How a founder should run their first call with a VC
A guide for founders on navigating first VC meetings, pitching strategy, and moving your startup into the investment pipeline
I have taken 500+ founder calls in my short VC career, and after watching how often founders and VCs talk past each other, here are five simple points I believe can make that first call a lot better:
1. Let the VC start the call
The biggest mistake founders make is trying to lead the entire call from the first second. Let the VC go first. Let them speak more and open up about what they care about.
Here is why. You do not know their constraints. You do not know if they lead rounds, if they only write checks under 100K, if they have ownership targets, if they have only a few checks left in the fund, if they invest early, late, or only in certain geographies.
When you let them talk, they reveal what actually matters to them. Their tone tells you their confidence. Their questions tell you their priorities. Their intro tells you where you fit in their fund.
People love speaking. Let them.
2. Ask questions before you pitch
Most founders jump into a pitch without knowing if the VC is even the right fit. That is how you waste your own time. Treat it as a conversation, not an interview.
Ask them real questions.
What is your fund model?
What sectors do you invest in?
What geography do you focus on?
What stage do you usually enter?
What does a winning portfolio company look like to you?
These questions do two things. First, they tell you if this VC is even worth pitching to. Second, they show confidence. The only mistake is turning it into an interrogation. Do not talk like an FBI agent. Keep it calm and human.
3. Do not share slides in Zoom Calls until they ask
Slide dumping is one of the most common mistakes I see. Many founders join the call, drop their deck into Zoom, share screen before the VC even says hello and then start reading lines like a school presentation.
This kills the call.
Every VC has a different communication style. Some want to hear how you talk. Some want to understand your mental model before they see numbers. Some want only the deck. You will not know until you actually talk to them.
The best flow is simple:
Talk first.
Connect.
Build context.
Then open slides in the last ten minutes of a thirty minute call.
When you force the deck too early, the conversation becomes stiff. When the VC asks for the deck, they are already warmed up and more invested in listening.
The first call is not feedback time. The VC is only checking if the company fits their model.
4. Find the person who manages the pipeline
This is one of the most important parts founders do not understand. Partners usually do not manage the pipeline. They make decisions, but the process is run by a junior investor or at best a principal.
If you want to know what is happening with your deal, talk to the pipeline owner. They know if the call is going to IC or not. They know the timing. They know how many deals are ahead of you.
If your company is not added to the pipeline, the call was a coffee chat, nothing more. Founders assume that because the partner was nice, the deal is moving. It is not. Pipeline is the only thing that matters.
5. Follow up once you know the timeline
Do not send random follow ups. Do not send daily updates. Once you know your pipeline status, follow up based on real timing.
The real goal of the first call is simple.
Get into the pipeline.
Get on IC.
Most VCs do not invest after one call. A good fund usually takes two months to complete a deal. Normal funds take 25 to 45 days depending on workload and internal bandwidth.
Your job is not to impress anyone on the first call. Your only job is to get your company into the system. Once you are inside, the real process begins.
End of the day, the first call is not about impressing anyone, it is about getting the company in pipeline first: get in, get tracked, get moving...
Thanks bhaia, that was really insightful