Notes

Notes on raising, building, and the work in between.

Short, honest pieces on the questions founders actually ask me, written from the founder’s and operator’s side of the table rather than the sidelines.

July 2026
Do you actually need a business plan to raise money?
Most founders ask me for a business plan with a five-year model. Most of them need a great pitch deck instead. Here is how to tell which one you are.
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July 2026
What do investors actually read in a pitch deck?
The order matters more than the design. If you have real traction, it does not belong on slide eight.
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July 2026
What actually counts as traction?
Signups are not traction. Traction is people coming back, and it is the one thing investors really trust.
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July 2026
How much should you actually raise?
The number matters less than being able to explain it. On the amount, the dilution, and who to ask.
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July 2026
How do you actually find investors?
Start with the people who already know you, match the raise to the right investor, and do not overlook the customers already in front of you.
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July 2026
A bank loan or an investor, which do you actually want?
A bank gives you money and nothing else. The real question is whether you want money, or money plus help.
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July 2026
A new business and a startup are not the same thing
One is built to be profitable. The other is built to grow, and may lose money for years on purpose.
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Notes on raising, building, and the work in between.

Do you actually need a business plan to raise money?

What do investors actually read in a pitch deck?

What actually counts as traction?

How much should you actually raise?

How do you actually find investors?

A bank loan or an investor, which do you actually want?

A new business and a startup are not the same thing