When you enter the world of start-ups, you come across many investors. But not every investor is the same. You know, there are some who shine like angels with wings. Those are the angel investors. Then there are those who promise to soar to the heavens but leave you plummeting to the ground, and these are the bald investors. Knowing the differences between these two types will keep you both laughing and thinking on your way to success. Let's take a journey into the world of these two genres. Let's see what we come across...
Angel investor: descended from heaven, he makes dreams come true
Angel investors are like a magic wall that literally makes an entrepreneur's dream come true. As the name suggests, they are approached like angels. From the very first meeting, the heavens are opened, the flowers bloom and the birds begin to sing. "That's great, we'll do it!" they say, and they do it! They believe in your ideas and see the potential of your project. They not only open their money to you, but also their hearts. And not just financial support, but also experience, strategy and the coveted "network". Angel investors teach you how to fly, because they don't just invest once, but support you in building up your company.
For example, when an angel investor listens to you, you often think: "This guy is more patient than Elon Musk! "This guy is a more patient and warm-hearted version of Elon Musk!" They are patient, they know that things take time and they don't say: "Come on, give immediate results". For them, every step is part of a long-term plan. So while you work on projects at night without sleeping, the angel investor sends you a message in the morning saying: "Have a coffee, you're at the beginning of your journey!
And the best thing about angel investors is, of course, that they don't leave you alone in the startup world. They lift you up and say, "We're going to succeed together!". Working with an angel investor not only means that your company grows, but also that you learn something new every day. That's because their vision is broad and they offer you a different perspective every step of the way.
Bald investor: short flights from the ground, hard landings
Let's talk about the bald investor. When you hear the word, you get the feeling that something is wrong, don't you? You feel like you're in the right! Bald investors initially come in a shiny package, but when you open the box, you find a "blank sheet of paper". They do their best to convince you at the beginning of the work. They promise: "This work will definitely work", "I've seen a similar project before, it will be exactly the same". Of course you're excited too. You think, "This guy is going to take me to Mars!" But the next thing you know, there's no rocket, no fuel. Just dry dreams!
The bald investor seems to support you at first. He says: "I'll give you some money and you can do it." But then the money doesn't come. Or when it does come, it disappears. One morning you call, the phone rings, but no one answers. You ask yourself, "Where the hell is this guy?" Bald investors usually shrink as the company grows. When things get serious, it's harder to find them than a needle in a haystack.
Instead of putting money into your start-up, the bald investor sells you motivational phrases. You know, the clichés: "Half of success is patience!", "Failure is the road to success!" No, buddy, we're trying to grow our startup, not participate in a poetry slam! The only thing a bald investor contributes is a lot of wordplay and selling dreams.
And then comes the really funny part: when things go badly, the bald investor blames you. "I told you you shouldn't have gotten into this market," he eats you up from the inside. The bald investor suddenly disappears, leaving you standing in the middle without taking responsibility. You hesitate to even ask, "What happened?" because he is now out of reach!
Angel investor or bald investor? Choosing the right wing
In the business world, any investor may seem attractive to you, but you need to open your radar to understand whether they are an angel or an angel. An angel investor is really there to add value to your business. He thinks long-term, is patient and accompanies you on the road to success. The bald investor, on the other hand, seeks instant gratification. It's exciting for the first few weeks, but then it disappears. The angel investor comes with his vision, the bald investor comes with his dream.
The angel investor lets the project grow like a baby, has patience, and in the end it becomes a profitable company. A bald investor, on the other hand, runs away as soon as the baby is born. In short, while an angel investor can take you on his wings and let you fly, a bald investor can send you crashing to the ground like a bald balloon.
So: Not every wing will make you fly, choose the right one! Finding investors is hard, but finding an angel investor is like finding a treasure. However, if you don't want to end up with an unsophisticated investor, pay attention to what he/she will go beyond his/her promise and actually offer. Remember that entrepreneurship is a long journey, and look for angels to accompany you on that journey. While working with angel investors will take your company to heaven, dealing with bald investors will consume your energy. Spread your wings with the right investors, heaven is yours!
In search of angels, away from the keleks...
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