The Founder’s 5 Minute 5 Point Pitch
Last month I had the pleasure of judging the USAA Venture Pitch competition that was hosted in concert with Bunker Labs, an accelerator that focuses on military veteran founders.
Squadra Staff
What the Future Holds for Cyber Startups in the DMV
At last week’s CyberMaryland Conference, Squadra’s managing partner Guy Filippelli joined fellow DC-Maryland-Virginia cybersecurity investors Justin Label of Inner Loop Capital and Michael Sutton of Stone Mill Ventures.
Message to CEOs: Stop Thinking You Have to Outthink the World
My challenge to entrepreneurs is this: stop thinking up new ideas, start executing on your existing ones, and stay focused until you achieve your goals.
Just Add Water (and Sunlight, and Sleep, and Gratitude): An Energy Management Playbook for Startup Founders
As the year wraps up, it’s abundantly clear that everyone is BURNED OUT.
Why We’re Obsessed with Unit Economics
Many entrepreneurs — including yours truly, in a former life — gravitate towards an obsessive focus on revenue as the most important statistic in explaining their company’s growth path.
The First Things You Need to Know to Pay Off Your Startup’s Diversity Debt
Startups are often founded by friends and staffed by people in the founders’ networks, so it’s not a surprise that many early stage companies are staffed by people who look the same and come from similar backgrounds.
Overcoming the “Fear Factor” of Remote Hiring
Let’s put it out there — Q2 was not a big quarter for hiring. It was a quarter for preserving cash, revising budgets, and taking care of your team.
Why Every Early-Stage Startup Should Outsource Their Finance Team
Solid financial reporting and accounting practices is the foundation for a good business. Without them, you’re betting your business on conjecture and faith.
How I Learned the Real Reason Why Meetings Matter
“The purpose of this meeting is….” I wrote that sentence on hundreds, maybe thousands, of memos during my four years as a political scheduler and fundraiser.
How to Become a Coaching Manager and Have an Outsized Impact on Your Team
I spent the early years of my career working in politics. I raised money for candidates and managed day-to-day operations for campaigns.
Turning Words into Action — a VC’s Commitment to Diversity
We are a venture fund. Our mission is to invest in great entrepreneurs and accelerate the growth of their companies in a way that results in an outsized return for our investors.
What Really Matters in Choosing an Investor
Squadra is a team of real people. We’re investors, we’re operators, we’re entrepreneurs ourselves. We’ve experienced the good, the great, the scary, the boring.