Common Mistakes

Which mistakes do first-time angels make?

Patterns repeat:
‍

● Under‑diversifying (too few bets; no reserves).
‍
● Chasing heat instead of solving for team/market fundamentals.

● Skipping references and customer calls.

● Over‑negotiating obscure terms while missing core economics.

● Not tracking outcomes or learning loops; no written thesis; slow/no communication.

Fixes: decide a budget/portfolio plan; use a standard diligence checklist; seek co‑investors with domain expertise; and keep notes on each deal so your process compounds.

Alumni Ventures is America's largest venture firm for individual investors based on the combination of total capital raised, number of investments, and number of investors of leading VC firms as reported by PitchBook and other publicly available information reviewed by AV. We provide accredited investors & institutions with access to professionally-managed, diversified venture portfolios. Our network is among the largest and most well-connected in the industry. Venture capital investing involves substantial risk, including risk of loss of all capital invested.