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Founder Unfriendly: What Investors Won't Tell You About Getting Funded
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 2, 2026
Charlie O'Donnell tells it like it is. As a 20-year veteran of the venture capital industry, with stints at Union Square Ventures, First Round, and running his own fund (plus being a failed founder himself), he knows how to navigate the fundraising process, and shares those insights in this book.
The book is filled with tactical tips:
-- how to build relationships and networks that will support you when you start a company
-- how to write a cold email that will get the attention of an investor
-- the elements of an effective pitch: venture-scale market, the right team to capture that market, and traction
-- what the people you encounter actually mean when they say "We're interested" (aka "no")
-- what you can learn from each meeting even if you get rejected
I liked his framing of the founder's journey as learning how to address a problem, one rejection at a time: "The founders that last the longest ... are curious, not delusional. They experiment, get feedback, accept when they have to change course, and improve without the panic of having to be perfect right now."
Lastly, I appreciated his acknowledgment of the bias present in venture capital. Even beyond the implicit bias, the founders who have greater financial security and have friends and mentors who provide advice on what to do next (which typically correlate with more privileged backgrounds) are going to have an advantage when VCs quickly pattern match to evaluate a potential investment.
This book is a helpful tool to close that information gap by giving any reader the insights into how the game actually works so that they can navigate it more effectively.
The book is filled with tactical tips:
-- how to build relationships and networks that will support you when you start a company
-- how to write a cold email that will get the attention of an investor
-- the elements of an effective pitch: venture-scale market, the right team to capture that market, and traction
-- what the people you encounter actually mean when they say "We're interested" (aka "no")
-- what you can learn from each meeting even if you get rejected
I liked his framing of the founder's journey as learning how to address a problem, one rejection at a time: "The founders that last the longest ... are curious, not delusional. They experiment, get feedback, accept when they have to change course, and improve without the panic of having to be perfect right now."
Lastly, I appreciated his acknowledgment of the bias present in venture capital. Even beyond the implicit bias, the founders who have greater financial security and have friends and mentors who provide advice on what to do next (which typically correlate with more privileged backgrounds) are going to have an advantage when VCs quickly pattern match to evaluate a potential investment.
This book is a helpful tool to close that information gap by giving any reader the insights into how the game actually works so that they can navigate it more effectively.
June 1, 2026
If you want to start a business or want to access private capital, you NEED to read this book.
I thoroughly loathe business books, but Charlie cuts through all the BS and provides facts and strategies that make sense. Particularly useful for those seeking 'venture' funding or wishing to change the world.
He provides a few real life examples and he doesn't try and dazzle you with those who are the current 'great and good', instead he explains the venture economy by highlighting its strengths and weaknesses.
Incredibly digestible; I read it in one sitting, and I wish a similar book had been around at the beginning of my career.
I particularly enjoyed, Chapter 5 ' no crying in baseball, doing the hard work'.
Even if you never enter the world of venture funding, but you want to raise money for a project or get budget, this provides a useful insight at how you should look at any such exercise.
I thoroughly loathe business books, but Charlie cuts through all the BS and provides facts and strategies that make sense. Particularly useful for those seeking 'venture' funding or wishing to change the world.
He provides a few real life examples and he doesn't try and dazzle you with those who are the current 'great and good', instead he explains the venture economy by highlighting its strengths and weaknesses.
Incredibly digestible; I read it in one sitting, and I wish a similar book had been around at the beginning of my career.
I particularly enjoyed, Chapter 5 ' no crying in baseball, doing the hard work'.
Even if you never enter the world of venture funding, but you want to raise money for a project or get budget, this provides a useful insight at how you should look at any such exercise.
May 3, 2026
A gold standard setting book from Boulder demystified early stage and venture capital nearly 15 years ago. Another crafted a perfect 10-slide pitch deck from a master of marketing. Charlie updates them both in this book for present day.
As Eric’s review states here, this book is about putting strategy to e-mail/deck and is tactical from start to finish. No platitudes, no grin-&$*, no BS. Just straight talk emblematic of his blogs and posts.
A good quick read cover to cover just so you can tab/highlight sections that’ll be necessary references at a later date. Then a return to those tabs when the roadblocks make you seek help.
And if you didn’t know the other books I referenced, they are Venture deals and Art of the start.
As Eric’s review states here, this book is about putting strategy to e-mail/deck and is tactical from start to finish. No platitudes, no grin-&$*, no BS. Just straight talk emblematic of his blogs and posts.
A good quick read cover to cover just so you can tab/highlight sections that’ll be necessary references at a later date. Then a return to those tabs when the roadblocks make you seek help.
And if you didn’t know the other books I referenced, they are Venture deals and Art of the start.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews