Investor Connect Podcast

In this edition of Investor Connect, Hall Martin sits down with Sanjay Kalluvilayil, founder and CEO of Stonehaas Advisors and host of The AI Space Podcast. Sanjay discusses his extensive consulting experience and how he now uses it to support AI startups. By offering both advisory services and fractional CXO support, Sanjay helps AI founders define their target markets, secure their first clients, and eventually scale their operat...

How Limited Partners Select VC Funds

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Limited partners consist of pension funds, university endowments, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals.

Here's how LPs select VC funds for investment.

Track record.

The VC must have a track rec...

How To Learn To Pitch

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Pitching is a key skill in startup fundraising.

Here are some key steps to learn how to pitch:

Consider taking classes and tutorials.

There are many tools now available online.

Consider signing up for a To...

Stick With It

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Launching a startup is hard work.

The hours are long, and there are many obstacles to overcome.

The key to a successful startup is not funding from investors, but rather founders who stick with it.

Losing faith in the business...

Core Skills for Startup Founders

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Startup founders are successful because they execute.

Many founders have ideas, but the execution separates the winners from the losers.

Here are the core skills of a startup founder:

They pick an idea and d...

What Makes for a Great Angel Investor

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

What makes for a great angel investor is a great fit for the startup.

An angel is a great fit for the startup if they meet the following criteria:

They have knowledge of your industry and can explain the insights in...

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin welcomes Devin Baker, a writer, investor, and the founder of Comma Partners. Devin shares his journey into the world of crypto starting from 2020, his fascination with blockchain technology, and why he believes it's a transformative force similar to the internet.

He discusses the foundation and vision of Comma Partners, a fund investing in crypto, and how he perceives the intersectio...

What Are FormDs?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In the startup funding world, there's an SEC registration called a FormD.

A FormD is an SEC filing for those who raised funding under Regulation D rules.

It's a public notice indicating an investment has been made.

For comp...

How To Fund an Angel Network

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Running an angel network requires a source of revenue just like a startup.

Here are some ways to fund an angel network:

Charge membership dues.

This is the most common form of revenue for an angel group.

How To Get a Meeting With an Investor

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In raising funding, startup founders must identify and contact many investors.

Here are some key steps to getting a meeting with an investor.

Research the target investor to identify what they are interested in.

Investors Vary in Quality for the Startup

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Investors vary in the quality of the startup.

There are some investors who bring gravitas to the deal that attracts other investors.

Other investors are good, solid players in the market and can add value to the...

Key Qualities of a Startup Founder

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

The quality of the team, in particular the startup founder, is one of the most important factors of startup success.

Here are some key qualities to look for in a founder. 

Integrity is the most important quality, as th...

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin speaks with Dan Delmar, founder and president of Virtual Angels Network. Dan sheds light on the fully virtual national angel investor network that connects early-stage startups with investors across North America. With over a decade of experience in the innovation ecosystem, Dan draws from his background with the Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of New York and discusses the ins...

How To Prepare for a Valuation Negotiation

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Valuation is a negotiation, not a formula.

Before negotiating valuation with the investor, prepare for the discussion.

Consider these points of preparation:

Know the current market and what other c...

Phrases To Remove From Your Pitch

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

There are certain phrases used in startup pitches that kill the credibility of the presenter.

Here's a list of phrases to remove from your pitch:

"We have no competition."

If you have no competition, then y...

Angel Investing Strategies

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Most angel investors focus on one of two strategies.

They can be called Moneyball and Powerball.

The Moneyball strategy invests the same amount of money in each deal.

Each sector gets one investment.

...

Say It Out Loud With Words

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

The key to a successful pitch is to articulate all the values in the deal.

This doesn't mean explaining how the product works in great detail

This also doesn't mean spending half your allotted pitch time trying to convince the...

Add Consulting to Your Startup Launch

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In launching a startup, consider adding a consulting program.

New products and services often require additional training and services to help the customer achieve success.

Over time, the product improves to the poi...