Key answers early
Founders, you have very little time to get an investor's attention. Some professional investors see thousands of pitch decks.
If the answers to the key questions are on slide 8, they may never get there.
They need to 'get it' at a high level by the second or third slide. Or you may have lost your chance.
Get Sh*t Done
Get Sh*t Done.
This is the best career advice. People notice. It's also great for learning how to do stuff you've never done before, a crazy important founder skill.
Thanks to Chris Donnelly's newsletter for the reminder.
Beyond the marmite of GST
GST is the proposed Guernsey version of VAT. I'm tired of it being the sole topic of conversation ahead of our election next year.
Here's how you can get my vote - first principles thinking.
In this month's Business Brief. Thank you again Amanda (Mandy) Eulenkamp for including me.
First time in Dubai
My first time ever in Dubai. I will be there for Expand North Star from the 12th to the 16th.
Who should I meet? Let me know in the comments, please 🙏
All VCs suck
All VCs suck.
Ok, maybe that's a little harsh. But it's no surprise people think this way. I've heard too many recent horror stories where funds who have signed terms sheets pull out just before a round is due to close.
This is not even close to ok. You are putting those startups' existence at risk and ruining the reputation of the rest of us.
Note to the investors in those funds: founders talk and they will never receive good deal flow again.
No fashion advice
Hi Sifted, all set up in the co-working space again, this time in my pink "metal is hot" baseball cap.
Please come and say hi. I'll be here all day. Probably don't ask for fashion advice.
Thank you to my official photographer, Mihir Sheth.
A Sifted miracle
A Sifted Miracle!
James Woods and I were at university together thirty years ago. I recognised him. He didn't recognise me or my name because I used to have hair half way down my back and be known as Spaniel!
He is still a lovely guy and great to be back in contact with him.
Now, off to do Alma Angels female founder office hours.
Sifted plug sockets
Sifted Summit, I found the rare spot with a plug socket in the co-working zone.
Please come and say hi!
On my way to Sifted 2024
Finally on my way to Sifted to meet as many of you as possible then take part in Alma Angels female founder office hours.
I will post again with a picture of where I'm set up.
See you soon!
Edit: I'm here, in the co-working zone!
Look out behind you
A message to established founders from a startup that didn't make it:
"We didn’t act fast enough, especially with the rapid rise of **AI technologies**, which outpaced us in ways we hadn't anticipated."
Look out behind you and don't be afraid to adopt new technologies if they can help you solve your customers' problems better, faster or more cost effectively.
Serendipity accomplished
Thank you everyone for coming to yesterday evening's unbundled vc serendipity meetup. It was just what I hoped - a more relaxed, chilled out version of networking. Hopefully everyone had nice, calm time.
Please tell me how it was in the comments.
Left to right ish - David Gelberg, 🚀Jonathan Sun, TJ Omojomolo, IMC me, Ayo Disu, Ana Maria Pricop, Stanislas de Rosny, Assen Plevneliev, Jack Dow,Lev Perlman 🇬🇧, Steve Baron, Ilai Szpiezak, Alexander Bushe 📊.
If I got any wrong - apologies - I am the worst person ever with names and LinkedIn photos never look like real life!
A few people had left by the time I remembered to do this. Sorry!
Serendipity final call
Final call for my/unbundled vc's Serendipity Meetup from 5.30pm this evening upstairs at the Jon Snow pub in London.
TIL from my super impressive 17yo nephew, Sam Cohen:
TIL from my super impressive 17yo nephew, Sam Cohen:
It's ok to repost your own content on X and LinkedIn. You have followers who may not have seen it the first time. You have followers in different time zones.
Don't be embarassed to promote your own content.
He should know. His X account, @SamC_reports, has 140k followers and he runs The United Stand's account which has 2.5m.
A lot more I can learn from him.
Learn from your buyers
Early-stage founders, if you have a first buyer for your product that loves it, understand why they love it, what problem it solves for them, and why it makes sense for them to buy it.
Then look for the set of companies that have the identical characteristics.
Now you have your target market and your messaging nailed.
Bingo.
This weekend with Al Murray
The weekend starts soon with Al Murray, Pub Landlord.
A crazy backlog to work through before I fly to London on Sunday to do my own very different level standup set.
The unbundled vc serendipity meetup is on Monday evening (link in comments).
Sifted Summit and Alma Angels female founder office hours are on Wednesday and Thursday.
And meetings meetings meetings.
Have a great weekend, all.
ICYMI yesterday
ICYMI yesterday I:
👉 Shared details of Monday's upcoming unbundled vc serendipity meetup in London.
👉 Asked for advice ahead of speaking to a journalist on a controversial subject.
👉 Shared I had been quoted in a Business Insider article about Mr Beast.
Quote in Business Insider on Mr Beast
Here's my quote in this Business Insider article about Mr Beast, Founder Mode, and his recently leaked onboarding document:
"It feels authentic," said Marc Cohen, an early-stage tech investor at unbundled vc. "It feels like it's written by a person rather than it's written by a corporation. And when you do that, you get a message across."
Thank you to Dan Whateley of Business Insider for the opportunity to contribute. I was a little nervous because of the controversy around Mr Beast but Dan was a delight to deal with.
Talking to journalists advice
So I have a call with a journalist this afternoon on a subject that is adjacent to a controversial one.
How do I avoid getting misquoted or caught up in it yet take advantage of the opportunity to build my brand?
Advice please.
Edit: all good. Business Insider.
Sign up for the serendipity meetup
The serendipity meetup is happening on Monday in London!
Please signup to meet like-minded others, chat, connect and generate serendipity.
No agenda, no selling, just show up and see what happens.
AI’s impact on venture
AI is opening up an incredible set of opportunities, enabling founders to solve problems at scale that were never possible before.
That’s why it matters, but it’s not the only way to do so - as my current portfolio evidences.
At the end of the day, if you can solve real problems for customers at scale you will have a great business. AI hugely increases the set of things where that is possible.