Perfect Pitch by Kickstart Kickstart Fund

Running a startup is like building a car while you’re driving. We’re talking with an entrepreneur who does it all while staying buckled in. Join us in today’s conversation with Wade Anderson, President and COO of Elements, and investor Tanner Potter of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we’ll talk about:
Starters and joiners: why you don’t need to be a founder to be an entrepreneur
The steps Wade took to determine whether Elements had product-market fit
How investors look at product retention and usage data when evaluating a company
Details on Wade’s feedback strategy and how it helps him remain self-aware
 

Startup sales—the phrase alone is enough to stress a founder out. We're bringing in two experts who will help unlock the secret to sales success. Join us in today's conversation with Aaron McReynolds and Ryan Harris, co-founders of Alysio, and investor Kat Kennedy of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a perfect pitch. In this episode, we’ll talk about:
How Alysio nailed down big customers early on in their startup journey and their advice to founders struggling with customer acquisition
The components that make a good sales organization
Common blind spots that trip up sales teams
Why Kat is so excited about Alysio’s financial model and how entrepreneurs can improve their company’s model
 

Can VCs be founders too? We’re talking with Kickstart’s founding partners to understand how Kickstart…was kickstarted. Join us in today’s conversation with investors Gavin Christensen, Alex Soffe, and Dalton Wright of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West), as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we’ll talk about: 
The slow grind of Kickstart's everyday life in the early days
Why no one took Utah VCs seriously and why that has changed
Low points in Kickstart’s history and how the team survived
What is next in Kickstart’s story…
 

We’re breaking our regular format with a new kind of episode, with a founder who is serving some spicy opinions on how an entrepreneur can succeed. Join us in today’s conversation with Taylor Margot, Founder and CEO of Keys, and investor Tanner Potter of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we’ll talk about the following “hot takes”:
Why Taylor believes founders should stop listening to advice from investors (yes, this is on a podcast from investors to entrepreneurs!)
Tanner’s suggestion for founders to list the top three reasons why their businesses will die on their pitch decks
Whether or not founders actually research the VCs they’re talking to (and if it matters!)
Why VCs want to invest in entrepreneurs deeply embedded in a space rather than “trend-preneurs”

We’re welcoming a new voice to the show! This Kickstart investor started his career at powerhouses like Vivint and Nike. Today, he’s a product-market fit expert investing in tech-obsessed founders across the Mountain West. Join us in our conversation with investors Tanner Potter and Kat Kennedy of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) for a special episode of Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we’ll talk about:

How product has impacted Tanner and Kat’s careers—and how that experience manifests in their investing habits
Advice to founders on creating their pitch decks and the importance of storytelling
Why Kickstart didn’t hire Tanner the first time he applied (awkward)
How product and sales have shaped the Mountain West ecosystem
 

We talk a lot about how to grow your startup on this show. But once you’ve mastered the startup part, how do you ensure you don’t get left behind as a leader? Join us in today’s conversation with Dave Grow, CEO of Lucid Software, and investor Gavin Christensen of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we’ll talk about:
Why Dave was compelled to apologize to the first person he managed at Lucid Software
How Dave developed the habit to “give away his legos”
When it’s valuable to hire specialists versus generalists
What mistakes Gavin has seen founders make that prohibit them from growing with their company