Do Core Values Attract or Scare Angel Investors?

A few years ago I learned about this Michigan-based angel investor group. Supposedly they were active seed investors so I decided to send them one of our investment opportunities. When going through our 1-Page Executive Summary, one of the investors scolded “why do you have a core values section on here? No one from the group invested in this project. Coincidence?

What Are Core Values?

Core values are an individual or organization's fundamental beliefs and highest priorities that drive their behavior. You can think of core values as an internal compass of principles that drive a person's or organization's decisions.

I have found that aligning your core values with everyone that touches your business in the beginning is very important. You set the tone for the future by building a team around a shared belief system. After that, like attracts like.

I once that you shouldn’t need to publish your core values, people should just know them by your actions. I think that’s true down the road, but in the beginning, I think you need to elaborate about establishing the core values that are important to you that way, you attract the right founders, investors, employees, contractors, customers, vendors, etc.

Here’s a link to our survey on LinkedIn about core values, https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rencarlton_are-core-values-important-for-a-new-businsess-activity-7009185321401602051-0wLq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

My Core Values

Here is an example of some of the core values I believe are important. It is a work in progress.

• Abundance versus scarcity mindset, there is more than enough for everyone 
• Accountability take responsibility for our actions 
• Action not just words 
• Attitude of gratitude, thank and praise God for our blessings 
• Be humble in our victories and gracious in our defeats 
• Bless don’t curse
• Bravery fortune favors the bold 
• Collaborate instead of compete when reasonably possible
• Create and build try not to destroy 
• Discipline do your work and handle your responsibilities 
• Excellence try a little harder and do a little better
• Help and forgive others 
• Honesty tell the truth 
• Integrity do what you say 
• Perseverance do not quit just because somethings may appear difficult
• Positivity be happy

Are you looking for funding for an idea or business, send us your stuff and we will take a look, Funding@OmegaSeedFund.com

Are you interested in investing time or money into any of our businesses, info@omegaseedfund.com

Are you interested in promoting your product or service to our audience, contact Opportunities@OmegaSeedFund.com

Sources

https://www.scienceofpeople.com/core-values/#:~:text=What%20are%20core%20values%3F,a%20person%27s%20or%20organization%27s%20decisions.

Disclaimer: This is only for informational and discussion purposes. This does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security or any other product or service. We are not offering any legal, investment, tax, or medical advice. 

One-Page Executive Summary for Finding Investors - Updated and Simplified

One-Page Executive Summary for Finding Investors - Updated and Simplified 

This video is part of my series - Find Angel Funding & Venture Capital for Business Startups, Entrepreneurs, & First Time Founders, learn more by visiting https://bit.ly/3hExYJX

The 1-Page Executive Summary, or, 1-pager, is an acceptable starting point with potential investors. Although there are many versions of a 1-pager, this is one of my favorite one-pager formats.

1. The Grab: Why is this idea or business worth an investors' attention? 

2. The Problem: What big and important problem are you solving? Describe the enormous pain in detail.   

3. The Solution: What specifically are you offering to whom? Software, hardware, service, a combination? What you have, or what you do, that solves the problem you’ve identified. 

4. The Opportunity: Describe the market size, growth, characteristics, etc.

5. Your Competitive Advantage: Who is your competition and how will you be better?

6. The Model:  How specifically are you going to generate revenues, and from whom? Why is your model leverageable and scalable?

7. The Team: Who is going to help you implement your solution? 

8. The Promise: How are you going to make us BOTH a boatload of money?  

Eventually want your 1-pager to be one page and properly designed for maximum impact. In the beginning just focus on getting your thoughts into some form of document for meaningful discussions. 

If you want the a more detailed explanation of the the 1-pager, visit How Entrepreneurs Create a One-Page Executive Summary for Finding Angel Investors, TaskRabbit One-Pager, $38 Million Funding Success Story - Find Angel Funding & Venture Capital for Business Startups, Entrepreneurs, & First Time Founders – Episode 6 - https://rencarlton.blogspot.com/2021/06/how-entrepreneurs-create-one-page.html

Are you looking for funding for an idea or business, send us your stuff and we will take a look, Funding@OmegaSeedFund.com

Are you interested in investing time or money into any of our businesses, info@omegaseedfund.com

Are you interested in promoting your product or service to our audience, contact Opportunities@OmegaSeedFund.com

Disclaimer: This is only for informational and discussion purposes. This does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security or any other product or service. We are not offering any legal, investment, tax, or medical advice. 

Faster Traction Through Funding, How Zoom and Eric Yuan Defeated Apple’s Facetime, Microsoft’s Skype, and Cisco's WebEx

Find Angel Funding & Venture Capital for Business Startups, Entrepreneurs, & First Time Founders – Episode 11

This video is part of my series - Find Angel Funding & Venture Capital for Business Startups, Entrepreneurs, & First Time Founders, learn more by visiting https://bit.ly/3hExYJX

You have proven you have a business that works. Now it is time to put the foot on the gas pedal. When you do this, here are some questions you should be considering.

