S6 Ep9 - Mike Soutar - Media Entrepreneur and Angel Investor

In this conversation, Nick Telson-Sillett interviews Marcus Lang, a partner at Speedinvest, who shares insights from his unique journey as an operator-turned-investor in the SaaS space. Marcus discusses the importance of understanding the founder's journey, the role of gut feel in assessing potential investments, and the ideal composition of founder teams. He emphasizes the opportunities presented by AI in traditional industries and the evolving importance of go-to-market strategies. Finally, Marcus provides valuable advice on what makes an effective pitch deck for early-stage investors.KeywordsSaaS, venture capital, startup, founder journey, AI, go-to-market strategy, pitch deck, investment, early-stage funding, team dynamicsTakeawaysMarcus Lang's journey from operator to investor provides unique insights.Understanding the founder's emotional journey is crucial for investors.Gut feel in assessing founders is developed through experience.Two to three founders often create the best team dynamics.AI presents significant opportunities for traditional industries.Go-to-market strategies are becoming a critical competitive advantage.The pitch deck serves as a proxy for a founder's capabilities.Investors look for clarity and design in pitch decks.Founders should showcase their product in their pitch.Building a scalable go-to-market strategy is essential for fundraising.TitlesThe Operator's Edge in Venture CapitalThe Role of Gut Feel in Investment DecisionsSound Bites"You only understand the roller coaster if you lived it.""It's about grit and energy, not just numbers.""Gut feel is created through experience."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Marcus Lang and His Journey04:34 Assessing Founders: The Role of Gut Feel09:01 The Ideal Founder Team Composition10:25 AI's Impact on SaaS: Opportunities and Challenges15:07 Go-to-Market Strategies as a New Moat24:11 The Importance of the Pitch Deck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, Jason Kirby, co-founder and CEO of Thunder VC, shares his insights on the venture capital landscape, the importance of understanding what it means to be a venture-backable business, and the various funding options available to startups. He emphasizes the need for founders to assess their goals, the market potential, and the implications of pursuing venture capital. Jason also discusses the significance of profitability and offers practical advice on crafting an effective pitch deck for angel investors.Keywordsventure capital, startup funding, angel investing, business growth, capital efficiency, pitch deck, entrepreneurship, startup ecosystem, Thunder VC, Jason KirbyTakeawaysNot every startup needs to pursue venture capital.Founders often chase venture funding without understanding its implications.Assessing whether a business is venture-backable is crucial for founders.Capital efficiency is important, but VCs often prefer aggressive growth strategies.There are alternative funding options beyond traditional venture capital.Grants can be a valuable source of funding for startups.Profitability can provide more options for funding and growth.A compelling pitch deck should highlight the founder's credibility and story.Understanding the VC landscape can help founders find the right fit for funding.The path to profitability can lead to better funding opportunities.TitlesThe Realities of Startup FundingNavigating the Venture Capital LandscapeSound Bites"Not every startup needs to get VC.""Chasing venture can lead to failure.""What's your real North Star as a founder?"Chapters00:00 Introduction to Jason Kirby and Thunder VC02:55 Understanding Venture Capital and Its Implications06:04 Assessing Venture-Backable Businesses08:50 The Reality of Capital Efficiency in Venture11:46 Navigating the VC Landscape: Finding the Right Fit15:01 Exploring Alternative Funding Options20:57 The Path to Profitability and Its Importance26:53 Crafting a Killer Pitch Deck for Angels Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Bradley, a partner at Salica Investments, discusses the importance of nurturing startups and specializing in specific sectors. He emphasizes the need for venture capitalists to provide assistance and expertise to help companies develop and scale. Tom also highlights the significance of building durable businesses with defensibility and solving big problems. He shares insights on team evolution, hiring, and the importance of being flexible and open to feedback. Tom also discusses internationalization and the attributes of a great pitch deck.Keywordsstartups, venture capital, nurturing, specialization, scaling, defensibility, team evolution, hiring, flexibility, feedback, internationalization, pitch deckTakeawaysNurturing startups is crucial for venture capitalists, who provide capital and expertise to help founders develop and scale their companies.Specializing in specific sectors allows venture capitalists to better influence the success of the companies they invest in.Building durable businesses with defensibility and solving big problems is key to long-term value.Team evolution involves a combination of commercial and technical leadership, value alignment, and the ability to delegate and make necessary changes.Being flexible, open to feedback, and constantly thinking about what's next are important for success.Internationalization should be approached strategically, with a focus on proving success in the home market before expanding.A great pitch deck should highlight the problem, unique solution, team capabilities, and provide unique insights that make the reader learn something new.TitlesStrategic InternationalizationAttributes of a Great Pitch DeckSound Bites"We believe that those companies can benefit from assistance along the way.""Our level of specialism is able to better influence the outcome for the companies that we invest in.""We like there to be a combination of commercial and technical leadership in the business."Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background06:33 Building Durable Businesses with Defensibility08:53 Team Evolution and Hiring Strategies13:22 Flexibility, Feedback, and What's Next17:16 Strategic Internationalization19:49 Attributes of a Great Pitch Deck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Lehair, Partner, at Albion VC, discusses the key factors they look for when investing in startups, including product-market fit, revenue potential, and differentiation from competitors. He emphasizes the importance of clear storytelling, traction, and customer satisfaction. Lehair also shares insights on investing in AI companies, the challenges of competitive markets, and the value of scenario planning to avoid failure. He concludes by highlighting the significance of personalization and uniqueness in pitch decks to grab investors' attention.Keywordsstartup investment, product-market fit, revenue potential, differentiation, AI companies, competitive markets, scenario planning, failure, pitch decksTakeawaysInvestors look for startups with clear product-market fit, demonstrated through customer satisfaction and repeat business.Revenue potential and scalability are important factors in determining investment readiness.Differentiation from competitors is crucial, whether through unique technology, proprietary data sets, or deep industry knowledge.Investing in AI companies requires careful evaluation of long-term value and differentiation beyond hype.Startups in competitive markets can succeed by providing superior value and positioning themselves as second-wave disruptors.Founders should engage in scenario planning and maintain optionality to avoid running out of funds.The number of founders is less important than their passion, vision, and ability to execute.Pitch decks should tell a clear and unique story, demonstrate traction, and personalize the message to grab investors' attention.TitlesFinding Product-Market Fit and Revenue PotentialAvoiding Failure: Scenario Planning and OptionalitySound Bites"Investors look for startups with clear product-market fit""Investing in AI companies requires careful evaluation of long-term value""Startups in competitive markets can succeed by providing superior value"Chapters00:00 Introduction to Paul Lahair and Albion VC03:00 Finding Product-Market Fit and Revenue Potential08:21 Investing in AI Companies: Differentiation and Long-Term Value12:49 Navigating Competitive Markets: Disruption and Positioning25:41 Avoiding Failure: Scenario Planning and Optionality28:57 The Role of Founders: Passion, Vision, and Execution34:28 Crafting Compelling Pitch Decks: Clear Storytelling and Personalization Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Soutar, a media entrepreneur and angel investor, discusses his approach to angel investing and what he looks for in founders and startups. He emphasizes the importance of learning new things and being attracted to ideas that make sense. Soutar is comfortable investing in sectors he may not know well, as long as he can understand the problem the startup is solving and the market opportunity. He values founder market fit and looks for founders who have an unconventional viewpoint and can think insurgently. Soutar prefers to invest in the pre-seed stage and enjoys being involved right from the start, working closely with founders to help them raise money and grow their businesses. He believes that investors back people first and ideas second. Soutar looks for founders who can clearly articulate why their solution is different and better, and who can demonstrate customer demand and willingness to pay. He also values clarity, consistency, and discipline in founders, and believes that founders should have a clear understanding of their competitors and be able to recognize and respect them. Soutar advises founders to be cautious about expanding operations abroad and to consider testing new ideas or adjacencies in their existing market before going international. He also shares insights on failures and the importance of raising enough capital and building in contingency. Soutar discusses the changing landscape of media businesses and the challenges and opportunities presented by social media and user-generated content. He believes that while there may still be a space for curated content, consumers now prefer to control their own journey and decide what they want to consume. Soutar sees opportunities in using high-quality original content to engage audiences, but believes that monetization models need to evolve beyond traditional advertising or paid content. Keywordsangel investing, startup, founder market fit, pre-seed, customer demand, willingness to pay, competitors, expansion, media business, social media, user-generated content, go-to-market strategyTakeawaysInvestors should be open to learning new things and be attracted to ideas that make sense.Founder market fit is important, and founders should have an unconventional viewpoint and the ability to think insurgently.Investing in the pre-seed stage allows for greater risk but also greater upside.Founders should be able to clearly articulate why their solution is different and better, and demonstrate customer demand and willingness to pay.Understanding competitors and having a go-to-market strategy are crucial for success.Expanding operations abroad should be carefully considered, and testing adjacencies in the existing market may be beneficial before going international.The media landscape is changing, and monetization models need to evolve beyond traditional advertising or paid content.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background00:40 Investment Approach and Agnosticism01:52 Comfort with Unknown Sectors and Technologies03:45 Founder Market Fit and Insider Perspective04:46 Investing in the Pre-Seed Stage06:20 Finding and Assessing Founders08:52 Understanding Competitors and Being Respectful09:49 Investing in Early Stage and Willingness to Pay11:53 Traits of Successful Founders15:10 Being Cautious about Expansion16:40 Lessons from Failures and Importance of Capital17:09 Expanding Operations Abroad19:24 Common Threads in Failures21:00 Traction Takes Longer and Importance of Raising Enough Capital23:12 The Changing Landscape of Media Businesses26:29 Opportunities in the Era of Social Media29:11 Key Elements of a Perfect Deck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan, co-founder and partner at SuperSeed, shares insights on early-stage investments and what founders can do to differentiate their businesses. He emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and position in the market, rather than relying on technical moats. Dan also discusses the role of competition and the need for founders to have a long-term strategy. He advises founders to focus on their ideal customer profile (ICP) and consider expanding into new territories or customer segments. Dan also shares his thoughts on expanding to the US market and the challenges of transitioning from founder to CEO.Keywordsearly-stage investments, differentiation, vision, market position, competition, ideal customer profile, expanding to the US, founder to CEOTakeawaysHaving a clear vision and position in the market is more important than relying on technical moats.Founders should focus on their ideal customer profile (ICP) and consider expanding into new territories or customer segments.Expanding to the US market can be beneficial, but founders should carefully consider the timing and the need for boots on the ground.Transitioning from founder to CEO can be challenging, and founders should be self-aware and open to bringing in additional leadership.Thoughtfulness, relevance, and conciseness are key when reaching out to investors and creating a pitch deck.TitlesExpanding to the US Market: Timing and ConsiderationsNavigating Competition and Expanding into New TerritoriesSound Bites"I don't believe in moats and I think your bang on, I think technical moats died a while ago.""There are some incredible founders that I meet that are building lovely businesses that I want to invest in. I just can't, I need it to be no gorillas, venture scale, which means global fund returner.""You need some kind of strategy that's gonna horizontally play across some form of smaller business, mid-tier avenue, or it's gonna go up into the enterprise."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Dan and SuperSeed01:23 Differentiating Your Business: Vision and Position in the Market03:24 Navigating Competition and Expanding into New Territories05:57 Expanding to the US Market: Timing and Considerations08:58 Transitioning from Founder to CEO: Challenges and Strategies11:12 Crafting an Effective Pitch Deck: Thoughtfulness, Relevance, and Conciseness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Drinkwater, an influential pre-seed angel investor and founder of Common Magic, discusses the importance of community in technology companies. She defines community as a combination of utility and belonging, and emphasizes the role of community in connecting audiences to products and enabling long-term resilience. Sarah believes that community-building is not suitable for every company and depends on the specific audience and problem being solved. She also highlights the traits she looks for in founders, including resilience, persuasiveness, self-knowledge, and comfort with chaos. In terms of pitch decks, Sarah values clarity, a clear reason for the timing of the product, and a compelling reason why the founders are the right fit for the problem.Keywordscommunity, technology companies, utility, belonging, audience, product, resilience, founders, pitch deckTakeawaysCommunity is a combination of utility and belonging in technology companies.Community-building is not suitable for every company and depends on the specific audience and problem being solved.Founders should possess traits such as resilience, persuasiveness, self-knowledge, and comfort with chaos.Pitch decks should focus on clarity, the timing of the product, and a compelling reason why the founders are the right fit for the problem.TitlesTraits of Successful FoundersKey Elements of an Effective Pitch DeckSound Bites"Community is kind of utility plus belonging.""Technology is no longer the moat, go-to-market is the new moat.""Resilience is queen."Chapters00:00 Introduction01:20 The Role of Community in Technology Companies02:09 The New Moat: Go-to-Market03:36 Traits of Successful Founders09:14 Key Elements of an Effective Pitch Deck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrea Pacini, a renowned