Latest Episodes

Many founders try to tell everything to the investor in the first pitch. This is not possible as there’s no way to convey everything about the startup in one go. It’s best to break the information down into smaller pieces and drip it out over time. The multiple interactions help...

In raising funding, startups should avoid these statements to investors. “We have no competition.” If there’s no competition, then there is no market. Instead, the founder should talk about how the startup solves the problem in a new and unique way.   This is the value proposition of the business. “You’ll...

A value proposition is a feature that makes the startup valuable to the customer. It’s not your mission statement, which is the overarching goal of the business. It’s not your mantra that shows what your business stands for. A good value proposition aligns with the customers’ needs. A unique value...

In raising funding, it’s important to articulate all the values in the deal. If you don’t mention it, then it doesn’t exist in the investors’ minds. Investors only know what you tell them. Include the values in the deal such as customers, other investors, partners, and team members, to name...

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In writing an investor update, include the status of the business, key milestones achieved, and upcoming challenges. Here are some additional elements to add to the update to enhance it....

In raising funding, prospective investors use your website to learn more about the business. It’s often the case that the investor will use the website to connect with the founder. To facilitate fundraising, add an investor relations button to your website. Create a page indicating you are seeking investors and...

Your website plays a key role in your fundraising. The first place an investor goes after hearing a pitch is your website. Make sure it is up to date and looks professional. Pitch slides are meant to be high-level thumbnails and typically contain few details. The investor wants to learn...

In planning out a fundraise, it’s best to break the raise into a series of round closings. Communicate the overall fundraise amount to the investor but break it into steps. The first tranche is called the first round close. This typically includes family and friends funding. Use this funding to...

Before you launch a fundraise, first plan out your investor engagement: Follow these steps to prepare: Create a timeline, giving yourself three to six months before launching the campaign. Make a list of your key contacts, including both investors and connectors. This includes people who know investors and can connect...

In raising funding, it’s important to build a funnel into your fundraising. Just as you have a funnel for sales so you need a funnel for fundraising. At the top of the funnel are people you know but have not yet heard the pitch. Reach out to them in advance...