Source

I have worked hard developing a wide array of high-quality deal sources the last 3 years. The result is that I could spend all of each week fishing in our river of deal flow. However, as I write this, I am in the depths of planning SeedFolio. So, I tell myself and others, “I currently need to focus almost 100% on planning and I temporarily need to pause sourcing new deals.” How am I doing with that deal pause?

The first two days of this week I reviewed 40 pitch decks sent to me by biotech companies in the context of a biotech conference I attended (virtually). After screening the decks, I met 30 minutes with each of the 6 most interesting companies and over the coming week will be diving in to analyze 3 of those that seem quite promising. Tomorrow (Thursday), I will be attending a pitch event held jointly by two angel groups where I will hear 14 companies present. Double booked, I will toggle between that event and Tech Coast Angels’ (TCA’s) monthly screening of tech companies. Friday I will participate in TCA’s monthly screening of life science companies.

In addition to attending pitch events flowing past, I am widening the river. This week I also had a call with member of an angel group with great deal flow in life sciences and he encouraged me to join their group (I will, but not until next year). I also met with my fellow executive-committee members of the So Cal chapter of Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs to plot growth strategy for our new group. And I meet with one or two fellow VCs each week, mapping their interests into my database and discussing opportunities to share deal flow.

So, how am I doing with that pause?