Feel the Boot delivers advice and experience to entrepreneurs, helping them create and grow successful businesses. We help founders go from overwhelmed entrepreneur to successful CEO.
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Investors form their first judgment about you before you've said a word about your product. At the early stage they bet on the founder, not the idea, which makes the signal you send long before the pitch one of the most important things you can control. In episode 133, Lance Cottrell sits down with Christine Blosdale, the Expert Authority Coach, to turn personal branding into something practical…
Warm introductions are the gold standard for getting investor meetings. But most founders chase them at the wrong time, and it actually hurts their raise.
The friends and family round is how most founders raise their first capital — but it's also where the most relationships get damaged. If you don't structure it right, you can accidentally screw over the people trying to help you, torpedo your next funding round, and make every family gathering awkward for years. In this episode, I break down exactly how to talk to your friends and family about…
Most founders are doing "random acts of marketing" — a little LinkedIn, some ads, a blog here and there. Trying to be everywhere, succeeding nowhere. Javier Lozano Jr. was the CMO at Wrapmate during their run from ~$1M to over $20M in revenue and a $16M raise. His fix was counterintuitive: do less. Find the one channel showing signals, go all in, and master it before adding anything else. In this…
Most technical founders think their product will do the talking. It won't. Shayna Rattler-Davis has spent 15+ years helping leaders at companies like IBM, L'Oréal, and dozens of STEM startups learn how to show up with credibility in high-stakes environments. She hosts The Influence Economy Podcast (top 3% globally) and works with technical founders who are brilliant at building but struggle the…
Former hockey enforcer Dave Burnett took punches for a living, then helped build Achievers.com (sold for $110M), watched his own business go to zero twice, and came back both times. In this episode, we dig into why founders with non-traditional backgrounds often outperform the textbook startup playbook, how to make sure AI models actually know your startup exists, and a time management system…
Most founders think fundraising fails because of "bad luck." Usually, it fails because of simple physics. Fundraising is a sales funnel. If you have a structural leak at the top, no amount of "slick" pitching will produce a check at the bottom. In this episode, we pop the hood on pre-seed fundraising to look at the four filters your startup must pass before you even think about building a deck.…
If your first interaction with an investor is asking for money, you have already lost. Cold pitching investors has a success rate of nearly 0%. Warm introductions have a success rate of over 50%. The gap between those two numbers is where most fundraising rounds die. Most founders think they are stuck because they don't have a rich uncle or a deep network. The reality is: You just have the wrong…
🛑 Stop Networking! Build Trust and Community to Fund Your Startup | David Homan Are you an introverted founder struggling to raise capital? Do you find most networking events to be a waste of time and purely transactional? Super connector, author, and composer David Homan reveals the systematic, high-integrity approach to connection that actually opens doors to investors, partners, and key…
The 6 Startup Pitches Every Founder Needs Most founders only create one pitch deck, and it costs them investors. In this video, I’ll show you the six pitches every startup founder needs to win funding. From your 3-minute competition pitch to your self-guided deck for investors to read on their own, each version has a specific purpose. Skip one, and you risk losing the deal. You’ll learn: ✅ Why…
Founder/Market Fit: Your Startup’s Early-Stage Advantage Stop guessing about “Founder–Market Fit.” In this episode I break down how investors spot it at the pre-seed stage— and what to do if you don’t have it yet. When founders enter a market they’ve never lived, credibility gaps, weak insight, and scarce access can stall everything from customer discovery to fundraising. I’ll show you: What…
Are you outsourcing your thinking to ChatGPT? That’s a fast track to sabotaging your startup. In this episode, I share two real conversations I had with founders who said they got their market size numbers from ChatGPT. That is a red flag for any investor. The problem is not that they used AI. The problem is that they didn’t understand what the answer meant or where it came from. I walk through…
Most founders don’t fail because of a bad idea. They fail because fear, doubt, and hesitation stop them before they ever really start. In this episode of Feel the Boot , I sit down with internationally recognized mindset coach David Neagle to talk about what keeps talented people stuck, and how to break free. We explore: Why so many founders never launch The mindset shift that drives real change…
