Investor Connect Podcast

Hall T Martin
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Hall T Martin interviews angel and venture capital investors on how they invest and talks with CEOs who discuss their sector and what to look for. Hall T Martin also leads the Startup Funding Espresso series in which you can learn about startup funding and investing in the time it takes to have an espresso. https://investorconnect.org/

  1. 12h ago

    Startup Funding Espresso – Alternatives to a Down Round

    Alternatives to a Down Round Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. During down markets, the founder may find it a challenge to raise funding at a higher valuation than the last round. If the company is not doing well, there's the possibility of a down round. Instead of a down round, consider the following: Raise more funding but at the same valuation as the last round. This move sideways avoids the down round but generates more funding to continue the growth. Run an internal raise giving existing investors a lower valuation. This works best by offering investors the option to invest more at the same valuation as their original investment. Current investors gain more shares at their original valuation but in a company that has progressed further. Reduce the amount of funding raised but at a slightly higher valuation. This generates some funding for critical needs but doesn't dilute the previous investors as much as a down round. Finally, the founders could avoid a down round by giving up some of their shares to compensate new investors joining the round. This could be structured as warrants. Consider these steps for avoiding a down round in your startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

  2. 1d ago

    Startup Funding Espresso – The Jockey, the Horse, or the Track

    The Jockey, the Horse, or the Track Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders building their pitch deck have a choice as to how they frame their deal. They can focus on either the jockey, the horse, or the track. Here's how to frame your startup in this model: Focus on the team. This is the jockey in our analogy. Show how the team has the right skills to take the company to a successful exit. Describe their backgrounds as well as their current execution on the project. A focus on the product is the horse. Show how the product is superior to the competition. Highlight the value proposition the product brings. Finally, a focus on the market is the track. In this case, discuss the market and why it's a great place to launch a startup. Show how the industry segment is doing well and why now is the time to launch a startup. Consider how you pitch a startup. Is it the jockey, the horse, or the market that makes it a compelling investment? Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

  3. 4d ago

    Investor Connect 901: Investing Beyond Silicon Valley with Brian Birk

    On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Brian Birk, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Sun Mountain Capital Advisors. Brian brings a unique combination of experience as an entrepreneur, business operator, and investor, with a background spanning technology, life sciences, venture capital, and private credit. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sun Mountain Capital Advisors is an asset management firm focused on venture capital and private credit, with an emphasis on supporting businesses in underserved markets across the Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions. The firm was founded on the recognition that while innovation and technical expertise are spread throughout the United States, venture capital remains concentrated in a handful of major markets. Sun Mountain works to bridge that gap by providing capital and operational expertise to promising companies that might otherwise struggle to attract traditional investors. Through its venture capital investments, the firm supports early-stage businesses developing innovative technologies, while its private credit strategy helps established, growing companies access financing without significant equity dilution. Brian brings firsthand experience to this approach, having helped build and lead several startups, including Mettaweb, which was acquired by Google, Prowess Software, The BIOS Group, and Applied Minds. He also spent six years at Boston Consulting Group, working across technology and life sciences. His background as an entrepreneur has shaped his investment philosophy, particularly his emphasis on operational expertise, leadership, and trust when evaluating founders. Brian discusses the opportunities and challenges of investing outside traditional venture capital hubs, the differences between venture capital and private credit, and why founders should build their financing strategies around realistic exit expectations. He also shares insights on developing regional startup ecosystems, the growing importance of angel investors, and how the right combination of capital and experienced leadership can help businesses succeed. Visit Sun Mountain Capital at sunmountaincapital.com Reach out to at brian.birk@sunmountaincapital.com ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

  4. 4d ago

    Startup Funding Espresso – What To Outsource in Your Fundraise

    What To Outsource in Your Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising requires a great deal of work. At the core of it is the CEO pitching and following up with investors. There are elements that can be outsourced to others. Here's a list to outsource in your fundraise: Branding and Design The logo and color scheme on the pitch deck may be done better for a professional graphic designer. Social media Writing content and posting on social media to create buzz about the company may be done better by social media specialists. Data entry. Capturing investor names and email addresses is better outsourced to an admin. Scheduling. An admin can schedule calls and meetings with prospective investors. In the end, the CEO should run and drive the fundraising campaign. The admin side of the work can be outsourced. What cannot be outsourced is the strategy and the pitching. This should be driven by the CEO at all times. Fundraising requires some tasks that can be outside the skill set of the founder. Consider outsourcing those tasks. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

  5. 5d ago

    Startup Funding Espresso -- Building a Go-to-Market slide

    Building a Go-to-Market slide Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A key slide in the pitch deck is the Go-to-Market slide. This slide shows how the startup will enter the market and generate adoption. Here are some key steps to build a Go-to-Market slide for your startup: Identify your ideal customer profile and show how it fits into the industry sector. This includes the type of company, the contact point, and their careabouts. Show the channels to be used to reach the target audience. Highlight the products to be sold and how they fit each type of customer. Showcase the marketing that will be used to generate leads. Include conversion rates to show the growth in the market. Conversion rates should be based on initial testing done by the company. Contrast and compare this to industry standard rates. Show how the marketing will generate virality. Estimate the organic growth rate that will occur without marketing. Contrast that with the growth rates that can be achieved with viral marketing. Use these steps to build a Go-to-Market slide for your startup. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

  6. 6d ago

    Startup Funding Espresso – Deciphering the Investors' Response

    Deciphering the Investors' Response Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After the pitch, the startup seeks feedback from the investor. Sometimes the follow-up is clear and cogent. Other times, the feedback is vague and unclear. Here's how to decipher the investor's response: "This is not in my sweet spot." This is a vague way of saying no, as it gives no specifics. This response means the investor just doesn't find enough interesting information to move forward. "How much have you raised so far?" This statement indicates the investor doesn't want to lead and is wondering if anyone else is in the deal yet. This means the investor is interested but doesn't want to take a leading role. "You're too early for my investing thesis". This means the investor doesn't see enough value to pursue it. This could mean the investor will come in later when traction starts to take hold. "Do you have a deck you can send me? This statement means it sounds interesting, but I need to see how far along the deal is. It's not clear to the investor what is there, but it sounds like something that could be fundable. Consider these steps in interpreting the investor's response. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

  7. Oct 27

    Startup Funding Espresso – How To Make the Advisor Role Successful

    How To Make the Advisor Role Successful Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup advisors can be a great resource to founders. Here are some key factors that can make the advisor role successful Be selective in choosing them. Look for an advisor who is the best in their field. Timeline is a key factor. Find an advisor who can help now and not sometime in the future. Set achievable goals that everyone understands. Use milestones to set the goals so it's clear what needs to be done. Determine how to work together. This includes timelines and who will do what. Determine the compensation and gain agreement on it. Have a backup plan in case things don't work out. In choosing an advisor, consider the stage of the company, the industry sector, and the work to be done. Fundraising work is typically compensated more than general advice. Consider these factors for your advisor engagement. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

  8. Oct 27

    Startup Funding Espresso – Why Give Stock Options to Employees

    Why Give Stock Options to Employees Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups give stock options to employees as part of their compensation package. Most startups create an options pool at the Series A fundraise. A founder-friendly term sheet will have both the investors and the founders pay for the options pool. In an investor-friendly term sheet, the founders will pay for the options out of their equity. It's important to create an options pool as it provides incentive to the employees. It allows the founders to provide another means of compensation. Without it, the founders will need to compensate employees out of cash. In a startup, cash is precious and should be conserved. The options pool takes pressure off the cash reserves. Options should be vested over a four-year timeframe. This ensures the employees stay with the company long enough to earn the shares. Consider creating a stock options pool for employees in your company. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

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About

Hall T Martin interviews angel and venture capital investors on how they invest and talks with CEOs who discuss their sector and what to look for. Hall T Martin also leads the Startup Funding Espresso series in which you can learn about startup funding and investing in the time it takes to have an espresso. https://investorconnect.org/

Information

  • Creator
    Hall T Martin
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © copyright InvestorConnect
  • Show Website
    Investor Connect Podcast