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April 19, 2023
Times are changing fast, and the VC ecosystem is undergoing a profound shift as capital has become less abundant – and less easily raised.
Now more than ever, VCs and emerging managers need a compelling and differentiated purpose and vision to gain traction. These days a track record combined with a generic holding statement like ‘we invest in the proven founders of Series A B2B SaaS companies’ is not enough to effectively compel investors or founders to believe in you.
Emerging Managers & VCs need breakout quality.
In the short article below, I’ll discuss why I think storytelling and differentiation are a crucial key to success in the VC industry.
What does your fund stand for? What do you offer that others don’t, or can’t?
What opportunity have you seen that others have missed? What makes your story stand out in a sea of sameness? If you feel that your answers to these questions aren’t satisfying, then potential investors probably feel the same way.
Brand positioning is a process that helps you define who you are, how you stand out, and why others should listen to you. A proper process will help you to identify your mission, vision and purpose, and create a brand narrative and investment thesis that goes beyond credentials and track record. After going through this process, you’ll be prepared to quickly communicate your vision and sincerely convince investors of your unique value in a crowded market.
If you’ve positioned yourself correctly, everyone in the market will know what you stand for and what kinds of deals to send your way. By being clear about your reason for existence, you’ll attract the right opportunities and investors.
But, positioning alone isn’t enough. You need a compelling brand story to bring your positioning to life.
A good brand story defines your positioning in a way that resonates with your audience. It influences everything from your pitch deck, web copy, marketing collateral, thought leadership content, and face to face interactions. It can help the people who matter most to remember your brand and feel invested in your success.
Without a story, your vision is nothing but loosely connected facts and numbers that quickly dissolve in memory, leaving little lasting impression.
A compelling story can help people remember your brand and feel invested in your success, you can stand out from the crowd and succeed in the VC world.
Psychologists know it. Philosophers know it. You have always known it.
Beautiful things feel special, and bland or unattractive things don’t.
We humans value form as well as function. A great website, a polished deck, and a well crafted online presence are all powerful signals.
What do they signal? For one, competence.
Your ability to execute on those things bodes well for your competence in other more crucial areas. Secondly, great design signals what you stand for. It wordlessly tells people if your company is energetic, serious, forward thinking, or off-the-wall. And finally great design signals your judgement. After all, your brand design is a reflection and initial example of your tastes and choices.
To many, the investment in great design is seen as a deferred luxury. Something worth investing in ‘at a later stage’, when in fact I would argue, its greatest value comes early, when you are less well known and have more to prove.
Your Personal Brand could be a home run
Some love it, many hate it, but building a strong personal brand and commanding attention in the media and online is hands down one of the most effective ways to create interest, trust and outreach. Your personal brand can open doors that your deck won’t.
If you choose not to shy away from the limelight, great rewards await. A great personal brand paired with a wider sphere of exposure can fast-track your relationships with LPs and partners, generating exponentially greater momentum for your fund.
The great news is, you don’t have to do it alone. Getting out there is daunting, but it gets easier once you start to think of personal branding as a planned activity, rather than something you are expected to do spontaneously and off the cuff. We support our clients by helping them to identify and articulate the thought leadership topics and positions that are a fit for them, and then help them to generate content for socials and PR.
If you’re a VC or emerging manager, or are thinking of taking that step, I hope this article has been useful in highlighting the power and importance of positioning and storytelling for your fund. Whatever your story is, tell it often, and tell it well.
Curious about our services?
We’ve just launched a special package for emerging managers. Get in touch for more information.
April 19, 2023
Times are changing fast, and the VC ecosystem is undergoing a profound shift as capital has become less abundant – and less easily raised.
Now more than ever, VCs and emerging managers need a compelling and differentiated purpose and vision to gain traction. These days a track record combined with a generic holding statement like ‘we invest in the proven founders of Series A B2B SaaS companies’ is not enough to effectively compel investors or founders to believe in you.
Emerging Managers & VCs need breakout quality.
In the short article below, I’ll discuss why I think storytelling and differentiation are a crucial key to success in the VC industry.
What does your fund stand for? What do you offer that others don’t, or can’t?
What opportunity have you seen that others have missed? What makes your story stand out in a sea of sameness? If you feel that your answers to these questions aren’t satisfying, then potential investors probably feel the same way.
Brand positioning is a process that helps you define who you are, how you stand out, and why others should listen to you. A proper process will help you to identify your mission, vision and purpose, and create a brand narrative and investment thesis that goes beyond credentials and track record. After going through this process, you’ll be prepared to quickly communicate your vision and sincerely convince investors of your unique value in a crowded market.
If you’ve positioned yourself correctly, everyone in the market will know what you stand for and what kinds of deals to send your way. By being clear about your reason for existence, you’ll attract the right opportunities and investors.
But, positioning alone isn’t enough. You need a compelling brand story to bring your positioning to life.
A good brand story defines your positioning in a way that resonates with your audience. It influences everything from your pitch deck, web copy, marketing collateral, thought leadership content, and face to face interactions. It can help the people who matter most to remember your brand and feel invested in your success.
Without a story, your vision is nothing but loosely connected facts and numbers that quickly dissolve in memory, leaving little lasting impression.
