Set the Intention and Confidence to get FUNDED
Create a strong inner locus of control to navigate through the difficulties of fund raising, have an elegant way out, and take rejection as suggestions for improvement, so the process is enjoyable and self-nurturing.
Understand your funding NEEDS
Translate operational and investment needs for cash into needs for resources, so you can balance your strategic model according to your specific needs and the constrains of each specific funding source, so you become more fundable.
Unfunding, making funding needs disappear.
Use creativity and well defined methods to reduce your funding needs whilst increasing your company’s value, AND your equity.
Leveraging the Power of Crowds.
Create a valuable proposition, vet your supporters for funding, and develop a milestone plan and take advantage of customer’s feedback and new regulations.
Emotional Funding.
Use investors that will share some of the risk and rewards of the company.
Founders, Family, and Friends.
Women fund around 55.5% of their needs vs General population – 63%.
Create a milestone-based plan to de-risk your company, leverage on other’s resources, avoid emotional battles, and nurture healthy social/commercial human relationships from people that you love and who love you.
Small Short-term (Angels) or Long-term (Partners) Investors.
Decide which type of investor (Angels or Partners) meets your vision, and how to find, evaluate and close deals –or not- with them. Both of these investors have weak ties to you and invest their own money. Angels seek growth and exits, Partners have a long-term horizon and evaluate their return in dividends. YOU CHOOSE which strategy serves you.
The Venture or Vulture Capitalists.
Create a strategy that fits with a VC criteria, learn how to select VC firm, and what to expect in the process.
Debt.
Back funding with some form of collateral or insurance, and have clear expectation based on historic revenues. Learn how to balance a combination of collateral, cash flow, and risks; find local allies, and use the various forms of debt to grow your firm.
The Final Details
Manage the “pink” effect: income gap (women are seen as less valuable than men), purchase gap (women are charged more than men for services and products), and feedback gap (women receive less valuable feedback than men).
Valuation and Negotiation with Ease.
Validate your points and highlight the strengths of your deal, diminish risks, and facilitate the negotiation process, managing rejection and disparate suggestions.
Crafting a Funding Strategy.
Avoid traps, select and close on the best funding option(s) for your current situation and align the different elements of the funding process.