Article · 9 min read

Managing Relations with Your Angel Investors

Silicon Valley Bank (featuring Joe Beninato and James Currier) · Silicon Valley Bank Free Intermediate

This is the founder account that proves the single-broadcast approach: serial founder Joe Beninato ran a large angel base off one honest monthly email and found only about 20 percent ever followed up, the rest just replied 'thanks,' which is exactly why you should treat the update as a broadcast, not 40 relationships. James Currier's point about separating information from advice and engagement gives you the language to set expectations early so a chatty angel never turns into a standing weekly call.

• Individual meetings with every angel do not scale; one transparent monthly email covering progress and problems keeps everyone informed and most will never ask for more.
• Say upfront which angels you want advice and engagement from versus who is just getting information, so boundaries are set before anyone assumes a seat at the table.
• Reserve your scarce one-on-one time for the two or three investors who actually move the needle; the rest are well served by the same broadcast.