dakota’s Post

Founders and VCs fundraising - tired of dealing with unresponsive contacts and insincere commitments? In an effort to make fundraising more transparent, rpv's Founding Partner Arkady Kulik shares how to spot and handle 3 types of people that will waste your time: 👻 Ghosts who stop communicating without explanation 🤡 Clowns who fail to follow through on their commitments 🦹♂️ Players who feign interest in investing for personal satisfaction or other non-financial reasons Read more: https://lnkd.in/enNDiGpA #rpv #fundraising

At best, fundraising is tough. At worst, it’s soul-crushing. Throughout raising my first fund, I encountered quite a few people that wasted my time.  To help founders and VCs, I wrote a guide (https://lnkd.in/gK4ueUYy) on how to identify and handle these types: 👻 Ghosts who vanish without a word. 🤡 Clowns who talk big but deliver little. 🦹♂️ Players who have a hidden agenda. Let’s make our ecosystem healthier by exposing these troubling behaviors. 🌟 Think this could help? Spread the word. Together, we can make fundraising more transparent and efficient. #rpv #fundraising #lessons #guide

The most dangerous advice fundraising. (And what will make you fail to fundraise) People who’ve never raised giving advice on fundraising. “Cold email investors → It works at meeting investors” “Outsource your network → I have connections” “Do this investability score to fundraise" Every time I hear any of these. I want to smash my head through my laptop. Seriously. But for some reason we have this culture about fundraising. That to successfully raise you can pay your way out of it. And I’m sick of it. But you know what — I don’t even blame them. They’re doing their best to help. But they don’t know how to actually help people. You know who I blame? People who have raised before. We’ve done a sh*t job of showing founders the REAL work it takes to fundraise. And what you actually need to do to be successful. Please don’t make the same mistake so many founders I speak to have — thinking all they need to do is → Cold outreach investors → Buy someone else’s network → Fundraising without a proper process And you’ll be getting multiple term sheets. It's bullsh*t. But what do you think? -- P.S. Here's my climbing Mount Batur in Bali 2 years ago. What a view 😍

In fundraising, every opportunity counts. But are you ready to capture it, or will you let it slip? 🎤🦸🏼♂️ Here's a practical guide on crafting your pitch . . . with some inspo from Slim Shady: https://lnkd.in/eYYhTcQM

Nobody likes fundraising. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are 3 simple fundraising tips (to raise more money for your business): *** Fundraising for a new business venture is hard. It’s one of the most tedious parts of running a business. But there are some strategies to simplify it. Let's go through a few that have worked for me. 𝟭. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 Almost every successful fundraising process is built on a foundation of strong relationships. This should be your first focus. Constantly build relationships with anyone in your industry you find interesting. Go to conferences. Join meetings to learn. Share your knowledge online. Familiarity is everything here. People are much more receptive to pitches when they know you, and your skillset, personally. If you want to get good at raising money, get good at building relationships. 𝟮. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 No one is going to invest blindly, especially if your pitch is weak. Your pitch should include who you are, a simple financial model and a management plan for the business. Even if you’re pitching a family member, you need legitimacy. For example, a pitch for a car dealership should include: • Your personal experience with dealerships • A model of your first year’s inventory, expected cash flow, etc • Who will be operating the business and their credentials • Expected modeled returns to investors Make your pitch simple, but include specific details. 𝟯. 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 You’ll probably have to talk to dozens if not hundreds of people. Keep every single resource you’ve ever used – make your own fundraising playbook based on previous success. Record everything in a spreadsheet so you’ll never forget what you’ve said and who you’ve said it to. Make note of what’s worked for you before and what hasn’t. You’ll never be caught off-guard if you’re prepared for any answer. *** To recap, 3 simple fundraising tips: • Build relationships first • Make a simple, clear pitch • Develop your fundraising playbook There’s obviously a lot more to fundraising than this, but these are a few of the “fundamentals” to get you started. Hope they're helpful.

