In this episode of Invisible Ink, Eileen Tanghal, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Black Opal Ventures, joins Shubha Chakravarthy for a deep dive into how founders can better understand venture capital beyond just fundraising and what truly drives VC decision-making.
Eileen reveals what founders often miss: that VCs are entrepreneurs too, managing their own businesses with investor expectations and partnership dynamics. She outlines how founders should think more like CEOs—understanding venture returns, fund dynamics, and how their startup fits into the investor’s portfolio strategy.
Tune in for Eileen's insights on:
- How VC fundable opportunities are born
- How to get on the same page with a VC instantly
- The three layers of VC decision making most founders don't know
- What drives the decision: inescapable VC math it pays for you to know
- How VCs really evaluate your financial model
- Inside tips on what makes your roadmaps credible to a VC
- How TAM, SAM SOM play into a VC's funding decision
- What VC's look for when assessing your milestones
- The real test of whether you have a great team, as a VC sees it
- How to demonstrate credibility even if you've never built a startup or raised funding before
- Three top takeaways you can implement tomorrow
and much more!
