In this episode, Shane Neman, an angel investor and founder shares his entrepreneurial journey from starting businesses during the dot com bust, facing failure on his initial tech venture, to selling his companies and transitioning to investing.

As an investor, he looks for game-changing ideas and founders who don't necessarily need the money. Neman provides tips for founders on standing out in a crowded market, getting in front of investors, making good impressions, growing their businesses and raising money. 

He also covers the challenges of getting out of deals and generating returns. This story can inspire founders to look beyond traditional paths and explore how their unique capabilities can address unmet needs in diverse sectors.

Here's what you're in for:

00:00 Intro

00:42 Shane Neman's entrepreneurial background

09:08 Transitioning to investing

12:15 Writing the book 'Nightly Lessons'

15:32 Struggles with fundraising and capital

23:03 Investing in early-stage ventures

31:30 Asking questions to test founders

35:28 Getting in front of investors

36:07 Making a good first impression

42:13 Getting out of deals and generating returns

47:54 Advice for founders chasing capital

51:40 Outro

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT SHANE NEMAN

Shane Neman is a serial entrepreneur and investor. As the CIO and General Partner of Neman Ventures, Shane dedicates himself to uncovering unique and often overlooked investment opportunities that offer significant potential for growth and innovation with a robust portfolio that includes over 50 startups. His expertise spans various asset classes, including venture capital, private equity, and real estate.

A graduate of NYU with a degree in Computer Science, Shane's entrepreneurial journey began in the tech sector, where he founded three startups, two of which—EZ Texting and JoonBug—achieved successful acquisitions.

He was also recognized as a recipient of the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater scholarship and membership in the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.

Shane authored NightLife Lessons: How I Conquered the Business of Partying with Tech and a Glimpse Into its Future, manages various property types, and oversees a portfolio of over 20 properties in major metropolitan cities across the U.S.

Connect with Shane Neman on:

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

In this episode, Brady Nolan, co-founder of Till, takes us through his journey from real estate to fintech transforming rent payments, leading to Till's impressive acquisition by Best Egg after raising $16 million. We talked about the early challenges of aligning Till—a startup that innovated how rent is managed with flexible payments—to meet market needs effectively, and the tactics they used to secure early-stage funding.

Brady shares how Till, which started as a simple idea to help renters manage cash flow, grew into a significant player in the FinTech space. He also shares the acquisition process, highlighting the crucial role of strong investor relationships and the integration hurdles they faced post-acquisition, providing invaluable insights for startups navigating the financial landscape.

Here's what you're in for:

00:00 Intro

00:32 Brady's property development background and Till's founding

03:19 Till's progression from idea to tackling real issues through rent payment solutions

07:33 Till's early fundraising efforts and deployment of capital

13:14 The explosive demand for Till’s services during the pandemic

15:04 The acquisition of Till by Best Egg

27:00 Cutting partnerships and focusing on new growth avenues

32:47 Integration and impact on the team/product post-acquisition

33:13 Mistakes and Lessons Learned

38:51 Advice for founders

44:42 Outro

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT BRADY NOLAN

Brady Nolan, a seasoned real estate investor and innovative entrepreneur, co-founded Till to transform the rent payment experience for middle-class Americans. With a focus on aligning rent payments with renters' cash flows, Brady has led Till to significant growth, culminating in a strategic acquisition by Best Egg. His career spans over 15 years in real estate, where he developed and invested in large multi-unit apartment communities across the U.S. Prior to founding Till, Brady worked on the institutional side of the market, managing big real estate projects and working with major property management companies.

Connect with Brady Nolan on:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brady-nolan/

Website: https://www.bestegg.com/

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

In this episode, I talked with Sim Desai, founder and CEO of Hiive, a platform to buy and sell secondary shares that recently raised $4.25 Million. Sim and I give a masterclass on the secondary market. If you’re looking to gain an insight into that world, this episode is for you.