At AskRIGHT, we love working with clients to build a strong fundraising strategy, helping the causes you love raise more money and ultimately make a bigger difference in the world. Strategy development is one of the core areas we work, whether we’re facilitating strategy workshops, interviewing stakeholders to ensure their voices are heard in the development process, or assessing the resources required to deliver a brilliant piece of work. A good strategy sets out a series of actions that are delivered to help reach a long-term vision. In the fundraising world, our strategies are there to raise more money to deliver impact in the not-for-profit sector. If you’re currently building or reviewing a fundraising strategy, what are the key steps to take to ensure your team has the right goals agreed, and the action plan is ready to go? How do you ensure that your strategy will continue to be relevant and effective as you and your team begin delivering it? Our helpful checklist gives you the pointers to interrogate your fundraising strategy and ensure you can tick all the boxes for future success. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gzpB4hbQ

I am always involved in fundraising. Sometimes it’s part of my actual work- with startups or nonprofits Sometimes it’s part of my pro-bono work Sometimes people ask for introductions or connections Sometimes I ask if I can connect people Sometimes I am the one asking for investments or donations Sometimes I’m the one being asked Fundraising is both excruciating and exhilarating work And it requires preparation, prepared assets, strategy, a lot of hard work and even more mental toughness No matter what you are raising for- There are 4 critical things you must have prepared and ready when pitching for funding ( philanthropic or investment) 1. Clear mission/purpose statement Define your raison d’etre with crystal clarity. A compelling mission statement is your guiding light and it should resonate with passion and purpose making it easy for supporters to rally behind your cause 2. Unique value proposition Distinguish yourself from the crowd. Whether it’s a unique product, service, approach, clearly communicate your distinctive value. What sets you apart?? My favorite question is - if you disappeared tomorrow would it matter? 3. Game plan for winning Share your roadmap for success. This can include big vision but must have a clear plan with near term and longer term deliverables. What exactly will you be doing and accomplishing and how will you measure it? 4. Budgets Be transparent about your financial needs. Outline your budgets with details that help investors or donors understand their impact. A well structured budget is your financial roadmap With these 4 things on hand- you’re set to answer almost any inquiry and your best positioned to shine brightly for your potential donors or investors

At EvolutCo, we celebrate the uniqueness of every business! 🚀 we're not about cookie-cutter solutions because we know your company is one-of-a-kind. Here's why we stand out: . . . . . . . . . #evolutco #fundraisingexperts #nonprofitgrowth #impactinvesting #makeadifference #fundraisinggoals #crowdfundingsuccess #socialimpactfunding

When it comes to fundraising, you need to spend TIME! As an Executive Director, your time is invaluable. I get it. Between managing programs, engaging stakeholders, and steering your organization towards its mission, finding time for fundraising can seem impossible. There just aren’t enough hours in the day! But here's the reality check: fundraising isn't the problem. It’s the narrative around it. So why not flip the script? Let’s approach it strategically and get more hours back in your day. Picture this: a well-crafted fundraising strategy that carefully lays out how to maximize your time and efforts. WOW! Game changer. Yes, it will require some upfront investment of your time, but trust me when I say the return on investment will be well worth it. By starting with a solid fundraising strategy, you'll streamline your efforts, identify your most promising fundraising avenues, and effectively leverage your resources. Say goodbye to aimless scrambling that keeps you up at night and hello to purposeful action. Let’s get this straight - fundraising is about building relationships, fostering connections, and telling your organization's compelling story. With the right strategy in place, you'll not only raise funds but also cultivate a community of passionate supporters who are invested in your mission. That’s a WIN! Book a discovery call with me today, and let's embark on this journey together. Don't let the fear of time hold you back. It's time to thrive. Let's make it happen!

Managing a fundraise can be daunting, but having processes in place will help smooth things over. Read on for recommendations on how to effectively manage your next round, and how you can utilise ‘urgency’ to your advantage. Special thanks to Theo Wethered for putting this piece together. #StartupTips #Fundraising #Urgency