A simple thing I advise early-stage founders on:
—> Stage —> Strategy —> Source
1) Stage - What stage are you really at? Idea, MVP, early traction, PMF?
2) Strategy - Do you need capital to survive or to scale? Different answers, different risks.
How Much Should You Raise at Idea Stage?
Most founders either raise too little or too much. Here’s a simple mental model 👇
🔸 Don’t raise for 18 months
You’re not scaling - you’re validating
🔸 Don’t raise based on “runway”
Raise based on milesto
FUNDRAISING DYNAMICS
Two key factors play a major role in early-stage fundraising: founder pedigree and traction.
➡️ Founder pedigree becomes especially important when you’re just starting out with an idea on paper. Investors look at your backgroun
What VCs Actually Count as “Traction” at Pre-Seed
Early-stage founders often ask:
“We don’t have revenue yet - can we still raise?”
Yes. But only if you show traction that feels real.
Here's what investors actually look for at pre-seed:
- A waitl
Can someone help me figure out how to calculate the valuation and equity for my startup? It’s still at the idea stage and I’m looking to raise some funding.
Bootstrap is not possible and I need some investors for my social media startup.
Budding founders - DO NOT SETTLE FOR LESS when it comes to investors. If they're creating problems at the founding stage - they'll most likely create later. You've plenty options now. Your credentials will take you far!