Personal Branding 101 for Angel Investors

Angel investors are a crucial part of the startup ecosystem. They provide the necessary funding to help startups grow and thrive. However, not all angel investors are created equal. Some are more founder-friendly than others, and some have better reputations in the community.

Whether you’re a solo angel investor or investing with your community through PIN, your number one goal is to get early access to promising startups. To get that, you need to stand out from the crowd.

Building a personal brand can help you do just that by building a community of people who share the same values as you and also add value to their lives with your content. 

What you stand for and believe in, who you are, and what sets you apart from the crowd are a few things that can turn you into the go-to resource in your industry.

In Silicon Valley, 3% of the startups provide 97% of the returns. If you as an angel investor want in on these deals, you need to be known. This is a long-term game, and it takes time to build your personal brand as an angel. 

If you really want to appeal to a company, you need to prove that you have something to offer - money is a commodity for good entrepreneurs - they need to see that the investor can offer more than just money!

The most obvious medium to brand yourself is through a blog or website, but the actual behavior you have when you are out in the ecosystem is just as important. There is a tremendous amount of karma in the startup ecosystem, so being nice is always a good idea.

There are many ways to reach out to the ecosystem and build your brand, and every angel should choose the way that suits them best.

With that said, let’s take a look at all the ways to build your personal brand as an angel investor. 

Be the Go-To Resource

As an investor, you need to find companies to invest in, but what’s even better is if those companies come to you instead. 

Start positioning yourself as a go-to resource because you specialize in helping founders out in a very specific way. Talk about what you specialize in and how you can help out, startups and entrepreneurs are always seeking advice and mentoring so put yourself out there.

Bring Attention to Your Investments

If you have an audience, you can immediately bring attention to every investment you make. By sharing your thoughts and insights on varying industries, you'll be able to give your audience a chance to learn from you and see how you make the decisions you do and that you’re actively investing. 

At the same time, you'll be bringing exposure to the companies you invest in. Your brand can be an excellent marketing tool for your investments.

Authenticity is key when it comes to personal branding

Focus on highlighting your unique qualities and values. Pick an industry/industries that you’re passionate about and talk about them. 

Don’t try to follow the hype and what other investors are doing, it’s easy to get swayed by the opinions of other investors, but build your own investment thesis and stick to it. 

Where to build your personal brand 

Social media: Start creating and pushing out content on one platform and branch out from there to leverage your existing community. Twitter and LinkedIn are generally the best platforms for building a personal brand as an angel investor since most startups and founders are on those platforms. 

Podcasts: Hosting a podcast is a great way to share your insights and ideas with a wider audience. Your own thoughts or the guests you invite over will make it an intriguing conversation to listen to and people would want to know what goes in the lives of investors beyond their investments. 

Public speaking: Attend conferences or events as a speaker to share your investment insights, experiences, and knowledge. This also makes you reach out to people beyond the internet world and helps you engage with people face to face. You get to understand what people love, their interests, and their preferences.

Networking: Connect with other investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders through events, social media, and professional organizations. Building relationships with other people in the industry can help you establish credibility and gain valuable insights.

Remember, personal branding is not just about how and what you talk about online but also about how you act. Be a good person with founders, act fast, and be honest!