If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Welcome to the 5th edition of The Get Funded! Newsletter—where we break down the latest from our Get Funded! Office Hours session on Twitter/X and equip you with tools to take your fundraising to the next level.

Missed this session? Listen to the recording here.
Interested in joining the next session? See what VCs are coming next and register here.

1. Session Overview:

This week, we hosted two insightful sessions with our fantastic guest investors:

• Session #1: Youssef Kalad, Early-Stage Investor at AlleyCorp
  AlleyCorp is one of the most active early stage funds in New York, typically writing checks between $1M - $3M at the Pre-Seed through Series A Stage.

• Session #2: Bruce Hamilton, General Partner at Everybody Ventures
  Investing up to $100K in early stage companies, Everybody Ventures invests at the intersection of pop culture, consumer, and technology.

We also had our Pre-Show Founder interview with Preston Troutt, Founder and CEO at Crowdsurf, a fractional investment platform which gives anyone the ability to invest in a creator's career for as little as $50 a share. Recording here.

2. Office Hours Recap:

Key Takeaways from the session on Friday, September 27th:

• Youssef Kalad, Early-Stage Investor at AlleyCorp

  • Stage: Pre-Seed - Series A

  • Industry: Economic Infrastructure (Education, Earning, Access to Care)

  • Check Size: $1M - $3M

  • Geography: U.S.-based, with a focus on underserved regions

  • Key Takeaways from session:

    • Diversity of Founders is Expanding: The traditional image of a successful founder, often young and technical, has broadened, now including older, more experienced professionals. This shift brings valuable industry insights to startups, making companies better attuned to legacy systems they aim to disrupt​.

    • Speed and Execution are Critical: Youssef emphasized the importance of moving quickly when testing and executing ideas. Founders should focus on rapid iterations and being data-driven in determining which tests succeed or fail. This approach helped companies like Uber scale fast​.

    • Unique Insights Matter: Investors are looking for founders who have a unique perspective or personal mission related to the problem they are solving. It's important for founders to lean into their background and experience to differentiate themselves from competitors​.

• Bruce Hamilton, General Partner at Everybody Ventures

  • Stage: Pre-Seed & Seed

  • Industry: Pop Culture, Consumer, and Technology

  • Check Size: Up to $100K

  • Geography: U.S.-based, with potential for global expansion

  • Key Takeaways from session:

    • Pop Culture and Consumer Connections: Bruce explained that his fund, Everybody Ventures, focuses on the intersection of pop culture, consumer, and technology. He views pop culture as not just entertainment but a force that shapes how people communicate, dress, and travel​.

    • Focus on Niche Markets First: When scaling a business, Bruce advises founders to focus on the area where they are strongest rather than trying to scale too broadly. Stretching resources thin across too many markets can lead to failure, so it's better to dominate one region or niche before expanding.

    • Team Characteristics Over Metrics in Early Stages: Bruce highlighted that at the early stage, it's less about traction and more about the founding team's ability to learn, pivot, and stay motivated. Investors want to work with founders who are adaptable and who they can build long-term relationships with​.

    Highlighted Pitches:
    1. Stephen Hargett (wrkspace) [8:25 - 9:20]: wrkspace offers flexible and affordable access to co-working spaces. What stood out was Steven’s ability to position Workspace as a transformative solution in the remote work industry.

    Takeaway: Lean into your personal experience and expertise to convey why your solution matters in the current market.

    2. Mina Raver (BetterCEO) [27:24 - 28:21]: Mina’s pitch focused on a productivity co-pilot for neurodivergent professionals, leveraging advancements in neuroscience and AI. Her thoughtful approach to understanding user needs was very compelling.

    Takeaway: If you're solving a niche problem, ensure your solution taps into latent desires within that community for deeper engagement and trust.

3. Resources:

Book of the Week:

• Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat.: Serial Entrepreneurs' Secrets Revealed! by Colin C. Campbell: This book delves into the mindset and strategies of successful serial entrepreneurs. Colin C. Campbell breaks down the key steps needed to build, grow, and exit businesses repeatedly, offering valuable insights for any founder looking to scale and eventually exit their venture.

• Takeaway: Whether you're just starting out or preparing for an exit, this book provides actionable advice from seasoned entrepreneurs who have been through the process multiple times. Get your copy here.

Alternative Funding Sources:

• Access up to $2M in non-dilutive debt financing. Request funding here.

• Raise up to $5M in equity capital through a Community Round. Request information here.

4. Founder Spotlight:

Featured Founder: Preston Troutt, Founder and CEO at Crowdsurf

• Overview: Preston Troutt has developed an innovative platform that allows creators to raise capital in exchange for future revenue and intellectual property, essentially treating creators as their own venture-worthy entities.

• Their Success Story: Crowdsurf is currently live with its first creator offering, raising capital from unaccredited investors. The platform leverages the community of investors and offers an exciting alternative for creators who need to raise funds without traditional backing.

• Future Plans: Preston aims to grow the platform’s user base and explore new partnerships with well-known creators, providing a revolutionary way for content creators to scale their businesses.

What we can take away: When raising capital, think creatively about how you can leverage both traditional and non-traditional sources. Platforms like Crowdsurf allow creators to think outside the box for funding solutions.

5. Tweet of the Week:

If interested in being apart of a small founder group, fill out this form and we will reach out once we have a group available for you.

That’s all for this week’s edition of The Get Funded! Newsletter. We hope you found these insights valuable as you continue your journey to securing funding.

What’s next? Be sure to join us for the next Get Funded! Office Hours session. You can view and register for upcoming sessions using this Calendar.

Be on the look out for our newsletter next week where we’ll bring you more actionable advice, resources, and success stories.

Let’s All, Get Funded!

Best,
Darrel Frater
Investor at Serac Ventures
Twitter/X | Linkedin | Preneur

P.S. If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to a founder you know who could benefit from these insights!

P.S.S. Got ideas or suggestions for Get Funded? Shoot me an email at [email protected] for us to discuss!

About Serac: Serac Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that targets companies at the seed stage writing checks between $250K - $750K. Our core sectors include fintech, SaaS, and commerce enablement. Learn more at SeracVentures.vc.