Meet the entire team

Some underrated advice I was given when I first started out as an investor: Meet the entire team…

For most angel investors, the diligence process moves very quickly. Some investors will write a check to the company after just a single call with one of the co-founders.

This is a mistake.

At the Seed stage, a company’s people and their time are its most valuable asset. It’s the vision, drive, determination, and resourcefulness of the founder(s) that will make a young company successful.

During the diligence process, you should make your best efforts to speak with as many of the co-founders as possible.

Your goal is to understand:

What is each team member’s area of expertise?
Is there substantial overlap in the skillset/role of two or more people?
Are there any gaps in skill or knowledge?
Where is each person aligned with the company’s vision?
Where are they not aligned?

As an angel investor, it’s crucial to learn the company’s vision from multiple perspectives. This includes reference calls with other investors—and even other early-stage employees—in order to fully understand the opportunity at hand.