Pitching dos and don’ts

OK, putting a Tumblr style post here… just read ‘A must read before making any venture capitalist pitch‘ and thought the following bullets from Vincent Lauria at Golden Gate Ventures were too good not to share.

1. Don’t ask for $1 million on an idea that’s not built and you don’t have any successes behind you.
2. Don’t compare your valuation to some company in the valley that was just backed by a major VC, and built by previously successful serial entrepreneurs.
3. Don’t expect me to be interested unless you have traffic or proven track record.
4. Nothing in the coupons/group buying space.
5. Don’t call me at a random time during the day to pitch me over the phone.
6. Again, no coupons/group buying! Just cause you twist it into some new idea doesn’t make it attractive.
7. Nothing that takes me more than a minute to understand.
8. Don’t pitch me without knowning similar companies in the Valley doing the same thing.
9. Don’t pitch me the next Facebook replacement that’s just another Facebook, localized.
10. Don’t compare yourself to Steve Jobs.
11. Do pitch me on mobile payments!
12. Do pitch me disruption.
13. Do pitch me on unique Southeast Asia plays.
14. Don’t pitch me on services that work for just one country.
15. Don’t pitch me ‘lifestyle’ business that make for a good revenue stream but have no way of exploding.
16. Don’t ask me to sign an NDA.
17. Don’t pitch me as a one man team. If you can’t convince somebody else on your crazy idea (or personality), you’re not gonna convince me.