You are the captain of the ship. Keep smiling.
Think outside VC. Venture capital works for some, but there’s no shame in not being the kind of business that VCs want.
Do your homework on investors. Ask them for references. Ask them for examples of successes and failures and what they would have done differently or what they did to contribute to their success.
While policy makers need to address the systemic forces that keep small businesses from accessing capital, commerce, and coaching, business owners can help one another change the game:
- Buy from one another.
- Collaborate on deals.
- Share knowledge and contacts.
- Be vulnerable about challenges and mistakes.
- Raise your voices to draw attention to structural weaknesses.
Together, we can level up NOW.
