After working in CPG on the legal side, I came to the conclusion that 85% of CPG companies suck. Cash flow's garbage. Ops are a mess.
The other 15%? Oh, those guys are cracked and can run laps around anyone.
Everyone and their mom wants to raise.
90% have no idea how raising actually works.
When you take money, you get a boss: your investor.
You’d vet an employer before taking a job. Vet your investors the same way before taking a check.
The LI aura-farming announcement is the fun part. After that it’s board seats, reporting, and someone else’s timeline.
Good luck.
@theaymanarab 100%. I'm a big believer in never slashing fees and never chasing.
For me, some people bring up their friend's uncle's cousin's attorney, the same guy who handles every practice area under the sun.
My #1 advice for anyone in school:
Get the grades. Don't let them become your whole life.
Too many people bury their heads in books for three years and come up with no network.
So network like HELL. Grab coffee with anyone and everyone. After a few, you'll learn fast who's worth your time.
Then the doors start opening on their own.
The person with the perfect GPA?
They'll end up doing the work. The person with the network brings it in.
Client reached out to me last Saturday.
He runs a $30M+ ARR company.
He doesn't have time for this, but he wasn't going to let it hurt his brand either.
We spoke Saturday.
C&D was ready Sunday.
Less than 48 hours later, the site was gone.
No lawsuit and no litigation bill, just a fast, well-built letter.
Most “networking” events are a waste of your time.
In May, my friends and I threw our own.
No agenda. No tickets. We don't make a dollar.
Round 2 last week: investors, founders, bankers, attorneys, operators. 50 people. Nothing else. Nothing more.
We're just getting started.