Angel Perspectives: Leyla Comert & Kyle Cherrick

Hi 👋 Welcome to the Angel Insights newsletter from VITALIZE.

Each month, we feature angel investor interviews to give you unique perspectives, tips, and strategies on early stage angel investing. Share with a friend who may want to subscribe and learn about angel deals.

For this edition, we highlight Leyla Cömert and Kyle Cherrick - angel investors for two and ten years, respectively. Leyla mostly invests in cleantech in Turkey, USA, and Europe while Kyle invests in climate tech only, mostly in North America and some in Europe.

How did you become an angel investor?

Leyla: A friend reached out to my mother for their company's seed round. My mother was extremely positive about the idea of investing in this cleantech company. I was very surprised and a bit panicked since we had never done such an investment before. We didn’t know what terms like cleantech, SaaS, or the round names (seed or A or B) meant. So I started doing research (later learning it was called due diligence). During the founder’s pitch session, I was absolutely mesmerized. Since then, I have dedicated most of my time to learning about startups, entrepreneurship, investing, calculations, due diligence, etc.

I’ve made one more investment as an angel since then, and my goal is to close this year with two more investments.

What is your favorite thing about being an angel investor?

Kyle: Supporting founders who are the backbone of our economy and take the world on their shoulders.

Leyla: The excitement and the guarantee to learn.

What is one lesson you've learned as an angel?

Kyle: Be patient, good outcomes take time. Overnight successes generally aren’t.

My wife and I wrote our first check in 2014. In 2021 after having our first kid and stressing about daycare selections, we got news that the first startup had been acquired in an all cash deal, and suddenly we could afford an in-home nanny. It was a huge blessing for our family.

Any advice you would give to a new angel investor?

Leyla: Research, engage, and train your sense of urgency in accordance with your capabilities as an angel.

Kyle: Write more, smaller checks.

What is the most important part of your diligence process and why?

Leyla: The team is very important to me. I pay attention to how I feel about the company, how it is being led, and how far the vision can be expanded, creatively and realistically at the same time.

Kyle: Understand if what they are building is something customers REALLY want.

Any adjustments you've made after angel investing for awhile that made a difference?

Kyle: Get to know the team and track the startup for as long as possible. It’s rarely your last chance to back them. “Invest in lines, not dots.”

What do you think the future of angel investing will look like?

Leyla: The more people know about angel investing, the more we will see a boost in dollars available for friends and family and pre-seed rounds.

Kyle: More syndicates, more angels in smaller funds, more roll-up vehicles (RUVs).

What else do you think new angels should know, if anything?

Kyle: Read Brad Feld’s book Venture Deals, twice. Jason Calacanis “Angel” book is also good. Lots of good pods out there, I learned a lot from 20VC.

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Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ve been inspired today! 🙂

Peace, love, and angel checks,
Galeforce