How to Raise from a16z and Sequoia Capital? with Wes Kao (Founder of Maven & altMBA)

In this episode, Mark and I talked about why unicorns are not equal success, too much flowing into the capital market, why culture is make or break for your business and how much you should raise.

Denis from Flashpoint discusses venture debt as a lower-risk capital for mature companies with at least $5 million in revenue and strong growth evidence. He emphasizes the importance of unit economics, scalability, and resilient founders, structuring deals with a debt instrument and equity kicker. Denis covers venture capital insights, including deal flow management, board seats, fundraising challenges, and the future of venture growth debt, concluding with reflections on best and worst investments and a question for the next guest about entrepreneurial motivation.

In this podcast episode, Sharon Grewal shares her journey from journalism to entrepreneurship, highlighting the impact of early influences and the transition to startups. She discusses the rise of entrepreneurship, venture capital dynamics, and offers practical advice for bootstrappers and understanding founder exits. Sharon also provides an exclusive look at her book, "The Empathetic Entrepreneur," emphasizing the privilege and fulfillment of doing what you love.

Anton, a laser physicist turned VC at Flashpoint VC, shares his journey from physics to finance, emphasizing the importance of market size, team building, and founder-market fit. He highlights the value of accelerators, data-driven decision-making, and the challenges of down rounds and messy cap tables.

Kevin Van Gundy shares his experiences and insights on tech industry leadership, mentorship, and the nuances of scaling startups, with a focus on SaaS pricing strategies, go-to-market approaches, and the differences between B2B and B2C models. He emphasizes the importance of defining success by impact and iterating based on feedback to build a reliable and scalable B2B SaaS business.

Henrik, a venture capitalist at PlayFair, discusses key aspects of startup investing including the critical importance of solving a meaningful problem, the concept of power law returns in venture capital, and the complexities of portfolio construction. He emphasizes the need for open communication, honest feedback, and specific traits he values in founders such as passion and creativity. Henrik also explores practical challenges in startup and VC fundraising, equity allocation, and the importance of distribution strategies in competitive markets.

David emphasizes the experimental nature of startups and the crucial role of distribution innovation in his journey as a venture capitalist. He discusses the importance of meaningful investment, the strategic considerations related to fund size, and the unique challenges and opportunities in starting a small VC fund.

Elizabeth Yin of Hustle Fund highlights the importance of supporting early-stage founders with capital and knowledge, and utilizing content marketing to enhance deal flow. She delves into venture capital strategies, the advantages of investing in first-time founders, and the dynamics of B2B SaaS investments and startup evaluations.

Somi discusses her entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of scalable business models and understanding market demand, particularly in the SaaS sector. She explores effective strategies for building a strong network of VCs and LPs, and underscores the importance of customer focus in diverse business verticals. Additionally, she highlights the significance of personal branding and supporting female founders in the venture capital landscape.

Pearse Coyle highlights the importance of market discovery, proper evaluation using a standardized scorecard, and the complexities of cap tables in university spinouts. He emphasizes the challenges of building a strong founding team and tracking startup traction, particularly in the deep tech sector.

Aaron Michel, a venture capitalist, underscores the essence of quick learning and iteration for startups, emphasizing the search for product-market fit and the strategic value of pivoting. He shares insights from his journey from founder to VC, detailing the support VCs offer to startups, particularly in early-stage investments in software-driven innovations within legacy sectors. Michel also critiques the venture capital industry's focus on hype, advocating for a contrarian approach to investment.

Eva Dobrzanska discusses startup fundraising, focusing on creating impactful pitch decks, understanding VC risks, and the importance of market validation. She offers insights on valuation, cap table nuances, and the keys to successful fundraising.

Jeff Crusey, a venture capitalist, highlights the importance of industry expertise in deep tech investing and a 7% investment thesis. He discusses challenges in hard tech launches, views on post-money SAFEs, venture studios, and accelerators, and stresses founder chemistry and clear pitch decks. Crusey also questions the future of quantum computing.

