Going Beyond the Pitch Deck: A Practical Guide for Startup Funding

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Going Beyond the Pitch Deck: A Practical Guide for Startup Funding #beyondthepitch Lori Murphree CFO Early Growth Financial Services Peter Mansfield Partner Mansfield + Associates

description

If you're looking for startup fundraising advice, you're going to hear a lot about your pitch deck. Certainly your pitch deck is important, but your ability to raise capital goes deeper than that. You need to have the right fundraising mindset and a clear fundraising strategy. This presentation from Mansfield + Associates and Early Growth Financial Services will teach you what you need to know.

Transcript of Going Beyond the Pitch Deck: A Practical Guide for Startup Funding

Page 1: Going Beyond the Pitch Deck: A Practical Guide for Startup Funding

Going Beyond the Pitch Deck: A Practical Guide for

Startup Funding#beyondthepitch

Lori MurphreeCFOEarly Growth Financial Services

Peter MansfieldPartnerMansfield + Associates

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About Your Presenters

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Pitch decks are important…but they’re only one piece in the fundraising puzzle

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Presentation Overview

• Psychology of raising capital• Fundraising mindset• Common fundraising mistakes• Maximizing fundraising opportunities

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• Preparing for the meeting

• Presentation• Follow-up• Closing the deal

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The Psychology of Raising Money

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• How to get into the fundraising mindset• Your state-of-mind: Confidence (support with smoke

& mirrors, if necessary)• Meeting of equals: An exchange of equivalent values• Investor state-of-mind: Tapping into their psyche

(and accommodating giant egos)

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Common Fundraising Mistakes

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• Lack of understanding of investor motivations• Bad timing• No clear fundraising objectives• Not using milestone funding• Raising too much/too little• Not understanding cash-flow

– Underestimating expenses– Over-estimating future revenue

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Maximizing Fundraising Opportunities:Laying the groundwork

• Understand the investor: Personal and professional

• Understand their firm: Investment criteria, state of their funds

• Understand their portfolio: Identify partnership opportunities

• Looking for more than just money• Work your network: Introductions &

referrals

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Maximizing Fundraising Opportunities:Before the meet

• Set goals: meeting by meeting

• Prepare for investor questions: – Business model: users or

revenue?– Why you fit their portfolio?– How much do you need?

• Who should go?

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Maximizing Fundraising Opportunities:During the meeting

• How should you behave?• Things to emphasize• Questions to ask• Get referrals!

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Maximizing Fundraising Opportunities:After the meeting

• How long to wait before following up?

• How to follow up with VC portfolio companies

• Referral follow-up• How to read the signs –

what are the investor’s intentions

• Staying on investor’s radar

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Closing the Deal

• How to pace the deal• Be transparent• When to get outside counsel• Due diligence process• Establish what you expect from

your investors• Create relationship structure

(reporting, etc.)

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