Prodcircle with Mudassir Mustafa
Demystifying Venture Capital with 4x Founder and VC Jason Kirby - Episode 33
Summary
Jason Kirby shares his entrepreneurial journey and the challenges he faced in raising venture capital. He emphasizes the importance of determining if a business is venture backable and when to raise money. Jason also discusses the role of growth stage investors and the strategies they employ. He highlights the need for founders to explore non-venture capital routes and the support Thunder.VC provides in navigating complex capital structures. In this conversation, Jason Kirby shares insights and advice on various aspects of venture capital and entrepreneurship. He discusses the value that advisors can bring to founders, the importance of determining the right funding amount and approach, strategies for building a strong founding team, red flags for VCs when evaluating startups, and a fundamental belief in venture capital that he disagrees with. He also poses a thought-provoking question for the next guest.
Takeaways
Determining if a business is venture backable requires considering the potential for scale and the need for significant capital.
Founders should carefully evaluate when to raise money and explore non-venture capital options if their business doesn't require large-scale funding.
Late-stage VCs have shorter time horizons and aim for lower multiple returns, focusing on companies that are closer to a liquidity event.
Liquidation preferences can impact early investors, and founders should be aware of the potential consequences.
Thunder.VC provides tools and resources to help founders navigate the fundraising process and make informed decisions.
Chapters
00:00 Jason Kirby's Entrepreneurial Journey
04:03 The Decision to Raise Money
06:04 When to Raise Money and Why
08:49 Determining if a Business is Venture Backable
14:37 The Challenges of Raising Venture Capital
17:27 How Thunder.VC Helps Founders
21:36 The Common Denominator in Successful Fundraising
23:34 Exploring Non-Venture Capital Routes
29:51 The Investment Strategies of Late-Stage VCs
36:33 Liquidation Preferences and Impact on Early Investors
38:44 Helping Founders Navigate Complex Capital Structures
39:16 Providing Value to Founders
41:13 Determining Funding Amount and Approach
44:21 Building a Strong Founding Team
47:00 Red Flags for VCs
51:17 Disagreement with Fundamental Belief in Venture Capital
53:16 Question for Next Guest
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
Summary
Jason Kirby shares his entrepreneurial journey and the challenges he faced in raising venture capital. He emphasizes the importance of determining if a business is venture backable and when to raise money. Jason also discusses the role of growth stage investors and the strategies they employ. He highlights the need for founders to explore non-venture capital routes and the support Thunder.VC provides in navigating complex capital structures. In this conversation, Jason Kirby shares insights and advice on various aspects of venture capital and entrepreneurship. He discusses the value that advisors can bring to founders, the importance of determining the right funding amount and approach, strategies for building a strong founding team, red flags for VCs when evaluating startups, and a fundamental belief in venture capital that he disagrees with. He also poses a thought-provoking question for the next guest.
Takeaways
Determining if a business is venture backable requires considering the potential for scale and the need for significant capital.
Founders should carefully evaluate when to raise money and explore non-venture capital options if their business doesn't require large-scale funding.
Late-stage VCs have shorter time horizons and aim for lower multiple returns, focusing on companies that are closer to a liquidity event.
Liquidation preferences can impact early investors, and founders should be aware of the potential consequences.
Thunder.VC provides tools and resources to help founders navigate the fundraising process and make informed decisions.
Chapters
00:00 Jason Kirby's Entrepreneurial Journey
04:03 The Decision to Raise Money
06:04 When to Raise Money and Why
08:49 Determining if a Business is Venture Backable
14:37 The Challenges of Raising Venture Capital
17:27 How Thunder.VC Helps Founders
21:36 The Common Denominator in Successful Fundraising
23:34 Exploring Non-Venture Capital Routes
29:51 The Investment Strategies of Late-Stage VCs
36:33 Liquidation Preferences and Impact on Early Investors
38:44 Helping Founders Navigate Complex Capital Structures
39:16 Providing Value to Founders
41:13 Determining Funding Amount and Approach
44:21 Building a Strong Founding Team
47:00 Red Flags for VCs
51:17 Disagreement with Fundamental Belief in Venture Capital
53:16 Question for Next Guest
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/