Brooke Roberts’ Post

🏡 Our investors have a founder house - The BAM Ventures House in LA (how cool?!). I just returned from a night and a day working there. 🥗 I had lunch with BAM investor, Adam Lebovitz and ran into partner Shamin Walsh who welcomed me with “make yourself at home” and a few off the cuff ideas for accelerating the business. 🥐 I also crossed paths with a few other founders coming and going, and tried a few startup snacks in the kitchen .... (founders - investors are trying what you send and at BAM others are seeing it too. I just subscribed to a protein poptart co and a new sheet mask company from the exposure at the house!!). ✔ two main takeaways: 1. I often hear founder vs investor grumblings (mostly from founders).  I get it, there can be innate tension... But with discernment and luck, you can mutually choose the right investment partner. ⭐ In our case we are fortunate. Peter Boyce II answers my too often texts with problem solving and cheerleading, Swati Mylavarapu is a phone call away, Jenny Chao shows up at every Skye event in support and Ihar Mahaniok hosts the best off-the-record founder conversations. 2. I get energy from stepping outside my everyday office and zoom meetings! Seems obvious but it was a good reminder. Inspired to continue this in SF and NYC. 🚀 Nate Collins Alex Atallah Helen Chong Michelle Killoran Caroline Dillon - coworking this week?! 💓 Grateful for an awesome two days. 

And with that sunrise is over 😔 It was so good catching up with new founders, old friends and just feeling the buzz and optimism coming back into startup land! Here are my takeaways from the past two days: ❤️ the optimism and vibe is back - it’s felt like a little bit of a tech winter the past year but the energy and optimism seems to be coming back which I’m so excited to see!! 🫶 There are so many cool ideas that are currently incubating and are in their early stages - it was awesome to meet with founders who are solving problems in areas like making divorce a more cheaper and amicable process (Angela Harbinson!), different takes on the concept of financial wellness (Ryan Nolan, Jane Mason) and using data to help create a healthier planet by reducing food waste and dietary based illnesses (Daniel Alexander-Head) 🙌 it was good to see old friends and old clients and see how much their startups and businesses have grown and matured - it makes me feel proud to see it! Sam Bricknell Stuart Reynolds 💰it was also great catching up and bumping into 😱 Rayn 🍇 Ong, Alan Jones, & Sophie Robertson getting their tips and views on the ecosystem and advice on angel investing For me, sunrise was about getting back into the thick of it and just meeting new people, understanding new perspectives and learning about new solutions people are building around problems they’re thinking about. It's was about the people - as much as startups is an ideas business, it’s also a people industry at its heart. All in all I think it was an awesome conference and I hope to be back next year 😊

🇬🇧 In #London this Tues 16th Apr? Why not join us as we hear from an action-packed panel of exited founders, and investors. RSVP (Approval Only): https://lu.ma/rtb-launch As we launch Raising the Bar (RTB LDN), we'll be sitting down with: Roei Samuel - Founded & exited RealSport, a fan-oriented sports media and content creation platform with over 9m unique monthly active users. RealSport was acquired by Gfinity. In 2020 he launched Connectd a smart-matching platform that connects start-ups with relevant investors and NEDs. Sally Wynter 👹 - Founded & took MUHU CBD Gin from £1k start-up to 7-Figure-Exit (in just 6 months). Now Founder of PaperRound Oli Harris - Oli is Managing Director at Venturebeam, a private network of impact investors backing companies at Series A and B. Oli has also worn the founder hat twice, and launched businesses on 4 different continents. Moderated by Livvie Holt - producer and co-host of the UK’s top three start-up podcasts, giving the most exciting and trail blazing start-ups a platform to share their story and experiences. Raising the Bar (RTB LDN) is an approval only community of late-stage founders, Angels, VCs, and ecosystem builders giving you a rare opportunity to mix with peers at your level and beyond to share wins, ask for actionable-advice, and more. 📅 Date: Tues, 16th April 🕔 Time: 18:30 - 21:00 📍 Location: Central London (confirmation after sign-up) ❓Why Attend? - Access to a vetted room of founders, VCs, Angels, & ecosystem builders from across the UK - Hear from exit-savvy founders and investors - stories, lessons learned, actionable advice - Share reflections from Q1 2024 - Catch up with friends and make new ones - Enjoy delicious food and drinks What you Need to Know: What: RTB London - Launch Event ft. Founders & Investors Panel When: Tue 16 April Time: 6.30 pm - 9 pm Where: A Landmark Space. Central London (Exact location revealed upon approval) Due to a capacity of 60, this event is first come first served. RSVP (Approval Only): https://lu.ma/rtb-launch #Scaleups #Events #Exit #VC #Investor #Founders #London

«Don’t Die!» 🚀 ... was the title of Bryan Johnson’s interview at START Global Summit in St. Gallen which was very inspiring and offered a lot of food for thought – is life about pure existence only or aren’t there many more facets to it? A question everyone needs to answer for themselves … but certainly a reminder to live the life that you want and not the one others expect you to! 🚀 … is also the motto of many start-ups in the current market environment which continues to be challenging due to funding shortages as many investors are pausing or slowing down their activities. What are the right supplements for start-ups for a longer healthier life in the current tough market environment? ⚖ Growth is not everything! Find the right balance between growth and cost. 🌲 Focus on financial sustainability and the possibility to reach breakeven sooner. ⏳ Plan for a longer runway and start your next financing round earlier as fundraising takes more time - after fundraising is before fundraising! 🤝 A strong network is key these times – start-up CEOs should actively invest time in building and strengthening their networks in the ecosystem. And it is not only about VCs – family offices can be an invaluable and long-term partner for young and innovative companies! 🎂 Hire senior people that complement the founders’ skillsets and incentivise them properly – rather aim for a “bigger cake” for a broader team.   💪 Don’t build a team of “like-minded” people – your “obvious” co-founder is potentially not the best choice to build a successful company. Different backgrounds, perspectives and opinions in your team lead to better outcomes! We are optimistic that there are many amazing companies out there which will come out of the current market environment even stronger and that this is a very attractive time to be actively investing in early stage companies! Hence we at emma Ventures are happy to continue investing in diverse and mission-driven founding teams building the leading businesses of tomorrow. 🚀 To make lives better for everyone – not only longer 😉! 🚀

When passion and ambition collided, I ended up juggling two businesses - one for fun, and one for real. 🚀 Little did I know, my hobby project would become my main focus, soaring to over $50 million in global revenues. But I also learned the hard way that growth can come at a price. 📉 I lost control and was ousted from the company I co-founded. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I used the lessons from that experience to fuel the success of my other venture. 📈💪 #EntrepreneurshipJourney

We are thrilled to announce that DOUBL founders Jessica and Bryn have been selected to be a part of the Dream Ventures Winter Accelerator 2024 Cohort led by the amazing and talented Annie Evans and Kelley Arena!  During the kickoff yesterday we had the privilege of hearing the Hot Smart Rich Maggie Sellers share her investor insights. Safe to say we are obsessed and wanted to share some of our key takeaways: 1. Strategic Partnerships: Understanding the pivotal role of cultivating strategic partnerships, especially in early stages. Collaborations create strong relationships with other founders and build community around a brand which often unlocks new opportunities. 2. Uncovering the Viral Hook: Identifying that magnetic element that captivates and retains users is a transformative revelation. Thinking outside of the box can lead to PR gold.  3. Authentic Investor and Founder Engagement: Building genuine connections with investors and fellow founders by actively supporting their content to enrich our network. Authenticity is the cornerstone of meaningful relationships! 4. Confidence and Innovation: Confidence in our vision, coupled with thinking outside the conventional boundaries, to propel us to explore innovative solutions and calculated risks. 5. Starting Small, Thinking Strategically: We've learned that not everything needs immediate scalability. By prioritizing conversion, pinpointing our hero product, and nurturing our evangelists, we can enhance our foundational strengths. A heartfelt thank you to Maggie Sellers for her mentorship. We are very excited to implement these strategies moving forward, and continue to promote our message.

