American Entrepreneurship

JANUARY 28, 2025

Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, a leading venture capital firm, says, “The thing that gets me most excited is the founder whos obsessed with solving a problem that matters, and is determined to keep going no matter what.” Do they have a track record that exemplifies these traits of hard-earned achievements?

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Entrepreneurs' Organization

AUGUST 27, 2020

Nine out of 10 entrepreneurs I know have long-term pain with their partners. The tenth entrepreneur without the headache is usually the one without a business partner. It’s because you just haven’t pitched your products or services to solve their problems. Agonise over whether or not you need business partners. Values cannot.

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advice entrepreneurs creativity culture 325

American Entrepreneurship

MARCH 21, 2025

Entrepreneurs and changemakers from across the country will gather in Dallas June 12-14, 2025, for the return of the Good Soil Forum, presented by Wells Fargo. Known for igniting purpose-driven business growth, this years event will feature none other than media icon, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey , who will join T.D.

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Dream It

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Getting investors excited about your product is a critical part of raising capital. But founders are often so consumed with talking metrics, milestones achieved, or the capital they need that they sometimes forget to talk about their overarching vision for their startups. It’s not about the slide deck.

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Dream It

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

Many of these new red flags that occur during virtual pitching are easy to fix. In this Dreamit Dose, Healthtech MD Adam Dakin provides 5 simple rules to avoid giving investors the wrong impression when pitching remotely. We hear startups pitch everyday and far too often founders end up joining the meeting late.

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pitching advice health founder 285

This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 14, 2014

Most companies don''t ever raise venture capital and they do just fine. That''s a much better picture of female entrepreneurship than the 2-4% of venture capital dollars going to women. The main driver of the skew towards men getting venture capital, statistically, is that far more men are pitching.

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This is going to be BIG.

FEBRUARY 21, 2021

She was pitching for a pre-seed round of $400k. Founders hit the street with their pitch deck, some make it, and some don’t, but nearly all of them ascribe a lot more human influence over the process than there probably is. Or that venture capital is a meritocracy? I’m a female founder. I don’t have a technical co-founder.

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Entrepreneurs' Organization

DECEMBER 15, 2021

Maximilian Fleitmann , an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member primarily based in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, is the CEO of BaseTemplates and Partner at Richmond View Ventures. He has raised venture capital for his startups, helped hundreds of founders craft their pitch decks and fundraising strategy, and invested as a business angel.

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This is going to be BIG.

JUNE 23, 2014

Sugarcoating isn''t helpful to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are sending me back notes saying "They turned it down, but I''m not sure why." It doesn''t help them improve their pitch or adjust their model. Venture Capital & Technology' What I never say is "I love what you''re doing, but.".

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Paul G. Silva

MARCH 26, 2020

This is the 3rd post in the “Startup Pitching” series. Entrepreneurs tend to explain to funders how they will spend money. Bad example: “This round of financing will be used primarily on working capital to keep us alive until we’re ready for the next stage.”. The one (maybe two) number rule.

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Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2016

There was an explosion in number of startups both because it was cheap and there was tons of available capital. The other major trend of 2012–2015 was the entrance of “non VCs” into late-stages of venture capital , which mostly consisted of hedge funds, mutual funds, corporate investors, sovereign wealth funds and even LPs doing direct deals.

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venture capital capital ventures VC 271

Dream It

JANUARY 8, 2020

In the episode, Steve asked Ron about his “five slide pitch deck.” This is what each of the five slides may include: First Slide: The “What” The first slide answers the question that puts entrepreneurs in action: What problem does your solution solve? How much will you invest in marketing and other capital intensive resources?

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Dream It

JULY 31, 2019

The product should be live if we hope to raise capital. The press enhances this misconception around YCombinator demo days, where the 3-day pitch event is perceived like an auction, with investors fighting each other for the best deals. Don't get me wrong; the pitch deck is a crucial document (trust me, it's what we do).

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Entrepreneurs' Organization

JANUARY 4, 2023

We asked EO members to look ahead in 2023 and identify trends they see for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship overall. We asked them to share the skills, mindset or tools that entrepreneurs would be wise to adopt to meet the moment. Video pitching. I see an uptick in pitching via pre-recorded video. Temptation to regress.

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Dream It

DECEMBER 19, 2019

Avoiding 5 Common Cyber Entrepreneur Pitfalls In this #DreamitLive, Ron Gula , president of Gula Tech Ventures , joins Steve Barsh to talk about the 5 most common mistakes cyber entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them. 15:00 - What does you Gula Five Slide Pitch Deck look like? 21:00 - Does the best tech always win?

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entrepreneurs pitching venture capital investing 195

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Now, I’m pretty on the record that being an entrepreneur is about being great at The Do. Frankly, I think venture capital is that way, too. How does the world in Los Angeles intersect differently with venture capital? Board Meetings. Conferences. I get sucked up in “Do” mode. Startups Are for Doers.

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American Entrepreneurship

MARCH 5, 2024

Three finalists received training via workshops and coaching from business advisors, fine-tuning their business plans and pitches for the showcase and pitch competition. In addition to its classroom curriculum, NFTE hosts the Founders Forum Pitch Competition.

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pitching founder entrepreneurship education 111

This is going to be BIG.

MARCH 31, 2014

Even if you haven''t gotten offers yet, your time is valuable and you can''t pitch everyone. You feel like you have a decent shot of successfully raising, so you want to prioritize who to pitch to first. 3) Talk to entrepreneurs they''ve backed before to see who really adds value. How did you pick who to pitch?

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VC pitching venture capital capital 377

Entrepreneurs' Organization

JUNE 19, 2024

Yet, as most seasoned entrepreneurs will attest, the reality is far more complex and challenging, particularly when you decide to bootstrap your business. Instead, it began with 15 years of hands-on learning in capital markets, working closely with entrepreneurs, investors, and bankers. I also did not have a business partner.

