Is Your Business Idea Too Weird for a VC? If your business doesn't firmly fit the mold, don't be discouraged.

One piece of advice I give to entrepreneurs about approaching venture capitalists is to avoid going into a pitch meeting blind. I tell them to do their homework and find out what types of companies the firm invests in based on sector, stage of investments and other factors. Much of this information can be found on a firm's website.

But what happens when you can't find any overlap? What if your industry doesn't exist yet? Don't be discouraged. It could mean you've developed something truly innovative.

Remember that VCs exist to build companies into blue-sky markets that could turn millions of dollars into billions. If your product or company doesn't fit the mold of, say, biotech, software or social media, don't lose hope. There was a not-so-distant time when nobody knew what those things were.