Читать книгу How To Become A Business Angel - Richard Hargreaves - Страница 76

Matching angels and entrepreneurs is a bit like young people dating – both parties are looking for a compatible partner, sometimes desperately. But there are differences. In the case of dating each party is broadly looking for the same thing, but this is not so in the angel world.

The entrepreneur wants money. He knows it is hard to find and presents his ideas in the way he feels will maximise his chances of success. If he not only gets the money he seeks but also gets the benefits of added value that is a bonus. But, first and foremost, he wants money and the terms, though important, are less important than the money itself. He believes his venture will succeed and so he sees the investment risks as low. He is not choosy about his investors and he is in a hurry.

The angel, on the other hand, wants to invest in several deals he feels comfortable with. He is aware he will lock his money into the venture and may lose all of it. He wants to spend time asking questions and considering the risks of failure and the chances of success. He may have value to add post investment. So he is choosy about his investments and he is in no hurry.

Due to these differences, there is an inevitable tension between entrepreneurs and angels (or any other investor) when a deal is being done and it is important not to allow a tough negotiation to damage the forward relationship on which success depends.