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financing finance entrepreneurship mentorship 255

This is going to be BIG.

MARCH 1, 2013

Initially, angel groups were basically setup for two reasons--to connect angels to each other and to pool money for entrepreneurs. Secondly, it was easier for the entrepreneurs to pitch in front of a roomful of a lot of money than one at a time. For entrepreneurs, it's quite the same. 2) A Platform for Visibility.

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Entrepreneurs' Organization

AUGUST 5, 2022

Some MyEO DX members are angel investors and serial entrepreneurs with deep knowledge about the process and strategy behind buying and selling companies. There’s a lengthy application and vetting process for EO members or Accelerators to qualify to pitch. Who is the ideal attendee for DX22? and more articles from the EO blog. .

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accelerator networking pitching real estate 273

This is going to be BIG.

NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Takes an hour or an hour and a half at most and everyone gets the benefit of a public conversation--versus three or four hours of pitches. So many entrepreneurs beg for just a few minutes of my time. Those kinds of requests feel desperate and not only undermine their pitch, but it''s still real time that adds up.

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Revolution

FEBRUARY 13, 2023

Since the beginning of modern venture capital investing — a relatively nascent asset class — the industry has been biased toward funding what it knows best: founders with familiar demographics (white, male) in familiar geographies (Silicon Valley).

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innovation investing investment pitching 264

This is going to be BIG.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

We refer to people as "great entrepreneurs" in the startup community all the time--but are they? It was like someone gave him the instruction manual on how to pitch and no one else had it. Sure enough, the very next pitch sent a screamer his way. That brought up the question of what makes someone truly great at something.

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American Entrepreneurship

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Startups, early-stage and growth-stage companies present their models to a gathering of angel investors and venture capital firms The Venture Atlanta Conference, set to take place on October 8-9, 2024, at The Woodruff Arts Center and Atlanta Symphony Hall, is one of the most anticipated entrepreneurial events in the southeast U.S.

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entrepreneurs ventures pitching mentorship 98

This is going to be BIG.

JUNE 16, 2014

If all my deals came as intros from trusted connections that I know for years versus at founder pitch events that''s interesting data. If you meet someone at a pitch event, they''ve already got a company and they''re looking to close as quickly as possible. Venture Capital & Technology' So what''s taking so long?

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VC pitching networking venture capital 417

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2014

We’ve been dying to tell you all for a while that we had raised a new venture capital fund and of course given SEC filing requirements the story was somewhat already scooped by the always-in-the-know Dan Primack a few weeks ago. Will our strategy change now that we have 40% more capital? . Why do they invest in venture capital?

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Smart Hustle Magazine

JUNE 4, 2021

Here’s a list of top sources for funding minority entrepreneurs. The NASE has been around since 1981, providing entrepreneurs and micro-businesses, including those by minority owners with access to grants and educational resources. It is a great resource for minority entrepreneurs with a more specific funding need.

entrepreneurs 131

entrepreneurs peer-to-peer collaboration communities 131

This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 11, 2016

Over the weekend, Rent the Runway held an event for its Project Entrepreneur initiative, which brought together over 100 female entrepreneurs looking to get education and advice on how to take their businesses to the next step. I know that white males get a majority of the venture capital funding.

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This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 23, 2012

I'm often the last one to leave an event, held back by the most persistant of entrepreneurs trying to squeeze as much advice as they can out of me. Venture capital is kind of like a knuckleball. Maybe you reminded them unconsciously of an entrepreneur they regretted passing on in the past. Most startups fail.

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advice startup VC strategy 416

American Entrepreneurship

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Recognizing this, The Veteran Fund announced the winner of its $100,000 Veteran Pitch Competition and the recent closing of its inaugural oversubscribed investment Fund I. The Veteran Fund was created to harness this potential, empowering veteran entrepreneurs to drive advancements in technology while securing America’s future.”

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leadership startup accelerator mentorship entrepreneurship 98

Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative

DECEMBER 4, 2019

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs and professionals looking to finance their business? Angel investors or venture capitalists will require that entrepreneurs sell shares (equity) of their companies for investment. Another great route for social entrepreneurs is Kiva , which provides low-interest loans.

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advice entrepreneurship entrepreneurs networking 240

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 11, 2015

That's one thing you have to realize about venture capital. I realized that I judge a lot of hackathons, pitch competitions and other various things on the weekends, and felt like I was losing at least 2 out of my 8 weekend days--so I gave myself back those days. Out of those, I take about 150 new pitches a year--about 3 a week.

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Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

I had witnessed a number of early-stage tech startups in LA raise seed capital from the Bay Area and relocate. and I thought if we brought the community together for common purpose we could create more of a sense of community to help new entrepreneurs get funded, assemble teams, raise profiles and help with biz dev, product, etc.

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American Entrepreneurship

MARCH 20, 2025

Located in the Union Market District, STATION DC is more than just a workspaceit is a purpose-built convening space for the regions most influential entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors. Entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders are encouraged to apply now at stationdc.com to secure their place in this dynamic ecosystem.

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innovation collaboration coworking mentorship 96

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2017

It’s why raising a round of capital often feels like a hollow victory because it almost feels like a temporary reprieve from the Grim Reaper and in a way every new round just sets the bar higher to clear for the next round of financing or the hope of reaching profitability. It’s why so few can really start a business from scratch.

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This is going to be BIG.

DECEMBER 24, 2018

If you’re going that route—here are a couple of things I would suggest: Have at least six months of personal expenses in the bank —and that’s only if you know you can at least get some angel capital based around your connections to investors, friends, family, etc. Build a following around what you’re doing.

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