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Kelly: First-Time Founders Face Audits While Serial Founders Get Conversational Diligence

Scott Kelly · Start With the End in Mind Before You Take a Single Dollar · Sep 16, 2025 · at 24:24

Startup advisor Scott Kelly discusses the differing levels of due diligence VCs apply to first-time founders versus serial entrepreneurs with successful exits.

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“If you're an early stage startup and you're a new founder, they're going to spend more time doing due diligence that, and you need to be prepared for that. You know, you're a founder of a startup that's had several successful exits and have had several successful races. The due diligence might be more of a personal due diligence or a conversation versus a full on audit of, you know, their books and everything else.”

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