Stuff Angel Investors Say

I recently got the awesome opportunity of helping out an Angel Group present over 20 companies to other investors and entrepreneurs. After being around these successful people for so long…you start to pick up on their mottos, lingos and mannerisms. Here are some of the common things I picked up on

• “Everything they said they would do, they’ve done, I value that”
• “I’m impressed with X unique advantage”
• “They say they are involved with X but at what level?”
• “No one was full time, not that interested”
• “It’s interesting how they haven’t been able to hire an employee yet”
• “He is still so early…but I like him”
• “Both Coke and Pepsi are big competitors…validates their product”
• “I have never seen a guy work harder. He little carries his product around wherever he goes”
• “I thought she was thin on presenting the information”
• “Too capital intensive, that’s a VC play”
• “He still has his full time job, not committed yet”
• “We don’t invest to have someone sell intellectual property”
• “These are two young guys who are really into their first idea”
• “I felt that these guys were immediately coachable”
• “They are working as a whole family, downside to an investor”
• “Everyone always says they will make $10B but no one ever says how they will make the first $10M”
• “People are paying for love when they are paying for their animals”
• “I’m still not even sure what he did after a 15 minute presentation”
• “He doesn’t have all of his ducks in a row yet"
• "You have your patents, but are they actually yours? or licensed?”

When pitching a company, think about the stance the investor must take. They are taking a huge risk to invest money in you. Expect them to grill you on every detail of your product.

November 18th, 2014 8:50am angel investor investing startups startup