From Founder to Investment Guru: Barry Downes' Story

Join Barry Downes as he shares his journey from founder to investment guru, highlighting the key factors that separate successful startups.

Key takeaways

Choice of investment strategy is crucial
Every VC has a different type of strategy
Understand the golden rule: never run out of cash
Validate your plan before pitching to VCs
Focus on product market fit, hiring, and sales engine
Scaling companies need to adapt to customer needs
VCs are often looking for companies with significant revenue growth
Understanding the pain points of the customer is crucial
Know who you’re pitching to and tailor your approach
Building a sustainable business model is important
Companies need to be able to deliver value to customers
Learn from feedback and pivot as needed
Focus on repeatable recurring revenue
VCs are looking for companies that can scale quickly and become market leaders
Understand the subtleties of the market and the customer
Build a resource-based view of the firm
Focus on scaling the business, not just the sales
Learn to ride the rocket ship of growth
Be prepared to make rapid changes as needed
Build a strong team with diverse skills
Focus on hiring the right skills at the right time
Be prepared to pivot and adapt to changing circumstances
Understand the importance of time to range and having a validated plan