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🛎️ VC Checkout Culture
Hypergrowth or Bust in a Post-Boom Market
Rustic Flute
23 Nov • Read: 4 minutes
Hey there!
It’s Sparsh here!👋
In today’s market, even startups with jaw-dropping numbers can feel invisible. VC funds, flush with capital but pressured for huge returns, are passing off steady-growth stars to junior analysts. 💻️
This leaves founders and “good enough” companies to wonder if steady is now sidelined. The trend shows that venture circles now crave moonshots, not “merely good” bets, shifting the spotlight toward risk and away from reliability. 🎰
Let’s dive in to know more! 🚀
🤔 Is "Good Enough" Really Not Enough?
What changed❓
VC funds scaled up and need 10x returns, so a $130M ARR SaaS with 40% growth just doesn’t make the cut for top-tier deal flow anymore. 📈
Are founders aware❓
Most are hustling harder, with 49% self-funding or leaning on angels because institutional rounds take longer and favor outlier growth only. 📊
Main pain point❓
Cash flow is the top killer, not total funding—63% of surveyed startups say so. 💸
🔎 Real World Snapshot: Angels in Action (A Mini-Profile)
💼 What Angel Investors Look for Now
Today’s angels are rethinking what a “resilient bet” means beyond hype cycles:
Recurring revenue with high margins. 💰
Founders with realism and rapid pivots. ⚡️
Markets rewarding efficiency, not just growth. 💸
Past proof: survived layoffs or bounced after a down round. 💪
Value lies in grit rather than flash, with backing given to tenacious teams who stretch dollars and experiment on revenue, rather than simply burn cash and hope.
For most, it’s not about the next unicorn—it’s about compounding, defensible growth over time, especially in overlooked verticals. 🌾
🚦 Playbook for Founders When VCs Ghost
Rethink your fundraising pitch: Lead with real traction, not just TAM. 🏆
Engage angels as advisors early—tap sector expertise.🧠
Build milestone-based rounds: show compounding, not “potential.” 💡
Prioritize efficiency, not just hypergrowth. 📈
Turn customers into investors—alliances build trust and buy-in.🤝
💡 Closing Thoughts: Winning in the "Good Enough" Era
The “checkout culture” isn’t a death knell for most startups—it’s a redirect. Founders and angels who double down on grit, compound wins, and build slow but steady will ride out this cycle. 🌀
The winners will be those growing with discipline and networking for capital the old-fashioned way—by making noise that’s impossible to ignore, even when the mainstage lights are elsewhere. 🙌
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