If you're writing about this story it should not take you until the 10th paragraph to inform your readers the GOP is engaged in theater to ensure that right wing billionaire Larry Ellison can buy Warner Brothers and CNN
One of the main arguments against the Bill of Rights back in 1787-88 was that enumerating specific rights would lead future generations to conclude those were the only ones that existed
Supporters pointed to the 9th Amendment as the fix
And we still somehow ended up where opponents said we'd be 🤦♂️
This passed unnoticed: New Pew poll finds 64% oppose mass detention of migrants while their cases are decided.
That directly repudiates MAGA. Trumpism treats the release of migrants awaiting hearings as a mortal blow to the nation. The broader public does not. 3/
newrepublic.com/article/2060...
The gap between 3% and 50% investor response rates.
If your first interaction with an investor is asking for money, you have already lost.
You aren't stuck. You just have the wrong process.
Get the fix here: https://www.rfr.bz/b5ae4fb
#startup #fundraising #founder #entrepreneurship
I’m pruning my vineyard soon. We cut 90% of the wood to save the fruit.
Most founders are terrified to cut.
But you can't feed everything.
Growth requires subtraction.
Need help finding the 90% to cut? Book a Roadmap Session: https://www.rfr.bz/bc91b22
![Comic. [Two people in front of projected satellite image. A small portion of the image is pixelated squares.] PERSON 1: Wait, when was this imagery taken? Is this censorship the work of the contractor? One of our people? *Foreign actors!?* PERSON 2 with ponytail: Do we know who’s operating a facility at that location? PERSON 1: We can’t find *anything*. [caption] My hobby: Setting up big colored panels in the middle of nowhere as a prank on remote sensing people](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreib6md2yc7x32taznh2u4feo27rltazabjco4fer3c6mni3soe5tfa@jpeg)
Comic. [Two people in front of projected satellite image. A small portion of the image is pixelated squares.] PERSON 1: Wait, when was this imagery taken? Is this censorship the work of the contractor? One of our people? *Foreign actors!?* PERSON 2 with ponytail: Do we know who’s operating a facility at that location? PERSON 1: We can’t find *anything*. [caption] My hobby: Setting up big colored panels in the middle of nowhere as a prank on remote sensing people
Satellite Imagery
xkcd.com/3173/
Without traction, raising capital is just spinning your wheels.
Investors don't pay for activity. They pay for grip.
Don't ask investors to pay for gas until you can prove the tires work.
Here is the link to grab your seat for Thursday: https://www.rfr.bz/ba073a7
My friend and fellow angel, DC Palter, just published a superb Venture Dictionary https://www.rfr.bz/bbfc172
I dive deeper into the mechanics of these terms in my workshop, Deal Terms That Make or Break You.
https://www.rfr.bz/b9b7ce1
#VentureCapital #Fundraising #Startup #TermSheet #Founder
David Homan destroys the biggest myth in founder networking.
You think you’re bad at networking because you’re an introvert who hates schmoozing?
Think again.
See the full episode now at https://www.rfr.bz/b273a61
#Founder #Startup #VentureCapital #Networking #BusinessStrategy
Most founders fail at fundraising before they ever pitch.
That’s why I’m excited to be running Fundraising Fundamentals again, the workshop that started it all.
Join the live Fundraising Fundamentals workshop: the foundation for successful startup fundraising.
https://www.rfr.bz/bac483d
Learn to avoid term sheet traps and hidden deal pitfalls.
Check out my workshop Deal Terms that Make or Break You here:
👉 https://www.rfr.bz/bdffd34
Raising with a SAFE or convertible note?
You might be giving away more of your company than you realize.
Most founders don’t think through how the cap and discount interact, and that can create massive unexpected dilution later.
https://www.rfr.bz/bbcbf79
Learn the complete system for raising your startup’s first round the smart way.
💡 Get the Fundraising Fundamentals workshop here: https://www.rfr.bz/b7000b6
Most cold outreach fails before it even begins.
Why? Founders open with a pitch. Investors hit delete.
In my last workshop, I shared my system for turning cold contacts into warm conversations.
The trick: start with a short question investors actually want to answer.
Most founders raise money without realizing how much ownership they’re giving up.
