Hi! I’m glad you’re here. You’ve made it to issue #55 of VC Demystified🪄.
My name’s Nicole - I’m a Principal at an early stage venture fund, and I know firsthand that VC can often be a black box. Breaking into the industry may feel daunting and resources can seem scarce and inaccessible. I wanted to put together a newsletter to give others the playbook I wish I had when I first started.
Today’s deep dive: A tactical playbook for breaking through the warm intro barrier without an existing network
My personal mission is to open as many doors as possible for other people and this newsletter is just one avenue to do that. As always, I will continue to post VC insights daily for free across my socials.
VC Job Openings Preview (4 of 8)🪄
Techstars is hiring an Investment Manager.
Location: Washington D.C.
https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/techstars57/jobs/7962138002
Fortify Ventures is hiring a Distilled Intelligence Ambassador.
Location: Remote
https://fortifyvc.notion.site/di-ambassador
Fortify Ventures is hiring a Distilled Intelligence Intern.
Location: Hybrid (ideally in NYC, SF, LA, or DC)
https://fortifyvc.notion.site/di-intern
Team8 is hiring a FinTech Analyst.
Location: NYC
https://team8.vc/careers/team8-team8-fintech-analyst/?
Read time: 5 minutes
How you can get a VC warm intro (without knowing any investors)
VCs love to say they’re “open to cold outreach” but let’s be real: Warm intros still carry weight.
The problem?
If you’re not already in the ecosystem, it can feel impossible to get one.
But here’s the good news: You don’t need to know a VC to get a warm intro to one, you just need to be scrappy and consistent.
What You’re Really Doing
When you don’t know anyone in VC, you’re not just sourcing an intro, you’re building an entry point.
This means:
Identifying the right person to connect through
Making it easy for them to say yes
Giving them a reason to send the intro confidently
This is a relationship game. But it’s also a strategy game.
Five Tactics to Engineer a “Warm Intro” from Scratch
1. Find mutual connections on LinkedIn
Start by reverse-searching investors you want to meet.
Who are second-degree connections you’ve worked with, gone to school with, or know casually?
Ask for a quick call or favor but make it low lift.
Give them 2–3 sentences they can forward directly. Make it easy to say yes.
2. Use the founder backchannel
Have friends who are founders?
Ask if any of their investors would be a fit for your round or if they know anyone in their cap table who might be.
Founders are often happy to refer thoughtful operators or future founders to investors they trust.
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