Unlocking Startup Growth: Fundraising Strategies and Resilience Tips with Paulo Andrez What separates the startups that raise capital and scale… from those that stall out? In this episode of Feel the Boot , I sit down with Paulo Andrez—angel investor, serial founder, and startup turnaround specialist—to talk about the real challenges early-stage founders face. We dig into: • Why most founders…
Pre-Sell Before You Build: Avoid Costly Startup Mistakes — with David Hirschfeld Most startups fail because they build something no one wants. In this episode of Feel the Boot , I talk with David Hirschfeld , founder of Tekyz and creator of the Launch First method, about how to flip the script and pre-sell your product before you build it . We explore how high-fidelity mockups , early customer…
Avoid These Startup Finance Mistakes — Insights from a Fractional CFO Most founders ignore finance until it becomes a problem—don’t be that founder. In this episode of Feel the Boot , I sit down with Josh Aharonoff , a fractional CFO who works with fast-growing startups to get their financials investor-ready. We talk about common finance mistakes, when to hire help, and what investors expect from…
🔥 Your Pitch is Losing Investors in the First 5 Seconds—Here’s How to Fix It! Most founders waste the most critical part of their pitch—the opening. Investors remember the first and last things you say. But instead of making an impact, most founders start with: “Hi, I’m [name], CEO of [company]…” 🚨 That’s a HUGE mistake. In this episode of Feel the Boot , I show you how to cold start your pitch…
What’s stopping you from starting your dream business? For most people, it’s fear. Fear of failure, financial loss, looking foolish—or even fear of success. In this episode, we break down the most common fears entrepreneurs face and share actionable strategies to overcome them. Learn how to: ✅ Do the research that calms fear of the unknown. ✅ Test your idea with quick, low-cost experiments. ✅…
Why Startup Plans Fail (and Why That’s Okay) Welcome to Feel the Boot, the science of startups! In this episode, host I share three insightful sayings about planning and their relevance to startups. Using quotes from Dwight D. Eisenhower, Helmuth von Moltke, and Mike Tyson, I discuss the importance of planning and adaptability when facing unexpected challenges. Learn how to navigate the twists and…
Building Products Right: Essential Advice for Early-Stage Founders by Chad Perry 🚀 Building a tech product as a non-technical founder can feel like a daunting challenge. Should you hire a developer? Outsource? What about mockups, tech stacks, and budgets? 😰 In this episode of Feel the Boot , I sit down with fractional CTO Chad Perry, who’s worked with countless early-stage startups to navigate…
In this episode of Feel the Boot , I sit down with leadership expert Emily Hawkins to tackle one of the biggest challenges founders face: effective team management. 🚀 Whether you’re a new founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, this conversation dives deep into the soft skills that are often overlooked but are crucial for scaling your business. Emily shares her journey from a corporate career to…
In this episode of 'Feel the Boot,' host Lance Cottrell delves into the strategic importance of targeting a niche market for startup success. He guides early-stage founders through the crucial process of focusing on specific customer segments that resonate with their products, illustrating how this can significantly improve customer acquisition and product development. Lance shares practical…
The freemium business model is popular, but is it right for your startup? In this video, I break down how freemium works, common mistakes founders make, and why it often leads to revenue problems. We’ll also explore an alternative approach—the reverse freemium model—that could be a better fit for your business. Ideal for early-stage founders, this video provides valuable insights and practical…
How to Pivot Your Startup Before You Launch 🚀 Pre-Pivot Strategies for Entrepreneurs In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell dives into the concept of pre-pivoting for startups. Avoid the common pitfalls and wasted resources of traditional pivots by learning how to identify potential problems before building your product. Lance shares three effective ways to foresee issues, focusing…
In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell delves into the concept of 'secret sauce' for startups. Learn why identifying and protecting your unique differentiator is crucial for attracting investors and maintaining a competitive edge. Cottrell shares insights on developing a valuable and defensible secret sauce, using trade secrets and patents, and the importance of articulating it…
