Entrepreneurs, investors and a choir of angels

Now, if there were a teenager who actually said that to his parents, I am quite certain the heavens would part and choirs of angels would be singing the Hallelujah Chorus. Imagine how good the parent would feel about trusting the child who approached it that way. They were also responsible enough to admit that life doesn’t always go as planned, and they wthought through those “what ifs” in order to be prepared should the need arise. Note that the action being contemplated was the same in both scenarios — the parent was handing their keys over to the teenager, but it was the teenager’s approach to asking for those keys that made all the difference in inspiring the trust from the parent.

So, entrepreneurs, as you prepare to meet with investors, remember to present your idea like the teenager from the second scenario. Go in with an optimistic attitude about your idea, but don’t wait for the investor to start poking holes in your presentation with all the “what ifs.” Instead, take the lead and before they can ask, tell them that while you don’t anticipate problems, you have certainly considered all possibilities that might arise, and you have made the best preparations possible to be ready to handle them if they should occur. And don’t be afraid to offer a few “flares” and “jumper cables” to prove you have thought it through.

When you finish explaining this to the investor, be sure to listen for the choir of heavenly angels to start singing, because chances are — they will.

Amy Rees Anderson is the Founder and Managing Partner of REES Capital, a Mentoring and Angel Investing Firm. Contact her at amy@reescapital.com or follow her daily blog at www.amyreesanderson.com/blog