Playbook / Lessons / Money: pitch, investor email
StartupsDon't pitch VCs before you're ready
Gil says every time you pitch a VC and they pass, the bar for them to invest later goes up, so timing relative to your traction matters. He suggests checking your runway and traction, planning around near-term milestones, and having a clear, cohesive story before you meet anyone. He warns against meeting a bunch of VCs for coffee two months before an official raise.
“Treat this as a sales call, not a casual conversation.”— Elad Gil, The Danger of Pitching VCs Too Early, Jun 2013
Do this
Write down the growth, engagement and revenue numbers you think a VC would need to see, and hold off on investor meetings until your story and traction match them.