It’s easy to kill deals. so how do you create a term sheet both sides can live with?

You're not an Investor until you've proposed a deal your seller/founder wants to live with. At that point you can decide whether the investment works for your firm.

I see a lot of "Investors" who miss the client service part of investing. Whether a PE/GE/VC investment, a private loan, (or an advisory mandate), winning the deal is all about listening to the needs of the seller!

In any deal process, it's natural for the adrenaline to start flowing, offset by the dread of losing a deal, countered by the fear of being the "idiot who paid too much."

In this moment, it's natural to get skeptical, focus on what you need to feel safe in a deal, and miss the roadmap sellers are giving you.

While mature PE processes point to best price, GE/VC and private lending have so many creative structures which can accommodate the needs of a seller/borrower and create great investment.

Yet, time and time again, I hear stories of "Investors" neglecting a key detail of what a seller wanted, and they end up losing the deal.

How much time do you spend LISTENING to the seller/founder without attachment to what it means for you?

How have you evolved your deal making style? Where can you improve your listening skills and deliver a deal that helps your client (the seller)? #growthequity