VC Minute Weekly Recap: Alex Ryden, Founder & CEO of Guest House
The stark differences between raising during boom times and a downturn. Plus two fundraising mindset to help you through.
This week’s guest was Alex Ryden, Founder & CEO of Guest House. I thought these were great insights. I think I’m as frustrated by the time-wasting VCs as any of the founders would be. He persevered through it all, the business turned a corner, and he’s ready for the next round.
My three takeaways from this week:
1️⃣ My inference from the first two episodes: 2021 was a distortion of reality. 2022/3 was too, but in the opposite direction.
2️⃣ These questions should be among the first things you ask a VC: “are you actively investing?” And, “when was the last investment you made?”
3️⃣ The “fundraising game” mindset is good. But the stoic’s mindset is the best.
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Episode Summaries
212. Raising During Boom Times
Unsure of whether or not he wanted to raise, Alex found himself with term sheets for both venture funding and acquisition in mid-2021.
213. Raising During a Downturn
A year after the boom times, raising another funding round was a different story.
214. Time-Wasting VCs
Advice to founders to avoid time-wasting VCs: ask in the first call if a fund is actively investing.
215. Mental Game of Fundraising
By making fundraising into a game, you can change your mindset around it.
216. What You Can and Can't Control
There's so much in fundraising that you cannot control. Focus on what you can control and it will help what you can't control fall into place.
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