In this episode of 'Feel the Boot,' I address a common frustration among startup founders: investors who show strong interest but delay their commitment. I explain the reasons behind this behavior, such as risk minimization and strategic leverage, and provides actionable techniques for founders to expedite investor commitments. Key strategies discussed include structuring funding rounds in…
Startup Failure Analysis 🔎 Key Lessons from Abby Sugar In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell delves into the startup journey of Abby Sugar, the impressive founder of PlayOut Apparel, a gender-equal apparel brand. Despite the brand's promising concept and innovative approach, it ultimately failed. Abby bravely shares her experiences and the unique challenges she faced, providing…
🚀 Why Startups Fail: Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid 🚀 🎥 In this podcast, I dive into the common pitfalls that cause most startups to fail within their first few years. Based on my decades of experience in the startup ecosystem, I share invaluable insights and practical tips to help you navigate these challenges effectively. 👉 What You'll Learn: Market Needs : Understand how to validate the real…
In this episode of 'Feel the Boot,' Lance Cottrell shares essential advice on crafting an effective elevator pitch to capture the interest of potential investors or partners quickly, stressing the importance of brevity, clarity, and engaging storytelling. He emphasizes that the goal of an elevator pitch is to spark interest for further conversation, not immediate commitment. Drawing from his…
This podcast is tailored for startup founders looking to enhance their negotiation skills. It emphasizes the importance of negotiation in various aspects of running a business, including dealing with investors, vendors, customers, employees, and co-founders. I know that many founders may lack experience or feel conflict-averse, so here I share practical advice and strategies to turn negotiations…
In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell delves into the significance of understanding and presenting your startup's market size to investors through the concepts of Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM). He emphasizes the importance of achieving a plausible market opportunity, critiquing the TAM, SAM, SOM…
Testing Startup Ideas and Assumptions ⚖️ John Li of PickFu Interview In this interview, John Li, the co-founder of startup PickFu, discusses the innovative concept of his company as a digital focus group for businesses. He walks us through their transition from a physical product to a software solution after observing a growing need for unbiased design feedback. John also shares interesting…
In this discussion, Michael Regnier, founder of Sales Design & Delivery, shares vital insights into sales strategy tailored for startup founders, particularly those with a technical background. He explains that a company's sales strategy must encompass every aspect of the go-to-market message, including the target audience and the route to reach them. Smith articulates the importance of defining…
In this milestone episode, host Lance Cottrell dives deep into several critical topics inspired by his recent heart attack. First, he compares a heart attack with a financial crisis in a startup, emphasizing the need for recognizing early warning signs and taking immediate actions. He discusses how to identify critical situations where your venture is at risk and how to handle them effectively…
The 10x rule 🌟 Why better is not enough Having a superior solution is not good enough. The special barriers startups face force you to build at least ten times better products. Why Your Startup Needs to Be 10x Better In this episode of 'Feel the Boot', host Lance Cottrell breaks down why startups need to be substantially better than their competition, particularly in the B2B context. He explains…
Startup Fundraising Facilitators 🐍 Surviving the Pit of Serpents! You might want to ask for help when you need to raise capital. Take care, most of those people are useless or actively harmful. Quoth the AI describing this episode: In this episode, Lance Cottrell, an experienced startup advisor, shares insights on the challenges of fundraising, focusing on the role of fundraising facilitators in…
🤯 Exposing the top reasons for fast angel investment rejections Investors only take a few seconds to decide if a startup is worth a serious look. These eight factors lead to most of the fast NOs ☠️ In this episode, I discuss the screening process for companies seeking funding from angels and VC. Out of over a hundred applicants to my angel group, we only select about 20 for detailed…
Startup Privacy Policies 🥷 What you need to know about GDPR, CCPA and beyond! In this interview, Sabir Ibrahim, an attorney and entrepreneur, provides valuable insights on the implications of privacy and privacy policies for startups. He emphasizes the importance of privacy laws, particularly highlighting the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act…
