Meet Pipeline Angels member, Betty Francisco
Meet Pipelin
e Angels member Betty Francisco
Full name: Betty Francisco
Title: Founder & President
Affiliation: FitNation Ventures
Twitter handle: @bettyfrancisco
Describe the moment when you decided to become an angel:
A mentor offered me the opportunity to invest in a company led by a brilliant woman who wants to revolutionize the retail and security industries, and that was when I knew I needed to become an angel investor; meeting Natalia was the extra spark that inspired me to get educated on angel investing through her Pipeline Angels bootcamp.
What investments have you made since graduating from Pipeline Angels?
*Woman founder!
Company: Vidcode
Founders: Alexandra Diracles* and Melissa Halfon*
Company: FitReserve
Founders: Bill Arzt and Megan Smyth*
Company: GEIONS Security
Founder: Fran Barbaro*
How many investments do you make per year?
2+
What are your investment deal-breakers?
Unclear market need and founders who are not receptive to feedback or pivoting quickly.
What types of companies do you look to invest in?
I am currently focused on children’s education, fitness, connected health and immersive technologies, particularly companies that are social ventures.
What do you look for in an entrepreneur/founding team?
I look for entrepreneurs who are passionate about the problem they are trying to solve, not just their solution, together with industry experience and a team with complementary skills.
How has your background played a role in your angel investing?
My background as a corporate attorney and general counsel has definitely helped with due diligence, deal structure and negotiation of the legal and business terms.
One piece of advice to an angel-in-training?
Take time to understand your personal drivers and unique skills, and then find the ventures that connect with your passions and where you can lend your capital and expertise.
One piece of advice to an entrepreneur looking for capital?
Look for an investor who will be your partner, connector and advisor for the long-term, not just a source of capital who may not support you when you need it most.
How would you define a for-profit social venture?
A for-profit social venture is focused on solving a significant societal problem in a way that has transformational change, while also operating as a profitable business that brings value to the community and its stakeholders.
Favorite quotation:
Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness. ―Oprah Winfrey
Random fact about you:
I am an abstract art painter, with the goal of having my own gallery exhibition one day.
Help us change the face of angel investing! Apply to Pipeline Angels’ fall 2016 angel investing bootcamps in Albuquerque, Ann Arbor-Detroit, Atlanta, Austin-Houston, Baltimore, Bangor-Portland, Boston, Boulder-Denver, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, DC, Jackson Hole, LA, Memphis-Nashville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, NYC, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, SF, Silicon Valley, and Vegas: pfapply.seamlessdocs.com/f/
This post originally appeared on Pipeline Angels.
[Photo Credit: Erica Torres]
Pipeline Angels, a network of new & seasoned women investors, is changing the face of angel investing & creating capital for women social entrepreneurs. Help us change the face of angel investing! Apply to Pipeline Angels’ angel investing bootcamps in Albuquerque, Ann Arbor-Detroit, Atlanta, Austin-Houston, Baltimore, Bangor-Portland, Boston, Boulder-Denver, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland-Akron, Columbus, Dallas, DC, Jackson Hole, LA, Memphis-Nashville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, NYC, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Portsmouth, Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, SF, Silicon Valley, Tampa, and Vegas: Learn More
