RAISING INVESTMENT SPRING 2022 EASY OR NOT SO EASY - ARE YOU READY?

WE RISE TO SPRING - RAISING INVESTMENT IN 2022 – EASY OR NOT SO EASY 

We have been raising equity and alternative finance for Global Founders and Funds for over 20 years. And I am afraid it has not any easier but harder and particularly during and after the Global Pandemic.

WHY – LISTENING TO OUR INVESTORS

We where on a ‘GO SLOW’ during the Pandemic and normally our consistent strike rate is between 12-6 Founders/Funds as a Team we managed 5 Founders raised and two UK Funds. We had in February 2022 4 Founders who where at TERM SHEET in Dec 2021 and should have closed FAILED to close again which we were shocked!  Our Investors advised us that no more so than during the Pandemic was there more DEAL FLOW as more Start ups appeared as Employees were made redundant or where Furloughed in the UK. So, they had more CHOICE and they played it very safe during 2019-2021 and then they could be very selective and spent time researching COMPETITION and this was the reason why some of our Founders failed at Term Sheet. They also had valuations not attractive to Investors and there goes another reason and, they changed the goal posts – asking for more – which never happens – don’t get ahead of yourself and greedy! In the UK here were 5.5 million small businesses at the start of 2021 as many choose to chase their Dreams but without support you will and have failed! They reckon that one in 5 businesses fail in the UK each year and that is 90% I think it is higher!

The most common reasons small businesses fail include a lack of capital or funding, retaining an inadequate management team, a faulty infrastructure or business model, and unsuccessful marketing initiatives.

It is the chicken and egg situation really you need investment to scale and grow and Investors want traction and evidence of growth? We MANAGE your whole JOUNREY of Raising and you should start preparation 6 months minimum before you go out to raise. You need a Funnel of Investor Leads and we prepare you with the Funnel and create a Investor Deal Room for you called our Traffic Light system if you wish to book a Consultation complimentary karen@gateway2enterprise.co.uk We prepare all our Documents to be prepared and we will only send out to our Investors Documents that score 4.5/5 minimum and work in partnership with Pollenise and together we can support your raise so that you don’t become that 1/5 but you become the one that raises and grows!

There where some other factors around not raising for 2021

·      Playing catch up if in too much debt

·      Poor quality documents

·      Mismanaged Cash Flow. – Boy, do I see this time and time again even at Term Sheet. You need to leave yourself enough runway in between rounds of raising. When one Round stops the other begins.

·      Ineffective Leadership. – Fail outs between Founders is very common thus the company fails. Do you really like the relationship you are in, and can you deal with it for the next 10 years?

·      Failure to Adapt – how many of Founders did not Pivot during Covid or did and it did not work out?

NETWORK OF INVESTORS – DO YOU HAVE THEM?

It took me as a Founder 20 years to have a database of 45000 Investors mainly Family Offices/UHNWI/Investors and on LinkedIn took me 15 years to have 26000. You can ‘piggyback’ off us as we market your Investment Proposition to our Network and that of our Partners in total over 100,000 Investors.  We also use several new and old technology platforms and even LinkedIn/Sales Nav to prospect but unless you know how to use it it won’t work as LinkedIn changes its Algorithms weekly. I train my Staff Raising on this and others from Snov to Sales QSL to Mail Shake to Sendinblue so that our Founders benefit.

FAMILY OFFICE INVESTOR EVENTS – LONDON MAYFAIR – WASHINGTON HOTEL – PART OF OUR FOOTPRINTS PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUB Footprints - Our Private Members Club - Gateway2Enterprise

We host as part of the above minimum of 4 the next one being 31 March 2022 Spring Climate Change Family Office Conference Tickets, Thu 31 Mar 2022 at 16:00 | Eventbrite This then allows for us to have our Founders Present where they can follow up informally at the Cocktail party and then in person after the Event. We are always looking for those exceptional Founders to Present please arrange an Interview karen@gateway2enterprise.co.uk

When I started raising for my own business in 2012 it was so hard and more so for a woman of a certain age in Fintech. The Panels of Investors where always mature white men and they used to ‘GRILL’ me over my numbers Financials thank God I always knew them of by heart. There are many more Women VC Leaders and Angels and Angel Groups and in my space Family Offices when I look around the room at our Events, I not only see the audience getting younger but more women and younger women, so it is encouraging. As Women Founders, we have a long way to go but make sure as a Founder and Woman Founder you have Support Groups and Networks and a Mentor. I still have a Mentor and have a weekly session.  If you are a Female Founder reach out to me as I am happy to signpost you in the right direction and offer a free consultation.

BOARD AND TEAM SUPPORT

As a Founder raising have you the strength and skills and expertise and experience in your Team and Board to support your raise? Investors always list this as a Top Priority when assessing to invest.

ATTITUDE TAKES YOU FURTHER – THE RIGHT ATTTIUDE

Lastly, I wish to share with you that for me when we decide to raise for a Founder it is not about the money but whether we can put our finger on the pulse of the company and say YES, we know where to take this immediately and if not, it is not a fit. We also listen to our Investors re attitude, and we note that if Founders are late to meetings or unavailable for meetings then we wont work with them as we don’t want a bad reputation with our Investors as we have taken years to cultivate this relationship and they are very fragile. Another HOT TIP as a Founder try to find some modesty WHY DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS and then become so arrogant that you turn off us and the Investors. I have been in this business for over 20 years and am still learning and learn from the Greats including my Mentor and others in my Team and Board and Partners and even our Founders.

If you wish to follow up karen@gateway2enterprise.co.uk WhatsApp 00 44 07939164110 www.gateway2enterprise.co.uk lots of free tools for Founders.