New York: is it considered a nice gesture to give a branded t-shirt (of an event) to an investor that I'm meeting?

I think good life partners for entrepreneurs need patience and empathy. Being an entrepreneur is demanding and has its ups and downs, so you need to find someone who is understanding and supportive. Someone with flexible expectations is better able to cope with the lifestyle of an entrepreneur in terms of work life balance. For some people, it's nice to be with other entrepreneurs and startup founders when you can, but this can also be a recipe for disaster if you're both running on high energy all the time. My boyfriend and I are both entrepreneurs (he founded a YC company and I am a consultant for startups). We both value: 1) The ability to brainstorm with each other 2) Having someone who provides useful and genuine feedback about our ideas/products/strategies (even when it has sharp criticisms). 3) Having someone who drives you forward when your motivation is running low. 4) Balance. We both have a lot in common, but we aren't twins. He likes to procrastinate and I finish things early. I'm extroverted and he's introverted. While these are challenges for some, the differences in our personalities and life experiences are what enhances our relationship. About Me: I specialize in copywriting and sales/marketing consulting. I take the approach of an economist and apply that to my work to understand how to create persuasive messaging for target audiences. Check out www.salesfolk.com for more information.

Your assumption is not true. They don't care where you come from. Time is money regardless of where in the globe you come from. Ask for advice not money if you are going in cold. Don't send your deck, don't attach anything to that email and make sure the email is max four short sentences. Here is how to get a response: Subject: Seeking advice Body: Line 1. Name.. working on a product in X space that does Y. Line 2. I saw you have experience with X space and Y products. Line 3. I would like your advice on (user acquisition, scaling, blah, blah). Make sure you do your homework on what area the investor is an SME. Line 4. Ask one very specific question. Thank you for your time Name DONE! It works and if you want to talk I can explain further which VCs this has worked with. As the saying goes ask for money you get advice. Ask for advice you get money. In an ideal world you want to have a warm intro. But hey those are not always easy to come by so you do what you have to. What is the worst that can happen investor says no? Or doesn't respond? Who gives a shit you tried.

I have been working with creatives for years and the ones who refuse to follow standard business practices such as planning are normally the ones you don't want on your team. Creatives are great but if they don't understand the importance of business planning, resourcing, money management they are not going to be partners... only employees.

The best networking is slow-cooked, not microwaved. Find events where you can have some kind of regular presence. Got nothing to lose by going to one-time events as they're good practice for meeting people, but you won't really cultivate long-term professional relationships that way. It takes time which relies on that regularity aspect. Build trust and don't look at networking as a transactional thing.

Hi, I too have a had a rocky relationship with my parents throughout the years. Simplest advice I can give is work on yourself and how you choose to respond to things. You can’t change anyone especially your dad, so if you care for him, forgive him, be apart of his life as much as tolerable. If it makes you feel bad being around him, then keep your distance, and interactions brief. Maybe write him a email or text telling him how you feel. Prior to that, accept that he may never be able to respond how you want or have the ability to give you the relationship you need. Accept that, and learn to just live your life and let no one affect you. Good luck friend! 🐾