What’s your name?

I had a pretty hard time figuring out what to name this blog. I learned that the blog software we were using was somewhat prohibitive when it came to name-changing, so the finality of it exacerbated my indecisiveness. The first idea was “Letter of Intent.” After thinking about it, I became embarrassed for even having considered it and thinking it could be clever. Puns are categorically lame. This one also sounded self-important.

One of my colleagues suggested “Prose Before Close: Thoughts on the Deal-Making Process.” He had considered using it, but kindly offered it to me since it was more closely related to my job at OpenView than his. But it wasn’t my idea, so I passed.

After considering a few more titles that were inappropriate for various reasons, I decided on “Sounds Like a Pass.” Since I have spent the plurality of my time at OpenView talking to expansion stage software companies about raising venture capital, I thought that the title was relevant. It was also somewhat edgy because it could be construed as arrogant. But the content is not meant to be–I intend to write about the characteristics and qualities that we, and other VCs, look for in prospects. If it turns out well, the blog could be used by fundraising entrepreneurs to help them make sure that this flippant remark is, at the least, less frequently associated with their companies.