We Live to Build Stop Hiring Advisors Who Want a Retainer (The Equity Playbook)
Why do most startups waste thousands of dollars on advisors who deliver zero results? Ron Levin, a partner at Alumni Ventures, explains why you should never pay a retainer to an advisor and how to structure equity-based deals that actually align incentives. In this interview, Ron shares his transition from co-founding TravelPerk (a unicorn startup) to becoming a venture capitalist. He reveals why he prefers investing over operating, the "Cold Outreach" myth that stops founders from reaching VCs, and the new trend of startups hitting $1M ARR before even raising a seed round. He also breaks down his "Super Angel" scout program and why the best founders are often the ones who failed their first time. Check out the company: https://alumniventures.com
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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)
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â–¶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network
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📈 WORK WITH ME
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👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN
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🕒 CHAPTERS
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00:00 - Founder vs. Investor: Which is Better?
02:20 - How to Find the "One in a Million" Startup
05:08 - Why Venture Capital Still Works (Despite the Failures)
07:54 - The "First Check" Myth: Who Really Invests First?
08:35 - Why VCs Brag About Seeing thousands of Decks
10:04 - The "Cold Outreach" Truth: How to Get a Meeting
14:40 - Stop Hiring Advisors on Retainer (Do This Instead)
17:00 - How to Use Advisors to Open Doors (The TravelPerk Story)
19:50 - My Worst Investment Mistake ($50k to Zero)
21:28 - The New Standard: $1M ARR for Seed Rounds?
25:40 - Alumni Ventures Investment Strategy (Co-Investing)
27:28 - The #1 Career Lesson: Do What You Actually Like
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