Founder Pitch Week

Presenting another masterclass this morning! 💃 If you want to learn how to invest in startups and venture capital funds, click here: https://lnkd.in/gKvZGtsx 👈 I've been doing this since I bootstrapped my way into VC in 2021 when I landed in Silicon Valley. 💸 Now, I've empowered more than 6,000 women (both new and seasoned investors) to invest with confidence, become LPs in multiple VC funds, support diverse and underrepresented founders, build wealth, help early stage startups scale and position these companies for successful exits! 📈 💬 If you want to know what questions to ask and how to reduce your risk exposure, join my free masterclasses. https://lnkd.in/gKvZGtsx #angelinvestor #venturecapital #startups #masterclass Making an Impact! 🤠 Bridgette L. Smith 🦋 Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder Purpose Led Ventures Founder Pitch Week Serenity & Sunshine Holdings

👇 Does this sound familiar? 👇 Intro call with a founder. He starts the call saying he is "successful," has been accepted into this and that and has investors. Me: Hi, so and so. How can I help you? Him: I have a startup and saw your post saying you help founders. Me: Yes, I support startups. Can you please put your deck in the chat. (When I opened his deck, it was lacking and missing basic information - vague problem statement, no business model, no financial model, no GTM strategy, just a lot of slides. It read more like a marketing brochure v an investor deck.) When I told him this... Him: Oh, I have an investor deck, this is more promotional Me: 🙄 Back and forth: What does your company do? He gave a long winded answer. Is your product live? He answered yes. Do you have revenue. He answered yes. How much have you bootstrapped? He answered $350k. What is your exit strategy. He gave another long answer. And, I still don't know his strategy. Then...he started telling me how successful he was again. Him: I thought you could introduce me to investors and VCs...I thought you do this as a service. Me: I do connect founders to investors, but I would need to see your actual investor deck, not your promotional materials. Him: Well, I only got on your calendar because I thought you could introduce me to VCs and investors. Me: (smiling) You seem to be quite successful. I wish you the best. Have a great week! (End meeting for all) My thoughts: My antennas went up within the first few minutes of the call. After seeing his deck, hearing his tone and listening closely to his answers, I sensed something was not right. So... No, I'm not investing. No, I'm not introducing you to anyone I know. Why... If you can't share your ACTUAL pitch deck, why would I share your information with my network. 🤔 Coincidentally... Another investor asked me last week how do I decide to invest or not. I told her, I listen to the founder and ask a lot of questions. Then I do my research. In this case, the above call only took me a few minutes to say NO THANK YOU and move on. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I have several examples of founders who said they were raising money and asked me to invest. Instead of having FOMO, I decided to wait and watch instead. And, in each instance, the startups turned out to be "bad" investments. Unfortunately, these true stories make it HARDER for legit founders to raise. 👉 Investing in startups is a high risk asset class 👉 Investing in ANYTHING can be very intimidating, esp if you are a new 👉 Most investors don't invest full-time, they invest "occasionally" or a few times a year 💬 If you want to know what questions to ask and how to reduce your risk exposure, join my free investor masterclasses https://lnkd.in/gKvZGtsx #angelinvestor #venturecapital #startups Bridgette L. Smith 🦋 Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder Purpose Led Ventures Founder Pitch Week Serenity & Sunshine Holdings

Dear young lady, young professional, young founder, young entrepreneur, young investor trying to find your way: Take one day, one decision, one goal, one accomplishment, one misstep and one decade at a time. Growing up and into my teens, I was curious, smart and shy. I also used to stutter. In my 20s, I learned to speak up and found my voice (and the stuttering stopped)! I was now working for my local ABC News affiliate, appearing live on TMJ4 News regularly, launched my first startup (a PR firm) and learned to dream extra large! In my 30s, a part-time "temporary" gig became a full-time career in tech which led to me seeking more education and securing my Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification and 8 more specialty certifications. That led to a long list of contract jobs across the US, then weekly trips on private jets to consult at Mylan, and finally a long exhausting climb to the c-suite at Sensormatic Inventory Intelligence. It was far from glamorous. I worked, hustled and constantly had to prove I "belonged" along side mostly white privileged men who excluded me from any and everything they could get away with. In my 40s, I became the servant leader I always wished I had. My career flourished and evolved. I wrapped the decade by landing (literally) at Google. A whole new world opened. But my core never changed. Daily reflection, faith and prayer drove every action and interaction I had. In my 50s (this decade), I now do what I LOVE! I am back to being the entrepreneur that was stirred inside of me in my 20s. I also practice what I know: I can achieve all things through Christ who strengthens me! I also learned that being a founder and investor can be just as isolating, unhealthy, ruthless and cut throat as corporate America! So, boundaries, valuing my time, space to create, peace of mind and keeping God first is non-negotiable! I hope this post helps you dear sister wherever you are, whatever age you are and whatever goals you have for yourself. All love! ❤️ Bridgette L. Smith 🦋 Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder Purpose Led Ventures Founder Pitch Week Serenity & Sunshine Holdings 👉Access to me and some great events: https://lnkd.in/gG7y_iYa

Excited to rejoin Women Executives on Boards https://www.weob.org/ and Gaingels for an exciting collaboration and conversation tomorrow on investing in startups with Angel Investing Interest Group (AIIG). 👼 My Customized Masterclass for these Harvard Business School Women Alum: 🖋 Investor thesis (intersecting interests, social impact and SME with investing) 📊 Executive branding (unlocking and attracting the "right" deal flow) 🏹 Thought leadership (the difference between influence and impact and mastering both) ⚖ Plus BONUS Material 😉 🔗Join me for Founder Pitch Week: https://lnkd.in/gDsDuPCR Making an Impact! Bridgette L. Smith 🦋 Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder Purpose Led Ventures Founder Pitch Week Serenity & Sunshine Holdings 👉Access to more great events: https://lnkd.in/gG7y_iYa

👉 Join us today at 2pm EST: https://lnkd.in/g5mjS4tB to learn how hubs drive social equity and economic development and shape the future in technological revolutions. "Bridging the Gap: How Innovation Hubs Turn Ideas into Profitable Ventures" featuring Aquillius Ventures General Partner, MyPhuong Le, PhD Le and Managing Partner, Leah Villegas, PhD, MBA. Did you know? 🕵♀️ Innovation hubs are the lifeblood of the innovation ecosystem, catalyzing startup growth through dynamic collaboration, expert mentorship, and strategic funding opportunities. These hubs aren't just resource centers; they're powerful engines of change that bridge critical funding gaps, uplift underserved communities, and inject fresh perspectives into underfunded industries. 💡 Click here to RSVP: https://lnkd.in/g5mjS4tB Hope to see you. 😊 #startups #empowerment #innovation #innovationhubs Bridgette L. Smith 🦋 Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder Purpose Led Ventures Founder Pitch Week Serenity & Sunshine Holdings 👉Access to more great events: https://lnkd.in/gG7y_iYa

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Hope to see you! 😊👇

Helpful tips for #founders👇

Dear founders, this post is for you ❤️👇

THIS! ❤️