The size of your round should balance:
Need, valuation, & dilution.
Get that balance wrong, and you either struggle to raise or give away too much, too soon.
https://www.rfr.bz/b822360
Pet Shop Boys opportunities is about finding a co-founder.
Recently, I was listening to “Opportunities” by the Pet Shop Boys (Gen X much?)
I realized that it is about a technical founder recruiting a non-technical co-founder.
Now I can’t hear it any other way.
You’re welcome.
"From Cold Outreach to Capital: Fundraising When You Don’t Have Connections" shows you how to raise without a network.
This $99 workshop can bring you $1m+ in investments.
It runs live on Zoom Wednesday, September 24th, at 10 AM PDT.
👉 Click Here to Register: https://www.rfr.bz/b6a20f2
Today, we bottled our 2024 Pinot Noir to make space for the 2025. 🍷
Many businesses have abstract results. It can be challenging to recognize the impact you have on your customers.
So, pop a cork and celebrate your successes and milestones along the way by sharing them in the comments! 🍾
Behind every failed startup is one stubborn bottleneck they couldn’t escape.
What challenges or obstacles are you facing that would unlock massive potential if you could overcome them?
I’m planning the next round of Founder Quest workshops, and your answers will help shape them.
This NFX blog on fundraising seasonality is spot on.
They also make some other great points about fundraising that sound very familiar. 🙃
https://www.rfr.bz/bf03ed1
Most founders only build one pitch deck.
And that’s why many startups never get a fair shot.
The truth is, you need six different pitches for different moments, from a 3-minute stage pitch to a self-guided deck for email.
Miss one, and investors won’t see your strengths.
https://www.rfr.bz/bb1bee2
Startups can break you if you let them.
Don’t sacrifice your health, joy, or relationships hoping to earn them back later.
You need fuel during the journey.
https://www.rfr.bz/b9a1815
It’s better to travel the road with others. Join us at the Crossroads https://www.rfr.bz/b99c3f5
I recently watched a crew in my vineyard hand-pluck leaves and move shoots. It doesn’t scale, but it’s critical to quality.
Startups are the same. “Do things that don’t scale” isn’t just for day one. It’s how you keep real feedback flowing.
What hands-on task do you still do yourself, and why?
Raising money for your startup means owning less of it.
But it’s not because you sold your shares.
It’s called dilution. Your slice shrinks, while the whole pie grows. 🍰
👉 For more startup fundraising insights, subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rfr.bz/b2dc42a
Strong logic isn’t enough. Investors taste with their eyes first.
Show up sharp, speak clearly, and polish your deck.
Even a great product can be overshadowed by sloppy delivery.
Ready to see if you’re truly pitch-ready?
Take the quick quiz 👉 https://www.rfr.bz/bc1a042
My Pinot grapes just hit veraison, when they turn sweet.
Startups go through the same shift: from pushing a product to customers pulling it from your hands.
If you’re there, you’re ready to pitch. But 80% of deals fail in due diligence.
DM me for details on my Surviving Due Diligence workshop.
Start pitching before you’re ready and investors will shred you.
1️⃣ Why this problem now?
2️⃣ Why are you the team to solve it?
3️⃣ What proves that customers will pay?
4️⃣ How will your raise hit clear milestones on a timetable?
5️⃣ What’s the exit size?
Take my quiz ➜ https://www.rfr.bz/b821e15
Are you struggling to raise capital for your startup?
I’m hosting a 90-minute online workshop @ 10 AM PDT on Wednesday, July 23rd, to demonstrate how my system works, so you can start implementing it yourself.
Reply "Framework" or message me for pricing, link, and details.
You don’t scale by clutching every task like Gollum and his ring.
Hire → train → watch the newbie fumble → resist grabbing the wheel.
Painful? Yes.
But the faster you delegate, the faster the company grows. That’s the CEO loop.
Where are YOU still the bottleneck?
Investors kill deals fast when founders lack Founder-Market Fit: the hard evidence you’ve “lived” the problem.
Credibility, Insider insight, and Real access show up pre-seed, long before P/M fit.
I break down how to spot & fix FMF in today’s Feel the Boot: https://www.rfr.bz/bb4a17d
