Samuel Solomon Utoh’s Post

Looking for #funding ? "Raise Millions" by Hustle Fund is a fantastic free resource! Clear, simple, and full of practical tips and it helped me clear up many doubts. 📚 Key points of the book: 1️⃣ Comprehensive guide for first-time founders 2️⃣ Step-by-step approach to fundraising 3️⃣ Practical tips and real-world examples Highly recommended for anyone in the early stages of their #startup journey. Get the Book for free here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dpjtvFBz 💡 Have you heard of this book before? Do you know any other great resources for fundraising? Share your thoughts and recommendations!

When people ask me what I do, I tell them I eat breakfast and dinner. Breakfast with founders. Dinner with angels. Check out my profile for more on those two. But since the Squared refresh, Domenico and I have been working with select number of founders to help coach them into becoming better fundraisers. You see. Although investors are back from summer and VCs have started to steam their gilets, it doesn't magically help your fundraising efforts. There still needs to be a narrative that makes it easy for investors to understand to want to make them invest in your business. And it's likely that the narrative isn't a million miles away from where you are. But it's where we come in to help you. £750 one-off (no equity!) Two weeks of intense time Five 1:1 sessions with both of us A shared slack channel to stay on top of things Right now, you're probably too confusing and not clear enough. We empower you to simplify your proposition and make it more investable Spoiler: it's not about giving you an email list of investors. That's the easy part.

These past two weeks I've been bogged down reading some longer books that were high on my dad's recommendation list. Those will come through in later weeks as I wrap them up, but #ReadingLikeLee must continue! Despite these longer books, I am one of those people who reads multiple books at a time, depending on my mood. I was able to focus in and read the entirety of Raise Millions by Hustle Fund VC during my travel to NYC. Simply, if you are in the founder space and haven't read this book, go download it and get to it. I'll leave the link at the bottom. I loved the opportunity to read an alternative viewpoint to fundraising and managing capital. Coming from the founder / operator side, it's easy to be blinded by your own views and miss the original intentions of your investors. Also -- if you're currently raising, don't stop with Raise Millions. In the book they link out to their guide for curating the best pitch deck and it might be even more valuable than Raise Millions. #startupecosystem #foundersjourney #fractionalcfo #readingforpleasure #2024goals

A couple of weeks ago I shared 8 practical and eye-opening tips for finding investors (if you haven't seen it check it out in my featured posts). These tips came out of an “idea swap” workshop we recently facilitated with our community of founders. In the workshop we also swapped ideas on who could be approached to facilitate introductions to investors. Getting investors to respond to a founders’ outreach, unfortunately, is one of the hardest parts of fundraising. Investors are busy people, and so only tend to respond if you entice them with what your investment opportunity offers them. But, a “warm” intro from someone they trust within their network is a great way in, and a good way to start a conversation with them. We’ve shared some of the insights that came from our founders on who they approached to facilitate warm intros to investors. #investors #fundraising #networking

Early-stage founders are, by necessity, strongly identified with their company (who they are and who the company is = one). This serves as an advantage in many ways: -> They are sensitive to the heartbeat of their company, and, almost intuitively know if something is wrong (or right). -> Use human survival instinct as a source of energy. If there is a threat, they will often do anything they can to avoid perceived 'death.' However, when #fundraising at the early-stage, it is often helpful to momentarily dis-identify from their company so they can effectively articulate their opportunity to investors. Especially on important points such as: -> Differentiation (or unique POV). -> Natural strengths and unfair advantage. We are often blind to our own excellence because it can feel so natural and seem so obvious that we don't think it special. The same thing can be said about our glaring blindspots and weaknesses. So for #founders gearing up for a fundraise, I always suggesting working with some great sounding boards and advisors who can help you step out of your business and honestly assess it: - Strengths - Weaknesses/gaps - Can narrative, networks, and salesmanship actually compensate for those gaps? - If not, what needs to change (product, gtm, etc.) materially to even have a baseline shot at raising your next round? https://lnkd.in/grZ6_ehe

Raising your first funding round is a whole different game—I learned that the hard way! When I was just starting out, we had to piece together the fundraising process from scratch, and let me tell you, it was a grind. If only Jon Low's book, "Raising Your Institutional Round", had been around back then! It’s like a blueprint for navigating the VC landscape without all the trial and error. Jon has helped founders secure over $500 million in venture capital, and he’s distilled those insights into this playbook so you don’t have to go it alone. If you're gearing up to fundraise, grab this book and skip some of those painful (and expensive) rookie mistakes! Check it out here 👇

Remember the “buddy system” from childhood? Every fundraising founder should follow it… 🤝 I share lots of tactical fundraising tips. But the hardest part? The emotions. → Long hours → Countless meetings → Very unfriendly investors But the worst bit of all? The no’s come first. Lots of them. So how do you feel? Like you’ll never raise. Like you’re completely alone. That’s why you need a buddy. 🙌 It could be anyone who: 1️⃣ Has raised capital before 2️⃣ That you absolutely trust 100% 3️⃣ No other incentives (not a current investor) They’re half-coach, half-superfan. Just schedule a recurring 30 min meeting every week while you’re fundraising. I promise it’ll make you both happier and more effective. __ Was this helpful? 👍 like and ♻️ repost it to help other founders!

Day 22: Proper in-person pitching gives me a little rush. Closing an investor too (of course!) ⚡ And so I realised there is an element of dopamine pleasure in fundraising. 🤯 I would have never thought I'd actually enjoy raising. It always felt like a painful means to an end. But whilst uncertainty and challenges do make it painful. Connecting with smart and successful people who are willing to share their time with you, giving your best effort (like a sport race), and (in some cases) getting those YESes... Is kind of exciting, isn't it? Am I completely nuts in saying this? Doesn't the process itself make you feel like you're looking at a wall to climb that's kinda both a scary challenge and an exciting one to see through? 🧗 #angelinvesting #venturecapital #familyoffices #limitedpartners #vcfunding - - - I'm a soloVC sharing live my 30 day, 40+ LP, and 3 country final closing fundraising trip 🛫 If you like it, do consider a like, Reshare and Follow + ♥️ Check out Day 21 here:  https://lnkd.in/dcgdfmWN UPDATE - DAY 23 is out! 👉 https://lnkd.in/d24jvD6D

As part of #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek, we are highlighting two principles from The Five Principles of Angel Pitches. "Maintain Credibility" and "Pitching Is A Process". Earning an investor’s trust means consistently presenting a reliable, grounded image, and understanding that raising funds isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. "Seemingly minor things can take on disproportionate importance... Your defense is to present a credible picture throughout your fundraising journey." And as you engage, remember: Pitching Is A Process — each interaction builds momentum on your journey to win investor confidence. #HowToPitch #EntrepreneurshipJourney

Building a strong support network is key to entrepreneurial success. Our blog post highlights how connecting with mentors, peers, and allies can uplift and inspire you on your journey. Explore how to find and cultivate your tribe! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/enXD2hsc #CallingAllSuperwomen #ElevatebyGrameen #Funding