Startup Truth Serum: Karen Houghton Breaks Down Her $500K Pitch—What Worked and What Didn’t
A candid founder interview about investor decks, early mistakes, and building real traction.
Karen Houghton, former General Manager of Atlanta Tech Village, started her own company four years ago. With a great reputation and even better connections, she had no trouble raising $500k from a PowerPoint presentation. Her company is Infinite Giving.
In this interview, we dive into her original PowerPoint presentation and discuss how this initial presentation of her business aligns with the reality of four years of experience. We learn where she missed and where she was spot on.
Karen has been through three rounds of funding. She used it to build a solid brand in her marketplace, establish a leadership team, and achieve an impressive annual recurring revenue.
What you'll discover:
The specific assumptions in her deck that set her off course
How she pivoted her leadership strategy after her first major hiring mistake
How she missed on the initial pricing model
What she learned about serving non-profit companies versus for-profit
If you're starting a company, this interview will help you craft a compelling initial pitch to investors. If you, like Karen, are a couple of years down the road, this interview will remind you of all you've learned since your start. In either case, there are lots of hidden gems for entrepreneurs in our conversation.
Fair warning: This isn't another feel-good founder story. It's the real deal.
Enjoy!