Episode Summary
Andrew Medal has a remarkable story on how he went from a prison inmate to becoming a serial entrepreneur. He talks to John about how he became an Entrepreneur magazine contributor, his charity work with Last Mile, and shares some insightful tips on how entrepreneurs can get investor interest without any experience or a working prototype.
Key Takeaways
- 02:15 - Andrew talks about how he got his job working for an angel investment firm.
- 05:20 - What's considered a great pitch versus a bad one?
- 09:10 - Andrew talks about the charity project he's involved with called Last Mile.
- 16:35 - Mistakes are an important part of an entrepreneur's journey. Don't give up on taking chances and risks.
- 21:30 - How can entrepreneurs raise money without a working prototype?
- 28:30 - Andrew recommends people read The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Tweetables
Paint a picture to #investors. Become the #Picasso of Pitches.
Just because you've made a mistake, doesn't mean you should stop dreaming.
Links Mentioned
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Episode Summary
In today’s episode of The Successful Pitch, John Livesay features Eva Ho, the co-founder of Susa Ventures on to give her thoughts on staying true to your focus, being part of an entrepreneurial team and where to find your inspiration. As a member of a small company later taken over by Google (Applied Semantics), she also gives some great insight into what it’s like to have your company bought by an Internet giant, yet still retaining the original family feeling.
Key Takeaways
- 00.14 - John Livesay gives a bit of background information on today’s guest, Eva Ho.
- 03.09 - Regardless of your beginnings, having the drive and ability to network can change everything.
- 04.54 - It’s not just business anymore; try to connect with your clients on a personal level.
- 07.25 - Marketing styles: How important is having a personal brand?
- 10.39 - Conveying your true passion should be a key aim of any pitch you do.
- 12.31 - Being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean going it alone.
- 15.07 - What does having Google buy your company feel like?
- 16.41 - If you do eventually want to sell, ask your investors for help, guidance and their expertise.
- 19.59 - Pre-Google and post-Google: The impact on a small company.
- 21.22 - Changing jobs and seeing the situation from the other side.
- 23.20 - Advice for making a good impression and getting an appointment.
- 26.53 - Eva Ho talks about how to find authenticity and inspiration through certain books.
- 28.10 - Get the know-how, and being a woman can really be an advantage in the tech world.
- 29.27 - Get in touch with Eva Ho via email (eva@susaventures.com) or Twitter @eva_ho
Tweetables
You can fake a lot, but you can’t fake passion.
Be prepared: due diligence starts before you’re even through the door.
Investors aren’t interested in hearing about your exit strategy.
Going over to Google was an extension of our family. How can you scale yourself?
Links Mentioned
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries [book]
Zero to One by Peter Thiel [book]
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Episode Summary
John introduces Judy Robinett to the Successful Pitch show. Judy Robinett is the author of How to Be a Power Connector as well as a consultant for business professionals and entrepreneurs. Judy talks about common mistakes entrepreneurs and startups make when pitching their idea to an investor, how to prepare for a due diligence check, how to expand your network, and much more on today's show.
Key Takeaways
- 01:30 - Judy talks about her background and experience.
- 04:35 - There's 7 billion people out there and 369 trillion in global private wealth – there's no lack of wealth.
- 07:45 - Investors are paying more attention to your character than to your idea. Are you honest?
- 11:45 - Some angels are devils just like some ventures are vultures.
- 17:30 - Judy talks about some of the advisory boards she's apart of.
- 24:30 - It takes three pivots on average to really nail a business.
- 28:00 - Ask an angel after you finish your pitch, “What other ideas do you have for me and who do you think I should talk to?”
- 31:10 - Share your story and never ask for money initially. Surround yourself with advisers first.
- 34:30 - Talk to strangers!
Tweetables
Old school networking is dead. Used to be who you knew and what you knew, now it's who knows you.
Research shows that if you've been raised in a lower-middle class family, we're taught not to ask!
We talk to strangers 2-3% of the time, important people in your life were a stranger at some point!
Links Mentioned
How to Be a Power Connector by Judy Robinett
Illuminate Ventures
Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
Judy's Bonus Content
As you heard during the interview, Judy was incredibly generous with a whole list of attachments. I've made the files she mentioned available by simply clicking here to download.
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Episode Summary
John Livesay invites Charlene Miller to the Successful Pitch today to talk about some of the key things investors look for in a company. Charlene has an impressive track record and is famously known for raising a million dollars in 90 days. In fact, she can raise a million a lot faster these days as she's gotten better and more efficient at her job. On today's show, Charlene talks about the importance of connections, the people behind the team, and the concept of good and bad money.
Key Takeaways
- 06:22 – Charlene talks about the company she raised a million dollars for in 90 days.
- 11:45 – Forget about the idea, focus on being committed to your business first.
- 19:30 – Don't do a pitch without talking to Charlene.
- 26:00 – In life you have to have a sense of humor. If you don't, then check out early!
- 30:00 – The MamaBear company already came with a full team and Charlene was easily able to raise $2 million in funds for the company.
Tweetables
They're selling you as much as you're selling yourself. It's not a 1-way street.
People invest in people, they don't invest in ideas.
Links Mentioned
http://www.globaldirectors.com
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The Successful Pitch interviews successful startups who share their secrets in raising funding, as well as investors who share their criteria, so that you become an insider into the world of getting funded. Join your host, author and funding strategist John Livesay as he provides insights on how to make your pitch compelling, easy to understand and inspiring. You will learn the 5 Cs needed to get funded fast: Confidence, Connection, Commitment, Collaboration and Check List. You can download the FREE PDF "3 Mistakes To Avoid When Pitching" at http://sellingsecretsforfunding.com