A compelling story can help people remember your brand and feel invested in your success, you can stand out from the crowd and succeed in the VC world.
Psychologists know it. Philosophers know it. You have always known it.
Beautiful things feel special, and bland or unattractive things don’t.
We humans value form as well as function. A great website, a polished deck, and a well crafted online presence are all powerful signals.
What do they signal? For one, competence.
Your ability to execute on those things bodes well for your competence in other more crucial areas. Secondly, great design signals what you stand for. It wordlessly tells people if your company is energetic, serious, forward thinking, or off-the-wall. And finally great design signals your judgement. After all, your brand design is a reflection and initial example of your tastes and choices.
To many, the investment in great design is seen as a deferred luxury. Something worth investing in ‘at a later stage’, when in fact I would argue, its greatest value comes early, when you are less well known and have more to prove.
Your Personal Brand could be a home run
Some love it, many hate it, but building a strong personal brand and commanding attention in the media and online is hands down one of the most effective ways to create interest, trust and outreach. Your personal brand can open doors that your deck won’t.
If you choose not to shy away from the limelight, great rewards await. A great personal brand paired with a wider sphere of exposure can fast-track your relationships with LPs and partners, generating exponentially greater momentum for your fund.
The great news is, you don’t have to do it alone. Getting out there is daunting, but it gets easier once you start to think of personal branding as a planned activity, rather than something you are expected to do spontaneously and off the cuff. We support our clients by helping them to identify and articulate the thought leadership topics and positions that are a fit for them, and then help them to generate content for socials and PR.
If you’re a VC or emerging manager, or are thinking of taking that step, I hope this article has been useful in highlighting the power and importance of positioning and storytelling for your fund. Whatever your story is, tell it often, and tell it well.
Curious about our services?
We’ve just launched a special package for emerging managers. Get in touch for more information.
April 19, 2023
Times are changing fast, and the VC ecosystem is undergoing a profound shift as capital has become less abundant – and less easily raised.
Now more than ever, VCs and emerging managers need a compelling and differentiated purpose and vision to gain traction. These days a track record combined with a generic holding statement like ‘we invest in the proven founders of Series A B2B SaaS companies’ is not enough to effectively compel investors or founders to believe in you.
Emerging Managers & VCs need breakout quality.
In the short article below, I’ll discuss why I think storytelling and differentiation are a crucial key to success in the VC industry.
What does your fund stand for? What do you offer that others don’t, or can’t?
What opportunity have you seen that others have missed? What makes your story stand out in a sea of sameness? If you feel that your answers to these questions aren’t satisfying, then potential investors probably feel the same way.
Brand positioning is a process that helps you define who you are, how you stand out, and why others should listen to you. A proper process will help you to identify your mission, vision and purpose, and create a brand narrative and investment thesis that goes beyond credentials and track record. After going through this process, you’ll be prepared to quickly communicate your vision and sincerely convince investors of your unique value in a crowded market.
If you’ve positioned yourself correctly, everyone in the market will know what you stand for and what kinds of deals to send your way. By being clear about your reason for existence, you’ll attract the right opportunities and investors.
But, positioning alone isn’t enough. You need a compelling brand story to bring your positioning to life.
A good brand story defines your positioning in a way that resonates with your audience. It influences everything from your pitch deck, web copy, marketing collateral, thought leadership content, and face to face interactions. It can help the people who matter most to remember your brand and feel invested in your success.
Without a story, your vision is nothing but loosely connected facts and numbers that quickly dissolve in memory, leaving little lasting impression.
A compelling story can help people remember your brand and feel invested in your success, you can stand out from the crowd and succeed in the VC world.
Psychologists know it. Philosophers know it. You have always known it.
Beautiful things feel special, and bland or unattractive things don’t.
We humans value form as well as function. A great website, a polished deck, and a well crafted online presence are all powerful signals.
What do they signal? For one, competence.
Your ability to execute on those things bodes well for your competence in other more crucial areas. Secondly, great design signals what you stand for. It wordlessly tells people if your company is energetic, serious, forward thinking, or off-the-wall. And finally great design signals your judgement. After all, your brand design is a reflection and initial example of your tastes and choices.
To many, the investment in great design is seen as a deferred luxury. Something worth investing in ‘at a later stage’, when in fact I would argue, its greatest value comes early, when you are less well known and have more to prove.
Some love it, many hate it, but building a strong personal brand and commanding attention in the media and online is hands down one of the most effective ways to create interest, trust and outreach. Your personal brand can open doors that your deck won’t.
If you choose not to shy away from the limelight, great rewards await. A great personal brand paired with a wider sphere of exposure can fast-track your relationships with LPs and partners, generating exponentially greater momentum for your fund.
The great news is, you don’t have to do it alone. Getting out there is daunting, but it gets easier once you start to think of personal branding as a planned activity, rather than something you are expected to do spontaneously and off the cuff. We support our clients by helping them to identify and articulate the thought leadership topics and positions that are a fit for them, and then help them to generate content for socials and PR.
If you’re a VC or emerging manager, or are thinking of taking that step, I hope this article has been useful in highlighting the power and importance of positioning and storytelling for your fund. Whatever your story is, tell it often, and tell it well.
Curious about our services?
We’ve just launched a special package for emerging managers.
Get in touch for more information.
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