The one line that Sets the tone on a first Vc <> founder call

@naomigoez

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Why it worked

The video likely performed well because it offers valuable, actionable advice for founders on how to approach investor calls. By highlighting a specific, effective opening line and breaking down the underlying sales tactics, it provides a clear takeaway that can be immediately applied.

Summary

A VC investor shares a single line a founder used at the beginning of a call that effectively set a positive tone. This line demonstrated the founder's research, positioned their company as a good fit, and framed the meeting as a collaborative conversation rather than a pitch.

Structure

1Hook: The one line that sets the tone on a VC/founder call
2Introduction of the speaker and the context of the call
3The founder's opening line and its impact
4Explanation of the three sales tactics employed by the founder
5The importance of relationship building in fundraising
6Conclusion on the effectiveness of the founder's approach

Product placement

The video discusses the general concept of VC/founder calls and the tactics used by a founder, but does not explicitly name or promote a specific product or service. The founder's company is mentioned as 'blank' and the thesis is also referred to as 'blank', indicating a placeholder rather than a specific product.

On-screen text

The one line that Sets the tone on a first Vc <> founder call OFF A CALL WHO DID SOMETHING IN THE FIRST 60 SECONDS OF THAT COMPLETELY SET THE REST OF. I'M NAOMI A VC INVESTOR BASED IN NEW YORK CITY, TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDITS DUE. HE DID SOMETHING THAT HIT THREE REALLY IMPORTANT BOXES THAT MOST FOUNDERS FORGET DURING THEIR FIRST CALL WITH WHAT HE OPENED WITH WAS, I READ YOUR PIECE ON BLANK, SOME THESIS THAT I WROTE, AND I'M CURIOUS TO THINK ABOUT IT NOW. AN ANGLE WITHIN THERE THAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT, WHICH IS WHY I'M BUILDING BLANK COMPANY THAT HE'S BUILT. WITH THIS REALLY SIMPLE SENTENCE, HE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED THREE THINGS. THAT HE DEMONSTRATED LOOKED INTO WHO AS A FIRM, OUR POSITION ON VARIOUS SECTORS, AND OUR THESIS. THAT WE WERE THE RIGHT INVESTORS. INVEST IN HIS CATEGORY AND ARE ACTIVE IN IT, HE QUALIFIED US. SECOND, HE PLANTED THE SEED THAT WHAT HE'S BUILDING IS AN EXCELLENT BASICALLY SAID, LOOK, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT I'M BUILDING FITS DIRECTLY INTO YOU'VE BEEN EXPLORING, PRETTY ELEGANT SELL. AND THE THIRD THING HE ACCOMPLISHED IS TREATING OUR MEETING AS AN OPEN CONVERSATION AND NOT A PITCH. THIS ONE I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH. EASY TO FORGET THAT FUNDRAISING IS ABOUT BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP IN BOTH SIDES, ONE ANOTHER. BECAUSE IT'S SO DAUNTING. THERE'S SO MUCH REJECTION INVOLVED. IT FEELS BRUTAL WHILE YOU'RE IN IT, BUT AT THE CORE OF IT, YOU'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE. AND IF YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE TO ARE CURIOUS, ENGAGED, INTERESTED, HAVE TO SAY AND YOU ARE INTERESTING WITH YOUR PERSPECTIVES, THAT SETS A REALLY STRONG FOUNDATION FOR A RELATION. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF FLATTERY AND I'M HUMAN, AND THAT WORKED. OBVIOUSLY, NONE OF REASON TO INVEST, THINK IT WAS DONE SO ELEGANTLY, WITH ONLY ONE LINE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CALL, AND NOT REALLY FOR THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION. MAKES YOUR NEXT INVESTOR CHAT A LITTLE LESS PAINFUL.

Original caption

One line, accomplished three sales tactics on a first call with a vc #vc #startups #fundraising #venturecapital #earlystage

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Transcript

I just got off a call with a founder who did something in the first 60 seconds of the call that completely set the stage for the rest of. I'm Naomi, I'm a VC investor based in New York City, and I have to give credit where credits due. He did something that hit three really important boxes that most founders forget during their first call with an investor. What he opened up with was, I read your piece on blank, some thesis that I wrote, and I'm curious to hear how you think about it now. There's an angle within there that keeps me up at night, which is why I'm building blank, the company that he's built. With this really simple sentence, he actually accomplished three things. The first is that he demonstrated that he looked into who looked into who as a firm, our position on various sectors, and our thesis. He made sure that we were the right investors. We like to invest in his category and are active in it, he qualified us. AKA he qualified us. Second, he planted the seed that what he's building is an excellent fit for our fund. Basically said, look, I've been thinking about this for a long time. It sounds like what I'm building fits directly into you've been exploring. Pretty elegant sell. And the third thing he accomplished is treating our meeting as an open conversation and not a pitch. This one I can't stress enough. And it's so easy to forget that fundraising is about building a relationship in both sides, one another. Because it's so daunting. There's so much rejection involved. It feels brutal while you're in it, but at the core of it, you're dealing with people. And if you can demonstrate to them that you are curious, engaged, interested, have to say and you are interesting with your perspectives, that sets a really strong foundation for a relation. Obviously, there's an element of flattery and I'm human, and that worked. Obviously, none of this is a reason to invest, but I just think it was done so elegantly with only one line at the beginning of the call and not really for the entire conversation. I hope this makes your next investor chat a little less painful.