The 4 Types Of Exits: M&A

I recently had lunch with Gary Kats, a friend from business school who has gone on to work as a tech banker. As part of our chat, we discussed the current exit environment and how it has affected the four types of exits: M&A, IPO, Secondary and Recapitalization. During the course of…

The Phases Of Due Diligence

There are typically two phases of the due diligence process.

The first phase typically begins after the VC has decided that he is interested in your company. At this stage, the VC begins to explore all of the key assumptions that must be true to make…

Customer Reference Calls

When a VC conducts due diligence, he typically wants to conduct calls with current or future customers in order to understand the customers’ perspectives on your business. These calls are a critical part of the due diligence process, as VCs often won’t know your customers’…

VC Fund Lifecycle: Harvesting

The third and final stage of a VC fund takes place when the majority of the surviving portfolio companies begin to prepare to exit. This stage is typically referred to as the harvesting stage.

How To Introduce Yourself

VCs often ask entrepreneurs to tell them a little bit about their background.

When a VC asks this question they are looking for a high-level 30 second summary of your background. Start with your name and title in the company and then rattle off the…

Get The VC’s Attention: Use The Right Subject

When emailing an investor you should think of every word in the email as an opportunity to get your message across. One part of the email that is typically under utilized is the subject line. Great subject lines can peak the interest of not only the…