It’s totally OK to ask a VC at the end of a pitch meeting, “Based on what you know now, what are the odds you’d invest?”
In fact, it can save a lot of time. For everyone. And stress for you.
So many founders complain about “ghosting” by VCs on social media, and I get it, and it’s not OK. But you should never feel ghosted. You should just ask.
Founders just mis-read the room (or the Zoom) way too often with VCs.
Until you’ve pitched a ton of VCs, it’s easy to. Too many founders get frustrated they were “ghosted”. Or think just more data will help. Or think they are waiting to hear back, and that more time will help. Sometimes it does. But rarely.
Just ask. Ask at the end of the first meeting.
Any seasoned VC will tell you. And they won’t mind at all.
I do this myself now all the time. Or at least, I try to. E.g., “look you are too early for me, the odds I’d invest are 20% or less.” Or “I don’t know enough to say for sure, but if everything I’ve seen is accurate, there’s an 80%+ chance I’d invest.”
I know. I’ve been investing since 2013, and 7+ unicorns and 3+ billion exits. So I know. And so do 95% of VCs. They know the odds they’ll invest by the end of the first meeting.
So just … ask. At the end of the first meeting.
And save yourself a lot of angst and confusion. And you’ll never feel ghosted.
