13 Things I Learned About Fundraising Last Week With 500 Global in San Francisco

I’ve spent the past week in San Francisco with 500 Global, learning everything about fundraising from world experts.

Here are my top 13 lessons that can be useful anywhere, no matter the size of your company:

1. Connect with people that share the same values and beliefs as your business. They might not be an investor themselves, but you still can make a great connection that can refer you to their network;

2. Investors are looking to provide more value than only money to your business: it matters if they can help with their connections and expertise;

3. The speed of learning from experiments and fast implementation matter more than perfection. The rule is clear: done is better than perfect. If it’s well done, of course;

4. Investors want to connect with you and learn about your industry before being asked about investment;

5. Don’t be shy; introduce yourself with enthusiasm! Don’t forget to have your one-line pitch SHARP (5 to 7 words max);

6. It’s never too early to start your investor list and network. Investment takes time, and it’s always better to start before your business actually needs money;

7. Your story matters! Investors are human like everybody and are looking for meaningful connections and a remarkable story, not just your LinkedIn highlights;

8. Investors, many times, are entrepreneurs themselves. Make sure to learn from their experience too;

9. Don’t ask for an introduction from someone who doesn’t know you or doesn’t understand well what you do. Make sure to build a connection first!

10. Make sure to do your homework. Learn about the investor you are reaching out to or/and are meeting ahead. Get to know the area they invest in and their portfolio; this information is usually easily found on their LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and website;

11. Make sure to ask questions! The relationship between the founder and investor is almost like dating. Be interested, ask intelligent questions, and have a two-sided conversation instead of talking about your company all the time;

12. Know your metrics. If you don’t know a specific number they might ask, it’s OK to say you are not sure and you will get back to them with the answer (make sure to actually get back to them with the answer if you say this);

13. Stay connected! It is preferred to send a note reminding your prospective investor where you met with that LinkedIn connection invitation. If you developed a good relationship, it’s a good idea to invite them to be added to your e-mail updates.