Karen Rands - Compassionate Capitalist

How do you know if a startup is a good investment, or a red flag in disguise? In this episode of The Compassionate Capitalist Show, I share what I look for when reviewing a founder’s pitch deck, business plan, forecasts, and offering documents.When I led the Network of Business Angels and Investors and produced major venture conferences, I had to vet hundreds of companies. That’s why I created my 10-point checklist and scoring system; Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light to assess whether a business is truly capital ready.I’ll walk you through the critical areas investors should evaluate: financial literacy, value proposition, market understanding, and competitive landscape. I also highlight the importance of a strong management team, realistic ROI potential, and avoiding the trap of overvaluation, especially with so-called unicorns.Whether you're raising capital or reviewing deals, you’ll learn how to steer clear of the "capital abyss" and the dreaded "plateau of death" where returns