Tall Tales told by Grandmas and Venture Capitalists

“VCs look for Startups going after a Big Market with a Passionate Team and have an ‘unfair advantage’.”
vs
“A startup is an organization built to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.”

If the organization does not yet have a viable business model, how can it have an “unfair advantage”?

“VCs take pure equity risk and, as long as the business pans out fine, their interests are perfectly aligned with that of the entrepreneurs.”
vs
“VCs bury ‘Dangerous Bombs in Share Holders Agreements’ and unless you ‘diffuse them’, they will take away all the spoils.”

Conundrums? Myths?

Certainly Quite Puzzling Questions to an Entrepreneur Seeking the First Round of VC funding.

But, who’s going to provide the answers?

I wish my Grandma was around to help.

Grandma?

I’ve come to realize that, apart from the “school of hard knocks”, the best way to learn anything – that sticks – is through stories. Call it Case Study or Mythology or Grandma’s Tales. Stories Stick. And they bring clarity to seemingly complex issues.

If only I’d paid proper attention to Grandma’s tale of a guy who brought together an army of monkeys (and other assorted creatures) to cross an ocean and conquer an island, I would have probably learnt for keeps that Leadership is about inspiring “ordinary folks” – by setting a “Big Hairy Audacious Goal”, personal example and smart tactics – to achieve “extraordinary results”. The same story also had a bear pep talking a monkey into “realizing his true potential” and taking a “test marketing” leap across the ocean (to ensure that the big battle was going to be worthwhile).

Great. Back to VC Fund Raising.

Where are the Answers to those Tricky Questions?

In Stories!

From Master Entrepreneurs who have fought the good fights and have not only survived, but thrived, to tell their tales.

They’re Lined Up – Only on March 6 at Mumbai – to show the path at the APEX’14 Summit, India’s Premier Investor-Entrepreneur Interface. In Detail. With Drama. So that you’ll never forget.

Are you ready to get armed for the tough-but-definitely-worthwhile climb to startup success?

Click Here to Learn More and Sign up!

See you there!

Arun