You Will Raise Capital

Something important to remember as a founder building something new…

𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼: 1. Intelligent, clear pitch on why your team, product, traction and market are compelling. You have ONE second to grab them. 2. Finding investors who actually invest in your space (not say they do) 3. Reaching enough of them (it’s still a numbers game) 4. Overcoming objections and not taking every “not a fit” at face value. 5. Organized and intelligent follow up through clear best practices and CRM systems (investors get busy) 6. Nailing the diligence process with succinct clarity. 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀! 🚀💼 #Fundraising #Investment #StartupSuccess #YouWillRaiseCapital #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #InvestorRelations

🚀 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 🚀 1.) 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀: 📝 Tailor your decks to different investor interests. For example, if you're in mental health/consciousness and CPG, create separate decks for each. Similarly, if you're pitching Alt Protein and CleanTech/Sustainability, prepare distinct presentations for each. 2.) 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀: 📑 Build a comprehensive 10-page template with a clickable table of contents. This ensures you control the dialogue when your venture partner presents your investment to their team. One of the most frustrating things is having a great call with a partner at the firm only to receive an email two days later saying the team rejected it. This often happens because the partner botched the pitch. Remember, no one can pitch better than you, so you must control the dialogue at all times, even when you're not there. 𝟯.) 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: 💵 Ensure your financial model is robust and trustworthy. Don't make a perfect business school model, it must withstand investor scrutiny to avoid distrust or deal failure and be defensible. 𝟰.) 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀: 📊 Keep historical financials clean and straightforward, with notes on any unusual areas. 5.) 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗽: 🗂️ Build a clean, professional data room to present data elegantly and make an investor’s job as easy as possible. 𝟲.) 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀: 📧 Prepare 3-4 email campaigns that fit each investor profile, each with 4-5 sequences depending on the investor. 7.) 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀: 💬 Craft compelling LinkedIn messages within the 300-character limit. Avoid the common pitfall of starting with "Hey John - great to connect!" Instead, grab their attention with the first few words, saving the niceties for the end. 𝟴.) 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗽: 🛠️ Build 3-4 subdomains and set up 20-25 email addresses. Ensure no email sends more than 15 emails per day to avoid spam filters and maintain a healthy email score with synthetic interactions. 𝟵.) 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀: 📌 Compile basic company information so your pipeline specialist does not need to bother you for easy info during the raise. 𝟭𝟬.) 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: 💡 Prepare responses for the 15-20 common objections specific to your niche to overcome objections pre-call, post-call, and during closing. If you take every 'not a fit' at face value, fundraising will take WAY too long - be prepared to overcome objections succinctly and clearly along each step. 𝟭𝟭.) 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 📂 As you get close to bringing in your lead, be ready for the 4-5 specific documents a firm may ask for in their own idiosyncratic way (e.g., staffing plans, model changes, clarifying IP, product roadmap).

I can’t stress this enough to founders. 🤝

This is what it takes to close capital 💰🙌 Finding the perfect angles to follow up with instead of merely annoying them, and one day, at the right place and time, saying the right thing – they POP and book a call ☎️ If I were to tell you how many investors have gone cold and later wrote a check, you wouldn't believe me. I have dozens of stories like this 🫰 🪄🦄 The secret? It's all software-driven – programmed from thousands of interactions with this specific company and many others. It's impossible for a founder running a full-time business to also reach out to hundreds of new investor leads who have invested in your space in the last 12 months, manage a pipeline, nurture hot leads, revive cold ones, and get investors everything they need in the closing phases, as they always request hundreds of random items, and you must do it perfectly! Shout out to the team! 🙌

