Here is my classic fundraising strategy...
Fundraising doesn't just happen. It's a series of intentional steps that drive the cash your way.
I'm fundraising for 39BC (btw you can invest from £1k if you want, HMU), so I had to revert back to my learnings on fundraising... here is how I always do it...
I want to start with the truth: raising money is not just about having a good idea. It is about having a strong point of view, doing an enormous amount of groundwork, and learning how to create conviction in other people.
Too many women are told that fundraising is mysterious, elite, or inaccessible. It is not. It is a process. A sales process, yes, but also a storytelling process. And once you understand that, you can get much better at it.
I have raised over £6 million across my businesses. I was the first Black woman in the UK to raise more than £5 million in venture capital. That is not a flex. It is actually quite depressing. But it also means I have had to learn this game from the ground up, without inherited networks, without a ready-made map, and without assuming anyone was going to open the door for me.
So here are the 10 steps I believe matter most when you are trying to raise your first million.
(After the paywall I've also included a deck with all of these steps in for visual learners...)
1. Start with a thesis, not a pitch deck
Before you raise money, you need a vision of the future.
Investors are not only backing a business. They are backing your understanding of where the market is going and why you are the person to build in that direction.
You need to be able to say:
