#28: Build an ideal team of investors and treat this as an alliance - Sonia Weymuller
Can FOMO (fear of missing out) be a market opportunity? Sonia Weymuller realised many people were seeking ways to invest into tech startups and be a part of the startup buzz. Yet, there was no platform in the MENA region to do so.
Sonia Weymuller is a Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq (VSQ), a MENA-based venture capital firm, and Partner Lead for the VSQ Conscious Collective, its global impact-focused investment and educational platform.
First investment driven by a sense of FOMO
Sonia and her friends started angel investing by hosting informal meetups and inviting entrepreneurs they thought had interesting journeys to share. They made their first investment in a friend’s startup, driven by a sense of FOMO. For Sonia and her co-investors, it was a way to become a part of that startup journey without taking much risk. As their network grew, they began to operate as an angel syndicate and started inviting colleagues who wanted to dip their toe in entrepreneurship without quitting their day jobs.
“A lot of young professionals like us in their mid to late twenties wanted to invest in early-stage tech. Yet, there was no regional platform to do so.”
The complexities of the founder-investor relationship dynamic
Sonia emphasizes the importance of alignment between the investor and the company, and how this can be achieved by finding investors who share your passion for the product or service you're building. She also discusses the role of investors in adding value beyond just financial capital, and how to find investors who can provide guidance in key areas such as business development, hiring, and fundraising. She advises founders to treat their investors like a team of allies and to carefully curate their capital table with investors who can work together to support their company's growth.
Work-life balance or entrepreneurship journey?
Entrepreneurship is a difficult and energy-intensive journey, where it’s crucial taking time to self-reflect and to understand one's motivations before launching into a new venture. Keeping a work-life balance when running a business is challenging, and Sonia explains the need to carve out time for personal growth and self-discovery. It is easy to lose oneself in the demands of running a business and taking care of a family. Sonia encourages entrepreneurs to define themselves beyond their work and family roles.
“Work-life balance is difficult when you have your own business and there’s nothing wrong with difficulty, as long as you’re aware of it.”
About Sonia Weymuller
Sonia Weymuller is a Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq (VSQ), a MENA-based venture capital firm, and Partner Lead for the VSQ Conscious Collective, its global impact-focused investment and educational platform. She is driven by a mission to support founders harnessing the power of technology to address tangible societal, economic, and environmental challenges.
Sonia is an advisor to Village Capital’s Sustainability MENA Program and a jury member for the Cartier Women’s Initiative. She is also a board member of the Middle East Venture Capital Association, and a Kauffman Fellow.