How can you leverage technology? 

Which roles need to be filled? 

Should you hire staff or contractors?

Do you have enough space? 

Where will the money come from? 

Can operational cash flow sustain your business? 

Are you profitable?

If you have not started raising capital, now is the time. If your business created a solution to a problem that can be sold for a profit, you will have competition. You need resources to compete. Resources require capital.

Eric Yuan founded Zoom, originally known as Saasbee, in April 2011. Yuan did this while working at Cisco's WebEx Cisco video conferencing business, after noticing that WebEx was not keeping up with what customers were demanding. 

Eric Yuan raises $3 million in seed funding In June 2011, two months from founding, from TSVC, WebEX founder Subrah Iyar, Matt Ocko, Dan Scheinman and Bill Tai. 

Yuan did this despite massive competitors.

CISCO acquired WEBEX for $3.2 billion in 2009

In early 2011, Apple launched FaceTime

May 10, 2011, Microsoft Corporation acquired Skype Communications for $8.5 billion

 

First customer, at one year and seven months from founding, three months from launch: In November 2012, Zoom signs up Stanford Continuing Studies, Stanford's continuing adult education program, as its first customer.

Product one, at one year and nine months from founding, five months from launch: In January 2013, Zoom releases its Unified Meeting Experience (UMX) cloud service, which allows 25 people to participate at once, either up to 40 minutes with its free version or unlimited with its $9.99 business plan.

Second funding, at one year and nine months from founding, five months from launch: In January 2013, Zoom raises a $6 million Series A from Qualcomm Ventures, Yahoo founder Jerry Yang, Iyar and Dan Scheinman.

"I put the phone down and stared at it intensely. I was transfixed. Sure, I had just learned about Eric’s terrific background as an engineering leader at Webex and an executive at Cisco. However, more importantly, I was totally blown away by Eric’s unique vision on the future of video collaboration. Eric had explained his unique technical approach, and I felt that it was significantly different/better than others I had seen in the industry (from both video startups and Internet giants). Eric essentially had constructed an incredibly well thought-out “First Principles” multimedia approach for this new multi-device, cloud-based world."

Traction, at one year and nine months from founding, five months from launch: In January 2013, Zoom reaches over 500,000 participants, has held over 140,000 meetings, and has 1,000 businesses on the platform in over 2,500 cities around the world. 

Traction, at two years and one month from founding, nine months from launch: In May of 2013 Zoom reaches one million participants. It has connected over 400,000 meetings and 3,500 businesses in over 2,500 cities worldwide.

Traction, at two years and three months from founding, 11 months from launch: In July 2013, Zoom has nearly two million participants, 5,500 meetings/day and 100 million meeting minutes.

Third funding, at two years and five months from founding, one year and one month from launch: In September 2013, Zoom raises $6.5 million in Series B funding led by Horizons Ventures, with Patrick Soon-Shiong and Jerry Yang also participating. Bart Swanson, Advisor at Horizon Ventures, joins the Board of Directors at Zoom.

Traction, three years and three months from founding, one year and 11 months from launch: In July 2014, Zoom reached 10 million participants. 

Fourth funding, at three years and 10 months from founding, two years and six months from launch: In February 2015, Zoom raises $30 million in a Series C round led by Emergence Capital, with participation from Horizons Ventures, Jerry Yang, Qualcomm Ventures, and Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong.

Traction, at three years and 10 months from founding, two years and six months from launch: By February 2015, Zoom has 65,000 companies, 40 million individuals, over 1 billion meeting minutes and 2,500 educational institution customers.

Zoom went public on April 18, 2019, valuing the company at nearly $16 billion by the end of its IPO. 

As of March 2020, Zoom has a market cap of $38.52 billion.

None of this would have been possible without funding.

Are you looking for funding for an idea or business, send us your stuff and we will take a look, Funding@OmegaSeedFund.com

Are you interested in investing time or money into any of our businesses, info@omegaseedfund.com

Are you interested in promoting your product or service to our audience, contact Opportunities@OmegaSeedFund.com

Disclaimer: This is only for informational and discussion purposes. This does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security or any other product or service. We are not offering any legal, investment, tax, or medical advice. 

Do you want more?

https://rencarlton.blogspot.com/2021/07/faster-traction-through-funding-how.html

https://youtu.be/kGU9Ak_Kphc

Previous Post - Making Money With Your Business, Profit and Cash Flow, Five Sustainable Companies That Make a Lot of Money - Find Angel Funding & Venture Capital for Business Startups, Entrepreneurs, & First Time Founders – Episode 10

https://rencarlton.blogspot.com/2021/07/making-money-with-your-business-profit.html

https://youtu.be/rNiu6b8ICUg

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-money-your-business-profit-cash-flow-five-make-ren-carlton

Sources 

https://vator.tv/news/2020-03-26-when-zoom-was-young-the-early-years

https://backlinko.com/zoom-users#zoom-daily-meeting-participants