QUESTIONS Flashcards
Tip 2: When the pitch is ready, record a video and send it to familiar experts to get feedback and know your weaknesses in advance.
TBA
How will you make money?
Our individual and corporate customers pay a monthly subscription fee for access to our services
“Everyone, and a few startups in front of you, say they can monetize the data they collect. What’s your plan?
We do not plan on monetizing our data. We have a huge invesetment in the privacy and security of our community members. If the information that our platform facilitates (about the motivations, habits, shortcomings and deepest desires of our people) ended up in the wrong hands, it could be detrimentally used to exploit our members.
Wow … Can you explain your business model. Why is it like this?”
Apart from the cost associated with developing and managing our software product, we pay our coaches as independent service providers for each session that they do. That requires us to have a recurring form of income to cover that continued expense. For that reason, a subscription model is more appropriate for our expenses and needs.
How is your company promoting or planning to sell its products or services?”
Two of our biggest channels for promotion include our partnerships and alliances, along with our event programming. Our partnerships get us in front of thousands of active customers within our target demographics, and our free events allow us to attract customers into our funnel. The goal with our partnerships, notably, our partnerships with wellness providers like the YMCA, is to expand our collaboration with the organization (of which there are 2,700 locations in the U.S. alone). With over 13 million adults, we benefit from gaining even a small portion of their members.
What happens to your business model if you turn off ads?”
We do not derive revenue from advertisements.
How well does your model scale across target sectors?
Our model scales well across all three of the markets that we are pursuing in our product suite. The core tenets of our service and software offerings includes one-on-one virtual coaching, events and programming, online communities frp
Is monetization working now?
TBA
At what point do you take the money?
TBA
Did you consider the unit economy?
TBA
Your operating costs do not increase in your financial forecast. Why is that?
TBA
Is your plan to receive money as a subscription?
TBA
What’s your monetization strategy?
TBA
How will you make money for your investors?
TBA
Tell us, how are you going to start sales? And how do you plan to develop them?
TBA
What sales have you already had?
TBA
What is the margin?
TBA
I think you are asking too high a price. Will not take off.
TBA
What is the cost of attracting one customer?
What’s your marketing budget?
TBA
How long does it take to become profitable?
How much money will be spent until the startup gets to profitability?”
TBA
If I invest, how much money will you make over the next year?”
TBA
What CAC?
TBA
What’s your sales forecast?
TBA
What is the assessment methodology? “
TBA
Have you calculated the cost of the device?
TBA
Can you break 50K by spending per quarter?
TBA
How many such devices do you need to make and sell to earn 50K?
TBA
What is your commission?
Why do you take X% of the commission?
TBA
Do you have a clear given financial model, how did you come up with it?
Why are we talking about B2C when there is an obvious B2B model?
Do you already have pre-orders?
How does unit economy work in your case?
How can you be sure that you are monetizing customer relationship with the service? Since after the match, work begins directly
You said you have clients. What is the average check amount?
Do you have a unit economy for a marketplace or for a crm system?
Who pays the commission? Seller or Buyer?
How much of the company’s revenue comes from upsells?
How can I, as an investor, help your project?
How much do you rate yourself?
How big can your company get?
TBA
How are you going to spend investor money?
How will investments help you?
Who is your investor at the moment?
Why don’t you do it without our investment?
Who else have you shown your project to?
TBA
Have you been to any accelerators or incubators?
TBA
What are the biggest risks for an investor?
TBA
How much money do you need and why? Tell us about your investment proposal
Will existing investors participate in the round?”
TBA
How much did you personally invest in the project?
TBA
Look like a mature business, investments won’t help you
Can you tell us more about your project? Why do you need investments?”
TBA
In a year and a half, you have grown by $ 3000. This is a weak traction. Investor money is needed to accelerate growth. Why are you growing so slowly?
Why do you need 50K? Why are you going to Europe so late?”
TBA
The presentation indicated 25k, but you applied for 50k. What will you do with the money and will 25k be enough for you?”
TBA
If you receive an investment, what will our partnership look like?
How and where are you incorporated?
TBA
Who owns your company?
TBA
Can you tell us about the structure of the company?
What is your exit strategy?
When do you personally plan to sell your stake?
TBA
Who will be the likely buyers of your stake?
TBA
You have achieved something before through investment. How much money have you made since then?
Have you tried looking for big investment rounds?
Why did you apply to our foundation?
If this idea is so cool, why don’t you take out a loan?
Okay, that’s enough. Why should I write you a check right now?
What happens if I give you twice as much / less money?
Do you have a patent?
TBA
What regulatory approvals do you need and how far have you come in this regard?
Are there other people who can claim to be responsible for your ideas?”
TBA
What legal risks do you see?
TBA
Are you aware of any product liability risks?
TBA
What regulatory risks can affect your business?”
TBA
What intellectual property do you own?
“Have any employees or partners who might be challenging these intellectual property rights gone?
TBA
Are there any additional patents pending or planned?
TBA
Are you sure that the company’s intellectual property does not violate the rights of third parties?
TBA
How did the company’s intellectual property develop?
TBA
Will any previous team members have potential intellectual property rights for the company?
Are any founders covered by non-competitive agreements or intellectual property agreements that overlap with your project?
TBA
What key intellectual property does the company own (patents, patent applications, copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks, domain names)?
Is this enough for all preparatory licenses?
