Investor Connect Podcast

Challenges in Running a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Running a startup brings many challenges. Here's a list of key challenges to overcome: The startup is a rollercoaster ride from the highs to the lows. Be prepared to have your emotions go through turmoil. The founder must move everything. There's no c...

Key Risks in a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors reviewing a startup for a potential investment know there are many risks to consider. Here's a list of key risks to look for in a startup: Team risk. Does the startup have the right team with the right skills, and can they work together? Market risk....

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome David Vulcano, Vice President for clinical research, compliance and integrity at HCA Healthcare and president of Music City Angels, who shares how the Nashville chapter fits within the multi-city Community Equity Partners network and how the group invests through both angel funds and a club model. David walks through their process—light initial scree...

Testing for Product Market Fit Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, investors look to see where the startup is in finding product/market fit. Here are some key tests to check how close your startup is to product-market fit: Demand outstrips supply. The startup finds itself constantly adding more ser...

Avoid Out-of-Market Valuations Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder should avoid out-of-market valuations. There may be investors who become so excited about the deal that they offer a valuation that is above the current market. While this may appear to be a great opportunity to get a be...

How To Use an Investor List in a Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, a founder starts with their own network. When that runs out, he looks for additional sources. There are many investor lists available through online resources. Here's how to use an investor list in a fundraise. Check you...

The Next Round Will Require More Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the bar goes up with each round. The revenue must be higher, and milestones must be achieved. In raising funding, consider how to build a steady growth rate into the business. Look to avoid those businesses that have strong season...

Keep a Good Relationship With the Founder Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors see a tremendous amount of dealflow. For some, it can become wearisome to see the same mistakes repeated. It's important for the investor to keep a good relationship with the founder. This means avoiding arrogant or condescending f...

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin welcomes Michelle Leeuwon, a leader in technology commercialization at the University of Houston working at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem development. Michelle shares how UH treats commercialization as a translational process—"cultivating deals" by asking three key questions: what problem is solved, who feels the...

When To Close the Round Early Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder sets a target. Oftentimes, the target is a rather large number. It's best to break the larger raise into smaller rounds. This lets you run a series of smaller campaigns inside the larger fundraise. One of the benefits of...

Avoid These Sins as a Startup Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors should act as role models for startup founders. Startup founders are often new to the startup world and so look to others with experience for how best to play the game. Avoid these sins as a startup investor. Not being genuine...

Challenges of Partnerships Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Bringing on a cofounder has many advantages. There are also disadvantages. Here's a list of challenges with partnerships: Decision making. Partners bring the challenge of making decisions. It's best to decide who has the final say in all decisions to avoid...

Benefits of Having a Co-Founder Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Launching a startup is a challenging endeavor. Having a co-founder can bring many benefits as follows: Share the responsibility of launching and running the business. One can hire administrative people and outsource functions, but there needs to be ma...

How To Generate the Herd Effect Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the startup founder's job is to motivate the investor to engage in the deal. Investors are often motivated by what they see other investors do. This is called the herd effect. This is when people copy what others are doing. Here ar...

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Dave Sanders, angel investor and Membership Chair at SAC Angels. Located in El Dorado Hills, California, Sac Angels is a long-running Sacramento-based angel group that's been investing in high-potential early-stage startups since the late 1990s, with about 70 members completing roughly 15–20 transactions a year. The group focuses primarily on broa...

Avoid Giving Up Too Much Equity in the Early Stages Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the early stages of a company, fundraisers should focus on the minimum amount, not the maximum. The valuation is low, and so the founders encounter greater dilution. The majority of the fundraise should be done later when the va...

There Are Many Scenarios in Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In fundraising, there are many scenarios and strategies a founder can use. Here are several factors that impact which strategy to use: The current market for funding. In up markets, one can raise more funding and at a faster pace. The strength...

It's Not Closed Till Money Is in the Bank Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders seeking funding will hear yes from an investor. Many founders consider the funding to be done. Founders should move to close the funding and not rest until the funds have been transferred. Many funding commitments never materialize....

How To Handle Pushback on Valuation Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In fundraising, the founder encounters a variety of investors. Some are concerned about the return, some about the traction, and others about the valuation. For those focused on valuation, here are some key steps to consider: First, check their kn...

Think Minimum Raise, Not Maximum Raise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most startup founders calculate how much funding they need to accomplish the goal. This is a good initial step in the fundraising process. The mistake is then asking for that amount of money in one go. It's important to break the raise down int...

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Barry, who presents a medical device focused on improving treatment for hydrocephalus, a condition caused by excess fluid in the brain. Barry describes the current standard approach—ventricular-peritoneal shunts that drain fluid from the brain to the abdomen using a long rubber tube—and outlines key issues including infection, clogging, and siphon...

Start by Looking for Your First Investor, Not Your Lead Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, some founders focus solely on finding their lead investor. In most cases, it's better to find investors to join the round even if they are not leading. By using convertible notes and SAFE notes, inv...

Track Interest, Committed, and Invested Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising a round of funding, most founders focus on the invested funds so far. When asked about the progress, the founder quotes the invested amount and the amount left in the raise. This undersells the traction the founder has. In addition...

Prioritize Investor Follow-Up Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders raising funding will encounter a range of investors with varying levels of interest. Founders should prioritize their follow-up and focus on the investors with the greatest likelihood of making an investment with the least amount of wor...

Investors Want Optionality Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors follow many startups before investing. They stall in making an investment to be certain it's a good one. They look for additional information about the startup, its product, and market before making a final decision. Investors want optionality. T...