Samuel Klacman’s Post

During the webinar, Zhenya will share her thoughts and experiences on: >>> Having a curious mind and being eager and open to learning and growing. >>> Overcoming biases and learning from mistakes. >>> Connecting with others to expand your network, build new partnerships, and find new opportunities. (A spinoff venture was something Zhenya never envisioned, but it emerged from a networking event.) >>> Showing up even when you're not ready >>> Surrounding yourself with like-minded people, receiving feedback and criticism but sticking to your vision and deeply understanding the problem you're solving. >>> Not giving up, avoiding comparisons with others, and always remembering to play and have fun, no matter what. Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://lnkd.in/diq2f5p3

For this week’s #venturesunday, we’re embracing the theme of "Navigating Networks: The Weave of Success." . Nurturing Connections: Delving into the art of building and nurturing meaningful relationships within and beyond our industry, recognizing that our network's strength often mirrors our venture's resilience. . Nuanced Negotiations: Exploring the subtle dance of negotiations, where understanding, respect, and mutual benefit lay the groundwork for long-lasting partnerships and opportunities. . Noble Narratives: Crafting compelling stories that resonate with our audience, partners, and peers, reinforcing the identity and mission of our ventures while weaving stronger communal ties. . Navigational Nurturance: Learning to navigate the vast seas of networking opportunities with purpose and intention, ensuring that each interaction aligns with our broader vision and values. . Networked Novelties: Innovating within our networks, fostering a culture of collaboration that breeds novel ideas and solutions, turning collective wisdom into a competitive edge. . As we chart our course through the intricate networks that envelop our entrepreneurial journey, let’s remember the power of connectivity. It's not merely about the quantity of connections but the quality of relationships we cultivate and the shared visions we nurture. . Step into this week ready to connect, collaborate, and create within your networks, setting sail towards a future woven with the threads of collective success.  . #navigatingnetworks #nurturingconnections #nuancednegotiations #noblenarratives #networkednovelties

Looking for an alternative to founder drinks? And to build more connection and your network? And to get healthier? Like rhetorical questions? Then you’ve come to the right post. Cheekiness aside, I just got done listening to Matt Vitale’s recent podcast (you’ll find it if you look for it) and it’s got me thinking more deeply about connection and how the ecosystem interacts and supports founders. Speaking for myself, I’ve launched a founder fellowship program that ran from Dec to Feb this year to bring together founders who are fundraising as it’s a very particular journey and often difficult. So I wanted to support them with curriculum around mindset and resilience as well as peer support. Then ladder that with helpful content and connections to investors. We had 49 founders go though it and I plan to do it again based on their early feedback. I’ve also been organising startup basketball events and have a fun tourney coming up in Sydney in March 22 from 8-11am. Message me for rego info. ;) 🏀🏀 Beyond that, I wanted to test out a new founder walk and talk around 4-6pm on Thursday March 21 also in Sydney. 🚶♂️🚶♀️ It would be a chance to walk together in small groups with fellow founders (possibly advisors as well if group wants that) and make new connections. Walking to get active and to allow for conversation. Real conversations. Also feel that movement creates flow of ideas as well. Keen to see who wants to join me on Thursday March 21 via comments or DMs and we’ll go from there.

It's been a little while since I last posted here. I know. I know. It's not the way to build up a "thought leadership persona" or "LinkedIn Top Voice", but hey, I've been busy. Busy building after a pivot, speaking to customers, and having conversations for our first institutional fundraising round, which feels a lot different than the 'friends and family' angel raise that I got used to. I realized that as I prep, the most helpful and most honest feedback I've gotten about the actual pitch deck and presentation has been from other founders or *operational* folks in the tech ecosystem, like marcom leaders, sales geniuses, public speaking experts, etc. Of course there's all of these "share your pitch to a panel of investors" meetups here in Tel Aviv, but often, I realized as an audience member at lots of these events, we founders don't really walk away with 'tachlis' (the Hebrew version of 'get shit done') action items... But when I pitched to other founders or smart friends in general, I really got a lot of really good and super helpful critique – not just about how I am framing Folio itself, but about how fast/slow I spoke, how I stood, how wordy my slides were, how defensive I got when answering questions, etc. So, thanks to the amazing support of the Intel Ignite team, Alon Leibovich, Maya Zimerman, and Amit Gorin, where myself and my team are currently working from and where the event will be hosted, and to Nevo Network, a network that I'm part of for Olim in tech and are providing the snacks, I'm excited to invite Israel-based early-stage founders to a "Founders for Founders" practice pitch night in two weeks, on August 28th, that I'm co-hosting with two early-stage founder friends Matias Sigal and Joel Liurner. If you're a founder looking to get *real feedback* on your pitch without the stress of impressing investors or decision makers in the room or you're a founder that's pitched in the past, a marketer that knows words, a communicator that knows how to stand, or tech-lover that simply wants to meet others and support the founder ecosystem from the inside, please join us! For pitchers:  - 7 founders will be chosen to pitch - each one will have the option to have their pitch recorded on video and shared with them after - in addition to opening each pitch up to 3 public feedback responses, every audience member will get a "scorecard" to fill and space to give written feedback for each pitcher For audience members: - willing to give real feedback - not an investor - wanting to drink, snack, mingle, and learn The pitch-slots are going fast, so if you want to pitch, get in on it! See you there! ❤️🚀

