🤔 Asking for a founder: what's a realistic timeframe to get from an idea to an MVP?
1/You may be tempted to believe that a realistic timeframe is overnight. The truth is that it always takes longer and more capital than anyone originally thinks.
2/ Don’t be fooled when you see Twitter/YouTube stories the story of the SF-well-connected founder who raised capital & built a team based on an idea written on a napkin. That’s not what happens for most of us. Reality dictates that it takes a while to get from idea to MVP.
3/ All that said, you can get a reference point for how long it will take you to build your MVP by creating a timebound roadmap with detailed milestones. Of course, know that it will change.
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🤔Investors + founders curious about the investor brand edge: brand is important because it allows people to know who to go to, for what + what they stand for. People buy from people they like and similarly, founders take money from investors they like. /1
💁🏽♀️ So, I’m intentional about sharing who I am, what I’m about, and what I can offer — outside of just money.
As my Twitter bio reads, I'm "about investing in community-driven cos + supporting our underestimated founder/investor fam." /2
📌 And I have a pinned tweet for founders to know how I can help them. This is important because, in a business where your competition offers the same thing, MONEY, you’ve got to be able to add value beyond it. /3
💁🏽♀️Aspiring VCs who, like me, didn't come from money: today I was asked about my journey into VC and I want to share it with you. Why? Bc no matter what anyone says, I want you to know that it is very possible for you too to become an investor. /1
⏳TL;DR I'm a first-gen Mexican American from the hood. My background consists of ~15 yrs in tech. I went to college on a scholarship (and loans), graduated and worked in corporate tech, went to Silicon Valley and worked at startups, and then stumbled into VC. /2
💸It was going to Silicon Valley and learning of the opportunity to make money by investing in cos, and seeing that investors were leaving money on the table by not investing in non-cis-gendered-white-males, that got me thinking. /3
💰Founders raising a Series A: one of my port cos is also working on their A and I thought I'd share perspective + tips I'm passing on to them.
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At a Series A, investors are looking for a co w/product-market-fit + hockey stick growth that will quickly achieve unicorn status (≥$1B valuation). Financials are key!
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Tell the Story
🔮Vision, Mission: consider problem, solution, benefits
🗓Why does the world need your co today (vs before)? Consider: COVID/WFH, etc.
📈Show you’re in a well-defined market that’s growing.
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🙏🏽 Thank you to the +450 community-centric talented individuals who applied for an investment partner role at thecommunity.vc!
We are grateful for your interest, time, and kind notes in support of our mission. @srcasm + I are excited to review apps!
Applicant stats 👇🏽
For those curious about our selection process, here's the plan:
🤓 review each application (+190K words)
✉️ send an application decision email early next week
🎉 extend invites to the next round
🚀 finalize the 9 new members of our Community Fund investment team
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✨ The selection for the next round was difficult. We had to decline many talented applicants based on relative qualifications (described in the 🧵 below).
Ideal candidates for the investment partner role would want to:
📈Establish an investor track record
👋🏽Work with other investors
👊🏽Change the status quo
😎Potentially launch a fund or pursue a VC career afterward
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We’re looking for investment partners who:
✨ Are community-centric, collaborative, transparent, scrappy
💯 Have differentiated deal flow
💸 Are already investing or would if capital was accessible
⏰ Have 2–4 hrs/per week to dedicate to the fund
🗓 Can commit for 1-yr
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