Presentation for the HBCUvc Summer 2022 Cohort on strategies and tactics for networking in the venture capital, startup, and tech community.

1. Building
Authentic
Relationships
Summer 2022 Fellowship Cohort
Margaret Falzon
COO at Squadra Ventures
margaret@squadra.vc

2. There are two
kinds of people in
the world.

3. GIVERS
contribute to others without
seeking anything in return.

4. TAKERS
get others to serve their ends
while guarding their own time,
expertise, and resources.

5. MATCHERS
are GIVERS that have been
hurt by TAKERS and have
developed TAKER behaviors
to protect themselves.
Read the HBR Article (2013).
Watch the TED Talk (2017).

6. This matters for three reasons
● VC is transactional
● Founder outcomes actually control your
career achievements
● Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets
6
6

7. Success in this job is measured by
three things
● Find great entrepreneurs
● Win great deals
● Build great companies
7
7

8. ● Co-founder of
venture-backed startup
● Engineering manager
● Volunteer
community-builder
How I Got My Job
8
2013 2015
2017 2018

9. 10 Ways to Authentically
Build, Maintain and Use
Your Network
9
9

10. 10
#1
Start From a
Place of Trust
HBR “Begin with Trust”
5 things I wish someone told me about investors when I was a founder

11. ● Find and source opportunities
to be in the places you want to
be included in
● If you can’t find things to go to
ask people to invite you to
what they are going to EVEN
when it’s not related to the job
● Don’t cut out early
11
#2
Be the Person That
Shows Up

12. 12
#3
Have a Networking
Game Plan
● Do your research to know who
is going to be there that you
want to get to know
● Set a goal to meet 10 new
people
● Do NOT sit with your friends
● Don’t be afraid to split up, tell
your friends and set a group
challenge to meet 10 new
people

13. How to Walk into a
Group Conversation
“Hi, I’m new here! Mind if I join you?”
“I’m really here to listen and learn,
can I join you?”
“Hi! I’ve challenged myself to meet
10 new people today and I thought
you looked like a nice person.”
“What brought you to this event?”
“What are you working on?”
“How did you make that transition
from your previous work into this?”
“That is so unusual, how are you
feeling about it now versus when you
got started?”
“What’s the next big thing on the
horizon for you?”
“What kind of help did you come
here looking for?”
“Thank you for sharing that all with
me, I don’t think I can be helpful so I
won’t take up any more of your time.
So nice to meet you!”
“With all that you must know a
bunch of people here, anyone else
you think I should meet?”
“This all so interesting, can I get your
card or connect on LinkedIn?”
Don’t head straight to the bar…use it
as an excuse when needed.
13
How to Start a
Conversation
How to End a
Conversation

14. 14
#4
Have Event
Presence
● Get on the mic, say who you are
and ask a question
● With speakers, be quick with
the post-session chatter if
there is a line
● Post on social graciously with
what you learned

15. 15
#5
Nail the Follow-up
● Linkedin all the speakers and all
the panelists with a customized
message for your context in the
future
● Send a thank you note via email
or mail to the organizers
● Send a thank you email to
whoever invited you
● If you said you would follow up,
do so within 3 business days
Networking Tips from the Pros

16. 16
#5
Take the Offer //
Have an Ask
● “Email me”
● “Go through my LinkedIn”
● “I’d love to follow up”
________________________________________
● Ask for specific introductions
● If you ask for a meeting have a
plan for a specific time, place,
and topic
● Make the location and time of
day “purpose appropriate”

17. 17
#7
Relationships are a
Two-Way Street

18. 18
#8
Your Quarterly
“Investor Update”
●
How do you turn a network of connections into meaningful relationships?
Spheres of Social Influence

19. What to Include:
● Recent events and things in personal and
professional life
● Recent things you’ve shared publicly and would
like to amplify
● Upcoming events, conferences, and travel, with
offer to take them to coffee if schedules line up
● 2-3 specific asks/challenges that you need help or
advice on
19
The Reach = 2000 = Know about you (LinkedIn)
The Amplifiers = 200 = Talk about you
The Taskers = 50 = Get 1 or 2 asks a year
The Advisors = 15 = 2 interactions a quarter
The Doers = 5 = 2 or more interactions a month
On Investor Updates
How to get the most out of your investor updates
Who to Include:
● Professional Doers-Amplifiers
● Personal friends, peers, mentors
● People you want to have a deeper relationship
with or met recently and haven’t found an
explicit reason to follow up

20. 20
#9
Personal Board of
Directors
MIT Assembling Your Personal Board of Advisors
Personal Board of Directors Worksheet

21. 21
#10
There are 13 Weeks
in a Quarter

22. Every interaction impacts your
Personal “Net Promoter Score.”
Your NPS score determines your
ability to be successful in this job.
22
22

23. Success in this job is measured by
three things
● Find great entrepreneurs
● Win great deals
● Build great companies
23
23

24. It’s hard.
It takes time.
The more you do it the
better you are at it.