Lance Cottrell

Now at angel investor, and advisor. "The Boot" at

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

Founders ask me for warm intros right after I pass on their deal.
I never give them because an intro from someone who passed sends one signal: "This wasn't good enough for me, but maybe it's good enough for you."
Warm intros work. Just not first.
https://t.co/OPzYbF2uDP

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

9/ Full breakdown with everything you need to run your friends and family round the right way:

https://t.co/ITQ6OjtwpJ

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

1/ The friends and family round is most founders' first fundraise.

It's also the easiest one to screw up.

Get it wrong and you torpedo your next round AND ruin Thanksgiving forever.

Here's how to do it right:

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

8/ Keep your investors in the loop. Monthly or quarterly updates.

Nothing is worse than an unhappy surprise two years in.

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

8/ Grab my free Fundraising Toolkit: https://t.co/X7FkjeVgso

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

1/ Most founders practice their pitch by giving it to investors. That's like preparing for a marathon by showing up on race day. Here's one tip that will change everything:

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

7/ Your pitch isn't what you think it is. It's what your audience experiences. Video is the fastest way to close that gap.

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

6/ Full conversation on Feel the Boot where we dig into investor psychology, thought leadership vs. feature lists, and the mistakes founders make trying to project credibility they haven't built yet.
https://t.co/EewatMQzfp

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

1/ An investor told @ShaynaRDavis: "If the CEO can't sell, and I don't just mean the product, I won't give them a dime regardless of how great the idea is behind the technology."
Most technical founders have never developed that skill. Here's the gap she sees. 🧵

[Lance Cottrell @LanceCottrell]

5/ Her practical fix is dead simple. One post per week for 30 days. Not long. Not AI written. Just your actual perspective on where your industry is headed.
Build the muscle before you need it.