Insight certainty 3/5 debate potential 2/5

Siroker: Cold outreach to portfolio CEOs yields honest back-channel investor references

Dan Siroker · How To Raise Capital Successfully with Dan Siroker · Nov 29, 2023 · at 5:30

Dan Siroker, founder of Rewind, shares his playbook for vetting prospective VC board members through cold back-channel references with portfolio CEOs.

0:00 / 0:13exact quote · 14.0s
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“I think founders will be really honest with other founders. So don't be afraid to, you know, you're thinking about taking a term sheet from an investor. Look at, you know, all the other people they're on the board with and just reach out to the CEOs of those companies. They'll respond. You know, I've had, I think a hundred percent hit rate on, on reaching out cold”

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