I identify with so much of this, and I love that you’ve put it out there.
Thanks for sharing your story and I look forward to more notes from the trenches.
I identify with so much of this, and I love that you’ve put it out there. As I’ve gotten to know more founders I’ve realized this is more the norm than anyone might think, but it doesn’t make it any easier to go through. It took 300+ meetings before we got our first non family/friends angel investor. Five years in, we’ve never raised an institutional round. The last time I talked to institutional investors in any serious way we got burned — exactly the kind of term sheet where you don’t just say no, you say ‘go fuck yourself’, in the words of your kind lawyer. I too am happy with our diverse cap table of angels, and am even prouder of our team that’s managed to work with very little and keep trucking through the ups and downs.
Thanks for sharing your story and I look forward to more notes from the trenches.