Trace Cohen’s Post

I always try to understand the incentives and motivations of the person on the other side of the table. This is one of the best slide decks I’ve seen at explaining how a VC fund works because of its simplicity and the straightforward math used to illustrate what a venture fund has to do to hit their targets.

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐕𝐂𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 👇 Investors and founders focus on exits, but the true value in acquisitions lies in compound value creation. The greatest acquisitions provide immense value to customers and users, which compounds over time, making these companies attractive to acquirers. As a startup founder, prioritise creating significant value for your customers instead of mapping out an exit strategy. #Founders #Startup #Business #Acquisition

Day zero investor. You’d have heard this often, mostly from investors only. Actual meaning can be debated mostly based on where exactly is zero on product journey line but intent is simple. Investors want to come in early and before other investors. This might appear contrasting to a common belief that investors are slow, the fact is that early stage investors aren’t. Traction is the switch. Undestand TRACTION. My observation is that very few founders understand traction, at least most first time product founders. Some understand its meaning but fall prey to inventing fake traction. Once you’ve learnt it, train your team on it, develop common understanding of what true traction means for your product. #productmindset fastribe

What founders are struggling with

What founders are struggling with

Let's be real. Most of you aren't second time founders. And even fewer are friends with VCs. So getting investor interest is an uphill struggle. Fortunately, there's one thing that always turns the tables - Traction. But many founders are awful at presenting it. I've seen countless founders: 1️⃣ Focus on the wrong things - Meaningless competitions and awards - Vanity metrics like downloads, etc. 2️⃣ Fail to mention traction at all So I wrote a 2 part guide to framing traction so it tantalizes investors. Check them out below ⬇️

On my way home from an awesome mingle of some interesting founders and investors. Here’s a learning moment… in casual settings at a bar, don’t pitch, just have a conversation. Human connection is far more valuable than just throwing data points at an investor, unless they asked. #neverstoplearning #startupfounder #startuplife #founderlife

Understanding How VCs Think

Why most founders miss the mark in their pitch The biggest red flag for investors isn’t your idea or your passion — it’s your ability to clearly communicate why your product matters. Here’s the truth: Many founders focus on the “what” of their product, but not enough on the “why.”

7 Common Mistakes First-time Founders Make When Pitching Investors