Seed Money

Jayla Siciliano
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Seed Money

Seed Money is where everyday people learn how to raise capital and get the funding you need to FINALLY turn your amazing idea into reality! Whatever your idea is... - product - app - real estate deal …or maybe you want to build or expand your small business… if you’re struggling to get people to believe in your vision and you don’t need a billion-dollar deal in Silicon Valley, Seed Money will unlock the answers you’ve been looking for! Hosted by Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank Entrepreneur, MBA, real estate investor, and experienced founder/investor in markets from consumer products to short-term rentals. If you like Alex Hormozi, Tim Ferriss, Entrepreneurs on Fire with John Lee Dumas, or you follow sharks like Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, or Mark Cuban (who invested in Jayla’s Shark Tank pitch) you’ll love this show! In this podcast, you’ll get the mindset, methods, and motivation to raise early-stage seed funding from investors. You’ll also hear the inspiring stories of everyday people who’ve walked the same path and overcome the same challenges you’re facing. So you can see the next steps, make good decisions and get the funding you need to turn your amazing idea into reality! Join the wait list for my spring 2025 Get Ready to Pitch workshop where you'll get the coaching, tactics, and materials to be ready to pitch any investor! https://www.seedmoneypodcast.com/waitlist2025

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Customer Testimonials: The Shortcut to Hooking Investors

    Join the wait list for my spring 2025 Get Ready to Pitch workshop where you'll get the coaching, tactics, and materials to be ready to pitch any investor! https://www.seedmoneypodcast.com/waitlist2025 -- A big part of nailing an investor pitch is making sure it’s not just about numbers. Metrics matter, but investors want to feel connected to your business on an emotional level, and customer feedback is key to that. Lately, I’ve been noticing that a lot of pitch decks are missing this crucial piece and honestly, it could make or break your pitch. Sharing customer testimonials, reviews, or even a quick Instagram shoutout brings your business to life and shows investors how it’s impacting real people. In this episode, I’ll show you how to weave customer feedback into your pitch deck in a way that’s short, sweet, and super effective, so you can hook investors and get that funding!   About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!    Connect: Website: http://seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylasiciliano/ Subscribe and watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@SeedMoneyPodcast     Please rate, follow and review the podcast on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seed-money/id1740815877 and https://open.spotify.com/show/0VkQECosb1spTFsUhu6uFY?si=5417351fb73a4ea1/! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show!   The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

    10 min

  2. JAN 7

    Don't Make These Mistakes When Answering Investor Questions

    One of the hardest things about pitching to investors is keeping your cool when they ask questions. It’s really easy to get flustered and thrown off your game when they’re hitting you with really hard questions about your business.  What if they ask you a question you don’t know the answer to? How do you avoid fumbling or rambling your answers?  With the right framework and practice, you can crush any investor question and boost your credibility and get funded. How do you stay calm and professional under pressure?  In this episode, I share the framework I use to answer investor questions, how to handle the toughest questions without losing composure and the right way to answer questions.     About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality! Website: seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: @jaylasiciliano Subscribe and watch on YouTube @SeedMoneyPodcast       Please rate, follow and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show!     The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

    7 min

  3. 12/30/2024

    What To Do If You're Overthinking Sh**

    The process of raising capital has so many moving pieces, even the most motivated entrepreneur can find themselves overthinking what they need to do.  The challenge is: overthinking often leads to stalling and procrastination, which then makes us lose the precious momentum we’ve built along the way.   Learning to push through our own overthinking is a key skill we have to develop. Whether you’re stalling on reaching out to an investor, following up with someone, or finishing your pitch deck, it’s really easy to find reasons not to take action.  But this is where action is needed the most.  What should we do when we find ourselves overthinking, procrastinating and stalling? In this episode, I share how I push past overthinking and take action.    About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!    Connect: Website: seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: @jaylasiciliano Subscribe and watch on YouTube @seedmoneypodcast   Please rate, follow and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show! The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

    10 min

  4. 12/10/2024

    Shelf Appeal: How to Nail Packaging That Wins Investors and Retailers w/ Elizabeth Corbett

