We are in new times.

Raising money has become harder than it used to be.

Impressing VCs has started to feel like it's impossible.

Because I work with founders on a daily basis, I know the struggle.

So, I made this episode where I'll be going over the top things to be prepared for before going out to raise.

Founders, it's time to take notes!

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab our weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter

A few months ago I had a fireside chat with a successful venture backed founder and friend of mine, Daniel Hatkoff.

I wanted to bring him on is because like myself, he has also gotten to wear both hats as a VC and founder, so he's got a ton of valuable information around raising venture capital.

During our chat there was this reoccurring theme of reputation, and how building his ultimately led to a successful $30M round for his company Pitzi.

In this episode, I go over the key takeaways from our conversation around building a great company and reputation. Tune in 

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab our weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter

Depending on how long you've followed me or stayed in touch with what I'm up to, some of you might not know that I fly down to Brazil at least a few times a year. One reason being I have a good friend who runs a company down there called Colbi. I had no idea that he would connect with me the founder of an organization that I still partner with till this day called Latitud. If I had to sum up what Latitud is, I'd say it's now the YC of LATAM. Since then, I've fallen in love with the startup ecosystem in Brazil that only seems to be speeding up. In this episode, I talk about the different things I noticed around the startup/vc space during my last trip back in July. If you're from LATAM or curious about the opportunity growing there, this episodes for you!

As an entrepreneur, it is all too easy to lose yourself in your work. If you aren't careful, your entire life becomes consumed by it.

This is not to say you shouldn't be obsessed with the your company and the goals that you have for it.

But let it be a reminder that forcing yourself into burnout is not serving you or your company.

As a 3x founder himself, our host Jason Yeh dives into 3 things he does to maintain a sense of work/life balance.

If you are some who struggles to unplug from your work, give this episode a listen.

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab our weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter

What's the most important part of pitching your company to VCs?

Some think it's sharing the right numbers and statistics.

Others think it's about giving the investors a wealth of information about the company.

And then there's those who believe storytelling to be the key.

To be clear, I think all of these are important aspects of a pitch.

But theres something missing - emotion.

If you tell a story but have no emotional connection to it, it's just a story.

If you overload investors with information and numbers but they have nothing to connect it back to, it's just clutter.

In this episode I talk about the importance of connecting all aspects o your pitch through emotion.

If you can get an investor to feel the relief your product or service gives to it's customers AND then back it up with proof, chances are you've got a deal.

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter

Ever since chatGPT was released in November of 2022, there has been a flood of other AI platforms pulling from OpenAI's original technology.

That being said I was so curious to know what that means for venture capital firms funding these new AI companies, when it seemed like all the hard work was being done by OpenAI.

Why were investors pouring money into these AI startups that didn't seem to have defensible technology?

I wanted to hear from experts in the industry who could give me answers - so I made it happen.

A couple of months ago I hosted a fireside chat with Yohei Nakajima, GP of Untapped Capital and founder of BabyAGI and Sarah Catanzaro, GP at Amplify Partners.

They were able to answer all of my questions and more. In this episode, I sum up their answers and key takeaways for you to hear.

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter

The art of introductions is something heavily ignored when founders are learning how to start their fundraising process.

Truth is, intros are the lifeblood of a great fundraise.

There are many different components that go into making introductions, but today we'll be focusing specifically on forwardable emails.

While meant to simplify, intros often backfire - especially if you lack a process behind it. This episode will give you all of the basics surrounding forwardable emails like sequences of interactions, double opt-ins, connecting emails, and more.

Head to our website to find some real examples of what a forwardable email should look like: adamantventures.com

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter

Side letters are not only more complicated than they seem but dangerous to your fundraise if not properly managed.

Side letters, often accompanying standard agreements like safes, may seem harmless at first but can include onerous clauses like pro-rata rights.

In this episode Jason emphasizes the importance of early negotiation and proactive communication to safeguard founder interests.

Tune in to protect yourself from this common challenge in the fundraising world.

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter

Project management - an often overlooked and unsexy aspect of fundraising.

Contrary to the dramatic portrayals in movies, fundraising is essentially a series of repetitive and detailed tasks. While not brain surgery, these small actions demand attention and diligence.

While it might seem like project management is 'taking away' from more glamorous business pursuits it's actually the underpinnings that form the foundation for success.

Success in fundraising lies in effectively managing oneself and others throughout the process.

In this episode Jason discusses the importance of creating processes that set you up for success. If you tend to avoid project management, this ones for you.

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If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter