The worst version of a fundraising ask is “we need $3M to give us 24 months of runway”. The best version is “we need $3M to accomplish these 3 critical projects we have planned that will take us from X users/revenue to 5x in 18 months. We need these 4 new positions to pull it… Show more

Planning the Ask

A good ask has several components:

A vision of a better world that you believe in, they believe in, and your mission serves

An immediate need that you have (“We need a new X / Y”)

A specific amount, that they can give, which fits the need

A clear connection between their gift and the solution to the problem.

5. Fundraise and financialsWhat milestone will the capital get you to?Why do you need to raise money? How much money do you really need? Why don’t you need less How much dilution will you give up? What is your pre-money target range?What will you use the capital you are raising for?What are your basic financial projections?

Side note: While I haven't flown on Air Force One or been to the secret retreats of society's rich and famous, I have been around my share of influential leaders. I've discovered one thing they almost all have in common. They love a straight-up request. Don't hem and haw. Get to the point. What do you want? Spit it out, man!

If you're heading into a

... See more

In order to build conviction, we rely on founders to tell us a compelling story, almost always in the form of slides. We’ve funded companies almost entirely because of the quality of their seed decks. Poor deck? We’ll likely pass on the opportunity.