Welcome to Stacklist.

When it comes to breaking through the noise in a crowded market and connecting with consumers, a solid PR strategy is essential. The contemporary media landscape, with more platforms and content than ever, is certainly tough to navigate. Gaining awareness and a positive reputation for your startup is no easy feat, especially in such a flooded media and competitor space. A clear brand message and great PR tactics will help your startup stand out in the crowd.

As an early-stage founder, you’re probably struggling with how much to focus on PR. How well could good PR work for your company? Is it smart to tackle it on your own vs. hiring a PR expert? And, if the latter is absolutely necessary, how much should you spend? And when is the right time? What channels should you prioritize when creating a PR strategy? And how can you maintain consistent positive press once awareness is achieved?

Join us on November 14 for a discussion about ways to utilize PR to gain brand recognition and create an effective story for your product.

We will be talking launches, early press, and more…

• Defining PR and its benefits
• Tips for reaching out to journalists/gaining positive media coverage
• Best ways to craft a story
• Paid vs. organic PR
• Deciding on PR agencies and hiring a PR person
• Mastering compelling PR campaigns and initiatives

About the speakers

Panelists announced soon!

Schedule

6:30 – 6:50: Drinks & Networking
6:50 – 7:50: Panel
7:50 – 8:15: Audience Q&A
8:15 – 9:00: More Drinks & Networking

Fundraising is one of the hardest challenges a founder will face when building a startup. For many, it’s a necessary step in reaching the next level of company growth. But navigating the fundraising process is a daunting task where you may find yourself wondering if the venture route is right for you and your business. You’ll have to ask yourself questions like, how much money do I to raise? What’s the best way to connect with an investor? Who are the right investors to speak to? How do I close a round with multiple investors? And how can I strategically plan a future that makes sense for the business, as well as a new set of stakeholders?

If you’re fundraising (or considering VC), join us for our Venture Capital Advice for Startups panel! Learn if VC is the smartest option for you and how to secure early-stage funding.

We’ll discuss:

• Considering whether the venture path is right for your startup
• Meeting the right people & building an investor funnel
• Valuing your company
• Deciding how much to raise
• Understanding common mistakes and pitfalls in fundraising
• Creating the right pitch
• Negotiating

About the panelists

• Charlotte Ross is a Principal at Inspired Capital, where she focuses on early-stage consumer investments. Prior to joining Inspired Capital, Charlotte started her venture capital career at NEA (New Enterprise Associates) where she led investments in The Wing, Mejuri, CoEdition and Choosy. Charlotte served on the Boards of those companies in addition to the Boards of Duolingo, Framebridge and Landit. Prior to NEA, Charlotte worked with NEA portfolio company, Tamara Mellon, to help with their launch after finishing two years as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Technology, Media and Telecom group at Goldman Sachs. While at Goldman Sachs, Charlotte worked on a variety of M&A and capital markets transactions, primarily in the software and consumer internet spaces. Charlotte earned a B.A. in Economics from Yale University.
• Cat Hernandez is Operating Partner at Primary Ventures, where she plays a critical role in shaping the founder journey, especially when it comes to delivering on Primary’s promise of impactful post-investment support. That type of guidance comes in many forms, but it is centered around making sure the entrepreneurs we’re lucky enough to back have access to supercharged networks and timely operating advice. Now more than ever, companies understand the importance of aligning people strategy with business strategy, and that’s a shift in mentality for which Cat will always advocate.
• Rebecca Liu is an Investor at Insight Partners, a New York City-based venture capital and private equity firm with more than $20B in assets under management. Her focus areas include payments, commerce tech, and the intersection of consumer and SaaS more broadly. She has helped lead Insight’s investments in companies including Divvy, PayIt, Quantum Metric, Prose, Finix, and Staffbase. Previously, Rebecca spent time on Insight’s Onsite team, where she worked closely with portfolio executives on growth strategy. Rebecca started her career as a management consultant in McKinsey & Company’s New York office, advising clients in the technology, financial services, and consumer goods industries. Her work at McKinsey spanned a number of topics, including M&A, product development, and frontline transformation. Rebecca graduated summa cum laude from Yale University with a BA in Ethics, Politics, and Economics.
• Stephen Reisert is Ventures Associate at RSE, where he is responsible for supporting RSE’s existing portfolio and for evaluating and sourcing new investment opportunities – particularly in direct to consumer (“DTC”), consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) and restaurants. Stephen leads due diligence on the CEO Matt Higgins’ Shark Tank investments and is currently working on a curriculum for a new Harvard Business School course called “Moving Beyond Direct to Consumer.” Prior to joining RSE, Stephen spent four years working at J.P. Morgan, holding positions in Investment Banking and Asset & Wealth Management. As an analyst in the TMT Group, Stephen worked on several transactions across media, content, gaming and entertainment – developing a particular expertise in experiential. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, where he majored in finance and marketing and was a member of the varsity soccer team.

Schedule

6:30 – 6:50: Drinks & Networking
6:50 – 7:50: Panel
7:50 – 8:15: Audience Q&A
8:15 – 9:00: More Drinks & Networking