You’re delivering your pitch deck ask slide wrong! What you should say instead. Learn the right and wrong thing to ask for. How to handle hard questions during your ask. I was listening to several founders deliver their pitches. Most of them did their “ask” wrong and seriously damaged their chances of success. In this episode, look at their mistakes and how they could improve this critical step in…
Escape the Startup Paradox 😬 MVP Without VC Can’t Build Your Product Without Funding But Can’t Get Funding Without a Product In the newest episode of Feel the Boot , we're diving headfirst into the world of product development sans angel investment. I provide strategies for startups to navigate the challenges of raising funding pre-MVP. Consider the paradox that most startups face: they need…
Branding is far more than just a logo and color scheme. Learn how to leverage both positioning and branding in your startup buisiness In today's fiercely competitive business landscape, effective branding and positioning strategies are crucial for startups to stand out from the crowd. However, many founders underestimate the true scope and importance of these concepts. In this interview, we heard…
How to create an angel investment portfolio for maximum returns. Learn what drives the returns for your angel investments. Read this as an article: https://ftb.bz/92B Watch the Video: https://ftb.bz/92V Subscribe to BootPrints: https://ftb.bz/Join Angel Investing 101 series: https://ftb.bz/angel In episode, I delve into the economics of angel investing, emphasizing the need for a significant…
Non-monetary Startup Rewards and Recognitions. Eight employee incentives that work better than cash. In this episode of "Feel the Boot: The Science of Startups," I, discuss seven highly effective motivators and rewards for employees that founders can use to attract and retain top talent. These motivators include having a strong vision, giving employees equity, providing public recognition,…
How to quickly eliminate the losers, and identify companies worthy of further due diligence. As an angel investor, you will need to look at many startups. This guide provides a framework for quickly analyzing deals to see if digging deeper is worth your time. This is part of a series on Angel Investing https://ftb.bz/Angel Subscribe to Boot Prints and access office hours https://ftb.bz/join Learn…
Non-Dilutive Fundraising 💰 SBIR Grants for Innovation Get cash for your startup without giving up ownership. Government grants can fund your development from idea to MVP and beyond. Read the transcript: https://ftb.bz/89B Watch the Video: https://ftb.bz/89V Subscribe to Boot Prints: https://ftb.bz/Join Get FTB Merch: https://ftb.bz/merch Join the Founders Alliance: https://ftb.bz/Alliance In this…
Your earliest investors are probably unsophisticated. You must help them understand how startup investing works. When you are at the idea stage, almost no angel or VC investors will back you, but people who know and care about you might. Unfortunately, this is usually all new and very confusing to them. You must ensure they understand what they are doing and paint a realistic picture of the…
💸Get Angel Investor Dealflow You need to look at a lot of startups to find good investments Learn several ways to uncover quality startups Our Angel Investing 101 series teaches new Angel Investors how to invest in startups. This episode focuses on Angel Investor dealflow. You need to source a lot of potential deals to identify those few worthy of investment. Where to list yourself as an angel…
Who decides what between the board and shareholders? How to handle the BoD and Shareholder meetings as a founder. Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/86B Watch the Video: https://ftb.bz/86V Get access to office hours and Boot Prints: https://ftb.bz/Join In this episode, I explain the board of directors and shareholders roles and responsibilities. Some votes require both groups to approve. Others are…
VCs destroy more startups than they make unicorns Learn how to identify and avoid that trap The reason is the “marginal dollar problem” Understanding that will help you choose whether to accept venture capital investment with open eyes. Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/85B Watch the video: https://ftb.bz/85V Join Boot Prints for access to free office hours: https://ftb.bz/Join Meet other founders in…
How to Start Angel Investing 💰 What you need to know to start investing in early-stage startup companies Best practices for new angel investors This is the second in a series of videos on angel investing. It explains the best way to begin as a new angel investor, and some critical pitfalls to avoid. Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/84B Watch the Video https://ftb.bz/84V Subscribe to Boot Prints…
