Next Round Ready

In this episode, we break down how founders can use content to drive sales — even if they've never sold anything before. The episode covers a 3-step framework for creating content that primes prospects, builds trust, and ultimately moves them to buy. Key Topics Why founders struggle with sales — Most technical founders have no sales experience and have never taken a sales course. The host shares h...

In this episode, we break down how founders can use content to drive sales — even if they've never sold anything before. The episode covers a 3-step framework for creating content that primes prospects, builds trust, and ultimately moves them to buy. K...

Looking for podcasts that help founders build fundability before raising money? Next Round Ready's episode with Damian Murray of Hearst Level Up Ventures breaks down what makes a founder stand out to investors and what makes them pass. Host Chris and Damian discuss green flags such as resourcefulness and relationship building, plus red flags that kill deals, including incessant name-dropping a...

Hey everyone, Chris here. This week I sit down with Damian Murray from Hearst Level Up Ventures to break down what really makes a founder stand out — and what makes an investor pass. We get into the green flags I look for, like resourcefulness and rela...

Two Seattle-area startups are making the same quiet bet: the most valuable job for AI right now isn't creating something new, it's the follow-through humans hate doing. This episode covers Devplan, whose AI agents chase down project status before anyone has to ask, and KredosAI, whose AI chases overdue payments without ever sounding like a collections call. Real founders, real funding, real number...

Two Seattle-area startups are making the same quiet bet: the most valuable job for AI right now isn't creating something new, it's the follow-through humans hate doing. This episode covers Devplan, whose AI agents chase down project status before anyon...

Building your own waitlist is a great way to ensure that the market likes your product. If you can get people to join a waitlist and give you their name, email, and even pay you, that means that you can build to product-market fit a lot faster. In this episode we're going to break down exactly how founders in different sectors can use waitlists to build product-market fit. 0:00 Why Waitlist Strate...

Building your own waitlist is a great way to ensure that the market likes your product. If you can get people to join a waitlist and give you their name, email, and even pay you, that means that you can build to product-market fit a lot faster. In this...

Chris breaks down how leading companies built massive brands through content strategy rather than ad spend. The episode covers three case studies and makes the case for why founders should prioritize content creation from day one. Complete the Fundability Assessment: https://raise.nextroundready.vc https://instagram.com/nextroundvc https://linkedin.com/in/thecoachchris   Introduction & Fundabi...

Chris breaks down how leading companies built massive brands through content strategy rather than ad spend. The episode covers three case studies and makes the case for why founders should prioritize content creation from day one. Complete the Fundabil...

In this solo episode, Chris breaks down the content-driven fundraising blueprint for pre-seed and seed founders. Drawing from two years of investor interviews and his work as a scout for multiple VC firms, he explains why fundraising is really about relationships — and why those relationships start the moment an investor can find you online, not when you open a data room. Complete the Fundability...

In this solo episode, Chris breaks down the content-driven fundraising blueprint for pre-seed and seed founders. Drawing from two years of investor interviews and his work as a scout for multiple VC firms, he explains why fundraising is really about re...

Sarah Romanko, an investor at Geek Ventures, shares her unconventional journey from real estate to venture capital — a path that involved leaving a stable job, moving back home with her parents, and taking a leap with no Plan B. She and host Chris Hines dive deep into how VCs are using AI tools like Claude to automate workflows, what green flags she looks for in founders, why asking for an NDA is...

Sarah Romanko, an investor at Geek Ventures, shares her unconventional journey from real estate to venture capital — a path that involved leaving a stable job, moving back home with her parents, and taking a leap with no Plan B. She and host Chris Hine...

Chris sits down with Marcos Gonzalez, founding partner of Vamos Ventures, to pull back the curtain on what it's really like to run a venture capital fund. Marcos shares why being a VC is less about writing checks and more about building a business — from fundraising and compliance to team development and strategy. He breaks down exactly what separates the 5% of founders who get a yes from the 95%...

Chris sits down with Marcos Gonzalez, founding partner of Vamos Ventures, to pull back the curtain on what it's really like to run a venture capital fund. Marcos shares why being a VC is less about writing checks and more about building a business — fr...

In this episode, host Chris sits down with Adam Spector — four-time founder, 200+ startup investor, and CEO of Chore — to talk about the future of money, what it really means to build a startup, and why founders are their own worst enemy. Adam Spector , Founder & CEO of Chore , a back-office operations service that handles HR, finance, and compliance so founders can focus on growth. Adam has m...

In this episode, host Chris sits down with Adam Spector — four-time founder, 200+ startup investor, and CEO of Chore — to talk about the future of money, what it really means to build a startup, and why founders are their own worst enemy. Adam Spector,...

Explore Matt Wilson’s transition from entrepreneur to investor, his key pivots, and lessons learned along the way. Discover how his diverse experiences and continuous learning shape his approach to venture funding and founder support. 00:00 - Introduction to Matt Wilson and his investor journey 00:14 - Early entrepreneurial ventures, from CDs to candy sales 00:48 - Transitioning from founder to ac...

Explore Matt Wilson’s transition from entrepreneur to investor, his key pivots, and lessons learned along the way. Discover how his diverse experiences and continuous learning shape his approach to venture funding and founder support. 00:00 - Introduct...

Building Diversity and Visibility in Venture Capital: An Inside Look with Henri Pierre-Jacques of Harlem CapitalIn this episode, Henri Pierre-Jacques shares how Harlem Capital is shaping the future of venture investing through strategic content, inclusive hiring, and unique founder selection. Discover how their focus on visibility, authentic storytelling, and long-term relationships is redefining...

Building Diversity and Visibility in Venture Capital: An Inside Look with Henri Pierre-Jacques of Harlem CapitalIn this episode, Henri Pierre-Jacques shares how Harlem Capital is shaping the future of venture investing through strategic content, inclus...

Title: Rethinking Venture: New Paths for Success and Funding InnovationDiscover how the traditional venture capital model is evolving and explore alternative funding options that align with diverse definitions of success. Ethan from Palafox Ventures shares insights into the future of startup financing, including emerging asset classes and the importance of founders defining their own success. This...

Title: Rethinking Venture: New Paths for Success and Funding InnovationDiscover how the traditional venture capital model is evolving and explore alternative funding options that align with diverse definitions of success. Ethan from Palafox Ventures sh...

Take the free Fundability Assessment: https://raise.nextroundready.vc Startup funding comes down to knowing the right details. In this video, we'll discuss how pre-seed works and what you can expect in startup funding at this specific stage. 0:00 Intro: what pre-seed actually is 0:24 What pre-seed capital is meant to do 0:40 Pre-seed vs. friends & family rounds 1:13 Who actually writes pre-see...