getting funded like squirrels do with squirrels
TRANSCRIPT
Getting Funded Like Squirrels Do
It’s all about the “Banile”
// milking the cow// Moola Moola
Now that we managed to end the awful slang slide...
Who are You? && Why should I care?
I’m the CEO of Squirrly
I lead a cool team of 5 squirrels
You should care because:
From $0 to: $23,350.89 revenue in 9 months
Selling in 60 countries (kinda global)
Break-even ($$ @input > $$ @output)
Raised an Angel Investmentfrom two awesome guys:
@apphil @ibo
All the other startup kids got the $$ from accelerators:
KeenSkim, UseTogether, ShareYourCart,TxtFeedback, Mira
Accelerators:LaunchHub, Eleven, Healthbox
“Class of 2012”, Cluj-Napoca
We’ll talk about:
- How to get investments (without the fluff)- How we all got investments
Not from the blogs ..Insight that really works and you’ll have asquirrly time trying it out..
So you have an
IDEA
And you wanna go all Tony Stark about it
(yes, that IS the Iron Squirrel)
Build cool techy toys with lots and lots of
Moola, Moola ($$, banile, dough, etc.)
It’s just you don’t have the $$..
So you go to a cross-roads demon (aka.Investor [in your conception])
You trade off%% for $$
You’ll expect them to just give you the money.
404. Brain not found.
How will THEY see your FUTURE?
So how do you get them to see you like Tony Stark?
1. Have initiative
Show people that you’re determined andReady to conquer the world
2. Show you know thy Customer(and also the market you want to enter)
3. Build a Lean Canvas(and understand what you’re doing there)
4. Don’t go finding Customers for your Tech!!!
Find Tech for Your Customers
5. Get Your UX up and amazing(otherwise it just shows you don’t think Global)
1. Have initiative
We had Cif2.net before starting Squirrly. 2 YearsWhich resulted in a failed startup.
2. Show you know thy CustomerWe’ve worked with content marketers, onlinemarketers and the like for more than 3 yearsbefore starting Squirrly.
3. Build a Lean Canvaswe’ve learned a lot about how to build theCanvas, instead of the typical lame businessplans.
it helped us really shape our business
4. Don’t go finding Customers for your Tech!!!
we’ve worked the first monthson identifying the kind of techwe had to build for them
5. Get Your UX up and amazing
UX has been why Cif2.net failed.UX is NOW the reason why Squirrly is so successful
Make people believe you have a chance.
3 Investor Groups were interested in investing in Squirrly in August 2012.
WHY?!
Because we went all squirrly and played a Game.
Setup the Board
Nameless Accelerator (+10)
The Small VCs
Fluffy Accelerator
The local angel investor
The local angel investor
John the man, connector for Fluffy (+15)
Paul the Doll, conference organizer
Points for Actions
+5 for meeting in person (Skype or LIVE)
+3 for email contact about the investment (intros, Sending plans, etc.)
+2 connector-contact (the guy who knows the investorsBetter)
+1 for social media engagement with any of the NPCs
Tools:
- notepad- twitter- linkedIN
- your Creative Brain
Tools:
- notepad- twitter- linkedIN
- your Creative Brain
- FRIENDS (no, not the TV Show)
You’ll Hate Networking(so turn it into a strategy game)
#defineCluj..No, wait! I meant Roles and Peons
- Investors- Accelerator partners- Accelerator employees- Founders your desired investors invested in- Tech influencers- Connectors (people who know other people)
Each day:
Get +10 Points
Each day:
Get +10 PointsThat’s it!!
(You’ll see that being consistent withthis will do wonders)
All the investments of 2012 in Cluj:
were made through some well-placednetworking
the game is easy to play(and it won’t eat too much daily time)
You can talk to me about why $ from Customers is better than $ from investors.
But until then ...
