Honest Create

We’re in the second phase of venture capital… And it’s not about just writing cheques anymore. It’s about showing up—for the founders. In this quick chat with Karthik B. Reddy from Blume Ventures we unpacked something important: While Coldplay concerts and Dalai Lama retreats sound fun— they’re not the solution. Mental wellness isn’t a dopamine hit. It’s the quiet trust you build before and after the big moments. It’s about giving founders a safe space— not just a good time. This perspective shifted something in me. Curious to know— do you think today’s investors are truly showing up for their founders? Drop your thoughts below. ___________ More on our podcast, live on Youtube 🎙. Link to Episode: https://lnkd.in/g_t-TD-7 Carnaama with Chetan Bhatia - An Honest Podcast by Honest Create VC+Founder Podcast to bring perspectives from both sides while giving a slice of their personal lives🤙

We’re in the second phase of venture capital… And it’s not about just writing cheques anymore. It’s about showing up—for the founders. In this quick chat with Karthik B. Reddy from Blume Ventures we unpacked something important: While Coldplay concerts and Dalai Lama retreats sound fun— they’re not the solution. Mental wellness isn’t a dopamine hit. It’s the quiet trust you build before and after the big moments. It’s about giving founders a safe space— not just a good time. This perspective shifted something in me. Curious to know— do you think today’s investors are truly showing up for their founders? Drop your thoughts below. ___________ More on our podcast, live on Youtube 🎙. Link to Episode: https://lnkd.in/g_t-TD-7 Carnaama with Chetan Bhatia - An Honest Podcast by Honest Create VC+Founder Podcast to bring perspectives from both sides while giving a slice of their personal lives🤙

Tomorrow, April 1 - me and Steven Plappert (Forecastr) will do a Pitch Deck Teardown on the Deck Story and Financials! Register here: https://lnkd.in/g9X6w-bx --- ♻ Repost to help any founder preparing for fundraising in 2025 ➕ Follow me Chetan Bhatia (Deck Story Guy) for more fundraising hacks, teardowns and founder + VC perspectives.

It’s easy to fall in love with your investments, but that’s where the danger lies. ❤❌  Karthik B. Reddy of Blume Ventures talks about how, in the early days, we all get attached to ideas we believe in. But in venture, you have to look beyond the romantic notion that something could be huge and really question if it will be.  That’s where a great IC and a solid team come in—they’ll tear through assumptions and keep emotions out of the equation.  How do you stay objective about the bets you make? Watch the full video for more. 🎥👇 #VentureCapital #StartupInvesting #BlumeVentures ________________________________________________________________ Episode Link in the comments section 👇  More on our podcast, live on Youtube 🎙. Carnaama with Chetan Bhatia - An Honest Podcast by Honest Create VC+Founder Podcast to bring perspectives from both sides while giving a slice of their personal lives🤙

This April Fools Day, make sure you not fooling the VCs 😀.. With a pitch that doesnt make sense and financials that look unrealistic! Me and Steven Plappert are partnering together again for another Pitch deck teardown 💪 Link in comments to register. While we have a founder who will kick things off with his pitch deck being teared down but.. We are happy to take questions and even do another live teardown. 🤙 Irrespective learnings for everyone who joins! About Steven: Steven Plappert is a co-founder of Forecastr (Techstars Anywhere 2020), and has raised more than $10M in venture capital as a founder. Steven has served as Head of Finance for more than 10 startups, and has built more than 200 financial models. Steven was previously a co-founder at FantasyHub. Why this can be important if you raising funds? A pitch deck is more than just a presentation. It is your opportunity to capture investor interest, tell a compelling story, and make a strong case for funding. But while some decks open doors, others fall flat.  A great pitch deck isn’t just about sleek design. If your deck lacks a clear, structured narrative, the visuals won’t matter. And if that story isn’t effectively visualized, investors won’t stay engaged. Every slide should communicate its key message in three seconds or less. If it doesn’t, it will be skipped.  Join us on April 1st at 4 PM ET for an exclusive Pitch Deck Teardown with Steven Plappert, Founder of Forecastr, and Chetan Bhatia. Real pitch decks will be reviewed, highlighting what works, what doesn’t, and how to refine them for maximum impact.  What to expect:   ✔ A breakdown of real pitch decks, what’s effective and what’s not   ✔ Expert insights on crafting a clear, compelling narrative and solid financials ✔ Common mistakes founders make and how to avoid them   ✔ Actionable tips to make decks more engaging for investors  If you are serious about fundraising, this session is a must-attend. Get the insights you need to refine your deck and increase your chances of securing investment.  Registration link in comments below Honest Create X Forecastr X StartEngine --- ♻ Repost to help any founder preparing for fundraising in 2025 ➕ Follow me Chetan Bhatia (Deck Story Guy) for more fundraising hacks, teardowns and founder + VC perspectives.

