Our Process
We empower talented influencers addressing challenging narratives.
How does InfluenceVista make decisions?
Elevating influencers with strategic support and tailored guidance. Join us to shape your influencer journey.
At InfluenceVista, we don't rely on predicting the future; we believe in the foresight of influencers. Our approach is to look to influencers to guide us on the path ahead. We were fortunate to back InfluenceBLU before the widespread adoption of influencer marketing. While our focus spans enterprise, consumer, hardware, fintech, and healthcare, we're open to exploring unique visions for the future. If you're shaping something distinct, we'd love to hear from you and support your journey as an influencer.
At InfluenceVista, the paramount factor in our decision-making process revolves around the influencer and their team. How innovative, resourceful, and resilient are you? What's your unique strength, your superpower, that sets you apart? Why do you possess the qualities that will lead to success where others may not? Your history, especially instances where you've thrived off the beaten path, speaks volumes.
While we do assess the product and market, our primary focus is on evaluating the strength and decision-making abilities of the founders. Your track record, both in your current venture and throughout your career, provides insights into the multitude of decisions that have shaped your journey. In our industry, success hinges on founders' ability to make rapid and sound decisions. We want to understand your approach and give substantial weight to this aspect of your entrepreneurial journey.
In the realm of InfluenceVista, the ability to build a long-lasting influence requires overcoming inertia, possessing unwavering conviction, and a willingness to break down barriers. We seek influencers who don't wait for a map but have the capability to draw and execute it simultaneously—an extraordinary set of abilities that defines successful influencers.
Here are some key attributes we value:
1. **Delayed Gratification:**
- Success as an influencer often involves making short-term sacrifices for long-term results. We look for influencers who have demonstrated a willingness to make such choices earlier in their journey. Did you forgo leisure time to work on a long-term project? Have you exhibited a commitment to your career and craft?
2. **Admitting Unknowns:**
- Transparency is crucial. We appreciate influencers who acknowledge the unknowns and uncertainties. Rather than providing definitive answers to every question, we value those who admit when they don't have all the answers. A humble acknowledgment of uncertainties demonstrates credibility.
3. **Good Storytelling:**
- Effective storytelling is a vital skill for influencers. The ability to tell captivating stories is essential for selling against the established quo, persuading stakeholders, attracting media attention, and continuously engaging a growing audience.
4. **Founder-Market Fit:**
- While domain expertise isn't the sole determinant, we place importance on whether an influencer has the necessary fit for the market they're entering. A compelling argument showcasing the founder's capability to succeed in their chosen sector is a key factor.
5. **Rate of Execution:**
- Influencers who move at a rapid pace tend to make a significant impact. We closely monitor the rate of execution, observing the progress made over time. Whether it's been weeks or months, we want to see tangible accomplishments and leading indicators of success.
At InfluenceVista, we recognize that building a lasting influence requires a unique blend of qualities, and we value influencers who embody these traits in their journey.
Foremost, InfluenceVista seeks distinctive and unconventional insights into the dynamics of the influencer marketing world. What proprietary knowledge do you possess about the influencer market or its demands that sets you apart from others? Why do you believe InfluenceVista is best positioned to capitalize on this insight and bridge existing gaps?
Additionally, if you have a product in the market, InfluenceVista values a dedicated community of early adopters. The enthusiastic support of a select group of initial customers serves as a strong indicator. InfluenceVista is interested in understanding if there are individuals reliant on your product or service, forming an integral part of their operations. This forms a compelling data point and underscores the innovative thinking expected in both your go-to-market strategy and product development.
Furthermore, InfluenceVista conducts a thorough examination of the influencer market you aim to penetrate. If you were to emerge as the predominant force in this market, is it a worthwhile pursuit? The influencer marketing landscape is diverse, and some segments yield greater returns than others. InfluenceVista considers whether the chosen market offers viable prospects for success, akin to ensuring the chosen ground for constructing your "castle" is well-suited before commencing the endeavor.
