The Diligent Observer Podcast Episode 33: "Angel Investing Isn't a Trending Topic" | ACA Chair Emeritus Marcia Dawood on Angel Investment Cycles, Using Philanthropic Capital for For-Profit Ventures, and Making Fundraising Easier for Entrepreneurs
Insights from an award-winning author and podcast host whose advocacy work is reshaping how angels invest and entrepreneurs access capital across ecosystems
Today's episode explores three ideas that caught my attention:
- Clarity is kindness - Marcia highlighted how the most requested entrepreneur feedback is for angels to simply say "no" faster.
- Angel investing is still a mystery for many - It struck me how she still encounters people unaware they can participate in angel investing. There exists a massive pool of "latent” angels.
- The golden gut - 30 years of industry experience can serve as a very effective "BS detector." Angel groups with diverse expertise can perform fantastic due diligence.
I explore these ideas and more with Marcia Dawood, Host of the Angel Next Door Podcast and the Chair Emeritus of the ACA. She is also a partner with Mindshift Capital and author of the award-winning book "Do Good While Doing Well." Her work advocating for entrepreneurship in DC and leading the Growing Women's Capital syndication initiative exemplifies her commitment to making early-stage investing more accessible and effective for both investors and founders.
During our conversation, Marcia shares:
- Insights on angel investing during market downturns that help investors avoid making reactionary decisions based on public market volatility.
- Her approach to podcast content strategy that shows how thoughtfully organized episodes can better educate both investors and entrepreneurs on complex investment concepts.
- The story behind her award-winning book "Do Good While Doing Well" that offers a roadmap to avoid common mistakes she made as a new angel investor.
Connect with Marcia
LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube
Stuff We Reference
About the ACA
The Angel Capital Association is the largest professional organization for angel investors, representing 15,000+ members across 250 groups who collectively invest over $650M annually in startups.
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All opinions are personal and may not reflect the views of The Diligent Observer. Not investment advice.