Need Capital? Start Thinking Like a Capital Provider

Understanding what investors are looking for, how they think, and how best to engage them is the proven path to success.

Very few people were born into this world great at raising investor capital. Unfortunately, however, investors both expect and demand that Founders excel at the task of raising capital. The problem is that very few Founders think like an investor, or even know how to.

Oftentimes, Founders simply lack the necessary investment expertise to effectively position the business for investors. In most cases, this leads to a lengthy, unorganized capital process – wasting significant time and investor money.

Your NameJune 12, 2025

Scale-Stage Entrepreneurs Increasingly Must Navigate Both Venture Capital and Private Equity Expectations

Challenging Funding Markets Precipitating a Change in Growth Strategy

To put it mildly, the last few years have been challenging ones for both the venture capital and private equity funding markets. Companies that raised capital in 2020 and 2021 often did so at a favorable valuation, and with the expectation that they could tap additional rounds of funding a year or so down the line. As we have all discovered, that has not necessarily been the case.

Your NameSeptember 19, 2024

Institutional Capital Raise Mistake #3 - Not Budgeting Enough Time for Success

The Third Biggest Capital Raise Mistake – Running out of time and money. Not budgeting the necessary time, talent, and resources to complete a successful funding round.

Regardless of the type of investor that you are targeting, most will move much slower than you prefer. In our experience, too many management teams have unrealistic expectations for the amount of time and effort needed to successfully complete a capital raise.

Your NameJuly 1, 2024

Institutional Capital Raise Mistake #2 - Incorrect Positioning

The Second Biggest Capital Raise Mistake – Positioning your company incorrectly. Not understanding the needs, expectations, and goals of your target investor.

To run a successful capital raise process, the company narrative, positioning, message, and materials must be designed to meet the needs of the correct investor, with the correct expertise, at the correct investment stage.

Your NameJune 24, 2024

The #1 Capital Raise Mistake - Total Lack of Planning

Save your company significant time and money – avoid the most common capital raise mistake.

Regardless of the product or industry, there is one significant mistake growth-stage entrepreneurs commonly make over and over again. This mistake leads to wasted meetings, wasted effort, wasted time, and most importantly wasted money. In extreme cases, it can lead to a failed capital raise or depressed company valuation.

Your NameFebruary 26, 2024

Need Funding? Answer These 3 Questions First - Who Needs It? Will They Pay for It? How Much Will They Pay?

Finding great investors to fund your company can be a challenge. Businesses can be complex. However, if you want to really capture the attention of potential investors - be LASER focused on answering three vital questions. Who needs your product? Will they pay for it? How much will they pay?

Your NameOctober 25, 2023

Is your company struggling to raise capital? Follow these steps to be more effective.

GREAT PLAN = SUCCESS. WEAK PLAN = FAILURE.

Raising capital can be challenging. However, the good news is that great ideas paired with a great business can capture investor attention.

Many incorrectly believe that success is simply a strong rolodex. That is incorrect. The trick is a strong PLAN.

Your NameOctober 10, 2023

Capturing Investor Attention Formula: SCIENCE + ART = CAPITAL

Good ideas get a first meeting. Good ideas paired to a good business get funding.

Generally speaking, investors will NOT beat a path to your door. The truth is your greatest competition is indifference and lack of understanding. Investors see interesting investments - every day, every week, every month, for the entire year.

Your NameOctober 5, 2022

Want Investor Capital? WHY You Do Something Can Be as Important as WHAT You Do

Want to Showcase Your Company’s Uniqueness? Then the Pitch May Need to Venture Beyond Product/Market Fit

As funding markets tighten up in 2022, raising capital - from both VCs and PEs - may get a little tougher. The competition for investment capital is always fierce. However, a pullback in the funding markets will make that task even more difficult.

Your NameJune 8, 2022

Investors Want to Fund Execution, Not Exploration

The age-old question - What are investors really looking for?

Entrepreneurs often don’t really know what investors want, and investors don’t often share what they are looking for. Let’s end the confusion here and now. Investors want to fund ‘Execution, not Exploration.’ If there was one principle about understanding investor behavior that I would emphasize with growth-stage companies it is this one.

Your NameDecember 9, 2021

Your Cap Table Tells an Important Story. Is it the Story You Want Told? [Theranos Edition]

The Elizabeth Holmes Theranos trial is underway, which has brought the story back front and center in the minds of investors - and what a story it is. Yes, there were plenty of underhanded things (and I mean plenty) that they did wrong. Plenty of things that they should (and most likely will) get punished for. However, that story has already been written. The book Bad Blood by John Carreyrou is a must read if you have interest in the topic.

Your NameSeptember 28, 2021

Capital is Grown, Not Raised

The market competition for investment capital is now more crowded than it has ever been at any time in the past. More companies are raising capital. More funds are raising capital. The noise level is deafening. Capturing the attention of potential investors is harder than ever. This applies to Venture Capital funds, Private Equity funds, and any company raising investment capital, at any stage. What can a company or a fund do to set themselves apart in this competitive landscape?

Your NameFebruary 18, 2021

Want More Investment Capital? Improve Your Brand. Here's How.

Proper investment and brand positioning is so important in today’s investing marketplace. The marketplace is crowded with opportunities all clamoring for investor attention. This is why our services have been in such high demand with this community. While this article is primarily directed toward the PE and VC communities, it is also applicable to growth stage companies that also need to raise investment capital - potentially even more so.

Investor Relations, ContentYour NameSeptember 10, 2020

Capital Mindset Insight

GREAT PLAN = SUCCESS. WEAK PLAN = FAILURE.