What Investors Really Look For in Founders

In today’s episode, I sit down with Danny Cortenraede, founder and managing partner of InStudio Ventures, to talk about what actually matters when you are building a company and trying to raise capital. We get real about the myth of overnight success, the grind behind it, and why relationships, resilience, and alignment matter more than flashy ideas. Danny shares how he evaluates founders, how deal flow really works in sports and entertainment, and why most pitches fail before they ever start. We also unpack timing, access, and what to do when the answer is not at this time, while staying focused on becoming the person who earns the next yes.