So you're a freelance marketer, designer, coach, growth hacker etc thinking about building your business in 2021. VC platform teams can be your ace in the hole.

We need you! We love you! We can be a great stream of biz ... IF you know how to pitch us.

Here's my advice:

PSA: if you don't know, VC platform teams are the (usually) non-investing professionals who support portfolio companies in functional areas.

@upfrontvc has a Head of Talent, a Head of Legal, and a Head of Marketing (me!) We're all former senior operators in startups.
As individuals we can't *do* the work for ~ 100 active companies, but we *can* reco resources to teams who may not have the experience, and definitely don't have time, to find them.

I look for fit in functional skills, category, pricing & chemistry. One size does not fit all.
So! Cold pitches work! But not like this: "I'm a freelance graphic designer, here's my book, please consider me, good day."

Problem is now I have to work to figure out if/where you would fit & I couldn't meet with everyone even if I wanted to.

A better 1st pitch:
1. Give me a functional/skills scope. Instead of "I'm a comms consultant" (generic) tell me "I'm a comms consultant who works with startups on messaging, media training and media relations."

Or: "I'm a growth consultant w/ a core focus on paid Facebook & Instagram campaigns."
2. Next: any category expertise/interest.

"Visual designer with experience in UI/UX, brand identity, and graphic design, particularly in ecomm businesses."

"Content strategist w/ experience in B2B businesses, esp fintech and health tech"

Even: "interest in women founded biz"
Of course include proof:
- Website/book
- Content samples
- Clients you've worked with, esp other startups
- Your background or past jobs (e.g. you worked at a big SaaS company and now you're consulting on SaaS)

A LinkedIn is good but usually not sufficient.
With all of this, now I know who you are, what you're great at, who you've worked with and where you might make sense in the portfolio. Personally, I'm much more likely to have a quick call to learn more about you (personal chemistry, pricing, etc.)
I know it can seem counterintuitive to narrow your scope but IMO the more focus, the better. Anyone who tells me they "do it all" - that might be true, but it's generic.

I LOVE someone who says "here's what I'm great at, here's what I don't do." Help me help you!
Lastly, I would try to find an email or (even better but not required) a warm intro. IMO LinkedIn messages are too easy to miss amidst all the unrelated spam (seriously, I feel like I'm about to get LinkedIn mail from that Christmas onesie.)

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Rig Ved 1.36.7

To do a Namaskaar or bow before someone means that you are humble or without pride and ego. This means that we politely bow before you since you are better than me. Pranipaat(प्राणीपात) also means the same that we respect you without any vanity.

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Surrendering False pride is Namaskaar. Even in devotion or bhakti we say the same thing. We want to convey to Ishwar that we have nothing to offer but we leave all our pride and offer you ourselves without any pride in our body. You destroy all our evil karma.

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We bow before you so that you assimilate us and make us that capable. Destruction of our evils and surrender is Namaskaar. Therefore we pray same thing before and after any big rituals.

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तं घे॑मि॒त्था न॑म॒स्विन॒ उप॑ स्व॒राज॑मासते ।
होत्रा॑भिर॒ग्निं मनु॑षः॒ समिं॑धते तिति॒र्वांसो॒ अति॒ स्रिधः॑॥

Translation :

नमस्विनः - To bow.

स्वराजम् - Self illuminating.

तम् - His.

घ ईम् - Yours.

इत्था - This way.

उप - Upaasana.

आसते - To do.

स्त्रिधः - For enemies.

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अति तितिर्वांसः - To defeat fast.

मनुषः - Yajman.

होत्राभिः - In seven numbers.

अग्निम् - Agnidev.

समिन्धते - Illuminated on all sides.

Explanation : Yajmans bow(do Namaskaar) before self illuminating Agnidev by making the offerings of Havi.

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