Francesco Perticarari emphasizes the significance of founder-led funds, the critical role of the team in deep tech startups, and the importance of sustainable business models over chasing unicorn status. He discusses the rise of deep tech, the challenges in scaling hardware startups, and the potential of AI and quantum computing in advancing technology.

Sam Marchant shares insights from transitioning from sports science to startups, detailing challenges in the CPG industry, and discussing the evolving VC landscape, emphasizing the impact of early entrepreneurship exposure.

Alyona Mysko combines her passion for finance and her background in economics to develop an accessible financial management product, driven by high demand and the company's evolution from services to product creation.

Daniel Priestley emphasizes the significance of demand generation, personal branding, and strategic decision-making in building successful, scalable businesses, while also highlighting the role of perseverance, the potential of AI-enabled ventures, and the importance of preparing the next generation for an AI-driven future.

Peter Walker discusses the intricacies of startup funding, emphasizing the importance of equity distribution, funding rounds, and the evolving landscape of venture capital and AI. He highlights the significance of adapting to market conditions, the potential of hard sciences, and the need for changes in the venture capital structure to support founders.

Jenny Fielding emphasizes the importance of resilience, vision, and responsiveness in founders for venture capital success, highlighting the unique collaborative structure of Everywhere Ventures and the need for a future-focused, well-rounded education amidst the challenges of 2023.

Preston Rutherford shares his entrepreneurial journey with Chubbies and Loop Returns, emphasizing personal experiences, the importance of branding beyond aesthetics, and the value of co-founder dynamics, culture, and lessons from the SaaS industry for CPG businesses.

Jason Kirby shares his entrepreneurial experiences and insights on venture capital, emphasizing the need for founders to assess if their business is venture backable, explore funding options, and understand the strategies and implications of growth stage investing.

Kip Knight emphasizes the significance of trust and consistency in branding, the role of founders in brand building, and strategic brand development for startups, also discussing his investment strategy and the evolving landscape of venture capital and marketing.

Seth Yakatan discusses the Theranos saga, emphasizing the critical evaluation of visionary leaders, the role of media, and the significance of cohorts in entrepreneurship, while questioning the teachability of entrepreneurial skills.

Raymond Luke discusses the intricacies of fundraising, emphasizing critical thinking in advice consumption, the nuances of venture studios versus venture capital, and the evolving role of AI in entrepreneurial finance.

Katie Dunn, transitioning from commercial real estate to angel investing, advocates for diversity in startups and underscores the importance of clear pitching, founder evaluation, and financial literacy in successful angel investments.

Shaler Houser, a serial CEO, discusses his entrepreneurial journey and the importance of financial literacy, meaningful investor relationships, and company culture in successfully raising capital and scaling companies.

Mike Beckham, co-founder of Simple Modern, emphasizes the significance of impact, culture, and purpose in creating a successful brand, advocating for positive customer experiences and meaningful life pursuits.

Esther provides transparent, founder-centric insights drawing from her extensive experience in finance, commodities, angel investing, and running her own venture capital firm. A wealth of practical knowledge for any startup founder.

Recruiting expert Lecia discusses strategies for hiring A-players, structuring compensation packages, and attracting top talent to startups with limited budgets. She shares insights on evaluating candidates, remote hiring, and why hiring is always a bit of a bet.

Dan provides an inside look at VC investing, explaining why it's like gambling and the brutal power law dynamics. He advises founders on crucial term sheet details, building their personal brand, raising the right amounts, and more.

Bootstrapping to a $150M exit or raising VC money? Serial founder Matt Watson weighs the pros and cons of each approach to startup funding based on his 20+ years of experience.

Learn the keys to scaling your startup from $1 million to $100 million and beyond with investor and mentor Jeremy Barr. In this episode, Jeremy explains what it takes to build a $100M company, the major differences between running a $1M vs $100M vs $1B business, and what investors really look for in startup founders.

Miguel Fernandez, co-founder and CEO of Capchase, shares his journey from starting failed startups to building a future unicorn. He provides valuable insights on executing well, finding product-market fit, building culture, and more.

In this unfiltered video interview, serial entrepreneur Seth Yakatan shares open and honest lessons from his 20+ year career starting, investing in, and exiting companies.

In this episode I had the previlige of sitting down with a great mind of our century. Greg Larkin, founder of Punks & Pinstripes, shares his fascinating career journey from Wall Street finance executive to startup founder and community builder for midlife entrepreneurs.

In this episode, Ihar Mahaniok shares his journey as an immigrant founder and investor. Ihar provides invaluable advice for immigrant founders looking to break into the US startup ecosystem. He explains how his fund GeekVentures helps founders become fully embedded by introducing them to investors and helping them communicate effectively.

Sardor Akhmedov's Life Story with Prodcircle!! What is the Fuel of Company Growth? Sardor shares how he was able to build an 8-figure agency business after starting businesses from a young age.

In this episode, Pete and I chatted about building great companies, starting out with just an idea, investing in the companies. what makes a great founder, and what investors look for in any business when they invest.

This is by far the most interesting episode we have recorded on the show. I had the previlige of sitting down with a great mind of this century, Alistair Croll. Alistair is a serial entrepreneur, event organizer, and bestselling author who works at the intersection of technology and society.

In this episode we talked about finding the purpose behind the starting a company, how to build a team that lasts tougher times, what does profitability means, and so much more.

In this episode of Prodcircle, we talked everything about entrepreneurship. How to build a team, how to raise funds, build a company, mistakes founder make and a lot more.

In this episode of Prodcircle, we delve deeper into the world of brand building. Chase Friedman, who is a founder of Vanquish media has a vision to help companies 'Profit with Purpose'. We talked about the Golden Circle of Why, why most companies suck at marketing, the reason behind buying from bigger brands and a lot more.

In this episode of Prodcircle, we delve deeper into the psychology of building a great founding team and startups. We also discussed what is a co-founder fit and why it's so important to find the right team member for your startup early on. Stephen was kind enough to share all the amazing tools they use to find the right team member.

In this episode of Prodcircle, we dive deep into the concept of how to manage your money. Bryan is an experienced wealth management consultant for the top 1% around the globe but he has seen a lot of people making the same mistake when it comes to investment.

In this episode of Prodcircle, we dive deep into the power of finding purpose in life, optimizing for fulfillment, and building a business around your life, not the other way around. This week it was a special collaboration episode with the founder of NextLevelUniversity Kevin Palmieri, who with his co-host, runs the Next Level University podcast.

In this episode of Prodcircle, we dive deep into the power of storytelling, creating exceptional content, and the importance of personal branding with the founder of Goodman Lantern, Raj Anand.

Episode 7: with Richard Phu In this episode of Prodcircle, Richard Phu shares some insightful moments and key ideas that can help entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of business. One of the top moments discussed is the importance of tailoring your approach and not giving up easily.

Episode 6: With Andres Klaric. In this week’s episode, I had an amazing conversation with the brilliant Andres Klaric – Founder of Fuse Finance, where we unveiled the intricacies of finance. We explored topics that will make your finance-loving heart skip a beat!

Episode 5: with Artemis Doupa In this episode of Prodcircle with Mudassir Mustafa, I had the pleasure of speaking with Artemis Doupa, who shared insights from her book “Design and Grow” on building a sustainable and successful business.

Episode 4: Delynn Miller is a Health and Mindset Coach with a decade’s experience in direct coaching and healing. Together with her husband, Dave Miller, they founded the Pursuit Institute, a platform for helping entrepreneurs and others shift their mindset blocks.

Episode 3: Ben Yoskovitz is an entrepreneur from Canada who has seen immense success as an entrepreneur during his earlier. His first startup was acquired within a few years of working. In his later roles, his company got acquired by Salesforce.

Episode 2: Brandie left her home almost 20 years ago. He came to Saudi Arabia thinking that would change her life, and it did. In every way. She is the founder of Kingdom Creatives and runs a very successful design consultancy in Riyadh.

Episode 1: On our first podcast, we have a very interesting guest today. Originally from Bulgaria but living a very successful and happy life in London for more than 20 years now. Peter Simenov is the CEO of SmartMigrator which offers cloud migration services making cloud migration seamless and cost-effective