Don’t Outsource Your Conviction

In my first year at Founder Collective, I’ve had many conversations with subject matter experts.

Someone told me this early on… I wish I could remember who, because they deserve the credit. Rather than asking subject matter experts whether they’d invest, ask them what questions they’d ask the founders and why.

Most experts have earned their opinions through years (sometimes decades) of scar tissue. They’ve seen the customer objections, failed startups, implementation headaches, all the reasons something can go sideways. That’s incredibly valuable. And it’s also why they’re quick to tell you it won’t work.

If you ask, “would you invest?” you’ll often get a thoughtful version of, “probably not.”

Instead, ask: “if you were diligencing this company, what questions would you ask the founders and why?” I’ve found that gets you to the stuff that really matters without outsourcing your conviction.

You don’t need to agree with every objection, but you should be able to answer every one.