NEVER Say This To An Investor [9 Things]
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- Опубликовано: 7 июн 2024
- In this video, we’re going to look at what you should never say to an investor. Things that will make them walk away - investment killing statements!
We have a full team of experienced investors that have done hundreds of investments each and said no to even more investments. We did a big brainstorm and then voted to find the worst walk-away statements and made a list of the Top 9 worst statements!
Make sure you watch the video so you don’t lose an investment because of something that is in this video.
The investor panel is:
Olga Maslikhova, General Partner, Mercer Ventures and Angel investor
Suranga Chandratillake, General Partner at Balderton Capital
Paul St John, Angel Investor Ex-Github
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#Investors #AngelInvestors #VentureCapital #Startup
0:00 Introduction
0:47 I AM A SOLE FOUNDER, I DON'T NEED A STRONG TEAM
1:31 MY FOUNDERS AND I JUST MET A FEW MONTHS AGO
3:12 THIS IS A QUICK FLIP, WE WILL HAVE SOLD THE COMPANY WITHIN 2 YEARS
5:02 WE ARE CLOSING THE ROUND NEXT WEEK AND HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST FROM OTHER INVESTORS
6:25 YOU NEED TO SIGN AN NDA
7:57 THE PRODUCT CAN SELL ITSELF, WE DON'T NEED A SALES TEAM
10:14 WE JUST NEED YOUR MONEY AND WE'RE READY TO GO
13:01 WE HAVE NO COMPETITION
14:02 THINGS THAT ARE NOT TRUE
Having been involved in startups as a designer, developer, and most recently, an investor, I have to say that this is the best list of its kind that I've come across.
Thanks, glad you liked it!
100% Agree with your statement. This is simply the most honest and to the point introduction for anyone involved or about to get involved in the process.
I love the story about the Swiss Mathematicians who were resourceful enough to sneak into America via Mexico - that's exactly my plan if I had to go to America during the Convid era.
I appreciate the insight. As an Inventor/ Founder, this is very valuable. Let's build a new future together with trust and confidence!
Seem like I’m ticking all these boxes, now I’m more confident than ever, thank you for this video!
You can do it! Thank you!
As a presentation designer I am always looking for insight on how an audience perceives what is being said to them, on that topic this video is pure gold! Thank you so much for putting together this team of investors to share their experiences with startups.
Great, glad it was helpful!
Tell me more about you presentation design Rick
This is by far the best quality content I have ever seen in my business and my entire life....thank you so much ❤️ this is priceless stuff
Big words, thank you very much it is greatly appreciated.
Really awesome video! Great to hear directly from actual investors what they think. Nothing surprising here but I'd underline the "quick flip" advice - investors are looking for companies that can become HUGE and the founders are in it for the long game. So while most investors are probably looking to get their money back with 10-100x multiplier after 5-7 years, a founder who thinks they'll make a quick exit after 2-3 years doesn't sound committed to building something big.
Thanks man. You are on it! We are about to go live with our software and looking forward to raising money from invertors. This video will help out tons. Thanks
Great, glad it was helpful!
Excellent video, Thank you!! 🙏
Thank you for putting this together. For a new entrepreneur, this is gold!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for these really excellent videos. I have been planning for the coming year and investigating this topic was on my 'todo' list. Your content really helped to bring things into focus. These are all elegant in the sense that they express what is necessary and sufficient as simply and clearly as possible. Very nice work!
Thank you very much, very pleased that I can help!
Great video, more importantly we shouldn't say these to ourselves, before we have a chance to say them to an investor.
Thanks, true!
Really insightful content and perspectves , definitely a gold standard for both startups and young investors alike...Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Love this take away from the video, "the winners are defined by the people who go the distance."
Thanks, pretty much
We run a social trading fund and actively source capital from investors for us to trade, and I must say, this video is still applicable in the same sense of our industry and form of sourcing capital. Great video, great people. Will be very handy to show to the sales team!!
Great thanks
Talking about that how do you maneuver through a situation where by the people who needs investment have no funds to carry out the feasibility study... But on the group the project looks attractive.... Should you just shut down the project or give it a chance
Excellent. thank you!!!
Welcome, very glad you liked it!
#3... the part about being resourceful is everything.
Yes, #3 can really mess up things!
Good video. My company is currently trying to find a $25 million investment. This input is useful.
Great glad to be of help!
Same here exactly $25M but 4Mil to begin with would do and our ROI looks promising. Excellent team as well.
This is a fantastic video. Thank you.
Thanks, glad it was helpful!
very useful this video, i think every newbie in startup would to watch this.
thanks for share
Thanks, very glad it was helpful!
thank you for this sir, much appreciated.
You are very welcome
Thanks for this!
