How to Be an Angel Investor • Hacker News Board

Re: How to Be an Angel Investor

#41

Post by iamelgringo » Sun, Mar 08, 2009, 8:24 AM UTC

There probably aren't more than a couple hundred serious angels in the whole Valley, and yet they're probably the single most important ingredient in making the Valley what it is. Angels are the limiting reagent in startup formation.

If there are only a couple hundred serious angels in the Valley, then by deciding to become one you could single-handedly make the pipeline for startups in Silicon Valley significantly wider. That is kind of mind-blowing.

Wow. Mind blowing, but a great insight. I'm really amazed at how few Angels there are, and what a huge disproportionate influence they have on the world economy.

Personally, I think that angel investing would be an absolute blast. Just got to get that, "rich" bit figured out so I can start doing angel investing. :)

Re: How to Be an Angel Investor

#42

Post by pg » Sun, Mar 08, 2009, 8:55 AM UTC

sharpn wrote: post #31

Good essay - and I also liked the video (posted earlier) that it was based on. Tiny pedantic point; there's one too many 'should's here: "Similarly, founders should also should not get hung up on deal terms" Either 'Similarly, founders should also not...' or 'Similarly, founders also should not...' Didn't want to detract from the message of the piece, but thought it worth pointing out in case it helps.

Thanks, fixed.

Re: How to Be an Angel Investor

#43

Post by pg » Sun, Mar 08, 2009, 9:02 AM UTC

lionhearted wrote: post #32

Paul - you're the man, thanks and gratitude from me and lots of people for another essay. Learned some good stuff this time. Also, did you write this one either Etherpad? I took a lot from watching you write your last piece in Etherpad, so if that's available that'd be very cool. Cheers.

Not this one, unfortunately. I blew out the first draft the night before the conference after getting 4 hours sleep the night before that, and I just opened up vi and started typing. It's a good thing this was one I could write in my sleep, because I practically did.

There are some others I wrote on Etherpad though, which we'll be able to see animated versions of once they release playback.

Re: How to Be an Angel Investor

#44

Post by yokumtaku » Sun, Mar 08, 2009, 9:25 AM UTC

sachinag wrote: post #15

tptacek wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If $24k for IP is bad advice, what do you think the right number would have been?

Yokum (one of the absolute best out there) quotes $5K as a barebones starter package. I'm sure he'd have helped us avoid overbuilding on the IP in addition to the overbuilding on the corporate stuff. http://www.startupcompanylawyer.com/faqs/ I refuse to believe you could get half as good as Yokum for twice the price.

Thank you for the kind words. Made my day.

Re: How to Be an Angel Investor

#45

Post by yokumtaku » Sun, Mar 08, 2009, 9:30 AM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #22

sachinag wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yokum (one of the absolute best out there) quotes $5K as a barebones starter package. I'm sure he'd have helped us avoid overbuilding on the IP in addition to the overbuilding on the corporate stuff. http://www.startupcompanylawyer.com/faqs/ I refuse to believe you could get half as good as Yokum for twice the price.

He wouldn't remember it, but Yokum spent a good chunk of time on the phone with me and my cofounders when we started Matasano, as a favor for a mutual friend. I totally agree with you. Having said that, I guess I was weaseling my way around to the point that a boilerplate IP agreement would cost next to nothing, and would probably be all you'd ever need. People obsess too much about IP, and not enough about their own…