Top 7 Common Mistakes Founders Make in Raising Early Stage VC (with Amir Shevat)

Are you sure your startup should be raising venture capital?
Most founders assume VC is the goal, but for many it's the wrong fuel entirely. In this episode, we bust that myth wide open.

Join hosts Yaniv Bernstein and Chris Saad as they chat with Amir Shevat, General Partner at Darkmode Ventures (ex-Google, Slack, Twitter), to unpack the seven most damaging mistakes founders make when raising early-stage capital. With over 65 investments under his belt and a front-row seat to the inner workings of Silicon Valley, Amir offers a brutally honest, insider view into what separates fundable startups from fundraising disasters.

In this episode, you will:
* Discover why some startups should never raise VC in the first place
* Learn how to avoid “dumb money” and pick the right investors
* Avoid cap table disasters that scare away future capital
* Understand the dangers of under- or over-raising and how to size your round
* Spot red flags in investor side letters that could poison your future
* Master the art of time-boxing your raise and managing investor timelines
* Build stronger investor relationships—even when they say “no”

This is a must-listen for any founder preparing to raise capital—or wondering if they should at all.

Timestamps
00:00 Coming Up
00:34 On Today's Show: Top 7 Fundraising Mistakes w/ Amir Shevat
03:23 Mistake #1: Fundraising When You Don't Need To
05:49 The Rocket Ship Analogy
12:04 Mistake #2: Fundraising from the Wrong People
16:06 Mistake #3: Cap Table Chaos
28:00 Reverse Vesting and Cliffs
29:26 Negotiating Round Size and Valuation
31:15 Mistake #4: Raising Too Little or Too Much
36:10 Mistake #5: Managing Time Wasting Investors
40:53 Mistake #6: Side Letters and Legal Pitfalls in Investment Agreements
47:55 Mistake #7: Handling Rejection and Building Long-Term Relationships
51:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Key links
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://www.tsp.show/episodes/

Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/

Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/

#VC #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #Funding #TheStartupPodcast #SiliconValley #TechStartup