Our focus in today’s episode is listening to what investors are actually saying. Wil and Elliot discuss the direct and indirect ways investors say ‘No’, the passive-aggressive questions, when founders become annoying, and how investors should behave. 

Listen in to learn how to translate what your investor is saying!

Sign up for the Startups Newsletter

https://www.startups.com/newsletter

What to Focus on to Get a Hit

• [00:00:40] Why founders can't understand their investors? 
• [00:02:24] The NO's that sound 'Yes'
• [00:06:18] Venture Community vs Angel Investors
• [00:07:11] From an analyst to a partner
• [00:09:38] Is it a yes or a no?
• [00:10:35] Understanding the user pipeline and deal flow
• [00:12:27] What happens when you press on investors
• [00:15:45] When investors are interested, they'll blow you up 
• [00:17:55] Time kills deals
• [00:19:34] If it's not a resounding Yes, it's probably a No
• [00:22:04] The tendency to annoy investors when you can't take the hint
• [00:25:12] Show investors a drastic demand in the product  
• [00:28:08] How should investors behave?
• [00:34:28] Always make a statement in a question
• [00:36:47] Education on a fairly complicated space
• [00:38:20] The passive-aggressive questions
• [00:42:00] Investors saying 'maybe'
• [00:45:10] Investors should be definitive in saying 'No'