Have you applied for a patent in Russia or somewhere else?
How did you get this idea?
What do you understand that others do not?
TBA
Are you fully committed to the project?
TBA
Where is your headquarters?
Where do you get expertise and what is its quality?
TBA
Are you working on a project full time?
TBA
Are you ready to change your idea? “
TBA
Have you considered various modifications of your idea?
TBA
Would you move to the USA?
TBA
Make an elevator pitch for 20 seconds. Right now. Start.
TBA
After receiving the investment, you plan to switch to full-time. How does everything work now?
TBA
How do you understand customer needs?
TBA
How much money will be spent on the salaries of the founders?
TBA
Why should an investor bet on you?
TBA
“How diversified is your team? Or will you die without investment?
TBA
What project were you in the accelerator with?
Do you have any experience in this industry?
Is there an expert in the team who has worked with this market?
TBA
What options have already been granted?
TBA
What are the founders’ shares?
Who plays what role in your team?
Who does the accounting?
TBA
Name someone you chose not to include as a founder and why?”
TBA
What key roles might need to hire people in
TBA
What legal risks do you see?
TBA
Are you aware of any product liability risks?
TBA
What regulatory risks can affect your business?
TBA
What intellectual property do you own?
“Have any employees or partners who might be challenging these intellectual property rights gone?
TBA
Are there any additional patents pending or planned?
TBA
Are you sure that the company’s intellectual property does not violate the rights of third parties?
TBA
How did the company’s intellectual property develop?
TBA
Will any previous team members have potential intellectual property rights for the company?
Are any founders covered by non-competitive agreements or intellectual property agreements that overlap with your project?
TBA
What key intellectual property does the company own (patents, patent applications, copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks, domain names)?
Is this enough for all preparatory licenses?
Have you applied for a patent in Russia or somewhere else?
How did you get this idea?
What do you understand that others do not?
TBA
Are you fully committed to the project?
TBA
Where is your headquarters?
Where do you get expertise and what is its quality?
TBA
Are you working on a project full time?
TBA
Are you ready to change your idea? “
TBA
Have you considered various modifications of your idea?
TBA
Would you move to the USA?
TBA
Make an elevator pitch for 20 seconds. Right now. Start.
TBA
After receiving the investment, you plan to switch to full-time. How does everything work now?
TBA
How do you understand customer needs?
TBA
How much money will be spent on the salaries of the founders?
TBA
Why should an investor bet on you?
TBA
“How diversified is your team? Or will you die without investment?
TBA
What project were you in the accelerator with?
Do you have any experience in this industry?
Is there an expert in the team who has worked with this market?
TBA
What options have already been granted?
TBA
What are the founders’ shares?
Who plays what role in your team?
Who does the accounting?
TBA
Name someone you chose not to include as a founder and why?”
TBA
What key roles might you need to hire people for in the near future?
“You have 6 people in your team, the shares are distributed evenly. Do you have a person from the business? Who will make the decisions?
TBA
Do any of the founders want to sell their stake now? Why?
TBA
What hypotheses do you have about your target audience and business model?
From the point of view of a developer candidate, what is his motivation to join your project?
You have 6 founders. Are they involved in technical activities or are they more like investors?
If I understand correctly, in addition to the project, you are also engaged in some types of entrepreneurial activity. Tell us about your experience
I read that your co-founders are involved in the operations of other companies. Give a comment
By what principle did you distribute the shares among the team members?
Do you have some kind of mission? Do you want to change something?
Why did you come here?
Suppose a person wrote a bad review about you on the vc.ru website. How will you react?
This is a small business, not a startup. Refute
Suppose I want to invest in you 3 times the amount requested. But on condition that I get 51% in the company. Tell us how you will make a decision, why you refuse or agree.
What makes your team the right fit for this business?
You say that in five years you will have 100 employees. You have six now. What will the others do?
What motivates you?
TBA
Who is your boss? What happens if one of the founders leaves the company?
Which one of your team is the easiest to replace?
TBA
Do you have advisors or mentors?
What unique skills and talents do each of the founders contribute?”
TBA
What key additions to the team are needed in the short term?
TBA
How did you find your co-founders?
TBA
How do we know your team will stick together?
What else have you created together?
What’s the worst thing that happened to you?
Tell us, what has your team done impressively?
TBA
What’s the funniest thing that happened while working on a project?”
TBA
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made?
TBA
Tell us about the difficult problem that you solved?”
TBA
Having a service station, you want to order development from outside. Why?
Do you have your own development team? What is the technology stack?
Have you had any experience in IT?
TBA
What should be the team for scaling?
TBA
Why is your product or service better than its counterparts on the market?
Who do you most or least strive to be like?
TBA
Tell us about your shortcomings when compared with your competitors
TBA
Why is the product price different for you and your competitors?
Can you compare your service and your competitors?
What do you think is the reason for the level of satisfaction of your project’s clients and competitors?
What gives your company a competitive
TBA
By what principle did you distribute the shares among the team members?
TBA
Do you have some kind of mission? Do you want to change something?
TBA
Why did you come here?
TBA
Suppose a person wrote a bad review about you on the vc.ru website. How will you react?
TBA
This is a small business, not a startup. Refute
TBA
Suppose I want to invest in you 3 times the amount requested. But on condition that I get 51% in the company. Tell us how you will make a decision, why you refuse or agree.
TBA
What makes your team the right fit for this business?
TBA