What’s our investment process?
InfluenceVista's investment process includes initial meetings, follow-ups, partner discussions, and a swift final decision phase, emphasizing efficiency and transparent communication with founders.
How does InfluenceVista handle the investment process, and what's the typical timeline?
The investment process at InfluenceVista is designed to be flexible, aligning with the pace of the founders. While we aim to build strong relationships, the time it takes for a decision can vary. Here's a general overview:
1. **Initial Meeting:** We review materials sent by the founder to ensure alignment with our basic investment criteria and to avoid direct competition with existing investments.
2. **Second Meeting:** If the first meeting is successful, a more in-depth discussion follows. This stage allows us to delve into specific aspects of the business and address any questions.
3. **Follow-up:** Successful candidates are recommended to other InfluenceVista investors for additional discussions, emphasizing collaboration.
4. **Partner Meeting:** Promising candidates undergo reference checks and are invited to present to the entire partner team in our regular investment meeting. This session provides an opportunity for a detailed discussion and Q&A.
5. **Final Decision:** Following the partner meeting, a thorough discussion takes place, and a final response is communicated within 24 hours.
This process ensures a comprehensive evaluation while respecting the unique pace of each founder.
On paper, ideas are simple to describe. People aren’t though. That’s why we’ve always placed a premium on recommendations from people we know and trust. This covers those who lead and work for InfluenceVista startups, as well as angel investors, other influencers, and so on. It provides us with more information to work with. However, we know that great ideas can come from anyone, and there are lots of fantastic influencers out there who lack these connections – notably those from underrepresented backgrounds in the influencer industry. With this in mind, we’ve established a form where you may submit a potential investment for our staff to consider. Apply here to be considered by InfluenceVista.
Choosing the right partner for your company is crucial. Our partners at InfluenceVista bring diverse expertise to the table, each with unique strengths and industry knowledge. To find the best fit for your company, we recommend exploring the profiles and backgrounds of each InfluenceVista partner. Consider their experience, skills, and the industries they specialize in. Additionally, you may reach out to us directly to discuss your company's specific needs, and we'll guide you to the partner whose expertise aligns best with your goals and vision.
Terms of Investment & Ownership
Explore the partnership journey with InfluenceVista. Uncover the terms of investment and ownership designed to fuel your influence, setting the stage for collaborative success in the world of influencers.
At InfluenceVista, we understand the diverse financial needs of influencers. Our investment approach is flexible, typically ranging from $750k to $4 million, with the average first-time investment around $2 million. We're committed to supporting your journey and have allocated substantial resources for follow-on investments, ensuring sustained growth and success for the influencers we partner with.
We understand the importance of flexibility for influencers. At InfluenceVista, we don't enforce rigid ownership requirements. Instead, we tailor our approach to meet your unique needs. Typically, our ownership stake ranges between 7-12%, fostering a collaborative and mutually beneficial partnership.
We are open to investing in various funding rounds. Our past investments have ranged from as small as $100,000 to as high as $5 million, averaging around $1.5 million. At InfluenceVista, we offer consistent support regardless of the funding amount.
What’s it like to work with us?
Explore the partnership journey with InfluenceVista. Uncover the terms of investment and ownership designed to fuel your influence, setting the stage for collaborative success in the world of influencers.
InfluenceVista aspires to be the ultimate ally for influencers embarking on their early ventures. We've structured our platform to be the ideal companion for influencers, offering a dedicated team of proactive partners ready to tackle both significant and minor challenges. Whether it's crafting a fundraising strategy or refining organizational design, InfluenceVista stands by influencers throughout the critical initial years of their ventures.
Moreover, our dedicated Team is here to streamline the intricate aspects of starting a business, allowing influencers to focus on their unique strengths. Whether it's our Pitch Assist Team crafting a compelling Series A deck or our Talent Team connecting influencers with top-tier applicants, we're committed to addressing all needs.