My pleasure!
A lot of these thankfully felt like basic common sense to me yet videos like these help me see that investors are people with needs and feelings just like us innovators. Putting myself in their potential shoes makes me feel a bit empathetic for all the different types of people they likely have to navigate and manage. “I just need a check and we’re ready to go!!” Jeez … seriously?!! I’d hate to see all of what is slipping into your DM’s! 🤣
Yes very often it is just common sense, but we still need to be reminded 😎
I’ve been watching you for 3 years now, thanks 🙏
Thank you for staying with me!
Thank you for this helpful content. I believe I lost an investors interest when asking for too little of an investment. My tech start up didn't require a lot of start up capital,so I thought. So, the investor was turned off because he was seeking to invest in companies with a minimum of 1 M. I was only asking for 50k. Oh snd yes,I always would ask my attorney,patent search person,tech developer and investors to sign an NDA and a non-compete agreement. Thanks for the lesson.
Question, I get money twice a year. Like 40k . I need to more if I could request more money before my time frame...???
We had the hardest time being a unique niche startup so no investor wants to consider the company. This video helped us alot
Great, glad to be of help!
Thank you for sharing this information
I love this video!! And the fact that one of the investors are comp sci!! -Fellow (biochemical) scientist. thank you for the gems!
Glad it was helpful, I didn't know that, but I'm guessing Suranga!
Great content, you are helping me a lot!
Happy to help!
That Suranga dude was great. I really enjoyed his insights. Yup, I can't define what overselling is but I can recognize when I see it (theranos is the obvious examples, but there are plenty that involve abused words like AI or blockchain).
Thanks yes total rock star along with the rest of the dream team panel! Agree with you a lot of people that are pushing the boundaries!
Heini, thank you for the great resources you are adding here.
I am left to ask: what is/are your motivation to create this content?
Thanks, glad you like it! It is about giving back to the Startup community that has given me so much. It is really gratifying to do actually. Maybe someday I can also leverage what I've built here, not sure how though.
This might be one of your best videos Heini! Super practical, easy to follow, and really like the style with you intro'ing and then input from the angels! Well done 👏👏
Thanks really appreciate that, I agree came out really good. Dream Team panel obviously!
Yes, very nice formula! Congratulations!
And thank you!!
@@RawStartup Hi I have a mobile application platform for investors and entrepreneurs.... I was wondering if you would allow us to post your content on our mobile application platform.. And also address our audience because your knowledge is outstanding. People can even pay for it where I come from..
Yes this is great stuff
5:28
Lifelong relationships over a one night stand 😅😅💯. Putting a VC on pressure when you've barely gotten past the first meeting is a turnoff
Words of Wisdom!
#6 is an interesting one, how does it work with creating fomo as mentioned in some of your other videos?
The video was helpful as I'm in the process of looking for investors I noted everything thank u
Perfect! Glad it was helpful!
Great video. I find the whole "We won't sign an NDA" thing interesting. Being involved in the entertainment industry and having a law firm represent me, they are 1000% dead set adamant on us not opening our mouths or showing ANYTHING to ANYONE without an NDA signed. Which is 100% against the convictions the investors in this video expressed.
I think that's because that's more of a creativity world that's easy to copy when you hear the idea. I can freely share some of my ideas and good luck trying to build it without me.
I think a lot of the so-called investors are too amateurish.
It’s amateur behavior not to protect IP and it’s very amateur to expect creators (including tech founders) not to take their IP protection seriously.
Any serious investor should appreciate a founder being professional and responsible enough to want an NDA.
The investor refusal for the NDA, speaks more about the investor than the founder.
Most investors are not a good fit.
thank you
You are very welcome!
This was very good, Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great advice. Thank you.
Thanks, glad it was useful.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Thank you so much for this.
You are very welcome!
Wow, Thank you!
Very welcome, glad it was helpful!
I have been involved in a start up that has spent 3 years in research and development. We are creating a new sport, and have the concept of the product and are working with a few companies to establish a prototype and production costs. We are almost ready with financials to start pitching to investors! So thank you for the information we have already discovered,but hearing them all together was a great reminder as I start putting together the pitch!💯🔥😎
Great content brother, really insightful
Much appreciated
Thanks!
Welcome glad it was helpful
Hey Heini! I love your content! Can you do a video on how to introduce yourself to an angel investor? Especially if you are a young guy trying to build a startup.
Thanks, I would say this video includes a lot of that: ruclips.net/video/LxlPWAbDgCc/видео.html
The video is on point speaks volumes and well highlighted, you made it worthwhile to learn from your vast knowledge and gave practical stories of people and places where it has happened big and investors backed the idea and everyone was happy in the long run.
Thanks, very glad you liked it!
Am in Zambia and there is a good business environment here due to the changes in government officials, how can I link up with investors..?
We hope to get an investor for our marketplace. We’re at the beta phase and everything is looking good. Good information
Fingers crossed!
Great video, thank you
Glad you liked it!
Great :) . It helps me for the next step.
Fantastic, glad to be of help!
Very educational
Thanks very pleased that it was helpful!
Awesome video
I would add, raising money for money
Having in co-founders or among investors persons with reputational risk
Thanks!
Excellent video
Wow great insights. Thanks.
Thanks glad you liked it
Briliant insight.
Looking into investment for my second product and first attempt at starting a company. Found this useful but a little sobering as I don't have any friends (New-ish to the country and busy working the day job + this product of mine).
No investment they make is perfect, nobody has everything they want just go for it and good luck!
Outstanding video.
Thank you very much!
Great video to watch. Would love to find an investor to work on a big property with me. Renovating it and then living on site whilst running a retreat. Investor invests, I do the work and manage when habitable
Great video, but I have question, they said don’t make investors sign NDA, but during the pitch deck I have to show them my financial statements and future plans, what guarantee that share them with competitors if they already invested their, agreements protect everyone even between partners.
Thanks that is just a risk you have to take, please take a look at my video on ideas ruclips.net/video/e3o4Kczx_4Y/видео.html
I suspect to have been a victim of NDA. Thanks for the heads up
This is great advice!!
Thanks, glad you liked it!
I am a sole founder I'm ready to go it alone,
And I hired my team only a single day ago,
I'll build up quick,
For a speedy flip,
But were closing in an hour so I need your okay to go.
It's not that I don't trust you but please sign this NDA,
My idea is so wonderful it'll really make your day,
We don't need a sales team,
Our product it does scream,
All we need is your money and we'll be on our way.
There is no chance of competition,
So brilliant there can't be repetition,
We've made fusion in a cube,
And cured cancer too,
Now we're onto warp speed awaiting extradition.
What can I say, that is EXACTLY what they are looking for, where do we sign?
I really love your style of everything
Big words, thank you very much!
This is so helpful. Getting ready to raise for my second venture, but this time it’s to purchase an existing company. The founder passed away a couple years ago and it’s been running on cruise control since. Revenue is down drastically, but they have 20 years of solid numbers before she passed. I’ve never heard a personal story of someone raising to buy an established company that needs someone to step in, and am wondering what this perspective might look like to investors?
Thanks sorry to hear about the founder. I think you most likely look for a different investor that a VC, more like someone who is looking for a good steady business.
@@RawStartup thank you
REALLY GOOD!
Thanks glad you liked it!
nice points
Thanks, glad it was helpful!
QUESTION: What if we have a great idea, a location to start with, all the suppliers we need and where to get the employee base, all that, but haven't even gotten our first business loan or anything? We need help with start up costs to get the business going, more than anything else. Do Angel Investors ever get in on the ground floor of a business venture?
Hello, thanks for posting your tips. Stupid question: Is "startup" synonymous with "app idea"? I cannot find any advice for pitching any other type of idea. Thanks.
Take a look at this video ruclips.net/video/8Pi-FVQ0RL8/видео.html
Generally investors don't invest in ideas, you have to build something.
@@RawStartup Thanks. It is definitely a startup, far along with r+d etc, but I am probably not the one to do the startup part.
Brilliant, where was this 10 years ago for first pitch....
Yeah that is why I started the channel 😎
I got it 🙌🙏 Thanks
Good 🙏😎
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Hello, fantastic video! I would love to ask you guys about 1 thing. I with my colleagues are preparing a lot of information and strategy before starting investment meetings and the thing is we believe we have very beautiful and strong strategy which could lead us into multi million if not billion worths company in game market, the thing is we do not have a specific product which we can present, but we have some IPs from small developers with which we want to work on. So my question is: is it possible to achieve positive results if we have strong strategy and vision without ready product/prototype product?
Thanks I'm sure there are exceptions, but I would say usually not. Investors will most likely look for a product with a strategy that they like and can invest in.
Guys if youre investing in film (intelectual property) an NDA is a must.
Games, too. In fact my lawyers would tear my hair out if I went into one of these meetings without an NDA.
I can guarantee you non of these guys invest in films.
what is an NDA?
Awesome
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Worst Said by one of my start up founding partner " We've never made mistakes or lost before".
We kept loosing investors because of this statement
hmm yes, that might not be a good idea to say.
I just got roasted at the incubator we are at. This and other content you have posted has helped correct most if not all my errors. This is is great. I might have fallen in to trap #4 as I like to play hardball, and #8 also. We admit having indirect competition, but in a way that may come off as dismissive. I will tweak what we say... Very much obliged :)
Yesterday I was pitched the genuinely worst startup pitch I have ever heard. It started off well but when we asked about why he wanted to be a founder, he said that it was because life got flipped, turned upside-down, and I'd like to take a minute - just sit right there - and I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air. In West Philadelphia born and raised. In the playground was where I spent most of my days. Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool, shooting some b-ball outside of the school. Then a couple of guys who were up to no good started making trouble in my neighborhood! I got in one little fight and my mom got scared. Mom she said, "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air"
Hmm story sounds familiar.
I've got lost and entered into a depression-like state due to a lot of otherthinking.
Thanks to this video, I've managed to get back on the trails, appreciate it a lot!
Still I've got a minor dump...
How do I find people to invest in a country like Moldova?
Yes overthinking really doesn't help. Some places are harder than others when it comes to investors. Build something amazing and they will come.
The NDA thing is interesting. How much time does it take to sign one. It's like their saying feel good about your idea but not to good. The guy even said it's multiple people with the same ideas. Wouldn't that make more sense to keep details that would separate your product private. Are they waiting for a better pitch of the same product to come along so they can use the previous people's ideas? The whole idea is a contridiction.
There are many reasons why NDA's in almost all cases are a bad idea, but it is not about how long it takes to sign one. Please check out this video: ruclips.net/video/e3o4Kczx_4Y/видео.html
@Raw Startup Wow, makes perfect sense and I have a lot to learn. Thanks for the reply and you've earned my sub👍
What if the business you need investors for is something you just wanted to do...but everything you went thur in life made this moment an business...unforgettable an endless...it's your life lessons...so to say...
Would it be effective to explosure a role for the investor(other than giving money) , that they could handle, like an advisor position about strategies and such. Having a seat empty, that will be filled by the investor not to make the project work but to make it work better with the superpower(which is not the money only) of investor, would that sound good or will it feel weak to need such a thing ?
As an advisor I would say yes, as a full time employee usually not.
Every Startup must see this video.
Thank you for the kind words!
@@RawStartup I need your help. Can we have screen sharing call?
I'm watching this and realize we've not only avoided all the mistakes outlined but also are deeply on the tracks each seems to go for. It reminds me of that line in Dumb and Dumber.. "so you're saying I have a chance". lol.
Great and yes of course you have a chance!
What are thoughts on siblings as co-founders?
I need a co-founder and strong team, but also an investor. I don't have others near me that would be good for cofounders, so I would need to meet one. How long should new people work together before approaching investors?
I don't think there is a firm rule, but usually the longer the better.
Pure gold.
Thanks!
Thank you, everyone!
Love it
Thanks!
Trust, competition, and feedback
Thanks
Hi Heini...how do i find a co founder ??? if i am technically competant and have my mvp...but i dont have a CEO or business development team...how do u find these people starting out ?
Thanks I would use similar strategies as when looking for a tech co-founder. Please check my How to find a Co-Founder video: ruclips.net/video/dSZEGrgkZVI/видео.html I would look at business schools and see if you find somebody.
Came across this while searching for small business grants,.
These are great tips, Thank you
Thank you, very glad it was helpful!
Brillant!
Thanks, glad you liked it!
I just want to add that sometimes, there is an urgency of funds, and dillydallying by the Invetsor sucks.
True, that can be painful.
"All I know is that I know nothing"
Socrates
A very smart man!
How does a rookie like myself find investors to pitch my idea to?
Thanks, good question, I think this video could help you: ruclips.net/video/LxlPWAbDgCc/видео.html
hi sir do u hace any video on how to compute their investwd fund in monthly and in yearly?
I don't think so but not 100% sure I understand the question
@@RawStartup sorry. Iam asking sir if you have already uploaded a video on how to give your investor or business partner a percentage of return of their invested mone in monthly basis or yearly basis.
@@teacherkath7974 not yet, but usually you give them equity meaning a part of the company
@@heinizach how will i know the right amount of equity for them? should i gave them 40% on yearly basis?
Nope about 20% every round you make
The credentials of these investors should be taken into consideration.
May I know where have these investors invested in?
A lot, Suranga is a partner at Balderton Capital and they've literally invested in hundreds of companies.
Hey Heini! Loving your content with Raw Startup, thanks for sharing all your learnings! Would love some feedback on an MVP I am working on currently, if you have ten minutes one day! :)
Thanks, very glad you like it!
Looking for invister for great project in bali
Good luck!
Would the investors be interested in investing in Emerging markets in Africa and in Agric sector in Nigeria ?
It really depends on the investor. Generally find local investors and usually agric is a totally different type of investor.
like that story of the mathematicians funny.
Yes fantastic