Fundraising

the meeting: “First and foremost, thank you for your time. I really enjoyed this conversation. I know it was short, so if you enjoyed it too, let’s set up a deeper dive. I can take you through [our demo, a deeper dive on our product, etc.]. And I’ll come prepared with more questions about you.” Ideally you can even nail down a time at the first mee

existed thus far, and why I would be able to pull it off. The most important pitch isn’t a polished one, it’s a casual one. Remember, you’re ideally not going through a deck. You’re setting up casual meet-and-greets with investors. At some point in the conversation, they’ll ask you what you do (that’s their job!). Here, you have to absolutely knock

Note: This step should be

they meet your cofounder or someone on your team. This builds another touchpoint and deepens your relationship with the investor. It increases their commitment and excitement. It shows that there’s more than just you

Of course, if you find a unicorn investor with an excellent brand and an excellent connection, go for it! But in all cases, prioritize the connection, vibe, and energy. Your partnership with them is more powerful and important than their fame. You should

useless. Step 1 is about building a network of champions to generate those warm introductions. Here, you make friends,

Looking forward to it! The First Meeting (the Intro) The first impression you make on an investor is everything. You better impress the heck out of them. This is best accomplished by being your uncompromising, confident, authentic self. The best way to get to know an investor is through dialogue, not decks

(judging investors based off your energetic connection with them is incredibly important) Disregard the investor’s brand and prioritize your assessment of them as an individual. In fact, bringing on an investor with a strong brand has real downsides.

Our product is exceptionally hard to build, but we