Sim also talks about his switch from a career in private equity brokerage to changing how people trade private company secondary shares with his platform, Hiive. He wants to make trading easier and clearer for everyone by using automation and transparency. Hiive works to improve the buying and selling experience in a market that's usually not very transparent.

Sim explains the regulatory hoops you’ve got to jump through to list your shares and how Hiive adds value and streamlines processes in the secondary market. He also shares his initial fundraising adventure and the strategic thinking behind it while discussing the ups and downs of Hiive’s fundraising journey and what they learned along the way.

Here's what you're in for:

00:00 Intro

00:37  Sim's background in private equity and Hiive's creation

04:38  Typical companies in the secondary market

07:05  Who are the typical buyers in secondary markets?

12:53  How Hive reduces transaction fees

14:39  How to list in the secondary market

17:42  How Hive optimizes secondary market transactions.

21:16  Raising capital for Hiive

26:48  Challenges and outcomes of Hive’s fundraising journey

32:53  Market overview and predictions for the secondary

36:40  Advice to founders

41:12 Outro

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT SIM DESAI

Sim Desai combines extensive industry experience with a forward-thinking approach to reshape the secondary market. His background in private equity brokerage at Setter Capital laid the groundwork for Hiive, which simplifies transactions and increases transparency for private company shares. At Hiive, Sim leads initiatives that challenge traditional market processes, emphasizing the importance of technology in providing liquidity and fair pricing.

Connect with Sim Desai on:

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

In this episode, we have Alex Simpson, fintech founder of OpenStock, who shares his story of transitioning from fintech to tackling liquidity problems for investors in private funds. Openstock helps open up liquidity for one of the largest untapped asset classes — private credit, private equity, and real estate funds to make it easier for people to access liquidity from their illiquid investments without selling. 

Alex discusses how crucial it is for fund managers to manage their Limited Partners’ expectations around cash flow. He shares that partnering with private equity and credit funds lets OpenStock give investors more options. He also gives startup founders great tips, highlighting the need to stay unbiased and steer clear of assumptions when dealing with business partners.

Here's what you're in for:

00:00 Intro

05:15 Working with private equity and private credit funds

07:09 Building relationships with LPs and funds

12:33 Interesting deals facilitated by OpenStock

21:44 Advice for GPs and managing Expectations

28:44 Understanding LP expectations

30:31 Selectivity in working with funds

36:00 Outro

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT ALEX SIMPSON

Alex Simpson, a fintech entrepreneur from South Africa, has been living in the US for over four years. With 12 years of experience, he specializes in B2B fintech and has a notable track record in advising and expanding early-stage companies, establishing a significant network in the pre-IPO and late-stage private sector. Alex also serves as an advisor and investor in various fintech companies. 

He saw a big need for ways to turn private stocks into cash, especially for investors in fund managers that aren't public traded and want more options to access liquidity. So he started OpenStock. This company gives loans to certain limited partners in large illiquid funds. The company is partnered with an $800M fund to focus on this problem and give out big loans. This helps meet the high demand for cash from private funds, mainly from LPs in well-known funds. By focusing on helping both shareholders and LPs, OpenStock has made a special spot for itself in the market and is getting bigger in the fintech world.

Get in touch with Alex Simpson on:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alsimpson1/

Website: https://www.moonrise.fund/alexander-simpson

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

In this episode, I talked with Sherry Jiang, co-founder and CEO of Peek.Money, where she shares her journey from leaving Google to starting her own company. Blue Jay Finance aims to solve the problem of managing personal finances by providing an intelligent net worth tracker and personalized insights. Sherry explains her decision to take a bold bet on Asia and build her company in Singapore. She first jumped into fintech focusing on stablecoins, even with the ups and downs of the crypto market. When COVID hit, raising money got tough. But Sherry got creative and focused on small checks to get intros to bigger checks.

Sherry didn't just look for money; she also worked on making real connections beyond the context of fundraising. Amidst pivots in the company's direction and changes in co-founder dynamics, she stayed focused on being careful with money and keeping things simple. She made sure they didn't spend too much and always looked for ways to make revenue. She offers tips for founders dealing with pivots, focusing on key metrics, communicating effectively, and having a nuanced perspective on the process.

Here's what you're in for:

00:00 Intro

03:45 Leaving Google and starting Peek.Money

09:47 The conception of Peek.Money

22:10 Raising funds for the stablecoin idea

27:01 Raising capital and networking

29:05 Pivoting and communicating with investors

34:23 Co-founder dynamics and transition

39:39 Managing burn and cashflow

44:24 Advice for founders dealing with pivots

51:26 Outro

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT SHERRY JIANG

Sherry Jiang, Co-founder and CEO of Bluejay Finance, mixes a strong entrepreneurial drive with smart strategy in the blockchain world. Before starting Bluejay Finance, Sherry sharpened her skills at Google. There, she learned a lot about creating products and understanding markets. Using what she knows, Sherry set out to make private market investments open to more people through Bluejay Finance. At Bluejay Finance, she leads a team working to change how people invest in private markets. She has since pivoted to focusing on helping investors track real world assets. Sherry's way of leading focuses on being the best, always learning, and pushing the industry forward.

Connect with Sherry Jiang on:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherry-jiang-12557332/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SherryYanJiang

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

In this episode, we are joined by Thanasis Delistathis, managing partner and co-founder of Proof, to talk about their groundbreaking insider access strategy in venture capital. Proof partners with early-stage funds to invest in high-potential breakout companies, boasting a track record of success, including the recent acquisition of Jackpocket. With investments totaling approximately $350 million on behalf of Limited Partners (LPs) through managed entities, Proof leads the way in innovative fund management.

Thanasis discusses the origin of the opportunity fund and how it evolved into the Proof strategy. He emphasizes building relationships with early-stage funds and Proof's role in facilitating co-investments, while explaining the strategy's economic incentives and addressing fundraising challenges and opportunities. Venture capitalists and fund managers won't want to miss these insights into navigating the competitive landscape and unlocking investment opportunities.

Here's what you're in for:

00:00 - Intro

03:11 - Evolution of Proof from early-stage investing to insider access strategy

04:06 - How opportunity funds started

05:09 - Founding New Atlantic Ventures and innovations in fund structures

12:18 - Launching Proof and building relationships with early-stage funds

14:33 - Evaluation criteria for selecting high-growth startups

16:31 - How funds share profits and incentives align

36:45 - Acquisition of Jackpocket and investment strategy

37:04 - Advice for emerging fund managers

42:59 - Outro

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT THANASIS

Thanasis Delistathis, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Proof, began his career with a passion for engineering but discovered his knack for finance at Princeton University. After gaining experience at Draper Atlantic and co-founding New Atlantic Ventures, he pioneered Proof insider access strategy, revolutionizing venture capital by challenging traditional funding norms. With a focus on innovation and emerging opportunities, Thanasis continues to empower entrepreneurs and investors, reshaping the startup landscape with forward-thinking approaches to investing.

Connect with Thanasis on:

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

In this episode, Nick Cuomo, CEO of AllStar.gg, shares his journey from the e-sports world as a former pro-gamer to founding a gaming technology startup. With a background in graphic design, digital marketing, and SaaS sales, Nick discusses his career path and the evolution of AllStar's mission to empower gamers as creators.

Nick walks us through his fundraising journey, detailing how he attracted investors by optimizing user growth and engagement metrics. He also discusses the importance of building strategic connections and staying adaptable to market shifts, while offering practical advice for maintaining resilience during the fundraising process.

Here's what you're in for:

00:31 Nick's Journey into gaming and entrepreneurship

10:50 Fundraising journey and initial challenges

21:11 The fundraising process

26:25 Adapting to market shifts and raising Series A

35:37 Metrics and benchmarks that attracted investors

39:47 Advice for founders

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT GUEST

Nick Cuomo is a former professional gamer and viral gaming video creator. With over 15 years of experience in technology, marketing, software, sales, and digital media, Nick's entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish Allstar in 2019. Their mission is to empower gamers to become creators by simplifying the process of sharing gameplay through innovative technology.

