Outlander VC

On October 31st, during NuFund Venture Group's General Member Meeting, I had the chance to sit down with my friend Paige Craig for a fireside chat. And yes, that was me rocking the Top Gun jacket—with the hair color and facial hair that Tom Cruise should have! 😄 I figured Halloween was the perfect excuse to channel my inner Maverick, especially since we're just a few miles from the Miramar Air Force Base where real Top Gun pilots fly every day. The conversation with Paige was absolutely incredible. Many of you reached out afterward, calling it "inspiring" and "the most powerful 40 minutes about venture investing I've listened to in over a decade." Some even joked that maybe not having enough adversity growing up is the real challenge! Paige shared his remarkable journey—from overcoming hardships in Sacramento and serving in the Marines, to founding a private intelligence firm and becoming one of the most successful early-stage angel investors turned VCs (now General Partner and cofounder at Outlander VC). His insights into spotting resilient, visionary founders were truly eye-opening. One of the standout moments was when Paige discussed his "Founder Framework," a 38-point checklist he uses to evaluate founders. He believes that qualities like #vision, #intelligence, #character and #execution are more critical than just the product or market size at the pre-seed stage. Paige also delved into his unique approach to deal sourcing. He shared how he combines "hunting" for opportunities by actively engaging in the startup community, "trading" deals with other investors, "trapping" inbound interest through thought leadership, and "farming" long-term relationships. It's a holistic strategy that ensures a steady flow of high-quality opportunities. If you're investing in early-stage companies or thinking about getting started, this chat is a must-watch. Paige's no-nonsense approach offers actionable advice on identifying high-potential founders who might not be on the mainstream radar. While we can't post the recording online, I believe the insights are too valuable to keep to ourselves. If you are an investor and you'd like to watch the conversation, please DM me your email, and I'll share the link with you. I want to thank Paige for his candidness, directness, elaborate and thoughtful insights, and most of all, his service to our country. 🇺🇸 Investors out there what are the top 3 qualities do you think are most critical when investing in early-stage (before any major validation) founders? #PreseedFounders #PreSeedRound #VentureCapital #AngelInvestor AJ Smith, Ashok Kamal,