You raised capital, now what?
So you closed the round. The money is in the bank. Now what? Many founders think fundraising is the hard part, but what happens after you raise is what really […]
Equity isn’t free, use it wisely
I see founders make this mistake all the time. Early-stage founders handing out equity too easily, to advisors, early employees, or even small investors, without realizing how much it costs […]
DON’T “Raise as much as you can.”
“Raise as much as you can.” may sound like good advice. More money means more runway, more hires, more growth. But in reality, raising too much too soon can hurt […]
The real fundraising timeline
Most founders underestimate how long fundraising takes. They hear stories of startups closing rounds in just a few weeks, assume investors will decide quickly, and expect that a few meetings […]
How I assess a pitch deck
When a founder sends me their pitch deck, my job is simple: Analyze it and see if it’s ready for investors. To do that, I go through a checklist: ✔ […]
Pitching to investors comes down to 1 thing
Pitching to investors is about only 1 thing: ↓ Proving you can execute. At pre-seed and seed, investors aren’t expecting a perfect business. They know: – Things will change – […]
Which pitch deck framework is right for your startup?
Your pitch deck is your startup’s first impression. And just like with first impressions, how you structure it can make or break your chances of standing out. That’s where frameworks […]
How to calculate Market Size without lying
Market sizing is one of the most misunderstood and misused parts of a pitch deck. Founders often default to quoting huge, unrealistic numbers like: “The healthcare market is $7.7 trillion. […]
Are you backable?
Every founder dreams of being “backable.” It’s that elusive quality that makes investors lean in, take notice, and ultimately say, “I’m in.” But what does it really mean to be […]
Strategy and personalization are a pitch deck’s best friends
Creating a pitch deck isn’t just about filling slides, it’s about strategy and personalization. Yet, I often see founders make the same mistake: using templates or copying other decks they’ve […]
How to improve your problem slide
The problem slide is one of the most important parts of your pitch deck. It’s where investors decide if they care enough to keep reading. A bad problem slide can […]
Better to copy a proven business than build an unvalidated one
Every founder dreams of creating the next big thing. But here’s the hard truth: the most innovative idea in the world means nothing if it isn’t validated. Investors don’t invest […]