Image by epSos.de via Flickr
I was talking to an active angel investor not too long ago, and he was telling me about different pitches he’s seen and why they failed.
To paraphrase the key points relevant to this post:
Sometimes we have people that somehow get into talk to us that just don’t really have anything. The can’t talk in real terms about what they’re trying to do.
I’ve also heard a lot of good ideas that there is no way the team could deliver on.
I’ve seen teams that had an experienced team and a good idea, but their lead founder couldn’t answer a relatively simple technical question, which shows they aren’t living and breathing this stuff.
And then there are some really good teams with a good product…..but they lose interest after people see them present…..
I was intrigued by this last statement. A lot of times investors cut founders some slack as they’re not always expected to be slick presenters, particularly if it’s a technology startup. But it sounds like these guys weren’t, and I agree with their stance.
If you want to do something unique, if you want to sell something, you’ve got to get people up out of their chairs and inspired. This takes energy and charisma. And if you can’t move people, how are you going to drive the necessary motion for a new a business?
I suppose this begs the question: where does this “energy and charisma” come from and what is it?
-Kevin
9.22.2011
