Read time: 3 min
This one will pay for itself, fast.
Most founders don’t fail at fundraising because they’re bad at pitching.
They fail because they pitch way too soon.
Without prep.
Without clarity.
Without leverage.
And it shows.
Here’s the truth:
If you want investors to chase you…
If you want momentum instead of slow fades and ghosting…
You need to do the work before Day 1.
So today, I’m giving you the exact checklist top founders run before even sending their first deck.
The same playbook used by a portfolio founder of mine, who raised in 3 weeks, while others are still “starting to line up intros.”
1. Make sure your story punches
If you can’t explain what you’re building and why now in 30 seconds…
You’re not ready.
Your story isn’t just “what you do.”
It’s your narrative arc. The shift you’re betting on. The hero’s journey.
Sharpen this first.
Test it with people who don’t know your space.
Refine until it lands.
2. Build your investor pipeline before you need it
Fundraising is sales.
You need a pipeline. A CRM. A process.
I include this in my Notion template, but the steps are:
→ Start with 100+ names
→ Categorize by fit (geo, thesis, check size)
→ Warm intros > cold. But don’t wait. Build your own system.
This alone can 10x your odds.
Need investors? Check out my ultimate investor list of lists.
3. Prep your materials like you already raised
Pitch decks aren’t the only doc that matters.
The best founders show up ready.
That means:
→ Crisp, custom pitch deck
→ Clear Notion data room
→ Short + punchy one-pager
→ Product demo ready
→ Cap table clean
→ Financial model not a mess
These details signal competence.
And investors notice everything.
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And my awesome dataroom template?
4. Seed the round before it’s open
If your first call is when you “start” raising, you’re already behind.
The best founders:
→ build hype weeks before
→ share milestones + momentum
→ show progress in public or via updates
→ hint at the raise before announcing
Create FOMO before the game starts.
Not during.
5. Know your numbers better than the investor
You must know your numbers cold.
→ Traction
→ Valuation
→ TAM, SAM, SOM
→ Churn
→ Burn
→ Runway
If you can’t explain how you got to each confidently, they’ll walk.
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P.S.
If you're planning a September raise, this is the window to get ready.
And if this post made you realize you’re not ready yet?
That’s good.
Now you’ve got the roadmap.
Let’s get you funded.
Yoann