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Re:Angel Investors To Startups: Yes, We Charge by anigbrowl on Tuesday October 13, 2009 @02:59AM (#878544)
I know the sort of person he's talking about. If you don't explain up front what you want from them, they'll assume you were put on earth to help them in their glorious venture and complain endlessly about how you don't appreciate their genius, are only interested in money, etc. This is the sort of entrepreneur who budgets a fat salary for themselves from day 1. I've had people like that bellyache about how they can't afford to pay me more than peanuts despite the fact that they own 7 cars or a 40 ft yacht (actual examples from real life).

Edit: I have no opinions about the angel firms or their charging methods. I just got Trapper's point above.

Re:Angel Investors To Startups: Yes, We Charge by netsp on Tuesday October 13, 2009 @03:14AM (#878571)
When you say you got his point, did you mean you get how his point is related to charging people to pitch? I am completely willing to grant that such people exist and are unpleasant, but what relevance does that have here?
Re:Angel Investors To Startups: Yes, We Charge by anigbrowl on Tuesday October 13, 2009 @02:13PM (#879687)
No, the point about how some entrepreneurs have a sense of entitlement. I think people reacted poorly to that here because they interpreted it as 'how dare you ask angels for investment', which would be offensive considering how many people struggle just to become ramen profitable, often for a long time before cashing in, if ever. Then there are other people who want to be compensated on the basis of projections rather than receipts. It's a blurry line since we know some companies where the founders make $$$ long before reaching positive cash flow.

As far as the 'pay to pitch angels' go, maybe they'd be better off describing themselves as a capital sourcing service or enterprise microcredit bureau or something, since people take 'angel' to mean someone willing to help when you've got nothing. I empathise with the tedium of dealing with self-promoters who think they're god's gift to business despite having money; on the other hand surely the payoff of being an angel is having founding capital in the one project out of 50 or 100 that hits the jackpot and eventually goes public.