In Part 4 today of Jackson Keefe's story, he begins telling us about the pretty crazy early acquisition opportunity he encountered with his business. Now, this certainly doesn't happen to most founders, but it's amazing how it happened to him! An idea this disruptive within it's niche was quickly noticed, before he even had much time to process where the idea was going, leading to change he hadn't anticipated! We encourage you to start from the beginning of this story by watching the other related clips in our LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok feed, and make sure to stick around to finish this one up this week! #FounderStories #ExitStrategy #BusinessFounders #StartupStories #FlyingWithFounders Reuben Levinsohn

🚀 Exciting Collaboration Alert: Mainline Ventures x Crüe Club 🚀 We are thrilled to announce a dynamic collaboration between Mainline Ventures and our Crue Club Elite members. Our Exec Crüe members has already begun to see impressive, real-world results from working with Ian and Keith Myers. Their expertise in strategizing, storytelling, crafting compelling value propositions, and understanding the psychology of negotiation is transforming the way our members approach bid submissions. We're pumped that Mainline Ventures will be working directly with our Elite Crue Club Members to refine their narratives and provide actionable items. Together, we'll craft a tailored playbook that our Elite Members can use to navigate future challenges more effectively. We're particularly impressed by how seamlessly their approach aligns with the Crue Club ethos: embracing innovative strategies over the usual business practices, prioritizing value over cost, and introducing novel methods to elevate our members in today’s challenging environment. The old ways are no longer enough. Together, Crue Club and Mainline Ventures are not just here to support you—we're here to guide you towards a brighter, more successful future. Stay tuned as we redefine the standards of success. If you're ready to transform your approach and achieve remarkable outcomes, you’re in the right place. #CrueClub #MainlineVentures #InnovationInAction #ElevateYourGame

Chasing rabbits as a seed-stage business is damn seductive - each new market trend, or company pivot, we are told, can bring us closer to product/market fit. Diving down the right rabbit hole just might take us to start-up Wonderland. Behold the prancing unicorns and magical VC caterpillars barfing out billions to fuel your wildest dreams! But the reality is far different from that. Seventy percent (70%) of seed-stage founders report issues with resource misallocation that damage their business and rob them of runway. Rather than finding their way to Wonderland, these rabbit holes take them closer to an early grave. So what is happening here? First, there are too many possibilities an early-stage enterprise can chase. Learn what’s second and what is done by the most successful companies in the world, click here!>> https://hubs.la/Q02Kypkt0 #SeedStageSuccess #VentureCapitalInsights #StartupJourney #ResourceOptimization #InvestmentStrategy #RevenueGrowth #StartupSuccess #EntrepreneurJourney #InnovationStrategy #EarlyStageVentures

Great First Dates ____ My awesome wife and I got married in our early 20s and we've been together for over 30 years. So I'm inexperienced and out of practice in what makes a great first date but I do remember my first date with her. On that first date, I recognized that we had a few important things in common but I also remember being drawn to the impact she wanted to have in the world. She was smart, interesting, kind, beautiful, and real. I was smitten. At PHX Ventures, I've noticed some meaningful parallels between great first dates and great first meetings with founders. For me, here are three things that make a great first founder meeting: - Do we have something in common? I'm a B2B software guy. It's all I do. So if someone is pitching me a business that isn't a pure B2B SaaS, I am probably asking for the check before we've ordered appetizers. - Does this person have something interesting to say? My best first meetings are with founders who are completely obsessed with the problem they are trying to solve. Even better if they are deeply connected to the math of their business. I am eating slowly and ordering dessert in these meetings. - Do I want to spend more time together? If someone isn't likable, it's hard to spend more time together. Founders who aren't likable won't attract and retain top talent, which is at the heart of company building. And investor relationships last longer than the average US marriage so likability is table stakes for second dates. At PHX Ventures, we take hundreds of first meetings every year searching for a few smart, interesting, and driven founders with whom we can work to build enduring software companies. I'm sure we don't always get it right, but I do believe great relationships almost always start with great first dates. ____ PS - If you'd like to pitch us, the best way to do that is to submit a pitch deck at the PHX Ventures website. If you'd like to get better at pitching to investors, please sign up for free pitch practice at the PHX FWD website. Let's make PHX a top software city.