Are you a startup founder in Tel Aviv? You won’t want to miss the exciting event happening on August 28th, organized by the incredible entrepreneurs Fay Goldstein and Joel Liurner. I’m happy to be helping them put this together! About the Event: Whether you’re a founder seeking genuine feedback on your pitch without the pressure of impressing investors or decision-makers, or you’ve pitched before, this event is for you. It’s also perfect for marketers with a way with words, communicators skilled in presentation, tech enthusiasts eager to connect, or anyone who wants to support the startup ecosystem from the inside. For Founders Who Want to Pitch: - 7 founders will be selected to pitch. - Each founder can opt to have their pitch recorded and shared with them afterward. - In addition to receiving up to 3 public feedback responses during the event, every audience member will complete a "scorecard" and provide written feedback for each pitch. For Audience Members: - Willing to provide honest feedback. - Not an investor. - Ready to enjoy drinks, snacks, mingling, and learning. Pitch slots are filling up fast, so if you want to participate, don’t wait! Register here:https://lu.ma/ln4gzyh6 Nevo Network

3 mistakes I made in my early event planning days (so you don't have to): 1️⃣ Not selecting a niche target market. Lesson: Specificity is key to attracting the right crowd. 2️⃣ Assuming broad positioning was enough. Lesson: Tailored experiences resonate more with attendees. 3️⃣ Forgetting the value of shared interests. Lesson: Events thrive when participants are passionate about a common topic. Today's mutuals social has a tech startup focus. Join us at 5:30 at House of Fu! 🎉 What's a valuable mistake you've learned from?

🔊Tech enthusiasts, listen up! 🔊 💡Have you had that 'lightbulb moment' where you’ve identified a problem, but feel lost on where to start? The Go Global program is right for you! It's a six-month program designed for individuals eager to bring business ideas to life or take them to the next level. Like you! Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll gain: ➡️Full support with everything from crafting a solid business plan to navigating business incorporation, mastering marketing and sales strategies, and even guidance on securing grants. ➡️You'll also enjoy exclusive 1:1 sessions with business coaches, industry experts, and unwavering support from the Global Startups team. ➡️But that’s not all! We'll dive deep into customer discovery interviews, conduct thorough market research, and host focus groups tailored to your company’s needs. Ready to launch? Learn more - https://lnkd.in/gET8MmfX

The past few weeks things have 'accelerated' quite a bit... On one hand, the crew already hit all milestones we set ourselves to hit for mid-october (more on that next post) ! On the other hand networking has just been phenomenal lately — and I'm really enjoying that part of the journey: meeting countless inspiring and talented individuals, that all share this 'passion d'entreprendre', that funny urge to take- creating stuff - and - making things happen - to the extreme, both in Life and in Business... Long story short. Last week, I spontaneously pitched at TechQuartier, in front of 25 people... ... and I’m quite proud of myself— I spoke clearly and with passion, covered all the key points within the 5-minute limit, and felt confident both during the pitch and the Q&A. Fellow founders even came to me afterwards to praise the performance ! I can clearly feel that my pitching game is evolving ! 😊 Danetha Doe, an international speaker and founder representing the U.S. Department of State, made the sole remark, and gave me a great piece of advice. She suggested that I begin my pitch with my personal background story, noting that it felt far more relatable and engaging than the broader, more general introduction I had used. Overall, the feedback was very positive, and the general consensus was that we are ready to talk to VCs, which is fantastic news 🚀 We are already in touch with first VCs, and I will spend the next weeks contacting many more. Feels good to be where I want to be ! Life has been fun and fulfilling lately😊 I believe it’s important to praise yourself, even for the smaller wins. And sharing these wins is a great way to empower yourself as you move toward the next one(s). Do you agree? Also, I’ve never really been one to share selfies, but I keep hearing it’s key to getting maximum reach on LinkedIn.. is it so? ------------------ Follow Louis Balthazar Tartare more refreshing updates on Uniphy's journey ;)

Most important thing to do by end of this year 🤯 and It is, "moving out of the comfort zone" and "doing things you are too afraid of". You're just keeping yourself in a cage by not attending your fear ! 👉🏻 Come Out, Find Opportunities, Participate And Achieve ! I myself used to fear about public speaking, but this year I have overcomed most of it by ✅ Giving 15+ Online Pitches. ✅ 5+ Offline Pitches (Room With 50-100 People). ✅ Presented My Startup Idea In Auditorium. ✅ Build a network of more than 5K+ people. It's more better to take a new step instead of taking one back ! So, do remove that fear and do the thing you're most worried to do by end of the month to start stronger you in 2024! Thank You ! PS : What 1 fear you have completely sorted out this year ? #TakeAStep #ComeOutOfComfortZone

Day 3/30 of Facilitating Connections for Friends I'm going to write some practical tips on how to better connect your peers based on my experience as we continue to dive into this challenge. #1: Make sure both parties have opted in. There's nothing worse than getting one of your friends excited to meet somebody, only for the other party not to reciprocate. How do you make sure both parties opt-in? Hey "Friend 1", there's another person I think you would love to meet. Would you want to speak with them for a few minutes? Typically, the response is yes, especially if you have their best interest at heart. Results so far: Day 1: Henrik Angelstig with Guy Kroupp & Igor Belagorudsky: "Awesome! Thanks SO much Blake! Day 2: Cherish Dean with Louis Shulman. "Thanks again, Blake! We've got something schedule for next Tuesday" Coming up: Mivin Mathew, Naftuly (Tuli) Kraus, Borja Jimena Tomas, Jake Fleshner, Jake Sadow, Mary Katherine Wathen, Terell S., Mateo Chaney-Martínez!!! Let me know if you're interested in participating before we run out of slots for this challenge! --- I'm Blake 😁 founder of BackpackVC. We build cohort-based programs for aspiring VC's. We love connecting friends in our ecosystem to each other for fun.