presentation coach and Head of Ideas on Stage UK, shares tips on how to improve your pitching skills. He discusses the differences between in-person and online presentations, emphasizing the importance of technology setup, audience interaction, and delivery. Pacini highlights the significance of familiarity and preparation in building confidence, as well as the structured process of developing a compelling message. He introduces the POST-IT framework for pitching to investors, which includes problem, opportunity, solution, timeline, investment, and team. Pacini also provides guidance on ending a presentation effectively by focusing on the key message, explaining its relevance to the audience, and discussing next steps.Keywordspresentation skills, pitching, online presentations, technology setup, audience interaction, delivery, confidence, message development, POST-IT framework, problem, opportunity, solution, timeline, investment, team, ending a presentationTakeawaysTechnology setup is crucial for online presentations, including microphone, webcam, and lighting.Maintaining high audience attention is more challenging in online presentations, requiring frequent interaction.Confidence in presenting comes from familiarity, preparation, and following a structured process.The POST-IT framework (problem, opportunity, solution, timeline, investment, team) is effective for pitching to investors.Ending a presentation should focus on the key message, its relevance to the audience, and discussing next steps.TitlesMastering the Art of Presenting: Tips from a Presentation CoachThe POST-IT Framework: A Simple Structure for Pitching to InvestorsSound Bites"You need to create a designed conversation.""Always subtract at least 30% of the allotted time for preparation.""80% of your confidence comes from your ability to develop a compelling message."Chapters00:00 Introduction of Andrea Pacini04:56 Tips for Technology Setup and Audience Interaction11:36 Building Confidence in Presenting22:08 Presentation Frameworks and Structures26:17 The POST-IT Framework for Pitching to Investors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Pakman, Managing Partner at CoinFund, discusses his experience at Apple and the impact of the company on the music industry. He also shares insights into the future of crypto beyond coins and the exciting businesses in the crypto space. Additionally, he provides advice on what makes a compelling pitch deck.TakeawaysApple's ability to attract top talent and its focus on user experience were key factors in its success.Spotify has revolutionized the music industry by pioneering the streaming model and offering personalized experiences.Crypto has the potential to transform various industries, including finance, gaming, and cross-border payments.Specialist VCs in the crypto space have an advantage over generalist funds due to their deep domain knowledge.A compelling pitch deck should highlight the team's expertise, market understanding, and the unique qualities of the product.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background01:19 Apple's Special Qualities03:01 Fostering Creativity at Apple05:08 Apple Post-Steve Jobs07:02 Impact of Spotify on the Music Industry13:37 The Future Opportunity of Crypto16:36 Crypto Use Cases Beyond Coins24:15 Exciting Businesses in the Crypto Space26:24 Generalist Funds in the Crypto Market28:28 What Makes a Compelling Pitch Deck30:21 Where to Find David Pakman and CoinFund Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Annelie Ajami, founder of Anamcara Ventures, shares insights on what she looks for in pre-seed startups and how founders can impress investors. She emphasizes the importance of the founding team, including their domain expertise, unique insights, narrative, technical capabilities, and clarity of thought. She also discusses the significance of a founder's motivation and determination. Annelie highlights the value of warm introductions and resourcefulness in getting in touch with investors. When it comes to pitch decks, she suggests focusing on the problem, solution, market, team, business model, and round being raised, and keeping the deck short and concise.Keywordspre-seed, venture capital, founding team, domain expertise, unique insights, narrative, technical capabilities, warm introductions, pitch deckTakeawaysThe founding team is crucial in pre-seed investments, with factors such as domain expertise, unique insights, narrative, technical capabilities, and clarity of thought being important considerations.A founder's motivation and determination are key indicators of their potential success.Warm introductions and resourcefulness can greatly increase the chances of getting in touch with investors.Pitch decks should focus on the problem, solution, market, team, business model, and round being raised, and should be kept short and concise.TitlesThe Value of Warm Introductions and ResourcefulnessMotivation and Determination: Key Indicators of SuccessSound Bites"I love founders that have something to prove.""Yes, it's definitely happened more than once that when I speak to founders, my heart starts beating faster.""There's this bias against that type of setup."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Annelie Ajami and Anamcara Ventures01:16 The Importance of the Founding Team in Pre-Seed Investments10:42 The Value of Warm Introductions and Resourcefulness14:10 Pitch Deck Essentials: Problem, Solution, Market, Team, Business Model, and Round Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.