Connect with Nick on:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuomon/

X: https://twitter.com/nickcuomo?lang=en

Website: www.nickcuomo.com

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

08:21 Transitioning from startup to corporate

09:07 Starting Ask-AI

10:50 Defining validation and building relationships with partners

15:11 Raising the seed round

32:53 Series A funding and maximizing valuation

35:50 Advice for founders

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT ASK-AI

ASK-AI is a generative AI answers and insights solution for enterprises specializing in the development of AI SideKicks designed to enhance workplace productivity. Ask AI initially focused on enterprise search solutions targeting customer support and documentation pain points, with Alon Talmor funding the early development before seeking external investment.

ABOUT ALON TALMOR

Alon is a software entrepreneur, AI researcher, and CEO of Ask-AI. He previously worked for an AI company, BlueTail, as a Chief Data Scientist. With a PhD in natural language processing and brain research, Talmor has built a world-class AI product team, including Prof. Jonathan Berant, who leads NLP research at Tel Aviv University. At AllenAI, he spearheaded AI Gamification efforts in Israel, contributing significantly to the advancement of AI technologies.

Alon is known for his expertise, sharing interesting thoughts about the connection between AI and the brain in captivating talks. Beyond the professional sphere, he loves extreme sports, playing the piano, and exploring the world.

Connect with Alon on:

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

In this episode, Tyler Denk, a self-taught software developer turned CEO of beehiiv, a newsletter publishing platform, shares his story on how he built a product from scratch into a multi-million dollar company.

From teaching himself to code to navigating the complexities of startup growth and securing a $12.5M Series A and reaching $7M annual recurring revenue, he's got cheat codes to fundraising for startup founders.

Here's what you're in for:

04:35 - Transition from Morning Brew to Google to beehiiv

17:49 - Raising $2.6M in seed round

27: 35 - Hitting $7M ARR

37:26 - Current state and future plans

44:05 - Tyler's cheat codes and advice for fellow founders

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT TYLER

Tyler is a multifaceted tech entrepreneur with a Mechanical Engineering degree and a minor in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland. He started as a self-taught software developer, launching VentureStorm to connect startups with developers.

Tyler joined Morning Brew developing their referral program and tech ecosystem, which eventually led to a $75m exit in 2020.

After a stint at Google as a Product Lead at YouTube Music, he left to cofound beehiiv—a newsletter platform to fuel creators' and publishers' ability to create, monetize, and grow their audience.

Now beehiiv is home to thousands of the top newsletters in the world.

Tyler also pursues personal projects, like Big Desk Energy, combining music and web development.

Connect with Tyler on:

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/

In this episode, Jeremy Vaughan, a finance expert turned cybersecurity innovator and founder of Start Left Security tells how he secured a $3 million seed round, offering invaluable strategies and tips for fellow founders.

His approach, from the initial grind through strategic partnerships to revenue focus, offers a blueprint for strategic fundraising and business growth invaluable to founders at any stage.

HERE ARE SOME KEY POINTS IN THIS EPISODE:

02:42 - How Jeremy built Start Left Security

06:56 - Angel investors, accelerators, and making the right connections.

13: 37 - Strategies for hooking investors

36:44 - Jeremy's advice for founders in seed round

37:22 - Overcoming fear and changing mindset

This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders.

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders 

Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc

Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc

ABOUT JEREMY

Jeremy Vaughan is a finance professional turned tech entrepreneur who saw an opportunity to make the digital world safer. Founding Start Left™ Security, he created foolproof cybersecurity solutions for cloud-based applications. His philosophy is to stay ahead of threats by being proactive, not just reactive.

Start Left™ is revolutionizing SaaS security with its innovative, all-in-one security suite, that covers a business from start to finish, ditching the outdated, scattered approach for something way smarter.

Connect with Jeremy on:

ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED

Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.

You can reach out to Jason through:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/