Cyrus Shirazi’s Post

The era of raising VC on an idea is over. But too many founders are stuck in the past. They want the title of "Founder." The glory of raising a big round... But they're not willing to grind it out and build a real business. Here's the truth: You need strong customer validation and real traction to raise money. Investors want PROOF, not promises. So if you're an aspiring founder: Fall in love with the problem you're solving, not the status you're chasing. - Work your ass off. - Do things that don't scale. - Be willing to build in obscurity. Trust that the accolades will follow the results.

The era of raising VC on an idea is over. But too many founders are stuck in the past. They want the title of "Founder" and the glory of raising a big round but they aren't willing to grind it out and build a profitable business. Here's the truth: You need customer validation and traction to raise money. Investors want PROOF, not promises. If you're an aspiring founder: Fall in love with the problem you're solving, not the status you're chasing. - Work your ass off. - Do things that don't scale. - Be willing to build in obscurity. Trust that rewards will follow results.

1 year ago a founder approached me. They wanted to raise funds. They needed documents that would… …convince investors. So my team and I got to work. We: - Researched their market - Crafted a strategy - Built their deck After we delivered the work, we hadn’t spoken since. But a few weeks ago, I reached out to them. I wanted to check in and… …that’s when I found out. The pitch deck we built helped them secure $2M. Hearing that was a powerful reminder of why I do what I do. Because it’s not just about creating documents It’s about helping founders turn their vision into reality. And moments like this make it all worth it. If you want to build an amazing pitch deck too, grab my free pitch deck guide. You can find it on my profile.

A clear and well-structured cap table is often the unsung hero during fundraising. Recently, we worked with a startup navigating a fundraising round, and a lack of clarity in their cap table almost led to investor disputes over ownership shares. A thorough review and restructuring ensured transparency, avoiding conflicts and reinforcing investor trust. Lesson? Transparency in ownership isn’t just smart—it’s essential for smooth negotiations. A well-managed cap table can be the difference between a successful raise and unnecessary tension. #StartupSuccess #CapTableClarity #InvestmentReady LEGAVERSE

Your personal network is holding you back. Yep, I said it. Relying on your network alone? It’s a slow grind. The same intros. The same events. The same conversations. And still no funding. If you want to raise capital, you need scale—access to VCs, family offices, and HNWIs that you've never met. This is where cold outreach wins. It opens doors your network won’t. Founders and fund managers: Ever felt stuck relying on your network? Wonder if any of you disagree with me.

Great to see more articles and individuals calling out the merits of bootstrapping. Bootstrapping doesn't mean you can't raise VC money, but it does give you freedom, agility and control. Essential for any growth phase. Thanks Itay Sagie for giving a shoutout to the bootstrappers 👋 https://lnkd.in/gh8WGXzR

Tomorrow I'm trying something new. Something a bit off the wall and maybe even something a bit controversial. I'm going to livestream my no-holds-barred review of 3 investment decks to the almost 200 folks (and counting) who have signed up. I spend each and every day raising money for startups all over the world from investors all over the world whilst I also run Manchester Angels. That means I talk to a LOT of investors each and every day. I talk to angels. I talk to angel syndicates. I talk to VCs. I get their feedback, talk them through opportunities and constantly craft and hone the approach based on that feedback. And as some of the folk I raised for will tell you - I obsess about the copy. The messaging. The structure. Tomorrow at 10am BST I am going to walk through 3 decks. I am going to show you what that disparate and diverse set of investors actually think when those decks hit. I am going to think out loud and tell it how it is. This is the sort of feedback you simply won't get from investors - because it's the raw, unedited first response to a cold deck dropping. It could go all horribly wrong. But it'll be a lot of fun!

We 6x'd Our Partner's Capital Raise in 30 Days. Here's the $2.4M Secret: Imagine multiplying your capital raise by 600% in a single month. No, this isn't fantasy—it's what our partner just achieved. The Jaw-Dropping Results: → $2.4M raised (Previous monthly average: $400K) Skeptical? Good. Let me pull back the curtain... Over a year ago, one of our syndication partners, whom we were helping to build their online presence, made it clear to us that raising capital was "the lifeblood of their business". Although posting content and growing their brand organically was great...they wanted to see more returns to help them attain their biggest goals. So my team and I dove head first to find a solution. Now here you go, here's a quick snapshot of where we are today for one of our partners... Here's a little part of "The Million-Dollar Raise Blueprint": 1. Urgency: The Silent Dealmaker    → They applied urgency to their offering, creating a limited-time window for action for potential investors. 2. Speed: The New Currency ⚡    → With every new accredited investor we connected them with, their investor relations teams followed up directly for a quick 5-10 min intro (building the bridge - not mandatory but recommended). 3. Empathy: The Hidden Multiplier 🎯    → They focused on learning what the investor's needs were and we helped tailor their campaign to effectively communicate that. 4. Precision: They Knew Their DEAL inside and Out 🎨    → They also had a vetted interest in truly helping the investor see the opportunity in the deal, and truly believed in the business plan. Their offer wasn't just attractive—it was irresistible. These small principles can be applied by almost any syndication, fund managers looking to raise capital—adopt them and see how they work for you. P.S. If you know anyone looking to streamline their capital-raising process, share this with them. #CapitalRaising #RealEstateInvesting #FundraisingHacks #WealthStrategy

Check out our latest interview with Sabrina Parsons on what most businesses get wrong about raising capital. If you're thinking about fundraising, this is a great place to start.

Most businesses struggle to raise capital. They guess how much they need. They can’t justify where the money will go. They don’t know what investors actually look for. We sat down with Sabrina Parsons, CEO of LivePlan, to break down the biggest mistakes founders make and how to fix them. If you’re thinking about raising capital, this is for you. 👉 Swipe through to learn how to get investor-ready.