Angel investing is somewhat of a mystery to many. Where does their money come from? How do they spot a good startup? How does the market and politics impact their investments? However, small business owners and entrepreneurs know that an angel investor’s insights might hold the key to their big break.
On this week’s episode of Living Not So Fabulously, hosts David & John Auten-Schneider speak with ASTRSK PR Founder & CEO and angel investor Elliot Tomaeno. Tomaeno’s funding and PR efforts focus on startups in the tech industry, working with brands like Groupon, STASH, Prime Video, Primary Venture Partners, Titan, THINX, Misfits Market, Lemonade, and Squarespace—just to name a few.
Though there’s no easy road to success, as an entrepreneur and funder himself, Tomaeno pulls back the curtain on the ins and outs of the investing community. His best insight for startup founders in this fickle investor world? Take some risks in being vocal about topics that are true to the core of one’s business. “That kind of authenticity at the early stage and the ability to maybe not be afraid to make some enemies, I think, is something that really stands out as something that makes people successful or makes companies successful.”
Tomaeno explains that he wants to work with people and clients that he loves, “working with companies that not only are good to us and our staff, but also don’t make the world a worse place, at the very least.” Furthermore, Tomaeno tries to lift up underrepresented startups, including “BIPOC startups, female founders, LGBTQ+ founded startups, and AAPI founded startups.”
For full episodes of Living Not So Fabulously, listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on our website.
Yahoo Finance’s Living Not So Fabulously is created and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.
