Essay · 4 min read

The Double Opt-In Introduction

Fred Wilson · AVC (Union Square Ventures) Free Beginner

This is the post that explains why your investor sometimes goes quiet on an intro ask: their reputation rides on every forward, so they will not push you to someone until they are confident you will not embarrass them. Wilson coined the double opt-in that is now default etiquette in VC, and reading it from the investor's side tells you exactly how to earn more intros: give them a specific, credible ask they can vouch for without hesitation. Vague asks make them do the reputational math themselves, so they stall.

  • An investor checks with the target before forwarding, because their standing with that person is on the line, so make it trivially easy for them to say yes to you first
  • Intros are rationed by trust, not abundance: earn more by never putting the introducer in an awkward spot with a weak or ill-fitting ask
  • Explain why the intro makes sense for the recipient, not just for you, so the investor can pitch it as a favor to both sides
Open on avc.com ↗

The question it answers

  1. When should I actually ask my investors for warm intros, and how do I make it easy for them to say yes?

Read with it

  1. The most practical guide to investor updates, from a company that exists purely to help founders send them. Concrete structure... Visible.vc Article · 15 min read How to Write the Perfect Investor Update (Tips and Templates) Visible.vc
  2. This is the actual template you paste under your ask, written by an investor who receives these forwards and decides whether to... Startup Hacks (2048.vc) Article · 6 min read How to write a forwardable introduction email Alex Iskold
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →