Too Long; Didn't Read
First-time founders reach out to me via Twitter for general fundraising advice or for deck review. I noticed a common pattern amongst those who have trouble raising money. The two biggest mistakes appear to be rooted in poor assumptions about raising venture funding in the first place. These assumptions will doom the founders from the beginning. A founder, especially a first-time founder, will be incredibly risk-averse and will do whatever it takes to keep their company alive. Investors want to make several risky bets due to the economics of running a fund.