26 Investments Later: Lessons from the Frontlines

In the last 3 years, at Catch The Tornado, we’ve invested in 26 startups. Some have already returned the money with interest. Some... well, didn’t make it.

Here’s what I’ve learned from backing outstanding founders—and what they taught me in return.

1. Action Beats Overthinking

This is my #1 mantra.
Start building. Start coding. Start selling. If you can do both at once—even better.

2. Sales & Marketing = Your Real Research

Talk to your customers. Try to sell them something.
At the early stage, don’t waste time talking to people who aren’t going to buy—consultants, potential partners, investors.
The only feedback that counts is money on the table.

3. Hire Doers, Not Talkers

You want people who can take a task from A to Z.
End-to-end execution beats theoretical knowledge every time.
These people see the whole picture—and improve it fast.

4. Don’t Obsess Over the Business Model

Focus on your customer and their pain.
The perfect pricing strategy, scalability plan, and GTM model can wait.
Solving the right problem can't.

5. Be Ready to Pivot—Hard

99% of the time, your final product will look nothing like your first idea.
And that’s okay. The journey is the product.

These Rules Apply Everywhere

Everything above holds true whether you're building a SaaS platform or a service business.
The best founders move fast, talk to customers, and hire builders—not dreamers.

One More Thing: Healthtech Is a Different Beast

We're now exploring investments in health.
It’s a new playbook, and we’re still learning. No clear lessons yet—just curiosity and exploration mode.

Want to talk startups, pivots, or portfolio building? Let’s connect.
We’re always looking for founders who don’t wait for perfect—just start doing.

‍