A round can start before a big lead check arrives. Julian argues it starts with small checks from great people, and that for a solo founder those checks are about momentum as much as money. In conversation with Ari, he covers what angels actually do, how to make them want to introduce you, and his view of the risks facing co-founded and solo-founded companies.
Topics covered:
- Why $1K to $5K checks from great people start rounds
- Never take angel money for a promised intro; make yourself easy to forward
- Angels as a fan base: why more is better than fewer
- What angels want vs. what lead VCs want
- Venture scale as a choice and a commitment
- Co-founder breakups vs. solo founders giving up; momentum vs. burnout
- Why your customers (and your competitor's) make great angels
What is Solo Founders?
The Solo Founder's Podcast features in-depth interviews with solo founders building remarkable companies. Each week, host Julian Weisser sits down with solo founders who are either operating at serious scale or doing something right now that you need to know about. From Series B and beyond to founders breaking out in real-time, these are the conversations that define what it means to build solo. New episodes every week.