VC | E480 | Evan Finkel, Carmen Alfonso & Andreas Holm on Fundraising Fog, LP Red Flags & the Real Meaning of “Edge”

EUVC

In this episode of the EUVC podcast, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by LP Evan Finkel and Cocoa’s Carmen Alfonso to explore the gritty, unvarnished truth about what it takes to raise a venture fund today. They unpack the fundraising myths that mislead first-time GPs, the pitch deck traps that instantly raise LP eyebrows, and the misunderstood concept of “edge” that too often becomes just another slide.
Together, they dive into the uncomfortable but essential lessons that don’t get talked about enough—why brutal feedback is a gift, why preparation is a differentiator, and why your real superpower probably doesn’t look good on LinkedIn. From fake timelines to founder references and chocolate brand storytelling, this one’s for every emerging manager looking for clarity in the fog.
Here’s what’s covered:

• 03:04 Why Brutal Honesty in Venture Matters More Than Ever
• 05:44 The Myth of the Effortless Fundraise (and Who It Hurts)
• 08:04 Preparation Is a Superpower—Not Just Talent
• 12:48 What LPs Want to Know
• 16:23 The VCX Framework: Edge ≠ Thesis
• 19:55 Superpowers Are Personal—Not PR
• 26:58 The Case for Being an Outlier (or Not Doing VC at All)
• 30:22 How LPs Evaluate GPs on Call #1
• 35:47 Red Flags in Decks That Make LPs Cringe
• 41:52 Polish vs. Substance: What the Deck Signals