Today I am joined by prominent angel investor, Brian S. Cohen, the first investor in Pinterest, chairman of New York Angels, and the author of “What Every Angel Investor Wants You to Know: An Insider Reveals How To Get Smart Funding For Your Billion-Dollar Idea."
 
So you have a great idea, your research, your trusted friends and advisors all say you’re onto something.  But you need money.  Ah, yes, money.  So many great ideas need money to help you turn them into reality. 

To help you learn more about ways you can get money for your great idea, last week I attended the GUST Venture Forward Conference.  This was a one day event where angel investors got together with other angel investors to talk about trends, ideas, deals, and of course, you!. 

It was while I was in New York that I had the chance to sit down with Brian to get his refreshing take on angel investing.  Over the past decade, Brian estimates he has considered more than 1,000 pitches for startups.  Again, he is also the first investor in Pinterest.

New York Angels, the group of which Brian is chairman, is comprised of over 100 members.  This group leads deals ranging from $100,000–$1.0 million. With a sizable network of angel groups and venture capital firms, they can syndicate to do deals up to $2 million. The New York Angels has invested over $45 million in more than 70 venture companies.

In his new book, which you need to get if you’re serious about raising capital for your great idea, Brian outlines the things that irritate him most when entrepreneurs are pitching for his investment.  We get into that in today's interview, including Brian’s belief that connecting with the right angel investor is like finding a new best friend.   

Listen to today’s podcast and you will hear first-hand how an angel investor thinks about angel investing, you, and your great idea.  Specifically, you will learn about:

•    How a prominent angel investor views you.
•    What makes for a good relationship between you and your angel?
•    Why great execution is worth more to an angel than a great idea.
•    Things you should look for in an angel investor.
•    Things an angel investor looks for in you.
•    Why you must live, eat, and breathe your customers.
•    The difference between a “Hollywood” angel versus a more serious one.
•    Why it's a bad idea to mortgage your house for your great idea.

Brian Cohen’s New Book

What Every Angel Investor Wants You to Know: An Insider Reveals How to Get Smart Funding For Your Billion Dollar Idea.  

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