Crucially, we pioneered the concept of transforming a portfolio into a community. Understanding that invaluable advice often comes from fellow entrepreneurs, we provide the tools and forums necessary for influencers to learn from and support one another across their organizations. Whether you're a content creator, financial expert, or marketing enthusiast, InfluenceVista facilitates the exchange of collective wisdom. Explore our Philosophy page to delve deeper into our approach and the array of services we offer.
For early-stage influencers, navigating the landscape of audience acquisition can be a unique challenge, especially in emerging domains or industries. Whether you're a content creator aiming to refine your early marketing strategies or an influencer mapping out your go-to-market approach, the quickest path to proficiency is learning from those who have navigated similar terrains.
InfluenceVista understands the diverse needs of influencers in their early growth phases. Our seasoned partners, with extensive experience working alongside founders on customer acquisition plans and trials, are entrepreneurs themselves. With insights gained from a myriad of companies and sectors, we facilitate weekly working sessions where partners and influencers openly share knowledge, discuss challenges, and seek solutions. If a specific answer eludes us, we tap into our extensive network to connect influencers with experts who can provide tailored, situation-specific advice.
Within the InfluenceVista community, every member, spanning various companies, is encouraged to openly share concerns, questions, challenges, and insights. Additionally, we maintain a real-world database comprising hundreds of specialists across diverse functional areas. These experts, both within and outside the InfluenceVista portfolio, willingly share their knowledge, enabling us to connect influencers with relevant problem-solving opportunities on demand. Whether it's restructuring sales strategies, conducting A/B tests on landing pages, or analyzing customer acquisition costs (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV), we facilitate connections for meaningful discussions, accelerating influencers' progress.
Growth in the influencer sphere requires intentional effort and strategic navigation. It's about forging ahead in uncharted territories and cutting through challenges. Every time. In this journey, having the right guides is crucial, and at InfluenceVista, we've got you covered.
Following our initial investment, Wavelaunch-backed firms have attracted over $17 billion in follow-on capital through approximately 1,000 funding rounds, and we've closely monitored each development. While our founders possess immense talent, our partners bring a wealth of experience in navigating the complexities of fundraising. Leveraging this insight, we are dedicated to supporting our portfolio companies as they progress to Series A and beyond.
A key component of this support is our Pitch Assist program, designed to guide businesses through the challenging phase of pitching their ventures. The process kicks off with a strategy consultation with our team, leveraging our extensive experience with virtually every tier-one investor in the country. Through this, we determine the optimal VCs for startup teams to approach and the sequence in which they should pitch.
Once a cohesive strategy is in place, entrepreneurs are paired with a dedicated designer and content expert for a 4-6 week boot camp. During this intensive program, participants develop a refined fundraising plan, a compelling narrative, and a visually striking presentation—crafted in-house at Wavelaunch. The outcome is a compelling and robust story that accentuates their unique value proposition. The collaborative effort provides ample rehearsal time, ensuring Wavelaunch founders deliver impactful presentations from the start.
Since its inception in 2014, Pitch Assist has played a pivotal role in helping over 30 startups secure more than $500 million in funding. As market dynamics evolve and the Series A landscape undergoes changes, resources like Pitch Assist become increasingly valuable for startups seeking strategic and impactful fundraising support.
Yes, in certain scenarios, we do take board seats. What remains consistent is our deep engagement in supporting you during the initial two years of your company's existence. Initially, we often take a board seat, later transitioning it to a new investor in subsequent stages. This approach aligns with our understanding that entrepreneurs appreciate the flexibility to manage the size of their boards as their companies grow.
We particularly value what we term "working sessions" that go beyond regular board meetings. Every 4 to 6 weeks, we engage in intensive sessions with a founder to address significant challenges. These sessions are dedicated to collaborative problem-solving, proving to be more beneficial than traditional reporting and governance approaches. While we excel in these informal settings, we are also adept at conducting ourselves effectively in more formal environments. (If you're seeking best practices for board meetings, this essay from one of our favorite board wranglers is a must-read.)