    For consumer products, packaging plays a huge role in your ability to raise money and get onto shelves. Investors and retailers are looking for traction, so you need to have packaging buttoned up before you even approach them.  But here’s the challenge: great packaging is expensive, and cheap packaging is very easy to spot and can tank your marketability. Every founder wants their product to be the “best dressed” without breaking the bank, but how do you actually achieve this?  From a packaging perspective, there are a few key things you can do to make sure your product looks good, catches the eye, and stands out on shelves. From branding to form factor, there are plenty of cost-saving strategies that don’t compromise on quality.  How can we use limited time offers to get some initial attention, buzz and traction? How unique should our packaging be?  In this episode, I’m joined by packaging expert and President of Global Enterprise at AE Global, Elizabeth Corbett. She shares how CPG founders can set themselves up for success from a packaging perspective.  Topics Covered; How to get your packaging dialed in before approaching investors How to make your packaging sustainable without breaking the bank Why startups should leverage limited time offers and collabs Groups/events that startup founders should join/attend    Guest Bio Elizabeth Corbett is a CPG packaging expert with 25 years of experience, startup mentor/advisor and President of Global Enterprise at AE Global. AE Global (AEG) is a custom packaging design company and supply chain solution provider servicing the Natural Products, Health & Beauty, Cannabis, and Wine & Spirits industries. AEG's innovation lab develops custom packaging products, including EZ-Lock™ and Amplify™, and CuraLeaf's Select Squeeze bottle. With sustainability as a core value, AEG launched Ocean Recovery Group, a joint venture with 4G Recycling, which collects, cleans and recycles ocean-bound plastics. Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.    About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!  Connect: Website: seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: @jaylasiciliano Subscribe and watch on YouTube @seedmoneypodcast   Please rate, follow and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show!   The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

    47 min

  5. 12/03/2024

    Investors vs. Bootstrapped: How to Choose the Right Path For Your Startup w/ Jim Semick

    Getting investors or bootstrapping? That’s one of the hardest decisions founders have to make. On one hand, raising capital has many benefits - you have a longer runway, more resources, and more cash to hire people and pay them well. It provides enough cash to get through the competitive hurdles to bring your product to market.  But outside capital comes with strings attached and having to please others and conform your business to the expectations of investors. That’s why many founders choose not to go down the path of raising money and deliberately decide to bootstrap instead.  While it means you’re operating in a resource-constrained environment, you get to retain more control and flexibility in the long-run. Bootstrapping your business means you have to be scrappy and do things a little differently, but it can work.  What are the things you need to stay on top of when you’re bootstrapping? Why is product validation so important? How do you determine which funding model works for you?  In this episode, I’m joined by speaker, angel investor and founder of Product Plan, Jim Semick. He shares why he chose to bootstrap instead of taking the venture capital route and how to self-fund successfully.  Topics Covered; How to stay on top of your finances in a bootstrapped business Why it’s critical to validate your product first  How to hire and pay developers as a bootstrapped business  Low-cost marketing strategies that don’t need a lot of capital The value of having co-founder with complementary skills The right time to bring on an outside CEO   Guest Bio Jim Semick is a Product Management Expert, speaker, leader, angel investor and founder of Product Plan. He has over 20 years of experience turning ideas into real products that customers love. Jim’s passion is identifying and launching successful SaaS products using a proven market validation process. The products he has helped launch continue to generate over $1 billion of revenue annually. Today Jim writes, lectures, and coaches on entrepreneurship, product management, and career decisions. To learn more visit https://www.jimsemick.com/ and connect with him on LinkedIn.   About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!  Connect: Website: seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: @jaylasiciliano Subscribe and watch on YouTube @seedmoneypodcast   Please rate, follow and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show!   The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

    51 min

  6. 11/26/2024

    Startups, Sacrifice, and Salaries: Why Founders Should Pay Themselves First w/ Melissa Kwan

    Should founders pay themselves? It’s probably the biggest debate in the startup world. Many entrepreneurs believe sacrificing and struggling is necessary to succeed;  that we should put everything towards growth to our own detriment. Here’s the truth: being in survival mode isn’t the best state for a founder to be in. You can’t think, be creative or strategize effectively if you’re worried about covering your bills. In fact, not paying yourself could put you on the fast track to burnout. The good news: there is a way to build our businesses while setting ourselves up for financial security. From the idea we go after to the way we fund the business from day 1, we can succeed without sacrificing our own stability. Why is the concept of founders paying themselves so controversial? How do you build a business that feeds the life you want to have? In this episode, I’m joined by 3x bootstrapper, entrepreneur, and CEO of eWebinar, Melissa Kwan. We talk about why you don’t have to build a business in survival mode.   Topics Covered; How to put yourself in the healthiest state as a founder  How to choose your business idea thoughtfully  The challenge with “blue sky startups”   Guest Bio Melissa Kwan is a 3x bootstrapper, entrepreneur, host of the Profit Led podcast and co-founder and CEO of eWebinar. She is a digital nomad who believes in life over work, happiness over revenue, and creative work over hard work. To learn more, visit https://ewebinar.com/ and connect with Melissa on LinkedIn.    About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!  Connect: Website: seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: @jaylasiciliano Subscribe and watch on YouTube @seedmoneypodcast   Please rate, follow and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show!   The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

    27 min

  7. 11/19/2024

    How to Get Your Product Picked Up By a Retailer

    When you have a consumer product, getting picked up by a retailer is a HUGE win. There’s nothing better than a stack of juicy purchase orders and a stream of customers lining up to buy what you created! But here’s the challenge: there is a ton of competition for shelf space, and a lot of products clamoring for the attention of retailers. It takes a lot to get on the shelf (and stay there) but you can achieve it, even if you’re in the early stage. While the ultimate goal for most entrepreneurs is that big box national retailer, getting your product picked up can get expensive fast. Luckily, there are other channels you can use to get initial momentum, validate your product and garner some early adopters.  How do you determine the right retail channel for your product? How do you build relationships with retailers and how do you pitch them? Once you get your product into a retailer how do you make sure it sells? In this episode, I share strategies for getting your product into a retailer, and the big mistakes to avoid as an early stage founder.   Topics Covered; The different channels for selling your product  Why you might want to hold off getting into a big box store  The downside of working with a distributor  What to say in a retailer pitch  How to use push and pull marketing to increase your sell-through   About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!    Connect: Website: seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: @jaylasiciliano Subscribe and watch on YouTube @seedmoneypodcast

    44 min

  8. 11/12/2024

    Secrets to Secure Investors Even in a Cash-Strapped Market w/ Ed Kang

    In today’s competitive, capital-strapped market, getting your business funded is a lot harder than it used to be. Entrepreneurs have access to a fraction of the funding that was easily available just a few years ago. Investors want a sure thing, so founders are jumping through a lot more hoops to get capital. It’s not enough to have an initial idea or a working prototype. You need to have significant traction, social proof, a reputable team, initial revenue, founder-market fit….anything to de-risk the investment. This sounds grim, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get an investor to write you a check, even if you’re in the earlier stages. How do you make sure you still get funded in this environment? Is this financing freeze going to thaw? Why does content creation make it easier to get funded? In this episode, I’m joined by 7-time funded founder, startup advisor, Chief Strategy Officer at Startups.com, Ed Kang. He shares the challenges in the current capital-raising space, and how entrepreneurs can still get the funding they need.  Topics Covered; The EXTRA role founders must take on when capital is scarce How to give investors exactly want they’re looking for How to self-fund and bootstrap while you raise capital Easy ways to build traction and gain social proof   Guest Bio Ed Kang is a 7-time funded founder, startup advisor, executive coach, author, Organization Development Consultant and Chief Strategy Officer at Startups.com. He helps aspiring founders and early and growth stage ventures with everything from launching, funding, and scaling. To learn more, visit https://www.startups.com/ you can also subscribe to Ed's channel here- http://www.youtube.com/@edkang99   About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!    Connect: Website: seedmoneypodcast.com Instagram: @jaylasiciliano Subscribe and watch on YouTube @seedmoneypodcast

    47 min
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5
out of 5
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About

Seed Money is where everyday people learn how to raise capital and get the funding you need to FINALLY turn your amazing idea into reality! Whatever your idea is... - product - app - real estate deal …or maybe you want to build or expand your small business… if you’re struggling to get people to believe in your vision and you don’t need a billion-dollar deal in Silicon Valley, Seed Money will unlock the answers you’ve been looking for! Hosted by Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank Entrepreneur, MBA, real estate investor, and experienced founder/investor in markets from consumer products to short-term rentals. If you like Alex Hormozi, Tim Ferriss, Entrepreneurs on Fire with John Lee Dumas, or you follow sharks like Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, or Mark Cuban (who invested in Jayla’s Shark Tank pitch) you’ll love this show! In this podcast, you’ll get the mindset, methods, and motivation to raise early-stage seed funding from investors. You’ll also hear the inspiring stories of everyday people who’ve walked the same path and overcome the same challenges you’re facing. So you can see the next steps, make good decisions and get the funding you need to turn your amazing idea into reality! Join the wait list for my spring 2025 Get Ready to Pitch workshop where you'll get the coaching, tactics, and materials to be ready to pitch any investor! https://www.seedmoneypodcast.com/waitlist2025

Information

  • Creator
    Jayla Siciliano
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Seed Money

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