🚀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹: "𝗪𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱." 🚀 Most founders launching a raise overlook this crucial point—𝟴𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱; they prefer to co-invest. Spending all your time on meetings with potential lead investors, not just co-investors, is key. Imagine taking 30 calls, expecting leads, and realizing only 5 were actual potentials. It feels like a fundraising failure, but it's really a strategy misstep. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗼-𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀? At our firm, we leverage millions of data points from the last 12 months to track who's leading which rounds. If you don't have that luxury, LinkedIn is a goldmine with hundreds of relevant posts weekly. Network with non-competitive founders in your niche for insights. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀? Craft your outreach list meticulously—ask directly, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. "When X firm has conviction on a bet, do you typically lead or co-invest?" Be proactive, secure that lead, and watch your fundraising strategy soar. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹. Securing a lead investor follows the classic 80/20 rule. Once you have them (and they're strong in your niche), bringing in co-investors—even for the same amount of capital—is 20% of the work. When launching a raise - go get that lead, then everything else falls into place.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 📊🔍 Market research is a cornerstone of startup success. It shapes your strategy, helps you understand your target audience, and attracts investor interest. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭: 1️⃣ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Market research helps uncover gaps in the market and emerging trends, allowing you to position your startup effectively. 🚀📈 2️⃣ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀: Gain insights into customer needs, preferences, and behaviors to tailor your product or service to meet their demands. 👥💡 3️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀: Know your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses to differentiate your offering and carve out your niche. 🆚📉 4️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Data-driven decisions reduce risks and increase the likelihood of success. 📊✅ 5️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Thorough market research demonstrates your preparedness and reduces perceived investment risks. 💼👍 Invest time in market research to build a solid foundation for your startup and enhance your appeal to investors. #MarketResearch #StartupSuccess #BusinessStrategy #YouWillRaiseCapital #InvestorRelations #DataDriven

𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴! 🗝️🚀 Dive into our comprehensive guide on navigating Series A, B, and C funding rounds. Learn the goals, key considerations, and preparation tips for each stage to secure the investment your startup needs for growth and success. #Fundraising #SeriesA #SeriesB #SeriesC #StartupGrowth #YouWillRaiseCapital #Investment #BusinessStrategy

𝙏𝙞𝙥𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘺 to successful investor meetings. Learn how to prepare, what to expect, and how to follow up to leave a lasting impression on potential investors. 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙨: 𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 Before the meeting, thoroughly research your potential investors. Understand their investment preferences, past investments, and areas of interest. This will help you tailor your pitch to align with their interests and show that you’ve done your homework. 𝟮. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗸 Your pitch deck should be concise, visually appealing, and informative. Highlight key aspects such as your business model, market opportunity, competitive advantage, financial projections, and the amount of funding you’re seeking. Practice delivering your pitch to ensure clarity and confidence. 𝟯. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Investors will ask challenging questions to understand the viability of your startup. Be prepared to discuss your business model, market size, competition, revenue projections, and potential risks. Honest and well-thought-out answers will build trust and credibility. 𝟰. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 Investors invest in people as much as they do in ideas. Highlight the strengths and experience of your team members. Show how their expertise and dedication contribute to the startup’s success. 𝟱. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Showcase any traction your startup has gained. This could be in the form of customer testimonials, revenue growth, user metrics, partnerships, or product development milestones. Demonstrating progress can significantly enhance your credibility. 𝟲. 𝗕𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗸 Clearly state how much funding you are seeking and what it will be used for. Break down the allocation of funds and how they will contribute to achieving your business goals. Transparency in your financial needs shows professionalism and foresight. 𝟳. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗨𝗽 After the meeting, send a thank-you email summarizing key points discussed and any follow-up actions. Maintain regular communication to keep investors updated on your progress and to continue building the relationship. 𝟴. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 Rehearse your presentation multiple times. Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself, or present to a trusted mentor or advisor. The more you practice, the more confident and polished you will appear during the actual meeting By following these tips, you can leave a lasting impression on potential investors and increase your chances of securing the funding you need to take your startup to the next level. 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙡𝙪𝙘𝙠 #InvestorMeetings #StartupFunding #BusinessStrategy #YouWillRaiseCapital #PitchDeck #InvestorRelations #StartupSuccess #Entrepreneurship #FundingTips

𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 🚀 Staying ahead in the startup world means keeping an eye on the latest funding trends. Here are some current trends shaping the investment landscape: Rise of Impact Investing: Investors are increasingly looking for startups that not only promise financial returns but also create a positive social or environmental impact. 🌍💡 1️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Green tech and sustainable business models are attracting significant attention and funding. ♻️🌱 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Startups offering innovative remote work solutions continue to gain traction as the work-from-home trend remains strong. 💼🏠 3️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: More investors are willing to take risks on early-stage startups, leading to a surge in seed funding. 🌱💰 4️⃣ 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹: Investors are looking beyond traditional tech hubs, seeking opportunities in emerging markets around the world. 🌐🌏 Staying informed about these trends can help you align your strategy and attract the right investors. #StartupTrends #Investment #Fundraising #YouWillRaiseCapital #StartupGrowth #Entrepreneurship #ImpactInvesting #Sustainability #RemoteWork #GlobalVentureCapital