What are some big mistakes that startups make after receiving money from an investor?
So you spent the last 6 or so months completing your fund raising exercise. You exhausted your full network reach and then some, but hit your target and closed the round. First of all, bravo! Learn to celebrate your wins. You will quickly become aware that your journey has now just begun: Remember, you don’t […]
How can I invest in a startup´s equity story?
This is a topic I generally shy away from due to the regulatory implications attached to the question. Also, different jurisdictions treat the question differently. Yet, it is a question I receive alot and interested persons seem to go ahead and invest anyhow so I believe it welcome to at least provide a primer on […]
The quintessential founder attribute: GRIT
“You spend months trying to convince the authorithies to finance this initiative, and once the funds are available, they give it to someone else. I could not let it happen, you need to get your nails out and take what you deserve”. This was our founder explaining how she secured a long term contract for […]
Why human interactions are the centre of any fund raising story
I received a classical corporate finance education. SWOT analysis, cash management and unit economics, marketing 7Ps. I also used to beleive that a business was defined by its profit and loss statement and balance sheet. As a young and eager professional, I set out to apply these theories but nobody was listening…Boy did I
How to get introductions to investors?
There are three buckets you should target to provide intros to investors: Investors who have confidence in you and your abilities (you probably don´t know many) Founders, in your network, who have received an investment (these make for strong warm introductions). Trusted network contacts with working or perosnal relationships w
The case for startups adopting a strategy
Startups need to be strategic and purposeful in their approach. Although they may at times appear to be whimsical and intuitive in nature, so much has been said and done in the startup world that the business world must take them seriously. I received a traditional and classic academic formation in business and finance. To [&hel
What are the best strategies for creating a business plan?
You will find a plethora of resources about writing a solid business plan online. If you are familiar with it, you can set out by starting with the business canvas appraoch which will deliver a core set of thoughts for you to build out from. My comments will attempt to tackle what it takes to […]
