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Invisible InkTired of startup fluff? Invisible Ink cuts through the hype, bringing you power-packed conversations with investors and founders who've built the companies you admire. Forget theory and buzzwords. This podcast is your all-access pass to the real... Author: Shubha K. Chakravarthy
Tired of startup fluff?Invisible Ink cuts through the hype, bringing you power-packed conversations with investors and founders who've built the companies you admire.Forget theory and buzzwords. This podcast is your all-access pass to the real strategies, the tough decisions, and the often unseen struggles that shape successful startups.Each episode zooms in on the specifics of what it takes to get funded, demystifying the process and giving you actionable insights you can apply today.Join us as we unpack the gritty details the hype machine misses, revealing the truth about what investors look for, the mistakes to avoid, and the actionable steps you can take to make your startup unstoppable.Invisible Ink is more than just a podcast it's your personal mentor in the world of funding. Tune in, level up, and turn your startup dream into a funded reality.Subscribe now!Find show notes and more at https://achiiv.co/category/podcast/ Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep 90: Why Strong Ideas Fail: Invisible Risks That Kill Startups, With John Harbison
Episode 83
Sunday, 1 March, 2026
In this episode, John Harbison, veteran angel investor and longtime member of Tech Coast Angels, joins Shubha K. Chakravarthy to deliver a masterclass on how investors actually think about risk, founders, and funding decisions. Drawing on decades of experience as a founder, board member, and investor, John breaks down why every startup carries multiple dimensions of risk—and why the winners are those who score, prioritize, and actively mitigate them rather than deny them. Check out his hard-won insights on:The 30-minute scoring exercise that quietly predicts which startups won’t surviveWhy a company with “balanced” risk can be more dangerous than one with obvious red flagsThe founder response that instantly shifts an investor from skeptical to interestedThe one signal that collapses multiple risk categories at onceWhy “we have no competitors” is worse than you thinkThe subtle way founders lose credibility during competitive analysisThe coachability test founders don’t realize they’re taking in every meetingThe board dynamic that multiplies outcomes — and the one that destroys themThe winning company that only worked because they abandoned their original pitch earlyThe difference between pivoting wisely and panicking after one data pointThe personality trait that saved six doomed companies — and killed six othersThe financing contingency one experienced CEO refused to build — and what happened nextWhy you don’t need most of the room to believe in you (and why that changes how you should pitch)and much more!
