An Angel's Perspective: Colin Gardiner

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.

This edition's spotlight is on Colin Gardiner - an angel investor with nearly a decade of experience, focusing primarily on marketplaces and averaging 9-10 deals annually.

How did you become an angel investor?

My first true angel investment came from me using a product twice in one week that I found searching the internet. I liked the product so much that I gave product feedback and then asked the product director interviewing me if I could talk to the CEO about investing. They just happened to be raising a seed round and had a small amount left which I ended up taking. And the rest is as they say history.

What is your favorite thing about being an angel investor?

Supporting founders so they can shoot their shot.

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

Write more smaller checks to get more at bats and then concentrate additional cash into your winners.

Any advice you would give to a new angel investor?

Start small, but also invest with some people who know what they are doing. This will dramatically improve your learning curve.

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

Talking with the founders and referencing checking them. I typically invest early which is fundamentally a bet on the people.

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

Being pickier and being able to tell people no in a way that is constructive.

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

More group investing. I think regulation will push that direction.

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

Be patient, conserve capital, write more rather than less checks, help founders as much as possible and have fun!

I also HIGHLY recommend listening to the Wannabe Angels podcast at wannabeangels.com. :)

If you’re an angel investor and would like to be highlighted through this newsletter series, please fill out this form.

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

Peace, love, and angel checks,
GaleforceVC