More customers won't get you funded. But this will... Technical founders often tell me, “I just need customers so I can get funded.” Unfortunately, more customers doesn’t cut it, there’s more to this game. The first time I raised $1M… Back in the day, I was building Unna, the ‘there when you can’t be’ AgeTech for family caregivers. I had growing users, plenty of bells, whistles, and a helluva brand. With my connections, salesmanship, and charm, I thought I would close my $1M seed in 8 weeks. Easy peazy! Nope. Took 3x longer because I had so much to learn about building and raising. 🥊 Hard truth: Investors aren't throwing money at cool tech or because you can revenue; or Simply because you have landed a few more customers. It’s about the complete package. 4 things you should know before raising capital: 𝟭/ 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: ↳ Forget "hockey stick" projections. Demonstrate a repeatable, scalable customer acquisition engine. Prove you can consistently attain/retain customers. 𝟮/ 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: ↳ It's not growth; it's profitable growth. Keep CAC in check and at least 4:1 CLV:CAC. Make sure NDR is above 110% - Show your customers stick around and spend more over time. 𝟯/ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 ↳ Investors bet on people as much, or more, as products. Showcase proven track record, deep industry expertise, and your ability to execute, adapt, and navigate the challenges. 𝟰/ 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: ↳ This is where you, the technical founder, truly shine. Articulate a clear and compelling vision for the future of your company. Show passion, mastery of the market, and your ability to inspire and lead a high-performing team. 𝗔𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘁: → Demonstrate a large and growing market with a clear path to capturing significant market share. → Show consistent growth in key metrics, proving your product-market fit and the effectiveness of your go-to-market strategy. Nail these elements, and you'll be well on your way to funding. 🚀 Hope this helps. _____________________________- Helping serious technical founders get out of sales and get funded.
Your expertise shines through. Love that you're sharing your journey ...so other founders looking for funding won't need to wait 3X as long...they can get to accelerating faster.
Spot on! 🔥 It’s not just about customers or cool tech—it’s about presenting the full package to investors.
That Hook got me to click ☕
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Messaging that slaps | The anti-agency for B2B founders | High-speed, high-impact messaging that creates blue ocean opportunities | Elder Millennial
2moNow THAT’s a BOOM for me.