Join us for Fix Your Fundraising Story, a LinkedIn Live session from Razorpay Rize with Chetan Bhatia. We will break down a winning pitch's do’s, don’ts, and storytelling secrets. 💡 What’s in it for you? Why do most decks fall flat? The key elements of a compelling fundraising narrative What investors look for in a pitch How to balance facts, vision, and storytelling The common mistakes founders make and how to avoid them This session isn’t just for first-time fundraisers- it’s for any founder who wants to pitch with clarity, confidence, and conviction

Congrats to Loca Loka Tequila on their $12.5M raise! 🚀 With star power & a stellar team, they’re set to make waves in the premium spirits world. 🌍🥃 Exciting times ahead! 🍾 #LocaLoka #AgaveRefresher #IndianSpirits #FundingNews

🚀 Loca Loka Raises $12.5M to Take Indian Agave Global! 🌎🥃 India’s own agave refresher brand, Loca Loka, backed by the star power of Rana Daggubati & Anirudh Ravichander, has just secured $12.5M in funding! 💰🔥 With a stellar founding team—Sree Harsha Vadlamudi, Annamaneni Vidhatha, Subba Raju Penmatsa, Anirudh Ravichander, and Rana Daggubati—Loca Loka is set to redefine India’s presence in the premium spirits space. 🍹🇮🇳 Globally, celebrity-backed brands like 818 by Kendall Jenner & Teremana by Dwayne Johnson have captured the spotlight. Now, it’s Loca Loka’s time to shine! ✨ Will this be India’s breakout spirits brand on the global stage? Let’s watch this space! 🚀 #LocaLoka #AgaveRefresher #IndianSpirits #FundingNews

Join us on a new episode of Carnaama VC diaries In this episode, Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl (Eternal Capital (India) and Pranav Obhrai (Atrium Angels) join host Chetan Bhatia to dive into: 🔹 Delhi vs. Bangalore – Which is the better startup hub? 🔹 How VCs raise their own funds 🔹 The role of operators in venture capital …and much more! Missed the previous episodes? We’ve had the first episode with insights from Ankur Pahwa (PeerCapital), Himanshu Periwal (Oister Global), and on the second one with Karthik B. Reddy (Blume Ventures) in our earlier conversations. ________________________________________________________________ Episode Coming out soon  More on our podcast, live on Youtube 🎙️. Carnaama with Chetan Bhatia - An Honest Podcast by Honest Create VC+Founder Podcast to bring perspectives from both sides while giving a slice of their personal lives🤙 #CarnaamaVCDiaries #VentureCapital #Startups #Fundraising #Entrepreneurship

Raising Capital for Your D2C Brand? Don't Make These Costly Mistakes! 📢 Happening Tomorrow! 📢 Honest Create is hosting an exclusive workshop for D2C founders navigating the fundraising journey. Join Chetan Bhatia, Co-founder of Honest Create, who has helped numerous D2C founders raise capital, and Jeff Erickson, who scaled his d2c brand to $40M+ ARR, as they break down: ✅ The biggest challenges D2C founders face while raising capital ✅ The common mistakes that can cost you funding ✅ How to position your brand to attract the right investors This is a must-attend session for any D2C founder looking to raise funding successfully.