// In-Person Networking: How an Investor Really Feels

I was speaking with another angel investor at a founder-investor event the other day. A founder came up to us and said:

"Hi-I-wanted-to-speak-to-you-both-I’m-a-founder-and-my-company-is-ABC-and-we-are-the-first-to-do-this-and-the-only-to-do-that-and-I’m-launching-in-this-market-in——"

My fellow investor kindly stopped the founder over a minute into their speech with no breaks (after interrupting us mid-conversation!) by ever so kindly saying, "Ok, stop. We are people, too. This is too much for us - we'd love a chance to get to know you. What is your name?"

I was so relieved, nodding vigorously to every point.

I'll be honest: When I'm spoken to like that, I know the person looks at me like an ATM.

And that's not someone I'll invest in.

Because it makes my skin crawl.

The other angel was dead on when she said we want to get to know the founder.

Here's what another founder I spoke with did "right."

✅ shared their inspiration for starting the business

✅ explained their background

✅ discussed the areas where they need help

✅ talked about their personal life - goals, how they like to recharge, showed photos of their pets

✅ asked me about me

It was a CONVERSATION. I asked questions, and they answered. They asked questions, and I answered.

I can't say I will invest in the other founder, but I walked away with 100x more confidence in them and their ability to execute their vision than I did the first because they understood how to build a relationship.

The founder-investor relationship is long-term.

It will last years, and there will be great times and bad.

So, approach them with confidence, like a person you want to get to know, knowing you're worthy of their knowing you, too.