should consider what investors want to know about their startup. Here are some key points to make before the meeting: Show how your startup fits the investment thesis of the investor. This should include how it fits with the sector, stage, and trajectory of the startup. Investors want to work with A players who are passionate about this project. Highlight the strength of the team and how they can execute. The investor wants to know if your product has interest from customers. Show how you have identified customers and you know how to sign them up. They want to see that customers will pay for it and that the product works. The investor wants to know the team understands the challenge in front of them and how they are going to succeed. The investors want to see who the competition is and how the team is going to compete against them. The investor wants to know the team is setting up the business to scale. The investor wants to know you have an exit in mind and that it will be a good return for the investors. Consider these points in setting up a meeting with an investor. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Common Mistakes With Investor Introductions Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding need introductions to investors. Here are some common mistakes introducers make with investor introductions. Lack of information Most founders ask for an introduction but fail to provide enough information for the introducer to make a meaningful introduction. It's best to include some context in the request. Lack of a ready-to-mail email. Many founders would do well to provide the introducer a ready-to-mail email. This contains the relevant information, including why there's an introduction. Make sure to write the email in the voice of the introducer and include an appropriate subject line. Slow follow-up to an introduction. After the investor responds to the email introduction, it's important to follow up in a timely manner. Waiting a day or two can degrade the introduction as the recipient may have forgotten that an introduction was made. Not returning the favor. Asking someone to make an introduction and then not returning the favor could degrade the relationship with the introducer. It's important to pay it back. Consider these points in making an investor introduction. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Hiring the Team for Your Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After fundraising comes building the team. The core team may already be in place, but growth will demand new hires. Here are some key points in hiring the team for your startup: Have your high-performing team members interview new candidates. The high performers tend to hold others to their standard. They are more likely to be frank about a candidate's abilities. Where did they work before? Does it have a reputation for quality and professionalism? Check their thinking ability. Give them a problem and ask them to articulate out loud their thought process in solving it. Give them a task and check their speed of execution. Does it match the pace of the company? Review their past experiences to see how that has shaped them. Check their interest in the company and dig into why they want to work there. Is it only a paycheck, or is there a deeper reason? Consider these steps in hiring the team for your startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Become a VC Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capital is a job that many aspire to hold. It's challenging, but it provides great experiences. For those who want to become a venture capitalist, there are several paths. Start by working in a startup in a sales role. Some of the most effective VCs are those who have operational experience in the startup world. This provides a strong foundation for what it takes to launch and build a startup. Work in a high-growth startup that is scaling. This brings a different experience around fast growth, fast hiring, fast everything. It shows the pace of a startup and how to keep up. Work for a Venture Capitalist as a scout or analyst. Scout work teaches the fundamentals of deaflow and how to find the best ones. The analyst position teaches one how to research a startup and what to look for. Find a mentor VC who will share insights into the world of venture capital and how things really work. With real-world startup and venture capital skills in hand, one can become a VC. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Starting With the Beachhead Market Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors look for large target markets that are growing well. Founders looking to launch a startup often look for huge problems to solve. Since startups are limited in their resources, they must find a way to solve a large problem with few people and products. One solution to this problem is to identify a beachhead market. Look for a niche in the market that needs the solution. Ideally, this niche can become the beachhead market. This initial market must be readily accessible to the founders. They must know players in this space and have access to them for feedback. While the beachhead market may not be the biggest market, it should be one of the easiest to take over. After securing the beachhead market, the startup can pursue bigger markets adjacent to it. The beachhead market validates the problem and utilizes the startup's solution. This provides revenue to the startup to launch and grow the business. Look to solve a problem in a large market, but focus on the beachhead market for entry into it. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Screen a Startup for Investment Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors looking for startup investments need to screen deals efficiently. Here's a set of criteria to apply to startups before pursuing diligence. Check the team. Do they know what they are doing? Do they have the skills to achieve the goal? Do they have passion and grit? Check the business. Does it address a large market? Will the business scale? Will it make good money on a unit economic level? Check the investment terms. Is the valuation in line with the market? Are the terms reasonable? Check the business for alignment with the investment thesis. Does the business track with current market trends? Does it fit the investor's view of the world? Consider this criterion in screening a startup for investment. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Scale a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the early days of a startup, the founder seeks to build and sell a product. In the later days, the founder seeks to scale the business. Here are several ways to scale a startup: Raise funding to fuel the scaling strategy. This could be a substantial amount of funding to achieve the growth target. Apply technology to the operations to minimize the cost of running the business. This could also bring access to new markets and applications. Pivot to a higher level in the industry, providing services at a higher price. Build related products and services to further monetize the client base. Remove low-volume products and services that don't scale. This frees up resources to apply to the high-volume products. Reorganize the startup to run with fewer resources. Automate as many functions as possible, such as accounting, customer service, support, and more. This reduces the cost and allows the company to scale as fast as sales can grow. Consider these points for scaling your startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Write a Press Release for Your Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Press releases can help the startup gain exposure in the marketplace. This helps recruit employees, find customers, and attract investors. Founders can do this upon closing a round of funding. Here are the steps to write a press release for your startup: Start with a compelling headline that motivates the audience to read further. Describe in the first paragraph the content you want every reader to have. In most cases, this will be all that they read. Create a standard paragraph explaining what the business does. This can be reused in future releases. Include quotes from the founder on the mission and values of the company. Add visuals such as photos of the team. Action pictures are more interesting than posed pictures. Add links to the website and other relevant information. Include enough information that a journalist can tie your press release to a current story. Finally, add your contact details and include the name and phone number of someone the reader can contact for more information. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Steps To Build an MVP Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Building an MVP is a part of almost every founder's work. Here are the key steps to build an MVP. Most founders build an MVP and then talk to users. Instead, talk to users first and then build the MVP. Take into account the users' feedback. Release the initial MVP to a set of users as soon as possible. Don't make it a major launch. The purpose of the MVP is to start a conversation with customers. Focus on speed to launch and time to feedback. Meet users to ask about their experience. Have them show you what they did with it. Take the feedback and iterate on the MVP. Create a new version and launch to a new cohort of users. Limit the time you spend on the MVP to keep the project on schedule. Reduce the scope of it in favor of reaching users for feedback. Avoid overbuilding the MVP. It's best to add to it incrementally as users give feedback. Consider these steps in building your MVP. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Challenges of the Startup Life Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The startup life brings many challenges. It's not for the faint of heart. It will demand the best of you and will test you often. Here are some key challenges in the startup life: Most founders have co-founders to deal with. Maintaining the relationship is tantamount to having a marriage. This will stretch one's communication and relationship skills. Startups require the founder to be all in Founders are not part-timers. This means giving up other things in return for the startup work. The startup will go through highs and lows. The founder will go through all the emotions associated with the roller coaster ride. Time will pass quickly as startups are long-term endeavors. It's amazing how fast the years will roll by. The startup life is one long series of processes and to-dos. There's nothing romantic about it. Not everyone you meet will have experienced the startup life and will fail to understand your situation. It can often be lonely. For those who persist, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences. Consider these points before engaging in a startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Finding New Startup Ideas Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. When finding new startup ideas, start with your own interests in mind. Look for solutions to problems or challenges you face. Here are the steps to finding new startup ideas from your own experiences: Choose a problem that is a major pain point. Skip the casual problems that generate solutions in the nice-to-have category. Research the problem to find out how to solve it. There's often more than one way, so it's best to consider all options. Develop a solution that solves the problem well. It should be effective and efficient. Build out a solution and test it to see how well it works. Show it to others for feedback and questions. This often enhances the solution and provides ideas for naming and marketing the product. Next, look for a distribution channel. Test out the channel to see how much others will pay for it. It's often the case that the solution is not a standalone product but could work as part of another solution. Consider how best to package, price, and distribute it. At this point, one can calculate if there's a business case or not for taking it to market. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Customize the Fundraise for the Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder will find that investors vary in their approach to the startup's fundraise. Some will want a valuation set while others just want to be in the deal. Some will invest because of the team, others because of the product or sector. Founders should customize the fundraise for the investor. For those who want to be in the deal, the founder should use a convertible note to capture them in the round. For those who want a valuation set, the founder should keep those investors updated so that when the price gets set, those investors will join the round. The founder should customize the presentation for each investor to highlight what is important to them. In most cases, the presentation deck is the same, but the emphasis shifts to the interests of the investor. For investors interested in investing in the team, focus on the team and their skills. For investors interested in the sector, show the trends in the industry and how the startup is taking advantage of them. The more you know about the investor, the more you can customize the presentation for them. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Key Characteristics of Fundable Founders Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors funding startups look for founders who have the right characteristics for success. Here's a list of key characteristics of fundable founders: Grit is top of the list. Launching and running a startup is hard work and takes years to see an exit. Founders with grit who can last through the ups and downs is a major factor. Flexibility is important. The startup founder must constantly change to adapt to the market, customer needs, and their stage. Vision to implementation. The founder must have the ability to envision a solution and then implement it. Hacker skill. The founder must be creative enough to find solutions. In sales, this is often referred to as hacking, which is the ability to find shortcuts to solve a problem. Likeability. Investors look for founders who are likable as they know they will spend a substantial amount of time with the founder. Founders who are difficult to work with will find it challenging to raise funding. Consider these points before investing in a startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Who Controls the Board Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders who take on funding start the process of transferring control of the company to the investors. As the funding moves from Seed to Series A, the investors increase their control. Most seed-stage companies have no board of directors. Instead, they often have a board of advisors who can provide advice and direction. At the Series A, the board of directors is often formalized with two from the investor side, two from the company side, and one independent who brings industry knowledge. As the company takes on additional funding, it brings new investors onto the board. Most board positions last two to three years. As new investors come on the cap table, they take the place of previous investors on the board. There are exceptions, as some founders are able to maintain control of their board. This is rare, as most founders lose their influence as their strength lies in establishing and growing the startup. At some point, the influence shifts to board members who bring new skills, such as scaling and working towards an exit. Founders should know that funding brings a change of control, even if it's a little bit at a time. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Bringing an International Company Into the US Market Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are several reasons international companies expand into the US market. The US market is the largest market in the world and provides the most opportunities to the company to sell its products. Funding in the US is more available than in most other countries. Startups moving to the US should locate near current customers or in cities with a concentration of startups in the sector. Those coming from Europe focus on New York City, as it gives the most time overlap with Europe. Most companies hire a sales or business development manager to build revenue in the US market, which is the initial work to be done. Once established in the US, the company can start to raise funding from US investors. It's difficult to raise funds from US investors without a US presence. This is due to the timezone issues and the ability to meet with investors for follow-ups. International startups should consider establishing a presence in the US for not only sales growth but also fundraising. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Foster the Startup Community Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors should foster the local startup community. The more vibrant the community, the better the deal flow. Here are some key ways investors can foster it: Provide events and activities that connect and network startup founders with co-founders. It takes a complete team to make a startup successful, so it's best to foster team building. Connect startup founders with business owners who can use the startups' solution. This fosters more funding for the startup through customer revenue. Connect startup founders with startup-friendly service providers. These include attorneys, fractional CFOs, and accountants. Those with startup-friendly services can help the startup community grow. Finally, change the community's perception of startup founders as looking for something to do while between jobs. Some communities look down on startups as the unemployed. Foster the perception that startup founders are doing important work and need the support of the community. Consider these steps in fostering the startup community in your area. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Painkillers vs Vitamins Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup investing, look for startups that solve real-world problems. Focus on the ones that provide a solution tantamount to a painkiller. The customer has a problem that causes them enough pain that they'll pay for a solution to get rid of it. There tend to be fewer painkiller solutions in the market, so there's less competition. Avoid the startups whose solution acts more like a vitamin. It makes you better, but only just so. Most people know vitamins make you better, but if you don't take them, you'll be okay anyway. The problem with vitamin solutions in the startup world is that fewer people will pay for them. Also, there tend to be many substitutes for vitamin-level solutions. This fosters a more competitive marketplace. Invest in painkillers and skip the vitamin solutions in your startup investing. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Invest in the Capable Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The team is often the key indicator of a successful startup. In startup investing, look for competency and experience in the team. Competency and experience can be a relative thing. There's an old saying in the angel world, Invest in the A team working on a B project. The team's skills are more than enough to accomplish the task at hand. For the startup under consideration, understand well the skills required for it to be a success. Look for the skills needed in the business, the technical, and the domain area. Missing key skills is often the cause of startup failure. Most everyone's resume shows extensive experience and knowledge. Test out the team's skills by asking questions and giving them a task. Test to see how they solve problems and how they think. Look for how well they know the space and what is going on in it. The ideal team is one that needs no additional help from the investor. Invest in the capable where possible. For all other startups, be prepared to fill in the gaps. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Solve Large Problems Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups raising funding should have a grand vision. That vision must inspire investors to join the cause. It takes years for the vision to come to full fruition. To take on a large problem, consider the following: Start small. In the early days, the startup will be small and sometimes insignificant. Solve problems very well. Look to new technologies and business models to deliver the product. Tie into market forces that provide a tailwind to your solution. Focus on the customer, and their challenges and needs. Avoid direct competition and define the market in a unique way that helps your startup stand out from the crowd. Launch an initial product as soon as you can. Take the initial solution and then build on it. Make it better every day. Add new features and capabilities continuously. Over time, the product will grow and will provide more value. Eventually, the product will solve a big problem. Every day not spent on building the core product is a wasted day. It just takes time. You can accomplish any large problem with time and consistent follow-up. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Role of Intuition in Startup Investing Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investing requires several skills, including business model analysis, domain knowledge, and team evaluations. The early days of the startup provide only a glimpse into what that startup will be in the future. Startups often look unable to achieve greatness in the early days, as the team is not built out. The business case can be difficult to assess because the market is new or the technology behind it is nascent. While business acumen is the primary tool for vetting a startup, there's also intuition. Startup investors use their intuition and prior startup investing experience to identify key patterns that lead to success: Intuition plays a role in startup investing as follows: Look for evidence that the team has the right mix of skills and motivation to achieve the goal. Look at how well the product solves the customers' problem. Look at how profitable the business model is on a unit economic level. Look at the scalability of their fundamental business model. These are the key elements that require intuition to suss out the strength of a startup. Consider these elements in screening startups for investment. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Growth Is the Paradigm of the Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups are different from small businesses in that they are based on the growth paradigm. Small businesses such as restaurants and retail are good businesses, but they are not startups. A startup seeks high growth throughout its life. Startups build their businesses to foster growth. Through the products and services they offer to the business models they use, they seek high growth. Startups often look to technology, in particular disruptive technologies, to foster that growth. Startups need capital to achieve it. To be considered for funding, the growth rate needs to be at least 50% or more year over year. Anything below, and investors will not consider the startup to be in the growth mode. Startups also need a team that can foster and manage growth. This high-growth paradigm either takes the company to new heights or sends it crashing down. In startup investing, look for these drivers of growth in a startup before investing. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Legal Entities for Startups Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are many entity types used in forming businesses. Here are the key ones to consider for your startup: LLC -- Limited Liability Company Startups use this structure to protect themselves from liability. It's issued by the state, which can vary the rules across the country. It doesn't allow for issuing stock but rather ownership units. S -- Corporation This is an LLC that elects to defer paying taxes to the owner. This provides a tax advantage but comes with a limitation on the number of members. It should not be used for startups seeking to raise outside capital. Delaware C Corp This is the ideal legal entity for a startup as it provides the most protection of assets and limitations of liability. The entity exists beyond the life of the founders. It can have an unlimited number of shareholders. The drawback is that there is double taxation. First at the corporate level and then at the personal level. The Delaware C is the best C Corp to use as it has substantial case law behind it in the event of litigation. Consider these points in selecting the legal entity of your startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Where To Find Startup Ideas Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders looking for their next startup seek ideas for launching a business. Some look at what other founders are doing and then copy the idea. It's best to start with a customer problem that has not been solved. Once you have a startup idea, test it with the following: Are there customers who will pay to solve the problem? It's easy to come up with startup ideas that have no paying customers. Do those customers have enough money to pay for the solution so it can become a business. Many problems exist because the customer simply doesn't have any money. Are there enough customers who will pay for it? Look for a path from a corner case problem to a broader market solution. Imagine what the future may look like. Now fill in the parts that are missing. The best ideas come from identifying something interesting, such as finding people will pay good money for something considered trivial. Look for the pain points that must be solved. Avoid the nice-to-haves that may be useful, as there won't be enough revenue to sustain the business. Consider these points in identifying startup ideas. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Key Elements of a Successful Acquisition Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In acquiring a company, there are indicators pointing to success. Here are the key elements leading to a successful acquisition: Outgoing CEOs Acquirers with outgoing CEOs often lead to successful outcomes. They have the ability to project their vision onto others. Their personality can sway the negotiations to a successful conclusion. Matching cultures. Companies with dissimilar cultures often struggle to make the acquisition successful. It's best to match company cultures when seeking an acquisition. Early acquirers. Acquisitions come in waves as the market dynamics change. Those who move early do better as there's a better selection. Those who arrive late will find the best ones already taken. Experience with acquisitions. Those companies that make many acquisitions have an advantage over those that make few. With each acquisition comes more experience, which can be applied to the next one. Consider these key elements in your acquisition process. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Should You Start a VC Fund? Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are more venture capital funds in the market today than ever before. It's never been easier to launch a VC fund. Here are some key steps to consider before launching one. Do you have a track record in startup investing? Limited Partners in the fund will want to know that the team has experience deploying capital. If you don't have a track record, consider partnering with someone who does. How will your fund stand out from the crowd? While it's easier to start a fund, there are many VC funds in the market today. Consider focusing on a niche or segment of the market that is not already well covered. How does the fund leverage your current investing? It's best to start a fund that extends the investing already underway. Having your own money in will help greatly with raising funding from investors. Do you have the time and commitment to see the fund through to completion? Most funds are deployed in the first three years but require ongoing support and maintenance for up to ten years. Consider carefully the support offered and the strategy behind follow-on funding. Answer these questions before launching your VC fund. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Create a Herd Effect With Investors Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it's important to create a herd effect. A herd effect is building a larger group of investors that gives your fundraiser credibility. Here are some key steps to create a herd effect with investors. First, show how other investors have either invested or are following your deal. The more investors focus on your deal, the greater its value of it. This shows others have reviewed the deal and decided to join. This gives investors confidence that the basic diligence has been done by others. Show the diversity of investor types, including angels, venture capital, family offices, and others who are in the deal. This shows there's broad-based support beyond family and friends funding. Call out high-profile individuals who are in the deal. This indicates you can attract brand-name investors. Roll up the investment value of all those who are circling the deal, including interest and committed. This shows there's ample interest in the deal. Show how there's more investor interest than there is availability in the round. This creates the FOMO -- fear of missing out that spurs some investors to join. Capture investor comments about the deal and share with others, as investors care a great deal about what other investors think. Consider these steps in creating a herd effect around your fundraiser. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Before Launching a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups appear to be straightforward to launch and run. But there are many aspects of running a startup that are not obvious. Here are some key points to consider before launching a startup: The key to success is not just to know how to run a business. It's about knowing your customer and what they really want. It's about knowing what people will pay for something. It takes time to build a startup and grow a user base. Most first-time founders are off by an order of magnitude on what it takes to grow a business. To overcome this, consider what you plan to do to grow your business. Now multiply by 10, and that's what you will actually have to do. Investors fund growing businesses. There's no trick or secret to raising funding. You must first build a growing business. The startup will require the founder to be all in. To be successful, one's entire energy level will go into it every day. Finally, it can be hard to predict outcomes from any one thing. You have to try it to know how well it will work. You will have to try many things to find out what works. Consider these points before launching a startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Data Business Moats Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In building a startup, the founder should consider monetizing the data. Data can provide an additional range of moats for the business. Here is a list of data moats that are ineffective: Openly available and easily accessible data sets General analytics on the data Dashboards and reporting tools. Here's a list of the data moats can bring to the company: Turning your data into a standard data set used by the industry. This is called data currency, which the industry players use for data exchange. Extensive use of the data by many companies creates a de facto standard. Proprietary data. This data comes from a unique source that no other company has access to. Exclusive access to data In this case, the company has developed an exclusive arrangement for the use of data. Proprietary data exhaust This is the use of data from another source for a different purpose. For example, Whole Foods captures consumer product good sales data and then sells access to CPG companies that want to know how much is sold in each category. Consider these options for building a moat into your startup using data. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Desperation Is Not a Good Look for a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding are often under the gun with a dwindling cash account. Some founders mistakenly use this as part of their pitch. They emphasize the need the founder has rather than the return the investor will receive if they fund the startup. Investors look for fundable companies. Those in desperation are not good candidates for investment. It's best to come up with a backup plan. Some startups turn to consultation work to pay the bills. Others look for grant funding to keep the lights on. Still others reorganize the company and move to a bare-bones expense plan. It's best to do this six months before the cash runs out, as it gives the founder time to launch another plan. Waiting till there's only 30 days of cash left in the bank gives the startup too few options. Desperation is not a good look for a startup, so it's best to avoid the situation altogether. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Key Drivers for Startup Investing Returns Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investing returns vary greatly from one investor to the next. Here's a list of key drivers that provide startup investors with a return. High-quality dealflow. Many startups seek to raise funding, but only the top 15 to 20% will provide a good return. Rigorous due diligence. It's easy to write a check, but difficult to diligence the startup. Those with a rigorous diligence process achieve greater returns. Active investing. Investors who take an active role with the startup will achieve better returns. Domain knowledge. Those with a knowledge of the industry in which the startup operates will achieve greater returns. Access to follow-on investors. Those who know follow-on stage investors will achieve greater returns by facilitating introductions to additional capital. Deal structuring. Those who apply investor protections to the business will find better returns. Follow-on funding Those investors who can apply their own follow-on funding will do better. Diversification Investors who diversify across industry segments and stages of a company will have better returns. Consider these drivers for your startup investing. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Keep Up With the Ever-Changing Startup World Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The startup world is constantly changing. It brings new technologies, applications, and business models. The startup investor must keep up with the ever-changing startup world. Here are some key tips on how to stay up: Realize that one's beliefs about how the world works will at some point become obsolete. Look for the drivers of change. This could be breakthroughs in technology, new entrants into the startup space, or new ideas about how to run a business. Avoid predicting the future. Instead, look to solve problems. New startups often look unworkable because they are nascent. Test new ideas by how well it solves a problem. Look for people who are good at solving problems. Invest in those who have key insights into the solution. Finally, hang out with those who traffic in new solutions. It's okay to look to the future. Just don't get set on any particular outcome, as it will almost always come out differently. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Pitching Without a Deck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders pitching investors almost always use a pitch deck. It's a convenient way to organize the story. Graphics, charts, and glyphs help tell the story in a short, concise fashion. In some cases, the pitch deck is not available for the pitch. For example, the founder receives an impromptu introduction in the coffee shop. The investor expresses interest, so the founder presents the deal without a deck. The key to pitching without a deck is to focus on the elements that the investor is most interested in. Financial investors want to hear the numbers behind the deal. Cost of the problem, size of the market, revenue and traction, and months to break even are the key numbers. Strategic investors want to hear about the strategy behind the business. The problem to be solved and the uniqueness of the solution the founder has will intrigue them. Business model investors want to hear about multiple revenue streams. This could come from recurring revenue, monetizing data, and applying AI. Impact investors want to hear the positive impact of the business on the community. This could be increasing graduation rates for students, removing plastic bottles from the waste stream, or lifting others out of poverty. Consider the primary interest of the investor in pitching without a deck. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Advantage of Being the Nice Guy Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The investor holds sway over the startup founder since they hold the decision of who to fund. Some investors take advantage of this and treat founders poorly just because they can. It's better to be the nice guy investor. Here's why: The nice guy investor builds relationships rather than burns them. The more positive relationships the investor has, the more founder referrals he will get. The more positive the investor's brand, the more likely other investors will seek him out to syndicate deals. The most successful investors are the ones with the best brand and access to the most deals. As the world increasingly moves fundraising online, the investor's track record with startups becomes more widely known. Through social media, the investor's actions will be made known to more people. With each startup interaction, the investor is building their brand. Make each interaction valuable to the founder. Over time, the interactions will add up, and the investor will gain a reputation for being the nice guy. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Seeing the Future in a Nascent Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups carry with them a glimpse of their potential future. Most companies look small and insignificant in their early days. The challenge for the investor is to see their future and know how to help them achieve their potential. Successful startups have a vision of the future and work to fill in what is missing. It's best to have a nonconsensual view of the world. Success comes when no one knows how the market will develop, and there are many paths it could take. If everyone knows there's a missing piece in the future, then there will be too much competition for any one startup to win the market. In this case, the startup that looks into the future can see what will be needed for it. To be successful, the startup needs to be only directionally right. There will be many pivots and modifications along the way. As an investor, look for the founder's vision of the future and what they see as missing. This informs your decision to align with the founder. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.